Butterfield Overland Mail

United State] [[Image:Gotoarrow.pn] [[United States Migration Internal|Migratio] [[Image:Gotoarrow.pn] [[US Migration Trails and Roads|Trails and Road] [[Image:Gotoarrow.pn] [[Butterfield_Overland_Mail|Butterfield Overland Mail



Historical Background
In 1853 the [[United States Genealogy|United State] bought the Gadsden Purchas from [[Mexico Genealogy|Mexic. This was land in what is now [[New Mexico Genealogy|New Mexic] and [[Arizona Genealogy|Arizon] south of the Gila Rive. It was purchased in order to have a snow-free route from the rest of the United States to [[California Genealogy|Californi.

From 1857 to 1861 a mail and stage coach route was used called the Butterfield Overland Mail, or Oxbow Route, or Butterfield Overland Stage. The route went from eastern terminals at St. Louis, [[Missouri Genealogy|Missour] and Memphis, [[Tennessee Genealogy|Tennesse] and joined at Fort Smith, [[Arkansas Genealogy|Arkansa]. From there it went through Indian Territory ([[Oklahoma Genealogy|Oklahom]), El Paso ([[Texas Genealogy|Texa]), [[New Mexico Genealogy|New Mexic], Yuma ([[Arizona Genealogy|Arizon]), Los Angeles, and San Francisco, [[California Genealogy|Californi]. The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Wells_Fargo Wells Farg and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Express#History American Expres companies operated this stage coach and mail service contract.

In 1861 Congress discontinued this mail route in favor of the Central Overland Trail (Pony Expres (See also [[Pony Expres and telegraph) to California (St. Joseph, [[Missouri Genealogy|Missour] to Placerville, California). In 1881 a route like the old Butterfield Overland Mail was followed by the [[Southern Pacific Railroad|Southern Pacific Railroad]] from Los Angeles to El Paso.

Route

 * San Francisco, [[California Genealogy|Californi]
 * Los Angeles, California
 * Yuma, [[Arizona Genealogy|Arizon]
 * Tucson, Arizona
 * Franklin (near El Paso), [[Texas Genealogy|Texa]
 * [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Chadbourne Fort Chadbourn, Texas (central west Texas)
 * Colbert's Ferr, Indian Territory (on Red River near Colbert, [[Oklahoma Genealogy|Oklahom)
 * Fort Smith, [[Arkansas Genealogy|Arkansa]
 * Tipton, [[Missouri Genealogy|Missour] (near Jefferson City) railroad to St. Louis
 * St. Louis, Missouri

Settlers and Records
Most of the settlers who used this stage line would have settled in [[California Genealogy|Californi]. [[Missouri Genealogy|Missour], [[Illinois Genealogy|Illinoi], and [[Tennessee Genealogy|Tennesse] are the most likely origins of people who used this route.

No known passenger lists are available.

Internet Links

 * [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfield_Overland_Mail Butterfield Overland Mail - Wikipedi history, route, remnants, and references
 * National Postal Museum - online Butterfield Overland Mail Company book (schedule), including a history and illustrations