Page 3 - Keays Diary with forward 1866 and Cover

Notes About This Diary

Mrs. E. L. Keays somehow learned about a wagon trip to Fort Collins, Colorado and agreed to make the
trip with Fontain and Clay Peterson. She evidently traveled by train from Decatur, IL to Quincy, MO and
boarded the wagon group there for the trip to Fort Collins, CO. No mention is made of a husband, but
her 9 year-old son Will, traveled with her. Perhaps, she was widowed at this time.

As I recall, from my mother, Fontain and Clay drove the wagons from Little Egg Harbor, NJ to Fort
Collins, CO. Fontain was in the process of starting a photography business in Fort Collins and it was said
that he was the first professional photographer in Colorado. There is no verification of that claim, but he
did have a photography business in Colorado.

From here, you can read and speculate for yourself about all the unknown details.

Enjoy,

Wilbur A. (Wil) Haines
Great Grandson of Fontain Peterson