Place

Rachel E. Pattison Grave

Cemetery on a grass and small tree covered hillside with numerous headstones and a monument — Site Overview of Rachel Pattison Grave (Center)

Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits

A map of Passport and Places to Go locations for National Historic Trails.

"Rachel taken sick in the morning, died in the night." Thus did twenty-three-year-old Nathan Pattison record the death of his wife of two months, Rachel Warren Pattison. Nathan and Rachel were married April 3, 1849, in Randolph County, Illinois. One week later, they decided to take the Oregon Trail to Oregon with Nathan's immediate family. On June 18th, they reached Ash Hollow and stopped to do some repair work. The next day, Rachel was taken with Cholera and died just 12 hours later despite help from doctors. She was 18 years old. Her trailside grave was the beginning of this pioneer cemetery, now known as Ash Hollow Cemetery. To find her burial place, turn right toward the north end of the cemetery. A monument, which preserves her original gravestone, is near the flagpole.