– Illustrations by Bob Boze Bell – Like so many bad trips, this one started out as a fun adventure. The so-called Brewster wagon train departed Independence, Missouri, on August 10, 1850. Ninety-three religious pioneers, seeking a life in the Land of Bashan, headed west in 43 wagons, loaded down with eight months’ worth of provisions.  “It was a continuous picnic and excitement was plentiful” is how Susan Thompson described the journey she took at the age of 17.  She described


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