The Old Order Amish: Surviving against All Odds -- by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Anna's Crossing by Suzanne Woods Fisher - An Amish Colonial novel

CFPagels: We welcome our guest, Suzanne Woods Fisher today on Colonial Quills! Suzanne has a brand new release set during colonial times and we can't wait to read it!

The Old Order Amish: Surviving against All Odds

The story of the Amish is fascinating—mainly because their survival, right from the start, is so unlikely. To understand what I’m getting at, we need to make a quick trip back to 17^th century Europe.

The Amish were the last branch on the Anabaptist family tree. A split among the Swiss Anabaptists developed in the 1690s, led by bishop Jacob Ammann, over his call for reforms. Tighter church discipline, he demanded (and he was the demanding type), and that included shunning. This little splintered-off group became known as Avoiders (for the social avoidance of shunning), Ammann’s followers, and eventually evolved into “Amish.”

Jacob Ammann was last heard of in 1712. Some scholars think he might have gone into hiding. Ponder this with me for a moment: this little young church, less than twenty years old, did not have central leadership or any kind of identity. It wasn’t an organized movement. It consisted of small groups of followers, probably families, who kept scattering around Switzerland, France, and Germany. As pacifists, they tried to avoid military consignment, but even if they were granted exemption by the governments where they lived, they were not allowed to own land. Land was, is, highly valued among the Amish. Their love of farming the land runs deep.  

            It was William Penn’s invitation to religiously oppressed Germans that brought the Amish to America. In Penn’s Woods (later known as Pennsylvania), they could own land. Unlimited amounts. The first group of Amish that had the ability to grow as a congregation (it had ordained leaders to allow for baptism and marriages, a critical necessity!) arrived in Port Philadelphia in 1737 on the Charming Nancy ship. And that is the story in “Anna’s Crossing.”

            Let’s get back to the against-all-odds survival of the Amish. From 1737-1770, more Amish trickled into the New World—right up to the Revolutionary War. More came in the 19^th century. Today, there are no Amish left in Europe. Not one.

And in America, in the late 1800s, there were about five thousand Amish. Sociologists assumed that they would assimilate into the culture as so many other small religious groups had done.

But…they assumed wrong. The Old Order Amish—those who use horse and buggies instead of cars and aren’t connected to the public utility grid—are the fastest growing population in North America. At last count, they are closing in on 300,000. By 2050, scholars have predicted they will pass the one million mark.

Now, that’s a lot of buggies.

Author Suzanne Woods Fisher 

Bio: Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of 'The Stoney Ridge Seasons' and ‘The Lancaster County Secrets’ series, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace. She is a Christy award finalist and a Carol award winner. Her interest in the Anabaptist culture can be directly traced to her grandfather, who was raised in the Old German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Suzanne hosts the blog Amish Wisdom, and has a free downloadable app, Amish Wisdom, that delivers a daily Penn Dutch proverb to your smart phone. She lives with her family in the San Francisco Bay Area. You can find Suzanne on-line at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com. She loves to hear from readers!  

Giveaway: We're giving away a copy of Suzanne's new novel to one commenter!

Sailing by Ash Breeze

by Roseanna White

In our homeschool curriculum this year, my kids and I are studying early American history, and part of our lessons are a few chapters each day of a novel set in the years we're on. Last week we finished one of my favorites thus far, Carry On, Mr. Bowditch.

The novel is based on the life of one of a brilliant mathematician native to Salem, Massachusetts, who was a child during the Revolution and grew up in the years when America's place in the world--and on the seas--was far from determined. Though I had never heard of Nathaniel Bowditch before reading this, I can promise you I'll never forget him--nor has America.

Born into a family who had fallen into hard times, Nat was always brilliant with numbers, and he enjoyed nothing more than school. But when his older brother went to sea, Nat had give up his formal education to help his father in his cooperage...and then, when he was only 12, his father indentured him to a local shop. No more school, no more dreams of Harvard, no more freedom.

Nathaniel Bowditch, 1773-1838

It was in this shop that catered to the sailing industry though that Nat made friends who helped him learn all the things he most longed to know. Latin and French, higher mathematics, science and philosophy. One of the more surly patrons told this young boy that he was becalmed--that life had taken the wind out of his sails, and he'd never recover from it.

But another told Nat that when there was no wind, a determined captain merely sailed by ash breeze--he got out the oars, made of ash, and made his own way.

That was how Nat lived his life, and what an inspiration it is. This young man served out his indenture, soaking up knowledge and learning like the proverbial sponge. Once he was free, he signed on as second mate on a ship, where he proceeded to win both captain and crew by teaching all the men the science behind navigation. He revolutionized the way they navigated, coming up with a way for the first time to get both accurate readings on latitude and longitude--which enabled their captain to cut voyage times significantly and navigate in conditions others never would have dared. 

But what he's most remembered for is daring to find mistakes in what was then considered the navigator's bible--and correcting them. He spend years working on his own version, which was published in 1802. The New American Practical Navigator soon had its place on every American ship...and then every ship.

And it's still found on every American naval vessel today.

Nat Bowditch was a boy with nothing who grew to a man with everything--respect, honor, love, and wealth. And he's a man who earned it by living out that ultimate American dream. He worked hard, then harder. He never gave up. He never accepted the answers handed to him.

And he changed the world, saving the lives of innumerable sailors in the process. It's no wonder author Jean lee Matham won the Newbery Award for this book...and no wonder either that she chose such a worthy historical figure to write about! I only pray that when my wind fails and I am becalmed, I too have the strength of character to sail through life on an ash breeze.

Psalm 51, "The Neck Verse"

Benefit of Clergy and Literacy Test Save First-Time Colonial American Offenders

Read this and be set free.

Originally, benefit of clergy was a provision of English law which allowed clergymen accused of a crime to be tried under canon law rather than in the secular courts.

At first to accomplish this, the accused had to show up in court wearing ecclesiastical dress. This evolved into a literacy test by reading a passage from the Bible. Over time, the term changed to mean that for some crimes first-time offenders of any profession could see their sentences reduced. More often than not, the verse was Psalm 51.  Consequently, it became known as the “neck verse,” because knowing it could save one's neck.

In theory, defendants had to be literate, but, since the test of literacy was most often Psalm 51, defendants could memorize the verse and hope that was the one they were asked to read. The literacy test was abolished in 1706, but the provision remained in force until 1827.

In the United States, section 31 of the Crimes Act of 1790 eliminated the benefit from federal courts. But it survived into the mid-19th century in some state courts. South Carolina, where I live, granted a defendant benefit of clergy in 1855. Many states have abolished the clergy benefit by statute or judicial decision; in others, it has fallen into disuse without formal abolition.

In my novel, Laurel, when my main character Lilyan Xanthakos is imprisoned in the Exchange Building Dungeon in Charleston, SC, she helps a female prisoner with the literacy test. Here's a short excerpt:

        “Mr. McCord said, since each of us is charged for the first time, we can claim benefit of clergy. Depending on the judge, it could lessen our sentence or do away with it lock, stock, and barrel.”   
        “Benefit of clergy?” asked Lilyan.
        “Some kind of way—I don’t understand why—we have to prove we can read,” Mildred answered. “Most often it happens by reading Psalm 51.”
        “Them two can read, but …” Sally’s chin quivered. “Since I can’t, Mr. McCord says I gotta memorize it and hope and pray that’s the one they pick to test me.”

Susan F. Craft is the author of a historical romantic suspense trilogy that follows Lilyan and Nicholas Xanthakos from 1781 until 1799. The first in the trilogy is The Chamomile, published in 2011; the second, Laurel, was released on January 16 of this year; and the third, Cassia, will be released this coming September 2015.

Persecution in the Colonies

While many Christians escaped persecution by coming to America, some Christian groups faced persecution in the colonies as well. Here are some instances of that persecution.

In Jamestown, America's first permanent English settlement, people were required to attend the Anglican Church (the church of England) regularly. Later in Virginia, taxes were paid to the church and Sunday laws required attendance at least once a month.

Many denominations got around that law by meeting three times a month at their own church and going to the Anglican Church once a month, but some felt they were denying Christ by compromising their beliefs to go to a church they didn't agree with. The punishment was normally a hefty fine.

In 1643, Virginia enacted a law which stated that only those were permitted to preach and teach, publicly or privately, whose beliefs conformed to those of the Church of England. This meant that any church meetings held by Quakers, Baptists, or other denominations were considered illegal.

It was worse for those who were considered to have blasphemed the name of God. The punishment for that crime was imprisonment or death.

The Puritans who established settlements in Massachusetts also persecuted those who disagreed with them. Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson were among those who were banished and formed settlements in other colonies.

Eventually Baptists, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, and Congregationalist Puritans formed colony and community churches throughout New England. Anyone who disagreed with the doctrine of the colony's church was banished, severely punished, or sometimes executed.

Quakers received the most severe persecution in the colonies. My ancestors, the Willis' and the Brinton's were among the Quakers who came to America to escape persecution only to have their lands ceased and be imprisoned in the colonies.

As more settlers of different denominations and religions came to America, tolerance of the different beliefs became more prevalent. By the Revolutionary War, many of our founding fathers believed in the principle of religious tolerance. Men like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson enacted laws and the first amendment of the Constitution to prevent an establishment of any religion so that all denominations and religions had freedom to practice their beliefs in the public area. Unfortunately, a false interpretation of that amendment is now being used to stop Christians from practicing their beliefs in public, and a new religious intolerance is sweeping America.

Snow in Colonial America

"Never such a Snow, in the Memory of Man!"~ Rev. Cotton Mather, March 7, 1717

Spencer-Peirce-Little House, c. 1690, Newbury, Massachusetts
Photo courtesy: Karen Lynch

In 1717, my ancestor’s home in Newbury, Massachusetts was covered in snow up to the second floor. Last year, our Elaine Cooper wrote about this drastic winter in her post: The Great (and Terrible) Snowstorms of 1717.  This winter is also going down as a record-breaker in New England with seven feet of snow falling in Boston in a matter of weeks. In my own state of Maine we have had at least six. The roads have been so full of snow that the plows are challenged to find a place to put it all. After each storm, our road becomes more and more narrow with snow banks rising higher and higher. But in the early days of our country, snow falls created a different type of challenge than we experience today.

"Great Snow in 1717" wood cut.

The East Coast settlements endured such harsh winters that much of the initial populations were tragically reduced in their struggle to survive. The food supplies were limited, shelter insufficient, and illness ran rampant. In fact, in 1608, a new colony in Popham, Maine nearly succumbed to the "vehement" winter and those few that survived returned to England.

Painting of Colonial Jamestown by Sidney King,
National Park Service, Colonial National Historical Park.

According to weather historian David Ludlum, author of Early American Winters, 1604-1820 snows continued into April and even into May during colonial days. Extended winters and great cold meant reduced deer populations and starving cattle, later growing seasons, limited resources of firewood, reduced food stores and hardship in obtaining supplies, restricted transportation and communication, etc.. 
 
In Snow in the Cities: A History of America's Urban Response by Blake McKelvey a chapter devoted to "Snow in Pedestrian Towns from 1620-1800" provides some interesting detail about how towns managed their snow issues in early times. Although there were no automobiles, snow drifts needed to be leveled for sleighs to break through and pathways needed to be shoveled. In some cities, sleighs were required to have bells to warn pedestrians of their approach. By the early 1800s cities instituted ordinances for residents to assist with snow removal to keep up with increasing numbers of travelers and their conveyances. Ships were caught in the harbor and shipments were halted during winter months, in fact, Boston Harbor froze for 30 days in 1740. But while ferries and boats were frozen ashore, wagons could be drawn across ice laden rivers, which must have proved advantageous. Some folks traveled by snow shoes which would have been obtained through trade with the Indians. 

Driving the Carter Coach in a snow storm at Colonial Williamsburg.
Photo by David M. Doody

When firewood could not be brought into the cities due to frozen ports, people from nearby hamlets would take advantage of supplying the firewood to take advantage of the higher prices. During one frigid spell in 1760 more than 1,000 sleds brought firewood into Boston in one day alone. Other problems resulted from heavy snowfalls. In an agricultural society, the flooding that melting snow produces can be detrimental to farming. A good resource for weather conditions during 18th century America is Colonial America To 1763 by Thomas L. Purvis.

Colonial Americans may also have enjoyed some type of winter recreation, but primarily they would have been about their daily duties, especially though performed by the hearth. Ice skating was an activity brought from England that they participated in. Skiing was not brought to America until the 19th century from Scandinavian immigrants, so skiing would not have been a pastime. Children also have enjoyed sledding and building snow forts and leisurely  sleigh rides may have been enjoyed by all. But most certainly great care would have been given as snow in those times could be a perilous thing.

What type of winter activities do you enjoy?

Spinning Tales - Weaving a Novel

by Elaine Marie Cooper

Watching an expert spinster on a spinning wheel reminds me of how writers weave a story. Instead of using flax or wool to create yarn however, a writer uses words to form the sentences and chapters that, hopefully, will form a tale that draws readers to peruse the pages through the end.

A good writing desk is essential.

Proper illumination a must...

Toasty toes definitely makes the creative process a warmer experience.

And caffeine is a critical necessity.

Housework MUST be temporarily ignored ("What dust bunnies?")...

Colonial American music can be inspiring when writing about Colonial America...

...but not too loud.

Photos of  battlefields inspire visions of long again in autumn, when the forests were red and amber, and the scene not so peaceful.

Back then, the sounds of fife and drum were nearly drowned out by the blasts of cannon.

Yet in the midst of describing the horrors of war, love wove its way into the words and what seemed to be a story of death, was instead, birthed into a romance.

And thousands of words later, a tale of war is spun into a drama of affection, where love triumphs over hate. And a novel is born.

Elaine Marie Cooper is the author of Bethany's Calendar and Fields of the Fatherless. Please visit her website here

Cover Reveal of The Lost Heiress by Roseanna M. White

by Roseanna M. White

I've been writing for a long time. You might not know it to look at me, but I finished my first novel nearly 20 years ago, when I was just 13. Since then, my writing journey has been filled with a lot of manuscripts. A lot of rewrites. A lot of rejections. And finally a fair number of titles in print.

I've written in quite a few genres, but my first love was historicals (which is what all my published books are). That first novel I finished at 13 was set in the Victorian era, in England. I've also delved into biblical settings, early American--which is what brought me together with the awesome group of women on Colonial Quills--Civil War, and early 20th century.

A couple years ago, when my first Revolutionary-era novel had just released and my second was scheduled to come out in a few months, my agent asked me if I had anything Edwardian. Well, I drew out that old Victorian manuscript--a rewrite of my first novel--and contemplated retooling it again to be set in the early 1900s. And the more I thought about it, the more excited I got. I rewrote it--again. Renamed it--again. Gave it to my agent, who fell in love with it. And when it came time to pitch new stories to editors, this was the one she focused on. We retitled it (again! LOL) and it became The Lost Heiress.

Bethany House signed me on for the Ladies of the Manor Series, set in England of 1910-1913, and I am so over the moon about that! While I do hope to get back to the other Colonial stories I have in mind, there's something so incredibly special about selling that first book I wrote. And something incredibly special, too, about getting the cover for it. Looking, for the first time, upon the face chosen to represent a character I've known for 20 years.

And I'm so excited today to get to share that cover with the world! Drum roll, please! Allow me to present the longest-awaited cover of my life, LOL. The Lost Heiress!

Brook Eden has never known where she truly belongs. Though raised in the palace of Monaco, she’s British by birth and was brought to the Grimaldis under suspicious circumstances as a babe. When Brook’s friend Justin uncovers the fact that Brook is likely a missing heiress from Yorkshire, Brook leaves the sun of the Mediterranean to travel to the moors of the North Sea to the estate of her supposed family.

The mystery of her mother’s death haunts her, and though her father is quick to accept her, the rest of the family and the servants of Whitby Park are not. Only when Brook’s life is threatened do they draw close—but their loyalty may come too late to save Brook from the same threat that led to tragedy for her mother.

As heir to a dukedom, Justin is no stranger to balancing responsibilities. When the matters of his estate force him far from Brook, the distance between them reveals that what began as friendship has grown into something much more. But how can their very different loyalties and responsibilities ever come together?

And then, for a second time, the heiress of Whitby Park is stolen away because of the very rare treasure in her possession—and this time only the servants of Whitby can save her.

Roseanna M. White pens her novels beneath her Betsy Ross flag, with her Jane Austen action figure watching over her. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two children, editing and designing, and pretending her house will clean itself. The Lost Heiress is Roseanna’s tenth published book. Her novels range from biblical fiction to American-set romances to her new British series. She lives with her family in West Virginia. Learn more at www.RoseannaMWhite.com and www.RoseannaMWhite.blogspot.com.

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Heroes, Rogues, and Villains

Greene Monument at Guilford Courthouse, NC

 Amongst the discussions surrounding the recent History Channel miniseries “Sons of Liberty,” I saw disappointment expressed over the language used by various characters. One poster responded, essentially, that they are human, they are fallen. We may admire their deeds as founders of our country, but don’t think for a moment that meant they were sinless.

However you feel about History Channel's politically correct portrayal of figures such as Sam and John Adams, it’s true that many of the key players in the American Revolution were a mixed bag, morally. My last post was devoted to deconstructing popular opinion on one of them, the infamous “Bloody Ban,” Banastre Tarleton of the British Legion, but truth is that so many men of his time were neither half as evil nor half as righteous as popular history now portrays.

One of the odd benefits of initially studying the Revolution from the British perspective is that if there was any dirty laundry on those of the Continental side, they would have aired it. It was interesting overall to see who emerged as true men of honor, and who were ... not so much.

So I present you with a rough sketch of who, by admittedly my own subjective eye, could be categorized as heroes ... and rogues ... and then out-and-out villains.

HEROES

First up is our revered first President, George Washington. I was surprised—and quite relieved—that as bits of gossip surfaced about other prominent men and women, none did regarding him. True, his past isn’t entirely uncheckered ... there was one uncomfortable matter during the French & Indian War ... but by the time the RevWar rolled around, the worst that could be found was criticism regarding his accepting the position of Commander in Chief of the rebellion's armies. (King George shouldered his own share of criticism on the other side of the pond, for engaging those pesky rebels to start with.) His relationship with wife Martha was loving and constant, he did not drink or eat to dissipation, and while he is recorded as resorting to mild profanity in a moment of extreme frustration on the field of battle, well ... he was also human.

John Adams on left, Staten Is. Peace Conference

Second was John Adams. (Brother Samuel, somewhat of a hothead, could fall into the category of rogue.) Though some have charged him with thinking a bit too highly of himself, his faith—and his devotion to wife Abigail—shines strong and authentic even from the accounts of his enemies. From Wikipedia:

Throughout this life, Adams was opposed to slavery, never owned a slave, and was quite proud of the fact.^[4] After the Boston Massacre, with anti-British feelings in Boston at a boiling point, he provided a principled, controversial, and successful legal defense of the accused British soldiers, because he believed in the right to counsel and the "protect[ion] of innocence".^[5]

Third—and don’t shoot me for this—Charles Cornwallis, Earl of the realm and general of the British army. This is a man around whom scandal is conspicuously absent—whose devotion to his dying wife drew him home again to England, with the war still in full swing, then grief for her drove him back, just in time to head up the Southern Campaign in Henry Clinton’s wake. He found the Carolina backcountry enchanting, and though shocked at the viciousness of the partisan warfare shredding the very fabric of society, he endeavored to tread the line between English gentleman, and general of the army whose job it was to enforce order and loyalty to the Crown. Too bad he was so prone to unwise decisions when it came to war strategy, especially his insistence in pushing across North Carolina during the early spring of 1781 ... and I have to take points off for his calling in sick the day he was to surrender to Washington at Yorktown, and sending his second in command instead. Still, he was steps above being classed as a rogue or villain.

General Nathanael Greene

Fourth—no mention of heroes would be complete with mention of Nathanael Greene. General of the Continental forces after the complete rout of Gates at the Battle of Camden, he was raised a Quaker but later was read out of meeting for his interest in the militia and brewing revolt. Passionately and unfashionably devoted to a wife around whom rumors and scandal swirled, but who despite everything went to amazing lengths to join her husband on the field, when she could. All that aside, Greene was famous for his cool under fire, his brilliance at strategy, his patience in completely wearing out the British army.

ROGUES

These are the ones who, on either side, might not have been perfectly honorable, but you couldn’t help admire their panache, or they were considered darlings by their superiors. Yes, I believe Tarleton fits more closely here than the last category, but he’s joined by ...

Henry “Light Horse Harry” Lee—the Continentals’ counterpart to Tarleton. Yes, really. He was quite the fire-eater, just as hotheaded as Ban Tarleton but looked upon with a kinder eye because he was Washington’s “pet,” while Ban was the favorite of Cornwallis. Consider the possible humor—and exasperation?—in the tone of this note from General Washington:

The measure you propose of putting deserters from our Army to immediate death would probably tend to discourage the practice[, but] I think that the part of your proposal which respects cutting off their heads and sending them to the Light Troops had better be omitted. (July 9, 1779)

“Mad” Anthony Wayne, General of the Continental forces, so nicknamed for a slightly crazy but wildly successful night attack on the British in 1779. So did he, or did he not, have something going on with Caty Greene? We may never know. He was, despite gossip and rumors, brave in battle and a devoted friend to the Greenes, present when Nathanael died tragically after the war, and remaining a source of support for Caty.

John Andre, self portrait

Daniel Morgan, another Continental general ... a crusty old veteran if there ever was one. Flogged once for punching an officer during the F&I War. Ignored Greene's orders to not engage Tarleton directly, but gave that lad a "devil of a whipping" at the battle of Cowpens. Among other things we know of him personally, there’s no record of a legal marriage between him and the woman he considered his wife, and he suffered in later years from severe sciatica in his back and legs. That alone might account for the crankiness.

John Andre ... another young, dashing figure—handsome, witty, talented British officer who managed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, captured by the Continentals and hung as a spy. It’s reported that he went bravely to his death.

VILLAINS

General Henry Clinton of the British

Benedict Arnold, famed Continental officer turned traitor ... dude, we get that your father was a drunk and a loser. We understand having the drive to better yourself. But letting jealousy and envy drive you to betray men who loved and trusted you ... okay, maybe just trusted, because personally speaking you were probably far too prickly to inspire actual love. But you were never really respected by the other side, either. Fail, good sir! Epic fail.

Henry Clinton, General of the British forces ... touchy, opinionated, sure that anything in the colonies was at his personal disposal. Including, and maybe especially, his landlady. Guilty of constant criticism of his superiors (General Howe) and bickering with those under him (General Cornwallis), and giving not very good military advice at times.

Continental General, Charles Lee

James Wemyss, officer of the British ... the one who most likely deserved the later hatred focused on Tarleton. Maybe some of the wild tales surrounding him were merely legend, as well, but some report that even Cornwallis, who gave the order to subdue the rebel populace in South Carolina, disapproved of Wemyss’ unholy zeal in carrying it out, and the methods he employed. (There is some evidence, as well, that some of these tales belong rather to loyalist Christian Huck, who met his end at Williamson’s Plantation in South Carolina, after earning the particular fury of the local Presbyterian population.)

And lastly, Continental general, Charles Lee. (No relation to the Lees of Virginia.) Pompous, self-serving, constantly critical of Washington. Lee gave up all his holdings in England to throw in his lot with the revolution, and thought he deserved payment for it. (Washington agreed to serve for no pay, only having his expenses covered.) In fact, he'd expected Washington's job and didn't get it. So, he might have fought for the Patriot side, even though he wasn't American-born, but he didn't like anybody, and nobody really liked him.


Agree? Disagree? Anyone care to add to this very short list? :-)

All images from Wikipedia and/or public domain.

February New Releases Tea Party - Susan F. Craft's "The Laurel" & Carla Olson Gade's "Proving Up"

Today's party takes us to a small town in the Great Plains in the 19th century, occupied by many Swedish immigrants who have settled there.

May I offer you some Swedish Egg Coffee, as the Swedes prefer, and some Brunscrackers (shortbread cookies)? This is what the Swedish immigrant characters in "Proving Up" from The Homestead Brides Collection enjoy for refreshment.

The Homestead Brides Collection (Barbour)9 Pioneering Couples Risk All for Love and Land


Through nine historical romance adventures, readers will journey along with individuals who are ready to stake a claim and plant their dreams on a piece of the great American plains. While fighting land disputes, helping neighbors, and tackling the challenges of nature the homesteaders are placed in the path of other dreamers with whom romance sparks. And God has His hand in orchestrating each unique meeting.

Proving Up by Carla Olson Gade

Swedeberg, Nebraska, 1886
A young Swedish widow applies her scientific theories to growing trees on the barren Great Plains intruding on
a handsome homesteader’s hard work and experience. Will their dreams come to ruin or will love prove their success?

Pinterest Story Board

Native New Englander Carla Olson Gade writes adventures of the heart with historical roots from her home amid the rustic landscapes of Maine. With seven books in print, she is always imaging more stories and enjoys bringing her tales to life with historically authentic settings and characters. An avid reader, amateur genealogist, photographer, and house plan hobbyist, Carla’s great love (next to her family) is historical research. Though you might find her tromping around an abandoned homestead, an old fort, or interviewing a docent at a historical museum, it’s easier to connect with her online at carlaolsongade.com.



Image Sources: Pinterest


Laurel - A Post-Revolutionary War Romantic Suspense
Susan F. Craft

May 1783, Blue Ridge Mountains

Desperate to rescue their kidnapped daughter, Lilyan and Nicholas Xanthakos trek two hundred miles through South Carolina mountains and backcountry wilderness, fighting outlaws, hunger, sleeplessness, and despair. When the trail grows cold, the couple battles guilt and personal shame; Lilyan for letting Laurel out of her sight, and Nicholas for failing to keep his family safe.

They track Laurel to the port of Charleston as post-Revolutionary War passions reach fever pitch. There, Lilyan, a former patriot spy, is charged for the murder of a British officer. She is thrown into the Exchange Building dungeon and chained alongside prostitutes, thieves, and murderers. Separated from her husband, she digs deep inside to re-ignite the courage and faith that helped her survive the war. Determined to free his wife at any cost, Nicholas finds himself forced back into a life of violence he thought he’d left behind.

Following a rumor that Laurel may be aboard a freighter bound for Baltimore, Lilyan and Nicholas secure passage on a departing schooner, but two days into the voyage, a storm blows their ship aground on Diamond Shoals. As the ship founders, both are swept overboard.

Will their love for each other and their faith sustain them as they await word of their missing child? Or is Laurel lost to them forever?

Susan F. Craft writes historical romantic suspense. Her Revolutionary War novel, The Chamomile, won the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance Okra Pick. Susan recently retired after a 41-year career as a communications director, editor, and proofreader. To assist authors to “get it right about horses in their works,” Susan worked with the Long Riders’ Guild Academic Foundation to compile A Writer's Guide to Horses that can be found at www.lrgaf.org. Forty-five years ago, she married her high school sweetheart, and they have two adult children, one granddaughter, and a granddog. An admitted history nerd, she enjoys researching for her novels, painting, singing, listening to music, and sitting on her porch watching the rabbits and geese eat her daylilies. She has two post-Revolutionary War novels being released in 2015 by Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas—Laurel, was in January, and its sequel Cassia in September. She is represented by Linda S. Glaz, Hartline Literary Agency.

 GIVEAWAYS:

One copy of The Homestead Brides Collection, autographed by all nine contributing authors.


One copy of Laurel and an 8 x 10 print of this beautiful painting by Susan that inspired her as she wrote her book.
 
CFP: Isn't this beautiful?

A package of Young Hyson fine tea (loose) from Colonial Williamsburg plus chamomile tea bags to one winner. If you haven't read Susan's wonderful novel, The Chamomile, you need to! It is one of the best colonial era books I've read! It's full of colonial gems that delighted me as I read it!

Please leave a comment here on the blog to enter! We will announce the winners up top--come back late Sunday afternoon to check!  We also have a Facebook party page if you'd like to post your gown!

18th Century Native American Houses by Cynthia Howerter

On a recent drive through rural Centre County, Pennsylvania, my friend and I had a conversation about the Eastern Woodland Native Americans who had lived there during the mid-1700s. She pointed out that had we been traveling through the area at that time, we would be seeing lots of teepees.

Actually, that’s a common but inaccurate belief. The Eastern Woodland Native Americans who lived in the colonies during the 18th century did not live in teepees; they lived in bark huts known as “wigwams” and “longhouses” as well as log cabins. While most wigwams were dome-shaped, some had conical shapes similar to a teepee. However, these conical-shaped wigwams were covered with bark rather than the animal hides that the Plains Indians used on their teepees.

During a visit to Fort Ligonier in southwestern Pennsylvania, I was delighted to find a full-size wigwam. Let’s take a look.

The outside of the dome-shaped wigwam is covered with large sheets of tree bark. If you look closely, you can see that the bottom row of bark was applied first, with each piece of bark overlapping the one next to it.

A longhouse was built much the same way as a wigwam, however, its shape would be more rectangular with a rounded roof rather than dome-shaped. Due to the large size of a longhouse, it could house several families while only one family could live in the smaller wigwam.

Because it was raining during my visit, I was anxious to step inside the wigwam. To my amazement, I could stand up straight without my head touching the bark, and even though the rain had turned into a downpour, the interior was completely dry.

Inside, you can see a framework made from tender saplings. The framework was formed into a circle, and, once in place, the bark was secured to it. Mud chinking could be applied to the seams to keep the weather out. We can see by the light peeking through that this wigwam's seams have not been sealed.

Wigwams and longhouses contained fire pits. These circular pits were usually dug into the ground in the middle of the hut and surrounded by stones. The fire pits provided heat as well as a place to cook food. Directly above the pit is a small opening in the bark called a "smoke hole" that acts as a flue for the fire’s smoke. The opening could be covered completely or partially with a piece of bark when there was no fire or to prevent rain or snow from entering.

The entrance on this particular wigwam seemed a bit large compared to other bark huts I've seen. Perhaps this was done so visitors could easily enter and exit the lodge without damaging the bark. Native Americans would have hung an animal hide over the doorway to keep rain, snow, cold air, and wind from blowing inside.  

As the Native American population came into contact with the colonists and were introduced to the log cabin, they gradually gave up their bark huts and built this sturdier type of lodging. The Oconaluftee Village at the Cherokee Indian Reservation in Cherokee, North Carolina has a replica of the log cabins that Cherokees built and lived in (photo below).

A stranger approaching this cabin might be hard pressed to discern whether the owner was a settler or a Native American. Note the chimney, wood shingled roof, chinking between the logs, and a very nice front porch with benches. Considerably more durable than the bark lodges, it's easy to understand why Native Americans modified their type of housing. 

All Photographs ©2014 Cynthia Howerter

Contact information:
Fort Ligonier – an outstanding example of reconstruction and preservation of an 18th century fort. Fort Ligonier was in use during 1758-1766.

200 South Market Street

Ligonier, Pennsylvania

(724) 238-9701
www.fortligonier.org 

Oconaluftee Village – an excellent recreation of Cherokee life during the 1750s.

Please note: This outdoor exhibit is only open between May-October

Cherokee Indian Reservation

218 Drama Road

Cherokee, North Carolina
http://visitcherokeenc.com/play/attractions/oconaluftee-indian-village/

Award-winning author Cynthia Howerter loves using her training in education, research, writing, and speaking to teach and inspire others about a time in America that was anything but boring. A member of the Daughters of the American revolution (DAR), Cynthia believes history should be alive and personal.

Visit Cynthia's website: Cynthia Howerter - all things historical 

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