Passionate, intelligent, gutsy and determined pioneer women make up the subject matter of this well written book by Marianne Morrison. Various ethnic backgrounds, diversity in social-economic status, and varying degrees of education are represented in the women chosen as subjects for this book. What they all hold in common is perseverance in the face of difficult circumstances while charting new territory.
Abigail Scott Duniway (1834-1915) was a writer, newspaper editor, and champion for the Woman Suffragist movement. Abigail became the primary provider for her family when her husband was seriously injured in an accident. A decade later, she and her family moved to Portland, Oregon where they collectively published the newspaper, THE NEW NORTHWEST.
Aunt Clara Brown (1800-1885) was born into slavery and suffered much during her life. With her determined spirit and her strong, religious faith she never lost hope despite her often crushing circumstances. Eventually, Clara became a free woman, making her way to Colorado during the gold rush. By cooking for the men on a wagon train headed west she obtained her passage. (However, as a black woman, she was not allowed to ride in the wagons with the men and had to walk the entire route.) In Colorado, she started her own business and managed her money well enough that she could help others in need. She never gave up hope of being reunited with a daughter who had been separated from her when the family had been split up at a slave auction. Much of her life was spent looking for her child who had been lost to her for so many years.
Charley Parkhurst (1812-1879) was a stagecoach driver who was reportedly not discovered as being born and raised female until his death. Charley (who had named Charlotte at birth) ran away as a youth and began dressing and living as a man. As an adult, he was well known for his ability to handle horses (and treat them when they were ill). Charley became a stagecoach driver in California during the Gold Rush and the tales from this era of his life are quite colorful.
Luzena Stanley Wilson (1820-1902) wouldn't let her husband leave her behind when he declared he was picking up stakes and moving to California (although after many years he did give her the slip and run off to Texas without her). She later indicated that if she had realized what all was in store, you possibly would not have made the trip. By the time Mason deserted her, she had proven herself a determined, brave and resourceful woman able to take care of herself. A self made entrepreneur, she founded the Eldorado Hotel in Nevada City among other pursuits. I laughed out loud when the book spoke of her husband demanding that they lighten the load on their trip from Missouri to California, stating she must leave three sides of bacon and a dirty apron along side the trail. Instead, while Mason was working on the wagon, she rendered the fat from the bacon, washed her dirty apron and put both back in the wagon.
Makaopiopio (1815-1889) was a native of Hawaii who converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormon) after her husband's conversion. The couple and their children bought land close to the church owned ranch and worked there helping to grow the crops. Their children grew up in the church and one of their daughters married a man from the Islands who had left and joined the work in Utah. Eventually, after Makaopiopio's husband passed away, she immigrated to Utah to be with her daughter. She became actively involved in the LDS church in Utah and helped to form an intentional community of immigrants from Hawaii in that place where they spoke their own language and preserved many aspects of their culture and traditions.
Maria Amparo Ruiz de Burton (1832-1895) was truly a woman advanced in thought and practice for the period of history in which she lived. Maria, born in Mexican territory that was annexed to the United States. The people of the territory were given a choice of retaining their Mexican citizenship or becoming American citizens. Maria chose American citizenship and to become the wife of an American military man who was of a different race, religion, and nationality than her own, and who had helped to conquer her homeland. Maria had been well educated as a child and she used her education and passion for the written word to combat racism, gender inequality, and struggle between various classes of people. She is considered the first Chicano author to write in English and published two novels as well as a production for theater.
Martha Hughes Canon (1857-1932) was a Welsh born immigrant to the United States who became both a doctor and a United States Senator. In fact, she was the first woman ever elected in the United States to that position. A point of interest is that she, a Democrat, ran against her husband, a Republican. An even greater point of interest is that as a member of the LDS church, she was the fourth wife of Angus Cannon and their marriage was not recognized by the state. In fact, when Martha became pregnant during her term as Senator, she had to step down from her position due to her child being considered illegitimate and her marriage illegal. Martha actually went into exile in Europe for a time to keep from having to testify against her husband who had been jailed on charges of polygamy. Martha, a study in seeming contradictions, was a brilliant and capable woman who fought for woman's suffrage and the right to practice polygamy.
Mother Mary Harris Jones (1837 - 1940) was an Irish born immigrant to the United States who faced great loss when her husband and four children died of yellow fever. Later, her dress shop was destroyed by the Great Chicago Fire. With a heart for the "underdog" Mother Jones (as she was soon called) became an activist and public speaker. She organized union strikes for the underpaid miners and she organized a children's march from Philadelphia to the home of President Theodore Roosevelt in New York to demand rights for underaged workers.
Mary Hallock Foote (1847-1938) born into a Quaker family of English descent and very well educated was a well known illustrator who illustrated the works of Longfellow and various other well known writers using a form of artistic engraving. She also wrote articles for magazines and created her own illustrations using her wood engravings. Mary's husband was a civil engineer whose position took him to various parts of the American west where he worked on some major projects, often in remote locations. Mary loved the people and the stories represented in these western towns and used them as fuel for her stories.
Zitkala-Sa (1876-1938) born to a Native American mother and a French father, she spent her early years learning the ways of her mother's people on the reservation. After being coerced to leave her home to attend a Quaker Missionary school, she was forced to abandon the lifestyle that had brought her so much happiness as a young child. Zitkala spent the rest of her life struggling with her own identity but using her creativity and college education to produce books, articles for various periodicals, and to co-produce the first American Indian Opera.
Donaldina Cameron (1869-1968) a Presbyterian Missionary put her life on the line on multiple occasions as she fought for the rights and freedoms of the young girls that she took into her care. She considered these young girls to be her children and dedicated her entire adult life to advocate for the Asian women in San Francisco's Chinatown who had been forced into servitude and prostitution.
Nellie Cashman (1845-1925) was a tough lady who braved the not only the wilderness of British Columbia but also the Yukon and Alaska. She and her family immigrated from Ireland when she was young. She chose to never marry but did help to raise her nieces and nephews when their parents passed away. When the children were old enough to enter boarding school, she returned to her adventurous life in remote locations. An amazing and successful business woman and philanthropist, she made it her mission in life to help others and the stories of her wilderness adventures are a tribute to her strength, courage and intellect.
I enjoyed this book very much and gave it a Goodreads rating of four stars. I listened to the audio version of the book which I obtained through Libby.