This book chronicles the overland journeys of nine pioneer boys who went west by covered wagon in the mid-1800s. Taken from their letters, diaries, and later memoirs, these remarkable stories describe what it was like to be hungry enough to eat woodpeckers, brave enough to winter alone in the snowbound Sierra Nevada, cold enough to huddle beneath a sister's petticoat at night, and tough enough to push onward despite astounding odds. Trudging barefoot across hundreds of miles of harsh land, each of the boys selected for this collection found the resourcefulness to rise above the unusual circumstances of his overland journey. Whether traveling alone through the vast wilderness to bring food to his starving family like fourteen-year-old Octavius Pringle, struggling for days across Death Valley like six-year-old John Wells Brier, or boating the treacherous rapids of the Columbia River like young Jesse Applegate, each summoned the courage to help his family complete a remarkable trip west.

Into the Western Winds: Pioneer Boys Traveling Overland Trails

History

O'Brien, Mary Barmeyer

Americas

TwoDot

Mary Rockwood Powers reluctantly left her comfortable life as a doctor's wife in Wisconsin in 1856, one of the many women whose destiny as a settler of the West was determined by her husband's wishes. Trading in her home for canvas roof and wheels, Mary, her husband, and their three children set out on the arduous trek westward to California. Shortly into their travels west, it became painfully obvious that Doctor Powers was simply not up to the task of making sure his family "outlasted the trail." Mary had to step in and become the head of the household with its canvas roof and wheels--leaving behind her ideals of femininity along with her beloved possessions. In Outlasting the Trail author Mary Barymeyer O'Brien uses the letters Mary Rockwood Powers wrote to her mother and sister back home as a stepping off point to further illuminate this remarkable woman's story. Based on the dramatic struggle a real family, this novel brings to life a fascinating slice of American history.

Outlasting the Trail: The Story of a Woman's Journey West

Biographies & Memoirs

Community & Culture

Across Death Valley tells the remarkable story of one woman's brave struggle to keep her family alive during one of the most arduous and dramatic episodes in the history of Western migration. A riveting narrative by a writer known for her books on pioneers, Across Death Valley is a fictionalized account based on the true story of the legendary journey that Juliet Wells Brier, her husband, and their three sons undertook during the Gold Rush from Salt Lake City to the settlement of Los Angeles. 
Departing Salt Lake City via wagon train, the Briers had been promised an easy trip along the well-traveled Old Spanish Trail to California. But, after several agonizing weeks, some of the families―the Briers included―broke off from the main group to continue on an unmapped shortcut. As hardships mounted they splintered into smaller groups until, finally, the Briers were traveling alone. Their chosen route led directly into Death Valley―eventually, on foot. Diminutive Julia piggybacked her youngest son even when she was near death from thirst and exhaustion. Rich in compelling detail, Across Death Valley is an unforgettable tale of courage, love, and hope.

Across Death Valley: The Pioneer Journey Of Juliet Wells Brier

Literature & Fiction

United States

Driven by the promise of prosperity and opportunity on the frontier, thousands of men and women traveled west in the mid-1800s to forge a new life. Accompanying them were their children, wide-eyed and excited about the adventures that awaited them as they headed toward the setting sun. Little did they know how treacherous and grueling the trip would be. The toil and danger of overland travel forced parents to depend on their children to assist in their ultimate survival. Girls were called upon to help cook, set up and break camp, and mind younger siblings. Boys were called upon to help drive the wagons, herd the oxen and horses, assist with wagon repairs, and guard the camp at night. Even with their endless chores, many pioneer boys and girls found time to record the details of their journeys in letters and diaries. This collection of short episodes from the lives of these children on the trail offers fresh perspectives on the experience.

The Promise of the West: Young Pioneers on the Overland Trails

Historical

The first woman ever elected to the U.S. Congress, Jeannette Rankin represented Montana for two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. A leading advocate for both woman suffrage and world peace, she was instrumental in securing the right or Montana women to vote, five years before the right was granted nationally. As the sole female member of the U.S. Congress in 1919, Jeanette was the only woman to vote for national suffrage. This biography reveals Jeannette Rankin's life and personal story, exposing her many courageous and remarkable accomplishments.

Jeannette Rankin: Bright Star in the Big Sky

Updated and expanded for its twentieth anniversary—the beloved book that tells the stories of the women who traveled West. In Heart of the Trail Mary Barmeyer O'Brien beautifully captures the triumphs and tribulations of women who crossed the American frontier by wagon during the great Western migration of the mid nineteenth century. While their stories are widely different, each of these remarkable women was inspiring, courageous, and resourceful. From the successes of mountaineer Julia Anna Archibald to the grueling trials of Mary Powers, these stories reflect the adventure and hardship experienced by the thousands of women who took to the trails. The legacy of their letters and diaries, most written on the trail, is a fascinating addition to understanding the history of the West. Mary Barmeyer O'Brien’s books on the pioneer experience include The Promise of the West; Jeannette Rankin: Bright Star in the Big Sky; Outlasting the Trail: The Story of a Woman's Journey West; May: The Hard-Rock Life of Pioneer May Arkwright Hutton; and Across Death Valley. She lives in Polson, Montana.

Heart of the Trail: Stories of Covered Wagon Women

No Ordinary Journey: Stories of Men on the Overland Trails

Farcountry Press

Chronicles the extraordinary life of Jeannette Rankin, first woman ever elected to the U.S. Congress.

Jeannette Rankin: 1880-1973 : Bright Star in the Big Sky

Children's Books

Falcon Pr Pub Co

Recounts the life of the Montana representative who was the first congresswoman and a dedicated pacifist who voted against both world wars

Biographies

True stories of the triumphs and tribulations of eight women who crossed the American frontier by wagon. First hand accounts from their letters and diaries, most written on the trail.

Heart of the Trail: The Stories Of Eight Wagon Train Women

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by O'Brien, Mary Barmeyer. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by O'Brien, Mary Barmeyer

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by O'Brien, Mary Barmeyer. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Into the Western Winds: Pioneer Boys Traveling Overland Trails

Outlasting the Trail: The Story of a Woman's Journey West

Across Death Valley: The Pioneer Journey Of Juliet Wells Brier

The Promise of the West: Young Pioneers on the Overland Trails

Jeannette Rankin: Bright Star in the Big Sky

Heart of the Trail: Stories of Covered Wagon Women

No Ordinary Journey: Stories of Men on the Overland Trails

Jeannette Rankin: 1880-1973 : Bright Star in the Big Sky

Jeannette Rankin: 1880-1973 : Bright Star in the Big Sky

Heart of the Trail: The Stories Of Eight Wagon Train Women