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American Pioneer History: Some
Best-Selling Titles
Prices on these books seem to go up every time I reorder. So
I've decided to remove them. If
you'd like to buy any of them, just email me the titles and catalog numbers if
they exist and I'll send the price of the lowest price printing I have in stock.
Often I don't have the latest printing, but it will still be a new (as opposed
to used) edition of the book.
Or order through my other site with
e-commerce, where prices will always be current. Books not listed there are
out of stock.
FEATURED AUTHOR: RALPH MOODY We have talked to many of you
about the Little Britches series, and some of your families may have already begun to read
it aloud. If so, you’ve already earned a lot about Ralph Moody the child and young
man. But here are some things you may not know about him: He was born in 1898 to Charles
and Mary (Gould) Moody in New Hampshire. He married Edna Hudgins in 1922 and they had two
sons and a daughter. After the period of ranching and cattle trading covered in Dry
Divide and Horse of a Different Color, he gave up ranching to work as
an officer and district manager of B/G Foods, Inc., a national restaurant chain,
first in Missouri and then in California. When he was 83, he returned to New
England, and died there, in the home of his sister Elizabeth, on June 28, 1982.
According to Moody himself, he had wanted to write a story as soon as he had learned to
read for himself. His mother had read aloud to their family, and he became an avid reader
himself. He learned to write from reading.. When Moody was over 50 he enrolled in a night
school writing course, supposedly to learn how to help his daughter with a high school
writing course she was taking. When his first short story was returned, his teacher had
written that he should expand it into a book. He did, and the book became Little
Britches.
 When one reads the Little Britches series, it’s easy to wonder why Ralph didn’t
stay a rancher. We know he prospered at ranching and that he loved it. The reason is that
he wanted to marry Edna, his Medford sweetheart, and she refused to marry a farmer. He
went to Kansas City to see if he could learn to support a family in town, and discovered
he could. They married, and in the late 1940’s they moved to northern California. He
told an interviewer for the New York Times Book Review,
August 6, 1967, “My goal in writing is to leave a record of the rural way of life in
this country during the early part of the twentieth century, and to point up the values of
that era which I feel that we, as a people, are letting slip away from us.” (This
information was gleaned from Something About the Author, Vol. 1, p. 162)
 We highly recommend the Little Britches series as a family
read-aloud for children in the third grade and above. Little Britches (BTH-2334,
), the
true story of Ralph Moody’s boyhood on a Colorado ranch as an eight-year-old in 1906,
is full of family fun, solid values, and real cowboys (who do talk like cowboys, so be
aware.) At the end of Little Britches, Ralph’s father dies, and Man of the
Family (BTH-2215, ) continues with Ralph’s efforts to help support the large family.
Actually, all of the children do
their part, and the way the family works together is an inspiration. The surprise ending
of this book (no, I won’t tell you) could stimulate a good family discussion on the
moral struggles Mrs. Moody faced. These struggles led to the
family’s move back to the Boston area, the period covered in Mary Emma and Company
(BTH-2214, ). Home Ranch (BTH-2216, ) occurs between the
 chapters of Man of the Family,
and elaborates on the details of Ralph’s summer job on a cattle ranch in the shadow
of Pike’s Peak. It is shortly after he returns home that the family moves east for a
fresh start.
 Boston is not a healthy environment for Ralph. He cannot adjust to being a city boy, so he
moves to his grandfather’s farm in Maine. There he learns how to live with a man who
can get along with no one. The Fields of Home (BTH-2217,) is one of the best books
written that deals with what we call today “the generation gap.” It also deals
with family loyalty. In spite of major conflicts, Ralph and his grandpa learn to love and
understand each other.
The last three books in the series cover Ralph’s young adult life, and they could
easily tie into a study in Proverbs on how to form wise personal and business
relationships. In Shaking the Nickel Bush , poor health forces Ralph back
west in the midst of the Depression. Since getting a job as a cowhand was impossible, he
made some fast but dangerous money as a movie stunt rider in Arizona. Then he formed an
unwise friendship with another unemployed cowhand who was in love with an old car and
supported them all as a “cowboy artist.” Dry
 Divide and Horse
of a Different Color (BTH-2218, ) show Ralph making his living with cattle and horses
again, and we learn with him how business partnerships can complicate one’s life.
All of Moody’s books are worthy models of excellent writing. You will never forget
his well-developed characters, nor his vivid use of language. Your family will laugh and
cry together as you read these aloud and discuss them. If you can’t find these books
in your library, you can get them from Barb’s People Builders, (800) 925-8587. Call
first to double-check prices and postage.
Other Moody books, now out of print, may be found in the library. We enjoyed his following
books for children: Kit Carson and the Wild Frontier (now back in print); Geronimo, Wolf of the Warpath; and
Come on Seabiscuit, the story of a race horse. (Now back in print, BTH-2612.)
Other Ralph Moody Books
American Horses
Gateways to the Northwest the Old Trail
Knife is Not Enough
Old Trails West
Riders of the Pony Express (BTH-2579)
Stagecoach West
BIOGRAPHIES OF OTHER PIONEERS FOR TEENS AND ADULTS
Prices below are for the last edition I have ordered and may not
be current if I need to reorder. Please check prices before ordering or order
through my other site with e-commerce,
which will always be current. Books not listed there are either out of stock or
I haven't had time to list them there yet.
Books about pioneers for children are
reviewed on another page.
Resources about pioneers for teachers are reviewed on another
page.
Return to Top.
 A Bride Goes West, by Nan Alderson. This
is the true story of Nanny Alderson, born in the South in 1860, who married a
cattleman in 1882 and traveled with him to Montana to start a little ranch.
Though the reader will learn a lot about ranching, she will learn even more
about the values of those who settled the ranch country during that period.
BTH-2484. $12.56-D
 Buffalo
Bill: Last of the Great Scouts. The Life Story of Colonel William F.
Cody by Helen Cody Wetmore. University of Nebraska Press, 1965. This biography
by his sister was first published in 1899, and portrays both the man and the
legend. Mrs. Wetmore gives a full account of Bill's early years, and offers many
tidbits of his adult life that are not widely known, such as his experiences as
a Union Army spy, a land speculator, a hotelkeeper, and a justice of the peace.
He liked to conclude his marriage ceremonies with the words: 'Whom God and
Buffalo Bill hath joined together, let no man put asunder.' The book is
entertaining as well as informative. In his introduction, historian Donald F.
Danker casts doubt on the author's declaration that she had so many facts she
had no thought of fiction. He states she embellished the truth somewhat to keep
the legend of her brother alive and well. BTH-2488. $18.95*
Covered Wagon Days: From the Private Journals of Jerome
Dickson
In 1864, when he was 14, Jermone Dickson traveled from Wisconsin to Montana in a
covered wagon and described the trip in detail in his diary. This dairy was edited and
published by his son in 1929, and reads like a novel. It also shows what kinds of thoughts
a 14- year- old boy is capable of writing in a journal, if you need an example to show a
student. $18.95*
 Frontier Lady: Recollections of the Gold Rush and Early
California
Sarah Royce's story of her family's trip across the continent in a covered
wagon and her observations on the life style and morals in the various mining
camps she lived in afterwards. Sarah's Christian faith shines through her
various struggles as she trusts God. BTH-2486. $13.46-D
 Horse and Buggy Doctor, by Arthur E. Hertzler,
M.D. Foreward by Milburn Stone (who played Doc Adams in "Gunsmoke.") This
will be of special interest to those who are involved in the world of medicine
or would like to be, but anyone can enjoy the anecdotes shared by this country
physician from his own practice that offer insight into the world of medicine in
the early 1900's. 322 pages. BTH-2580. $17.06-D
 Jedediah Smith and the Opening of the West
The mountain men blazed the trails others later followed west. Jedediah Smith
was prominent among them, and also a Christian. This is one of the most exciting
accounts of this period. 458 pages. BTH-2576. $17.06-D
 Kit Carson: A Pattern for Heroes.
This book will appeal to older readers who are interested in the fur trade,
exploration, the Mexican War, Indian-white relations, the Civil War in the West,
or in Kit Carson himself. It is 367 pages long, including the index, and the
only illustrations are a few photographs and maps. BTH-2578. $19.76-D
 Kit Carson's Autobiography
Kit Carson relates in his simple factual way his activities as a trapper,
Indian fighter, guide, and buffalo hunter up to the autumn of 1856. This book
deals more with things accomplished than with insights about people. and would
probably appeal more to a male reader than a female. 11.66-D
 Letters
of a Woman Homesteader by Elinore Pruitt Stewart. University of Nebraska
Press, 1989. In this series of letters to her former employer, Juliet Coney,
Elinore Stewart records her adventures from the time she left her job as a 'washlady'
in 1909, to work as a housekeeper for a Wyoming rancher (as preparation for
owning her own ranch someday) through all her homesteading adventures that
followed. She had been advised by her clergymen to work for a rancher who could
advise her about land and water rights. But after six weeks in his employ, the
rancher, Clyde Stewart, also advised her to marry him, which she did. Each
letter is like a story in Elinore's continuing adventure as she learns the ins
and outs of working her land, raising her child, and interacting with the people
she meets. Her letters are lively and personal, and reveal a woman full of
energy, humor, helpfulness, courage, and common sense. Introduction by Jessamym
West. 290 pages. BTH-2487. $9.95*. Click on image to enlarge it.
Marcus and Narcissa Whitman, Set of Two Volumes
The most carefully documented biography of the Whitmans yet written.
Although written by a Christian professor of church history, it is very
readable, and probably the best source of information for those who want to
understand mission work among the Northwest Indians and the Christian influence
on the Westward Movement. Out of print. May have one left.
 No Life for a Lady
Born in 1874 on a primitive cattle ranch in what was to become New Mexico, Agnes Morley
Cleaveland lived the reality of the "Wild West." With her you learn to ride
almost before you can walk, deal with outlaws, hunt grizzlies, and watch the
many changes she regrets: the invasion of the country by writers and tourists,
theatrical changes in cowboys, and government encroachment. Most of all you will
enjoy the adventures this fatherless girl, her brother, and her widowed mother
have as they all learn to handle the ranch that William Raymond Morley left them
after he was shot. $13.46-D
 Pioneer's Search for an Ideal Home
From the time she was a young bride in 1853, Phoebe Judson searched for the
"ideal home." She crossed the plains from Ohio to the Puget Sound area of
Washington Territory, and settled in more than one place before she discovered her
"ideal" location for a home at the head of the Nooksack River, almost
on the Canadian border. Phoebe's diary details the hardships and beauty of the
journey west, holing up in a fort during the Indian wars, and gradually learning
to live in peace and friendship with Native Americans. Phoebe's writing vividly
portrays her faith in God which sustained her through the many dangers and
tragedies she faced. When life gets hard, read this book! BTH-2482. $17.06-D
 Tenderfoot Bride: Tales From an Old Ranch
Clarise Richards and her husband, a Congregational minister from Vermont,
learned to ranch in Elbert County, Colorado, east of Pike's Peak, in 1900. It
was a real contrast for these cultured easterners, but they soon became
thoroughly westernized as they witnessed and contributed to the taming of the
area. BTH-2485. $15.95
 Where
Wagons Could Go by Narcissa Whitman and Eliza Spauding. Edited by
Clifford M. Drury. University of Nebraska Press, 1997. First published in
1963 by Arthur H. Clark Company. 289 pages. May have light wear to cover from
being on display. Drury has edited the letters and journals of these first women
to come west as missionaries to present an epic of Christian devotion on the
frontier in the Pacific Northwest. Narcissa Whitman kept her dairy during her
long trip from New York, and she kept it up while establishing and supporting
the Protestant mission in what is now Walla Walla, Washington. She was concerned
about the welfare of the Indians near the mission, as well as about their
conversion. Mrs. Whitman also talks a lot about the various foster children she
cared for and the seven Sager children who had been brought to her because their
parents had died enroute on the Oregon Trail. Mrs. Spaulding writes about
her calling to Oregon, the Nez Perce mission house, and her time at Lapwai. The
Rev. Drury also includes the diary of Mary Augusta Dix Gray and a biographical
sketch of Sarah Gilbert White Smith, who came later to the Whitman mission. To
enlarge image of book cover, please click on it. BTH-2489. $17.95*
With Custer's Cavalry
Katherine Gibson, wife of Lieutenant Francis Gibson in Custer's Cavalry,
describes army life during the 1870's and 1880's from a woman's point of view.
She describes a wedding, a baby's funeral, a sewing bee, a buffalo stampede, a
smallpox epidemic, and much more. Of special interest to teen girls and their
mothers, although my husband said it's the best book he's read on Custer, and he
laughed all the way through it. $24.95*
Copyright © 1997 by Barbara Radisavljevic, all rights
reserved
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