The audio version of this Pinch of the Past was first shared in Episode 34: Lynn Austin and a Review of On the Cliffs of Foxglove Manor by Jaime Jo Wright
Train Travel in the 1800s (Pt. 2)
Train Travel in the 1800s (Pt. 1)
The audio version of this Pinch of the Past was first shared in Episode 33: Guest KarenWitemeyer & The Sound of Diamonds by Rachelle Rea Cobb
General facts
Engine, tender with coal and water, mail cars, freight cars, baggage cars, passenger cars. Basic second-class cars might have slightly padded seats, windows at each seat that could open, fresh paint, monthly cleaning; passengers were usually local businessmen and middle-class families.
Continue reading “Train Travel in the 1800s (Pt. 1)”The Story of the Castillo de San Marcos
As we are recording today, KyLee isn’t feeling well, so I hope you won’t mind joining me as I try not to nerd out too much about one of the coolest places in the United States – the Castillo de San Marcos.
History and Construction
- In 1513, Ponce de Leon claimed the land he named Florida for Spain. It became an important holding to protect the Spanish ships bearing gold and silver from Central and South America back to Spain. As the French started encroaching on Florida, King Phillip II sent Pedro Menéndez in 1565 who founded the town of St. Augustine.
- St. Augustine is the oldest continually occupied European settlement in North America. It was defended by nine wooden forts which either rotted away, or were burned down by attacking armies.
Finally, in 1672 – over 100 years after the founding of St. Augustine – construction began on a stone fort. It was built of locally quarried coquina stone and took 23 years to complete. Coquina is a sedimentary rock made of tiny shells that is actually soft and porous, but hardens when it’s exposed to air. So it’s easy to cut and shape.
Possibly the coolest thing about this stone is it maintains some of its flexibility after it hardens. When the British assaulted the fort with cannon fire, the stone didn’t crack and crumble. The cannonballs simply sank into the stone. During the night, Spanish soldiers would dig out the lodged cannonballs and patch the walls with fresh coquina. Next morning, the fort appeared to have suffered no damage at all.
Continue reading “The Story of the Castillo de San Marcos”April Fool’s Day on Television
The actual origin of April Fool’s Day is uncertain. Some speculate it dates back to 1582 when France switched from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar. If you’d somehow missed the memo, you’d be celebrating New Year’s Day on April 1st rather than January 1st, making you an “April Fool.” Some think it might be tied to the Roman holiday Hilaria, during which participants dressed in disguise and went around mocking people. At any rate, it has survived in different parts of Europe for centuries, and television companies have often used it to pull pranks on their viewers!
Smell-O-Vision
Continue reading “April Fool’s Day on Television”Episode 26: Guest Amanda Cabot & a Review of Counterfeit Love by Crystal Caudill
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Join us for an interview with bestselling author Amanda Cabot. Her books have been honored with a starred review from Publishers Weekly and have been finalists for the ACFW Carol Award, the HOLT Medallion, and the Booksellers’ Best. In this episode, she shares with us about her latest release A Spark of Love.
Continue reading “Episode 26: Guest Amanda Cabot & a Review of Counterfeit Love by Crystal Caudill”Pinch of the Past – Mail Order Bride
Women typically responded to advertisements for mail-order brides more out of necessity, and even desperation, than actual romance. Many women answered the call to marry men in different regions to escape hardship, emigrate to another country, and sometimes to seek adventure.
James Town
- In the early colonial days, male settlers would return to England to marry or they would marry Native American women and leave the colony to live with their wives. In 1620 the Virginia Colony sponsored 140 brides for James town. The average age of these ladies was 20 years old. They were sometimes referred to as “tobacco wives” because the men who married them were required pay for their passage by way of reimbursing up to 120 lbs. of leave tobacco. These women had the right to choose who they married, even if that man was too poor to pay the full amount of the passage.
The French
- In the mid-1600s, 800 brides emigrated to New France which is now a part of the United States and Canada. These mail-order brides were sponsored by the government and known as the King’s Daughters. In addition to paying for the passage and recruitment of these wives, the government also paid each woman a dowry of at least 50 livres.
- When New France started their Louisiana Colony in 1699, they requested brides. However, this venture was less successful than the Kings’ Daughter. These women, called Pelican girls, were misled about the conditions of the colony and when word reached France, French ladies refused to go to the Louisiana Colony. At this time France resorted to raiding the streets for undesirables to send. Houses of correction were emptied, and in some instances, women who had been convicted with their debtor husbands were sent. In 1719, 209 women felons were sent to the colony.
- These women were known as Correction Girls. Fortunately, this practice was discontinued in the mid-18th-century.
Picture Brides
- Asian men working in America in the 1800s often worked with agencies to attain mail-order brides from home. Settlements were mostly male and so the demand for wives grew. A system of Picture Brides developed in the early 20th century with the Japanese-American Passport Agreement of 1907. The US barred unmarried Japanese ladies from immigrating. Working with a matchmaker, the men and women developed a system of communication that included the exchange of pictures and ended with a recommendation to marry or not.
Mail order Brides in American
In the 1800s many young men who traveled west found they were want for female companionship. After settling land and making homes, they didn’t have anyone to share them with. Many wrote home back east asking friends and family for help. Others advertised in newspapers and would then begin a correspondence with the intention of leading to an offer of marriage.
Some quotes from Mail order bride advertisements from woman to men and men to women.
Each edition of The Matrimonial News opened with the same positive affirmation for both sexes: “Women need a man’s strong arm to support her in life’s struggle, and men need a woman’s love.”
Here is are actual ads that ran in the paper:
282—A widower, merchant and stockman lives in Kansas, 46 years old, height 6 feet, weight 210 pounds, brunette, black hair and eyes, wishes to correspond with ladies of same age, without encumbrances and with means, must move in the best society and be fully qualified to help make a happy home: object, matrimony.
233—Answer to 82—There is a lad in Missouri with a foot that’s flat, with seeds in his pocket and a brick in his hat, with an eye that is blue and a No. 10 shoe—he’s the “Bull of the Woods” and the boy for you.
266—I want to know some pretty girl of 17 to 20 years. I am 29, 5 feet 9 inches tall, a blonde: I can laugh for 15 minutes, and I want some pretty girl to laugh with me.
214—Respectable young man, with good position in city, 20 years old, desires the acquaintance of a modest young lady, between the ages of 17 and 21, with home nearby. Object: to attend operas and church; perhaps more.
The mothod of connecting marital parties through mail correspondence of some fashion or other have been used throughout the centuries in many different countries. Australia, Belarus, Cambodia, Canada, China, Colombia, Japan, and the United States to name a few. While unconventional to a modern way of thinking, it this was an acceptable and popular method of connecting in the past. A modern study of French Canadians that shows that the King’s Daughters and their husbands were “responsible for two-thirds of the genetic makeup of over six million people”.
If you enjoy a good Mail Order Bride read, here are some Christian titles that might suit your fancy.
The Bride Ship Series by Jody Hedlund is one of my favorites. In fact, Jody is a lead author for Sunrise Publishing with Suzy May Warren, so we can expect three more books in that series.
When I asked on our Facebook listeners group, one of our listeners, Christy said she just finished A Bride for Keeps and A Bride in Store, both by Melissa Jagears.
If you’re looking for a box set A Bride for All Seasons: The Mail Order Bride Collection by Margaret Brownley, Robin Lee Hatcher, Mary Connealy, and Debra Clopton. is very good.
Mail Order Revenge by Angela K Couch is available on Kindle Unlimited.
The first book I ever read that used a mail-order bride trope was One for the Pot by Louise L’aMour.
Prolific Hymn Writers
I love music–I grew up on good hymns and still enjoy them–so I thought it would be fun to look at a few prolific hymn writers in the past.
Martin Luther, known for his Ninety-Five Theses that started the Reformation, was also the author of over 40 hymns. He published his first hymnal in 1524; it contained 8 hymns, 4 written by Luther. He was passionate about congregational singing in the common language, believing it to be an important part of worship.
In his typical fiery style, he wrote this about music: “Next to the word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world. It controls our hearts, minds and spirits. A person who does not regard music as a marvelous creation of God does not deserve to be called a human being; he should be permitted to hear nothing but the braying of asses and the grunting of hogs!
Here is a verse from his hymn, “A Mighty Fortress.”
“And though this world with devils filled should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us.
The prince of darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo! his doom is sure; one little word shall fell him.”
Isaac Watts, born in 1674, authored some 750 hymns in his lifetime. Known as “The Godfather of English Hymnody,” he began making rhymes as a very small child. As a teen, he wrote hymns for his local church, which outsiders sometimes criticized for being too simple.
In addition to writing original hymns all his life, he was a pastor, theologian, and logician. He also versified some of the Psalms and set them to music. His works were published during his lifetime in the hymnbook, Watts Psalms and Hymns.
There’s a fascinating story about that hymnal. During the American Revolution in 1780, some of the British Hessian forces were turned back at the small village of Springfield. In the fighting, the wife of Reverend James Caldwell was shot in her home. It’s not known if this was intentional, as Reverend Caldwell did have a price on his head at the time. At any rate, the townspeople were infuriated, and when the British returned two weeks later, they met fierce resistance. At the height of the fighting, the Patriots took refuge behind a fence adjacent to Caldwell’s church. They had run out of the paper wadding needed to load their muskets. Reverend Caldwell gathered up copies of Watts Psalms and Hymns, ran out to the soldiers, and tore the pages from the books. He passed out the papers saying, “Put Watts into ‘em, boys! Give ‘em Watts!”
A quote from Isaac Watts’ lovely hymn, “I Sing the Mighty Power of God.”
“I sing the mighty power of God that made the mountains rise,
That spread the flowing seas abroad and built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day;
The moon shines forth at His command, and all the stars obey.”
Fanny Crosby, born in 1820, wrote almost 9000 hymns. She published under many pen names (possibly as many as two hundred), partly because her publishers didn’t want people to know how many of her hymns they included in their collections.
Fanny never had an entire volume devoted to her hymns. She and her husband Alexander van Alstyne submitted a volume, but the publishers rejected it saying they didn’t think only two contributors made for a marketable hymnbook. Some think the complexity of the melodies was the true deterrent.
In addition to the hymn writing she is so well-known for, Fanny also taught at the New York Institute for the Blind, lobbied for government support of education for the blind, and wrote many patriotic songs.
From her hymn, “All the Way My Savior Leads Me”:
“All the way my Savior leads me–what have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt His tender mercy, Who through life has been my guide?
Heavenly peace, divinest comfort, here by faith in Him to dwell!
For I know, whate’er befall me, Jesus doeth all things well.”
I hope you have enjoyed this peek at the lives of three hymn writers of the past. I find some of these old hymns so encouraging. Below are our favorites.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Au3otElq6D4https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3ofkPLroRA
Darcy’s favorites.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1g26dbNJYJI&t=28shttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3w9nvXuVnk
KyLee’s favorites
Do you have a favorite hymn?
What makes this hymn special to you?
This Pinch was originally shared in episode 16.
Braced for Love by Mary Connealy
About the Book
Left with little back in Missouri, Kevin Hunt takes his younger siblings on a journey to Wyoming when he receives news that he’s inheriting part of a ranch. The catch is that the ranch is also being given to a half brother he never knew existed. Turns out, Kevin’s supposedly dead father led a secret and scandalous life.
But danger seems to track Kevin along the way, and he wonders if his half brother, Wyatt, is behind the attacks. Finally arriving at the ranch, everyone
is at each other’s throats and the only one willing to stand in between is Winona Hawkins, a nearby schoolmarm.
Despite being a long-time friend to Wyatt, Winona can’t help but be drawn to the earnest, kind Kevin–and that puts her in the cross hairs of somebody’s dangerous plot. Will they all be able to put aside their differences long enough to keep anyone from getting truly hurt?
The Review
I’m glad to have the opportunity to tell you about Mary Connealy’s latest release, Braced for Love. for years I read Mary’s books because her works always promised me a safe, fun historical read.
In her usual fashion, Mary spins a fun western tale; and while the series is centered around a family of brothers, like many of her other series, this one is different because these brothers appear to be enemies. My favorite thing about this book was the setting. The terrain is described beautifully as frontier life on a cattle ranch. From the ranch to the cattle, the hills, rivers, and a waterfall. I also enjoyed seeing the other minor characters interact and wonder who would end up with whom. Mary always gives hints as to who might star in the next book as the romantic couple.
For our more conservative listeners, you will be happy to know that kisses are sweet not steamy, and the violence is neither gory nor unnecessary.
If you enjoy reading clean, western romance with a little danger, family values, and a marriage of convenience, you won’t want to miss Braced for Love, book 1 in Mary Connealy’s Brothers in Arms Series.
This review was originally shared in episode 6 of the Historical Bookworm Show.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
About the Author
Mary Connealy writes romantic comedy with cowboys always with a strong suspense thread. She is a two time Carol Award winner, and a Rita, Christy and Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist.
She is the bestselling author of 48 books and novellas.
Her most recent three book series are: Cimarron Legacy, Wild at Heart, Trouble in Texas, Kincaid Bride for Bethany House Publishing. She’s also written four other series for Barbour Publishing and many novellas and several stand-alone books for multiple publishers.
Mary will be a published author for ten years in 2017 with nearly a million books in print. She has a degree in broadcast communications with an emphasis in journalism and has worked at her local newspaper.
Cinderella
- Can be dated back to the Greek culture of sixth century BC.
- There is also a Chinese version of the story includes a ninth-century fairy tale in which a young woman is granted a wish from magic fish bones which she then uses to make a gown.
- There are more than 500 versions of the Cinderella story in Europe alone.
- A 17th-century Italian version introduced the wicked stepmother and stepsisters.
- Sixty years later a French writer named Charles Perault cast the form that Cinderella would take for the next 400 years. He introduced the glass slipper, the pumpkin, and the fairy godmother. This is the version Disney later adapted into its animated classic.
Dreams of Savannah by Roseanna M. White
About the Book
Cordelia Owens can weave a hopeful dream around anything and is well used to winning the hearts of everyone in Savannah with her whimsy. Even when she receives word that her sweetheart has been lost during a raid on a Yankee vessel, she clings to hope and comes up with many a romantic tale of his eventual homecoming to reassure his mother and sister.
But Phineas Dunn finds nothing redemptive in the first horrors of war. Struggling for months to make it home alive, he returns to Savannah injured and cynical, and all too sure that he is not the hero Cordelia seems determined to make him,
Matters of black and white don’t seem so simple anymore to Phin, and despite her best efforts, Delia’s smiles can’t erase all the complications in his life. And when Fort Pulaski falls and the future wavers, they both must decide where the dreams of a new America will take them, and if they will go together.
The Review
Cordelia Owens can weave a hopeful dream around anything and is well used to winning the hearts of everyone in Savannah with her whimsy. Even when she receives word that her sweetheart has been lost during a raid on a Yankee vessel, she clings to hope and comes up with many a romantic tale of his eventual homecoming to reassure his mother and sister.
But Phineas Dunn finds nothing redemptive in the first horrors of war. Struggling for months to make it home alive, he returns to Savannah injured and cynical, and all too sure that he is not the hero Cordelia seems determined to make him. Matters of black and white don’t seem so simple anymore to Phin, and despite her best efforts, Delia’s smiles can’t erase all the complications in his life. And when Fort Pulaski falls and the future wavers, they both must decide where the dreams of a new America will take them, and if they will go together.
This review was originally shared in episode 9 of the Historical Bookworm Show.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
About the Author
Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award nominated author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary. You can learn more about her and her stories at www.RoseannaMWhite.com
