Bass Reeves: A Western Marshal--by Martha Hutchens

Bass Reeves, circa 1902
image from Smithsonian
Public Domain

Many men and women have overcome humble beginnings to build a successful live, be it great or small. Perhaps those whose life began in slavery had the hardest path of all. Two of the most famous men who succeeded in this difficult path are George Washington Carver and Booker T. Washington. But today, I want to introduce you to a third man who managed this feat. His name was Bass Reeves.

Bass Reeves was born into slavery with the William Steele Reeves family. Later, this family and their slaves moved to Texas. Bass was assigned to the son of the family, William Reeves. In 1861, William Reeves joined the Confederate 11thCalvary regiment, and Bass accompanied him.

Image by Willard at Deposit Photos

In 1862 (probably), Bass and William had a fight over a card game. Bass knocked William out and escaped into Indian Territory (later to be Oklahoma.) Between 1863 and 1865, Reeves served with the Union army, serving mostly in Indian Territory.

After the Civil War (between 1866 and 1870), Reeves worked as a guide and interpreter for railroad surveyors in Indian Territory. If you are keeping track, this means that Bass spent 18 of his first 32 years in Indian Territory. He didn’t waste his time there, either. While there, he learned several Native American languages and became familiar with the customs of multiple tribes. This knowledge will soon stand him in good stead.

In 1870, Bass moved his family to Van Buren, Arkansas. Reeves once boasted that he knew Indian Territory “like a cook knows her kitchen.” This knowledge led to him finding work as a guide for Deputy U.S. Marshals working out of the federal court located at Fort Smith, Arkansas. In 1875, Judge Isaac C. Parker took over this court. He commissioned Bass Reeves as a Deputy US Marshal. Reeves is believed to be one of the first African-American Marshals to serve west of the Mississippi River—possibly the first.

Image by zim90 at Deposit Photos

It was here that Reeves found his true calling. David Kennedy, the historical curator of the US Marshals museum in Fort Smith, Arkansas, said that Reeves was the “most exemplary law enforcement officer the country has ever seen.”

You might wonder why. Let’s start with a few numbers. When Reeves started with the court, the jurisdiction he and other marshals patrolled was 75,000 square miles. US Marshals found this area the most dangerous in the country, with more than 130 men dying in the line of duty. Reeves patrolled the area for 30 years. He was never shot, though his hat was shot off and so was his belt. Well, that’s what the legend says, anyway. I’m not sure how that could happen, but I’ll leave it to your imagination.

Reeves arrested more than 3000 men and women who had broken federal laws. He arrested Jim Webb for the murder of a black preacher. When Webb did not show up for his day in court, Reeves went after him again. He found Webb in Indian Territory. Webb realized he had been found, and ran. From about 600 yards, he turned and fired several times at Reeves, several shots coming uncomfortably close. At this point, Reeves shot and killed Webb.

For one arrest, Reeves went undercover for three months, but came out with a signed confession from his target. He frequently masqueraded as many different people to find the information he needed to make an arrest. He was known for his observational skills.

Reeves had several tragedies in his life, but to me, two stand out. In 1884, he accidentally shot his camp cook while cleaning his gun. In 1886, he was arrested and was incarcerated for six months before he paid bail and was released. In 1887, he stood trial and was found not guilty.

Image by chinnapong at Deposit Photos

The second major tragedy in his life also attests to his integrity. In 1902, Bass Reeves’ son, Bennie, murdered his wife. An arrest warrant was issued, but Reeves’ boss faced a quandary. Reeves was held in high regard by all his co-workers, and none wanted to be the one to arrest his son. Reeves solved the dilemma by taking the warrant himself.

Accounts differ as to what Reeves was required to do for this arrest. One claims he tracked his son down in Indian Territory. Another claims that he arrested his son at his house. All agree, that Reeves alone arrested his son for murder. I can only imagine his turmoil.

His son stood trial and was sentenced to life imprisonment at Leavenworth Federal Prison. Reeves stood by his son through his trail and visited him in prison. Unfortunately, Bass did not live long enough to see his son’s sentence commuted after nearly 12 years. Bennie Reeves went on to live a honest life from the time of his release until his death.

Bass Reeves died in 1910.

It is claimed by some that he was the inspiration for The Lone Ranger, though I haven’t found strong evidence for this claim. He has been the focus of several recent movies, TV shows, and documentaries. His biography, Black Gun, Silver Star, by Art Burton is definitely on my to be read list.

Martha Hutchens is a transplanted southerner who lives in Los Alamos, NM where she is surrounded by history so unbelievable it can only be true. She won the 2019 Golden Heart for Romance with Religious and Spiritual Elements. A former analytical chemist and retired homeschool mom, Martha is frequently found working on her latest knitting project when she isn’t writing.

Martha’s current novella is set in southeast Missouri during World War II. It is free to her newsletter subscribers. You can subscribe to my newsletter at my website, www.marthahutchens.com

After saving for years, Dot Finley's brother finally paid a down payment for his own land—only to be drafted into World War II. Now it is up to her to ensure that he doesn't lose his dream while fighting for everyone else's. No one is likely to help a sharecropper's family.

Nate Armstrong has all the land he can manage, especially if he wants any time to spend with his four-year-old daughter. Still, he can't stand by and watch the Finley family lose their dream. Especially after he learns that the banker's nephew has arranged to have their loan called.

Necessity forces them to work together. Can love grow along with crops?

Martha Jane Ogle -- Early Settler of Gatlinburg, Tennessee

By Michelle Shocklee

I love spending time in the Great Smoky Mountains. I love visiting Gatlinburg, Tennessee (although I don't recommend going during peak tourist seasons. The traffic and crowds! Oy vey!). Add in an old cabin with a cool history and I'm a happy camper. 

I took this picture of Gatlinburg from the balcony of our rental/condo; 2022

As an author of historical fiction, I'm always seeking out "the story" behind interesting places we visit and fascinating people who come across my path, whether in person or through historical records. Thus, you can imagine how my curiosity and "need to know-it'tive-ness" was piqued when I read about Martha Jane Huskey Ogle, an early settler to the Great Smokies who lived in the very first cabin ever built in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

William and Martha Jane Huskey Ogle; image from undated, unknown newspaper article; Ogle Family

Martha Jane Huskey was born in North Carolina in 1764. It is thought she was part Cherokee, although there is nothing to confirm (or deny) this story that was passed down through the generations. Martha Jane met William "Billy" Ogle, born in Delaware in 1756, when she was 16 years old. In his will, Billy referred to her as "my beloved wife Polly." The couple married, and the first of their seven children was born in South Carolina in 1780. It is said that William hunted and traded with various Indian tribes in Edgefield, South Carolina, and had a good life, but by 1802, he was ready for a new start in a new land. 

Ogle Cabin, Gatlinburg, Tennessee

In the spring of 1802, William made the long journey across the mountains and arrived in White Oak Flats, Tennessee, now present-day Gatlinburg. He selected a building site and named it 'The Land of Paradise.' Billy spent the warmer months laboring to clear the land, and cut and hew logs, all with the intention of building the area's first cabin. However, winter was coming, so Billy traveled back to Edgefield County with plans to pack up his wife, five sons, and two daughters, and move them to Paradise come spring. 

Unfortunately, tragedy struck. Billy fell ill, possibly with malaria, and died in 1803. Martha Jane grieved her husband and moved to Virginia to live with Billy's parents. But as time went by, she grew determined to fulfill Billy's dream of moving the family to his piece of paradise in Tennessee. In 1807, Martha Jane followed her husband's lead and made the long, dangerous journey with her seven children, and her brother Peter and his family. They found the cleared land and hewn logs Billy had prepared five years earlier right where he'd left them. 

Today, the restored cabin can be seen in downtown Gatlinburg. It was relocated from its original site but remains a wonderful example of what early settlers to the area would have lived in. I think Billy and Polly would be pleased to know we're still talking about them all these years later. Their pioneer spirit, hard work, and dedication to family are worth remembering. 

Your turn: Have you been to Gatlinburg? What was your favorite thing about this quaint mountain town? Are you planning a trip there anytime soon?

 

Springhouse at the Walker Sisters Cabin, the setting for
Appalachian Song

Michelle Shocklee is the author of several historical novels, including Count the Nights by Stars, winner of the Christianity Today Book Award, and Under the Tulip Tree, a Christy Awards and Selah Awards finalist. Her work has been included in numerous Chicken Soup for the Soul books, magazines, and blogs. Married to her college sweetheart and the mother of two grown sons, she makes her home in Tennessee, not far from the historical sites she writes about. Visit her online  at www.MichelleShocklee.com

                             

APPALACHIAN SONG

Forever within the memories of my heart.

Always remember, you are perfectly loved.

Bertie Jenkins has spent forty years serving as a midwife for her community in the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee. Out of all the mothers she’s tended, none affects her more than the young teenager who shows up on her doorstep, injured, afraid, and expecting, one warm June day in 1943. As Bertie and her four sisters tenderly nurture Songbird back to health, the bond between the childless midwife and the motherless teen grows strong. But soon Songbird is forced to make a heartbreaking decision that will tear this little family apart.

Thirty years later, the day after his father’s funeral, Walker Wylie is stunned to learn he was adopted as an infant. The famous country singer enlists the help of adoption advocate Reese Chandler in the hopes of learning why he was abandoned by his birth parents. With the only clue he has in hand, Walker and Reese head deep into the Appalachian Mountains to track down Bertie Jenkins, the midwife who holds the secrets to Walker’s past.

https://www.tyndale.com/p/appalachian-song/9781496472441

 

Can You Hear Me Now?

Author Photo

The howling wail of a siren evokes myriad emotions, especially when that sound is to warn of possible attacks. As early as 1907, novelist H.G. Wells prophesized threats from the sky in his book “War in the Air.” Four years later, Lieutenant Giulio Gavotti dropped grapefruit-sized bombs by hand from the open canopy of his aircraft during Italy’s fight against the Turkish Ottoman empire in Libya. In a letter to his father, Gavotti wrote, “It is the first time that we will try this and if I succeed, I will be really pleased to be the first person to do it.”

Three years later Britain experienced its first bombing on Christmas Eve during The Great War when a bomb fell in the vegetable garden of Tommy Terson in Dover. Days later, in January 1915, further attacks by the Germans in Great Yarmouth and King’s Lynn. During the course of the war, zeppelins would drop bombs in numerous raids, fifty to London alone where more than 1,200 civilians would be killed.

However, the psychological impact was just as great as people experienced a new sort of war, one no longer restrained to the battlefield. Germany’s attacks on Liege, Antwerp, and Paris during the first World War exhibited that aerial bombardment came into its own as an integral strategy that would continue into the Second World War and beyond.

The question surfaced: how to warn the populace of the impending attack?

In ancient civilizations, drums were used for both music and as a way to deliver messages, including

Author Photo

messages about invading armies. Bells replaced drums. The earliest evidence of bells is found in 2000 B.C.E. China, but they would not make their way into Western civilization for another millennia and a half. The Middle Ages saw a rise in the use of bells, especially in churches where they were used as an early warning system and general messaging. Several sources indicate that in the mid-1600s, men responding to fires in New York would ring a bell as they approached to alert nearby residents of the danger.

Then came 1799.

First invented by Scottish physicist John Robison in 1799, French engineer Charles Cagniard de la Tour enhanced and named the siren (most scholars say he took the name from Greek mythology). His siren used a bellows apparatus to force air through its rotor. The pitch could be raised or lowered by increasing or decreasing the speed of the rotor. For the first time, scientists could create tones of specific frequencies. At some point, it was realized that sirens could be used to alert citizens of fires and tornadoes.

By the beginning of World War II, thousands of sirens were installed in cities across Europe to warn of air raids. Any other use was prohibited. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, authorities on America’s West Coast realized that Japan’s military capabilities could result in an air strike. Officials feared that chaos would ensue as a result of the air raids and issued strict instructions about what to do. The Air Raid Warden (who came under the Office of Civilian Defense) came into being. Wardens oversaw the education of their assigned blocks and offered regular practice drills which typically lasted for thirty minutes. When the siren sounded, wardens would spring to action, patrolling their streets to ensure no lights were visible. By 1943, nearly six million men and women had volunteered.

After the war, the sirens were used in the initial days of the Cold War, but since then, most have fallen silent with the exception of those to warn of impending tornadoes. It is unknown how many sirens still exist across the nation.

________________

The Mechanic & The MD

All’s fair in love and war. Or so they say.

High school and college were a nightmare for Doris Strealer and being an adult isn’t much better. Men won’t date a woman of her height, and they don’t understand her desire to repair car engines rather than work as a nurse or a teacher. When her father’s garage closes, and no one will hire a female mechanic, she joins the Red Cross Motor Corps, finally feeling at home. Until she comes face to face with her past in the form of Ronald McCann, the most popular boy in school.

On the brink of a successful career as a surgeon, Ron's plans crumble when he’s drafted and assigned to an evacuation hospital in England, the last place he expects to run into a former schoolmate. The gangly tomboy who was four years behind him in high school has transformed into a statuesque beauty, but a broken engagement in college leaves him with no desire to risk his heart ever again.

Will the hazards of war make or break a romance between this unlikely couple?

Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/3RNpjY

Linda Shenton Matchett writes happily-ever-after historical Christian fiction about second chances and women who overcome life’s challenges to be better versions of themselves.

Whether you choose her books set in the Old West or across the globe during WWII, you will be immersed in the past through rich detail. Follow the journeys of relatable characters whose faith is sorely tested, yet in the end, emerge triumphant. Be encouraged in your own faith-walk through stories of history and hope.

Civilian Conservation Corps - Life in a CCC Camp

 By Mary Dodge Allen

Civilian Conservation Corps Logo (Public Domain)

CCC Camp in Michigan, flag raising ceremony (Public Domain)

In 1933, America's economy was in the midst of the Great Depression. Poverty and unemployment gripped the nation. President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal Programs were enacted to help lift the country back onto solid economic footing.

One of the New Deal programs, the Civilian Conservation Corps - the CCC - provided much-needed paying jobs for unemployed young men. My Uncle Gordon Dodge was 18 years old when he applied to work for the CCC.

L-R: Uncle Gordon Dodge, Russ Fournier 1938 (family photo)

The CCC provided work on conservation projects across the country, such as:

• Building fire observation towers, roads, camp/picnic areas in national forests
• Planting trees in clear-cut areas
• Flood control projects
• Preventing soil erosion (after the "Dust Bowl" devastation)

What was life like in a CCC Camp?

My Uncle Gordon Dodge was assigned to work in northern Minnesota's Superior National Forest. He worked from July 1938 - June 1940, and he was grateful for this opportunity to earn money to help his family (he had six siblings).

Sea Gull CCC Camp, Grand Marais, MN 1938 (family photo)

Note: My uncle's CCC Camp claims it's "the most isolated camp in the USA." It was located near Grand Marais, Minnesota just south of the Canadian border.

I remember my uncle's stories about working at the CCC Camp. Northern Minnesota had areas where loggers had clear-cut the forest. He spent many days planting row after row of trees. He also drove trucks and helped to construct firebreaks, trails and roads.

L-R: Russ Fournier, Gordon Dodge, Bill Kraholm 1938 (family photo)

CCC Program Facts - Uncle Gordon's Comments in Italics:

• Employed single men ages 18 - 25; later expanded to ages 17 - 28
• Paid each man $30 per month; $25 of this salary was sent to each man's family (My family needed that income, and most of the other families did, too.)
• Each man kept $5 of this salary for spending money (Our camp was so remote, there wasn't anywhere to spend that money, anyhow.)
• The men lived in barracks (The CCC Camp prepared me for life in the Army Air Corps, after I joined up. The camp was run with a set schedule, like the military.)
• Men were provided with work clothing (Our uniforms were surplus WWI Army uniforms. The wool was scratchy and smelled like mothballs, at first.)
• Each camp had a dining/recreation hall, a lavatory building with showers, and a medical dispensary.
• Work crews consisted of 25 men, and had an assigned Crew Leader to train and supervise them.
• Classes were available during free time, as well as recreational activities.

Photo below of a dubious recreational activity. Uncle Gordon's head is on the chopping block! Glad that axe didn't slip!

Standing L-R: Mike Bereska, Leslie Nelson, Russ Fournier; Gordon Dodge with head on block!

(family photo)

My husband and I visited the Michigan CCC Camp Museum in North Higgins Lake State Park several years ago. Below are interesting photos of the exhibits:

CCC Camp Schedule - Michigan CCC Museum (family photo)

CCC recruits Before; and After dressed in uniforms:

Michigan CCC Museum (family photo)

CCC Camp Barracks, Michigan CCC Museum (family photo)

CCC Camp Dining Hall, Michigan CCC Museum (family photo)

These are a few of the celebrities who worked in the CCC before becoming famous: Actors Walter Matthau and Raymond Burr; Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder Stan Musial; Air Force test pilot Chuck Yeager.

The CCC program lasted nine years, from 1933 - 1942. (It was discontinued after the U.S. entered WWII.)

CCC Program accomplishments during its nine years:

• Employed a total of nearly 3 million men
• Established over 700 new state parks
• Planted an estimated 3.5 billion trees
• Routed over 100,000 miles of telephone lines
• Constructed over 126,000 miles of roads through national forests

I have traveled on one of the roads my Uncle Gordon helped to construct - (northern Minnesota's Gunflint Trail) - when I went on canoe/camping trips with my close friends.

Canoe trip group. I am kneeling, on the left (family photo)

Even though the work was hard manual labor, my Uncle Gordon had fond memories of his experience at the CCC Camp. Do you know anyone who worked in the CCC program?

Lt. Gordon Dodge, B-17 Co-pilot WWII (family photo)

Note: My Uncle Gordon Dodge enlisted in the Army Air Corps and became a B-17 co-pilot who flew 35 combat missions. I wrote a Blog describing his 20th combat mission, from start to finish, based on the pilot's mission diary. Here is the link: https://www.hhhistory.com/2022/03/blog-post.html

_____________

Mary Dodge Allen is the winner of a 2022 Christian Indie Award, a 2022 Angel Book Award, and two Royal Palm Literary Awards (Florida Writer's Association). She and her husband live in Central Florida, where she has served as a volunteer with the local police department. Her childhood in Minnesota, land of 10,000 lakes, sparked her lifelong love of the outdoors. She has worked as a Teacher, Counselor and Social Worker. Her quirky sense of humor is energized by a passion for coffee and chocolate. She is a member of the Florida Writer's Association, American Christian Fiction Writers and Faith Hope and Love Christian Writers. 

Website: www.marydodgeallen.com

Mary's novel: Hunt for a Hometown Killer won the 2022 Christian Indie Award, First Place - Mystery/Suspense; and the 2022 Angel Book Award - Mystery/Suspense.

Click the link below to buy Hunt for a Hometown Killer at Amazon.com:

Hunt For A Hometown Killer: A Novel: Allen, Mary Dodge: 9781952369704: Amazon.com: Books

Link to Mary's Spotlight Interview:   Mary Dodge Allen Author Spotlight EA Books

What Effect the Nazi Occupation Had for the Broader Community of Libourne

By Donna Wichelman

In the twenty-first century United States, with a two hundred and fifty-year history of independence, it's hard to imagine another country moving in to occupy our nation. I dare say many of us would take up arms before we'd allow another entity to destroy what we've built as a people. But if one could imagine the scenario that overtook the nation of France in June of 1940, we might find ourselves completely shell-shocked and bewildered by the circumstances.

Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776

Photo 31485226 | Declaration Independence © Daniel Thornberg | Dreamstime.com

Thus, even when the Germans advanced deep into France on May 10, 1940, those in the department of Gironde (the Bordeaux Region, including Libourne) believed the war would not touch them and that the allied forces would keep the Germans at bay. These sentiments continued well into June when La Chronique du Libournais reported on June 7, 1940, "Our region, certainly in appearance, does not have to fear the direct and immediate effects of the war."

Denial rang out for weeks, though the evidence bore examination. The press reported French soldiers killed in action daily. Refugees—people from the north of France and other countries to the East, Jewish and non-Jewish alike—fled war and persecution, impacting the population. Rumors of Germany's war machine followed them. Yet the press scoffed at any talk that suggested the Gironde was in trouble. "We remain convinced that the need to start discussions … but particularly war, is a habit that harms us …" The Republican Union of Libourne of June 15, 1940.

But as much as the spirit of the French people rallied to repel German advancement upon their beloved land, history records that they could not avoid the inevitable. By June 14, 1940, the German Wehrmacht (war machine) entered Paris, and the Battle for France was lost. On June 24, 1940, the Germans occupied the Gironde, and a flag depicting a Swastika flew on the Libourne Town Hall a few days later. The demarcation line between occupied and Free France was less than twenty kilometers east of Libourne.

Germans Occupy the Palace of Versailles, France June 1940

Photo 203649923 | Nazi © Romannerud | Dreamstime.com

A Transcript of the Arrival of the Germans in Libourne on June 26, 1940
Compliments of the City Archives of Libourne

Nazi Flag on Libourne, France Town Hall June/July 1940
Compliments of the City Archives of Libourne

In one day, the Libournaise realized they lost self-governance. The Vichy government—so-called Free France under Marshal Philippe Pétain--enabled the Nazi leaders to install their puppet government in Nazi-occupied territory. The Germans requisitioned buildings, the town hall, schools, prominent wine chateaux, common homes, vineyards (the heart and soul of the people of Bordeaux), and even other fields planted with crops—all for the benefit of the German Wehrmacht.

House where Marshal Petain died on July 23, 1951 in Yeu Island. Port Joinville, France - September 16, 2018: architectural detail of the house where Marshal Petain died on July 23, 1951 in the historic city center of the island of Yeu. Marshal Petain was exiled to the island after being convicted of being a collaborator with the Germans.

Photo 138832638 © Clement Mantion Pierre Olivier | Dreamstime.com

An interesting phenomenon took place between September 1939, when France declared war against Germany, and June 1940. The population in the Gironde grew from 850,000 to nearly two million. Libourne, in particular, went from twenty thousand to sixty thousand. Experts claim that the mass migration was one of the world's most significant movements of people in history. If you've seen the Netflix series or read the book, All the Light We Cannot See, you will recall the scene in which Daniel LeBlanc and his daughter Marie-Laure flee from Paris with thousands of others on the road heading south and west.

In the days following the occupation and before the "French State" regime took effect, the government of the Gironde scurried to repatriate people to the East. They sent a telegram to the Mayor of Libourne to take a census of the refugees, and on June 28, 1940 he posted a notice on the Libourne town hall that all refugees had to declare themselves.

How accurate the census was is up for debate. Yet nationalities included French, Polish, Italians, Hungarians, Greeks, Romanians, Czechs, English, Luxembourgers, Dutch, Swiss, Spaniards, Portuguese, Lithuanians, Armenians, and more. Many were single mothers whose husbands had died fighting or imprisoned by the Nazis. Some were doctors, engineers, craftsmen, or laborers. A preponderance were Jewish.

The once-welcomed refugees became a sudden drain on resources. The scramble for food, water, energy, medical treatment, etc. drove greedy men to take advantage of the situation, and a black market arose. The sad situation promoted an everybody-for-themself mentality. In the words of the author of the biblical book of Judges, "Each one did what was right in his own eye." In this climate, one can see how a temptation to give up one's Jewish neighbor might eventually emerge.

Hunger does strange things to a person when pressed to the wall. Loss of control of self-determination leads to despair.

Yet, the same spirit of the French people that would fight until one had no more breath to give lived on in the resistance movement—ordinary people who risked their lives to hide and rescue people of Jewish descent, especially children, and spy for the Allied forces to win the war. I want to focus on this spirit of determination and the will to survive in June's blog, for it's that spirit that would not give up and give in to the enemy at their door that won the war.

New Steps and Old Monuments

As I advance in years, my perspective progresses. I attempt to lean not on my own understanding, but to seek wisdom and discernment. On a lighter note, I am working on margin in my schedule for the unforeseen, all the while praying for direction. Why employ this opening to the blog today?

It is often unplanned experiences, side streets, and extra stops that can bring the most joy in life and in travel. Yet still we tend to aim for the main events and major attractions. Why is that the case? Do we have fomo (fear of missing out)? Do we think that because people deem an occasion or site worthy, we must explore the possibility or location? Whatever the reasons, I suggest consideration of alternatives. 

For a writing research trip with Cindy Stewart (former HHH blogger and author of Abounding Hope), we planned months in advance the sites we would visit. As is often the case, our schedule changed. These alterations are some of my favorite portions of the trip. What did I learn? Leave space in life for the unexpected. Be flexible. Above all, abide. This leaves room for God's plans. As I discovered in recent years, His are better than any I could design.

Additional stop #1 on our trip - Amiens, France. This is a small town located just 112 km (70 miles) north of Paris. It is northwest of Caen, which appears in prior posts. Amiens is a magnificent medieval village that offers a cathedral, views of the Somme River, and interesting tidbits to delight history enthusiasts. Oddly enough, it is not listed in the guidebook for France I used. Perhaps less attention lends itself to the quaint ambiance?

Cathédrale Notre-Dame d'Amiens featured in the image at top and three below, is a Unesco Heritage Site. It is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world. In fact, two Notre Dame de Paris could fit inside the 200,000 cubic meter structure. It soars 42 m (137.8 feet) in height. Three master builders completed this edifice from 1220 - 1288. The elevation, sculptures, and stained glass allow this cathedral to serve as a model for Gothic architecture. It did influence many Gothic cathedrals built in the succeeding centuries. Notice the intricate and plentiful figures on the exterior. We could not take photos inside. Imagine the beautiful interior or plot a visit to Amiens to peek for yourself.

Key aspects of this monument are additions and alterations over the years that retained the nature of the structure. At the end of the 13th to the beginning of the 14th century, chapels constructed between the buttresses did not affect the interior. Over the proceeding years restorations occurred that offered enhancement. The cathedral survived religious wars, the French Revolution, and for the most part, both World Wars. Listed as an Historic Monument in 1862 and inscribed with Unesco in 1981, this site remains protected for future generations.

Continuing on and strolling through Amiens offers a glimpse into medieval life as well as current adaptions. The Quai Bélu (below) in Saint-Leu once supported the area's milliners, tanners, and weavers. Now, this lively strip serves diners at shoppers. Can you imagine women with baskets over their arms, collecting fish from the monger and produce from the farmers? 

What shoes did they wear on these cobbled streets? What about their clothing? Since the dyers supported this location, did they sport a variety of colors? While little changed in this landscape, attire and goods evolved many times since the 1200s. 

Now for a few whimsical notations, take a gander at this photo at right. "Where everybody knows your name..." 

In the subsequent photos, do you see "L'Homme sur sa bouée?" The Man on His Buoy? As visitors cross le Pont de la Dodane, they observe a statue nestled in the Somme River. Phase one originally made of wood got a makeover and now consists of a more durable option in stainless steel. Stephan Balkenhol, a German artist created the piece in 1991. The Amiens museum team worked to design the updated version. I read a piece stating Amiens students dress him up on occasion for fun. He modeled t-shirts, hats, bags, a buoy (ironically), and even another statue dangling from his shoulders. 

            

Can you recall a time in your life where the day unfolded contrary to what the calendar required, and the results are cherished memories? Did you take a trip that opened new horizons that were not in the guidebook? Please comment and share your stories.

As a child, Rebecca loved to write. She nurtured this skill as an educator and later as an editor for an online magazine. Rebecca then joined the Cru Ministry - NBS2GO/Neighbor Bible Studies 2GO, at its inception. She serves as the YouVersion Content Creator, with 118 Plans on the Bible.com app, in 44 languages.

Rebecca lives near the mountains with her husband and a rescued dog named Ranger. If it were up to her, she would be traveling - right now. Visits to their two grown sons would be first. As a member of ACFW and FHLCW, Rebecca learns the craft of fiction while networking with a host of generous writers. 

Connect with Rebecca: Facebook Goodreads Instagram Pinterest X (formerly known as Twitter)

A FORGOTTEN RECORD-BREAKING AVIATRIX

By Mary Davis
 

“I would like to think those flights of mine have a small corner in the history of achievement.” Lores Bonney

 

Maude Rose “Lores” (Rubens) Bonney

 

One would think with all those names that a person would be remembered. One would think that setting flying records would afford a person to be remembered. But alas, Lores Bonney faded into obscurity for most of the rest of her life.

 

Born Maude Rose Rubens on November 20, 1897 in Pretoria, South African Republic, her parents moved to England when she was four, then to Australia two years later in 1903. She didn’t like her given name so adopted the name Delores, which was shortened to Lores (pronounced Lor-ee).

 

“To put it bluntly, I was a rebel.” Lores Bonney

 

Her German-born father sent her to a German finishing school in 1911 to rein in her unruly behavior. She learned German, French, and became an accomplished pianist. While performing her first concert for Kaiser Wilhelm’s sister, she got a serious case of stage fright, feigned a nosebleed, and ran off the stage. Her first and last performance.

 

In 1917, while working for the Red Cross during WWI, she met and married Harry Bonney, nineteen years her senior. Though they wanted children, their marriage bore them none.

 

In 1928, she met Bert Hinkler, her husband’s first cousin once removed. He was an acclaimed pilot, having been the first to fly solo from England to Australia earlier that year. He took Bonney up in his Avro Avian biplane.

 

“It was the answer to my dreams. I adored birds, and there I was literally feeling like one. There and then I decided then to become a pilot.” Lores Bonney

 

But not merely to fly, she wanted to break records. She secretly took lessons while her husband golfed, because she didn’t know if he would approve. Her first lesson was on August 6, 1930. Within a year, she earned her private pilot’s license and confessed to her husband. His response was to buy her an airplane, a de Havilland DH.60 Gypsy Moth, which she named My Little Ship.

 

The first record she broke was in 1931 when she flew from Brisbane, Australia to Wangaratta, Australia. She spent Christmas with her husband, but wanted to have supper with her father the next day. She took off at 4:30 am and landed at 7:20 pm in time for supper. The longest one-day flight by a woman.

 

The second record was being the first woman to circumnavigate Australia’s mainland by air in 1932.

 

The third record was in 1933 when she was the first woman to fly from Australia to England, taking off on April 10, 1933. She wanted to make the same flight Bert Hinkler had set a record for. As with any of these kinds of early records, the trip was fraught with difficulties.

 

Lores Bonney overhauls her machine, April 11, 1933

 

With Victoria Point, Queensland, Australia only 50km away, Bonney ran into a terrible storm but felt she could fly through it. The clouds darkened and lightning cracked around her. The strong winds buffeted her about, and she feared the wings were going to get torn off, so she turned back to an island she had flown over.

 

She needed to make an emergency landing before the rain engulfed the island. With the tide out, she spotted a strip of wet, firm sand to land on. She made a smooth landing rather than her usual kangaroo-hopping ones, with no one there to witness it except a lone buffalo in her path. She turned to miss the beast, causing the aircraft wing to hit the water, flipping the plane. Bonney was trapped in the cockpit underwater part of the time when the waves rolled in. The harness release pin was bent, inhibiting her frantic efforts to free herself.

 

“What an inglorious finish — to be drowned in my cockpit, upside down.” Lores Bonney

 

After some struggle, she freed herself and got out of her wreckage. The wings, rudder, propeller, and tail fin were all smashed, only the fuselage and engine were relatively undamaged. After six days on the island, she and her aircraft were taken to Calcutta where it took a month to repair. Undeterred, she continued on to England on May 25, 1933 and touched down in England on June 21, 1933.

 

Then in 1937 came her fourth record when she was the first to fly from Australia to South Africa. She flew her newly acquired German Klemm L32 monoplane, named My Little Ship II. She ran into many difficulties along the way; torrential rains, sandstorms in the Middle East, bureaucrats, stranded during a bush landing, and heat so hot she couldn’t touch the throttle with her bare hands. Also, the glue on the soles of her shoes melted from the hot rudder pedals.

 

Though repairs took only three weeks in Khartoum, she decided to wait another three days for Amelia Earhart so she could meet her fellow aviatrix. Earhart and Fred Noonan were on their infamous ’round the world flight and due to stop in Khartoum any day. Hearing no word of where the pair was, Bonney decided she could wait no longer and took off on July 10, 1937. Earhart and Noonan landed two days later. Unfortunately, they disappeared shortly thereafter, and Bonney never got to meet her.

 

It took her another five weeks, including several repairs and a broken altimeter that nearly led her into the side of the mountain, before she finally landed in Cape Town, South Africa.

 

After WWII, she hung up her wings, partly due to age and diminished eyesight.

 

“I always liked to say I traveled the world with a Gipsy [sic].” Lores Bonney

 

She died in 1994 at age 96 of pneumonia. In 2017, an electoral district was created and named after her in Queensland, and in 2019, the Lores Bonney Riverwalk was opened in Brisbane, Australia.

 

 
MRS. WITHERSPOON GOES TO WAR (Heroines of WWII series)
3rd Place 2023 SELAH Award

A WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots) flies a secret mission to rescue three soldiers held captive in Cuba.

Margaret “Peggy” Witherspoon is a thirty-four-year-old widow, mother of two daughters, an excellent pilot, and very patriotic. She joins the WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots). As she performs various tasks like ferry aircraft, transporting cargo, and being an airplane mechanic, she meets and develops feelings for her supervisor Army Air Corp Major Howie Berg. When Peggy learns of U.S. soldiers being held captive in Cuba, she, Major Berg, and two fellow WASPs devise an unsanctioned mission to rescue them. With Cuba being an ally in the war, they must be careful not to ignite an international incident. Order HERE!

MARY DAVIS, bestselling, award-winning novelist, has over thirty titles in both historical and contemporary themes. Her latest release is THE LADY’S MISSION. Her other novels include THE DÉBUTANTE'S SECRET (Quilting Circle Book 4) THE DAMSEL’S INTENT (The Quilting Circle Book 3) is a SELAH Award Winner. Some of her other recent titles include; THE WIDOW'S PLIGHT, THE DAUGHTER'S PREDICAMENT, “Zola’s Cross-Country Adventure” in The MISSAdventure Brides Collection, Prodigal Daughters Amish series, "Holly and Ivy" in A Bouquet of Brides Collection, and "Bygones" in Thimbles and Threads. She is a member of ACFW and active in critique groups.

Mary lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband of thirty-seven years and one cat. She has three adult children and three incredibly adorable grandchildren. Find her online at: Books2Read Newsletter Blog FB FB Readers Group Amazon GoodReads BookBub

 

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maude_Bonney

https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/topics/history-culture/2017/03/lores-bonney-the-forgotten-aviatrix/

https://www.historynet.com/lores-bonney-australian-female-pilot/

https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/bonney-maude-rose-lores-27042