How Leadville, Colorado's Story Reflects the Vainglorious Wins and Tragic Losses of Western Mining, Part 2

 By Donna Wichelman

The story of Western Mining in Colorado has all the makings of an epic movie, with its vainglorious wins and tragic losses. In the end, Georgetown's decline in 1878 would prove to demonstrate the vulnerability of the mining industry in the years to come in Part 2 of Leadville's rise to Silver Queen.

Overnight, the Victorian-era community of Leadville, Colorado, rose to become the world's mining mecca. It all began in 1878, when a “black sand” that miners had previously overlooked was discovered to contain high-grade, silver-rich cerussite ore, also known as lead carbonate. It had as much as 77% lead and sufficient silver to be easily extracted during smelting. Everyone knew they had hit something big. They never expected that down the road, the industry would suffer great loss.

People flocked to Leadville from every direction of the globe, building roads and railways over high-elevation mountain passes. They came in every mode of transportation available in the late 1800s—wagons, stages, buggies, carts, horses, wheelbarrows, burro trains, and railroads. Some even braved the sometimes-brutal weather, walking up steep mountain trails, all to make their fortune from gold, silver, and lead carbonate that the Rocky Mountains yielded at 10,152 feet above sea level.

"Burro pack train, on the way to Leadville, Col." The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1850 - 1930. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/0c740060-c536-012f-9033-58d385a7bc34

The population of Leadville grew from just a few hundred to ten thousand in a few months. At its zenith, Leadville’s population was officially counted at 14,820 in 1880, though contemporary figures suggest as much as 30,000 if one considers uncounted miners, transient laborers, and nearby settlements.

Leadville’s prosperity soared, as miners made $11 million in silver the first year and $14 million in 1880. The boom was on as Leadville became one of the richest mining districts in the world.

Very quickly, men like Horace Austin Warner Tabor (H. A. W. Tabor) rushed to establish their place among the wealthy. Most of his money came from his Matchless Mine, acclaimed to be one of the richest mines in Colorado, making him Leadville’s Silver King. Tabor incorporated his Mosquito Pass Wagon Road Company on October 8, 1878, “to promote” Colorado’s industrial interests. He also became infamous for his relationship with “Baby Doe” Tabor.

Born Elizabeth Bonduel McCourt on November 10, 1854 to a middle-class family in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Baby Doe was twenty-four years Tabor’s junior. Though this raised eyebrows, the greater scandal revolved around their love affair while he was still married to his first wife, Augusta Tabor. Unfortunately, the public disgrace destroyed his reputation and prestige, but this didn’t deter Tabor from divorcing Augusta in 1881 and marrying Baby Doe in a “lavish ceremony” in Washington D.C., among the rich and powerful in 1883.

Tabor Opera House, Leadville, CO: Donna's Gallery, June 2025

Baby Doe has been considered a romantic heroine and a tragic figure, for while she led a life of great extravagance with her husband during the silver boom, when the value of silver crashed in 1893, the Tabors lost most of their fortune. At Tabor’s death in 1899, he pleaded with Baby Doe to hold onto the Matchless Mine, believing it would regain its value. It never did. Baby Doe lived in a small cabin near the Matchless Mine until 1935, enduring poverty, isolation, and harsh weather. She died of exposure at the age of 80. People have said of her that she had an “unwavering devotion” to a lost fortune. She’s buried in the Evergreen Cemetery in Leadville. (See November 4th, 2025 blog.)

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Baby_Doe_Tabor.jpg

Ironically, Augusta Tabor, who became a powerful figure for her courage, endurance, and business acumen, died a millionaire. The original Tabor Home was built in 1877 at 512 Harrison Avenue but moved to 116 East 5th Street in Leadville. The house, which looks eerily similar to the exterior of W. A. Hamill’s in Georgetown, Colorado, is now a museum and features original Victorian furnishings. https://leadville.com/explore-the-original-tabor-home/

Compared to the tragic end for Baby Doe, Margaret Tobin Brown (a.k.a. Molly Brown) grew up in Hannibal, Missouri in an Irish immigrant family of humble means. She moved to Leadville at 18, during the mining boom, hoping to make something of herself. She married mining engineer James Joseph Brown in 1886. Not long afterward, he discovered a lucrative gold vein at the Little Jonny Mine, and the Browns went from being a couple of modest means to achieving tremendous wealth.

Photo Display of Molly Brown at the Healy House, Leadville, CO: Donna's Gallery

From the beginning, Molly was heavily involved in charitable work in Leadville. So, it was only natural for her to help establish a soup kitchen for the miners’ families when the Panic of 1893 hit the nation and the value of silver fell to an all-time low. Molly continued her charity work after the Browns moved to Denver in 1894. There, she became a reform advocate and supported various causes, such as women’s suffrage, labor rights, and education. She ran for the U.S. Senate in 1909, long before women won the right to vote in 1920.

Molly rose to fame when she survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic on April 15, 1912, and true to form, she helped calm passengers and encouraged the crew to return for survivors. Afterward, she organized a fundraiser for the survivors.

Molly was also awarded the Legion of Honor by the French government for her humanitarian efforts during World War I. 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Margaret_Brown,_3qtr_view,_with_chair.jpg

Molly Brown's life, like Augusta Tabor's, demonstrates a very different outcome from Baby Doe Tabor. Though the Browns had much wealth and endured the same economic conditions in 1893, both understood the principle one can find in Proverbs:

Know the state of your flocks,

and put your heart into caring for your herds,24

for riches don’t last forever,

and the crown might not be passed to the next generation.25

After the hay is harvested and the new crop appears

and the mountain grasses are gathered in,26

your sheep will provide wool for clothing,

and your goats will provide the price of a field.

~ Proverbs 27:23 - 26 (NLT)24

Though H. A. W. Tabor and Baby Doe lived a life of luxury, enjoying their riches while they lasted, they squandered their money, haughty in their wealth and status. In the end, it was their undoing. When silver was devalued during the Panic of 1893, they lost everything. But devoted to a pipe dream, Tabor begged Baby Doe to sit on the mountain and guard their mine, and she lived a life of hermitage and died alone.

Molly Brown came from poverty. But when the Browns made it rich in the mining industry, she used her wealth and status to benefit others throughout the rest of her life. Instead of guarding a mine, she opened a soup kitchen for the miners to help the families survive the crisis and went on to do many good works to benefit many. She died a woman of honorable and moral character. 

Do not let kindness and truth leave you;

Bind them around your neck,

Write them on the tablet of your heart.

So you will find favor and good repute

In the sight of God and man.

~Proverbs 3:3 - 4 (NASB 1995)

Donna is an Angel-award-winning author of Historical fiction for A Song of Deliverance. Book Two in the Silver Singing Mine series, Rhythms of the Heart, was released in November 2025. Weaving history and faith into stories of intrigue and redemption grew out of Donna's love of travel, history, and literature as a young adult while attending an international college in Wales, U.K. She enjoys developing plots that show how God's love abounds even in the profoundly difficult circumstances of our lives. Her stories reflect the hunger in all of us for love, belonging, and forgiveness.

Donna was a communications professional before becoming a full-time writer. Her short stories and articles have appeared in inspirational publications. She has two indie-published romantic suspense novels, Light Out of Darkness and Undaunted Valor, in her Waldensian Series. 

Donna and her husband of forty-one years participate in ministry at their local church in Colorado. They love spending time with their grandchildren and bike, kayak, and travel whenever possible.

Spotlight: Sherry Shindelar

I have been in love with stories since I was a child in Tennessee. I’d swing for hours on my swing set, pumping my legs back and forth, dreaming up stories in my head. Even then, I had a flair for romance: creating new love interests and episodes for Star Trek’s Captain Kirk, before moving on to plotting original romantic dramas and adventures in distant lands.

My favorite possession at age nine was a set of author playing cards (a matching game with photos of famous women authors). I wanted to be an author when I grew up and bring stories to life on the written page, stories that would impact my readers.

A visit to a historic home in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, when my husband and I were newly married, spurred my love for history and planted the seed for the story of my heart. A few years later, I wrote the novel, then buried it in box in my closet. I returned to college to earn my degree in creative writing along with a minor in American History, a masters in English, and PhD in literature, wondering if I’d ever reconnect with the stories in my head, the ones buried deep in my heart.

Me in front of the house that inspired my story  

Then, in the summer of 2019, I fell in love with fiction writing again. It had been years since I’d worked on my story. I pulled the box out and unburied the past. I began to read it. And I fell in love with Daniel and Jenny and the Shenandoah Valley all over again. How could I forsake them? I jumped into their heads, and the story began to unfold, again. Except better, deeper, richer than I’d ever imagined.

And God had done so much in my life in those years in between, both joys and pains. He’d been chipping, molding, and shaping me. It was with a heart that is wizened, scarred, and strengthened that I returned to writing, with eyes that see what the nine or thirty-year-old me could have never seen.

I finished Shenandoah’s Daughter and then began a totally new book set in 1860 Texas, inspired by the true story of the most famous captive of the 19th century that had haunted my heart for two decades.

However, the doors to publication didn’t swing open with the writing of “The End” on either manuscript. I heard a lot of no’s from editors and agents, and I felt like my writing career was on the tortoise track.

One agent recommended that I put my two books aside and write a third book because, although she loved my writing, she felt it wasn’t the right time for a Civil War book and that my Indian story was too risky. She wasn’t the first one to give me such a recommendation.

But God kept whispering "Don't give up" and nudging me through my writing friends to pursue publication now. 

I sent proposals to two more traditional publishers. A month later, after decades of dreaming of being a published writer, I had a contract offer for a three-book series. God had finally said Yes! And in a big way, when I least expected it, and totally caught me off guard. 

Texas Forsaken, the first book in my Lone Star Redemption series, released in May 2024. Book Two, Texas Divided in March 2025, and Texas Reclaimed in February 2026. I’ve since received a contract for two more books in the series and a novella. The series is set in Texas in the 1860's and 1870's. The prequel novella is a part of the Freed by the Frontier collection and will release June 2026.

The Lord cleared the path for my writing dreams to come true, and for me to be able to share my faith and my love of romance and history with my readers. I especially enjoy writing about the Western frontier and the Civil War and Reconstruction eras. Texas Reclaimed also brings in the beginning years of the large cattle drives. My stories are filled with strong, determined heroines and war-scarred heroes willing to sacrifice for the woman they love.

Thank you for letting me share a little about myself and my writing journey. As I mentioned above, my favorite historical era is the mid-1800's, either on the Western frontier or during the Civil War/Reconstruction era. What is your favorite historical time period and setting?

Connect with Sherry: website, newsletter, Amazon, FB, Goodreads

Weird Inventions That Saved Lives: The Iron Lung

Blogger: Amber (Schamel) Lemus

Continuing our series of Weird Inventions That Saved Lives, we come to a more well-known device: the Iron Lung. Most of us know what it is or have heard of a family member or friend who was treated with one in the 50s and 60s. I was just talking to someone the other day whose uncle was confined to an Iron Lung during the Polio pandemic. But while most of us are familiar with the device, we may be less familiar with the history behind its invention. 

Boy being treated in an iron lung.
Photo:National Museum of  Health and Medicine,
CC BY 2.0

This device was used mainly during the Polio pandemics of the 1920s-1960s. To us, the device looks like something that would be used to torture someone, but in reality, it was this peculiar device that saved the lives of thousands. 

The invention of the iron lung began in 1670 when an English inventor by the name of John Mayow came up with the idea of negative pressure. "Negative pressure" is what our bodies use to breathe naturally, basically the vacuum effect that your diaphragm and other muscles create to pull air into your lungs. The idea of a "negative pressure" ventilator is to have an external vacuum or diaphragm that creates that same effect. Mayow built a small model demonstrating his theory with a bellows and bladder to push and expel air. 

Building on this foundational idea of negative pressure, British physician John Dalziel built the first negative pressure ventilator in 1832. Several other prototypes followed and were used successfully in Europe and South Africa. 

The greatest need for the negative pressure ventilators came during the Polio pandemics. The terrible disease of Polio would damage the muscles and patients would no longer be able to breath, since the muscles operating their lungs would cease to function. Therefore, the idea was that a device was needed to help these patients breathe in the same way their muscles should. 

In 1928 Phillip Drinker and Louis Shaw of the United States developed a machine to do just that. It was first known as the "Drinker Respirator" but later became widely used and known as The Iron Lung. The first clinical use of the machine was at the Boston Children's Hospital on October 12, 1928. A twelve-year-old girl was plagued by respiratory failure from Polio and was on the brink of death. Her recovery, within minutes of being placed inside the machine, was almost miraculous and made the device widely popular. 

An image made popular by the movies
depicts a ward of iron lung machines.
Photo: public domain. 

As strange and terrifying as the device looks to us now, many patients described an overwhelming feeling of relief when placed inside the machine as their bodies received the air they needed to live. When faced with the terrifying reality of suffocation, the daunting machine was seen as salvation, not a reason for fear. 

However, the iron lung wasn't perfect. Even with its use, the death rate for those with respiratory paralysis who were treated with the machine was still somewhere between 80-90%. This was due to complications such as drowning in their own saliva (because their swallowing muscles were paralyzed too) or succumbing to organ failure due to acidosis caused by clogged airways. These issues are what led to the development of the modern ventilators, which instead use positive pressure to help the patient breathe. 

Even with its shortcomings, the Iron Lung saved untold thousands of children's lives. Some were treated only for a few weeks during recovery, others required the use of the Iron Lung every day for years. In fact, as of 2026 there is still one known patient who continues to use the Iron Lung in the United States. This individual has used the device for upwards of seventy years. 

Do you know anyone who was treated with the Iron Lung? I'd love to hear about it in the comments. 

*****

Two-time winner of the Christian Indie Award for historical fiction, Amber Lemus inspires hearts through enthralling tales She has a passion for travel, history, books and her Savior. This combination results in what her readers call "historical fiction at its finest".  

She lives at the foot of the Rocky Mountains with her prince charming and two boys. Between enjoying life as a boy mom, and spinning stories out of soap bubbles, Amber loves to connect with readers and hang out on Goodreads with other bookish peoples.

Amber is a proud member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Association. Visit her online at http://www.amberlemus.com/  and download a FREE story by subscribing to her Newsletter!

Echoes of the Ancient New Testament Cities: Colossae

Matthew James Elliott

Welcome to Colossae

The first story I released, which began The World of Kedoshim, was Finding Philemon. There is a lot of history with that story; some of it good, some of it bad, but it became the foundation of everything I do in biblical fiction. The city of Colossae plays a major role in it, and it continues to be a place I return to in my other stories as well.

When I picked up with The Hope of Inheritance in 2025, I expected to revisit Colossae with familiarity. Instead, I found myself standing at the edge of its destruction. As I researched the city during 64 AD, I realized I was writing about its final days. I will never forget what it felt like to describe the devastation of the great earthquake. It felt as though a home had been taken from me simply because history had decided the city had lived its life.

But before I get too far into that, I have to take you back to the beginning.

If Ephesus fascinated me when I was growing up, Colossae wins the gold medal among the cities Paul wrote to. There is the letter to the Colossians, of course, but also the letter to Philemon that was sent along with it. Both have become two of my favorite books in the Bible. So naturally, I was going to research the city for my books. If I ever had the chance to live in an ancient biblical city, I would choose Colossae.

Bible Atlas Map of Location

Geographically, Colossae sat in a valley alongside Laodicea (more on that city next month) and Hierapolis. These three cities were surrounded by mountains, connected by trade routes, and fed by the waters of the Lycus River Valley. Colossae rested at the foot of Mount Cadmus, and as far as we know, it has only recently started being excavated. This only adds to its mystery.

Surveys of the area reveal the remains of the Colossian acropolis, a defensive wall around the outskirts of the ruins, and a theater on the eastern side. These discoveries point to a significant military presence and a thriving cultural life that lasted until the city’s destruction, which I believe occurred in 64 AD.

There is some debate about that date. Tacitus, a Roman historian, places the earthquake in 60–61 AD, while Eusebius, a church historian, dates it to 64 AD. For The Hope of Inheritance, I found the later date more believable because Paul’s first imprisonment in Rome (where he wrote the letters to the Colossians and to Philemon) is dated around 61 AD. If the earthquake had already happened, the city would have been gone.

Speaking of Paul, did you know he never actually visited Colossae before writing to them? I was stunned when I learned this. The founder of the church is usually attributed to Epaphras, a native who likely heard Paul preach while he was in Ephesus during the events of Acts 19. (I didn’t expect this article to connect to my newest episode of The Ephesus Pages, but here we are.)

While Epaphras founded the church, another man, Philemon, became the leader of the house church. In The Cyprus Journal, my 2024 release, I share my ideas about how he may have been converted. What matters most is that this Philemon is the man Paul wrote to about the runaway slave Onesimus. Onesimus fled after some unknown conflict, found Paul in Rome, and returned home carrying a letter about reconciliation. Because of that moment, Colossae became a place forever tied to forgiveness and restoration.

Painting of Archangel and Archippus

One of the more unexpected discoveries I made about this city was the evidence that locals blended Christianity with the worship of angels for protection from mountain spirits. It’s clear in Colossians 2:16–20 that this was a real struggle for the church. Later art even depicts the Archangel Michael opening a chasm to save the community from a flood after the city was rebuilt at Chonnae; an event connected to the prayers of Archippus, whom some believe was related to Philemon.

Researching the martyrdom of Philemon brought its own challenges. Tradition places his death near the end of Nero’s reign in 68 AD, but the evidence I found about the Colossian community suggests an earlier date. When Paul writes his charge to Archippus in Colossians 4:17, it hints at a leadership crisis—one that may indicate Philemon was no longer around. Other traditions say Philemon and his wife were martyred during a pagan festival. If the city fell in 64 AD, their deaths would have occurred before the earthquake.

All of this paints a picture of a community shaped by reconciliation, tested by disaster, and ultimately forced to relocate to survive. Their story is one of faith under pressure, the blending and unblending of beliefs, and the resilience of a remnant determined to endure.

History is never just a page in a book. It is the people behind the pages—their choices, their losses, their courage. Colossae reminds me of that every time I return to it.

How about you?

See you in the pages, 

M.J.E.

~ Biography ~

Matthew James Elliott (M.J. Elliott) is a passionate writer who loves to encourage and inspire others. He served in various ministry roles for over 15 years, which gave him a unique perspective on people and Biblical History. Matthew holds a degree in Biblical Studies from Oklahoma Wesleyan University, with a focus on Pastoral Care, Christian Education, and Worship.

Matthew is married and has three wonderful children who bring him immense joy and inspiration. One of his favorite things to do with them is to share stories they can someday learn from. When writing a story, he aspires to minister to others with love, equip them with encouragement, and use the gift God has given him as a writer to help readers experience God in a real and meaningful way.

Find Matthew on Amazon, Goodreads, Facebook, BookBub, and His Website. He has written Devotionals, An Episodic Series, Novellas, and even Commentaries for The Gospel Daily.

~ Highlighted Release ~

If you're curious about The Hope of Inheritance or any of my books. Right now, my followers on my REAMStories Author Page are being entered into a drawing for some fun gifts. To check it out, just follow me there. You can also read Mysteries in Ephesus, Season 2 of The Ephesus Pages, while you're at it.

~~~

One Story Still Untold. Four Unlikely Authors.

Together, their Message will speak to Many.

The city of Rome was a vast and beautiful place-- on the surface. That is, until a great fire burned and destroyed most of it. Deep in a world hidden from those who would strike against them, four unlikely men work together to share a message of truth. This truth was spoken by those who were cut down because of the calling to go forth and preach. 

The message has always been clear: The hope of our inheritance is Christ living within each of us. In the echoes of persecution, sorrow, and even death, this message still reigns supreme, but will the people listen? Only time will tell, but before anything, these four men must come together and unite a church separated by fear and suffering.

HHH May 2026 Book Day!

10 Books You Don't Want to Miss!

HEART'S JOURNEY (Book Two of Heart's Desire)

by Linda Hoover

In 1880, after narrowly escaping an arranged marriage, Julia marries Jacob, the man of her dreams, and they move to Iowa to buy a farm. Upper-class Julia has never been in a kitchen, let alone on a farm. How will she manage? Joys and sorrows find them along the way, including a personal loss for Julia which triggers a disagreement leading to estrangement. Can their faith in God bring forgiveness and reconciliation? 

 

LISSA AND THE SPY

by Camille Elliot

In Regency-era London, Miss Lissa Gardinier enters her second Season seeking a marriage in order to escape her mother's constant criticism. So she represses her cheeky remarks behind a quiet, innocent facade. The enigmatic Lord Jeremy Stoude is dismayed when a chance encounter with Miss Gardinier entangles her in his world of secrets and subterfuge. He cannot afford to be distracted by Lissa’s charming smile and unflappable demeanor. As danger stalks them and true feelings come to light, can Lissa and Jeremy navigate the labyrinth of society’s expectations and their own insecurities to find love?

NO PLAN AT ALL

by Denise M. Colby

Two strangers. One journey. A love neither expected.

Sarah Anne Baker never wanted to be anyone’s burden. But hours after losing the Godmother who raised her, she faces an impossible choice: marry her late fiancé’s brother—or flee. Alexander Sinclair walked away from his noble title in Scotland to live a quiet, hidden life, peddling wares. Until a desperate young woman crosses his path. He can’t turn her away… no matter the cost.

PERFECT

By Kimberly Keagan

After being jilted by his fiancée and denied a promotion, William Walraven must open Denwall Department Stores' first New York emporium before Christmas—or lose his chance at leading the family empire. He can’t afford distractions … until he saves Ivy King from being run over by a beer wagon and finds himself drawn to the determined bookseller whose shop his new store may destroy.

Ivy is fighting to keep her family bookshop alive. Falling for a charming department store heir is the last thing she needs—especially when a mysterious attack on Will’s brother pulls her into a dangerous investigation and into Will’s world. 

SECOND CUPS AND SECOND CHANCES

By Donna Schlachter

Sweet stories of second chances from a God of second chances. The stories in this collection will warm your heart and encourage you to keep on going when all your circumstances say otherwise. No matter where you are or what you're struggling with, these stories will touch you where you're at. Each story stands on its own, but in total, paints a picture of a God who offers second chances, and third chances, and more. Stories include forgiveness, living out your dreams, revising your opinion of others, and finding a forever home. A sweet summer read. 

SHETLAND SUNSET

by Linda Shenton Matchett

Bonded by a cause but an ocean apart, will their love survive a world war? After months in Norway helping his cousins with their fishing business, American Askel Westgard seems trapped when the Germans invade until he has a chance to get back at the Occupiers as part of the Shetlandsgjengen, or Shetland gang, a group of fishermen who transport weapons and equipment from Shetland to Norway under cover of darkness. Unfortunately, the beautiful Norwegian woman he’s just met refuses to join him in safety. Will he ever see her again? 

SONORAN SUNRISE

by Nancy J. Farrier

Description: After her mother’s death, Glorianna Wilton is forced to join her father at his Arizona army post. She wants to see her father, but not at the cost of living away from civilization as she knows it. Lieutenant Conlon Sullivan believes his prayers for a suitable wife have been answered when feisty Glory arrives at the fort despite her attempts to hold him at bay. As Glorianna and Conlon connect in the serenity of the morning sunrise, will a conniving female and a drunken outlaw steal the joy they have gained? 

THE RELUCTANT HEALER OF HALIFAX

by Terrie Todd (releases August 1, 2026)

Three days ago, Pearline Campbell's family was whole and Oliver Hamilton still loved her. But upon returning to Halifax disfigured and shellshocked, Oliver ended their relationship. Then came Thursday, December 6, 1917, when the Halifax harbor was leveled by a tremendous explosion. . .and Pearline fears nothing will ever be whole again. Her parents are dead, her brother is missing, and her sister refuses to speak. Pearline must fortify herself to open her home to needy orphans, including an unidentified baby. Where can she find the strength for each new day as misery grips the city?  

 

THE QUILTING CIRCLE SERIES Box Set

Historical Romance Series

By Mary Davis

THE WIDOW’S PLIGHT (Book1) – Will a secret clouding a single mother’s past cost Lily her loved ones?

THE DAUGHTER’S PREDICAMENT (Book2) *SELAH & WRMA Finalist* – As Isabelle’s romance prospects turn in her favor, a family scandal derails her dreams.

THE DAMSEL’S INTENT (Book3) *SELAH Winner* – Nicole heads down the mountain to fetch herself a husband. Can she learn to be enough of a lady to snag the handsome rancher?

THE DÉBUTANTE’S SECRET (Book4) – Complications arise when a fancy French lady steps off the train and into Deputy Montana’s arms.

THE SCHOOLMARM AND THE MINER

by Denise Farnsworth

Adelaide Duncan's dream of teaching is within reach until her father's gambling forces her to start over. She takes a position in the gold rush town of Dahlonega, where unruly students, rules against teachers courting, and her feelings for a certain widowed father threaten her hard-fought independence.

Wade Coulter walked away from the law after he lost his wife and son. Raising his daughter alone is safer than letting anyone in. But Lotty’s new teacher makes him question everything. Just as he begins to trust again, a dangerous man from Wade’s past threatens both the women he loves.

 

LAUNDRY DAY IN THE 1880s by Linda Hoover

 

In the second book of my Heart’s Desire series, Heart’s Promise, Jacob and Julia move to Iowa and buy a farm half a day’s wagon ride from town. Living that distance away required farm families to have a large vegetable garden, fruit trees and the animals needed to sustain them. This was about to be an intense learning experience for socialite, Julia, who confessed on their way west that she’d never been in a kitchen before, and the only thing she knew about gardens was that flowers grew there. They were in Iowa only two weeks before Julia confessed she needed help. Their nearest neighbor’s daughter volunteered to stay with them and teach Julia how to be a farm wife.

One of the most labor-intensive things women in that time period had to do was laundry. Water had to be carried in and poured into kettles to heat on the stove. Once it was hot, it went into large wooden tubs. But before they could wash the clothes, they had to have laundry soap. In Julia’s case, they had to start from scratch. She got out the two biggest pots they had and measured out a gallon of water into each. She poured five pounds of sal soda, or washing soda, into a pot along with one pound of borax. One pound of unslaked lime went into the other pot. Both were brought to a boil then emptied into one of the wooden tubs. Eight more gallons of water went in with the hot mixture. After a few stirs, it was left to sit overnight. That was the base for the detergent.

The next day, they made the soft soap by cutting four bars of soap into slivers and boiling it with two pounds of sal soda and three gallons of water for ten minutes. Next half a pint of the soft soap and half a pint of the base, and four more gallons of water were added. They now had four gallons of detergent to work with. The rest of the base got poured into crocks to use for future batches. Now the white clothes were boiled and the colored clothes were scrubbed against a washboard. A wringer attached the wash tub to the rinse tub. Julia cranked the handle as the clothes were fed one at a time through the wringer to the rinse water. The clothes went through the wringer again before they were hung on the line.

While researching laundry detergent I found that for a number of years now a lot of people want to make their own. The ingredients were pretty similar to each other. The link will take you to the Frugal Village website where you can see a recipe for Duggar’s Laundry Soap.

https://www.frugalvillage.com/threads/duggars-laundry-soap-recipe.111389/

                                                                                

Inventors made steady improvements, but the things they came up with still required manual labor to make it work. It wasn’t until 1907 that Thor came out with an electric washing machine. Other brands soon followed.

An excerpt from Heart’s Journey

As Julia continued to explore their new home, she saw a room off the kitchen with three large wooden tubs leaning against a wall. A contraption with two rollers and a hand crank stood propped in a corner, while several large crocks with lids lined a wall. A freestanding cupboard stood opposite the tubs along with a large wicker basket and a table with a cloth bag full of wooden pegs. She would need an explanation for these items.

 

Buy Heart's Journey            

About the Author

Linda, a retired librarian, lives in west central Ohio with her husband and grandson. An avid reader and writer since childhood, she began her publishing career writing columns and a middle-grade serial for the South Charleston Spectator. She writes Fun, Faith-Filled Historical Romance. Her desire is to entertain, but more importantly, to encourage readers with God’s faithfulness.

You’re invited to visit her website. Browse the pages to learn more about her and her books. Stay in touch when you sign up for her newsletter. You’ll receive a free novella as a thank you.

https://lindahooverbooks.com