Western Hearths: Food for Circuit Preachers

Think of a circuit preacher in the Old West, and you might imagine a lone rider on a dusty trail with a Bible tucked into his saddlebag. This man of the cloth travels from settlement to settlement with little more than faith and grit to carry him through. And honestly, the western stereotype isn’t far from the truth.

Circuit preachers—also called circuit riders—acted as a lifeline for farflung westerners during the 1800s. They covered hundreds of miles on horseback, most often alone, to preach in sod homes, barns, schoolhouses, and wherever else their flock might gather. If that was outdoors beneath the open sky, then so be it. They navigated rough roads on a demanding schedule, all while relying on scant supplies—including food.

A circuit preacher ate what he could carry, food others offered or bartered, supplies he bartered, and whatever he could hunt or gather along the way.

Simple Food for a Purposeful Life

Many frontier families saw feeding a circuit preacher as both a duty and a blessing. A simple meal shared at a rough-hewn table might lead into a time of prayer, Scripture, and heartfelt conversation.

And when no table was available? The preacher ate what he carried. This meant portable, durable foods that kept well and didn’t require a lot of equipment to prepare—plain fare chosen for strength first and pleasure last.

Common foods in a circuit preacher’s saddlebag included:

• Oatmeal or cracked grain.
• Dried apples or other dried fruit.
• Hard biscuits or bread.
• Salt pork or bacon (when available).
• Coffee or tea.
• Occasional eggs, milk, or fresh bread offered by hospitable families.

A Breakfast Fit for the Trail

Horseback travelors in the Wild West relied on oatmeal--a lightweight, filling, and inexpensive option. They combined it with dried fruit for a comforting meal cooked over a small fire. If prepared the night before, oatmeal could be warmed before sunrise for an early start.

Accounts of trail meals and period cooking methods inspired the recipe below. It’s simplicity echoes the breakfast of a circuit preacher preparing for another long day on the road.

Trail Oatmeal with Dried Apples

A sustaining breakfast for cold mornings and early starts.

Ingredients

• 1 cup rolled oats (Steel-cut oats are more period-accurate but take longer. If using them, add approximately15 minutes to the cooking time,)
• 2 cups water (or milk, if available)
• ½ cup dried apples, chopped
• 1 tablespoon molasses or honey (optional)
• A pinch of salt
• Optional additions: cinnamon, nutmeg, or a small knob of butter

Instructions

• Bring the water to a gentle boil in a pot or skillet.
• Add the oats and salt, stirring to prevent sticking.
• Reduce heat and simmer for about 10–15 minutes, until thick.
• Stir in the dried apples and continue cooking for 5 more minutes, allowing them to soften.
• Sweeten lightly with molasses or honey if you have it.
• Serve warm, with butter if available.

Why This Meal Mattered

"The Circuit Preacher" by Alfred Waud;
Harper's weekly, v. 11, 1867 Oct. 12, p. 641
public domain image
courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

This isn’t fancy food. It’s not meant to impress. But it tells an important story.

Such humble fare fueled men dedicated to helping others—often without recognition. A circuit preacher might ride all day in harsh weather, preach by lamplight in the evening, and sleep under the stars. The next morning, he rose early, ate something warm if possible, and set out again.

Quiet endurance like this is a quality we admire in our favorite western historical romance characters—the steady men whose strength shows not in grand gestures, but in faithfulness to calling, community, and love. I celebrated Wild West circuit preachers by creating Shane Hayes, the hero of Hills of Nevermore (Montana Gold book 1). Shane’s story honors the men who with vulnerability, passion, and zeal brought comfort and salvation to the Wild West.

Bringing It to Your Own Hearth

As you make this humble bowl of oatmeal, imagine eating it crouched beside a fading campfire with dawn lightening the sky. Remember that nourishment isn’t always about abundance—or even food. Sometimes it’s abou t fulfilling a purpose greater than yourself.

In the months ahead, the Western Hearths blog series will continue exploring the meals that sustained settlers, cowboys, minors, and families of the Old West.

For now, this simple breakfast feels like the perfect place to begin.

About Janalyn Voigt 

Janalyn Voigt fell in love with literature at an early age when her father read chapters from classics as bedtime stories. When Janalyn grew older, she put herself to sleep with tales "written" in her head. Today Janalyn is a storyteller who writes in several genres. Romance, mystery, adventure, history, and whimsy appear in all her novels in proportions dictated by their genre. Janalyn Voigt is represented by Wordserve Literary.

Learn more about Janalyn, read the first chapters of her books, subscribe to her e-letter, and join her reader clubs at http://janalynvoigt.com.

Discover Montana Gold 

Based on actual historical events during a time of unrest in America, the Montana Gold series explores faith, love, and courage in the wild west. 

Before the Churches Came to Montana Mining Towns

 

Life in the early Wild West was anything but orderly, and religion didn’t play much of a role—at least not at first. In gold rush towns like present-day Montana's Bannack and Virginia City during the 1860s, daily life revolved around mining, money, and staying alive. Churches were nowhere to be found, and faith, if it existed at all, was something people kept to themselves.

Gold, Lawlessness, and Survival

Bannack sprang to life in 1862 with the discovery of gold along Grasshopper Creek. It was the first territorial capital of Montana and one of the most dangerous towns west of the Mississippi. Virginia City followed in 1863, growing rapidly after a major gold strike in Alder Gulch.

Log house in Bannack, Montana

In those early years, these weren’t towns so much as improvised camps full of makeshift cabins, gambling halls, brothels, saloons, and gunfights. Law enforcement was either corrupt or nonexistent, and vigilante justice quickly became the only reliable form of order. Some historians tell an opposite story, but the whole truth lies buried in boot hill. Either way, the situation was not good.

Faith—at least organized or public religious practice—was conspicuously absent. Historian K. Ross Toole described Bannack during its boom as “a place where whiskey was more common than bread, and where a man might be killed for his boots.” Churches were not only missing—they were largely unwanted by the rowdy, transient population.

What the Historical Record Tells Us

A rare first-hand account comes from Emily R. Meredith, one of the few women in Bannack in 1863. In a letter to her father dated April 30, she described a town overrun by lawlessness and “immorality,” with no mention of churches or spiritual gatherings. Her focus was on the absence of decency, not the presence of faith.

“There are many men here, but little order or kindness… The Sabbath is not observed, and the saloons are always full. I have not seen a Bible since my arrival.”

Saloon in Bannack, Montana

This silence about religion speaks volumes. In places like Bannack and Virginia City, religious life didn't take root until several years after the initial gold rush, when families began to settle and look toward permanence.

When Faith Arrived—And How

It wasn’t until 1866 that the first church service was held in Virginia City—three years after its founding. The Methodist Episcopal Church is often cited as the first formal religious institution in the area, and it began under the leadership of Reverend George Comfort. Prior to that, there were a few small prayer meetings or informal gatherings, often led by women or laypeople in their homes. But they were the exception, not the norm.

It’s also important to note that, even when churches were established, their presence didn’t immediately transform these towns into moral beacons. Saloons still outnumbered sanctuaries, and church attendance was sporadic, especially among single miners and drifters.

Hangman's Building in Virginia City, Montana

What began to change things was the gradual arrival of families and settlers planning to stay, rather than chase the next gold strike. Women played a pivotal role in shaping moral and spiritual life in these communities. They organized Sunday schools, started temperance movements, and lobbied for schools and churches.

Why This Matters for Historical Fiction

For readers—and especially writers—of Christian western historical fiction, this reality offers a more nuanced and compelling setting than the myth of a devout frontier. The early Montana camps weren’t filled with outward expressions of faith. Instead, if belief existed, it was often quiet, personal, and hidden under the daily demands of survival.

Characters shaped by this environment would wrestle with moral ambiguity, witness brutality, and find themselves far from the support systems of traditional religious life. Faith, if it emerged at all, would be hard-won—tested in isolation, forged through suffering, and practiced without the comfort of a church community.

That’s the kind of faith that rings true.  

Bringing History to Life—Responsibly

Many romanticized depictions of the West paint mining camps as places where faith always rode alongside the wagon wheels. The truth is more complicated. Faith didn’t lead the way—it often trailed behind, arriving only after greed had run its course and violence had exhausted itself.

But that doesn’t mean God was absent. It simply means that, in these early years, faith had no steeple. It flickered quietly in rare personal moments, waiting for a foothold in a land that had little room for it.

---

Sources & Further Reading:

• Montana Historical Society Archives: Letters from Emily R. Meredith (1863)
• Montana: An Uncommon Land by K. Ross Toole
• A Decent, Orderly Lynching by Frederick Allen
• Montana Women’s History Project: Manuscript collections and diaries from early female settlers

About Janalyn Voigt 

Janalyn Voigt fell in love with literature at an early age when her father read chapters from classics as bedtime stories. When Janalyn grew older, she put herself to sleep with tales "written" in her head. Today Janalyn is a storyteller who writes in several genres. Romance, mystery, adventure, history, and whimsy appear in all her novels in proportions dictated by their genre. Learn more about Janalyn Voigt.

Discover Montana Gold
Based on actual historical events during a time of unrest in America, the Montana gold series explores faith, love, and courage in the wild west. Learn More

The Hat that Won the West Might Surprise You

An image hangs on my mother’s wall. A young girl in a cowboy vest sits on a spotted pony, a six-shooter by her side. Freckles dust her nose, and her wide smile reveals a missing front tooth. The cowboy hat perched on her head fails to suppress a riot of blond ringlets. When I posed for that picture, I could count my age in single digits. Although it’s been a while since that moment, memory returns me to it in vivid color. The heat forces the photographer into the dappled shade on the side of the house. He reaches for me, but I back away. My mother tells me that it’s all right to let him lift me. The saddle is warm from the sun. The chin strap of the cowboy hat chafes my tender skin as I transform into a cowgirl riding the range.

At seven, I was already in love with the western mythos. I suppose that was only natural for a daughter of the American West. I began life in Stockton, California—a location made famous by “the Big Valley” television show. Tumbleweeds, sagebrush, rodeos, and powwows were a usual part of life. Never mind wooden acting and bad camera angles that betrayed feinted punches, vintage western movies captured my rapt attention. I had no inkling at seven that I would one day write the historical romance novels that would inspire my search for the true Wild West.

 

Western movies made even dust storms seem romantic. When one caught me by surprise while walking home from school, it stiffened my hair with grit. Maybe that was when it sank in that frontier living wasn’t so glamorous. Curiosity took me to ghost towns, museums, gold fields, and vintage hotels. My research also focused me on pioneer diaries and other original accounts. I found some interesting contradictions. Take, for example, the hat that won the West. We all know which one that was, right? Not so fast.

The John B. Stetson Company patented the first cowboy hat in 1865. The “Boss of the Plains” featured a high crown and wide brim but didn’t much resemble the cowboy hat of today. At the time, the sun was setting on Oregon Trail emigration and rising on the cowboy era.

"Boss of the Plains" image courtesy of GoldTrader CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Cattlemen were slow to adopt the Stetson. Some questioned its practicality, since the wind could snatch the wide-brimmed hat away. It was hard to justify shelling out between $5 and $30 dollars, which represented a whole lot of cash to someone making $10 to $15 dollars a month. Besides, most cowboys already owned a good hat. They wore a variety of styles, from slouch hats to top hats, but favored one in particular.

Public domain image from between 1880 and 1910, showing seven cowboys at a chuck wagon. Can you spot the hat most are wearing?

The bowler (also called a bob hat, billy coke, billycock, bombin, and derby) originated in England. In 1849, Edward Coke, younger brother of the 2nd Earl of Leicester, requested that Lock & Co. of St James's design a close-fitting hard hat with a low crown. Coke wanted to protect his gamekeepers from low-hanging branches. This resulted in a durable and inexpensive hat that had stood the test of time.

Cowboys weren’t the only western men who favored bowlers. Vintage pictures show businessmen and other townsfolk wearing them. They covered the heads of lawmen and outlaws alike, including Bat Masterson, Butch Cassidy, Black Bart, and Billy the Kid.

Bat Masterson; Library of Congress image; no known restrictions on publication

Who wore Stetsons, then? Those with the means to buy a hat that cost four times more than a bowler—Buffalo Bill Cody, Calamity Jane, Will Rogers, and Annie Oakley, to name a few. And yes, cowboys eventually came around, but not until the end of the 19th century, when the Wild West era was near its end.

Butch Cassidy (far right) and the Wild Bunch; circa 1900; public domain image

Which hat won the West? The answer varies, depending on who you ask. Stetson hat sellers tend to further the Western mythos, while others refute this. The Ripley website claims that early cowboys favored the bowler. Plenty of early pictures show just that. Differences aside, let’s just say that a case can be made for the humble bowler.

What’s New With Janalyn Voigt

“I’m trying to arrange my life so I don’t have to show up,” an actor (whose identity I’ve forgotten) quipped in a television interview. While the audience laughed, I thought it was a great idea. I’ve tried to automate my existence as much as possible, ever since. Harnessing the power of routines, rosters, and daily habits helped mindless tasks go by. It annoyed me that I could never quite achieve a perfectly-running schedule. People kept intruding. My daughter begged me to go thrift-store shopping, my husband wanted to go hiking, or my mother called to chat when I should be doing something else. Catastrophes struck. The refrigerator broke down, I put my toe out of joint, wildfire smoke prohibited me from working in the garden. Writing deadlines limited my time. The morning after you are up until midnight or later to turn a manuscript in on time, it's hard to spring from bed at 6 AM.

I’ve finally admitted defeat. Schedules, to-do lists, and goals help focus my efforts, but life is a work-in-progress. We’re not meant to live by rote, and that’s a good thing.

Note: instead of reading the same author bio each month, regular readers might like a current update. If you're new or just want to know more about me as an author and the books I write, the welcome mat is out at the Janalyn Voigt website.

About Montana Gold

While researching the Montana Gold series, I uncovered some interesting questions. Although several found answers, for others the truth is buried on boot hill. In those cases, I relied on logic and probability to paint the truest image of the Wild West in the Montana Gold books. Learn more about Montana Gold.

Western Cattle Queens: Hattie Cluck

The Wild West had a way of producing tough women, and none grittier than the cattle queens who rode, roped, and endured the privations of the trail as well as any man. Facing challenges, hardships, and perils—sometimes with children at their side—they garnered grudging respect in an era of shifting cultural roles. Some accrued wealth, while others paid with their lives. These women overcame cultural expectations to live on their terms. The halls of history must ring with applause.

This blog series celebrates the cattle queens mentioned in The Whispering Wind, the final installment in the Montana Gold western historical romance series.

"Pioneer Woman" and "Pioneer Boy" (statues of Hattie and Emmett Cluck) published courtesy of Another Believer, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Western Cattle Queens: Hattie Standefer Cluck

Harriet Louise Standefer entered this world on April 14, 1846 in Alabama. Her parents, James Stuart and Caroline (Randall) Standefer soon left for Williamson County, Texas, taking their young daughter with them. Her father did quite well at cattle ranching.

In 1860, Hattie started her studies at Salado College. She met George Washington Cluck at a dance. Hattie was seventeen when they married on June 25, 1863. The Civil War had begun, several of their brothers enlisted in the Confederate Army. George remained behind, most likely to run the ranch. Hattie gave birth to two daughters and a son over the next six years.

Up the Chisholm Trail

Following the War, the eastern states were in short supply of beef. Cattle that sold for $4 each in Texas fetched $40 a head when sold in Abilene. A supply route opened up in 1867 when the railway connected to Abilene Kansas. Texas ranchers could drive their cattle up the Chisholm Trail to newly-built stockyards and send their beef to eastern buyers by rail. In the spring of 1871, George Cluck decided to join forces with another rancher to drive their herds to Abilene.

Hattie accompanied George on the arduous journey. Hattie later said that George “took all he had in the world with him, and we wanted to be together no matter what happened.” However, her granddaughter stated that Hattie was the one who insisted on going along. The truth is probably lost in time. Either way, Hattie is celebrated as the first female to travel the Chisholm Trail. She accomplished this feat with her three children (ages six, four, and two) in tow and while pregnant with her fourth child.

Along the way, Hattie and her family dealt with several harrowing experiences. She and her children had to cross the swiftly-running Red River on horseback to lighten the wagon. Robbers assailed their party and had to be fended off at gunpoint.

Despite the hardships and dangers, the Clucks made it to Abilene with their herd and their family intact. Hattie was so close to her due date that she and her husband opted to remain in Kansas. This didn’t go particularly well, since Kansas farmers resented the tendency of Texas ranchers to drive their cattle through their crops. 

The Clucks returned to Texas two years later, and George registered a second cattle brand under Hattie’s name. George closed several good land deals, enjoyed success as a cattle rancher, and sold water rights to the railroad. He donated land and money for a local school. Hattie and George added six more children to their family. They also took in their nephew.

After George died in August of 1920, Hattie spent her days in simple living. She continued to run her farm, and in spare moments might be found quilting, reading popular fiction, writing poetry, daydreaming, or collecting arrowheads on her property.

The Hattie Cluck Legend

She was 84 when reporters began making much of her journey up the Chisholm Trail. They were guilty of embroidering its perils. The bandits became Indians in some accounts, and Hattie helped loade guns for the men who resisted them. One legend has it that Hattie declared herself ready to take the place of any coward who refused to fight. Whatever the truth may be, the bandits left without any cattle.

Hattie died on March 2, 1938, at the venerable age of 92, but her fame lives on. The Chisholm Trail Crossing Park in Round Rock, Texas includes a statue of Hattie Cluck with her young son, Emmet.

Hattie is much admired by Phoebe Walsh, heroine of The Whispering Wind (Montana Gold, book six). Phoebe cites Hattie Cluck as an example while trying to talk her uncle into training her to become a ranch hand. Like Hattie, Phoebe challenges limits imposed on women. Regardless of her impending spinsterhood, Phoebe determines to live a meaningful life. It would take a strong man to change her mind--someone like Will Canfield. Despite the kiss he'd stolen along with her peace of mind, Will doesn't want her. 

The Whispering Wind

Fancy parties and embroidered fans hold little appeal for Phoebe Walsh. She would rather gallop across the open range or help her father with a wounded calf. Of her many admirers, none spark her interest. Ma seems determined to save her from becoming a spinster, but how can Phoebe accept her mother's choice of suitors when her heart belongs elsewhere?

Several years have passed since Will Canfield stole a kiss and her heart. Remembering her passionate response still curls her insides, but how she feels doesn't matter. Will's interest in her isn't serious, as he's made clear. She needs to get over the man. If Uncle Con will stop throwing them together, that could be a whole lot easier.

Will feels guilty about Phoebe, but he can't risk another heartbreak. Being left at the altar certainly changed his mind about romance. Phoebe is better off marrying someone else, even if the idea sets his teeth on edge.

Phoebe and Will must both, with God's help, conquer an old fear before they can move ahead with their lives. 

Set during a troubled time in America, the Montana Gold series explores faith, courage, and love in the Wild West.

Claim your copy of The Whispering Wind.

What's New with Janalyn Voigt

Hello friends. I hope all is well with you. Have you planned any challenges for yourself lately? I'm working to improve my daily life. Recently, I came across an image of types of coffee drinks. Some I've tried and others I've thought about making. It surprised me, though, to learn how many I'd never heard of before. There were 30 pictured, meant to encourage a month of experimenting. Now, as an author, I have an affinity for coffee. 

Last Christmas, a family member gave me a tongue-in-cheek sign for my office: "I turn coffee into books. What's your superpower?" Hmmm... I wonder if consuming various coffee drinks produces different books. What do you think?  

Biography 

Janalyn Voigt's unique blend of adventure, romance, suspense, and fantasy creates worlds of beauty and danger for readers. Writing in the historical romance and medieval epic fantasy genres, Janalyn is represented by Wordserve Literary. When not writing, she loves to discover worlds of adventure in the great outdoors.
Learn more about Janalyn Voigt and her books.

What do Shakespeare and a Flunking Student Have to Do With It? (Wild West Sayings We Use Today)

 What do a fussy person, obsessive love, Shakespeare, and a flunking student have in common? All pertain to the brand new batch of Wild West sayings we use today, below. Ready to have more fun with words? Grab a cup of tea, coffee, or hot chocolate. Let’s take a little journey into the peculiar history of words, shall we?

 Wild West Sayings We Use Today, Part 23

Persnickety

This delightful word describes a nitpicky person who obsesses over trivial details. It emerged in 1889 as a derivative of ‘pernickety,’ which itself appeared in the early 1800s.  

Historical Reference: Many opinions of the origin of persnickety exist—so many that it becomes clear no one knows for certain. It may have come from the Scottish ‘pernicky,’ a word that is also of unknown origin. Alternatively, persnickety was coined by a child who invented a fun way to say ‘particular.’ But then again, the ‘nick’ part of the word may have come from ‘knick-knack’ and the ‘per’ syllable could have something to do with a Latin prefix meaning ‘thoroughly.’ Trying to figure it out would bogle the mind of any nitpicky person.

Example: He’s so persnickety that it borders on snobbery. 

 

Pining

“To be consumed with longing; to languish with intense desire, to hunger after something; to long eagerly.” That’s how the Oxford English Dictionary defines the word ‘pining.’ It originally described someone in the grip of a romantic obsession. It also designated intense mourning for a lost love. Oh, the Romance! Nowadays, we speak of pining for ice cream.

Historical Reference: ‘Pine’ comes from ‘poena,’ which is Latin for ‘punishment.’ This is the same root word from which ‘pain’ and ‘penalty’ derived. The sense of ‘wasting away from grief or longing’ is documented from early in the 14^th century.

Example: “I’ve been pining to see you again.” 

In the Pink

A person brimming with health and in excellent condition is said to be ‘in the pink.’ This phrase also applies to inanimate objects—a house, for example. In that context, it refers to ‘the peak of perfection.’ The idiom was used for centuries since the 16th century. At that time, it described the best of anything.

Historical Reference: The first recorded use of ‘pink’ to mean ‘the best’ occurred in “Romeo and Juliet” by William Shakespeare in 1597: "I am the pinke of curtesie."

Example: “If you exercise and eat right, you’ll be in the pink before you know it.”

Pitch a Fit

Here, if you needed one, is another way to say ‘throw a temper tantrum.” We are talking two-year-old stuff here, as in you-took-away-my-candy hysterics.

Historical Reference: This idiom’s origin is uncertain. ‘Have a fit,’ the earliest form, appeared by the 1600s. ’Fit’ may have a connection to epileptic seizures. By the early 1900s, ‘throw a fit’ made an entrance. ‘Pitch’ began substituting for ‘throw’ later in the century. 

Example: My roommate pitched a fit after he flunked his test.

Many Wild West sayings still used today have unknown origins. While that’s a little frustrating, it allows us to use our imaginations. Let’s have some fun! Take your best guess on one or more of the idioms in the comments. 

What's New with Janalyn Voigt

A fine spring day is shining outside my office window, tempting me to pull on my hiking boots and take to the trails. Spending time in nature always restores me. It's as if the breath of His Spirit ruffles the grasses, sighs through the trees, and revives my spirit. I hope you will make time, before the softness of Spring is gone, to rejoice in the beauty of God's Creation. 

The launch of the Promise Tree (Montana Treasure, book 1) is going well. Check out the blog tour from JustRead publicity: https://justreadtours.com. Visit some of the stops to read excerpts, reviews and interviews with the author (me). Don't forget to enter for a chance to win a $20 Amazon gift card.

The Promise Tree

A preacher’s daughter shouldn’t encourage a troublemaker, no matter what her wayward heart desires. 

Liberty has always believed she should marry a man of God, but Jake doesn’t qualify. The promises they’d made at age twelve can’t change that. If only Jake would stop pursuing her, she might keep from falling in love with him. Jake fears he’ll lose Liberty to Beau, the new man in town. He doesn’t trust the smooth-talker—and certainly not with Liberty. Jake and Liberty must each overcome their own false beliefs. Only then can they experience the truth of God’s redeeming love. Read The Promise Tree.

You can step into the Montana Treasure series without having read the Montana Gold books. However, if you prefer to submerge yourself in a fictional world for a while, start with Hills of Nevermore, book 1. The four Montana Gold books are available in print and ebook. As mentioned, audiobook versions have also begun releasing!

Want to know more about the author? Read the official bio:

Janalyn Voigt's unique blend of adventure, romance, suspense, and whimsy creates breathtaking fictional worlds for readers. Janalyn is represented by Wordserve Literary Agency. Her memberships include American Christian Fiction Writers and Northwest Christian Writers Association. When she's not writing, Janalyn loves to discover worlds of adventure in the great outdoors with her family.

Browse books by Janalyn Voigt