Cameos of Courage

Historical HistoricalTales Talesand andTraits TraitsofofPrairie PrairieGirls, Girls,1856-1880 1856-1880 “You “Youwouldn’t wouldn’tbebenonoabolitionists, abolitionists,now now would wouldyou? you?Getting Gettingout outofofLawrence, Lawrence,huh?” huh?” one oneofofthe theriders ridersasked. asked.Maddie Maddieand andher herfamfamilyilywork worktotofree freeslaves slavesasasmembers membersofofthe the Underground UndergroundRailroad.

Railroad.

“Anna—it’s “Anna—it’snot nota adog; dog;it’sit’sa abear bear cub. cub.BeBestill. still.Don’t Don’tmove.” move.”Elizabeth Elizabethand andher her friend friendconfront confronta abear bearwhile whiletraveling travelingfrom from the theboarding boardingschool schooltotothe thevillage. village.

“Callie “CallieMae, Mae,what whatareareyou youdoin’? doin’?

Get Getout outofofdedewater.” water.”I Icould couldonly onlypoint pointatat the thelast lastsnake. snake.Callie CallieMae Maefinds findsadventure adventureasas she shejourneys journeysfrom fromMississippi MississippitotoKansas Kansasafter after the theCivil Civil War. War. “Get “Get toto the the root root cellar, cellar,now!” now!”

Life Lifeononthe theprairie prairieforforthe thehomesteaders homesteadersproprovides videsopportunities opportunitiesforforRichelle Richelletotomake makewise wise decisions. decisions.

Reichenberger & Carroll Reichenberger & Carroll

Young Younggirls girlsbecome becomeheroines heroineswhen whenthey theyapply applycourage courageand and Christian Christianfamily familyvalues valuestototheir theirlives. lives.

With Withexciting excitingscenes scenesand and lively livelycharacters, characters,Cameos Cameosof ofCourage Couragewill willpique piqueyoung younggirls’ girls’in-interest terestininhistorical historicalevents eventsand andpeople. people.

Readers Readerswill willrelate relatetotothethe heroines heroinesininthis thishistorical historicalfiction fictionbook. book.

The Thepositive positivecharacter character traits traitsofofthethegirls girlsand andlessons lessonslearned learnedfrom fromtheir theirlives livescan canbebeapapplied pliedtotothethereaders’ readers’ own ownlives. lives.

Cameos of of Courage: Courage: Historical Historical Tales and Traits of Prairie Girls, 1856-1880 Cameos Tales and Traits of Prairie Girls, 1856-1880

Cameos Cameosof ofCourage Courage

11ininthteheCCototottnownwooododSeSreiersies

bebrer um um NN

Cameos Cameos of of Courage Courage Historical HistoricalTales Talesand and Traits TraitsofofPrairie PrairieGirls Girls 1856-1880 1856-1880

Collette ColletteL.L.Reichenberger Reichenbergerand andJudith JudithA.A.Carroll Carroll Illustrated IllustratedbybyBecky BeckyFoster Foster

Cameos of Courage Historical Tales and Traits of Prairie Girls 1856-1880 By

Collette L. Reichenberger and Judith A. Carroll Illustrated by Becky Foster

j Author’s Voice McPherson, Kansas

Cameos of Courage: Historical Tales and Traits of Prairie Girls, 1856–1880

By Collette L. Reichenberger and Judith A. Carroll Copyright © 2017 by Collette L. Reichenberger and Judith A. Carroll. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, except for brief quotations in reviews, without the written permission of the authors.

This book is a work of fiction. The historical events, figures, and places are real. However, the characters and the circumstances of these stories are fragments of the authors’ imaginations.

Illustration by Becky Foster Editing and book design by Jan Gilbert Hurst Published by Author’s Voice 1315 East Euclid, McPherson, KS 67460 620-245-0009 ISBN: 978-0-9970062-3-0 LCCN: 2016961732 Printed and bound in the United States of America by Mennonite Press, Inc., Newton, Kansas.

Praise for Cameos of Courage “What an excellent book! These stories make history come alive through the eyes of Madeleine, Elizabeth, Callie Mae, and Richelle. They all face the challenges that come with living in difficult times with courage, resourcefulness, and dedication to what is right.They live the Kansas state motto—Ad astra per aspera—to the stars through difficulty. Every child interested in history and every child growing up in Kansas will love this book! I highly recommend it.”

—Jennifer Schmidt, director of Sixth Semester and Law and Public Policy Programs University of Kansas School of Law

“Authors Collette Reichenberger and Judy Carroll pull back the curtain on history’s greatest and toughest stories. Confronting people of different races and cultures, facing hardships on the farm, dealing with the attitudes in a war-strewn world, longing for old traditions while forging a home in a new land—those issues could easily have come from the headlines of today as they did in 1876. Reichenberger and Carroll bring together those poignant stories by showing that love from family and friends and an undeniable faith in God could ease the pain and problems facing young girls on the Kansas prairies.”

— Andy Taylor, author of Images of America: Independence and editor of Montgomery County Chronicle

In Cameos of Courage, history meets imagination and determination. The history is carefully researched; readers will learn more about early Kansas than they ever did in class. Cameos of Courage captures the hardship and tenacity of families who wanted to make a better life for themselves and others. Girls and boys, mothers and dads will enjoy the adventure and bravery of our young heroines. Most importantly, Cameos of Courage shows the power and possibility of imagination and hope. In these fast paced, imaginative and poignant stories, we can experience how each character felt.We can thank every one of our early settlers, because they forged the state that we love. Ad astra per aspera.

—Jean Kurtis Schodorf, Ph.D., owner and president of Little House on the Prairie Museum

“Cameos of Courage allows readers to explore the living past alongside young Kansans walking very different paths of life. Adventure, danger, triumph, heartbreak, and friendship wait around every bend and page turn. These likeable, believable, young narrators bring their worlds to life for readers new to 19th-century historical fiction. Even seasoned fans of history will enjoy learning a new thing or two in the familiar countryside of Kansas’s past. Highly recommended for libraries, classrooms, and family reading nooks.”

— Anne Hawkins, teacher, historian, and Kansas Humanities Council Scholar

iii

Dedication Cameos of Courage is dedicated to all young girls to inspire an interest in history and to our grandchildren, especially Maddie, Elizabeth, Richelle, Owen, Layne, and Reece.

v

CONTENTS Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi Story One Madeleine: The Determined Abolitionist . . 1 Story Two Elizabeth: The Brave Osage Indian. . . . . . . 45 Story Three Callie Mae: The Adventurous Exoduster. . . 83 Story Four Richelle: The Wise Homesteader. . . . . . . 123 Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173 About the Authors and Illustrator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175

A cameo is a piece of jewelry with a stone or shell on which figures are carved.

—A Student’s Dictionary & Gazetteer, 22nd edition.

The Dictionary Project, Inc., Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina

ix

INTRODUCTION “…when a society or civilization perishes, One condition may always be found.

They forget where they came from.

They lost sight of what brought them along.”

—From Remembrance Rock by Carl Sandburg

Cameos of Courage

is four separate stories showing a slice about each featured girl’s life. Ten-year-old Madeleine (Maddie) Clark and her cousin, Owen, help a runaway slave on his road to freedom. The chaos of Bleeding Kansas (violent fights between anti-slavery and proslavery forces) during the pre-Civil War years provides the backdrop and opportunity for them to help Daniel.

Elizabeth, whose Osage name is Hoo-tha`-to-me, is also ten.

She leaves her family’s village to attend the school established by the “Black Robes” in Osage Mission and endures the heartache of leaving her home for a new life in Indian Territory in Oklahoma.

Callie Mae Sullivan, the daughter of former slaves in Mississippi, becomes an Exoduster. She begins her travels as a stowaway, but there are friends along the way to help her reach her destination.

The final story in Cameos of Courage tells of Richelle Thomsen, an immigrant girl from Germany, who journeys to America with her family. She exemplifies the pioneer spirit of the settlers of the prairies during the 1870s.

The unifying positive character trait of all four girls is courage.

Some events in each of the stories in Cameos of Courage are based on events which actually happened. Other events are fictional and creations of the authors. Real historical people, such as “Pap” Singleton, who led freed slaves north to Kansas, Mother Bridget Hayden, a nun who taught at a Kansas boarding school for Osage girls, and Father John Schoenmakers appear along with fictional characters in the stories. The authors have tried to portray a true picture of history. xi

1

Madeleine: The Determined Abolitionist

By Judith A. Carroll with Collette L. Reichenberger Lawrence, Kansas 1856

2

C ameos of C ourage

Abolitionist: person who wanted to end slavery of African Americans

MADELEINE: THE DETERMINED ABOLITIONIST

3

CONTENTS Chapter One - Daniel Chapter Two - The Beginning of a Plan Chapter Three - Spies Chapter Four - Waiting Chapter Five - Good News Chapter Six - The Escape Chapter Seven - Hiding Daniel Chapter Eight - Freedom Authors’ Notes Events and Time Line

HELPFUL TERMS Popular Sovereignty in Kansas: A doctrine allowing those living in Kansas Territory to decide by a vote whether Kansas entered the Union as a free state or a slave state.

Free Soil Party: A political party opposed to the spread of slavery into all U.S. territories.

Free Staters: People who settled in Kansas Territory who opposed slavery in Kansas.

Abolitionist: Person who wanted to end slavery of African Americans.

Missouri or Border Ruffians: Proslavery men from Missouri who crossed into Kansas Territory and tried to force the acceptance of slavery in Kansas.

CH A PTER ON E

Daniel “I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States and parts of States are, and henceforward shall be, free...”

—Abraham Lincoln

“M

adeleine, get your head down lower,” my younger cousin Owen said as we hid behind a cluster of blackberry bushes. A wagon approached and stopped about twenty yards from us, and the driver jumped to the ground. The old mule pulling the wagon stood still while the large, gruff-looking driver stepped to the back of the wagon. A young, light-skinned Negro boy, who looked about ten-years-old, my age, was tied to the wagon. The driver untied the thick, coarse rope. Blood trickled down the top of the young boy’s bare feet from the cuts caused by leg irons around his ankles.

“I’ll teach you to run away, Daniel. Now unload them boxes and set up the tent.You hear me?” the man growled as he put his hand to his belt.

“Massa, can I get a drink first? My mouth is awful dry,” Daniel asked.

“You’ll get a drink when I say you can drink,” the man replied as he sat on the grass-covered ground and leaned his back against one of the wagon’s wheels. When the driver moved I saw a whip on his belt and a pistol, too. Daniel unloaded the first box 4

MADELEINE: THE DETERMINED ABOLITIONIST

5

from the wagon while the man took a long drink from his canteen. Daniel eyed the canteen, but continued to unload the wagon.

“Faster!” the man yelled. He took another drink.

“Yes, suh,” Daniel answered and turned to unload another box. The back of his shirt was wet with blood and sweat. Spots of dried blood dotted his tattered shirt. Fresh red blood soaked through where old scabs had loosened. Daniel grimaced as he lifted box after box from the wagon to the ground.

“Oh no!” I gasped when I saw Daniel’s back. His eyes darted in our direction, and Owen and I crouched still lower behind the wild blackberry bushes. Daniel saw us.

“Help me,” he mouthed without a sound. “Get me some help.”

The driver leaned against the tree trunk, his hat over his face.

Loud snorting sounds came from under his hat, and his chest rose and fell in sleep. If he woke and caught us talking to Daniel, he might hurt him, and even Owen and I could be harmed. We carefully stepped back from the wagon. If a twig snapped, the driver might wake.

“What are we going to do?” Owen asked when we moved far enough away to not be heard.

“I don’t know, but I’m determined to help Daniel. I’ll think of a way,” I answered.

Owen and I rushed home to tell Papa about Daniel. Papa, a preacher back home in New York, now held church services in our cabin each Sunday. He sat at the table reading his Bible in preparation for Sunday services when Owen and I burst into the kitchen. “Whoa, slow down children. There is no need to run,” Papa said. He leaned back and folded his arms.

“But, Papa,” I said impatiently.

6

C ameos of C ourage

“Catch your breath, Maddie. Then you can tell me what is so important. Where have you two been?” Papa asked, tugging on his mustache.

“We had to run. We were afraid. We had to tell someone,” Owen said, talking fast.

“Papa, we saw a man. He was mean. He hit Daniel, and Daniel’s shirt was all torn and bloody.”

“Who is Daniel?” Papa asked.

“The boy with the bloody shirt. He had leg irons on, and he was a Negro. He asked us to help him,” I said.

Papa frowned.“Tell me the whole story from the beginning,” he said and leaned forward.

“Owen and I climbed Mt. Oread this morning to count the new cabins and tents. On our way home we saw a strange wagon coming into town, so we hid behind the bushes.

“The driver yelled at Daniel and wouldn’t let him get a drink.

He made Daniel unload the wagon, too. When Daniel turned to get a box off the wagon, I saw his back. Bright red blood stains and old, dried brown spots covered the back of his shirt. It looked awful, and I couldn’t stop myself from gasping when I saw it,” I said.

“That’s when Daniel asked us to help him. The man couldn’t hear Daniel because he was asleep by then. We didn’t know what to say to Daniel or how to help him. That’s why we ran to find you. We knew you would want to help, too.”

“Can we tar and feather him, Uncle?” Owen asked.

“Or put him in jail?” I added.

“No Owen, we can’t tar and feather him. I’m afraid we can’t put him in jail either, Maddie,” Papa said with a smile.

“But we have to do something, Papa,” I said and folded my arms across my chest.

MADELEINE: THE DETERMINED ABOLITIONIST

7

“Of course, we’ll do something. We’ll find a way to help Daniel,” Papa said. “First, we must find out who this man is.”

j I am Madeleine Ann Clark and I am ten-years-old. Papa says I am the most determined girl he has ever met. Papa teases me and says I inherited my stubbornness and red hair from Mama. If one is determined to do well for the right reasons, it is all right to be stubborn. “I want to do all I can to end slavery,” he said. Papa is an abolitionist, and so am I. I heard discussions back home in New York about abolitionists. One time I went to an antislavery meeting with Papa and heard two women speak. The first, Susan B. Anthony, believed women should have the right to vote the same as men. It was before Mama was sick, and she went with us. Mama and I both stood and shouted “hurrah” at the end of Miss Anthony’s talk. “Just think, Maddie, you will get to vote someday!” Mama said.

The second speaker, a runaway slave named Sojourner Truth, was taken from her family when she was about my age. She started her speech by singing. Her powerful voice filled the corners of the large hall. Everyone listened. I felt chills as she sang of the sorrow of slavery. After I heard Miss Truth speak and sing, I was more determined than before to work for freedom for all slaves. “Papa, Miss Truth talked about people helping Kansas join the Union as a free state. What did she mean when she said we could help?” I asked after the meeting.

“Maddie, there are many ways to show our support. People can help by moving to Kansas and taking others with them to vote on whether or not Kansas joins the union as a free state.

When Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854, it allowed people living in the territory of Kansas to decide what kind

8

C ameos of C ourage

of government they wanted. That is called ‘popular sovereignty’.”

Another night Papa and I heard Harriet Tubman speak about the Underground Railroad.

Papa gave me a copy of The Liberator, a newspaper written

by William Lloyd Garrison. The Liberator and other newspapers published by abolitionists called for people to move to Kansas.

Papa said the newspaper publishers pushed the abolitionists’ cause to the forefront by providing information to the public about the abolitionists’ movement. The New England Aid Society asked for volunteers to go to Kansas Territory to vote Kansas into the United States as a state without slavery.

j One night after supper, Papa set down his coffee cup and told his brother, “Paul, I’m moving to Kansas.”

“I’m not surprised to hear that, Brother,” said Uncle Paul.

“We have both been thinkin’ a lot about Kansas. We could help prevent slavery there. Besides, this area is gettin’ a bit too crowded with settlers. My family and I will move with you.”

I was ready to pack my bags and move to Kansas, too.

Mama had been sick with cholera last year, so Papa thought she should come later, after the cabin was built. “Mama, you can’t live in a tent for long.You’re not strong enough yet,” Papa said.

“I know you are afraid I’m not able to make the trip, but I’m going to Kansas,” Mama said and stamped her foot. Papa and I knew Mama meant what she said.

Owen’s mama died of cholera on Uncle Paul’s birthday. Still mourning, he sold his flour mill and the farm land he owned in New York. “I’ll need this money in Kansas,” he said. Papa sold our home, too.

MADELEINE: THE DETERMINED ABOLITIONIST

9

Soon after that we started our trip to Kansas Territory, Uncle Paul, and my cousins, Owen and James, traveled with Papa, Mama, and me. Papa and Uncle Paul wanted to arrive in Kansas and build our cabin before winter. They planned to build a second cabin as soon as the weather got warmer.

We rode on trains for the first part of the journey.The day we left Rochester, Grandmother, Grandfather, and all four of Mama’s brothers came to the train station to say good-bye. Grandmother, Mama and I cried.We didn’t know if we would ever see each other again. “Have courage,” Grandmother whispered in my ear as she hugged and kissed me good-bye. “Study your lessons and write to me often.”

“I will,” I answered, not quite as determined or brave as I wanted to be. Tears crept down my cheeks.

Even though the train was big and loud, I thought the other passengers could surely hear my heart beating. Ashes and cinder dirt filtered through the inside of the train car. Soon the pretty, blue-flowered dress Grandmother made especially for the trip was covered with soot. “Dear God, give me courage,” I prayed as the train moved slowly through the valleys and hills of the countryside.

The rivers and lakes were filled with water from recent rains.

Owen and I sat between Mama and Papa and watched the other passengers. I did not think many of them looked courageous. “If anyone asks where we are going, tell them we are going to Kansas Territory to stake a claim for land,” Papa said. Before we arrived in St. Louis, we changed trains several times. There we boarded a steamer which took us up the Missouri River. It traveled slowly as it pushed against the current of the river.

We got off the boat in Kansas City, and Uncle Paul and Papa bought a wagon and two strong horses for the final portion of our journey to the settlement called Lawrence. They bought flour,

Historical HistoricalTales Talesand andTraits TraitsofofPrairie PrairieGirls, Girls,1856-1880 1856-1880 “You “Youwouldn’t wouldn’tbebenonoabolitionists, abolitionists,now now would wouldyou? you?Getting Gettingout outofofLawrence, Lawrence,huh?” huh?” one oneofofthe theriders ridersasked. asked.Maddie Maddieand andher herfamfamilyilywork worktotofree freeslaves slavesasasmembers membersofofthe the Underground UndergroundRailroad.

Railroad.

“Anna—it’s “Anna—it’snot nota adog; dog;it’sit’sa abear bear cub. cub.BeBestill. still.Don’t Don’tmove.” move.”Elizabeth Elizabethand andher her friend friendconfront confronta abear bearwhile whiletraveling travelingfrom from the theboarding boardingschool schooltotothe thevillage. village.

“Callie “CallieMae, Mae,what whatareareyou youdoin’? doin’?

Get Getout outofofdedewater.” water.”I Icould couldonly onlypoint pointatat the thelast lastsnake. snake.Callie CallieMae Maefinds findsadventure adventureasas she shejourneys journeysfrom fromMississippi MississippitotoKansas Kansasafter after the theCivil Civil War. War. “Get “Get toto the the root root cellar, cellar,now!” now!”

Life Lifeononthe theprairie prairieforforthe thehomesteaders homesteadersproprovides videsopportunities opportunitiesforforRichelle Richelletotomake makewise wise decisions. decisions.

Reichenberger & Carroll Reichenberger & Carroll

Young Younggirls girlsbecome becomeheroines heroineswhen whenthey theyapply applycourage courageand and Christian Christianfamily familyvalues valuestototheir theirlives. lives.

With Withexciting excitingscenes scenesand and lively livelycharacters, characters,Cameos Cameosof ofCourage Couragewill willpique piqueyoung younggirls’ girls’in-interest terestininhistorical historicalevents eventsand andpeople. people.

Readers Readerswill willrelate relatetotothethe heroines heroinesininthis thishistorical historicalfiction fictionbook. book.

The Thepositive positivecharacter character traits traitsofofthethegirls girlsand andlessons lessonslearned learnedfrom fromtheir theirlives livescan canbebeapapplied pliedtotothethereaders’ readers’ own ownlives. lives.

Cameos of of Courage: Courage: Historical Historical Tales and Traits of Prairie Girls, 1856-1880 Cameos Tales and Traits of Prairie Girls, 1856-1880

Cameos Cameosof ofCourage Courage

11ininthteheCCototottnownwooododSeSreiersies

bebrer um um NN

Cameos Cameos of of Courage Courage Historical HistoricalTales Talesand and Traits TraitsofofPrairie PrairieGirls Girls 1856-1880 1856-1880

Collette ColletteL.L.Reichenberger Reichenbergerand andJudith JudithA.A.Carroll Carroll Illustrated IllustratedbybyBecky BeckyFoster Foster