Do you remember those books from your childhood that made a lasting impression on you? I can remember walking into my elementary school library and choosing a book from the shelves because the title made me laugh – The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles – written by none other than Mary Poppins herself, Julie Andrews Edwards. That was the first book I remember reading that caused my imagination to picture a story unfolding without the use of illustrations. I was amazed that I could actually SEE the story happening in my mind.
There was another book from my childhood, however, that shaped my love for western historicals. A story that still holds me in awe today because of the courage and determination of the real family whose lives inspired the novel.
Seven Alone
They found a single man to help drive the Sager wagon, but after promising to bring back meat if allowed to use Henry’s rifle, he absconded with the weapon and was never heard from again. The doctor who had set Catherine’s leg did his best to aid the family along with Captain Shaw. Naomi struggled to hold on to life, determined to get her family to the Whitman Mission and winter there before continuing on to the Willamette. Despite her determination to hang on, Naomi Sager died near Idaho Falls.
Everyone in the wagon train pitched in to help the orphans, and by October they reached the Whitman Mission. Dr. Marcus Whitman and his wife, Narcissa, agreed to take in the Sager children. In July of the following year, Dr. Whitman petitioned for legal custody of the children. Yet, tragedy continued to follow these children. The Whitmans ministered to the Cayuse Indians, and maintained peaceful relations with them. However, as more and more settlers passed through on wagon trains, disease came with them. In 1847, an outbreak of measles decimated the Indians tribes of the area. The Cayuse held the white man responsible and attacked the Whitman Mission. The Whitman massacre claimed 14 lives at the mission including Marcus and Narcissa Whitman and the two Sager boys, John and Frank. The women and children were taken captive. Louisa Sager was one of those who died while in capitivity. One month after the massacre, Peter Ogden from the Hudson’s Bay Company, arranged for their release trading sixty-two blankets, sixty-three cotton shirts, twelve rifles, six hundred loads of ammunition, seven pounds of tobacco and twelve flints for the return of the forty-nine surviving prisoners.
Catherine, Elizabeth, and Matilda Sager meet at the 50th anniversary commemoration of the Whitman massacre in November 1897.
After losing both their biological and adoptive parents, the four remaining Sager girls were split up and sent to different families. Henrietta (the baby born on the trail) died young at age 26, supposedly shot mistakenly by an outlaw. The other three girls, Catherine, Matilda, and Elizabeth all married, had children, and lived well into old age.
About ten years after her arrival in Oregon, Catherine wrote an account of the Sager family’s journey west. She hoped to earn enough money to set up an orphanage in the memory of Narcissa Whitman. She never found a publisher. Her children and grandchildren, however, saved her manuscript without modification, and today it is regarded as one of the most authentic accounts of the American westward migration.
The book Seven Alone, and the movie that followed, only chronicles the Sager children’s hardships and adventures while on the wagon train. Yet, I couldn’t resist telling the rest of the story.
- So what about you? What stories (biolgraphical or purely fiction) do you remember reading as a child that made such an impact on you that you still remember them today?
Oh, and as an aside, if you haven’t read Jody Hedlund’s book The Doctor’s Lady, you might find it enjoyable. It is a fictionized account of Marcus and Narcissa Whitman’s journey west and how these two missionaries who married for convenience found love along the way.
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I have always loved to read. Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder was my first novel… I was 4 or 5. My love for history started with that book. Other favorites of mine are Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery, Joni and the God I Love by Joni Eareckson Tada, The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boon, The Doctor’s Lady by Jody Hedlund, Wings of a Dream by Anne Mateer, The Frontiersman’s Daughter by Laura Frantz…..there are so many more that I have read that have played “In the theatre of my mind” but I’ll stop here.
Have a wonderful day,
~Tammi
Tammi – You re definitely a kindred spirit. Both the Little House books and the Anne of Green Gables books were some of my favorites growing up. I watched the Little House television series faithfully as a kid, too. Both of those series had a huge influential role for me as well. Great choices!
Hello Karen,
I enjoyed hearing about your childhood books.
One of my favourites was Seven Little Australians, written by Ethel Turner in 1893. Ethel’s locality and environs became the focal point for the settings for her novels.
The story is set in the 1880’s in Sydney and also in bushland settings which in those days were quite a distance from Sydney, although certainly not so far now.
The novel revolves around Captain Woolcot a very austere Army Captain, his young wife who is stepmother to the Captain’s seven children ,ranging in age from 16 to the baby.
The children are a high spirited lot and two of the children, Pip (aged 14) and Judy (aged 13)are the ringleaders, but they are also very quick to own up about their misdemeanours, especially when their siblings become involved.
One day they go too far ,embarrassing their father at his barracks, when he is entertaining, resulting in young Judy being sent to boarding school in the Blue Mountains. She becomes extremely homesick ,eventually running away. The children hide her in the barn, unbeknown to her Father but she becomes very ill ,developing tuberculosis.
Confidence is broken as her siblings have to tell their father. She is not sent back to school but instead to aid her recovery, she and her siblings are invited to stay on their Step Grandparents sheep station.
Tragedy strikes again and Judy is killed by a falling tree as she is trying to protect her baby brother whist on a picnic.
This visibly shakes up the whole family but particularly her father ,who realises he did not have an understanding of her. He then develops a rapport with the rest of his children realising how precious they are to him.
The story is a classic and read by many Aussie children.In fact it is the only Australian novel which stayed consistently in print for 100 years.
Ethel Turner then wrote another three novels about the Woolcot Family. The story advances five years into their lives.
All four novels are great reads, even by today’s standards. I feel the classic, “Little Women” by Louisa Alcott and “Good Wives “(also favourites of mine) are close examples of what Ethel Turner achieved with her novels set here in Aus.
Thanks for the opportunity for me to share my favourite childhood books, Karen.
Cheers
Rosie
What a compelling story, Rosie! Thank you so much for sharing that piece of Aussie literary heritage. With a captain, a step-mother, and 7 children, it reminded me of the set up for Sound of Music with all the Van Trapps. 🙂 I loved Little Women, too. Great stuff!
Karen, I was going to make the same comment about the Von Trapp Family. It is very similar, even to the kids ages, the Stepmums and the stern Captains….must go with the job! LOL This story was written in 1893, so maybe the concept set the cogs turning.:)
Ha! Could be. Although, I think the Von Trapp family was a real family who inspired the musical. But all those similarities are uncanny. 🙂
Karen, that story is heartbreaking. The TV show “Wagon Train” was popular when I was a kid and we used to play wagon train with our Red Flyer wagons all the time. As for books, my mother was a librarian so it would take several pages to name all of my favorite childhood books! Thanks for bringing back some memories for me today.
Lynn – I adored Wagon Train when I was growing up. I had a serious crush on Cooper, the scout of the group. Outside of books, I think those old TV westerns and shows like Little House on the Prairie and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman played a huge role in shaping my passion for historical fiction.
What a fascinating (although heart-breaking) story about that family, Karen – – thank you for sharing.
Even though I couldn’t attend kindergarten (the only one in our town was at a church and cost money–which we couldn’t afford) my precious Mother read to me (and with me) from the time I was very young. This instilled a great love of books in me—so I’d have to say my favorites from childhood (besides Jack and the Beanstalk!) were the classics: The Little House on the Prairie series, Little Women, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, Anne of Green Gables, etc.etc. – – LOVED all of those! In fact, my two daughters (Amy and Rebecca) are names from 2 of those favorite classics *smile*.
Thank you again for sharing this today – -except now I’m yearning to curl up and read instead of getting my “chores” done, LOL!
Hugs, Patti Jo
Excellent choices, Patti Jo. I’ve read most of those, too, and loved them! I’m glad you carried on the classic tradition through your daughters. I’m sure you read them “their” books, too, didn’t you? 🙂
Loved this, Karen. There are so many childhood books I loved, but one that stuck with me most was called The Village That Slept by Monique P. De Ladebat. It was about two teens who survived a plane crash in the Pyrenees Mountains, and together, cared for a baby who also survived. think one reason it feels so special is that for years, I “lost” the book. I remembered the story, but could not remember title or author so had no way to search for it. When I finally found it, I felt as though I’d found an old friend!
Now I want to read Seven Alone!!
What a heartfelt story line, Deb. The Village That Slept sounds like a fabulous story. I might have to check that out. And I know what you mean about remember the characters and plot but losing the title. Sometimes I can even picture the cover art in my head but still can’t come up with anything that will actually help me find it. Ha! It’s always a thrill to recover a lost friend. 🙂
Wow. As a child, most of my reading was contemporary and by Judy Blume. I loved all the Fudge Books and Are You There God? It Me, Margaret. I carried that book with me every where and left it every where, as well. We purchased and repurchased that book more times than I can count.
My favorite genre of books is probably the classics. My love affair with Dickens began when I was in 4th grade and we took a field trip to the Ohio Theater to see a musical version of A Christmas Carol. This has been my favorite book, since. So much so, I read it every Christmas. (Generally on audio and written, except this Christmas, only audio.)
My love for all things history began with The Waltons and The Ingalls. I watched those shows every week and sometimes I wanted to be a member of their families. However, as I look back on my childhood, I would pick my family over everyone elses.
I am interested in reading Seven Alone and Julie Andrews’ book, after reading your post, Karen. Also, I enjoyed The Preacher’s Bride and can’t wait to read The Doctor’s Bride.
I loved the Waltons, Dora. All those goodnights at the end were so classic. 🙂 I remember those Judy Blume books, too. And Sweet Valley High. My first romances.
Hi Karen,
During my research for The Doctor’s Lady, I read a LOT about other people making the trip west. I found SO many fascinating but sad stories!
Thanks for the sweet shout out about my book! 🙂
When I dug back into the history of the Sagers for this post and discovered they were taken in by the Whitmans, I couldn’t help but imagine it as a sequel to The Doctor’s Lady. After reading your story, it all became so much more real in my mind. Such courage and hardship and just plain survival in those early days.