LAND OF MANY HANDS Women in the American West

Hardback. In 1848 the Malick family of Illinois set out for the Oregon Territory, eager to stake a claim to 640 acres of farmland and the prospect of better opportunities than those available in the East. Like thousands of travellers the family endured a six-month, 1800-mile journey by covered wagon over treacherous mountain passes and dangerous river crossings. After enduring the deaths of her two sons and husband, Abigail Malick carved out a prosperous farm on the Columbia Riover. Many other women like Abigail played a prominent role in the migration, they panned for gold, ploughed the land, opened schools, ran boarding houses and helped push the boundaries of the United States to the Pacific. the author recounts many fascinating stories from the period, describing the story of Western settlement from the women's perspectives. Illus., Further Reading and Index. 188pp. 4to. h/back. With tiny label to fpd o/w F. in F. dw.