Tag Archives: Prescott

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New Release: A Heart Renewed


A Heart Renewed

Announcing a brand new release from Christian Historical Fiction author Karen Baney.  Prescott Pioneers 2: A Heart Renewed is now available as an ebook on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords.  The sequel to A Dream Unfolding starts out back in Texas on the Star C Ranch.  We catch up with Julia Colter, Will’s sister, several months after he left.  When Reuben tries to force her to marry a wealthy rancher and she refuses, she finds her life in danger.  She must rely on an old friend of the family.

Here’s the synopsis:

Headstrong.  Unconventional.  Until life turns upside down…

Julia Colter struggles to accept life under her controlling brother’s greed.  The suitors he selects would benefit him, but are far from the ideal husband for her.  When her rebellion against her brother puts her life at risk, she turns to her friend for help.

Adam Larson longs to train horses and plans to head west to the Arizona Territory to see his dreams fulfilled.  When his sister’s best friend shows up in the middle of the night, he agrees to help her flee.  The decision changes his life, in more ways than he expected.

Can Julia forget the pain from her past and open her heart to love?

 

For the first 400 words of Chapter 1 and for more information on current purchasing options, please visit the product page for A Heart Renewed.

 

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Fort Whipple in 1863-64

On October 5, 1863, a group of soldiers left Fort Union in New Mexico headed to Fort Wingate.  Once at Fort Wingate, they met up with two companies of the First California Volunteers, as well as Major Willis, Captain Pishon, and Doctor Charles Lieb and his wife, Mary (the first white woman to settle in Northern Arizona).  The group set out from Fort Wingate on November 4, 1863 to establish a new fort in Northern Arizona—Fort Whipple.

On December 23, 1863*, the group arrived near present day Chino Valley.  Major Willis, the commander of the fort, decided to stop there, despite the 25 mile distance to the placer mines on Granite Creek (present day Prescott).  The fort would provide protection for the territorial government and civilian settlers.

Nearly a month passed before Governor Goodwin and his party arrived at the fort on January 22, 1864.  Once they arrived, Major Willis ordered a 18 gun salute and small celebration.  For the next few months, the government of the territory officially resided at the fort.

Conditions were less than perfect for these brave souls.  Supplies had to be freighted from Albuquerque, New Mexico across the desert plains of Northern Arizona.  Often food was in short supply.  No permanent structures were erected until after the fort moved on May 18, 1864, to one mile northeast of Prescott on the bank of Granite Creek.  A small group of men stayed behind at the original site which became known as Camp Clark.

During Prescott’s early days, the fort kept settlers safe from Indian attacks and served as a base of operations for military campaigns throughout the area.

 

*There are conflicting accounts as to the exact date.  It was sometime within a few days of the date listed.

 

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The Birth of a Territory

On February 24, 1863, the Arizona Territory was born.  President Lincoln then appointed John A. Gurley as governor.  When Gurley died in near his home in Cincinnati in August of 1863, before ever setting foot in the territory, President Lincoln appointed John N. Goodwin as the governor.

Goodwin and his party began the long trek to the territory from Ohio, crossing miles of land.  My book, A Dream Unfolding, follows a couple who is on the same wagon train as the Governor from Kansas to their final destination of Fort Whipple in the Arizona Territory.

The official inauguration of the territorial government did not take place until the governor’s party reached a small watering hole a few days ride inside the territory.  On December 29, 1863, at Navajo Springs, the governor’s party held an inauguration ceremony.  In the midst of a snowy afternoon, the ceremony began with a prayer by Reverend Read.  Then Goodwin and the other government officials took the oath of office.

Following the oath of office, Secretary Richard McCormick read the Governor’s Proclamation which announced a census for the territory, the organization of judicial districts, the governor’s stance on the Indian situation, among other key political points.  The temporary capitol was announced as Fort Whipple, which was later moved to Prescott.  After the speech, Secretary McCormick hoisted a flag.

The governor’s party did not reach their final destination of Fort Whipple until January 22, 1864, almost eleven months after the territory was formed.

 

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Cameo Historical Characters

In my book, A Dream Unfolding (Prescott Pioneers Book 1), several real-life historical figures make a cameo appearance.

Why did I use real people for some of the minor characters?  As an avid fan of the historical fiction genre, I enjoy reading novels that weave historically accurate details into the story.  I like to learn while being entertained, and I suspect I am not alone in this viewpoint.

So for my Prescott Pioneers series, I wanted to present an authentic taste of the true cultural, geographic, and political climate of the setting.  To achieve this goal, I chose several key political figures involved in shaping the Arizona Territory.  Then, I chose several notable early settlers in Prescott.  I even wove passing mentions of some of the residents and businesses, all hoping to inspire the fans to read more about the town and territory.

Much of my research centered on Governor Goodwin and his journey westward, since my protagonist ends up travelling with the governor’s group.  Jonathan Richmond, the court clerk for the First Territorial District, wrote amazingly detailed letters to family members.  This provided much of the inspiration for A Dream Unfolding.

Other real characters mentioned in the book:

  • Governor John A. Gurley
  • Secretary Richard McCormick
  • Robert “Bob” Groom
  • George Lount
  • Captain Joseph R. Walker and his son
  • Daniel Conner
  • Van C. Smith
  • Don Manuel Yessera (found several variations of his name, and decided on this one)
  • George Bernard
  • John Boggs

While conversations between these real historical figures and the fictional characters are purely a work of my imagination, they did attend many of the events portrayed in my book.  So, enjoy!