Williamsburg Regional Library

Letters of a woman homesteader, by Elinore Pruitt Stewart ; foreword by Jessamyn West

eng

autobiography

government publication of a state province territory dependency etc

no index present

non fiction

Letters of a woman homesteader

18323003

by Elinore Pruitt Stewart ; foreword by Jessamyn West

Elinore Pruitt, a widow and mother who washed clothes for a living in Denver, planned to work as a housekeeper for some rancher while learning all she would need to know about homesteading a place for herself. In 1909 she went to work for Clyde Stewart, whose ranch was near Burnt Fork, Wyoming, and within six weeks she married him. "Ranch work seemed to require that we be married first and do our sparking afterward," she wrote Juliet Coney, her former employer. She maintained her independence by filing on a quarter section adjacent to her husband's land and proving it up herself. Her delightful letters, written from the time of her arrival until 1913, authentically depict an Old West that, as Jessamyn West notes in her foreword, has been "progressively obscured by those who portray it most often."--, Amazon.com

Arrival at Burnt Fork -- Filing a claim -- Busy, happy summer -- Charming adventure and Zebulon Pike -- Sedalia and Regalia -- Thanksgiving-day wedding -- Zebulon Pike visits his old home -- Happy Christmas -- Confession -- Story of Cora Belle -- Zebbies's story -- Contented couple -- proving up -- New house -- "Stocking-leg" dinner -- Horse-thieves -- At Gavotte's camp -- Homesteader's marriage and a little funeral -- Adventure of the Christmas tree -- Joys of homesteading -- Letter of Jerrine's -- Efficient Mrs. O'Shaughnessy -- How it happened -- Little romance -- Among the Mormons -- Success

adult