The Cottonwood Tree

About the Book

In 1866 a lumbering wagon train winds its interminable way along the Oregon Trail. A young couple in the caravan has wearied of the long trek; their horses are strained, their resources low. Against all advice from their fellow sojourners, they strike out alone across the vast Kansas prairie in search of water and a suitable place where they can settle. They come upon a solitary cottonwood tree that is growing on the bank of a stream. Beneath its sheltering branches they build a soddy made of the thick turf that covers the rich soil in which they plant the seeds they have brought with them. This story follows the adventures of this daring couple as they deal with hunger, loneliness, encounters with Indians, and the dangers of unassisted childbirth. Though their farm is many miles from the nearest town of Leavenworth, and just as far from the Oregon Trail, other people eventually find them and begin their own farms nearby. A small settlement gradually develops around the once solitary place, of which the steadily growing cottonwood remains the center.

This story follows the progress of that small hamlet, of the people who first settled there, and of the others who come later. It is a tale of resolute, stubborn, and sometimes wayward characters, including a bank robber from the east who over the years successfully changes his identity twice in order to escape the law. Others include an ex-gunfighter, a young widow, an old Indian, a gallant sheriff, various down and out wanderers, and a courageous and influential schoolteacher who is well ahead of her time as an eloquent spokes person for feminine rights.

From 1866 to 1971, when the centennial celebration takes place, the goings on beneath and around this particular cottonwood tree are both representative of the growth of many western towns and a fascinating account of the personal and intertwining lives of the people who live and die within sight of the venerable tree’s towering presence.

About the Author

The author is retired, lives in Clearwater, Florida, and has several other novels that are available for purchase either on Amazon.com or the Xlibris web site.