A Ship of Dreams ... That Didn't Sink

 

The romantic adventurer in me sometimes wonders what it would have been like to cross the ocean in a grand ship like the Titanic, only one that didn't sink and end in tragedy.

In Crumpets and Cowpies, the first book in my Baker City Brides sweet romance series, Oregon rancher Thane Jordan reluctantly travels to England to settle his brother’s estate. He arrives to find he’s inherited much more than he could possibly have imagined, including a niece and nephew he didn't know existed. They live with their incredibly beautiful and maddeningly proper aunt.

 Lady Jemma Bryan has no desire to spend a single minute in Thane Jordan’s insufferable presence much less live under the same roof with the handsome, arrogant American. Forced to choose between poverty and being separated from the children she adores or marriage to the man, she travels across an ocean and America to reach his ranch in Oregon. 

The solicitor who handled Thane's brother's estate booked the newly formed Jordan family in first class accommodations on a ship called Teutonic.

Researching the Teutonic gave me hours of delight as I learned about this incredible ship.

  

Sister ship to the Majestic, both keels were laid in 1887 as part of the White Star Line. The Teutonic was built under the Auxiliary Armed Cruiser Agreement. An extremely fast ship, she set a transatlantic crossing record twice. Teutonic was the first armed merchant cruiser and one of two White Star Line vessels ever armed with guns. The Teutonic was one of the first ships in the White Star Line to offer second class accommodations. The ship was in service from 1889-1921.

 

This staircase reminds me of Titanic (also a White Star Line ship). Teutonic sailed on the route from the home port of Liverpool, England, to New York City. Each week a ship sailed from Liverpool on a specific day, commonly Wednesday or Thursday. 

From there, they would stop at the small port of Queenstown, Ireland, to pick up more passengers. As many as eight hundred Irish immigrants might board in the single stop. After Queenstown, the ship would then begin the long voyage to New York, almost 2,500 miles of open sea. Once passengers were disbursed at either the White Star Line pier in New York or the immigration center at Castle Garden, the ship would be prepared for her return voyage.

This is one of the staterooms from the ship. Look at the side rails on the bed and the beautiful furnishings.

 

And this was the first class dining saloon. In the story, this is where Thane, Jemma, and the children took their meals, unless they ate in their room.

 

Here's a Second Class menu card from 1907.

 

 I confess, I spent hours and hours admiring photos of the Teutonic, dreaming about what it might have been like to be a passenger on such a grand ship.

~*~

“Goodness gracious.”

The awe resonating in Jemma’s tone caused Thane to glance down at her as they followed a white-coated sailor to their stateroom aboard the Teutonic. The grand staircase, constructed from tempered and mellowed English oak, loomed before them as an impressive sight.

“It’s quite something, isn’t it?” Thane bent slightly and whispered in her ear as the sailor led them down a hall to their room. When Thane asked Weston to make their travel arrangements, he assumed their friend would book second-class staterooms, since the Teutonic was the first ship in the White Star Lines fleet to offer an option between first class and steerage. Much to his surprise, the man reserved them one of the best staterooms on the ship, or so their guide proclaimed.

~*~

You can read about Thane and Jemma's experience onboard in Crumpets and Cowpies. 

Through Sunday, you can get the digital download for FREE! 

A hopeless romantic with a bit of sarcasm thrown in for good measure, Shanna Hatfield is a USA Today bestselling author of sweet romantic fiction written with a healthy dose of humor. In addition to blogging and eating too much chocolate, she is completely smitten with her husband, lovingly known as Captain Cavedweller.

Shanna creates character-driven romances with realistic heroes and heroines. Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”

Find Shanna’s books at:

Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Apple | Audible

A Mother's Kiss- History of opiates as an Rx for Children

The use of opiates in the United States can be traced as far back as the arrival of the Mayflower in 1620. It is believed that physician Samuel Fuller would have carried laudanum, an opiate used as a pain killer, anti-diarrheal, and sleep-inducing among the Pilgrims.

By the American Revolution, opium was a common medical tool and by the mid-19^th century, opiates were the main ingredient in pain killers, even in teething powders.

 

 

One such product, Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup, was a morphine and alcohol  mixture, marketed to parents of fussy children as a “perfectly harmless and pleasant” way to produce a “natural quiet sleep, by relieving the child from pain.”

Bayer Aspirin Company made heroin available in a small bottle for ailments such as suppressing a minor cough.

Throughout the 1870s and 1880s, many doctors were slow to heed the warnings about the dangers of opiate addiction of a shortage of other treatments, and inadequate medical instruction. 

Educating doctors was key to fighting the epidemic. Medical instructors and textbooks from the 1890s regularly delivered strong warnings against overusing opium.

In my new release, A Baker for Bear, when widower Barrett Montgomery fires his housekeeper for dosing his daughters with "soothing syrups", he's forced to accept his family's interference and at least entertain the idea of a mail-order bride.

New Release

A debutante with a stammer, a compulsive widowed blacksmith with two young daughters. Will they find a way to coexist or even better, forge a romantic partnership? 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08PDVSNKG

Ada Pike longs to leave the life of a socialite and use her skills as a baker to love and nurture a family. A move to the country will perfectly suit her first steps into life on her own.  

Barrett Montgomery rejects the idea of a mail-order bride. What he needs is a housekeeper- someone he can fire if things don't work out the way he likes. Can a matchmaking agency work miracles to bring two people with opposing goals together? Will they find a way to coexist or even better, forge a romantic partnership?   

About Kimberly Grist:

Kim has enjoyed writing since she was a young girl. However, she began writing her first novel in 2017, "I wear so many hats working inside and outside the home. I work hard, try harder, and then begin again the next day. Despite my best efforts, sometimes life just stinks. Bad things happen. I need and want an outlet, an opportunity to relax and escape to a place where obstacles are met and overcome." 

Fans of historical romance set in the late 19th -century will enjoy stories combining, History, Humor, and Romance, emphasizing Faith, Friends, and Good Clean Fun. 

Connect with Kimberly:

Sign up for my newsletter

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/kimberly-grist
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/FaithFunandFriends/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GristKimberly
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Kimberly-Grist/e/B07H2NTJ71

Sonora, California-After the Gold Rush

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sonora was an early California gold rush town, and one of the early cities incorporated in the state. It had a wild and uncivilized start, but quickly developed into a regional commerce center.

1866 Sonora

Here are some 19th century highlights of early Sonora from about 1860 on:

In 1864, the Sonora Pass passing through the city was opened. It was a toll road that connected the San Joaquin Valley to the west and the foothill communities around Sonora to the communities of eastern California in Mono County. It is now known as State Highway 108.

In 1884, hydraulic mining was outlawed due to the debris (tailings) which filled the river. That form of mining ended in Sonora, but was soon replaced with hard rock mining.

By 1885, the time period in which my book, A Lawyer for Linton is set, Sonora was well established and in need of a large community facility that could be used for various types of entertainment. Citizens had always shown an appreciation for local and traveling entertainment troupes and other community events. The Sonora Opera Hall was the answer to this need.

Star Flouring Mill before it burned

James G. Divoll and Joseph Bray originally built the Star Flouring Mill on the site. They had made their fortune from the Bonanza Mine, which was located just north of the “Red Church.”

In August 1885, the flour mill burned under suspicious circumstances. Many believed that robbers had broken into the mill thinking gold from the Bonanza Mine was stored there.

View from the Opera Hall

After the fire, Divoll and Bray immediately set to using the surviving walls of the flour mill for the Opera Hall. Just three months later, on Christmas Eve 1885, the Opera Hall opened with its first event, a roller skating party. The Opera Hall was active as a community center only until 1896, when the owners decided it was no longer financially viable. After 1896 there were many uses of the building, the longest being the Opera Hall Garage which closed its doors in 1979. The City acquired the Opera Hall in 1985, and through several historic preservation grants and civic contributions, the City was able to restore the building as an elegant community and entertainment center.

Restored Opera Hall, originally built in 1885

Before and after the Civil War, the area suffered a depression. With the placer gold pretty much mined out of the area, Sonora, along with the rest of Tuolumne County experienced a large decrease in population. However, on or around January of 1870, marked by the incorporation of the Guild Mining Company, the area began what is known as Sonora’s second gold rush. Lode mining became important and the city remained the trade hub for the new hard-rock camps. Agriculture and timber operations also contributed to the lasting prosperity of the city.

 Lumber had always been an important industry for Tuolumne County and Sonora. At first, the primary use of the lumber was for mining needs. Then, as homes and businesses were built up, the need for lumber grew. Wood was transported by rivers and channels using water flumes. Also, horse and mule-drawn lumber wagons hauled much of the lumber. The market stayed fairly local for years due to the lack of a railroad to cost–effectively transport lumber far beyond the county. However, with the coming of the railroad, markets for lumber in the mountains surrounding Sonora increased.

In other respects, because the city was remote from the larger population centers in California, some amenities came to Sonora later than they did to other parts of California. The city did not receive electricity until 1982. The railroad—Sierra Railway—did not arrive until 1899. It first paved its roads in 1922. In 1899, a beautiful courthouse was built to replace the former 1853 courthouse, and began service in 1900. It is still in use today.

1900 Tuolumne County Courthouse, Sonora

In spite of that, Sonora became a town that continued to survive and move forward with the rise of mining and lumber into the 20^th century.

I greatly enjoyed writing A Lawyer for Linton and setting it in a city I have enjoyed visiting several times. This book is currently available by CLICKING HERE.

 

 

 

 

Sources:

https://www.sonoraca.com/visit-sonora/sonora-california-history/short-history/

https://westernmininghistory.com/towns/california/sonora/

http://www.historichwy49.com/sonora/sonhist.html

http://www.tchistory.org

New Melones Dam from Wikipedia

https://tchistory.org/timber-lumber-industry/

 

Victorian America's Strawberries by Kristin Holt

 

 

by USA Today Bestselling Author Kristin Holt

 

Victorian America's Strawberries

Strawberries are abundant and lauded throughout Victorian-era cook books and newspapers. Since well before Victoria gained the throne, strawberries have been a seasonal favorite. 

Restaurants served strawberries. 

Proudly serving strawberries and cream! The Evening Post, New York, NY, May 3, 1837.

Even fund-raisers included fresh strawberries!

Victorian cooks prepared a variety of dishes with the berries in season. Just as importantly, housekeepers diligently preserved strawberries for off-season use.

Let's see what Victorian Americans did with strawberries!

Successful Victorian Strawberry Patches

This first article comes all the way from Victoria's coronation year, 1837. Notice the vintage tips to ensure an abundant crop!

Strategies for growing strawberries, from The Pittsfield Sun, Pittsfield MA, May 4, 1837.

Growing wisdom continued in newspapers, throughout the Victorian era.

Management of Strawberry Plants; The Inter Ocean of Chicago, Illinois. December 2, 1875.

This 1881 article encourages the planting of more than one variety of strawberries. Science at work!

Plant a variety! The Weekly Star and Kansan of Independence, KS. October 13, 1881.

Victorian America's Strawberry Recipes

Victorians feasted on strawberries in season. I'll show you their preserves recipes, too, below.

So, what did Victorian housekeepers (a.k.a. homemaker) do with fresh strawberries?

Victorian Fresh Strawberry Recipes

Serve with sugar and lemon.

Victorians adored jellied desserts. It's no surprise that cooks incorporated fresh strawberries into a moulded dessert.

The Complete Confectioner, Pastry-Cook, and Baker, Published 1844.

Oooh! Ice Cream! An at-home Victorian favorite, and also available in ice cream parlors about town.

Miss Beecher's Domestic Receipt Book, published 1846.

Another strawberry ice cream.

 

This "strawberry cream" recipe, known in the Victorian-era as Strawberry Whisk, sounds incredible. Even better than strawberry ice cream--and for this ice cream fan, that's saying something.

Miss Beecher's Domestic Receipt Book, published 1846.

 

Or freeze a strawberry ice without cream, altogether.

 

Miss Leslie's Lady's New Receipt Book, Published 1851.

 

Let's not forget PIE! Victorians adored pies, including berry pies. Notice one of these cooks the berries, and the other doesn't.

 

The New Housekeeper's Manual, Published 1873.

Strawberry sauce for baked puddings. Ooh, this sounds good.

Practical Cooking and Dinner Giving, Published 1877.

 

 

Don't forget the Strawberry Shortcake!

 

Practical Receipts of Experienced Housekeepers, Compiled by the Ladies of the Seventh Presbyterian Church, Cincinnati. Published 1874.

Here's another baked strawberry pie recipe, with a Cream (Raspberry or) Strawberry Tart.

Common Sense in the Household; A Manual of Practical Housewifery, Published 1879.

It's no surprise that Strawberry Shortcake remained popular through the turn of the twentieth century.... and beyond!

Victorian Strawberry Preserves

Raspberries and Strawberries are magical in that natural fruit pectin causes the cooked fruit and sugar to set up. Made with mashed fruit, jam results. If the pulp is strained and only the juices are jellied, jelly results. Unless we're talking about a jelly. Different thing. Mostly.

Below, Godey's Lady's Book published recipes for Strawberry Preserves, Strawberry Jelly, and Strawberry Jam.
 

Godey's Lady's Book Receipts and Household Hints, Published 1870.

We're cooking fancy now! Below, an 1871 recipe (or receipt) for preserving (notice bottles, but no lids) whole strawberries. They'd be a treat come January.

 

Mrs. Porter's New Southern Cookery Book, Published 1871.

  

...including Beverages 

Miss Catharine Beecher included the following Royal Strawberry Acid. A tasty beverage for invalids and the well alike.

Miss Beecher's Domestic Receipt Book, 1846.

Tea and coffee were staples in Victorian America, but that didn't prevent folks from looking for alternatives. Some options were medicinal, others were used out of desperation, and others simply because they tasted good.

 

Don't forget the Strawberry Wine and Strawberry Cordials!

Housekeeping in Old Virginia, published 1878.

Strawberries: To Wash, or Not 

Most nineteenth-century cook books and newspaper articles instructed cooks to not wash their berries. Apparently all the flavor would escape in the wash water.

I did find at least one dissenting vote to the no-washing rule.

Housekeeping in Old Virginia, published 1878 AND The Columbian Cook Book, published 1892.

I'm off to buy fresh berries, in season, and whip up a Victorian-inspired Strawberry Whisk!

Invitation

With so many delicious strawberry recipes, do any call to you to adjust for contemporary baking?

Did you learn something new?

Please scroll down and comment.

Related Articles

Copyright © 2021 Kristin Holt LC