The Popularity of Sensation Novels by Linda Carroll-Bradd

During the 1860s and 1870s, the literary genre called sensation novels gained popularity in England. The genre combined elements from melodramatic novels (with themes of proving a moral universe existed) and Newgate novels (crime biographies popular in the 1830s-1840s). The industrialization of the book making process created books of good quality in greater numbers, which led to a huge increase in the number of readers. Because the sensation novel combined realism and romance, two elements previously considered to be in opposition, the title appealed to a wide audience.

Another societal event that influenced these stories was increased recordkeeping, which included proof of identity. Almost always present in a sensation novel was the question of the permanence or establishment of identity. In British society, loss of identity (or status) was a shared anxiety. These novels, often labeled as a novel-with-a-secret, capitalized on that fear by including provocative events of questionable wills, forged documents, secret marriages, and illegitimate offspring. Two examples of the questioning of identity are: The Woman in White (1859-60) by Wilkie Collins and Lady Audley’s Secret (1862) by Mary Elizabeth Braddon. These two novels, as well as East Lynne by Ellen Wood, are credited as the titles that launched the genre. (Free copies of these novels can be found on Amazon or Google’s Gutenberg Project)

All of these elements coexisted with events of normal Victorian society. Authors of this genre often used police reports printed in newspapers as inspiration, although the plots did not center on the solving of the crime but how the crime affected the characters. Shocking events like bigamy, adultery, theft, forgery, seduction, and murder were often included. One of the attractions of the sensation novel was that readers were getting a peek at the secrets behind the veil of an upstanding family and were titillated (their senses were aroused) about what was revealed.

When the books were published, they became immediate bestsellers. The fact they were panned by high-brow critics made them even more sought-after because of the illicit nature. One critic at the time, Henry Longueville Mansel, writing in the Quarterly described the novels as “extremely provocative of that sensation in the palate and throat which is a premonitory symptom of nausea.” See the similarity with how the romance genre has been treated for decades?

My next release, A Match for Althia, includes a heroine who loves reading sensation novels and thinks she wants to write one, only to discover her life has been too genteel to know her subject matter. 

Is anyone a fan of fiction written in the 1800s? If so, who is your favorite author?

"The Singing War" Music and Serenades During the Civil War by Jo-Ann Roberts

 

 “All history proves that music is as indispensable to warfare as money, and money has been called the sinews of war. And music is its soul...”

                                                                                    The New York Herald,  1862                                                                            

The musical world around soldiers and civilians during the antebellum and war years provided support, guidance, and entertainment. As is true with today's music, people from that time period gravitated toward music that reflected their feelings at that moment. The soldiers took great solace in familiar antebellum music that evoked these fond memories. And by doing so, broke through the barriers of political, ideological, and regional divides brought on by the Civil War. 

With the country embroiled in war, music remained important to everyone, at home and on the front lines. The lyrics rekindled emotions reminded men why they enlisted and helped forge a common bond throughout the ranks.

"In camp and hospital they sang sentimental songs and ballads, comic songs and patriotic numbers...these songs were better than rations or medicine."                                                                                                                                                         Kenneth Bernard   

An image taken early in the war of the

33rd NY State Volunteer Infantry band,

also known as the Elmira Cornet Band.

                            Library of Congress

Singing, playing, and hearing music allowed troops to reminisce about peaceful times at home with family and loved ones, bond, and temporarily escape from the horrors of battle. Soldiers of both sides often engaged in recreation with musical instruments, and when the opposing armies were near each other, sometimes the bands from both sides of the conflict played against each other the night before a battle. 

At the start of the war, there were few military bands. As state and local militias were mustered into service, they brought along their bands and were useful in recruiting soldiers. In July of 1861, the War Department issued Order #48 entitling two field musicians (buglers or fifes and drummers) per company of soldiers and a band of 16-24 musicians for each regiment. These musicians were noncombatants, there solely to provide music for the Army and morale-boosting so badly needed.  

In the months when both armies, unable to campaign because of impassable roads, would go into winter camps where there was little to keep them occupied. During these times, amateur musicians, drawn from companies, regiments, and bridges put on plays, reviews, and even excerpts from famous operas.

John Billings of the 9th Massachusetts Battery and author of Hardtack and Coffee wrote:

"There was probably not a regiment in the service that did not boast of one violinist, one banjoist, and bones player in it's ranks...and one or all of them could be heard in operation... a most pleasant evening...The usual medley of comic songs and sentimental melodies composed the greater part of the entertainment."

2nd South Carolina String Band     Library of Congress

Their primary duty was on the battlefield. Long before radios and technological advances, music - drums, bugles, fifes, etc. - was a vital part of the command process used to marshal, move, and direct troops in camp or on the march, and especially in battle where the cacophony of the fighting drowned out all verbal commands beyond a few feet. 

Troops on the move and in camps used music in a variety of ways. The common man from both the North and the South did not have the cultural opportunities to hear live music found in larger cities. Thus the bands exposed these soldiers to popular tunes such as "Eatin' Goober Peas", "When Johnny Comes Marching Home", "The Battle Cry of Freedom", "Lorena", "Listen to the Mocking Bird", and  "Dixie" as well as many others.

Whether sentimental or high-spirited, the Confederate and Union soldier's music was an important part of the way of life and culture they fought to preserve.

Often, if either army was camped near a village or town, their singing could be heard throughout the countryside, giving the residents comfort and a respite from the horrendous battle being waged literally in their fields and back yards. However, if the opposing army had overtaken a town or a village, those same residents became easily annoyed by the singing of their enemies.

Such was the case in my upcoming release, Marrying the Major (Mended Hearts Series). Following the surrender at Appomattox, the Army of the Ohio descends upon Adams Mill, awaiting the surrender of North Carolina in nearby Durham Station. Hoping to court Judge Davis Lambert's older daughter, Kit, Union officer Major William Chandler assembles a group of musicians to serenade the beauty.

To read an excerpt click here.

Coming in October!

The War Between the States has ended…but for Kit and Will their battle had just begun.

    As the daughter of a prominent judge and well-bred mother whose roots could be traced back to before the War of Independence, Katherine Lambert had been the belle of Adams Mill. Her upbringing her schooling and her privileged world had revolved around the latest fashions, picnics, parties, and a host of beaus and friends.

    She was expected to raise children; not her voice.

    Until she defied her family and the Rebel cause by doing the unthinkable...falling in love with a Union cavalry officer.

    The moment the very elegant very beautiful Katherine Lambert turned around to look at U.S. Major William Chandler was the moment she marched off with his heart. Though he always planned to carve out his own destiny, to marry and raise a family, he never expected love to find him in a small Southern town.

Encountering opposition at every turn, he remains undaunted, determined to court and marry Kit and see who took serious objection.

They'd hoped their love would mend and heal the wounds of a splintered family, but someone else had other ideas.

Website:  joannrobertsauthor.com

Facebook:  Jo-Ann Roberts Author | Facebook

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 Email: jrobertsauthor@yahoo.com  jrobertsauthor1@gmail.com

 

  

 

 

    

 

 

GOLD!

 Post by Doris McCraw

writing as Angela Raines

GOLD!

In 1848 gold was found in California. Although there had been some placer gold found in the southeast, this was a game-changer. When word arrived back east of the Mississippi the rush was on.  Unfortunately, many of the thousands who sailed around the southern tip of South America crossed at Panama or traveled across the country in wagons and carts failed to find enduring riches.

SS California, the first ship of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company. This ship was used between Panama and San Francisco between 1848 and 1894, when she was wrecked off the coast of Peru. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Then in 1859, another rush was on. Gold was found in Colorado. Many of those who missed the first rush headed west across the Great American Desert to the Rocky Mountains. From 1859 on gold was found in a number of the Western states, the Dakotas, Nevada, Montana, etc. The last rush was in the 1890′s in the Cripple Creek region of Colorado and Alaska. Many people followed one rush after another, most to no avail.

In their haste, so many rushed across or destroyed what many would call true wealth. In California some of the pristine areas were forever blighted as the gold was extracted from the earth. The Great American Desert, which many spent months crossing,  was, in reality, to become part of the breadbasket of the nation. Forest, mountains, rivers all were all sacrificed to the need for quick wealth.

Quick wealth was the pipe dream many sought. While some miners found gold nuggets just lying around, but most of the prospectors and miners worked hard, long hours, barely breaking even. It was those who supplied the gold seekers, or processed the gold ore that won the prize.

Denver in 1859 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Perhaps you are wondering why the history lesson. For me, it's the lessons learned that make it worthwhile. Many times we search for the quick answer and the bonanza strike of gold in our lives and work.  We dream of bestselling books, an easier life, more money. Those dreams can come true. The thing we need to watch for; not rushing by and missing the true gold. Friends, family, home. Savor the journey and those we share it with. In the end, they will be the ones who help us find our own gold.

It is friends who come to Clara's aide when the past catches up to her in "Home For His Heart". Below is an excerpt:

    Clara hummed as she put the finishing touches on the venison roast. In the two years

since arriving in Agate Gulch she prepared an annual special meal for friends. The past year was

especially wonderful. Even the gingham curtains on the restaurant windows smiled with her

tune. She felt she could finally put Henrietta 'Ettie' Heath to rest. Clara Cross was her life now.

Oliver was in the past and would stay there.

    Sensing someone behind her, as she turned her friend Sally was standing in the door.

    “You know you should sing in the church choir,” said Sally.

    “Oh I couldn't sing in public. The idea of all those people looking at me and judging, I

couldn't stand it,” replied Clara with a shudder.

    Sally's millinery shop was next to the restaurant. They both lived in homes behind their businesses.

 During the past winter, she and Sally developed a strong friendship. Still, how could Sally, who

 was petite and pretty, understand Clara's fear of being laughed at. Music was her special place

and any criticism would destroy that. Something most people didn't understand.

    “Clara, they would love you. Just as they love your cooking and your kind heart.”

    “I feel pretty lucky. To have so many customers who are friends, and of course you.”

    “Thank you for including me in that list,” replied Sally with a smirk.

    “You know what I mean. This meal is just my way of saying thank you for all the kindnesses 

 everyone has shown since I arrived, especially Fred.”

Amazon

Doris Gardner-McCraw -

Author, Speaker, Historian-specializing in
Colorado and Women's History

Angela Raines - author: Telling Stories Where Love & History Meet

Books: Angela Raines Books

Website: Angela Raines - author

Angela Raines FaceBook: Click Here

Supernatural Beliefs and Superstition in Victorian America - By Annee Jones

 

 

Supernatural Beliefs and Superstition in Victorian America

By Annee Jones

            From my previous blog last month, you may already know that my new book, Charm Cake by Charity, part of the Old Timey Holiday Kitchen series, features a cake-pull.  This is an activity in which a group of people each choose a ribbon attached to a symbolic charm that is hidden within a cake.  Everyone pulls out their ribbon at once to discover their charm.  Supposedly, the meaning of the charm tells the person’s fortune.  This is a fun tradition that originated in England and is now particularly popular at weddings in the American South. 

            While researching the history and meaning of cake charms, I began to wonder what other popular superstitious beliefs or practices were held by those who lived during the Victorian era (late 19^th century)?   I discovered some fascinating information that I thought I’d share with you today!  Read on to find out:

          The late 1800s in both England and the U.S. gave rise to new scientific discoveries that led to the Industrial Revolution as well as the splintering of religious philosophy.  During this period people became more interested in the paranormal and occult, such as ghosts, psychic readings, and metaphysical spirituality.

            At the same time, publishers were in search of stories to fill new periodicals and books.  Ghost stories became widely popular in weekly newspapers and magazines and were often serialized to keep readers eagerly awaiting the next issue.  In fact, one of the greatest ghost stories of all time, Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” was first published as a serial in a newspaper in 1843.

 

            Many famous Victorians including Mary Todd Lincoln and Queen Victoria utilized mediums to try to communicate with their deceased loved ones.  Mrs. Lincoln held multiple seances in the White House in attempts to connect with her son who had tragically died at a young age. 

           

            Life was very difficult during this time period, as though death “lurked behind every corner.”  People were reminded of their own mortality and wrestling with their ideas about the afterlife.  Popular culture embraced and explored those questions further; however, there are many accounts of swindlers who capitalized on others’ grief and uncertainty.

            Superstitious beliefs were also commonly held in the Victorian Era, including some of the following:

– If you don’t hold your breath while going by a graveyard, you will not be buried at the time of your passing.

– If you see an owl in the daytime, there will be a death.

– If a picture falls off the wall, there will be a death of someone you know.

– Dropping an umbrella on the floor or opening one in the house means there will be a murder in the house.

– After a loved one has passed away, pray and cover all mirrors in the house to prevent the spirit of the deceased from hiding there. Also, beware that the next reflection seen in the mirror shall be the next to die.

-You should hide a child’s used shoe or boot under a floorboard or behind a wall of your house for good luck.

 

 You’ll have to read Charm Cake by Charity to find out which charms the characters receive and how their meanings feature into the story! 

 

About Me:

 Annee Jones is an inspirational romance novelist who enjoys sharing her heart and imagination with others.  She is passionate about writing stories that offer hope and encouragement and likes to think of her books as “romance filled with faith and a sprinkle of fairy dust!”

Annee is also a professional book reviewer for Publishers Weekly in the genre of faith-based fiction (fun tidbit: she writes many of the editorial reviews you see on Amazon).

Professionally, Annee works as a disability counselor where she helps her clients navigate through complex medical and legal systems while rediscovering their wholeness in Spirit.

Connect with Annee here:

www.anneejones.com

https://www.facebook.com/groups/anneesangelgroup

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorAnneeJones

 

Available Now for Pre-Order:

Sources:

https://thehamillhouse.wordpress.com/2016/11/02/scammers-spiritualism-and-ghosts-the-victorian-obsession-with-the-paranormal/

https://thevictorianhistorian.com/beliefs-superstitions/

https://slate.com/human-interest/2016/06/lists-gathering-the-lost-superstitions-of-early-20th-century-america.html

 

 

Wild West Division

 

My current work in progress takes place against the backdrop of World War I. Because my main characters live in Pendleton, Oregon, I researched what would happen if the hero was conscripted (drafted) to serve. Where would we go for training? How far would he have to travel?

That led me to the founding of Camp Lewis, which is now known as Joint Base Lewis McChord, near Tacoma, Washington. 

In 1917, the Pierce County Electorate voted in a bond to purchase 70,000 acres they intended to donate to the federal government for use as a military base. Since America had now joined the war blazing in Europe, more soldiers were needed immediately, which meant additional training facilities had to be created. Located just south of Tacoma Washington near American Lake, Camp Lewis became first military installation in the history of the United States to be created as the direct result of an outright gift of land by citizens of the area.  

Construction began July 5. In approximately 90 days, a reported 10,000 men built 1,757 buildings and 422 other structures that were lighted, plumbed and heated. Streets, roads, and railroad spurs were underway. The camp was named after Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark expedition.

Later, the main gate was added that still stands to this day.

Photo from National Archives
91st Division, Camp Lewis, on overnight hike to Mt. Rainer.

The first recruits arrived at Camp Lewis on the fifth day of September in 1917. By the end of December, the camp had 37,000 officers, cadre, garrison, and trainees on post and was the largest military post in the USA at the time.

A group in Seattle wanted to send their drafted men off in style, so a grand party was held the night of September 4. It had been decided which of the conscripted men would walk through the gate and get the honor of being the first to be officially registered at the camp. They had a parade and arrived to find a farmer from the Burnt River region of eastern Oregon had beat them to the punch. I can just see their faces when they arrive to find him already registered.

Photo from National Archives
91st Division training 

Camp Lewis became home to the 91st Infantry Division. Men being trained there came California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and the Territory of Alaska. 

Unknown soldier wearing 91st patches

They were called the Wild West Division, and their battle cry became “Powder River! Let’er Buck!” According to sources I found, one of the early arrivals at the camp was a cowboy from Wyoming, still dressed in his chaps, boots, spurs, and hat. When asked where he was from, he said, "Wyoming, sir! Powder River! Let'er Buck!" 

Photo from National Archives
91st Division trench training

Many of the men were amused by his enthusiastic reply, and that because their battle cry. Although it was September of 2018 before the 91st Division joined in battle, they did well for a bunch of  "cowboys" from the west, recognized for their efforts by General Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces. 

The 361st Regiment (in which the hero of my story serves) was reportedly one of the best units in the AEF. Although they were in combat less than six weeks, the group is credited with gaining 15 1/2 miles of ground in enemy territory. In a war where battles were fought to gain even a few yards, this was a huge accomplishment. 

You can read more about the 91st Division and the fictional characters who are part of it as well as many historical tidbits in my soon-to-release sweet romance, Sadie.

Inspired by the true stories of women who served in France during World War I, Sadie is a sweet romance filled with courage, hope, and lasting love.

 She yearns for far-flung adventures. He longs for the home he’s found in her heart. Will a world at war tear them apart, or draw them closer together?

 For most of her life, Doctor Sadie Thorsen has imagined seeing the world on grand adventures. When America joins the war raging across the world in 1917, it seems her dreams are about to come true. She travels overseas as a contracted physician, eager to do her part, and hoping to encounter the man she loves. Endless streams of wounded push her to the limits of endurance, then she receives word Harley John Hobbs, the man who owns her heart, is missing in action. Unable to bear the thought of life without him in it, she refuses to let go of her hope that he’s alive.

 The day Sadie Thorsen shoved Harley John Hobbs down on the playground was the day she marched off with his heart. He spent years doing everything in his power to become successful, determined to have more than himself to offer Sadie if she ever returns to their eastern Oregon town. Conscripted to join American Expeditionary Forces, Harley John answers the call and heads to France. Wounded and alone, he clings to the promise of seeing Sadie one last time.

 Can deep, abiding love withstand the tragedies and trials of a world at war?

Find out more about Sadie today!

 

19th Century Heroes by Kimberly Grist

While researching the life of stagecoach drivers, I was especially intrigued by a quote from Annie L. Morrison of Big Jim Myers. "To sit beside him, listening to his stories, and go spinning around the downgrade curves or swing upward over the pass on a keen, frosty morning was an experience worth living for." 

Jim was reportedly careful of his appearance, handsome, jolly, well shaven, and easily handled the ribbons for a team of six. 

(Photo from the movie, Stagecoach, 1986)

A significant danger for stagecoach travelers on local or long-haul lines was the risk of being robbed. As gold mining spread across the West, so did the stagecoach bandits. Because of the dangers stagecoach drivers faced, some became folk heroes.

Another driver, Charley Parkhurst, is also notable. Disguised as a man, she was known as a skilled driver with the reputation of being one of California's safest and fastest drivers. 

(Journalist J. Ross Browne, right, rides alongside Charley Parkhurst on a stagecoach in the foothills of California, illustration from “Washoe Revisited,” 1865, Harper’s Monthly.)

Charlotte Parkhurst became known as One-eyed Charley after losing an eye from being kicked in the face by a steed.

 Image source: https://img1.wsimg.com/

Legend has it that. In her career of over twenty years, no highwayman dared to hold up a stagecoach with Charlie Parkhurst on the box, for the first two who tried were shot dead in their tracks.

A Hero is Born 

With every news article, my imagination took flight, and the image of my hero, in my new release, Shoo-fly Pie by Selah, came to life. Big Em is pragmatic, trustworthy with a keen sense of time, and of course, handsome. He brags that he has never been held up "successfully."

Here's an excerpt from my new release:

Selah unfolded the newspaper clipping with the caption: ‘Driver Continues Winning Streak. Never Been Held up Successfully.’ Such a dangerous vocation and far away from my ideal husband of an easy-going and chubby baker.”

Mrs. Beasley reached for the clipping and clucked her tongue. “Count your blessings, dear. What a handsome young man. He reminds me a bit of those dime novels everyone reads spinning tales about the characters settling the west.”

“The height and stature should be enough to make anyone think twice about holding up his stage. Not to mention his rifle and the gun belt resting on his hip.” A flush rose from Selah’s neck to her cheeks. “Bethany says he is handsome with blue eyes and blond hair. Looking at this photo, I can’t decide if he looks more like an outlaw or Goldilocks.”

“Oh, stop.” Mrs. Beasley removed her glasses from a chain around her neck and positioned them on her nose. Leaning closer, she said, “Reminds me a bit of General Custer. It ought to be illegal for a man to be that pretty. The injustice of it, to think of the years I spent sleeping with my hair rolled in papers to force a tiny bit of curl.”

Can this mail-order bride handle the diversity that comes with her husband’s dangerous vocation? Together will they blend their opposing desires to create a recipe for love?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09645C3MP#

About Kimberly Grist:

Kim has enjoyed writing since she was a young girl. However, she began writing her first novel in 2017, "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

Early Lady Lawyers of California- Mary McHenry Keith by Zina Abbott

 

In earlier posts, I featured two of the first lady lawyers who were admitted to practice before the California Bar. The first was Clara Shortridge Foltz, and very soon afterward was Laura de Force Gordon. Both of these women, intent on expanding their knowledge of the law after already passing the bar, applied to the Hastings College of Law (Now the University of California). They were denied admission based on their gender. After filing a lawsuit, they won their case. Unfortunately, due to financial and other reasons, neither completed the course of study and graduated.

 

The first woman who attended and graduated from Hastings College of Law was Mary McHenry. Graduatating in 1882, Mary McHenry practiced law for only a few years, although she used her law degree throughout her life to advocate social justice issues, specifically woman suffrage, opposing white slavery and prostitution, and animal rights issues.

Mary McHenry

Mary McHenry Keith was born in San Francisco, California on November 20, 1855 to John McHenry (1809–1880) and Ellen Josephine Metcalfe McHenry (1827-1922). John McHenry was a Judge and Louisiana Supreme Court Justice who moved to California in 1850 and continued to work as a judge in San Francisco. Mary had three siblings, Elizabeth Harris McHenry Lamare (1850-1907), Emma McHenry Pond (1857-1934), and John McHenry (1858-1935). She attended San Francisco's Girl's High School before pursuing a college degree.

Mary's father was not supportive of women's work outside the home, but did not stop her from attending college. She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1879 at the University of California in Berkeley. Thanks to the efforts of the above-mentioned lady lawyers to make it possible for women to attend law school about the time she finished her undergraduate degree, and without telling her father, she enrolled in Hastings.

1883 Portrait of Mary-William Keith

For a short time after graduating from law school, Mary worked as a lawyer specializing in probates. She gave up being a lawyer in 1883 when she married prominent landscape artist, William Keith. Mr. Keith died in 1911, and Mary did not remarry.

Mary McHenry Keith focused activist work after her marriage. Her work in this area started when she was still a student and promoted the dress reform movement, which drew attention to the ways in which women’s clothing restricted the abilities of women to comfortably and effectively engage in the full range of activities available to male classmates. As a as president of the Association of Collegiate Alumnae, she addressed the importance of women receiving an education.

By the early 1890s, Mary was a prominent lecturer and member of the Berkeley Political Equality Club, serving as its President beginning in 1902. With a membership of over 200, the Berkeley Political Equality Club was one of the largest suffrage organizations in California and throughout the West Coast of the US.

 

Mary Keith at 1911 Amendment 8 Campaign in San Francisco

 

Mary firmly believed that women should develop themselves to their full potential, and that they should fully participate in society. In 1895, she organized the Woman's Congress (held in Berkeley) at which time she met Susan B. Anthony and began a regular correspondence about suffrage and women's rights. After the dismissal of the campaign in 1896, Mary revamped and retargeted the movement; publicly speaking to the right and need for co-education, centralizing suffrage as a primary cause in women organizations across the state, and integrating modern devices, such as cars and telephones as a way to reach and democratize rural areas. her leadership in Northern California provided a key role in securing the passage of suffrage for California women in 1911.  

In 1912, Mary was elected president of California’s Equal Suffrage Association. In this role, she expanded her experience and suffrage support to other states, such work contributed to the 19th amendment's ratification in 1920. 

Mary Keith 1910

Mary was an advocate for animal rights. She saw connections between women's and animals rights, and her thoughts on animal rights are reported to have had a strong influence on John Muir. Her advocacy for animal rights led to her service to the Humane Society, the California Audubon Society, as an officer for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and as a trustee of the Latham Foundation for the Promotion of Humane Education.

As a donor to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and William Keith’s widow, she also was recognized for her work cataloguing, preserving, and exhibiting his collected works.

Mary McHenry Keith lived until the age of ninety-one. She died in Berkeley, California, on October 13, 1947.

This includes my trio of blog posts about early California lady lawyers. I’ve been interested in women and the law in California for years. However, my research for my romance, A Lawyer for Linton inspired my learning more about these women who pioneered professional careers and held leadership positions advocating for a better, more equitable society.

 

 

You may find the book description and purchase link for A Lawyer for Linton by CLICKING HERE.

 

 

My latest book to be released tomorrow (preordered purchases will actually show up on most readers’ Kindles late tonight) is Lighthouse Escape. What a delight writing this romance turned out to be. I hope my readers will enjoy reading. You may find the book description and purchase link for this book by CLICKING HERE.

 

 

 

 

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_McHenry_Keith

https://www.stmarys-ca.edu/saint-marys-college-museum-of-art/mary-mchenry-keith-suffrage