A HOMETOWN BOY IN DEADWOOD by Marisa Masterson

 Research drives what I write. Setting a book in Old Deadwood means I had to research. Of course!

What I learned surprised me! John Manning, the sheriff who set out to clean up Deadwood, came from my area of Wisconsin. He grew up in my grandmother's hometown, Highland. Why, that made him something like a neighbor.

Manning is a character in my next novel, releasing this Thursday. Character is a good way to describe him. He co-owned the Senate Saloon where Jack McCall shot Wild Bill Hickok. 

But don't lump him in with other saloon owners like Al Swearengen. He was a man who wanted stability brought to Deadwood. His efforts made him an excellent lawman to include in my story. Just the man I needed to help with the secret Ross Kirwan, my hero, is living.

From The Bride Who Mines Gold:

Men in chains! Althea saw them as the stagecoach rolled to a stop. The sight did not fit
with her idea of a mining town.

Those men all held shovels. Some moved mud, filling in ruts. Others laid loose stone on top of the filled holes. They tapped down the rocks.

“Manning, what do you have those men doing?”

At Luke’s call, a short man with hair slicked back around a balding head turned. He grinned above his shaggy goatee. “Must be spring. Voorhees and his stage are back.”

“Yeah, and I’m wondering if you have a set of manacles or maybe another set of those chains.”

Manning glanced to his right. He tipped his head toward the men as his gaze met that of another man with a star on his vest. He also held a shotgun. Althea guessed he was Manning’s deputy.

After the deputy nodded, Sheriff Manning stepped toward the coach. “Had trouble?”

“Yep, and I have one of the gang members with me.”

Butch had approached. At Luke’s words, he backed up a step and then two. When he turned to run, Joey stuck out a booted boot. The escaping man landed face first in the mud. Both Bill and Joey put a foot on the man’s back to keep him there.

“Your driver? How do you know he’s in Heally’s gang?”

At the mention of the name, Butch twitched and pushed upward. Bill threw himself onto the man’s back. He grabbed an arm and twisted it behind Butch’s back.

“How about those handcuffs, Sheriff?”

At Bill’s gruff question, one that was more command than query, Manning stepped forward to hand the manacles to Joey. “You boys are already dirty. My Frankie doesn’t like me bringing home muddy clothing.”

Althea spoke before she thought. “Is Frankie your son?”

Manning’s laugh made even the chain gang stop. A shout had them once more using their shovels. The people crowding near resumed walking up and down the street.

She was relieved not to have the attention focused on them. The sheriff’s lips twitched with humor as he explained, “Frankie’s my wife.”

 

The Gem Theater, Circa 1878

Later in the book, Manning comes up against Al Swearengen. The famous brothel owner ran The Gem, a wild and wildly popular, uh, place in Deadwood. 

It's said that in its heyday, Swearengen earned ten thousand dollars each night from The Gem. Even Calamity Jane danced as part of the entertainment in that place. 

Again, from The Bride Who Mines Gold:

The door burst open, bouncing off the wall. “Sheriff!” a man shouted.

“Lou, what do you mean coming in here like that?”

“You’d best come. Mrs. Doc and Al Swearengen are goin’ at it. She’s aiming that little gun of hers at him.”

Manning paused and looked toward Ross. “You don’t suppose Al—”

Ross knocked over the chair as he broke into a run.

In the street, he immediately sized up the situation. Three women wedged themselves into the mouth of a blind alley. Not only did Mrs. Doc have her pocket gun but also Mrs. Manning was there, pointing a large navy revolver at a well-dressed man with golden hair. Blondie stood behind both women.

They formed a human fence. The sheriff’s wife curled her lips back as if she were a dog who bared its fangs. Mrs. Doc glared at the bunch.

“I don’t doctor anyone I shoot, boys. Remember that.”

If the situation had not been tense, Ross might have laughed at Dr. Elsie’s promise. Dr. Elsie Marsh, or Mrs. Doc, was a whirlwind of determination. Being healthy, he only knew her by rumor. What men said about her told him she would not back down from a challenge or a cause.

The woman’s belly slightly protruded, forming another barrier between the blond man and Althea. At her side, the sheriff’s wife had a baby swaddled to her chest.

“This is a good woman. You leave her alone.”

Hoots of laughter erupted at how Frankie Manning described Althea. “Good, huh? Why’s she dressed like a man?”

Ross recognized Ernie Schmidt’s voice. He had been at the mine with Heally and Arnie. Here he was, causing more trouble.

Another man yelled. “Why’s she livin’ with a man? Let Swearengen have her.”

It is wild doings in Deadwood. One would think life up on the mountain, in the woods, would be quieter. One would be wrong. 

But you will have to read my book to find out more...

Available March 6 on Amazon. Free in KU.

About the Book:

More than gold lies hidden in Deadwood. A woman discovers danger and romance in The Black Hills.

Althea Mills receives a terse note informing her of her father’s death. His partner adds no words of sympathy or mentions Mr. Mills’ share of their claim. She knows the men have been successful. Her father had been sending money each month to support her and her mother, so there must be gold in Deadwood.

Desperate not to lose the money needed to support Ma, she decides on a plan. Althea will head west to mine her share of the claim. Selling everything they own, she and her mother board a train for Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Winter keeps them in Cheyenne. While there, her mother marries. Althea must continue alone.

Once the mountain passes thaw, Althea takes the Cheyenne & Deadwood Stage to head for her mine. As she travels, her confidence grows. What could go wrong?

Close to Deadwood, bandits stop the stage and steal from the passengers. One man meets her gaze. Althea is sure she has never seen greener eyes, eyes she will remember.

Ross Kirwan has a problem. His employee’s daughter arrives, claiming her father was his partner. She expects to mine the gold on his claim. Her appearance forces him to do something he did not plan to do—he must truly mine his claim.

The situation grows worse when a man tries to sell Althea to a Deadwood brothel owner. Only quick action and Ross’ claim to be her fiancé stops it. A forced marriage follows, with the bride vowing to make it temporary. Is that what they want, an annulment?

Will his secret bring an end to their convenient marriage, or will she see him as the man she would have chosen?

Click to reserve your copy!

WATCH OUT FOR MADAME MUSTACHE! by Marisa Masterson

 Last week I began researching the history of Deadwood, South Dakota. I ran across an interesting character. Actually, several fascinating people roamed through that area during its heyday. However, I had heard of them. Wyatt Earp, Wild Bill Hickock, Calamity Jane--these were familiar to me. The one I had never heard of was Madame Mustache.

Her real name was Simone Jules, but she changed it to Eleanor Dumont. Apparently, it sounded more French. She wanted to capitalize on the attraction men had for French women in the West.

Madame Mustache started her reputation in the Old West by opening a gambling parlor in Nevada City. There she only allowed nicely dressed, clean men into her business. No other women were allowed there--only her. This was no brothel. She was a female who worked as a dealer and attracted men to her gambling parlor to see the beautiful lady dealer.

The brothel came later. As she moved from place to place, she eventually started brothels. Dumont flaunted her role as the madame. She made sure that her 'girls' rode in carriages during the day, as much to flaunt their beauty as to upset the decent women in whatever town she was working at the time.

This woman was no saint and probably would have been forgotten except for her interesting nickname. Madame Mustache had a line of dark hair running above her upper lip. She became known for this.

Little did I know this would make someone famous! And I have been plucking my facial hair!

Want to read the book that will include some of the fascinating characters from Deadwood's heyday?

Will their marriage be a second chance or a disaster?

Suspense, the historical setting, and sweet romance make this a must-read for anyone who enjoys a Laura Ingalls Wilder sort of life. Settle back with your Kindle and enjoy life in 1870. The West is waiting for you.

Pre-order Today!

Historic Adams House in Deadwood

 

A few weeks ago, I took a trip to Deadwood, South Dakota, for the annual Wild Deadwood Reads event. 

I had a little free time one morning and decided to do some exploring. I stopped by the Historic Adams House and was so glad I did! 

The Queen Anne-style home was built in 1892 for the Harris Franklin family with beautiful oak interiors, hand-painted canvas wall coverings, stained-glass windows, and gorgeous marble sinks. 

It was "modern" and perhaps even a little ahead of its time with indoor plumbing, electricity, and telephone service!

Harris and Anna Franklin, and their son Nathan arrived in Deadwood, Dakota Territory, in 1877.

Harris was a Jewish immigrant from humble beginnings, and earned his fortune through the wholesale liquor business. He gradually diversified into cattle, gold mining and banking. Between 1883 and 1890, the Franklins purchased four parcels of land in order to build a home with all the modern amenities.

In 1891, Harris and Anna Franklin commissioned Simeon D. Eisendrath, a Jewish architect from Chicago, to design their home.

The house was centrally heated, plumbed with hot and cold running water, and lit with electric lights. Servants were summoned by electric bells, and the owners communicated by telephone.

The Franklin’s moved into the residence, in 1893, and were soon entertaining guests. 

The tour I went on through the house was led by an amazing tour guide named Aaron who was knowledgeable about the home and it's past inhabitants. He also had a great sense of humor which added to the tour. 

According to Aaron, Mrs. Franklin loved music and when the family entertained, they would have musicians play in the round music room and the acoustics were so wonderful in that room, the sound would carry throughout the home.  The photo above shows the glorious hand-painted canvas walls encircling the music room. 

In the fall of 1893, their son, Nathan, wed Ada F. Keller. 

Three years later, Mrs. Franklin hired a firm to redecorate the house, improving on near perfection. Not long after, her health began to fail and she passed in 1902. 

Mr. Franklin sold the house to Nathan a few years later for the grand sum of $1. Nathan was a business man and community leader. In addition to owning a pharmacy, he was president of the First National Bank. 

Nathan and Ada raised their only child, Anna, in the beautiful home. They made improvements in 1904, 1914, and 1916, when Nathan was elected Mayor of Deadwood. 

The marble sinks throughout the house were incredible, with fantastic detail in the sink bowls.

When Nathan's second term in office ended, he and Ada made plans to move to move to New York city to be closer to their daughter and Harris. 

Nathan sold the house to William E. and Alice Adams for $8,500. According to Aaron, Nathan wasn't looking to make a profit, since the sum was about what Harris paid to have the house constructed. He wanted to sell the home to someone who would care for it.  

And William and Alice did. 

William and his brother arrived in Deadwood like many other young men - to mine gold. The brothers eventually opened a grocery business, but William ended up taking it over and turning it into a successful grocery wholesome business. William became one of the richest men in Deadwood, with properties in California as well. 

He and Alice had two daughters. One died as a young woman (I think Aaron said it was of diabetes, but I was so enthralled with the beautiful home, I wasn't paying 100% attention). Their daughter, Helen, wed and lived in California. Alice was diagnosed with cancer, but wanted to be in California with Helen as she was due to give birth to her first child. 

Upon arriving, Alice was exhausted and needed to rest - and passed that very day. Her sudden death was so upsetting to Helen, she went into premature labor and died. The baby also passed a few hours later. With less than 48-hours, William lost his entire family. 

Mired in his grief, he moved out of the master suite and went through the motions of living. Then he met Mary Mastrovich Vicich, a widow who was more than forty years younger than him. 

When the two of them wed, it set tongues wagging all over town. 

Mary "traveled for business" although Aaron the tour guide said no one had been able to determine exactly what type of business she conducted. 

Regardless, she and William became best friends. 

In 1934, William suffered a stroke and died. Mary didn't want his money, because she refused to be labeled a gold digger.

William left her the home and a lump sum of cash. She found it painful to live in the house without William there, so she left. Just closed up the house and left. Once a year, she would come back to Deadwood for a visit, but she stayed in a hotel. When asked why, she claimed the house was haunted. 

According to Aaron the tour guide, who's grandmother recalls seeing Mary, the woman likely encouraged the idea of the house being haunted to prevent it being vandalized. She could be seen wearing black with her hair stringing down, and youngsters called her the witch, or so Aaron said. 

At any rate, from the time Mary walked out of the house to the day she sold it in 1987, the house remained untouched. Every plate, every curtain, every pillow was left in place, exactly as it had been the day she walked out of the home. The sheet music was still on the piano, the books in the library, medicines in the bathroom, even cookies in a jar. 

The contents of the home were documented, photographed, and stored in the attic. For a few years, the house became a bed and breakfast. In 1992, the city of Deadwood purchased it and continued running it as a B&B until 1995.  The house was left in a state of disrepair the city decided to restore it.

Great decision! 

In 2000, the Adams House opened to the public as a museum. Approximately 80% of the furnishings in the museum are directly associated with the Adams family. 

On the tour, the tour guide pointed out an old waffle iron - one of the first that were electric. It plugged directly into an outlet (no cord!)

Aaron also pointed out a glass jar with what appeared to be Nilla wafers. According to him, it's thought the cookies were in the jar when Mary left the house. When they were bringing stuff down from the attic for the museum, one of the work crew decided to taste a cookie, which disintegrated into a substance not unlike sawdust at first bite. I was amazed the cookies are still in one piece, at least as long as they aren't touched!

At any rate, if you ever find yourself in Deadwood, I highly recommend a visit to the Historic Adams House. 

Since I adore big, old houses, and I love any reason to celebrate Christmas, today you can download a digital copy of The Christmas Bargain for free (which features the Granger House - a glory of a home that only exists in my imagination!).

One Old West Cinderella discovers

Prince Charming is a . . . Cowboy?

The death of her mother left Philamena Booth grieving and at the mercy of her drunken father. After spending more than a decade held captive on their run-down farm, she’s left speechless and dazed when her father strikes a bargain to settle a long overdue debt. In lieu of payment, a handsome cowboy agrees to take her. Mortified yet relieved to leave the farm, Philamena unexpectedly finds herself married to a charismatic, caring man.

Luke Granger might own Hardman’s bank and the fanciest house in this Eastern Oregon town, but he’d much rather be outside riding his horses or wrangling his herd of cattle than keeping his account books straight. In a strange, unsettling turn of events, he finds himself accepting a farmer’s daughter instead of money to cover a loan. If the man hadn’t threatened to sell her to the saloon owner, Luke might have refused. He has no idea what to do with beautiful Filly or their marriage of convenience, but he’s about to get far more than he bargained for.

Full of western charm and holiday warmth, The Christmas Bargain is a sweet Christmas romance filled with the spirit of the season.

USA Today bestselling author Shanna Hatfield grew up on a farm where her childhood brimmed with sunshine, hay fever, and an ongoing supply of learning experiences.

Today, Shanna draws on her rural roots to create sweet romances filled with hope, humor, quirky small-town characters, realistic heroes, and women of strength.

When this award-winning author isn’t writing or testing out new recipes (she loves to bake!), Shanna hangs out at home in the Pacific Northwest with her beloved husband, better known as Captain Cavedweller.