Ed Butler is privileged to possess a wealth of stories about his ancestors, some of which have been passed down through generations, while others stem from his own experiences.
These narratives often provoke more questions than they answer. For instance, how would one have survived in 1821, homesteading on land, if their husband disappeared while clearing land? How could a person endure a fifty-mile journey in an ox-drawn cart, traversing swampy forests with three young children, one of whom was too young for solid food? Do you know of anyone who left home at fourteen and returned only after nearly six years? Ed recalls that his father was the only person he knew who lived and traveled in a covered wagon and who trained and worked with three teams of oxen. His father milked cows for sixty-two years and had a remarkable connection with animals, long before the term "horse whisperer" became widely known.
He is gratified that many readers of the first edition have noted that similar stories of hardship and perseverance have been shared by the older generations in their own families. These stories, both his and those of others, form an integral part of American history.
Ed hopes that readers will also take steps to preserve their family histories.