This is a historically correct and truly amazing story from the continuing journal entries of the fictional newspaper reporter James Michael Urbaniak. Again, the histories in this work are truly looking back into the past eight generations of the Dodd Family with their faith and with their tenacity in the pursuit of the American Dream. This story is the second book in the Saddlebag Series Leavenworth City. This story is told through the eyes of four different perspectives……
The Narrator (Author) in the present time reflects on the history of Leavenworth, Kansas while leaving his parent’s home with the journals found in the tunnels to the Planter’s House. Arriving at his home he proceeds to read the writings in one of the journals that were discovered in the saddlebag.
James Michael Urbaniak (fictional character) is a soon-to-be retiring journalist who is writing his last
big story before his retirement. The story in the journals begins in the last days of the year 1899 in
Leavenworth, Kansas where our storyteller scribes a tale from a family that survived the
hardships and the heartbreaks in the early days of emigration into the United States.
Elizabeth Dodd Chick tells the story of The Dodd’s trek across, and George Chick describes the
Chick Family adventure to Salt Lake City is the tale of two families that immigrated to America in the
1850’s with The Church of Jesus Christ of Ladder-day Saints from Liverpool, England.
The Dodd Family crossed America with the Martin Handcart Company in 1856, this expedition was con-
considered to be one of the worst tragedies in early American history with the migration and crossing of the
Mormons with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints across the United States by foot. The
Chick Family was part of the Abraham Smoot Company and was witness’s to the Saluda incident on the
Missouri River in the year 1852.
Eventually, in 1857 the Dodd Family decided to leave Zion after more despair made them desire to leave their heavenly home, and so they left Salt Lake City settling in Good Intent (Atchison), Kansas during the spring of 1858. This fictitious interview with the Dodd Family members in this journal entry covers the actual true researched and documented trials and tribulations of the Thomas Dodd Family from Liverpool, England to settling in Leavenworth, Kansas.
With research and time here are the historical true life stories of Thomas Dodd and George Chick taken from journals of associates and journeys that they were on. The journals were written by many of the survivors of both of their journeys. One adventure was by wagon train with the Abraham Smoot Company of 1852, and the other by the feet of The Martin Handcart Company of 1856. I then followed the stories of the families till the current date of this publishing.
A generational history spanning over 160 years in The United States told in chronological order with stories of despair, faith, hope, humor, and unheard-of family struggles that kept a family bonded through thick and thin. The ending of the story has a twist to delight every reader and will question all to research into their past, and knowing Family is always there for you all around.