Category: 20th Century America
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Call and Response: Railroad Tales of Jacob S. Miller
“Pick it up!” Grandpa Jake chanted, tapping twice on the desk. Dorris stomped her foot, “Lay it down!” They went on like that, his baritone and her alto voice echoing off the walls in the call and response of railroad workers.
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The Huzzah Creek Feud: Sallie Tubbs Remembers
“That road there,” Sallie said, pointing toward the dusty road, “is where the big family feud came to a head.” In 1915, at her 82nd birthday, Sallie Tubbs Camden told the tale of disputed land, fallen trees, bloodshed, and silence, the tale of the Huzzah Creek Feud.
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The Call Up the Hill: Myrtle Payne’s Final Reflections
Myrtle put down the engraved guitar pick she’d been studying and sighed. “I don’t know, Harper. It just feels like my days are numbered, you know? I’m gettin’ old.” She tapped a pile of photographs. “That one’s for Cliff, this one’s for Agnes. And Delmer—any musical stuff goes to him.”
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The Employment Man: Glenn Hastie Mitchell’s Legacy of Work
Glenn Mitchell sat at his desk, matching the unemployed with any work he could find. A veteran, a single mother, a desperate father—each one left with purpose. But jobs weren’t enough. His greatest project, the community gardens, turned empty land into food, dignity, and survival.
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Threads of War: Rachel Blackwell’s Memorial Quilt
Rachel Elvira Blackwell’s hands, weathered by time, stitched steadily under the warm glow of the hearth. Around her, daughters laughed and sewed, their quilt a tapestry of family history—threads of war, love, and loss woven into each square. At its heart, a gold star gleamed, honoring sacrifice and memory.
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An Odd Fellow with an Oath: Arthur Miller’s Journey of Friendship, Love, and Truth
Arthur Miller traced the painting’s path with a trembling hand. “Friendship, Love, and Truth,” he said, “are more than words—they’re a map for life.” As he prepared to pass the Noble Grand mantle to his son, he reflected on his journey: a pioneer’s struggles, family sacrifices, and the steadfast bonds of the Odd Fellows.
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Weight of the Earth: The Plagued Life of Christopher Maples
Engaged in work in the deadly mines of Picher, Oklahoma, Christopher Maples battled suffocating dust, ruthless exploitation, and the slow grip of tuberculosis. His relentless fight for a meaningful life echoed the struggles of a town consumed by industry, leaving behind a haunting legacy of resilience, regret, and the unyielding pursuit of the American Dream.
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Jacob Oleson Aase: The Carpenter from Stavanger
Frederikke sat by the window, cradling their newborn, Fritz, as the noisy streets of Chicago bustled below. Jacob returned from the construction site, his hands calloused and his spirit weary. ‘This isn’t what we dreamed of,’ she whispered. Her words lingered, sparking their plan to seek new beginnings in Iowa.
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The Cream Rises to the Top: Owen S. Mitchell’s Fight for Justice
Owen’s heart sank at the sight of Dandy’s lifeless calf on the barn floor. The vet’s diagnosis confirmed his worst fear: contagion had infected the herd. Facing ruin, Owen didn’t back down. “He gave me his word,” he declared in court, determined to prove that honesty should prevail.
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My Kindred Chronicles 