The Road West

By Allison Kohn

Previously published as Evelyn's anxious Bench,this is the first book in the Baker family saga. In 1842 the first wagon train left Independence, Mo. for the west coast. Jonathan Baker's family was grown and had families of their own, but Jonathan was the patriarch and when he decided he wanted his family to be among the first to settle the west coast and establish a town in the valley along the Willamette River he had his way. His oldest daughter, Evelyn didn't like it one bit. She had to leave her upper class society and home with all its amenities; but that was the least of it. She had to leave her servants behind because her father decided they wouldn't need them on the trail. Her thoughts were that he had no idea what servants were for and how much they were needed. She thought that was the worst thing that could happen to her, but soon found out it was the least of her problems. When tragedy struck, she had no one to turn to. She was determined to be a perfect woman and perfect women don's share their problems with their friends and family. This is what Gene Covington says about the story: As you travel the pages of the story you can literally feel the transformation of the folks as they go from a life of dependent luxury and of little self worth to people with strength, personal pride and integrity. It is of people who knew and cared little about God. As they journey from comfort in the east to build a new town in the west in the 1800's you experience their hardships, lost loved ones, pain and suffering. You will also become a member of the family and wagon train and share in their family love and happy and exciting experiences. Their discovery of God and the records his prophets left to help them live by is an exciting part of the book.

As they travel Bear River I could smell the air, hear the roar of rapids and I longed to be there for I have traveled, fished and hunted that land. Thanks for taking me there once again.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Allison Kohn
• Release date: Aug 17, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310862458

Allison Kohn

Allison Kohn is a 75 year old ordained Presbyterian elder who has worked with both children (of all ages) and adults to help them with their Christian walk. She has published 11 books - five of them in the Baker family Saga. Since her example, Jesus, used stories to teach truth, she does the same. Everyone wants to be entertained and a good book teaches in an entertaining way, just as a good sermon preaches in an entertaining way. The author has a lot of experience with people and how they react to the ups and downs of life and she puts it to work in her writing.

Book preview

Dedication

To my sister Marjorie Lane AKA Amanda Valdez

Acknowledgements

With sincere thanks to Jehovah Jireh - God my provider, to the love of my life, Yeshua; my best friend and constant companion. Thanks to my little sister, who never doubted my ability to finish and publish this work. Thanks to the many people who listened spell-bound as I read to them, and the many more that read it for themselves and pronounced the scenery and people real and touching. To my mother for her love of nature and a productive imagination; to my grandmother and aunt for their patience in recounting real historical events, I owe my deep appreciation.

Preface

The children loved to listen to their grandfather tell his exciting stories about how he lived until he was forced to come home to the boring life of a well-run farm of considerable acreage with everything that his extended family could possibly need or care about. Now they listened to his enthusiastic dreams of conquering the whole of the western continent. They didn’t care, it was MANIFEST DESTINY. Yeah!

Their mothers, especially Jonathan’s eldest daughter, Evelyn, did care. She cared very much, but ... well- her father was the head of his extended family, entilted to their respect.

When Mr. Charles Finney brought the anxious bench to his New York revivals in 1836, he probably didn’t know or care that it, and everything else associated with his preaching, would be a thorn in the flesh of Evelyn Baker and her sister.

When Evelyn was introduced to Mr. Finney's anxious bench however, she became verbally offended; however, she only became annxious to never be subjected to the evangelist, his rude brand of Christianity, or his anxious bench again.

She managed to avoid that irritation and thought she was rid of it. She went home and resumed her sweet, sane, calm life. She eventually married and started her family in an affluent Maryland ambiance with little more than the normal irritations associated with married bliss, until …

Chapter 1

Upper State New York, 1830

Margaret Baker listened to her eldest daughter, Evelyn's, tirade and thought what a pretty picture she made in her sea green gown with a perfect match glowing from her expressive eyes. Evelyn's index finger pointed upward and her thumb held her chin high as she said coldly, I suggest we cancel the rest of our trip and return home immediately!

Her mother blinked. Why dear, you know that your father is not yet returned from Toronto. We will all travel back together of course; it would be rude to leave your father's own brother's house now.

Mother you know that Father would not approve of those meetings.

Why – why, there is nothing wrong with Mr. Finney's meetings. He is a perfectly respectable lawyer, and his messages are quite interesting.

His meetings have nothing to do with the legal field and his language is atrocious - and he is rude.

Hush dear, your aunt and uncle will hear you. And really dear, all that he says is right you know. I read a pamphlet when I was a young girl in England that told all about it.

Mother, how could you say such a thing? You know that it is rude to name people in public prayer. You know that whole meeting is nothing but crude sensationalism. Who ever heard of such a thing as an anxious bench? Of all things!

It seems like a very good idea to me, dear. I almost went down there myself.

There you are. That’s just what I mean. You were carried along with the excitement of the whole thing. I tell you, it is dangerous and father would not approve.

Oh but dear, I'm sure if father could just hear him speak, he would be very impressed and see that Mr. Charles Finney is a very honest and intelligent man, this said with much confidence and a relaxed smile on her face.

Evelyn drew close to her mother and whispered, No Mother, he would not. Father is an enlightened man and enlightened men know that the essence of the gospel is the ethical teachings of Jesus. Man must stop looking to some fanatic's fable for salvation and realize that the Bible is an ethical guidebook that human reason may use to help man attain a high standard of virtue and piety.

Evelyn's mother held out her hands to the middle-aged couple, her brother-in-law and his wife, entering the room. Oh Ralph and Emma, here you are at last. How did you find your neighbors? Is the old woman any better?

Yes, she is much better, praise God. Emma was glad to see her eat every bit of the broth we took to her. Well how did you enjoy the meeting? You are very fortunate to be here when Mr. Finney is preaching. He is a very clever and wonderful Christian.

Evelyn barely stifled a sneer and her mother spoke too quickly and louder than usual to cover her embarrassment. Yes, he is a good speaker and all that he said was true, I am sure. When I was a young girl, in England you know, I read a pamphlet written by a man named William Wilberforce. I believe it was called Practical View. As I remember it said very much the same thing that Mr. Finney was telling us.

Yes, I remember that little booklet. Yes, he taught salvation by grace through faith in the atoning blood of the Lamb of God which takes away all sin.

Emma raised her hands high over her head where they quivered to the tune of her singsong voice. Praise the Lord.

Ralph put his arm around Evelyn's shoulders. What was the grunt for, my dear? Didn't you care for the meeting?

Evelyn stiffened. It was - quite entertaining, I'm sure.

Why, it wasn't supposed to entertain you, my dear. Aw, there you are Julie. Are you feeling better after your long sleep?

Evelyn’s sister, Julie, blushed and brushed a wisp of golden curl off her forehead with long delicate fingers. Her coral lips trembled into a shy smile. Oh yes, thank you, I feel much better now. The rest did me a world of good, and now I am ready for anything.

Marvelous! There is going to be another meeting this evening, and I was sure you would all want to go.

Oh Uncle Ralph! Another meeting this evening? but what if father comes while we are gone?

Evelyn smiled sweetly. You must not worry about that, Julie dear. I will stay here and wait for Father.

Julie hung her head to hide the disappointed look in her eyes and the jutting lower lip.

Emma put her arm around her sister-in-laws shoulders. Come Margaret, we just have time to look at those patterns before we eat.

Margaret looked back at her daughters. Evelyn, you and Julie will both go with us this evening of course. If your Father returns while we are gone, the servants will explain where are, and take care of him until we return.

They had gone of course, and suffered through that meeting, but that was a long time ago. Evelyn thought that she was all through with the unsettling feelings those meetings had engendered. She thought that she would never have to deal with the subject again. But time and change happen to us all.

But the next time anxiety broke the calm, her serenity wasn't just threatened by a couple of unsettling meetings. It was yanked out from under her in full force when her whole family got the insane idea to leave their comfortable homes and profitable businesses and establish a whole new town on the west coast. Evelyn didn't yet know that there were greater losses than opulent living - or gains far greater.

Evelyn's new dilemma was something that she would have to come to terms with, in spite of the fact that she was pretty sure she couldn't.

Chapter 2

As Evelyn walked through the rooms of the spacious, fashionably beautiful house on Elm Tree Lane, her finger tips gently touched pieces of exquisitely crafted furniture. She loved the satiny feel of the rich old pieces, and the opulence they represented. She ran the back of her hand through the folds of the yards of rich silk curtains and wondered if she would ever feel the lushness of that silk against her skin in the wild country they were going to.

Evelyn didn't try to hold the tears back any longer. Her husband, Lawrence, was with the other men supervising the final inspection of the already loaded wagons. The children were with their nanny, in their beds. Neither would see her weakness. Nanny was the only member of the domestic staff left in the house. All of the other servants had already packed their belongings and left. She would never see them again.

Oh, how could she bear the loss? It was not that she would miss any of them personally. In her mind, they weren't endowed with personalities. But the house seemed so empty without servants; and they and always been so useful.

She looked around her fearfully and shuddered at the silence that surrounded her with a suggestion of grave peril in the offing.

She wiped the tears from her cheeks and ran her fingers lovingly over the intricate work on the back of a delicately fashioned settle; and took her sopping handkerchief after a new deluge of tears.

Quite suddenly, her eye caught sight of a stray ball of yarn lying on the floor under the corner of a table. How annoying! There it lay, like a wart, making the house messy and there was no servant to pick it up. What, she wondered, did one do without servants? She sighed and began to weep again, over their absence.

Evelyn was more upset about leaving some of the furniture than she was about leaving any particular servant, but the idea of not having any servants at all was as frightening as the idea of not having furniture. Oh of course, they would be taking a few pieces of furniture, but it wouldn't be the same. Nothing would ever be the same again.

But this crying isn't going to change anything; she told herself sternly as she sat her spine straight in her chair and tried to gather her courage. She wiped her eyes on the delicate bit of lace in her hand, sighed and threw her head back. She got up and started walking around the room again.

As she walked, she glanced out a window at the budding cherry trees and listened to a sparrow sing a lullaby to its mate. Oh those old familiar trees, and the sweet song of the birds. Can their song be as sweet anywhere else? She mopped her face with her hankie and her whole body shook again with sobs.

How could she leave her home? This was the only place she had lived in since she left her father's house (within walking distance for the hired help) to marry Lawrence. Those trees had been there on the other side of her windows all these years. That same road had brought her friends to visit, and taken her and her family to visit others, and home again - always home again.

She heard Lawrence's footsteps coming toward the porch and she ran to her room to repair the damage the crying had done. She resolved she would never let Lawrence know how much this leaving hurt.

Best get some sleep, Evelyn, said Lawrence cheerfully. We will be leaving very early in the morning you know. Earlier than you are wont to leave your bed.

Yes, she would be expected to leave it all, of her own free will, never to return. Oh, how could she bear it all?

Evelyn was an apathetic but cooperative participant in her father ,Jonathan Baker,'s dream. Lawrence was her husband so her name was Brook, but that change only added Lawrence to the family and Jonathan’s dreams, as far as Jonathan was concerned. Lawrence was the last of the family drawn into the dream. Until her husband gave in, Evelyn was sure that her family would eventually forget the whole thing and get back to normal. But after months of forceful argument, Lawrence gave in.

The rest of the family are going to leave their nice comfortable homes in Maryland and travel across the continent to build a new and wonderful town in the Willamette Valley, so I guess we had better go too, Lawrence had said. You wouldn't care to remain in Maryland without your family.

Of course he was right about that. The Baker family had always been close in spite of the fact that Jonathan Baker had been absent in body most of the time that they were growing up. His presence had always been felt very strongly.

After Lawrence's announcement, everything happened so fast that Evelyn didn't have time to think about what she was doing. She did everything she could to keep up a good front and no one seemed to know that her heart was being torn from her body and mutilated. After all, why should anyone notice? They were all so excited and happy about destroying their life to go on this senseless adventure that they couldn't see her anguish.

Before Evelyn knew it she was sitting on a hard seat in a sturdy covered wagon watching her beautiful home fade into the distance as she kept the tears back by sheer willpower. How could this have happened? She asked herself. Why doesn't someone see how appalling this whole deranged scheme is and stop it?

She looked around her at the occupants of the other wagons, but no one else seemed the least bit concerned that what they were doing might be wrong. Then she realized that her husband was talking to her and she tried to concentrate on what he was saying.

Lawrence was reminding her that the Jonathan Baker family had the best outfitted train possible. We have ten large sturdy wagons. They and our stock are the best money can buy, along with all of our gear. He glanced at her. Our clothes are, too, but according to Adam, that may have to change very soon.

Evelyn turned her head and pretended that she hadn't heard that last statement. And the fact that they were traveling in luxurious vehicles didn't make her a bit happier about leaving her beautiful home. What could they be thinking? She suppressed a shudder. Sane people just don't leave a life of ease and luxury to live like paupers in untamed territory just for an idea. What's wrong with everyone anyway? Evelyn felt as though her heart was being torn from its roots. Do hearts have roots?

Lawrence looked at Evelyn and sighed, half with pride and half with compassion. He knew that she was unhappy about the move, but she was so beautiful he couldn't help being proud that she was sitting there by his side. She wore a fashionable, neat traveling dress, and a bonnet trimmed with soft silk ribbons with a downy rushing of tulle framing her face. She looked so angelic sitting there with her parasol shading her face. No one else would have been able to tell how distraught she was.

Evelyn thought no one could see her tormented soul, but she had to move the parasol between her face and Lawrence's to hide the tears that wouldn't stay away. In spite of her efforts Lawrence knew what she was doing and sympathized. So he kept up a steady stream of talk as they moved slowly away from their birthplace. It seemed to Evelyn that he was intent on pointing out every dreadful aspect of their folly.

We are leaving a lot behind, he said. But we are taking a part of our past lives with us too. Yes, the wagons are loaded with precious cargo, the material substance of the dreams of our new home. There's the cylinder press that your brother got from England, now destined to print a paper in Oregon Territory.

Oh good, maybe the Indians will read a paper if Stephen puts if out. If they can even read.

Lawrence pretended not to notice Evelyn’ scowl and kept talking. And there are other treasured pieces of our homes such as Daniel's library and your piano.

Evelyn stiffened. Yes, my beautiful piano going to a wild, untamed region where none of my friends can hear its notes as I play.

We will have everything we need to start building when we get there - tools, equipment, and agricultural machinery.

Lawrence put his arm around her shoulder and squeezed. She tried to relax but his next words made her wonder if he had forgotten they didn’t bring any of the help to do the work he was talking about.

We have supplies for planting, looms, reels, washing machines, and irons. And of course we brought our china, silver, and pewter. It’s all packed carefully around the furniture with the wood, tin, candlesticks, lamps, and lanterns. We really have everything we need, he added encouragingly.

You forget about the servants because you always left them to me, thought Evelyn bitterly, and I know that we cannot get along without them. What good is a dish without someone to fill it?

Lawrence looked at her averted face and patted her knee. You need to know that, among all those treasures we stashed the money and things equal to money - all the jewelry that is valuable enough to be converted to cash, but not too valuable to carry with us.

Evelyn nodded but still didn't answer, and Lawrence became silent. He whistled a short tune now and then as they moved slowly away from everything familiar, but as time went on he became quieter until the only sound for a long way came either from the plodding feet of the animals or the chattering of the children.

Chapter 3

That night, with a body throbbing from the jolting ride and a soul sore from a sense of great loss, Evelyn sank to the ground and wondered who was going to cook their supper.

They had brought lunch baskets, from the cook, but had left the cook (that most necessary constituent) behind through some lack of understanding as to