Banner of Love

By Allison Kohn

Wayne and Robert, Julie Baker Colter and Adam's two oldest boys are visiting their cousin, Mary, in the south when the Civil war breaks out. Linda Baker, Miles and Jane Baker's youngest and their cousin, John, Joanna and Stephen's youngest are also there. Opinions are divided about "State's Rights" and whether or not the south has a right to secede from the Union. Opinion has always been divided in the Baker family about the issue, but now Mary is married to a southerner and Wayne and Robert are impressionable you, so they side with the south and go to war with their cousin's husband. Linda is, like her older sister, opinionated. and is vocal about her opinions. She wastes no time in telling her cousins how wrong they are and causes no end of trouble for Mary. Mary's and her husband ask the family to send for the errant girl, but time and change intervene and Linda and John leave Mary's, but not the south. Alice and Ray, intending to pick up the thier cousins and return home, are caught up in the war instead.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Allison Kohn
• Release date: Aug 25, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310359576

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

Banner of Love

Book Four of the Baker Family Saga

Copyright 2014 by Allison Kohn

Published by Allison Kohn at Smashwords

This book is available in print at most online retailers.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Look for the first, second, third, and forth books of The Baker Family Saga:– The Road West Dianna’s source of Strength ,and Angles, Eagles, and Fire, and Deep Trouble at http://www.smashwords.com

http://www.allisonkohn.com

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Table of Contents

Dedication and Acknowledgement

Prologue

South Carolina, 1861

Ferndale, Oregon

Texas

Linda and Johnny

Alice and Ray

Linda and Johnny

More Letters

Richardmond, Virginia

Linda’s Private

Love in Bloom

From Florida to Jail

Ruth and Linda

Out of Jail and Into What?

Waiting in Georgia

Waiting at Camp and in Ferndale

Wounded in Camp

Wounded, Dead, or Missing

Mary

Nothing to Brag about

The Way to Prison

Back in Time

Back to The Spring of 1863 and Linda

Linda and John

Ray and Alice

Winding Down

Tears

Love and Peace

The Way Home

Banner Of Love

Baker Family Tree

Location of families in Ferndale

About Allison Kohn

Other books by this author

Contact Allison

Endnotes

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I am to my beloved's and my beloved is mine.

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Dedication and Acknowledgement

Dedicated to my sister and best friend, Marjorie Lane, whose encouragement and faith never waver. With thanks to my Friend, Counselor, and inspiration – Yeshua Ha Mashiach (Jesus the Messiah); Ruach Ha Kodesh (Holy Spirit).

Cover by Steve Goodwin

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Baker Family Tree:

Jonathan and Margaret – married 1799

Jonathan died

Margaret married Marcus Cromwell

Son Miles born 1800

Son Stephen born 1802

Son Daniel born 1807

Daughter Evelyn born 1814

Daughter Julie born 1817

Miles married Jane Smith 1825

Son Eugene born 1835

Daughter Alice Mae born 1838

Daughter Linda born 1844

Stephen married Joanna Cromwell 1829

Son Richard born 1830

Daughter Dianna born 1833

Daughter Rose born 1840

Son Jonathan born 1851

Daniel married Abigail Townsend 1836

Daughter Darlene born 1838

Daughter Mary born 1839

Evelyn married Lawrence Brook 1830

Son Lawrence born 1833

Daughter Donna born 1841

Twins Paul and Pearl born 1842

Evelyn marrie Daryl O’Riley 1845

Daughter Rebekah born 1847

Twins Laura and Leslie born 1848

Son Andrew born 1849

Twins Rachel and Richard born 1851

Anna born 1851

Julie married Adam Colter 1835

Son Wayne born 1924

Son Robert born1844

Twins Micah and Matthew born 1850

Son Micha died 1850

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Ferndale, Oregon

West road

Ray, Dan, Marcus, Dan, Larry, Richard, Chad

Center Road

Clayton, Adam, Daryl, Stephen, David, Elizabeth, Jacob

East Road

Jed Colter, Joe Lane, Daisy Smith, Gramn, Theadore Martin, Scott, McDonald

Further east

Colens, Murdock, Sanford, Benson, Farley

East of there

Woods, Sam, John, Charles, Sophia,Greta

North east of there

Dan, Daniel, and Chad’s forest property

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Prologue

This is the fifth book in the Baker Family Saga.

The Baker family is living in the Willamette Valley – Ferndale, Oregon to be precise. Way back in 1842 when Alice Mae was only four years old, Donna was two years old and Rose was not even old enough to walk, their grandfather, Jonathan Baker, decided that his whole extended family needed to move to the west coast. He bought what he thought was a house big enough to accommodate them all (he was wrong, it turned out to be a shack) and began the work of convincing his children and their spouses that his plan to plant a town with them in Oregon Territory was a good idea. That was before Oregon was even a proper Territory; it belonged to the country that could populate it first.

Jonathan and Margaret Baker had five children and ten grandchildren when they left for the disputed part of the Louisiana Purchase. The family didn’t want for money or land but Jonathan had always been an adventurer and being among the first families to settle in the west coast would be his ultimate adventure.

Not all of his fellow travelers were as fortunate as the Baker family and didn’t possess the biggest and best wagons for traveling. Most of the families either had nothing because of the Crash, or because they just had never had anything go right for them. The Thomas family was an example of the latter families. But Mrs. Thomas had a scheme that was surely going to pay big dividends – this time. She wanted Jonathan to join her but he wasn’t interested. She took his attitude as a personal insult and had a life-long grudge against that snooty Baker family She used one of her sons, the poor Chester who is mentioned in the first chapter of the fourth book, to get even with them but so far the only plan that had succeeded was the slow murder of Jonathan. That wasn’t much of a victory since the Baker family didn’t even realize that their beloved patriarch hadn’t just died of old age. But he kept trying until, in Angels, Eagles and Fire the third book in the saga, his obsession drove him into a mindless deviant who did nothing the rest of his life but suck his thumb.

It was in the second book, Day by Day that Mr. Ed, as he told the girls they could call him, came into the story. Eduardo was the law in the Spanish town in Californio where Sam robbed and killed a business-man. He tracked Sam to Ferndale and was there when Chester and Sam kidnapped one of the Baker girls. When Alice Mae followed, with the intention of saving her cousin somehow, Chester tried to shoot her and the lawman got there in time to save her.

In the fourth book, the family has grown and expanded and the town that Jonathan established has attracted other families, so Ferndale is now a good sized town for that day and time. The boys in the family are all encouraged to go back east and finish their education so they get a taste of cultured society, but the girls are not so fortunate.

The Baker family decides to remedy the situation by exposing three of the oldest girls, Alice Mae, Donna, and Rose, to the culture that they have heard is in California. The other two girls, who are old enough to be exposed to society, will be going east with their mother to find husbands in another year so they are not allowed to go to California with the others.

No one would have believed, in their wildest dreams that Alice, Donna, and Rose would end up in a desert, or as potential wives of a kind Mormon. Or doing washing from a boiling pot, over a fire and; bouncing a fretting baby on a hip; or clothed with itchy wool instead of the satin and silk the girls are used to.

But that was all worked out, and that generation is married, some with little ones of their own. The Willamette Valley is growing with the rest of the country .

Alice and Ray are married, Jacob and Donna are happy with their little girl, Darlene and Chad Evert, Daniel and rose, Gene and Pamela, and Pearl and Eli Thomas all have young families.

This book starts a few months before the start of the American Civil War , and ends after the war came to an end.

Linda and three strapping male cousins have gone to visit their married cousin, Mary , in South Carolina. Linda and her southern cousin and the war are a bad mix – sort of like Clorox and acid, and when the mixture blends, it boils over.

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South Carolina, 1861

South Carolina was culture shock to the four Baker offspring, but it was more like a lifestyle catastrophe for John and Linda Baker. Linda believed in sharing with others, so the grating began.

Linda was a young lady of sixteen, and her married cousin,Mary,’s attitude, that sixteen was old enough for Linda to know how to hold her tongue, was written in rock.

Linda’s view was, on the other hand, no one was ever too old to express the bold faced truth when the situation called for it.

Two such diametrically opposed opinions naturally resulted in strife. Linda freely expressed her stance on current affairs, with the unfortunate effect of generating family discord, leaving Mary limp with apprehension.

Mary’s husband, John Weston’s, uncertain temperament left Mary’s job of peace-maker difficult in any case; but with a five foot, blue-eyed bristle constantly rubbing him the wrong way, life was a nightmare for Mary. So far she had been able to keep him from leaving home and coming back in a rage, but she knew from experience, he would not be able to hold off much longer. This was the longest he endured staying away from town, in all the long, miserable years of their marriage. Something would have to be done soon.

Linda tried to ease her homesickness by reading the poem her mother gave her before she left home. The poem made her cheeks hot. If this was the way a godly woman should feel toward her husband, having a husband should probably be avoided. Her mother said this was the way the church should feel toward Christ, too, and that was a puzzle. For instance, how could Christ kiss her with his mouth?

Alright, let’s see if I can figure this out. Linda smoothed the paper out of the ball she made of it the last time she tried to read it. Determined to read all the way through this time, she read:

"Kiss me with your mouth, my love,

"For your love is sweeter than wine.

"Your name is a savor, my dove:

All who adore you are inherently fine.

Well, maybe Christ’s love is sweeter than wine, but how could my love be so good to God?

The second verse was supposed to be Christ talking to the church, or a man talking to his wife. The first verse must be the church talking to Christ. Yes, that’s right, his love is satisfying to the church.

"Most beautiful of women, my darling:

"I will enhance the artistry of your face

"With costly jewels to around you cling,

That are not so precious as the adorned.

So the church is like a beautiful woman to the Lord, but what is the artistry of the church’s face? A godly woman is more precious than rubies, according to Proverbs. Hum-m-m.

Linda wadded the paper into a ball again and tossed in the corner of her shoe box, with a promise to read it all later, and fled to the parlor.

Mary’s husband, John, was waiting in the parlor. His legs were tightly crossed and one arm crossed his chest with his hand gripping the elbow of his other arm. That arm’s hand pointed to his chest, and his finger covered his mouth.

"Oh good! Another lecture from the mighty one." Linda gave her cousin-in-law her sweetest smile.

Well, Linda, I’m glad you finally decided to return to the discussion. He took a deep breath and continued talking in the voice of one talking to a misguided child.

My dear, the South has a right to its independence. You see, we have been exploited by the industrialized North far too long, and it’s time to do something about it.

Linda could feel her eyes narrow and fingers curl. Even I know industrialization is good for the country. She opened her eyes wide and straightened her fingers.

You wouldn’t know, of course, that the South’s agrarian way of life produces men of higher moral character than the vulgar North.

"Who are you calling vulgar, and just where did you get the idea that your character is better than my father’s?" Linda told her hands and eyes to behave themselves, but it was getting hard.

We are committed to our way of life. You, of course, don’t realize the kind of men who come out of the big cities in the North, since you have been so sheltered.

"Well, la, de, da!"

John’s smile seemed like a smirk to Linda. The North isn’t satisfied with its own vulgar way of life, and wants to make us their inferior vassals. John tapped his steepled fingers.

"Oh how I’d love to knock that supercilious smile off your face." Linda’s arms folded themselves across her chest, with her thumbs pointed upward. Her eyes were wide open and focused on John’s forehead.

"I quite disagree. General Beauregard had no business firing on Fort Sumter, and Wayne and Robert certainly had no business getting involved in these unlawful acts."

John sat at attention and shouted. Young lady, neither your age, nor your gender gives you the authority to say what you said. And you will not look at me that way again, is that clear?

Mary’s finger barely touched her ear, went to her mouth and laid gently against her teeth for an instant. Her voice seeped haughty tones, as she looked at her cousin and said, Neither the general or his brave followers have broken the law, in any way. My husband understands these things, and would not do anything that was not right and proper, you may be sure of that! Her hands were clenched together and the pupils of her bony blues were almost too narrow to see.

Now I want you to keep a respectful tongue in your head, young lady. There will be no more said against this sacred land in my home. You may be sure, I have no intention of waiting for someone from home – I mean Ferndale – to pick you up, for peace to reign in this house. I will have peace now. Is that clear?

Mary’s voice seemed to raise an octave with every syllable, until it hit high C with the last word.

Linda kept her voice low and controlled. Yes, I quite understand; but since you’re wrong, and I’m right, I shan’t be able to keep from saying so. It might be to your advantage … and mine …to send me off now.

Linda flashed Mary a bright smile and let her hands fall to her side.

I should think that would be better all around, especially since the South doesn’t plan on being reasonable and apologizing …

John yanked the door open and stomped out of the room. While Linda talked, she heard the front door slam shut and a horse gallop toward town.

Mary’s eyes looked wild and she flung her arms across her chest and paced quickly up and down as Linda talked.

… nicely to the Federal Government for seizing its property. It rather looks like Johnny and I better get ourselves home, post haste.

Linda called her cousin John Johnny since they were under the same roof as Mary’s husband, John.

Mary stood in her tracks, but her foot was tapping loudly on the floor and her eyes hadn’t slowed down.

Her voice was hysterical as she nodded her head and screeched, "You’re right. Johnny couldn’t be expected to drive you all the way to