Somewhere Dreams Must Come True

Book excerpt: The dream of going to California tugged at Will throughout his childhood on a Missouri farm in the 1850s. After a move to Wisconsin with his family, he is eventually able to start west with his young wife Anna. The adventures of this growing family are shared by many who choose to answer the call of homestead lands waiting to be earned by their labor. Though it may sound like an invitation to paradise, it sometimes becomes discouraging. Bad weather, hostile neighbors, plagues and infidelity were not what one expected in the promised land, but sometimes have to be dealt with. Following these families as they deal with adversity forms a heart-tugging narrative and involves the reader in the lives of the women and men who lead the way.