Showing results by author "Julie McDonald" in All Categories

While researching and writing, Adoniram Judson, America's First Foreign Missionary, I became very frustrated. The book was already longer than my normal 15-20 page, 30 minute read. How could I possible honor his three wives, keep the narrative running smoothly and not confuse the reader with too many characters? I came up with, what I hope, is a great idea! I decided to do an entirely separate book, featuring each one of Adoniram's amazing wives, her early background, and individual story. I really enjoyed being able to give each woman the respect due her. Each one played a major role in ...

This is the inspiring short story, about a 20 minute read, of Annie Armstrong, 1850-1938 of Baltimore, Maryland. Opportunities for women were not in abundance during Annie's lifetime, but that did stop her! She worked tirelessly to encourage churches in the Southern Baptist Convention to give and to pray for missionaries. Annie started a school for Native Americans, helped Chinese immigrants and fledgling African American churches, mostly composed of freed slaves. She also helped at the Ladies Bayview Mission and the Friendless Orphanage. She did all of this without ever taking a salary. ...

True stories of fascinating pioneer women in Arizona. Featuring: Sarah Ashurst who tied her two year old daughter Eve to a wagon wheel so she wouldnt wander off while she gave birth, unassisted to the baby that would become Arizona's first senator. That was only the beginning of Sarah's adventures as she and her family headed to the Arizona Territory! Kate Lyall, a single mother with four children homesteaded in Southern Arizona in Doubtful Canyon, so named because early pioneers were "doubtful" they would survive. Martha Purtymun baked a saw into a cake to help her father, the very ...

True stories of pioneer women in Arizona and the West. Featuring: Clara Brown, a freed slave who traveled by wagon train to Colorado and became one of the richest women in the West. Sally Rooke came from Iowa to homestead in New Mexico. Also working as a telephone operator she saved a town from a flash flood. Mary Ann Tewksbury moved with her family to Pleasant Valley, Arizona where her life was changed forever by the Pleasant Valley War, Americas most deadly family feud. Pearl Cromer spent the first seven years of her life in a covered wagon. Peter and Veronica Michelbach immigrated to ...

Dollie Wiley was known to collect two things, husbands and diamonds. Diamonds worked out well, husbands didn't. As a prostitute and madam, the diamonds were her safety net. Dollie married quickly and frequently, because her husbands died quickly and frequently. Why bother with a prolonged and messy divorce when a pistol or rat poison is within easy reach?

This short story, about a 10 minute read, is sure to put a smile on your face! In the late 1800's Climax Jim entertained the residents of the Arizona Territory and beyond with his illegal escapades. He alternated between stealing cattle, stealing horses, and getting caught. His numerous and remarkable jail breaks were equally entertaining. He once bragged that he had "busted out of every jail in the Arizona Territory except the dreaded "Hell Hole," the Yuma Territorial Prison.

Negro Bill Canyon is a popular hike near Arches National Park. This short, (15 minute read) is the story of William Grandstaff who came to this area in 1877. A former slave, he did his best to stay under the radar. Yet 100 years after his death, he has been at the center of two controversies----in two states!

While writing one of my favorite stories, Fanny Crosby, I stumbled upon a gem. The mostly unknown story of the Jubilee Singers, from Fisk University, in Nashville Tennessee. In this short, but touching story, about a 15 minute read, you will learn how the cultural treasure of African Spirituals were introduced to America, and to the world in 1871.

At the dawn of the twentieth century, Herman Klaber bought several hundred acres in the lush Boistfort Valley of Lewis County in Washington state and planted hops. The Klaber hopyard flourished, providing many jobs in the community. But tragedy struck after Herman Klaber left for a sales trip to Europe and England and, anxious to return home to his young wife and daughter in Oregon, boarded the White Star line's new luxury ship, the RMS Titanic, on its fateful maiden voyage.

Olive Dove was born in 1901 in South Dakota to a Sioux Indian mother and a German father. She ran away from home at age 14 after her mother’s death. Upon arriving in Winslow, Arizona a few years later, she became a Harvey Girl and changed her name to Juanita Gale. She would change her name one more time to Cecil after her marriage to George Creswell. You will never forget this story of a frontier woman!

I am passionate about praying for Revival! What exactly is it? In this short eBook, about a 20 minute read, you will learn about 5 revivals in history, both large and small. What were the results? You will also learn how Revival always comes through the preaching, teaching or reading of the Word of God, and prayer. I hope this short book will inspire you to join with me, in praying for God to send Revival!

This intriguing story, a 5-10 minute read, is free with Kindle Unlimited and will be FREE to all others as often as Amazon allows! Tom Vail was a young business executive in a 3- piece suit working in downtown Los Angeles. In the early 1980's he did a Colorado River raft trip through Grand Canyon. He fell in love with Grand Canyon, the Colorado River and river rafting. Two years later, he left his career in Los Angeles to work full time as a river guide. For 15 years he taught the evolutionary theory to his passengers as they went through Grand Canyon. In July of 1994 a passenger on the ...

In 1943, J. Robert Oppenheimer was named the Director of the Manhattan Project. It was his responsibility to recruit scientists from around the globe to come to a secret city, high a top a mesa in Los Alamos, New Mexico, 35 miles from Santa Fe. Here, the scientists would collaborate together to make an atom bomb, before Germany did, and end World War II. An essential piece of the puzzle was to recruit a local from Santa Fe, to be the face of the Manhattan Project at 109 East Palace. This person would need to be above reproach and totally trustworthy. They would need to be capable, hard ...

Mary Bickerdyke. Never heard of her? You're not alone! In my unofficial survey, I have yet to find a single person who has. This short story, about a 20 minute read, is a lost treasure that somehow slipped through the cracks of Civil War history. You will understand, after reading it, why she was called America's Florence Nightingale and why General Sherman said of her, "She outranks me."

This is a short (it takes about 20-30 minutes to read) story of an incredible man! Levi Coffin took his belief in the Bible seriously and defied powerful, ruthless and dangerous men to protect, harbor and rescue fugitive slaves. Over the course of his life he and his wife, Katie sheltered and cared for 3,000 slaves in their home before they moved them along to freedom on the Underground Railroad. Levi was so involved and committed to this cause he was known as the President of the Underground Railroad, and his home was referred to as Grand Central Station.

October, 1853, Cincinnati, Ohio. This true story, (10 minute read) is about a fugitive slave named Louis who was one of the first slaves to be tried in a court of law under the newly enacted Fugitive Slave Law. Louis didn't wait for a verdict from the Judge, but decided to trust his own two feet rather than hope justice would prevail.

This is the true story (15 minute read) of Margaret, 12 and Susan, 10 Wilkerson. In the winter of 1839, Margaret and Susan fled slavery in Tennessee and ran for the safety of their Grandparents, 200 miles north in Indiana. This story is action packed and thrilling from start to finish! While I believe people of all ages will enjoy it, I wrote it with grade school children in mind.

In 1874, Alferd (odd, but correct spelling) Packer was accused of murdering, then eating his five prospecting companions in the rugged mountains of Colorado. Cannibal he was. Was he a murderer? What really happened to the men during that brutal winter of 1874? This short, 10 minute read, is the true story of Alferd Packer, Colorado's Cannibal and his vindication 100 years later.

I love my home state of Arizona! My family has been here for over 100 years. With some of the most spectacular scenery on the planet, it is indeed a land of color and contrast. Equally colorful are the many characters who have called Arizona home. John Shaw was killed in 1905 in a gun fight after robbing cowboys who were gambling in a saloon. He was buried where he fell and was dug up the next day by the same cowboys he robbed; to be given one last drink of whiskey. Arizona's lovable outlaw, Climax Jim, who escaped numerous prison cells. Dollie Wiley had a revolving door of husbands and her...

This short story, about a 10 minute read, highlights the varied and numerous adventures, exploits and accomplishments of a remarkable man, Jim Beckwourth, 1798-1866.