The Road West

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.