Mr. & Mrs. J. F. Hilbert of Washington County, Tennessee

Working in an academic library, one sometimes encounters a genealogical treasure in a strange place. Such was the case when I opened The Life, Times, and Travels of St. Paul by J. S. Conybeare and J. S. Howson (Unabridged ed.; New York: E.B. Trent, 1869) which was missing its title page.

Pasted inside the front cover of the volume was an obituary from an unnamed newspaper, possibly the Herald and Tribune (Jonesborough, Tenn.), for Mrs. J. F. Hilbert.

Transcription:
DEATH CLAIMS MRS. J. F. HILBERT
Died at Her Home A Short Distance From Jonesboro Friday Morning

Mrs. J. F. Hilbert died at her home one mile south of Jonesboro Friday morning. Her death was due to a severe attack of pneumonia. She was sick just one week, having made her first complaint on Friday the 16th. The deceased was the widow of J. F. Hilbert who died Sept. 8th 1898. She was sixty two years old last August and was the mother of six children, four of which survive her. Mrs. Hilbert was a noble Christian and was loved by all with whom she was associated. Her death is greatly mourned by a large circle of friends both in Jonesboro and over the entire county. The funeral services were held Saturday, the interment being in the old family burying ground near Jonesboro. Mrs. Hilbert is the mother of J. L. Hilbert, who is well known throughout this section. Mr. Hilbert and the other members of the family have the sympathy of a large number of friends.
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Being the curious genealogist that I am, I wondered who she was. I knew that Jonesboro was an old spelling of Jonesborough so I suspected this family was from Washington County, Tennessee. I first located them in the 1880 census¹ which gave me given names for Mrs. Hilbert, her husband, and even the mentioned son.

Hilbert, Joel F.	W	M	40		M	Farmer	VA	VA	VA
--, Susannah	W	F	39	Wife	M	Keeping house	VA	VA	VA
--, Elizabeth B.	W	F	15	Daughter	S	At home	TN	VA	VA
--, John A.	W	M	12	Son	S	At home	TN	VA	VA
--, Joseph L.	W	M	10	Son	S	At home	TN	VA	VA
--, Robert A.	W	M	5	Son	S	At home	TN	VA	VA

 

I discovered that their marriage record from 1861 contained a curious date of issue for the license, 31 September 1861.² This was obviously a clerical error as most of us can recite, "Thirty days hath September, April, June and November . . . " The online 1861 calendar verifies September 1861 ended on September 30.

Joel F. Hilbert was born about 1839,³ probably in Rockingham County, Virginia,⁴ to William and Elizabeth F. Hilbert.⁵ The family moved from Virginia to Tennessee about 1846 to 1848.⁶ William (age 32), Elizabeth (age 32), Joel (age 11), John H. (age 9), Samuel D. (age 5), Adison P. (age 4), and Mary R. (age 1) are enumerated in Washington County's 4th subdivision in 1850 where William is occupied as a farmer.⁷ The family has grown to include three more children, Jacob K. (age 9), James W. (age 7), and Robert P. (age 3) by 1860 when the family is enumerated in Boones Creek in Washington County.⁸

Susannah Miller was born in August 1840,⁹ probably in Rockingham or Augusta County, Virginia,¹⁰ to Samuel and Elizabeth Wine Miller.¹¹ The family moved from Virginia to Tennessee about 1852 to 1854.¹² Samuel, his wife, here called Ann which may be a middle name, and children, William (age 17), David (age 14), Rebecca (age 13), Daniel (age 11), Susannah (age 9,), Ann M. (age 4), and Mary M. (age 2) are enumerated in the 4th subdivision of Washington County in 1850.¹³ The family is residing in Swinneys in Washington County in 1860. Children Daniel and Susannah are still present. Elizabeth is called Ann in this census, and Barbary, the same age as Elizabeth, is present. Mary M. is called Julia in this census. Peter (age 8), Joseph (age 6), Samuel D. (age 2), and Mary A. (age 3 months) have all been born since the 1850 census.¹⁴

As seen earlier, Joel and Susannah married 3 October 1861 in Washington County.¹⁵ They are enumerated in the 1870 census in District 14 in Washington County with children Elizabeth (age 6), John A. (age 3), and Joseph L. (age 3 months).¹⁶ In 1880, they are living in District 15 with the above listed children and one new son, Robert A. (age 5).¹⁷ Joel died 8 September 1898.¹⁸ Susannah is enumerated in Washington County's District 15 along with son Robert A. and his wife Lydda N. and a servant, Herbert T. Shipley in 1900.¹⁹ She died 23 January 1903 in Washington County and is buried in the family cemetery.²⁰

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<sup>1. 1880 U.S. Federal Census, Washington County, Tennessee, population schedule, District 15, SD 1, ED 31, p. 495B (stamped), sheet 20 (written), dwelling 190, family 210, lines 26-31, Joel F. Hilbert household; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : 3 Nov 2015); citing NARA microfilm publication T9, roll 1284.↩
2. "Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002," digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : 3 Nov 2015), Joel Hilbert-Susannah Miller, 3 Oct 1861, Washington County marriage register, citing p. 207 (written), record no. 1866.↩
3. 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Washington County, Tennessee, population schedule, 4th subdivision, p. 247B (stamped), dwelling 1609, family 1644, lines 34-40, Wm Hilbert family; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : 3 November 2015); citing NARA microfilm publication M432, roll 898; 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Washington County, Tennessee, population schedule, Boones Creek, Jonesboro post office, p. 36B (stamped), dwelling 310, family 310, lines 21-30, William Hilbert family; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : 3 Nov 2015); 1880 U.S. census, Washington Co., Tenn., pop. sch., Dist. 15, p. 495B (stamped), dwell. 190, fam. 210, Joel F. Hilbert.↩
4. "Public Member Trees," database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 3 Nov 2015), "Saylor Family Tree" by sec3girls, profile for Joel Franklin Hilbert (2 Sep 1837-6 Sep 1897, d. Washington County, Tenn.) partially documented data.↩
5. 1850 U.S. Census, Washington Co., Tenn., pop. sch., 4th subdiv., p. 247B (stamped), dwell. 1609, fam. 1644, Joel F. Hilbert; 1860 U.S. Census, Washington Co., Tenn., pop. sch., Boones Creek, Jonesboro p.o., p. 36B (stamped), dwell, 310, fam. 310, Joel F. Hilbert.↩
6. 1850 U.S. Census, Washington Co., Tenn., pop. sch., 4th subdiv., p. 247B (stamped), dwell. 1609, fam. 1644, Wm. Hilbert family.↩
7. 1850 U.S. Census, Washington Co., Tenn., pop. sch., 4th subdiv., p. 247B (stamped), dwell. 1609, fam. 1644, Wm. Hilbert family.↩
8. 1860 U.S. Census, Washington Co., Tenn., pop. sch., Boones Creek, Jonesboro p.o., p. 36B (stamped), dwell, 310, fam. 310, William Hilbert family.↩
9. 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Washington County, Tennessee, population schedule, 4th subdivision, p. 252B (stamped), dwelling 2101, family 2145, line 11, Susannah Miller; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : 3 Nov 2015); citing NARA microfilm publication M432, roll 898; 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Washington County, Tennessee, Swinneys, Jonesboro post office, p. 127A (stamped), dwelling 774, family 774, line 18, Susannah Miller; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : 3 Nov 2015); citing NARA microfilm publication M653, roll 1277; 1900 U.S. Federal Census, Washington County, Tennessee, Civil District 15, SD 250, ED 156, p. 211B (stamped), sheet 8B (written), dwelling 129, family 144, line 85, Susannah Hilbert; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : 3 Nov 2015); citing NARA microfilm publication T623, roll 1604.↩
10. Susannah's birth place is consistently listed as Virginia. Younger brother Peter's birth location is listed as Augusta County, Virginia in his death certificate with his father's birth location as Augusta County and his mother's as Rockingham. See "Tennessee, Death Records, 1908-1958," digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : 4 Nov 2015), Peter Miller, d. 6 Aug 1928, Washington County, Tennessee, citing file no. 25996.↩
11. While the 1850 and 1860 censuses link Susannah with the family, Elizabeth's maiden name comes from the death certificates of Peter, who is younger than Susannah, and Daniel, who is older than his sister Susannah. See "Tennessee, Death Records, 1908-1958," digital images, Ancestry.com, entry for Peter Miller, 6 Aug 1928; also entry for Daniel Miller, d. 6 July 1914, Washington County, Tennessee, file no. 278.↩
12. 1860 U.S. Census, Washington Co., Tenn., pop. sch., Swinneys, Jonesboro p.o., p. 127A (stamped), dwell. 774, fam. 774, Samuel Miller family.↩
13. 1850 U.S. Census, Washington Co., Tenn., pop. sch., 4th suvdiv., p. 252B (stamped), dwell. 2101, fam. 2145, Saml Miller family.↩
1. 1860 U.S. Census, Washington Co., Tenn., pop. sch., Swinneys, Jonesboro p.o., p. 127A (stamped), dwell. 774, fam. 774, Samuel Miller family.↩
1. "Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002," digital images, Ancestry.com, entry for Joel Hilbert-Susannah Miller, 3 Oct 1861.↩
1. 1870 U.S. Federal Census, Washington County, Tennessee, population schedule, District 14, Jonesboro post office, p. 326A (stamped), dwelling 122, family 122, lines 31-35, Joel Hilbert family; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : 3 Nov 2015); citing NARA microfilm publication M593, roll 1568.↩
17. 1880 U.S. census, Washington Co., Tenn., pop. sch., Dist. 15, p. 495B (stamped), dwell. 190, fam. 210, Joel F. Hilbert family.↩
18. Mrs. J. F. Hilbert obituary, undated clipping from unidentified newspaper, in The Life, Times, and Travels of St. Paul by J.S. Conbeare and J. S. Howson (New York: E.B. Treat, 1869), front cover; Mildred C. Iddins Special Collections, Stephens-Burnett Memorial Library, Carson-Newman University, Jefferson City, Tennessee, 2015.↩
19. 1900 U.S. Census, Washington Co., Tenn., pop. sch., Dist. 15, p. 211B (stamped), dwell. 129, fam. 144, Susannah Hilbert household.↩
20. Although the obituary does not give the month or year, Friday, January 23, is consistent with the information in the article, and she would have been 62 on this date. See Mrs. J. F. Hilbert obituary, The Life, Times, and Travels of St. Paul.↩</sup>

Forced to Leave

"Forced to Leave: The Removal of the Unangax̂ of Unalaska, 22 July 1942," Aleutian Voices, vol. 2, no. 1 (2015).

One of the perks of my day job is seeing many of the U.S. government publications arrive in the library. While most are somewhat routine publications that report legislation, Supreme Court cases, and the like, occasionally a really interesting one appears. Such is the case of this second issue of Aleutian Voices. It's a special thematic issue devoted to the forced removal of the Unangax̂ from the city of Unalaska. The issue explores their culture, provides photographs from the time period, and details their removal. It's a short read and does not appear to be available online yet, although the first issue which was dedicated to the S.S. Northwestern is. If you can't make it to a government depository library to peruse the print issue, be sure to keep checking the link to see when this one becomes available.

Mystery Occupation

1900 U.S. Federal Census, Franklin County, Kentucky, population schedule, Frankfort, Ward 1, SD 7, ED 66, p. 27A (stamped & written), dwelling 465, family 534, line 10, John R. Dean; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : 1 Nov 2015); citing NARA microfilm publication T623, roll 521.

Last night I came across this record. I've consulted with several other genealogists and posted a link on my personal page hoping someone could determine the occuption of this young man.

I know that John R. Dean's uncle, Milton, was a huckster. Milton is listed as a grocery merchant in this 1900 census,¹ but in later censuses, he is called a huckster.² My best guess at this point is that he was driving for his uncle and the enumerator could not spell huckstery. However, I'm not sold on my best guess and would welcome other opinions on this.

For those who do not have a subscription to Ancestry.com, the census may be found at FamilySearch as well.

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<sup>1. 1900 U.S. Federal Census, Franklin County, Kentucky, population schedule, Frankfort Ward 3, SD 7, ED 68, p. 77 (stamped), sheet 23B (written), dwelling 448, family 572, line 85, Milton Dean; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : 22 Jul 2015); citing NARA microfilm publication T623, roll 521.↩
2. 1910 U.S. Federal Census, Jefferson County, Kentucky, population schedule, Louisville Ward 1, SD 5, ED 39, p. 233 (stamped), sheet 5B (written), dwelling 90, family 115, 1652 Story Avenue, line 72, Milton Dean; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : 22 Jul 2015); citing NARA microfilm publication T624, roll 483; 1920 U.S. Federal Census, Jefferson County, Kentucky, population schedules, Louisville, Ward 12, SD 5, ED 224, p. 83 (stamped), sheet 20B (written), dwelling 399, family 431, line 64, 2100 W Avenue, Milton Dean; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : 23 Jul 2015); citing NARA microfilm publication T624, roll 582; 1930 U.S. Federal Census, Jefferson County, Kentucky, population schedule, Louisville, 10th Ward, SD 5, ED 151, p. 244 (stamped), sheet 16B (written), dwelling 263, family 284, line 68, 2100 Gaulbert Ave., Milton Dean; digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : 24 Jul 2015); citing NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 75.↩</sup>

Playing with Fire

Gerritsen, Tess. Playing with Fire. New York: Ballantine Books, 2015.

Julia Ansdell discovers a piece of music in an antiques store while she's playing in Italy. When she brings it home, it appears the music is causing her daughter to try to do unthinkable things. The alternating sequence of the story goes back to Fascist Italy when the Jews are being persecuted. Julia tries to find the story behind the music as things begin to happen to those around her. This is a fascinating novel with an important historical thread running through it. It's my first time to read Gerritsen, but this book makes me want to try some of her other works. This review is based an an advance e-galley provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes.

Murder at the Courthouse

Gabhart, A. H. Murder at the Courthouse. Grand Rapids: Revell, 2015.

Michael Keane has returned from policing the streets of Columbus, Ohio to serve in the sheriff's department in Hidden Springs, Kentucky. When Miss Willadeen discovers the body of a stranger on the steps of the courthouse on her daily visit, suddenly no one feels safe. Several stories within the novel may seem unrelated to some readers and shout out to others as quite important, but they all weave together to form a story. The author is not particularly good at hiding her clues so I guessed the way things were going to work out including the perpetrator and other things that I won't spoil for those who have not read the novel. In spite of that, I enjoyed the characters and the setting and would probably read another installment in the series. This review is based on an advance e-galley provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes.

A Settler's Year: Pioneer Life Through the Seasons

Ernst, Kathleen. A Settler's Year: Pioneer Life Through the Seasons. Photographs by Loyd Heath. Madison: Wisconsin Historical Society Press, 2015.

This book appears to have been mostly written to be sold at Old World Wisconsin, a museum dedicated to those who settled Wisconsin in the 19th century. The photos are mostly contemporary photos showing some of the re-enactments on the site. Some of the modern persons don't look all that authentic in their outfits. Still, the text provides a lot of information on the pioneer experience throughout the first year and "second spring." A good bibliography provides additional resources useful to those seeking more in-depth information on the topic. The book would make a nice coffee table book for anyone with Wisconsin ancestry or for others interested in the state's history. This review is based on a copy provided by the publisher through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program with the expectation that a review be written.

The Christmas Joy Ride

Carlson, Melody. The Christmas Joy Ride. Grand Rapids: Revell, 2015.

Miranda is a recent divorcee who lost her job and is facing foreclosure on her home. Her almost 86-year-old neighbor Joy is heading to Phoenix to live in an assisted-living facility near her sons. Instead of flying out as she is supposed to do, she decides to drive her RV along Route 66 all the way from Chicago to Phoenix. She has held a contest on her blog to spread some Christmas cheer along the way. She invites Miranda along to help her spread some cheer. Miranda quickly assumes the driving responsibilities. The plot is somewhat predictable, but this is a great Christmas feel-good read that is certain to help many readers get the Christmas spirit. This review is based on an advance review copy which is clearly labeled as "not the final version" provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review.

Keeping Christmas

Walsh, Dan. Keeping Christmas. Grand Rapids: Revell, 2015.

Experiencing an empty nest for the first time at Thanksgiving and soon to be at Christmas makes Judith gloomy. Her husband Stan and friend Betty try to find ways to lift her spirits. Will they be able to help her overcome the depression this holiday season brings? This book is certain to resonate with many readers who are experiencing Christmas without a family gathering. I love the parts that showed how Judith and her children created ornaments each year and how much that meant to both Judith and her children. While I never contemplated putting the book down, the story itself did not flow flawlessly. I can't quite put my finger on the reason. I do, however, believe this is a worthwhile Christmas read that may even help a few persons struggling with the holidays. This review is based on an advance review copy which clearly states that it is not the final text received through NetGalley for review purposes.

Adventures in Writing

Education.com. Adventures in Writing. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 2015.

This is a workbook designed to help first graders learn capitalization, punctuation, sentence completion, and creative writing. It also provides a few mazes, paper folding, and other activities to go along with creative writing prompts. It's probably a good supplement for some students. The book is a compilation of several previously published workbooks. This review is based on an advance review e-galley provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes.

Let's Learn About the Lord's Supper

DeVries, Catherine. Let's Learn About the Lord's Supper. Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 2015.

Emma, the young narrator in this picture book, takes us to her room on a play date. Her mother calls her down for a snack. When she prays, she uses and briefly talks about the Lord's Prayer that she has been learning. When returning to the room, she teaches the prayer to her stuffed animal. The illustrations by Ryan Jackson in this picture book are colorful and certain to please young audiences. My biggest problem with the book has to do with the manner in which the stuffed animal was introduced. The narrative seems to imply that a question was asked earlier for which Emma is now giving the answer so that the reader will know if he guessed correctly. It is possible this will be corrected in the final version that will be marketed. The author still fails to break down certain phrases in the Lord's prayer for the intended audience level. It is, however, a book that many Christian parents and schools will want to purchase. This review is based on an advance reader's copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley with the expectation that a review be written.

History & Me

Education.com. History & Me. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 2015.

This contains several activities designed to increase reading comprehension and writing skills using activities based on history. The "She's So Cool" section contains activities based on women's biography. The "American Heroes" section uses important figures from American history as a basis for the activities. All the subjects are U.S. Presidents in the "Presidential Potpourri" section. Barack Obama, the current president, is one of those included. My personal favorite section, because of my interest in genealogy, is the one on "Tracing Your Roots." While it is a good starting point for pre-teens interested in learning about their family history, the charts are not very adequate. The four sections were taken from other Education.com publications with the same titles as the sections. This review is based on an advance e-galley provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes.

Swedes in Canada

Barr, Elinor. Swedes in Canada: Invisible Immigrants. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2015.


Swedes in Canada: Invisible Immigrants is a very detailed and well-researched look at persons of Swedish descent who live in Canada. The book touches on the Swedish influence in many sectors of Canadian life. The appendices are useful for persons researching family history as there are place and people lists. The end notes would probably be more valuable as footnotes since many of them further describe things in the text. The bibliography is extensive. In the advance review e-galley, the index had not yet been compiled but there was a place marker for it. Recommended for academic collections with an interest in Swedes and for genealogical collections which serve areas with high concentrations of Swedish researchers. This review is based on an e-galley received by the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes.

The Hog's Back Mystery

Crofts, Freeman Wills. The Hog's Back Mystery. Scottsdale, Ariz.: Poisoned Pen Press, 2015.

When a doctor and a nurse go missing, it's up to Inspector French to solve the case. It soon becomes apparent that both were likely killed, but where are the bodies? Suspicion runs to members of the doctor's household, to the doctor's partner, and to other persons connected with them. When another person goes missing, clues such as blood and dirt begin to surface. It's a complex mystery requiring the use of logic from the Golden Age of Mysteries that is certain to delight fans of the genre. An advance review copy was received from the publisher Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Lasting Love

Begg, Alistair. Lasting Love: How to Avoid Marital Failure. Chicago: Moody, 2015.

Alistair Begg's book on marriage has been around for about eighteen years and is being re-released by Moody Publishers in 2015. My hopes that it was a new edition were shattered when I ran across a reference to it being the 1990s. The latest works cited in the bibliography are from 1996. Much of the advice Begg provides to couples is still valid; however, it is a shame that the content has not been updated and that he has failed to draw from more recent authors such as Gary Thomas and Timothy Keller. Although the advice is sound, I feel that some of the concepts will not be heeded by today's generation without a slightly different approach to the argument. The book has a study guide written by James S. Bell, Jr. which can be used by couples or by groups studying the book. It would probably be quite helpful in many premarital counseling situations. The foreward to the book was written by Howard Hendricks. It seems a new foreward by someone who is at the forefront of today's Christian leaders would have been a good addition to the book. This review is based on an advance readers e-galley provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes.

Leisure and Spirituality

Heintzman, Paul. Leisure and Sprituality: Biblical, Historical, and Contemporary Perspectives. (Engaging Culture). Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2015.

In this well-written book based upon his doctoral dissertation, Paul Heintzman explores the concept of leisure throughout history, particularly as viewed by the Judeo-Christian community. He begins by exploring the views of leisure in today's society. He then takes a look at its history. He then explores what the Bible teaches about the concept of leisure. He then explores the changing concepts of leisure and work and the Biblical view of work. He then takes a look at how Christians have approached leisure. Finally he looks at the importance of leisure in one's spiritual life. Heintzman has done his research, yet his volume remains accessible to both the seminarian and educated laymen in the church who are interested in the subject. The volume is well-documented and well-indexed.This book is likely to be the authoritative work in this field for some time to come. Highly recommended. This review is based on an electronic copy of the book received by the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes.

Father's Day & Church Camp

2015 is my first Father's Day without my father alive. As I began to reflect on Father's Days in the past, I realized that church camp played a big role in how these were celebrated.

For many years, our church camp was located about four miles from our home. Even before I was old enough to attend church camp, I was attending the Sunday evening service at the church camp because our church cancelled its evening services so we could attend. Our Wednesday evening services were also often cancelled so we could attend the Galilean service which was an evening chapel service by the lakeside.

When I was old enough to attend, my week of church camp often began on Father's Day. The family would pack me up after morning services and get me to the church camp so I could have a good choice of bunks. Mom and Dad would stay with me until after the evening vesper service and then they would head home.

Later the camp moved to the campus of a Bible college outside of Senatobia, Mississippi. By the time I was 15 and had my drivers license, I began working at the church camp. My official title was "Canteen Manager." I often performed other duties as well. Needless to say, I was still leaving for church camp after church on Father's Day even though senior high week had passed.

When I was in college, I traveled on one of the music teams that went to various church camps. At this point, I wasn't even home for Father's Day. I had to call instead. We usually traveled to camps in Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Tennessee, and Mississippi. We also attended a denominational convention each year wherever it was located.

After my undergraduate college years, I only worked in church camp a couple of times. I went as a counselor/dorm mom and teacher for my church one year, and I was the dean of a camp one year when I worked in children's ministry at a church. (I think that camp probably began on Father's Day too!)

Death in Salem

Kuhns, Eleanor. Death in Salem. New York: Minotaur Books, 2015.

Will Rees is called upon to investigate the stabbing of a Salem shipping magnate named Boothe in this work of historical fiction. Soon other murders follow. Rees follows leads that take him into Salem's tunnels, into the shady part of town called Black Cat, and to other areas. He must also determine if smuggling had a role in the deaths. The novel is a bit conversation-heavy and did not maintain my interest well. Sentences seemed choppy instead of well-constructed, adding to the problems. I suspect that some readers will enjoy this more than I did. Persons who have read the earlier installments in the series might also appreciate it more. The review is based on an advance reader's e-galley provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes.

Second Street Station

Levy, Lawrence H. Second Street Station. New York: Crown, 2015.

Mary Handley, an out-of-work sweat shop employee, is hired as the first female detective by the New York Police department when Charles Goodrich is murdered. The plot includes a "who's who" of the 19th century with Thomas Edison, J. P. Morgan, Nikola Tesla, and George Westinghouse being important in the plot. Even the Pembertons of Atlanta Coca-Cola fame make appearances. Despite the implausibility of the plot, it was entertaining, at least after the opening few chapters, and kept me interested in the outcome. Many of the minor characters seemed to be a little more fully developed than the Mary herself was. Historical mystery fans who enjoy real-life characters inserted in the plot will enjoy this one. This review is based on an advance uncorrected proof e-galley provided by the publisher through NetGalley for review purposes.

The Cherokee Struggle to Maintain Identity in the 17th and 18th Centuries

Reynolds, William R., Jr. The Cherokee Struggle to Maintain Identity in the 17th and 18th Centuries. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2015.

Author William Reynolds did a masterful job documenting the Cherokee in the 17th and 18th centuries. The book shows the Cherokee's interactions with the white men who came into their region. They lost land to settlers even before removal forced many of them to lands that became Oklahoma. The historical accounts are written from a perspective providing new insights into regional history for most Southeastern States. Readers will recognize names such as John Sevier, Anthony Bledsoe, James Robertson, and Andrew Pickens as they scan the pages. We also gain insight into key Native American leaders such as Piomingo. One minor error was noted in the description of Muscle Shoals' location.  Appendices include a listing without documentation of the author's Cherokee ancestry, biographical sketches, villages, and glimpses into Cherokee life. This book belongs in collections with a focus on the Cherokee or on the Southeastern Region of the United States, but it should be of interest to anyone interested in colonial American history or Native American history. The review is based on a complimentary copy received through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program in exchange for reviewing purposes.