A Klondike Angel

by Martha Hutchens

image by @igorr1, deposit photos

Mollie Walsh remains a bit of a mystery. The facts that are generally accepted include that she ran a “grub tent” in Alaska, the circumstances surrounding her marriage, and that Jack Newman loved her.

Mollie Walsh was actually born Mary Welsh, but even the date of her birth is debated. She grew up in Minnesota but eventually struck out on her own and moved to Butte, Montana, where she worked as a laundress. She saved enough money from this job to head north to the Klondike Gold Rush in 1897.

Initially, Mollie settled in Skagway, where she worked as a cook and a waitress.

Two sources agree that Mollie was active in the “Union Church,” though one places the church in Skagway and another in Log Cabin.

Mollie didn’t stay in Skagway for long. It was a rough place, and she didn’t feel safe there. Besides, she had an entrepreneurial spirit and decided to set up a grub tent along the trail. This eating establishment, nothing more than a cookstove and a tent, became a favorite stopping point thanks to Mollie’s simple cooking and sense of fun.

image by @IngeBlessas, deposit photos

Mollie was known for her generosity. According to Jack Newman, she first caught his attention when she risked her reputation to nurse a sick girl at a brothel. Later, when he got caught in a snowstorm, he stumbled into her trailside tent. Having lost a mitten, one of his hands was near frozen. Mollie tended to his hand, and he left her tent with love beginning to grow in his heart.

Jack set his heart on marrying Mollie, even supposedly taking part in a gunfight with one of her other suitors. He shot the other man in the leg, claiming he had “promised Mollie he wouldn’t kill him, but wanted to make it hard for the man to run to her place.” (This altercation is highly disputed.)

Though Mollie liked Jack, she saw little chance for happiness together. She eventually wanted to move to a more populated area, but Jack wanted to remain in the wilderness. Mollie eventually married Michael Bartlett.

The Bartlett family had moved to Alaska from Texas and made their fortune selling supplies to miners. Mike’s family was not impressed with his choice of a bride, believing her to have made her money as a prostitute. They disliked her even more when she tried to take part in their business.

image by @rixipix, deposit photos

To escape the tension, Mike and Mollie moved to Seattle, though he still spent much time in Alaska handling family business. They had a son.

Many of Jack’s friends were gold miners who traveled back and forth between Seattle and Alaska. These friends kept him informed about Mollie’s life. Jack tried to forget her, now that she was married, but had no success—especially when rumors traveled north that Michael was abusing Mollie.

In this case, rumor proved true. While it’s hard to know which stories are exaggerated, it seems that Mollie left Michael three separate times. Once, he tracked her down. Another time, he threatened to kill himself and even fired a shot, but Mollie told the police that he was no threat to anyone but himself. Finally, she had him arrested.

A judge found Michael guilty of abusing his wife and sentenced him to 30 days in jail. Mollie persuaded him to suspend the sentence, fearing that after his release, he would find her and kill her.

She was right to be afraid. One week after the judge reluctantly agreed to release him, Michael shot and killed Mollie.

The trial took more than a year, but Michael was eventually found not guilty. One story claims he was found “not guilty by reason of insanity” and that it was a “crime of passion.” Another suggests he was found innocent due to alcohol poisoning, with the argument that his wife had driven him to drink.

image by @HayDmitriy, deposit photos

This tragic story might have been lost to history if not for one thing: Jack Newman never forgot his first love, even after he married another. In 1930, he had a bronze statue of Mollie made and sent to Skagway. The likeness now stands at the entrance to Mollie Walsh Park. The inscription Jack wrote to accompany the statue reads:

"Alone without help—This courageous girl ran a grub tent near Log Cabin during the Gold Rush of 1897-1898. She fed and lodged the wildest, gold-crazed men generations shall surely know. This inspiring spirit was murdered on October 27, 1902."

Best-selling author Martha Hutchens is a history nerd who loves nothing more than finding a new place and time to explore. She won the 2019 Golden Heart for Romance with Religious and Spiritual Elements. A former analytical chemist and retired homeschool mom, Martha occasionally finds time for knitting when writing projects allow.

Martha’s debut novel is now available.

When his family legacy is on the line, rancher Drew McGraw becomes desperate for someone to tame and tutor his three children. Desperate enough to seek a mail-order bride. But when the wrong woman arrives on his doorstep, Drew balks.

Heiress Kaitlyn Montgomery runs straight from the scandal chasing her toward a fresh start on a secluded ranch. She strikes a bargain with Drew—a marriage convenient for both of them.

But the more Kaitlyn adapts to ranch life and forms a bond with Drew’s children and their enigmatic father, she realizes that this ranch is where she is meant to be. And then her past catches up with her…

Einstein's Greatest Mistake

2025 marks 80 years since the dawn of the atomic age and 146 years since the birth of the so-called “father” of that age, Albert Einstein. 

But did you know it was a title the man himself rejected? 

Photo Credit: Brittanica.com

Born in Ulm, Germany in 1879 to non-practicing Jews, Einstein excelled at both math and physics from an early age. In addition to advanced academic powers, Einstein also developed deeply held political and social beliefs early in life, embracing secular humanism, more agnostic views over atheism, and staunchly pacifist leanings. In fact, he renounced his German citizenship in 1896 to avoid state-mandated military service.

Shortly before Hitler came to power in 1933, Einstein left Europe for good and took a position at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. After winning the 1922 Nobel Prize in Physics, he ultimately applied for U.S. citizenship in 1935. Although his citizenship was granted, his outspoken pacifism and left-leaning politics did not go unnoticed; he was immediately put on the FBI's radar and was routinely surveilled for over twenty-two years. 

So it may be surprising to learn that a pacifist devout and outspoken enough to land himself on a government watch list would, in the late 1930's, find himself at the helm of a movement to bring forth unprecedented weaponry to the United States' arsenal.

In December 1938, German chemists Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassman, buoyed by Einstein's most famous equation E=mc2, which had made the splitting of atoms theoretically possible, succeeded in splitting a uranium atom in two. The discovery was announced at a physicist conference at George Washington University on January 27, 1939 and soon scientists from around the globe were attempting to achieve the same process on their own. Almost overnight, the enormous energy that had bound an atom together became available for man to harness as he wished.

Meanwhile, across Europe, Hitler's reign of terror was beginning. The world would soon be at war.

What happened next is a matter lost to the he said/he said version of history. 

What is known for sure is that on August 2, 1939, a letter signed by Einstein was delivered to President Roosevelt. Einstein later claimed his colleague Leo Szilard wrote the letter and he had merely signed his name. Szilard, on the other hand, claimed Einstein was deeply involved in writing the letter. According to his account, the idea of fission being weaponed caused Einstein such a panic, especially when combined with the rumors of German scientists already experimenting with such a device, that he immediately drafted a letter.

It, in part, encouraged "quick action on the part of the Administration..." because "...it may become possible to set up a nuclear chain reaction in a large mass of uranium...this new phenomenon would also lead to the construction of bombs, and it is conceivable--though much less certain--that extremely powerful bombs of a new type may thus be constructed." He urged Roosevelt to "give particular attention to the problem of securing a supply of uranium ore for the United States [and] to speed up the experimental work...by providing funds."

Roosevelt responded by saying he had "convened a board to thoroughly investigate the possibilities of your suggestion regarding the element of uranium." The board's progress, however, was too slow for Einstein's liking and, in March 1940, he wrote a second letter, warning him that, "since the outbreak of war, interest in uranium has intensified in Germany." He urged Roosevelt to devote more resources toward the science.

Despite this, it wasn't until 1942 that the idea behind atomic weapons really began to take off, when the program was handed over to the U.S. Army under the code name "Manhattan." Einstein, desperate to help, volunteered for the project, but was ultimately denied the security clearance needed. Scientists were even forbidden to consult with him on project matters aside from one small issue--the problem involving separation of isotopes that shared chemical traits, which Einstein solved in less than two days.

By then, however, Einstein was already beginning to have doubts. In December 1944, he wrote to physicist Niels Bohr, saying "...when the war is over, then there will be in all countries a pursuit of secret war preparations with technological means which will lead inevitably to preventative wars and to destruction even more terrible than the present destruction of life."

Work, however, progressed without him and, on August 6, 1945, the world's first atomic weapon was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, followed soon after by another on Nagasaki. Einstein, upon hearing the news, supposedly muttered the words, "Woe is me."

Photo Credit: New York Times

Although the United States celebrated the weapon and the war's subsequent end, Einstein was filled with regret at the effects of the weapon whose creation he had set in motion. Einstein claimed he had put his support behind a bomb only due to a threat of a similar weapon in the hands of the Nazi's. The bombing of Japan, however, came three months after German's surrender, when the Nazi threat had long passed, an aggressive move rather than a last resort.

Immediately after the bomb, he began distancing himself from the project. He maintained that his work in physics did not provide a map for fission but only explained the energy released during it. "I do not consider myself the father of atomic energy," he said. "My part in it was quite indirect."

This line, no matter how oft repeated, did little to quell his remorse or stifle the praises of the public. In an interview with Newsweek, he tried to make himself even more clear by saying "Had I known that the Germans would not succeed in developing an atomic bomb, I would have done nothing."

Einstein spent the remaining years of his life fighting against the very thing he had supposedly created. In 1955, he added his name to the Russell-Einstein Manifesto, which called for a conference where scientists from all nations could assess the dangers of nuclear weapons. It was hoped that, through this, world leaders would understand the risk of "playing with fire" and seek more peaceful resolutions to global conflicts.

Directly or indirectly, big or small, Einstein's role in the development of atomic weapons weighed heavily enough upon his shoulders to bring about a lifetime of rallying against their use. To him, however, the efforts were too little too late. Just months before his death, he told friend and renown chemist and peace activist Linus Pauling that "I made one great mistake in my life...when I signed the letter to President Roosevelt recommending that atom bombs be made."

Jennifer L. Wright grew up wanting to be a reporter, but it only took a few short months of working in journalism for her to abandon those aspirations for fiction writing instead. She loves to reimagine and explore forgotten eras in history, showcasing God's light amidst humanity's darkest days. Her books have won multiple awards, including Golden Scroll and Angel awards. She currently lives in New Mexico with her husband, two kids, a couple of hyperactive dachshunds, and an ever-growing herd of guinea pigs. 

V-J Day

“This day is a new beginning in the history of freedom on this earth. Our global victory has come from the courage and stamina and spirit of free men and women united in the determination to fight.”

President Harry S. Truman

By August 1945, America had been at war for almost four years, Poland and England for six. Victory in Europe day was declared in May 1945, but conflict still raged with the Japanese, whom it seemed would never give up. In fact, no Japanese military unit had surrendered during World War II. Despite being victorious for the Allies, the battles on Iwo Jima and Okinawa were devastating with heavy losses.

Plans were made to invade the Japanese home islands, however, prior to execution of the operation, on August 6, 1945, the United States dropped the atomic bomb, the first of its kind, on Hiroshima. Three days later, a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. On August 10, Japan notified the Allies of its intent to surrender on August 14, 1945.

As soon as the news was released on August 14, celebrations began across the

globe. The United Kingdom announced its official V-J Day would be the following day, August 15, 1945. September 2nd, the date the surrender documents were signed is the official US commemoration. In Japan, August 15 is known as “memorial day for the end of the war.”

In London, people took to the streets, civilians and members of the armed forces alike. One article reported soldiers dancing in a conga line on Regent Street. In Paris, Frenchmen paraded on the Champs-Elysees singing “Don’t Fence Me In.” In Berlin American soldiers reportedly shouted, “It’s over in the Pacific.” The Chinese set off fireworks, and in Manila residents were said to sing “God Bless America.” In Washington, DC, a crowd yelling, “We want Harry,” tried to break into the White House. They were unsuccessful.

New York’s Times Square filled with the largest crowd it had ever seen, with kissing, dancing, and singing. One of the most famous photographs, a soldier kissing a woman who appears to be a nurse, was taken in Times Square and published in Life Magazine. Life also reported that news of the war’s end “sparked a coast-to-coast frenzy of {servicemen} kissing…everyone in skirts that happened along.”

Tragically, some celebrations, such as the one in San Franciso, was categorized as a “three-night orgy of vandalism, looting, assault, robbery, rape, and murder.” Another article called it the “deadliest riots in the city’s history.” Additionally, Japanese soldiers murdered POWs, then committed suicide. Fortunately, these incidents were few.

V-J Day was bittersweet in light of the worldwide destruction and death. As historian Donald L. Miller, Ph.D wrote, “For those who had seen the face of battle and been in the camps and under the bombs—and had lived—there was a sense of immense relief.”

________________

Linda Shenton Matchett writes happily-ever-after historical Christian fiction about second chances and women who overcome life’s challenges to be better versions of themselves. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, she was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry (of Star-Spangled Banner fame) and has lived in historical places all her life. She is a volunteer docent and archivist at the Wright Museum of WWII and a former trustee for her local public library. She now lives in central New Hampshire where she explores the history of this great state and immerses herself in the imaginary worlds created by other authors.

A Lesson in Love

He thinks he’s too old. She thinks she’s too young. Can these teachers learn that love defies all boundaries?

Born and raised in London, Isobel Turvine knows nothing about farming, but after the students in her school evacuate during Operation Pied Piper, she’s left with little to do. Her friend talks her into joining the Women’s Land Army, and she finds herself working the land at a manor home in Yorkshire that’s been converted to a boys’ school. A teacher at heart, she is drawn to the lads, but the handsome yet stiff-necked headmaster wants her to stick to farming.

Left with an arm that barely works from the last “war to end all wars,” Gavin Emerson agrees to take on the job of headmaster when his school moves from London to Yorkshire, but he’s saddled with the quirky manor owner, bickering among his teachers, and a gaggle of Land Army girls who have turned the grounds into a farm. When the group’s blue-eyed, blonde leader nearly runs him down in a car, he admonishes her to stay in the fields, but they are thrown together at every turn. Can he trust her not to break his heart?

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3YHgUb0

Photo Credits: 

VJ Day in Times Square: By New York World-Telegram and the Sun staff photographer: DeMarsico, Dick, photographer. - Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. New York World-Telegram and the Sun Newspaper Photograph Collection. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3c19650, Public Domain. 

Civilians and Soldiers in London: By Ministry of Information Photo Division Photographer. From the collections of the Imperial War Museums. Public Domain. 

Soldier in Times Square: By Victor Jorgensen - US archives, Public Domain. 

Sources: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_over_Japan_Day https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/VJ-Day/ 

https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/v-j-day

Legacy of VJ Day: A Modern Sailor’s Tribute to Inspirational Grandfather: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dlZKR2h0-A https://www.defense.gov/Multimedia/Experience/VJ-Day/

The WWII Ghost Train: How the Belgian Resistance Outwitted the Nazis - Saving 1,400 Lives

By Mary Dodge Allen

Throughout the Nazi occupation of Europe, SS officials used the railways in their systematic extermination of Jews. But in the summer of 1944 - as Allied troops advanced, liberating towns and cities in northern Europe - Nazi SS officials began releasing political prisoners and Allied POWs from prison before the Allies could liberate them, in order to transport them in overcrowded trains to concentration camps. 

Photo of European Railroad Tracks (Public Domain)

The Nazi Ghost Train:

Train Number: 1.682.508, scheduled to leave Brussels on September 2, 1944 at 8:30 am.

Purpose: Transport 1,370 Saint-Gilles political prisoners and 41 Allied POWs to death camps.

Belgian railway workers and Resistance members knew the Allies were quickly advancing, and they were determined to prevent this trainload of prisoners from leaving Belgium. Read the story of their brave actions.

Saint-Gilles Prison, Brussels, Belgium (Public Domain)

Saint-Gilles Prison, Brussels in 1944, as described in the book, Child at War, by Mark Bles:

"It had five huge wings, three stories high, radiating from the central hub... Apart from the run-of-the-mill criminal population, the prison was overcrowded with political prisoners, the victims of German oppression... men and women who had been in the resistance, others suspected of resistance work, hostages (imprisoned for relatives)... who had not been caught, (citizens) who had done nothing at all, and Allied servicemen who were held for weeks before finally being shipped off to POW camps in Germany. 

"Prisoners would be taken into the courtyard and the massive timber gates would be closed behind them. They lived in small cells like bare stone caves standing off narrow cast-iron galleries rising in tiers above the hard tiled floor."

Saturday, September 2, 1944, 1:30 am – 4:00 am:

Saint-Gilles prisoners were awakened and assembled in the prison’s central courtyard. Those who had hoped the fast-approaching Allies would liberate them, feared all hope was gone. They were then herded into trucks. One prisoner, M. Ponty, described his experience: 

"Next is our exit from the jail between two walls of machine guns. The vehicle which was taking me away was joined... at the entrance of the station, by the first truckload of women. Invisible under the filthy tarp, they were singing La Brabanconne (Belgian national anthem). A shot explodes: it’s a furious SS (guard)." 

During the truck ride to the Brussels-South train station, prisoners tossed out scraps of paper, messages for families and friends. Citizens picked up these notes and promised to deliver them.

WWII photo of people entering boxcars (Public Domain)

At the station, approximately 150 - 175 armed Nazi SS guards stood on the train platforms, as the 1,370 Saint-Gilles prisoners were herded and locked into boxcars; 85 – 105 per car. The 41 Allied POWs were herded into a separate, heavily-guarded boxcar.

Soon, the crowded boxcars became filled with a smothering heat. Duverger, the assistant train manager, ignored the protests and threats of the armed SS guards and opened the ventilation slots in each boxcar to allow fresh air inside. 

Photo of a WWII-era boxcar. Ventilation slats are in the upper right corner. (Public Domain)

Negotiations with the Nazi SS General:

Because the Allies were quickly approaching Belgium, Red Cross and Belgian officials took this opportunity to begin negotiating with Nazi SS General Jungclaus, for the release of all Belgian political prisoners. One of the negotiators, Dr. Van Dooren, knows his wife is one of the prisoners on the train.

Sabotage, Diversions and Delay Tactics:

Burssels-South train station manager, Leon Petit, met with railway employees and Resistance members. They decided to do whatever sabotage they could to stop the prisoner train from leaving the city. But they ruled out any violent action, fearing the SS guards might retaliate against the prisoners.

The foreman of the Brussels-South railyard, named Masquelier, described general sabotage techniques: 

"During the whole war we tried each in our job to impede as much as possible the functioning of the German railroad... I could divert at least 2,000 hours of work a month hiding the absences of machinists. The sabotage would consist of taking apart the distribution connecting-rods or the screws on the safety valves of the boilers." 

On September 2, 1944, German officials requested locomotive #3302, the only working locomotive in the yard, to transport the prisoners and POWs. Masquelier said, “(We) sabotaged it by damaging the grease pipes." 

Photo of locomotive Type 12, the type used on the prisoner train. (Societe National des Chemins de Fer Belges (SNCB), Brussels

With locomotive #3302 put out of action, the Germans ordered the mechanics to repair the broken pump on the only other available locomotive, #1202. The Belgian mechanics deliberately worked slowly. The Germans finally sent in their own mechanics, and #1202 was repaired and ready. But... this locomotive was diverted by a turntable ‘error’ to another track in the railyard, and it stayed there until well after Noon. 

After locomotive #1202 was found, the engineer left, claiming his shift was over. A second engineer simply ‘disappeared’ from the depot. Vanderveken, another replacement engineer, dragged his feet as long as he could while getting the locomotive ready. Then shortly after 3:00 pm, he deliberately ‘fell’ from the locomotive and faked injuries that prevented him from working. 

The frustrated Germans finally located engineers Louis Verheggen and Leon Pochet. They were ordered, at gunpoint, to drive the locomotive. Three SS guards entered the cab and stood behind the two engineers, with guns aimed at their backs. The guards remained there for the next 18 hours, while Verheggen and Pochet continued sabotaging the locomotive’s progress.

After locomotive #1202 was attached to the boxcars holding the prisoners, Verheggen delayed leaving the station by performing needless brake tests. He finally drove out of the station at 4:50 pm. (The prisoner train had been scheduled to leave at 8:30 am that morning.) 

Verheggen then took the wrong track, which added to the delay. At the next station, the station manager (a Resistance member) deliberately sidetracked the prisoner train. It was forced to sit on a dead end sidetrack while a slow-moving 72-car German supply train passed through.

When the prisoner train resumed its journey, Verheggen drove as slowly as he could, while Pochet kept the vapor release valve open, even during stops. This caused an extreme water loss. As the steam locomotive entered the Mechelen station, they informed the SS guards that it needed a resupply of water, (knowing the water tanks at this train yard had been recently destroyed by Allied bombing).

A WWII-era railway water tank. (John Brueske)

The prisoner train was then diverted to the water tanks at the Muizen train station, miles away.

On Saturday night at 11:30 pm, the train finally reached Muizen. But it was delayed for hours before entering the train station because of faulty track signals, which had also been damaged by recent bombing.  

Sunday, September 3, 1944, 5:30 am:

The prisoner train finally left Muizen station. But on its way back to Mechelen, the locomotive wheels malfunctioned and slipped off-track on a sharp curve. Verheggen had to go to a nearby telephone and request another locomotive to pull his locomotive back on the track. While they waited, Verheggen was ordered by the SS guards to move the anti-aircraft gun car from directly behind the locomotive (which was always a prime Allied bombing target) to the end of the train. 

Illustration of a Nazi anti-aircraft boxcar (Public Domain)

With the help of the second locomotive, Verheggen moved the anti-aircraft gun car to the rear of the train, but then he neglected to attach it. When the prisoner train resumed its journey, the gun car was left behind, stranded. 

Sunday, 10:15 am:

The prisoner train arrived at La Petite Ile station in Brussels, where there was a scene of panic and confusion, because the Allies were getting closer. Verheggen took this opportunity to ‘disappear’ and Pochet allowed the locomotive boiler fire to go out, effectively stranding the train until the boiler fire could be re-stoked. 

One of the Belgian railyard workers noticed that the boxcar occupied by the SS guards had been left unguarded. He stole a wooden chest from inside the boxcar and discovered it was filled with jewelry that had been taken from the prisoners. He brought it to the nearest police station.

Sunday, 10:45 am:

Red Cross and Belgian Delegates who had been negotiating with Nazi SS General Jungclaus arrived at La Petite Ile station. They informed the German railway commander that the SS General had agreed to free the political prisoners. 

The German railway commander was reluctant to believe them, but he finally allowed the release of the prisoners in return for the use of all remaining locomotives at the station to transport a Red Cross troop train of German officers and soldiers, retreating to Germany. 

Sunday, 12:15 pm: 

The SS guards were ordered to release the 1,370 Saint-Gilles prisoners from the boxcars. Belgian rail workers and Resistance members brought out the station’s first aid kits and cared for those prisoners who were sick and injured.

However, the German railway commander refused to release the 41 Allied POWs.

The boxcar of POWs was attached to the Red Cross troop train headed back to Germany. But they didn’t get far. An Allied POW named Muir described what happened:

"We remained on the train, which left Brussels at 14.00 hours (2:00 pm)... The train... then returned to Schaerbeek on the outskirts of Brussels, where it was derailed at 01:00 hours (1:00 am) on September 4. The German guards then disappeared. At 04.00 hours (4:00 am)... I left the train and walked into Brussels."

Monday, September 4, 1944: 

In the early morning hours, the Allied POWs left the boxcar in small groups, under the cover of darkness. Later that day, British tanks arrived in Brussels, ending the German occupation of the city.

British Tanks entering Brussels, Sept. 4, 1944 (Public Domain)

Historians say the name ‘Ghost Train’ is misleading. Its whereabouts were always known, but its intended journey to Germany was sabotaged, diverted and delayed over the course of two days, and it never left Belgium. 

The heroic actions of the Belgian railway workers and Resistance members (actions taken while at gunpoint or under the stern watch of armed SS guards) saved the lives of 1,370 Belgian political prisoners and 41 Allied POWs. Some historians have suggested the name 'Miracle Train' is more appropriate. What do you think?

______________

Mary Dodge Allen is currently finishing her sequel to Hunt for a Hometown Killer. She's won a Christian Indie Award, an Angel Book Award, and two Royal Palm Literary Awards (Florida Writer's Association). She and her husband live in Central Florida. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Faith Hope and Love Christian Writers. 

Website: www.marydodgeallen.com

Recent release, anthology devotional: El Jireh, The God Who Provides

Mary's story, entitled: A Mother's Desperate Prayer, describes her struggle with guilt and despair after her young son is badly burned in a kitchen accident. When we are at the end of all we have, El Jireh provides what we need. 

Click the link below to purchase on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/El-Jireh-God-Who-Provides/dp/1963611608

Mary's novel: Hunt for a Hometown Killer won the 2022 Christian Indie Award, First Place - Mystery/Suspense; and the 2022 Angel Book Award - Mystery/Suspense.

Click the link below to buy Hunt for a Hometown Killer at Amazon.com:

Hunt For A Hometown Killer: A Novel: Allen, Mary Dodge: 9781952369704: Amazon.com: Books

Link to Mary's Spotlight Interview:   Mary Dodge Allen Author Spotlight EA Books

Why the Ashtabula, Ohio Train Disaster of 1876 is Ranked 5th In U.S. History

 
By Donna Wichelman

Among America’s most horrific train accidents in history, the Ashtabula, Ohio, train disaster of December 29, 1876 ranks fifth. It was the worst of the nineteenth century.

Present-day Ashtabula Lift Bridge Over the Ashtabula River: ID 390769547 | Ashtabula Ohio © Ralf Broskvar | Dreamstime.com

The Ashtabula train disaster caught my attention when I was conducting research for Book Two in my Silver Singing Mine Series, Rhythms of the Heart, which comes out later this year. I wanted an event in my protagonist’s life that would compel her to leave Hudson, Ohio to live in the mining town of Georgetown, Colorado. In Chapter One, we discover that her husband and two children perished in the train disaster, which propels her to join her parents in Colorado.

What events occurred on the night of December 29, 1876 that caused ninety-two people of one hundred sixty passengers and crew to perish and sixty-four others to sustain critical injuries?

Hindsight is often twenty-twenty, as they say. But in the case of the Pacific Express making its way west from Buffalo, New York to Cleveland, Ohio, the men who designed and built the bridge over the Ashtabula River should have foreseen their errors in judgment. Apparently, they ignored them.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ashtabula_bridge.jpg

The Pacific Express consisted of two engines to drive eleven cars and a full complement of people. So, when a frightful driving snowstorm ensued that night, some might have had the impression that the tremendous amount of snow on the tracks affected the train’s approach to the one-hundred-fifty-seven-foot-long bridge.

However, as the train began to cross the bridge, the man driving it heard a tremendous crack. Fearing the train wouldn’t make it across the bridge, he picked up speed. Unfortunately, only the first engine made it safely to the other side. The second engine and all eleven cars plunged into the ravine. 

Drawing of the Ashtabula Train: Disaster: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ashtabula_Bridge_disaster.jpg

Initially, most of the people onboard survived the crash. But they were trapped in the twisted wood and metal. The oil lamps that had provided them with light now became a raging inferno as the snowstorm’s winds swirled around them.

Two prominent people were among the passengers who perished. Mary Roxana Birchard, the first cousin of Rutherford B. Hayes—the next president of the United States—should have received a $5000 inheritance from her deceased uncle in Sandusky, Ohio. She was an autograph collector and compiled an album of signatures from famous people, including her cousin, Rutherford B. Hayes, Oliver Wendell Holmes Senior, Herbert Hoover, and Daniel Webster. The album was at auction for between $2,000 - $3,000 in 2013. 

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:President_Rutherford_Hayes_1870_-_1880_Restored.jpg">Mathew Benjamin Brady</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Serving as governor of Ohio at the time of the train disaster, Hayes instigated the investigation of the cause of the accident. He wrote in his diary: "Our cousin Mary Birchard, of Fayetteville, Vermont, was lost in the fearful railroad accident at Ashtabula, Friday evening. We have learned none of the particulars as to her fate beyond the general facts of the catastrophe. The accident was the most dreadful that has ever occurred on any railroad in Ohio and has rarely been equaled in the number of victims and other circumstances of horror anywhere. Poor dear Mary! She was a kind-hearted, lovable woman."

The other well-known person onboard was composer and evangelist Philip Bliss. Repudiated to be the second most famous hymn writer in history, perhaps to surpass Fanny Crosby if he had lived long enough, he wrote hymns like Hallelujah, What a Saviour!, Jesus Loves Even Me, Almost Persuaded, and It Is Well with My Soul just to name a few. He survived the crash. But when he couldn’t find his wife, he returned to the train car to find her, and neither was seen afterward.

Philip Bliss: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ppblisscdv.jpg

The investigation ordered by Hayes used a coroner’s jury, which discovered several factors that caused the disaster. While the industry used almost exclusively wood in its construction of bridges during the early days because it was cheap and easy, wood had its issues. Over time, the industry began to use more steel and concrete. The Lakeshore and Michigan Southern Railway, under the leadership of Director Amasa Stone, constructed an iron truss bridge designed by Charles Collins across the river. But the design was flawed, and maintenance on the bridge was nonexistent. In addition, a deadly snowstorm with accumulated depths of twenty inches and fifty-four-mile-an-hour winds complicated matters. Altogether, given these factors, the passengers of the Pacific Express had little hope on that fateful night.

On the day Charles Collins testified before the jury, he went home and took his life. Two years later, Amasa Stone took his life.

Mausoleum of Charles Collins' Family: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashtabula_River_railroad_disaster 

Amasa Stone: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Amasa_Stone.jpg

In the late nineteenth century, train accidents were common. Many reasons contributed to this. Chief among them was financial. Railroad foreman felt pressure from the companies to rush workers to complete their projects, resulting in shoddy workmanship.

The other train disasters falling in order from fourth to first include: the Wellington Avalanche Train Wreck of 1910, the Malbone Street Wreck, the Great Train Wreck of 1918, and the Eden Train Wreck of 1904 in Pueblo, Colorado.

Weaving history and faith into stories of intrigue and redemption grew out of Donna's love of travel, history, and literature as a young adult while attending the United World College of the Atlantic--an international college in Wales, U.K. She enjoys developing plots that show how God's love abounds even in the profoundly difficult circumstances of our lives. Her stories reflect the hunger in all of us for love, belonging, and forgiveness.

Donna was a communications professional before writing full-time. Her short stories and articles have appeared in inspirational publications. She has two indie-published romantic suspense novels, Light Out of Darkness and Undaunted Valor, in her Waldensian Series. Her Gilded Age historical romance, A Song of Deliverance, released in December 2024.

Donna and her husband of forty years participate in ministry at their local church in Colorado. They love spending time with their grandchildren and bike, kayak, and travel whenever possible.

250 Years - How Does the US Army Keep Rolling Along?

As I sit in the ICU with my dad, random thoughts bounce along with the waveforms on the monitor. Alarms cry from other rooms. Nurses race, their gaits commensurate to the tasks at hand. I realize this is a room full of equipment to support, sustain, and save lives. Then, I imagine a time when these tools did not exist.

On June 14, 2025, The United States celebrated the birth of the US Army in 1775. This date signaled the creation of a mighty machine that would defend and protect, as well as heal. In the beginning, the Army did not have systems in place to advance men and supplies from one place to the next, nor to care for wounded or transport them to safety.

The complexity of the present organization and what it takes to make it crawl, walk, run is mindboggling to say the least. This I did not consider before our son entered the Army. Neither did I realize the volume of acronyms and abbreviations. More of those machinations to follow. No doubt there are hefty books and lengthy online posts describing the minutia of transportation alone. For this post, how about a few notable players and nifty tidbits across the years? While some of these additions may seem haphazard, they each have a connection to recent events or to my father whom I am watching over at the moment.

During one of our son’s training seasons, we visited the Transportation Museum at Fort Eustis, Virginia, recently renamed Joint Base Langley-Eustis. The exhibits explain transitions over time, inventions, and improvements to help the whole. Particularly fascinating, the Red Ball Express. Someone needed to transport fuel for the vehicles and supplies for the troops – to advance the lot. Stop and think about this job. Moving targets to be sure. A harrowing experience, to be responsible for the lifeblood of machines. Enemies strived toward eliminating options. This would be a quick method to deter and defeat the purpose. Not only the incendiary target, but other parties also desired the fuel. A jerrycan sold for $100 on the French black market during WWII. The rations and cigarettes as coveted commodities caused trouble. Some Red Ball trucks did not reach their destinations due to theft and an evermoving front that plowed onward. Red Ball trucks followed the line to the front in some areas with maps, in others with large rectangular signs with large red balls in the middle. A beacon of sorts. Though their name did not result from these guideposts. Rather from a rail related term denoting shipments of a priority or express nature.

Imagine the landscape when Normandy Allied operations were 200 days ahead of plans and projections. This scenario delivered additional sustainment challenges. A unit in 1944 demanded each day, thirty-five tons of field rations. An estimated seventy-five thousand plus tons of supplies and equipment sought transportation across the miles.

American troops bombed extensive sections of French railways to thwart the German Army from moving toward Normandy and other key locations. While protecting the American Army, these detonations also posed the problem of transportation for the US soldiers and their necessary equipment. This LSCO or large-scale combat operation, necessitated moving men, rations, fuel, and vehicles across a vast expanse of territory. Consider all involved. Men need clothing, boots, gear, food, water, medical supplies, communication methods, vehicles, fuel, all related MOS or Military Occupational Specialty for each task/job, and more. Then, the roads must be sufficient to handle the volume of people and machines traversing. The small existing French roads at the time could not accommodate this mass. Crews constantly repaired roads. The entire process daunting and detailed required innovations and improvisations. And yet the US Army perseveres. (Read more about the Red Ball Express on the US Army Transportation Corps site.)

During the Korean War, the H-13 helicopter served as a notable method of moving men. H-13s flew wounded soldiers from combat zones to MASH units – Mobile Army Surgical Hospitals for treatment. The Army cleverly modified the H-13 based on need. External litters with the head area comprised of Plexiglass allowed more secure and less traumatic experiences. Before the use of H-13, trucks navigated rough Korean terrain often causing shock. The helicopters hence named, “Angels of Mercy” for their ability of smooth speed. One pilot logged 700 hours and 545 missions over a 14-month period, delivering 922 casualties. Of the 23,000 soldiers transported, 18,000 rode on an H-13.

Throughout a long period of my childhood, I could hear the theme song from the TV show, M.A.S.H., floating from the living room. My father’s favorite show for its humor, I imagine he watched the reruns multiple times. I never knew then that our son would later land in an adjacent role. I am ever grateful for all those who served before and those who dedicate their lives to making ours safer. Better.

The Vietnam War comprised different challenges and a generation who would blame rather than thank American soldiers. The M54A1C Truck for cargo solved some of the logistical problems while displaying the disgruntled state of mind of those involved by the names painted on its well-insulated sides. The M54A1C in this photo garnered its moniker from a Barry McGuire song of protest, “Eve of Destruction.” With two sheets of steel plates had sandbags in between – a double hull design, this vehicle augmented protection for supply convoys. The “Eve” is the only gun truck (known) in existence from this war. This 5-ton, 6 x 6 (Modified) M54A1C drove into the kill zones at the beginning of the ambush, all out guns. The firepower provided a shield of sorts.

From 1956 – 1989 the Versatile Mule provided transportation in a variety of scenarios. More adaptable than the Jeep, its relative longevity due to vast options and adaptions. Read about the history of the Jeep in The Origin of the Jeep oIIIIIIIo. . The Mule also aided in multiple wars until it finally retired in the late 1980s. Its successor, nimble ATVs.

To finish on a lighter note, not all transportation involved defeating an enemy. Some offered hope and help. A pilot, Lieutenant Gail S. “Hal” Halverson, gave his last two pieces of gum to German children. These littles shared his scant offering amongst themselves behind a fence as he surveyed the area during an operation. An idea formed to deliver on a mass-scale. He told the children to look for his plane and he would drop sweets to their locations. They asked how they would recognize him amongst the other planes. He explained he would wiggle the airplane wings and henceforth they called him, “Uncle Wiggle Wings” (“Onkle Wachlefluge).” A group effort, Hal’s commander bestowed permission to continue. Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts donated material and handkerchiefs to make tiny parachutes to deliver tons of candy that could be air-dropped to German youth. Confectioners provided candy. The “Candy Bomber” as Hal was also named, offered a temporary escape from the horrors of war. These children experienced joy drifting down from above in the form of small gifts attached to white parachutes.

We as lovers of history enjoy delving into the past to learn and appreciate. We can apply this bent to another aspect of our lives as we realize gratitude causes a shift. Compassion. When we ponder those around us, their lives before and what they are experiencing, we gain understanding. Taking a moment to consider components of how a person arrived at present can be interesting, enlightening, and aid in connections between us and another. For example, that crazy driver with road rage might not be so deranged at all. They could be on the way to the hospital with a loved one in dire straits. They did not mean to derail another driver’s morning. No, this did not occur for my dad’s current visit. Just an observation and perhaps helpful perspective. Henceforth, I aim to approach others with the curiosity I extend to a wizened old tree, a beautiful building, or an ancient artifact. 

Do you do the same?

As a child, Rebecca loved to write. She nurtured this skill as an educator and later as an editor for an online magazine. Rebecca then joined the Cru Ministry - NBS2GO/Neighbor Bible Studies, at its inception. She serves as the YouVersion Content Creator, with over 130 Plans, in 44 languages on the Bible.com app.

Rebecca lives near the mountains with her husband and a rescued dog named Ranger. She is a proud mom of an American soldier and a college senior. If it were up to Rebecca, she would be traveling - right now. First up, trips to see their two grown sons. As a member of ACFW and FHLCW, she tackles the craft of fiction while learning from a host of generous writers.


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