Missouri: A State Divided Long Before the Civil War Began
In which I share an excerpt from my book, A State Divided, and explain some Missouri history leading up to the Civil War - including the Missouri Compromise of 1820, the Compromise of 1850/Fugitive Slave Law, the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, the “Bleeding Kansas” Border Wars, and the Dred Scott Decision.
Missouri Civil War Museum at Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis
In which I relate some history of Benton Barracks and Jefferson Barracks, both in St. Louis, Missouri; share my initial thoughts and sights upon arriving at the museum; and explain how this turned into a TWO book project - a historical fiction book titled Missouri Daughter and a nonfiction text titled A State Divided: The Civil War Letters of James Calaway Hale and Benjamin Petree of Andrew County, Missouri.
A Visit to the Centralia Cemetery and Some Traughber Family History
In which I visit the Centralia Cemetery - once with Mike and once with my parents - to pay our respects to the many Traughbers and Brysons buried there, as well as share some Traughber family history.
Centralia, Missouri: The Battle of Centralia
In which I explain how later that same day, when Federal troops went after Bloody Bill and his men, 122 of 125 were slaughtered three miles outside of town in the Battle of Centralia, the highest percentage of men killed in a single engagement of the Civil War; I also share photos from the battlefield
Centralia, Missouri - Home of the Traughbers and Site of the Centralia Massacre
In which I describe my visits with both Mike and my parents to Centralia, where my great grandfather, William Francis Traughber, grew up and attended high school, and where 22 Union soldiers and one civilian were killed by William “Bloody Bill” Anderson and his guerrillas on September 27, 1864, in what became known as the Centralia Massacre (and to which, it turns out, I have several family connections - on BOTH sides of the war)
Kirksville, Missouri: A Visit to the Cemetery & Some Petree Family History
In which I describe my visit with my parents to two cemeteries in Kirksville where various family members are born and provide some history of the Petrees
Kirksville, Missouri - The Adair County Courthouse and Historical Society & Museum
In which I describe my visit to both the Adair County Courthouse and the historical museum in Kirksville, Missouri, as well as briefly relate some history about the Battle of Kirksville during the Civil War.
Kirksville, Missouri - A.T. Still University’s College of Osteopathy
In which I briefly relate the history of Osteopathy and its founder, A.T. Still; describe my visit to the College of Osteopathy that my great grandfather, William Francis Traugher, attended in Kirksville, Missouri; and share information I learned from the genealogist with whom my father and I met to learn more about his time there
Kirksville, Missouri - Home of the Petrees: Missouri State Normal School & Former Petree Houses
In which I describe my visit to Kirksville, Missouri with my parents in April 2022, as well as my visits to the school my great grandmother, Nora Elma Petree Traughber, attended and the house where she grew up
How This Journey Began - The Hales & Petrees of Andrew County, Missouri
In which I discuss how I acquired 50 Civil War letters written by my 3rd Great Grandfather, James Calaway Hale, and 2nd Grand Uncle, Benjamin Petree, as well as other family letters and heirlooms, and started writing a historical fiction novel titled Missouri Daughter