Historical Aspects of My Work in Progress

In February 2018, when I began writing my current novel, I speculated about what historical events might be featured in the book. I’m now in the polishing phase, and this post is an update on what has in fact made it into the novel’s plot.

Receipt for Oregon Land Donation Act claim

The Oregon Land Donation Act of 1850 is a big issue in the book. One of my main characters has a land claim of 640 acres, which he filed in 1847, and there is some question as to whether his claim will be cut in half by the new law. Why? Because he is single. Under the Land Donation Act, single men can only claim 320 acres of land. Married women (but not single women) can claim another 320 acres, so a married man can farm 640 acres.

Should my character get married? What do you think?

(For more on the Oregon Land Donation Act, see here, here, and here. )

There is some mention of gold being found in southern Oregon in the Rogue River Valley. This is a minor issue in the book, but not a major turning point in the plot.

What surprised me as I wrote is that criminal activity among the characters became a big factor. I won’t reveal a lot about the plot, other than to inform readers that theft and murder do take place in the novel. I am working on the back cover text and marketing blurb for the book now, and the current draft refers to “quarrelsome neighbors” and “ruthless thieves”, which gives some idea of what might happen.

Civil and criminal lawsuits also provide some of the conflict in the book. It is convenient to have a major character who is an attorney who can explain what is happening. Perhaps, as I wrote, my subconscious wanted to give my legal background some exposure. Or maybe I was channeling my great-grandfather, who was a sheriff in Polk County, Oregon.

What doesn’t take place in this novel that I originally thought might? There is no mention of any conflicts between whites and Native Americans. The discovery of gold in the Rogue River Valley did lead to wars, but the major battles did not begin until 1855. So maybe in a future book, I will get into this issue, though I don’t currently plan to write about the late 1850s.

And not much happens in this book with the development of transportation in Oregon. Some commercial roads were built in Oregon in the 1850-51 period, but my characters were not involved in their development. Railroads don’t arrive in Oregon until later.

I wish the editing and polishing of this book were going faster. Unfortunately, building a house and moving are taking most of my time these days. I still hope to have this book done by the end of the year. Of course, I’ll be sure to let readers of this blog know when that happens!

What do you wish you knew about the history of the American West?