Unusual Pioneer Pets - Laura Ashwood

Anyone that watched Little House on the Prairie remembers Jack. The faithful, loveable, scruffy little dog that managed to follow the Ingalls wagon all the way to Walnut Grove. Jack was followed by Bandit, the border collie. It was not uncommon at all for pioneer families to have dogs as pets. They were not only great companions in the isolation of the large, open spaces, but also served as guardians of the livestock and family members. Early photos of pioneer families and homesteads often include a dog. 

Cats were also frequently found in pioneer homes. They were revered for keeping rodents out of foodstores and homes, as well as being companions. 

But cats and dogs weren't the only pets on the prairie. Even in Little House, Laura had made a pet out of Jasper, the friendly raccoon for a short while (no spoilers here). 

In the prairies of Dakota Territory, it wasn't unusual for children to make pets out of prairie dogs. 

Birds were also popular pets, only it wasn't the parakeets and finches found in today's pet shops. Rather it was ravens, owls, crows, and even pigeons that graced the shoulders of their owners during that time. 

But it was the squirrel that was one of the most popular pets of the 19th Century. Their amiable nature, small size, and ability to entertain made it a favorite amongst the young and old alike. A plethora of literature about the care of squirrels as domestic pets could be found, as well as beautiful cages, collars and chains (leashes) for the more wealthy squirrel owner.  

Pet squirrels could be procured from pet stores, bird breeders, and for those less affluent folks, even captured from the wild. By the early 1900s, the novelty of squirrels as pets was wearing off, and rather than fun pets, squirrels began to be despised as pests. Most states eventually adopted exotic pet laws, prohibiting the keeping of squirrels as pets. 

Have you ever had what would be considered an exotic pet? 

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When the freak blizzard of 1878 kills most of the men in a small Nebraska town, what does it mean for the surviving women and children?

Realizing they need to find men of honor to help rebuild, the women place an advertisement in the Matrimonial Times.

Choosing a husband is more difficult than they thought, when there is an overwhelming response to the ad.

Will these Blizzard Brides find the second chance at love in a town called Last Chance?

My book, A Groom for Ruby is now available for pre-order!

PREPARING FOR WINTER by Laura Ashwood

Winter for the pioneers was often a long and harsh time of year, and they often spent a great deal of time during the summer and fall making preparations. Those that weren't prepared often starved to death, or in some cases, froze to death, so it was an important task to attend to.

During the winter, especially while the railroad was in its infancy, transportation of goods was slow, if not impossible, so stocking up on food and making an adequate wood pile was an essential part of pioneer life. Most pioneers had a root cellar, which was an underground storage room. These root cellars allowed for storage of food, while protecting it from freezing and hungry, foraging animals. Dry goods (flour, beans, etc.) were purchased and carefully stored to keep moisture and vermin away, often in barrels. 

Pioneer women, and often children, spent a great deal of time during the summer tending to large gardens. Root vegetables were easy to store because of their long shelf life and many fruits and berries dried for storage. Vegetables and fruits not suitable for long-term storage were canned.

Meat that was obtained during the winter could be frozen, but meat that needed to be stored was often packed in salt or smoked. 

The majority of pioneers lived in log homes, and contrary to the cozy scenes in front of the fireplace depicted in movies, the log homes were often drafty and many even had dirt floors. It wasn't uncommon to wake up with snow or frost on your blankets and the fireplace needed to be stoked frequently to keep the fire from getting to low or dying out.

In the fall, harvest parties were often held. Neighbors would gather to harvest wheat, oats, and corn, or butcher hogs. They would work together and then split the bounty. The women would use the time not spent feeding the hungry men to make candles and soap. When the hard work was done, the neighbors celebrated with camaraderie and dance, a last event before the long winter in which many families were isolated for weeks at a time.

Even with careful planning, most pioneer women carefully apportioned their food during the winter so they wouldn't run out before spring. 

As winter draws near for us in Minnesota, trying to imagine the difficulties experienced by the pioneers is almost surreal. It truly gives me a lot to be grateful for as I sit in my warm home watching winter through the windows.

HIRUDOTHERAPY by Laura Ashwood

Hirudotherapy refers to the practice of using leeches for medical purposes. While the practice of "leeching" has been around since ancient times, it reached the height of popularity in the 19th century. French physician, Francois-Joseph-Victor Broussais believed that most diseases were the result of inflammation, and therefore, the same treatment could be used on all. This treatment model was bloodletting; preferably with leeches. 

Bloodletting using a lancet was already popular by this time, but it was often a traumatic process. Broussais rationalized that using leeches was a kinder, more gentle approach and leeches could also access hard to reach and sensitive parts of the body, such as the inside of ears.

Because Broussais's ideas were easy to understand and fit within the long-standing ideas about bloodletting, this method appealed to the public. By the mid-1800s, the leech trade was a booming business and leeches were shipped from Germany to America by the tens of thousands. As many as five to six million were used annually. In some cases patients lost as much as 80 percent of their blood in a single leeching. 

Having been anemic before, I can't imagine how many people suffered through that after a leeching procedure, only to be leeched again because of their symptoms from anemia. It's a scary concept.

Fancy display jars were used to hold leeches and could be found in American bars, barber shops, apothecaries, and pharmacies well into the 1900s. They were commonly used as first aid or to treat a swollen, black eye, and were sold to to members of both the medical profession and the general public.

While researching leech jars for my book, An Agent for Clarissa, I was astounded at how elaborately decorated many of these jars were. While some of them were clearly marked with the word "leeches", others were not and I could imagine them being easily mistaken for a decorative storage jar. Which is exactly what Clarissa did. Imagine her surprise when she discovered the pretty jar she was holding was actually full of leeches. 

As medicinal knowledge continued to advance, the use of leeches eventually declined. Not only were they expensive to ship, medical researchers began questioning the merits of bloodletting. However, their use never died out. Starting in the 1950s, surgeons turned to using leeches to help reduce clotting when trying to reattach limbs. 

In 2004, the FDA approved the use of leeches in reconstructive and plastic surgery to stimulate blood flow in damaged and reattached tissues. Used in this capacity, leeches are actually considered a living, breathing medical device. Leech saliva also contains hirudin, a natural blood thinner and has been used for localized venous congestion after surgery.

Sources: https://www.sciencehistory.org/distillations/medicinal-leeches-and-where-to-find-them, https://www.britannica.com/science/leeching, https://www.uhhospitals.org/Healthy-at-UH/articles/2020/03/how-leeches-can-save-lives-and-limbs-for-some-patients

You can read about Clarissa's experience with the leech jar, as well as her exciting adventure as a Pinkerton agent in training by clicking here. An Agent for Clarissa is part of the Pinkerton Matchmaker series.

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Clarissa Ferguson craves a life of adventure. The last thing she wants is to become a socialite and marry a curmudgeon to appease her mother. When she sees an advertisement for female Pinkerton Agents, she leaves on the next available train to Denver Colorado. What she doesn't expect is to meet a handsome man on the train who ends up being her new trainer.

Noah Harding is recovering from the loss of his wife and family, and vows never to marry again. He throws himself into his work as a Pinkerton agent and has finally found a sense of purpose. He prides himself on being able to read people, that is until he observes a peculiar woman on a train headed west. What he didn't count on was that she is the newest Pinkerton Agent and he is required to marry her to solve a murder.

Will Noah be able to stay focused on the case with Clarissa distracting him? Will he be able to protect her when the case puts Clarissa's life in danger? When the case forces them to pretend to be something they aren't, what happens when their feelings become real?