Life and Times of Ann Bailey: The Pioneer Heroine of the Great Kanawha Valley

by Virgil Anson Lewis

From Staunton, Virginia, to what are now Lewisburg, Charleston, and Point Pleasant, West Virginia, and Gallipolis, Ohio, Ann Hennis Trotter Bailey was an unusual sight -- clad in buckskin leggins, petticoat, and floppy hat, with a rifle slung over her shoulder -- the embodiment of pioneer spirit in the late 1790s. Her daring solo ride at forty-nine years of age over the newly-created Midland Trail formed yet another chapter in a legendary life. This edition is two books in one! Includes the 1907 booklet Ann Thrilling Adventures of the Herione of the Kanawha Valley.

Paperback

First published September 1, 2000

Reviews

[Josh Daugherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book if you are interested in learning about Ann Bailey. She really should be more famous than she is!

[Patrick Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ann Bailey was basically the first American "tomboy". Bailey was an unusual sight -- clad in buckskin leggings, petticoat, and floppy hat, with a rifle slung over her shoulder -- the embodiment of pioneer spirit in the late 1790's when other women were wearing petticoats and hoop dresses. Her daring and dangerous solo ride that men had refused to take because of the danger is historic.

I have read of Ann's daring ride in other frontier books which is what peaked my interest in her. At forty-nine years of age she was no longer a spring chicken but the need for a rider to save the community was necessary and she mounted up and rode over the newly created Midland Trail formed yet another chapter in a legendary life.

This book was originally published in 1891 and that alone makes it interesting to me, added with the knowledge that it was factual and Ann Bailey was a larger than life frontier woman that even students of history have not heard of. The book was a short, easy, read. I only wish it had been longer however when you are trying to gather frontier information from the 1700's it is understandable that a nonfiction book be on the short side because of the lack of records or verifiable information.

[April Meadows · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was originally published in 1891 and that alone makes it interesting to me. I had never heard of Anne Bailey and I'm so amazed and inspired by her courage. It's a short but good read.