A Place of Her Own: The Legacy of Oregon Pioneer Martha Poindexter Maupin

by Janet Fisher

 After leaving home at a young age and defying her parents to marry the dashing Garrett Maupin, Martha Maupin's future became bound up with some of the most extraordinary events in antebellum American history, eventually leading to her journey to a new life on the Oregon Trail.  After Garrett Maupin  died in 1866, leaving her alone on the frontier with their many children, Martha Maupin was torn between grief and relief after a difficult marriage. Lone mothers had few options in her day, but she took charge of her own dream and bought her own place, which is now one of the few Century Farms in Oregon named for a woman. 

A Place of Her Own is the story of the author’s great-great-grandmother’s daring decision to buy that  farm on the Oregon frontier after the death of her husband--and story of the author's own decision to keep that farm in the family. Janet Fisher's journey into the past to uncover her own family history as she worked to keep the property interweaves with the tales from her ancestors' lives during the years leading up to the Mexican-American War in the East and her great-great-grandmother's harrowing journey across the Oregon Trail with her young family and finally tells the tale of Martha's courageous decision to strike out on her own in Oregon. This book will hold special appeal for Oregon Trail buffs and the many people in this country whose ancestors took that terrible trek, as well as others interested in American history of that period. 

256 pages, Paperback

First published June 3, 2014

About the author

Janet Fisher grew up on the farm her great-great-grandmother Martha bought almost 150 years ago. After earning a master’s in journalism with honors from the University of Oregon, Janet taught college writing and wrote freelance for newspapers. Two of her historical novels were Pacific Northwest Writers Association literary contest finalists. Now back on Martha’s farm, she’s the second woman to own and operate this family treasure—one of the few Century Farms in Oregon named for a woman.

Reviews

[Jaina Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just couldn't stop reading this compelling story about the ahead-of-her-time Martha, who spoke up when she was supposed to comply with the expectations of her time and boldly made choices for herself when such independence was considered shocking, even on the American frontier.

Author Janet Fisher has taken the cold facts of historical documents and the often conflicting stories of distant relatives and wrought a passionate, often heartbreaking story about her great-great grandmother. The scenes feel so true, the dialogues ring so natural, I had to keep reminding myself that this is historical fiction.

Any way you slice it, this is a great story and well told.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read a LOT of books about pioneer women but this was the best ever. Janet Fisher is writing about her great-great grandmother Martha Poindexter Maupin and Janet herself is now living on Martha's own farm in Oregon. I thought I was pretty familiar with these pioneer tales...pulling up roots, walking for five months beside a covered wagon from Missouri to Oregon, (pregnant with her 3rd child, no less!), bare bones log cabin, clearing the fields, etc. etc. No. Martha Maupin's story reads almost like a soap opera except for the fact that it's true. I especially enjoyed the three "interludes" in the book in which Janet Fisher describes her detailed research into each part of Martha's life, including personally visiting each place where Martha lived. The way in which she has fleshed out the information discovered in census records, obituaries, newspaper stories and court records is exceptional. These people from long ago become very real and their lives are not only filled with "the usual" pioneer hardships but all of the beautiful and sorrowful emotions felt when family secrets are revealed, joyous weddings make the heart sing, very young babies die, alcoholism tears apart a family, mother's love abounds, and spousal abuse becomes the norm.
Janet Fisher's farm it has been designated a "Century Farm" by the state, meaning that four generations of the same family have continuously farmed it. This is a page turner!

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this historical novel about the author’s great-great grandmother. I appreciate how much research Ms. Fisher did to uncover as many details as possible about this remarkable woman who is her relative. Martha Poindexter Maupin’s struggle to survive and flourish in the 1800’s, all while raising eight children with a husband who turned abusive, is powerful and inspiring. Martha’s journey to Oregon by covered wagon, homesteading land in Oregon and eventually buying a farm of her own uncovers both similarities to struggles women still have today, as well as the deep challenges she faced dealing with the laws of the era. A wonderful read! Recommended.

[LeAnne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic and true story about Mary Maupin (of the Maupin family of Maupin, Oregon) and her life, her family, and the farm she ended up buying. Her granddaughter, the author of the book, lives at the same farm now with some of her family. Being an Oregonian, and loving historical anything, this was a perfect mix for me.

[Dale Kueter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Janet Fisher's account of her ancestor's westward movement is interesting and has its moments, but it is no John Jakes saga. Even so, I credit all who in some way preserve family history. It is important to record the stories of people and events in out lives.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic novel

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fictionalized story of the life of Fisher’s great-great-grandmother Martha Maupin takes us back to the mid-1800s when women had few rights. If their men decided to go west to follow the lure of adventure and gold, they went with them. Martha’s story takes us across the United States by covered wagon to settle in the Oregon Territory with her hot-tempered husband Garrett, their growing flock of children, and her loyal brothers. Fisher bases the events of the story on her intense historical research, masterfully weaving together a fascinating tale. I was quickly engaged--until Fisher broke the narrative to offer her own experiences researching and writing the book and living on the farm where Martha once lived. After this “interlude,” she returned to Martha’s story, but I learned to skip the subsequent italicized interruptions until after I had learned what happened to Martha and Garrett. Then I could deal with the facts. Aside from the interludes, this book is a wonderful journey into the past and the history of the state where I live.

[Kim Burkhardt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book.
I find it interesting how the author approached a historical biography. How does one extensively research an ancestor four generations back and compile details such as dates of life events, places lived, etc, move onto blending historical aspects of a person's life with family stories passed down, then complete a narrative book on the person when one's knowledge of the intangbile details of the person are incomplete? What did the person think and feel about various events?
Janet Fisher's decision to round out a narrative tale of an ancestor by constructing viable "event stories" around carefully researched historical details (both of which are clearly identified as such) is an interesting approach. Two thumbs up, also, for not shying away from the difficult parts of her great-great grandmother's life story.
I am glad to see another story added to the growing collection of biographies written about obscure women of history. Hope to see more as time passes!

[Pam Lindholm-levy]

Janet Fisher's early family history is somewhat like my own, but unlike her, I do not live on a long-held family farm.
Fisher did a good job describing travel on the Oregon Trail---months of endless plains and then terrifying mountains.
I admire Fisher's exposing the story of her Maupin ancestor's alcoholism and spousal abuse. Martha Poindexter Maupin had a more or less happy ending without her husband in a place of her own.
One aspect of Oregon history I never thought much about was that there were plenty of Southern supporters leading up to and during the Civil War. Martha's husband was hot-headed and considered himself a Southerner. Martha was not one, and we don't know what she really thought.

[Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had won this book and very much looking forward to reading it. I am a fan of historical novels and this was different then I was expecting. It got very personal on the darker side of living with abuse, but it told a very real story and it was interesting. A little language that i could do without,but it was basically a good historical read

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fine portrayal of an Oregon pioneer woman's life from Illinois, to Missouri, and to Oregon. Janet Fisher is her great-granddaughter. Her research allows her somewhat fictional story to come alive on the page. Highly recommended. (Martha Maupin's farm near Elkton, Oregon is still owned by her family)

[Sonja Cannell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoy reading true stories about women who overcome against all odds. This book shares the story of the author's great-great grandmother, and her journey on the Oregon Trail & settling in Oregon.

[Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read. Living in Washington all my life this story is very close to home. I love reading books based and about my local region. This was wonderful.