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The Massacre at Fall Creek
Five white men stand accused of the murder of innocent, peaceful Indians - among them women and children. It is 1824, and Indiana is the Western frontier of a new nation where Seneca warriors stand ready to fall on fledgling settlements should white men's justice fail. In a powerful American saga fashioned from the sparse historical record, Jessamyn West creates characters - an appealing heroine, her lover, the attorney for the defense, an extraordinary Indian seer - who stand at the center of a maelstrom of human emotions: hate, devotion, revenge, compassion, and, above all, love. As the narrative sweeps from the crimes to the tension-packed trial and its strangely moving aftermath, the novel carries the reader to an awareness of undeniably modern implications of our historical past.
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1975
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About the author
Jessamyn West
65 books39 followersMary Jessamyn West was an American Quaker (originally from Indiana) who wrote numerous stories and novels, notably The Friendly Persuasion (1945).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
May 17, 2009
I read Friendly Pursuasion as a girl and this book has the same feel, which was like going home. I lived in California then, and here I am in Indiana reading The Massacre at Fall Creek, which took place near a spot I have actually passed. The intriguing part is when you hear the word "massacre" in the title you automatically think Of Native Americans
slaughtering settlers, and this is just the opposite and brings a new perspective. Well written and recommended.
slaughtering settlers, and this is just the opposite and brings a new perspective. Well written and recommended.
February 22, 2010
In 1824, five white men killed an entire encampment of Seneca Indians at Fall Creek in central Indiana. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_Cre... Until this point in history, killing Native Americans was considered a necessary (even commendable!) aspect of conquering the "untamed" regions of the U.S. However, this particular set of murders couldn't be pushed under the carpet because a very large group of Seneca warriors were located not far away from the killings. Whites were worried about a reprisal attack unless the murderers were put on trial and executed.
This book is a fictionalization of the massacre and trial. The names were slightly changed from the historical event, but the general sequence of events remains true. The author plugs a frontier romance into the story. I suppose this is an attempt to broaden the appeal beyond American History or Native American History nuts. I guess that she probably succeeds in that attempt.
As the book illustrates, it was shocking to whites that they would be brought to trial and hung for killing Indians. Until now, this was seen to be the equivalent of killing wolves... messy, difficult and distasteful, but a necessary part of expansion. The trial was the first (rare) "chilling" effect on Native American eradication as settlers spread west.
This book is a fictionalization of the massacre and trial. The names were slightly changed from the historical event, but the general sequence of events remains true. The author plugs a frontier romance into the story. I suppose this is an attempt to broaden the appeal beyond American History or Native American History nuts. I guess that she probably succeeds in that attempt.
As the book illustrates, it was shocking to whites that they would be brought to trial and hung for killing Indians. Until now, this was seen to be the equivalent of killing wolves... messy, difficult and distasteful, but a necessary part of expansion. The trial was the first (rare) "chilling" effect on Native American eradication as settlers spread west.
December 24, 2020
1824, Indiana
Impressive. I picked this up reluctantly, not eager to read about another attack on Native Americans. (One book of that pain was enough -- Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee.) But I trusted West to give the incident a different spin, and she didn't disappoint. Instead of focusing on the brutal murders, she gives us a glimpse of the times, the setting, and the personalities. Not much is known about the victims, but there is a paper trail (minimal) about the perpetrators and the trial.
This brief dialogue (p 90) summarizes the pivot point in U.S. history upon which this book elaborates:
Caleb: "Last week we suddenly caught sight of what's around a corner we'd never turned before."
Lizzie: "What was that sight?"
Caleb: "A world where an Indian is a human being who can't be killed like a bear or a wolf."
Lizzie: "What's that mean for us?"
Caleb: "I don't know."
In the author's note, West briefly summarizes the facts and explains where her story picks up.
Impressive. I picked this up reluctantly, not eager to read about another attack on Native Americans. (One book of that pain was enough -- Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee.) But I trusted West to give the incident a different spin, and she didn't disappoint. Instead of focusing on the brutal murders, she gives us a glimpse of the times, the setting, and the personalities. Not much is known about the victims, but there is a paper trail (minimal) about the perpetrators and the trial.
This brief dialogue (p 90) summarizes the pivot point in U.S. history upon which this book elaborates:
Caleb: "Last week we suddenly caught sight of what's around a corner we'd never turned before."
Lizzie: "What was that sight?"
Caleb: "A world where an Indian is a human being who can't be killed like a bear or a wolf."
Lizzie: "What's that mean for us?"
Caleb: "I don't know."
In the author's note, West briefly summarizes the facts and explains where her story picks up.
December 5, 2019
An excellent book about the first time in America that white people were charged with murdering Indians. Based on a true incident that took place in Indiana in the early 1820's. There is a fictional love story included. This book gives a good feel of what it must have been like for early settlers. Well done, keeps the interest throughout. I was amused at how one couple thought twins were conceived. Recommended.
May 1, 2009
An exploration of the relationship between native Americans and whites before it was popular to explore that relationship.
September 24, 2012
Oh wow, I thought I'd read this before but now I realize I was confusing it with Except for Me and Thee, I think. So this is a book by one of my favorite authors that I've never read. As usual, I'm very much taken with her depiction of people in Olden Tymes who are surprisingly like us.
Very loosely based on a true incident, it's the story of white men tried for the murder of innocent local Indians, a novel idea in 1824. We see the story through various character's eyes with an emphasis on Caleb Cape, self taught preacher of the district, and his daughter Hannah. Caleb is a cousin to Johsn Birdwell of The Friendly Persuasion, the solid man who tries to do good, and other characters remind me of some of West's other books, but that's fine. The characters are the usual down to earth characters that West uses, and there's a subplot about Hannah's romances, but against the background of the crime and the trial, it's not a light hearted story. I was a little disappointed because I'd thought a piece evidence would turn out to be a red herring and lead to a plot twist, but that would have been a different book. Another love story, to which the focus shifted late in the book, was very moving. Maybe a little too perfect, but still, moving. I thought that one character made the wrong choice and find myself thinking about her and wondering how that choice turned out for her and what happened next, which for me is a sign of a good book with vivid characters.
Very loosely based on a true incident, it's the story of white men tried for the murder of innocent local Indians, a novel idea in 1824. We see the story through various character's eyes with an emphasis on Caleb Cape, self taught preacher of the district, and his daughter Hannah. Caleb is a cousin to Johsn Birdwell of The Friendly Persuasion, the solid man who tries to do good, and other characters remind me of some of West's other books, but that's fine. The characters are the usual down to earth characters that West uses, and there's a subplot about Hannah's romances, but against the background of the crime and the trial, it's not a light hearted story. I was a little disappointed because I'd thought a piece evidence would turn out to be a red herring and lead to a plot twist, but that would have been a different book. Another love story, to which the focus shifted late in the book, was very moving. Maybe a little too perfect, but still, moving. I thought that one character made the wrong choice and find myself thinking about her and wondering how that choice turned out for her and what happened next, which for me is a sign of a good book with vivid characters.
February 4, 2008
Fast read. Took a very interesting footnote in history and turned it into a novel. Actually interesting look at how whites viewed Native Americans, good vs evil - and even a touch of romance thrown in. Picked it up for a $1 at a library book sale because I read one of the author's previous works, but this one was better.
April 24, 2008
Read for book club - good discussion about prejudices.
September 1, 2008
An interesting tale.
December 20, 2010
Seven Indian men, women, and children were killed by five white men at Fall Creek. The story ends with the trial. A real tear-jerker.
December 22, 2012
westerner killing of indians then the trial of white killers, with love story of course, a few suprises
September 23, 2016
So interesting to those of us living in central Indiana, based on a true event. Carmel Library Reads choice.
May 16, 2024
Tremendous book. It started off really slow, but the second half was excellent.
I would love to have talked to the author.
She is cousin's with another lapsed Quaker, Richard M Nixon. She grew up in California and attended Whittier College like he did, but she seems to have had a good feel for the Hoosier state. I don’t remember any birch trees though, those are very cool and exotic to me.
My Dads Dad was born about 15 miles from where this happened, and his people seemed to have been in Indiana about this time. I was born and raised 50 miles north of Pendleton.
This was a real take, heartfelt. Not much in the way of woke apologetics here, just the nitty gritty about the real. I really liked Caleb Cape the preacher, she drew a strong picture with him.
I would love to have talked to the author.
She is cousin's with another lapsed Quaker, Richard M Nixon. She grew up in California and attended Whittier College like he did, but she seems to have had a good feel for the Hoosier state. I don’t remember any birch trees though, those are very cool and exotic to me.
My Dads Dad was born about 15 miles from where this happened, and his people seemed to have been in Indiana about this time. I was born and raised 50 miles north of Pendleton.
This was a real take, heartfelt. Not much in the way of woke apologetics here, just the nitty gritty about the real. I really liked Caleb Cape the preacher, she drew a strong picture with him.
March 23, 2012
A solid bit of historical fiction
For this Hoosier reviewer, The Massacre at Fall Creek is most interesting since the places involved are no more than a 45 minute drive from my house.
Jessamyn West does a great job of getting the "feel" of an 1824 frontier community - how small it was, how truly far away it was from "civilization" and how that isolation created a unique culture.
The storyline is based on a real incident in which several white men from a community to the north of Pendleton, Indiana killed two families of Indians, including their children and stole their furs.
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2011/...
For this Hoosier reviewer, The Massacre at Fall Creek is most interesting since the places involved are no more than a 45 minute drive from my house.
Jessamyn West does a great job of getting the "feel" of an 1824 frontier community - how small it was, how truly far away it was from "civilization" and how that isolation created a unique culture.
The storyline is based on a real incident in which several white men from a community to the north of Pendleton, Indiana killed two families of Indians, including their children and stole their furs.
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2011/...
March 4, 2013
I liked this book...thought it was interesting historically, though quite a story was spun with few actual facts. I think it captured the tension between Indians and Whites during the western expansion. I was pleased that the preacher was truly a godly man who tied to live out his faith, not some goofy hypocrite. I thought the characters were believable and they all had backbone though some may have been misguided. The story line took some turns I wasn't expecting, which made the story interesting.
December 31, 2022
Never really read Jessamine West before although having been in grad school in the early 70’s I heard a lot about her—she was considered a legitimate artist by my professors. This book fascinated me. It’s like a docu-series before there was such a thing. She fictionalizes a real-life event with such absorbing detail I could hardly put it down to do my daily chores. Her writing style is lean yet dramatic; I can see why she ranks in the pantheon of must-read female American Writers. Wouldn’t pay to have this book on my shelf, but it’s a worthwhile library request.
October 8, 2016
What a powerful read. Historical fiction, Indiana 200 years ago- 4 white men brutality kill 9 "Indians". The story provides insight into the emotional, heart wrenching views of both sides through the trial. Should be required reading for all Hoosier high school students.
September 10, 2014
I never read a story about a trial for the murder of Indians by white men. Interesting story, enjoy!
March 27, 2015
A good read. An excellent sense of the history of the event is maintained throughout.
Want to read
April 24, 2017I will be traveling to fall Creek
October 30, 2016
This novel sheds light on the struggles between Native Americans and our nation's white settlers within the big picture of inherent racism. Our book group read it as part of the Indiana Bicentennial.
March 20, 2019
White men attack and kill a small group of women and children and go on trial to avoid the Indians revenge and attacking the whole area including Pendleton Indiana.
December 22, 2021
A 3-star rating often implies mediocrity, but that is not my intention here. This was a very worthwhile reading experience. The subject of the first and probably only time members of the white race were held accountable for murdering Native Americans in the nineteenth century was explored with depth and meaning. The story of the event and its aftermath are ably explored and interwoven are revealing aspects of frontier life in "the northwest" (Indiana) in the 1820s. The characters are well developed.
My usual expectation of historical fiction is to be transported back in time and have the author fill in blanks where my imagination and personal research has failed me. Ms. West acknowledges that the historical record of this event is scant, so she relied on her own imagination and knowledge of the period. I appreciate when authors make note to separate fact from invention.
After completing the first 60 to 70 pages, I was a bit disappointed and skeptical that what lie ahead would be satisfying. The dialect among the characters became boring and seemed overly done if not stereotypical, but in the long run I found that it contributed to the story and I defer to the author as to its authenticity, lacking any expertise in that area myself.
I have lived just north of Indianapolis for the last 30 years and streets named "Fall Creek Parkway" and "The Pendleton Pike" (US 36) have been part of my life, so when I learned that this book addressed a nearby historical event, it was added to my reading list. I am glad I was able to find a first edition, hardbound copy at a wonderful used book store, Bookends, in Kailua, Hawaii. It's a neighborhood gem that all readers should try to support if possible.
My usual expectation of historical fiction is to be transported back in time and have the author fill in blanks where my imagination and personal research has failed me. Ms. West acknowledges that the historical record of this event is scant, so she relied on her own imagination and knowledge of the period. I appreciate when authors make note to separate fact from invention.
After completing the first 60 to 70 pages, I was a bit disappointed and skeptical that what lie ahead would be satisfying. The dialect among the characters became boring and seemed overly done if not stereotypical, but in the long run I found that it contributed to the story and I defer to the author as to its authenticity, lacking any expertise in that area myself.
I have lived just north of Indianapolis for the last 30 years and streets named "Fall Creek Parkway" and "The Pendleton Pike" (US 36) have been part of my life, so when I learned that this book addressed a nearby historical event, it was added to my reading list. I am glad I was able to find a first edition, hardbound copy at a wonderful used book store, Bookends, in Kailua, Hawaii. It's a neighborhood gem that all readers should try to support if possible.
January 17, 2024
Insightful story into a critical era of American history. As the author notes, there are few surviving records from this event two centuries ago, so the need to create takes this story more to the fiction vs historical side. The presentation of humanity and brutality and motivations among all parties was well-balanced and left some moral weighing to the reader. One detractor was a love triangle that felt forced and took up many of the pages without driving the story.
June 30, 2020
Read in 1975. No memory.
February 18, 2023
Good book, a look at early frontier living
July 29, 2016
The Massacre is a fun, fast read. West's ability to make us care about these people's lives and fates, is only rivaled by her tendency to make the events a bit too melodramatic. At times it felt pretty hallmark. I suppose that is appropriate considering the period. However, when I am reading a story about the brutal massacre of natives, the last thing I want to read about is a love story between the defense lawyer and a kid. That part was weak for me. I suppose West was aiming to make a connection, and point out the irony, between two types of lost innocence, but to be honest, I could care less about the love part. I also kinda wished the natives got revenge, but that is probably because I am a cynical vigilante. Oh well, in a historical novel, the little guy often loses.
November 3, 2016
I almost never read historical fictions or even books this "old," but I happened to pick this book up from my library since it was a book of the month or something like that. Anyway, since it was based on real events that happened maybe an hour from where I currently live, it was intriguing to me. I started it just to see if I would like it, and I have to say that it is a very, very well written book that is even engrossing at times. I definitely recommend, especially if you like reading historical fictions or accounts concerning Native Americans.
February 28, 2017
I found this book in the high school library, where I work. I thought I'd read it. I'm glad I did. It is inappropriate for this Christian school because the "preacher's" daughter has pre-marital sex with a lawyer. Sure didn't need that.
November 1, 2012
Boring book....interesting subject. Don't bother.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews