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Dr. Increase: Mathews Family Saga Book 2

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These early Americans were fundamental to the expansion of the United States after the Revolutionary War. Based upon a diary transcript and known facts, Dr. Increase is the sequel to The Mathews Family and the second novel in the Mathews Family Saga.

When Increase finished his medical apprenticeship, two physicians had already established practices in New Braintree, Massachusetts. Increase has always dreamt of owning land but now can’t save money for a future purchase. He wants to marry but doesn’t have the means to support a family. Some of his relatives have settled in the Ohio frontier, so he decides to travel to the Northwest Territory in 1798 to visit them and to view its opportunities.

Dr. Increase Mathews recorded his thoughts in a journal, noting mileage and expenses along with people, places, and complications encountered. It was not an easy trip. Traveling hundreds of miles by horseback took weeks to accomplish, and a companion’s mare is injured traversing a difficult mountain trail. This 18th century man’s actual words provide a remarkable insight on this period of early American history.

287 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 17, 2021

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About the author

Trana Mathews

5 books57 followers
Trana Mathews is my pen name. There is an author named Diane Hildebrandt who writes reference books, so I decided to use my mother's family name. Besides, Mathews is easier to spell than Hildebrandt.

My love for books has been constant throughout my life, though my choice of literary genre often changed. I admit I am a confirmed "bookaholic". I love it when I just can't put a book down!

After retiring to beautiful southeastern Arizona in 2015, I began researching then writing my family's history. This kept me busy and out of trouble. It also helped that my third great-grandfather’s life fascinated me. With my mother, aunt, and daughter in the 1980s, I had toured his Ohio home, which is owned by the Muskingum Historical Society. The stone house he built in 1805 is now a museum.

I'm proud to be a member of The Independent Author Network. I'm actively involved in Friends of the Library, local community groups, and several writing groups. In my spare time, I also enjoy crafting.

I have two adult children, and Macchiato (my rescue cat) has been kind enough to adopt me.

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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
Profile Image for Joshua Grant.
Author 22 books277 followers
February 9, 2021
Trana Mathews gives us another wonderful and personal insight into history with Dr. Increase! Dr. Increase Mathews struggles against competing practices in 1798 and decides to take his chances moving to the Northwest Territory. It’s not an easy road, and we follow Increase as he faces the hardships and the triumphs of the frontier. Mathews always does a wonderful job of basing her stories in fact (drawn from historical documents left by her own family), but also bringing the history to life with her dramatic and rich writing! I’ve really loved this series so far and can’t wait to see how the Mathews family fares next. If you love historical fiction or early United States history, come hitch a ride to the frontier in Dr. Increase!
3 reviews1 follower
April 27, 2023
Loved reading this follow-up to the first Matthews Family Saga book. I share this family with the author so it was so much fun to fill in gaps in my knowledge. I made myself stop reading at 3:00 a.m. yesterday morning only because I needed to get up by 7:00 to get ready for an appointment. The story is easy to read and fascinating to me. I am a descendant of Susannah and Jonathan Stone and had planned to visit Belpre in spring 2020 but we all know what happened to those plans. I am a fan of historical fiction and loved going on Increase’s journeys with him. Can’t wait to read Book 3!
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