Wiregrass Country

by Herb Chapman, Muncy G. Chapman

Cracker Westerns are rip-roarin, action-packed, can't-put-'em-down tales set in the frontier days of Florida. They are full of adventure, real heroes, and vivid, authentic details that bring Florida's history to life.

It's 1835 in the rugged frontier of the Florida Territory—known as "Wiregrass Country" for the wild grass found there. Treff Ballowe and his adopted family, the Dovers, are struggling to keep Three Springs Ranch thriving under threat of rustlers and renegade Indians. Ace and Amaly Dover moved to Florida in 1816 and managed to withstand the subtropical weather, insects, and wild animals to accumulate a large herd of beef cattle. Now the family is being further tested as another Seminole War is brewing, and outlaws are on the rise. On his way home from a cattle sale in Mobile, Treff narrowly escapes being killed by bandits; saves the life of Hank O'Mara, a rancher shot miles from his home; and is wounded after helping fight a band of Indians attacking homesteaders. Treff recognizes their leader as He-with-One-Eye-of-an-Eagle, the Indian who orphaned Treff and his brother, Ten, fifteen years earlier. Will Treff finally get his revenge on his parents' murderer? Why is Zeke Mongol, of the Brown Owl Ranch, so secretive? And who will win the heart of the Dovers' high-spirited daughter, Marvelous? Since officers of the law are few and far between in the new Florida Territory, it's up to the Dovers to protect themselves and their property. The action never stops in this saga of one family's struggle to meet the challenges and claim the promise of this new land.

Genres: Westerns

362 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1998

Reviews

[Ellen Ulken · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story takes place in Northeastern and middle Florida–between Jacksonville, the Okefenokee Swamp and Paynes Prarie–during the time of the Seminole uprisings, and before Florida becomes a state. In this environment, cowboys and cattle live in close proximity on ranges where lawlessness and rustlers are common. In the "Wiregrass Country," the Dover family watches over a large herd of cattle on their huge ranch, while trying to keep peace with the Native Americans, and their cows safe from thieves. Justice was swift and final where no laws existed. Gun battles and hangings occurred. But there's a sister among the Dover brothers, and when a rancher from the panhandle comes to visit the Dovers, romance becomes part of the saga. For a native Floridian, who never imagined cowboys and cow culture in the Florida territory, the book makes for interesting ideation.

[Rob Smith, Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very well written novel that surprises me to not have reached a larger audience. It's not Steinbeck, but certainly in range of Patrick Smith, just with a less sprawling of time story.

This well captures the flavor of what I know of 1920s Florida. The cattle efforts may be a bit larger in this novel than was possible at the time, but the efforts of those establishing ranches sure follow historical documentation. Same is true of the efforts to rustle cattle and interactions with the Seminoles.

The characters are very well written. It's tough to follow history and create characters that fit a historic narrative and have it all well ring true. The Chapmans do that here. Seems I could tell when Muncy Chapman was helping with the writing involving the ladies involved.

The settings are overly simple. It's known travel was much more difficult just from the 1820s and the 1970s. The Chapmans skirt that and seem not to be have read much of Bartram or actually been in our natural areas.

One thing that bothered me is this ends with the idea of continuing to another book. As it turned out that 2nd book is even more difficult to find.

Bottom line: I recommend the book. 7 out of ten points.

[Leslie D Spence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book

I enjoyed the entire story line. This made me picture the old Florida at a time it was being settled..