Hearts West by Chris Enss Read Free Book Online Page B

partner in a brick-making business. Legrand turned what little money he and Bethenia had over to his two partners and then spent all of his time overseeing the venture. He decided against building a home for his wife and child and chose instead to move his family into a tent. A sustained torrential downpour halted the making of the bricks and eventually put an end to the business altogether.
    In late November, Bethenia contracted typhoid fever. She was much too sick to care for her baby or work to keep food on the Hill table. Her parents stepped in and moved Bethenia and George out of the damp tent and into their dry home.
    Thomas pleaded with Legrand to start construction on a house for his family, but he refused to do so until the deed to the land was turned over to him. When Thomas refused to give in to his request, Legrand became furious and decided to build a house in town instead. He proved to be a poor carpenter and after four months. the home was still not complete. Wife and child were moved in anyway.

    The kitchen was so open that the skunks, which were very numerous in that region at that time, came under the floor nights, and up into the kitchen, where they rattled around among the pots and pans, even jumping on the table, and devouring the food, if I did not keep everything securely covered, while I often lay and listened to their nocturnal antics, not daring to get up to drive them out, as the dire consequences of disturbing them suddenly were well known.

    Bethenia Owens-Adair—October 1906
    Bethenia continued to struggle with her health. The fever had left her weak and unable to do everything she once did. George was sickly too, but was nonetheless a big eater. Legrand had little or no patience with his three-year-old son’s ailments. He spanked him quite frequently for whimpering, and in many instances, was generally abusive toward the toddler.

    Early one morning in March, after a tempestuous scene of this sort, Mr. Hill threw the baby on the bed, and rushed downtown. As soon as he was out of sight, I put on my hat and shawl, and gathering a few necessaries together for the baby, I flew over to father’s.

    Bethenia Owens-Adair—October 1906
    Sarah Owens applauded her daughter’s courage in leaving Legrand. “Any man that could not make a living with the good starts and help he has had, never will make one,” she told Bethenia. “And with his temper, he is liable to kill you at any time.” Bethenia remained at her parents’ home even though Legrand made numerous appeals to win her back. “I told him many times,” she later wrote in her journal, “that if we ever did separate, I would never go back and I never will.”
    French Advertisement, 1957. Owner of a home watches his female servant leave for California where women are worth their weight in gold.
    CALIFORNIA HISTORY ROOM, CALIFORNIA STATE LIBRARY,SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA
    After four years of living in a difficult marriage, Bethenia filed for divorce. Many Clatsop County residents were shocked by her actions, and a family neighbor advised Bethenia to “go back and beg him on your knees to receive you.” The forlorn mother refused. “I was never born to be stuck by mortal man,” she insisted.
    Although difficult at first, Bethenia and George’s life away from Legrand and his tyrannical behavior proved to be best for mother and son. George thrived under his grandparents’ roof, basking in the constant attention he received from his many aunts and uncles. Bethenia was coming into her own as well, deciding to go back to school and study medicine while holding down several jobs to support herself and her child. In 1861, she had saved enough money to purchase a plot of land in Astoria, Oregon, and build a house.
    Legrand, who seemed to never have gotten over losing Bethenia, wrote her constantly during this time, pleading with her to remarry him. Refusing to accept her written