Storm Warnings and Sailor Signs: Maritime Superstitions of the Eastern Shore

      _By Tiffany Amber Stockton

Before the Coast Guard, and before life insurance, there was the Church.

Folklore and Belief Mixed Together

If you grow up around open water, you learn early that it has a personality. It doesn’t answer to schedules, and it certainly doesn’t care about your plans. Long before weather radar and storm tracking maps, the watermen who worked around Chincoteague Island and the broader Eastern Shore of Virginia relied on something far less scientific. They lived their lives by observation, experience, and a collection of sailor signs passed down through generations.

Some of those signs were practical. Others bordered on superstition. Most were a little of both.

One of the most repeated bits of coastal wisdom is an old rhyme. You've probably heard it. “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky in morning, sailor take warning.” That wasn’t folklore pulled from thin air. It reflected real weather patterns moving west to east. But to watermen heading out before sunrise, it was enough of a warning for them to decide whether to stay tied to the dock or head out to sea.

Superstitions and Stories

Then there were the taboos.

• Whistling on a boat was said to “whistle up the wind.”
• Renaming a vessel without ceremony invited disaster.
• Women on a boat brought bad luck.
• Bananas aboard ship were considered bad luck (they got them at the docks).
• Certain days were thought unlucky for setting out.

And these beliefs didn't just exist on tall ships or in far-off oceans. They lived right along the Virginia coast. The waters off Assateague and Chincoteague were notorious for shoals and sudden storms. Before the Coast Guard established modern rescue systems, a mistake or misreading of the sky could mean a wreck.

There are dozens upon dozens of documented shipwrecks dotting the history of this region. Newspaper reports from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries frequently described vessels "driven aground during nor’easters," their crews rescued by local surfmen or sometimes lost entirely. The U.S. Life-Saving Service, which later became part of the Coast Guard, maintained stations along Assateague precisely because the waters were so treacherous.

When people aren't certain about survival, they look for patterns. For some semblance of control.

The Source of Their Strength

At the same time, Eastern Shore communities were deeply rooted in church life. Psalm 107 is a powerful song of thanksgiving celebrating God’s enduring mercy and deliverance. Verses 23-30 address "those who go down to the sea in ships…” This passage was often read in maritime congregations. Bells tolled after wrecks. Prayer meetings gathered when storms threatened. Faith and folklore existed side by side as equal attempts to make sense of the unknown.

I remember childhood visits to the island and the stories spun in Pop-Pop’s barbershop. He had a way of blending fact and imagination so seamlessly that my brother and I never questioned which was which. In those tales, storms always rolled in dramatically. There was definitely a fanciful aspect to his storytelling. The sea always tested us. And somehow, through grit and cleverness, the hero (almost always Pop-Pop himself) brought us home.

But despite hearing stories, I could tell there was an element of truth underneath all the embellishment. Coastal life has always required respect for the forces bigger than life itself. Whether a man crossed himself before casting off lines or quietly studied the sky for signs of change, he understood that once the dock disappeared behind him, certainty did too.

Generational Traditions

Superstitions may sound quaint when you hear them now. They might even seem humorous. But in them, you learn something important about the people who held them. They were observant. Cautious. Aware that they couldn't afford to make mistakes, that their lives depended on them being alert at all times.

Today, modern forecasts tell us what satellites see hundreds of miles away. Boats are equipped with GPS and radios that early watermen couldn’t have even imagined. And yet, if you spend enough time around working docks, you’re bound to still hear some of those old sayings repeated.

Tradition carries weight. The sea hasn’t changed its temperament. It still demands humility. Maybe that’s why those sailor signs endure. They're reminders passed from one generation to the next to pay attention, respect the water, and never assume you’re in charge.

Alvin York: The Man Behind the Movie

 by Martha Hutchens

image by @everett225, deposit photos

One of my favorite movies is Sergeant York. I always knew it was based on a true story. What I didn’t realize was that even Hollywood had a hard time making Alvin York’s story more remarkable than it was in real life.

Alvin C. York was born on December 13, 1887. He was the third of eleven children, born into poverty in the backwoods hills of Tennessee. He grew up working alongside his father in the fields and in the family’s blacksmith shop. When his father died in 1911, Alvin was just twenty-three years old and suddenly shouldered much of the responsibility for helping support the family.

He did not handle that loss well. For a time, he turned his back on the values he had been raised with. Drinking, gambling, and fighting became part of his life, just as the movie portrays.

But on January 1, 1915, he experienced a genuine conversion to Christianity.

image by @ VadimVasenin, deposit photos

Here the movie simplifies the story. It dramatizes his conversion with a lightning strike. In reality, the change was quieter but no less dramatic. York later described the experience this way:

“I was fighting the thing inside of me, and it was the worstest fight I ever had.”

That is saying quite a lot considering he wrote those words after fighting in World War I.

If you’ve watched the movie, you know Alvin fell in love with his neighbor, Gracie Williams. Gracie’s father was not convinced Alvin’s conversion would last and initially refused to give his blessing. In his memoir, York wrote of Gracie:

“And I seed her eyes was blue … and though I never thought of it before, I jes’ knowed blue was my favorite color.”

In June of 1917, Alvin received notice that he would be drafted. He submitted a request for exemption due to religious convictions. As he understood it, “Thou shalt not kill” seemed pretty clear.

His request was denied, and he reported to Camp Gordon. He continued to wrestle with his desire to be a conscientious objector, all the while impressing his superiors with his remarkable shooting ability.

image by @ Oleg.0, deposit photos

York had grown up in the mountains of Tennessee, where shooting meant food on the table. There were also frequent shooting matches that could bring in a bit of cash. Even among men for whom shooting was a necessity, York was considered a crack shot. The Army quickly recognized his skill and assigned him to train other recruits.

One of the most compelling parts of the film turns out to be true.

York went to his company commander to explain his confusion over being denied conscientious objector status. His commander took him to the battalion commander, Major G. Edward Buxton, who was a man who also knew his Bible.

Just as in the movie, they “battled scriptures.”

York later wrote, “I was kinder surprised at his knowledge of the Bible.” Major Buxton eventually granted him a ten-day leave to return home and think things through in the hills he knew so well.

York came back to Camp Gordon convinced that a man of God could fight in a just war.

He arrived in France in May of 1918 as a corporal.

On October 8, 1918, during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, York and his battalion were tasked with taking Hill 223. The Germans had held the position for months and were well dug in, with multiple machine-gun nests covering the valley below.

When York and his unit attempted to advance, machine-gun fire stopped them cold.

image by @ everett225, deposit photos

York later wrote:

“We knowed them there machine guns would have to be put out of action before the advance could go on. We also knowed that there was so many of them … that a whole battalion couldn’t put them out of action nohow by a frontal attack.”

A patrol of seventeen men moved to circle behind the German position. They successfully captured a group of German soldiers, but were then met with intense machine-gun fire.

Six Americans were killed. Three were wounded.

That left eight men still able to fight.

York took command. Drawing on the steady marksmanship he had learned in the Tennessee hills, he began firing deliberately at the German machine-gun crews while calling for their surrender.

Eventually, the Germans did surrender — 132 of them.

When York later reported to his brigade commander, the officer reportedly said, “Well, York, I hear you captured the whole German army.”

With characteristic modesty, York replied, “No, sir. I got only 132.”

York was awarded the Medal of Honor.

At the end of the war, he returned to Tennessee and married Gracie. One of my favorite lines from the movie is when Gracie grows frustrated with York’s uncertainty and says, “I done kissed you, ain’t I? I don’t go around kissing men I ain’t aiming to marry.” Supposedly, that line was the only thing in the film the Yorks disliked — because in real life, they had their first kiss on their wedding day.

York turned down numerous opportunities to profit from his fame. Instead, he sought ways to use it to benefit the people of his beloved mountains.

Even that did not go smoothly.

If you’d like to learn more about York’s life after the war — including the school he founded and the challenges he later faced — I’ve written another post on that topic. You can find it here.

Best-selling author Martha Hutchens is a history nerd who loves nothing more than finding a new place and time to explore. She won the 2019 Golden Heart for Romance with Religious and Spiritual Elements. A former analytical chemist and retired homeschool mom, Martha occasionally finds time for knitting when writing projects allow.

Martha’ debut novel, A Steadfast Heart, is now available. You can learn more about her books and historical research at Martha Hutchens.com.

When his family legacy is on the line, rancher Drew McGraw becomes desperate for someone to tame and tutor his three children. Desperate enough to seek a mail-order bride. But when the wrong woman arrives on his doorstep, Drew balks.

Heiress Kaitlyn Montgomery runs straight from the scandal chasing her toward a fresh start on a secluded ranch. She strikes a bargain with Drew—a marriage convenient for both of them.

But the more Kaitlyn adapts to ranch life and forms a bond with Drew’s children and their enigmatic father, she realizes that this ranch is where she is meant to be. And then her past catches up with her…

Women Homesteaders: Dr. Bessie

Bessie Lee Efner Fell Rehwinkle (1873-1962) was a remarkable woman. Not only was she a homesteader, she was a physician when women doctors were rare. 

 Bessie was born to a long line of doctors. Her father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, along with a brother and uncle were all physicians. As a young girl, Bessie assisted her father in his medical practice. From her earliest recollections she wished to follow in her father’s footsteps. In her late teens Bessie contemplated marriage to the son of the town banker. While she was flattered by the worthy man’s offer her mind was otherwise engaged. An old friend of the family encouraged her to follow her dreams of becoming a doctor, referencing examples of other women who had become doctors back east.  

Encouraged, Bessie approached her father. A discussion ensued. 

 Dr. Efner was surprised, he'd thought Bessie was destined for the altar. He wanted to be sure Bessie understood the ramifications of her choice. She would likely lose her boyfriend, who was unlikely to wait the eight years college and medical school would take. She may wind up unmarried and alone. And finally, after all her study, due to the general resistance to woman doctors, she may never have a profitable practice even after she graduated medical school. 

 Bessie assured him that she had considered all the possible outcomes and was determined. Her father replied “Very well, you’re old enough to know what you want to do. I’m really proud of your ambition and happy to think that you want to follow in the professional footsteps of your father and grandfather. I shall do all I can to help you carry out your plans.” 

 

And he did.

Bessie left her banker’s son and went off to college. After completing four years at Morningside in Sioux City, Iowa she went on to Sioux City School of Medicine. After eight years of schooling she hung out her shingle in Hinton. She struggled at first to establish herself professionally, but perseverance paid off and by the end of the first year she'd made good headway. Then tragedy hit her hard. 

 Her sister-in-law died shortly after giving birth to her fifth child. Bessie's brother, father of the five, died a few months later leaving the children orphaned. The baby and the other boy child were eventually adopted. Bessie provided financially for the youngest girl while the two older ones went to an orhpan's home until other arrangements could be made. On top of all that, her husband of just over eight months died. In the wake of all this tragedy, her father came on a visit and suggested Bessie move to take advantage of a medical opportunity in a town that had just lost its doctor. 

 Bessie moved to Moville. Her practice thrived in the little town and for the first time she had a home of her own. She wasted no time bringing her brother’s little girls to live with her. Then the financial panic of 1907 hit. She lost everything but her clothes and medical office furniture. It was during this time that Bessie turned her mind to another of her childhood dreams. Homesteading.

Dr. Bessie gave three reasons to homestead: 

  “The first and most immediate, of course, was the financial losses which I had suffered in the current panic. 

 The second was a personal one. I had always had a desire to go out ‘where the West begins.’ The adventurous lure of the West had intrigued me since my childhood days. My father had been a pioneer in the early days in western Iowa and later in South Dakota. In fact, my Grandfather and great-grandfather had been pioneers, beginning in the State of New York and finally landing in Iowa, when that territory was opened for settlement. My brother, also a doctor had gone west to a new community in the state of Washington, and this same restless pioneer blood was also coursing through my veins. 

 In the third place, it just so happened that a special opportunity was beckoning me to go west at this very time. The Federal Government had opened large areas of Government grazing lands in the Western states for homesteading, and this included land in Laramie County, of southeastern Wyoming…The sale of these lands was handled by land companies…These companies were anxious to provide or cause others to provide the essential social services, such as schools, churches, medical care, and the like. And so it happened that I was approached and urged to go out west and locate in one of the new communities. As a special inducement I was promised that a homestead adjoining the town site of Carpenter would be reserved for me. All this seemed very promising.” 

On 6 July 1907 Bessie filed on a homestead and arranged to have her house built and a well drilled. Then she went back home to Moville to wait. She and her three nieces arrived at their new home on 18 December 1907. Their house was “a modest one-and-a-half story dwelling, consisting of three rooms downstairs and one large unfinished room upstairs.” 

 Dr. Bessie thrived in Carpenter, Wyoming. She was their first post mistress as well as the only doctor for a fifty mile radius. While there, she met a young missionary and, after her girls were settled, she married again.

Dr. Bessie proved up on her land in 1912. She had this to say about her experience: 

  “In the end my ‘foolhardy’ decision and ‘poor judgment’ proved to be the wisest thing I ever did, because as a result of this decision I was eventually led to my greatest happiness, which could never have come to me had I remained in Moville.” 

Dr. Bessie’s situation is my template for Dr. Alice Russel in my book Heart of Liberty.  

Heart of Liberty is a Small Town, Grumpy/Sunshine, Christian Romance set amidst Homesteaders on the High Prairie of Wyoming Territory 

 Clayton Woodbridge has a secret that drove him to the wilderness years ago. Dark images of the past plague his waking hours. Clay knows the Lord has forgiven his past, but that doesn’t mean that the past is forgotten or even healed. 

 Ousted by her landlords who wanted their building for their recently graduated son, Alice Russel, MD moved home with her parents. Filled with the optimism of a long line of pioneers, Alice couldn’t resist the opportunity when the growing town of Liberty was looking to exchange a homestead for her medical services. After accepting the job, Alice packs up the twins she inherited at her brother’s death and moves to Wyoming Territory. 

 Clay cannot believe that such kindness and generosity of heart could exist in one person. His father and his best friend both believe that God has sent him a blessing in the friendship of such a woman. Clay knows he isn’t worthy of such a gift. 

 Alice doesn’t know what to make of the surly man who comes to her aide time and time again. 

 Can Clay and Alice form a bond strong enough to hold when secrets come out of the dark? 

 Izzy James lives in the traces of history in coastal Virginia with her fabulous husband in a house brimming with books. Born with a traveling bone and an itch to knit; Izzy travels to every location where her books take place, from Williamsburg to Wyoming, popping in yarn stores along the way.  

Connect with Izzy through her website at izzyjamesauthor.com and sign up for her monthly newsletter.  

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 References: Dr. Bessie: The life story and romance of a pioneer lady doctor on our Western and Canadian frontier as told by herself and here presented in a running narrative by her husband. Alfred M. Rehwinkel, Concordia Publishing House, St Louis, 1963  

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/9953607/bessie_lee-rehwinkel

Women of Espionage: Libertas Schultze-Boysen

 

“In the face of authoritarian rule, what is a citizen to do? Some will join the oppressors, while others, such as the diarist of the Nazi era Victor Klemperer, will keep their heads down, hoping the horrors will pass (they usually do not). Some, generally a tiny minority, choose the path of civil courage and resistance, of activity that aims to sabotage the regime. Such acts may take many forms, one being to work secretly from within the new establishment of which you are a part.” (1)

Libertas Schultze-Boysen was one of the latter. Born into a German aristocratic family on November 20, 1913, she was raised on her grandfather’s estate outside of Berlin. Her parents were bi-lingual, so she also learned English and French. At some point after her high school graduation, she moved to England, but by 1933, she was back in Berlin working as a press officer for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio.

According to several sources, she met her future husband Harro while sailing on the Wannsee during the summer of 1934. By then, Harro had already been subjected to Nazi atrocities when the Gestapo closed down the “left-leaning” publication he was producing, Der Gegner (The Opponent) and beat him badly enough he lost most of one ear and suffered damage to his kidneys. He was released because of his mother’s influence.

The couple married in 1936 with Herman Göring walking Libertas down the aisle. Over the next

several years, they used their positions (her with MGM and him in the Ministry of Aviation) to gather information about Nazi violence and crimes in Germany as well as their involvement in the Spanish Civil War. Additionally, Libertas and Harro held informal meetings with like-minded, anti-Nazi friends. In 1939, they met Mildred and Arvid Harnack with whom they would initiate a collection of resistance cells called the Red Orchestra at the end of the following year.

A great risk to herself, Libertas continued to collect photographs, help persecuted people escape and wrote and distributed Nazi leaflets and pamphlets “that contained dissident content.” She and other members of Red Orchestra also wrote letters to prominent individuals.

In July 1942, illegal radio transmissions by a Soviet agent were tracked down by the Gestapo, and the man, Johann Wenzel, was arrested. He was unable to withstand the torture and cooperated by releasing the radio codes which enabled the Germans to decipher the messages. One transmittal included the location of Libertas’s apartment.

Libertas was arrested in September 1942 eight days after Harro while on a train headed to see friends. Taken to Reich Security Main Headquarters in Berlin, the building that formerly housed the arts and crafts school where her father was rector. In December, she and Harro were “brought before the “Reich Court Martial” where they were tried for “preparation to commit high treason, helping the enemy, and espionage.” Found guilty, the couple was sentenced to death and were executed three days later on December 22, 1942.

Honored for her work, the chapel at Liebenberg Castle was named for her, and there are two “stumbling stones” at the front steps to the Castle for the couple. A memorial plaque hangs at Haus Altenburger Allee 19.

___________________

Linda Shenton Matchett writes happily-ever-after historical Christian fiction about second chances and

women who overcome life’s challenges to be better versions of themselves. A native of Baltimore, Maryland, she was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry (of Star-Spangled Banner fame) and has lived in historical places all her life. She is a volunteer docent and archivist at the Wright Museum of WWII. She now lives in central New Hampshire where she explores the history of this great state, immerses herself in the imaginary worlds created by other authors, and drinks copious amounts of tea.

Shetland Sunset

Bonded by a cause but an ocean apart, will their love survive a world war?

After months in Norway helping his cousins with their fishing business, American Askel Westgard seems trapped when the Germans invade until he has a chance to get back at the Occupiers as part of the Shetlandsgjengen, or Shetland gang, a group of fisherman who transport weapons and equipment from Shetland to Norway under cover of darkness. Unfortunately, the beautiful Norwegian woman he’s just met refuses to join him in safety. Will he ever see her again?

Distraught when the Germans overrun her beloved Norway, Tonje Bondevik refuses to take the occupation sitting down. She joins the fledgling resistance movement, deriving great satisfaction distributing the underground newspaper and performing acts of sabotage…until the day the Nazis come looking for her, and she must flee for her life. Perhaps she should have listened to the handsome Norwegian-American when he offered to take her to Shetland.

Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/u/4AWqJk

1 “The Heroic Couple Who Defied Hitler,” Phillipe Sands, The Spectator, August 6, 2020.

Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libertas_Schulze-Boysen
https://lastwordonnothing.com/2013/02/18/the-sad-fate-of-libertas-schultze-boysen/
https://www.gdw-berlin.de/en/recess/biographies/complete-index/biographie-detail/view-bio/libertas-schulze-boysen https://tinyurl.com/38wsreh4
https://spectator.com/article/the-heroic-couple-who-defied-hitler/
https://www.tracesofwar.com/sights/9355/Memorial-Libertas-and-Harro-Schulze-Boysen.htm
https://www.gdw-berlin.de/en/recess/topics/14-the-red-orchestra
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Orchestra_(espionage)

Photo Credits:
Libertas: By Unknown author - https://www.faz.net/aktuell/gesellschaft/menschen/libertas-schulze-boysen-ein-weihnachtsengel-vor-der-hinrichtung-12000641/ich-bleibe-jung-in-eurem-12000645.html, Public Domain.
Libertas and Harro Schultze-Boysen: The German Resistance Memorial Center, Berlin
Memorial: Courtesy Traces of War

Eric Liddell - An Olympic Hero Who Ran His Last Race in a WWII Japanese Prison Camp

 By Mary Dodge Allen

"I believe God made me for a purpose, but He also made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure."  - Eric Liddell

Eric Liddell at the 1924 Paris Summer Olympics (Public Domain)

Early Life:

Eric Henry Liddell was born in China on January 16,1902, where his parents - Rev. and Mrs. James Liddell - were serving as missionaries with the London Mission Society. In 1908, Eric's parents brought him back to England so he could begin his schooling. Eric joined his older brother Rob at Eltham College, a boarding school for the sons of missionaries in the Blackheath area of London.

Eric displayed his athletic talent at an early age, playing cricket and rugby at Eltham College. He became captain of both teams and earned the Blackheath Cup as the best athlete of his year.

1918 Eltham College Rugby Team, Eric Liddell as Captain, in center (courtesy of the Liddell family)

In 1920, Eric enrolled in the University of Edinburgh. While studying for a bachelor's degree in Pure Science, he excelled at rugby because of his speed as a sprinter. He eventually chose running over rugby and went on to win so many races, he became known as the fastest runner in Scotland. Newspapers even nicknamed Eric, "The Flying Scotsman." It was no surprise that he was chosen to be part of the 1924 British Olympic Team.

1924 Paris Summer Olympics:

Those who have seen the movie Chariots of Fire, (1982 Oscar for Best Picture), are familiar with Eric Liddell's dilemma. As a devout Christian, he withdrew from the 100-meter race (his best event) when he discovered the heats were scheduled on a Sunday.

The movie incorrectly showed Eric learning about the Olympic schedule as he traveled to Paris. In reality, he learned about it and announced his decision months in advance. The press created a furor, and some newspapers called him a 'traitor to his country' for pulling out of the 100-meter race - the one he was most favored to win.

Eric Liddell stayed true to his convictions, despite the public outcry. He told a friend, "It's just my belief. I don't criticize others about it, but I'm not going to run on the Sunday."

Eric trained, instead, for the Olympic 400-meter race.

On the morning of the race, he received a folded paper from one of the team masseurs, which read, "In the old book it says: 'He that honors me I will honor.'" It was a Bible quote - I Samuel 2:30. This note profoundly touched Eric, to know that someone other than his coach believed in him and his controversial decision.

Newly inspired, Eric began the 400-meter race with remarkable speed, flashing past the other runners. He retained this stunning pace throughout the race, finishing well ahead of the pack. Eric gave an amazing Gold medal performance that set a new Olympic/World Record time of 47.6 seconds. 

The London Times described it as, "probably the most dramatic race ever seen on a running track."

Eric Liddell crossing the 400-meter finish line, 1924 Paris Oympics (Public Domain)

Eric also earned a Bronze medal in the 200-meter race.

Homecoming:

When the team returned to England, Eric was treated like a hero. Huge crowds welcomed the Olympic team home, and Eric was cheered while being carried on the shoulders of his teammates. Eric Liddell teenage fan clubs were even formed.

Eric Liddell carried by his Olympic teammates. (courtesy of the Liddell family)

Eric could have become wealthy. He received offers to earn money by doing product endorsements, giving speeches and writing newspaper columns. He was also offered prestigious teaching assignments and lucrative positions in business and banking.

But Eric refused to cash in on his celebrity status, because he felt it would tarnish the gift God had given him to run fast. He chose to become a missionary in China, like his parents.

Mission Work in China:

In 1925, Eric returned to China. He taught science at the Anglo-Chinese College in Tianjin, near Beijing, and coached students in various sports. He also taught Sunday School at Union Church, where his father served as pastor.

He occasionally competed as a runner in China. He won both the 200 and 400-meter races at the 1928 South Manchurian Railway celebration, winning against the French and Japanese Olympic teams. He was also the winner in the 1930 North China championship.

Eric returned to Scotland twice, on furlough. During his first visit in 1932, he was ordained as a minister of the Congregational Union of Scotland. 

While there, he was asked if he had any regrets, leaving behind the fame of athletics. Eric replied:

"It's natural for a chap to think over all that sometimes, but I'm glad I'm at the work I'm engaged in now. A fellow's life counts for far more at this, than the other."

Eric and Florence Liddell on their wedding day. (courtesy of the Liddell family)

Eric returned to China, and in 1934, he married Florence Mackenzie, the daughter of Canadian Missionary parents. She remained by his side, doing missionary work.

Eric Liddell, working as a missionary in the field, 1937 (courtesy of the Liddell family)

In 1941, the British government advised British nationals to leave China because of the danger from the Japanese invaders. By this time, Eric had two young daughters, Patricia and Heather, and Florence was pregnant with their third child. Eric arranged for them to leave for Canada, where they would stay with her family members.

Eric elected to stay in China and help his brother Rob, a doctor serving impoverished families at a rural mission station. The need for medical care was critical, and missionaries worked round the clock, to the point of exhaustion. 

Rob became too ill to work and left on a furlough to Scotland. Eric and the others stayed on, doing whatever they could to help. When the Japanese troops reached the mission station, they took over.

Weihsien Japanese Prison Camp:

In 1943, Eric and other missionaries were interned at this camp, which held over 1500 civilian prisoners. An estimated 500 of them were children without parents.

Eric soon became active in the squalid camp, working in the kitchen, chopping wood, helping the elderly, leading Bible studies and teaching science to the children, who called him 'Uncle Eric.' He also organized softball games and track races for them. Every morning he woke early and spent time praying, even for the Japanese guards.

A camp survivor, Langdon Gilkey, said this about Eric:

"Often in an evening I would see him bent over a chessboard or a model boat, or directing some sort of square dance - absorbed, weary and interested, pouring all of himself into this effort to capture the imagination of these penned-up youths. He was overflowing with good humor and love for life, and with enthusiasm and charm. It is rare indeed that a person has the good fortune to meet a saint, but he came as close to it as anyone I have ever known."

By the end of 1944, fellow prisoners noticed Eric looked more weary than usual. He began walking stoop-shouldered, often becoming dizzy. Eric dismissed his symptoms and continued working.

Eric's Last Race:

Eric had regularly organized camp races, scratching the starting and finish lines in the hard earth. He usually started well behind the other racers, to give them a better chance. These races provided a morale boost for the entire camp. Even the guards in the watchtowers eagerly peered down to see the Olympic Gold-medalist run.

Eric won every race, except his last... where he came in second. Months of illness, overwork and malnourishment had sapped his strength. Eric died of a brain tumor on February 21, 1945, only five months before liberation.

His death stunned the entire camp. He was buried in a garden near the Japanese officers' quarters, and his grave was marked with a simple wooden cross.

Fellow missionary and friend Annie Buchan heard Eric's last words, before he sank into a coma and died. He said: "Annie, it's complete surrender."

Eric Liddell's Legacy:

Family Photo, 1941 (courtesy of the Liddell family)

L-R: Heather, Florence holding baby Maureen, Patricia Liddell.

Florence Liddell gave birth to their daughter, Maureen, while living with her family in Canada. Eric never got the chance to meet his third daughter.

The Eric Liddell Community was set up in Edinburgh, Scotland and granted charitable status in 1981. It is dedicated to bringing people in local communities together, supporting people of all ages to enhance health and well-being, as an expression of compassionate Christian values.

In 2002, Eric was one of the first to be inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame, topping the public vote for the most popular sports hero Scotland had ever produced.

In 1991, the University of Edinburgh erected a memorial granite headstone for Eric at the former prison camp site in Shandong Province, (which is now called Weifang). Its inscription is taken from Isaiah 40:31: 

"They shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary."

Eric Liddell never wavered in his Christian faith. He had surrendered his entire life to God and continued serving others to his dying day. He is someone I wish I had known.

________________

Mary Dodge Allen is currently finishing her sequel to Hunt for a Hometown Killer. She's won a Christian Indie Award, an Angel Book Award, and two Royal Palm Literary Awards (Florida Writer's Association). She and her husband live in Central Florida. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Faith Hope and Love Christian Writers. 

Website: www.marydodgeallen.com

Recent release, anthology devotional: El Jireh, The God Who Provides

Mary's story, entitled: A Mother's Desperate Prayer, describes her struggle with guilt and despair after her young son is badly burned in a kitchen accident. When we are at the end of all we have, El Jireh provides what we need. 

Click the link below to purchase on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/El-Jireh-God-Who-Provides/dp/1963611608

Mary's novel: Hunt for a Hometown Killer won the 2022 Christian Indie Award, First Place - Mystery/Suspense; and the 2022 Angel Book Award - Mystery/Suspense.

Click the link below to buy Hunt for a Hometown Killer at Amazon.com:

Hunt For A Hometown Killer: A Novel: Allen, Mary Dodge: 9781952369704: Amazon.com: Books

Link to Mary's Spotlight Interview:   Mary Dodge Allen Author Spotlight EA Book

How Silver Plume Became a Nineteenth-Century Gem In the Colorado Rockies

By Donna Wichelman

Readers of my blogs over the last year and a half know I've written on topics related to my Gilded Age historical romance series, the Singing Silver Mine series, which is based on characters who settled in Georgetown, Colorado, during its silver-mining heyday of the late nineteenth century. Known as the Silver Queen of the Rocky Mountains, Georgetown gained its fame from the abundant ores the surrounding mountains yielded to early miners who settled there. Yet, while Georgetown has received most of the glory over the years, its neighbor to the west, Silver Plume, has often been neglected, overshadowed by Georgetown's reputation.

Main Street, Silver Plume, Colorado: Donna's Gallery, June 2019

ID 394784059 | Colorado Silver Plume © Mkopka | Dreamstime.com

Though a meager amount of gold was discovered in the Territory of Colorado as early as 1850 by a group of Georgian prospectors heading west during the California Gold Rush, it wasn't until 1859, when George Jackson followed the Clear Creek gorge and found a significant amount of gold, that the rush was on in Colorado. Thousands from all over the world flocked to the Rocky Mountains to find their fortunes.

All seemed to point to a thriving region until the gold bubble burst in 1864, and the investment capital necessary to keep going never paid off in revenues. Many other investors pulled out.

Then, in the fall of 1864, three prospectors—Robert Steele, James Huff, and Robert Taylor—discovered an extremely rich silver lode called the Gus Belmont Lode eight miles south of Georgetown on Mount McClellan at 13,200 feet. They headed to Central City to have their samples assayed, discovering a preliminary value of $200 to $500 per ton. The silver boom was on.

ID 199624040 | Silver © Roberto Junior | Dreamstime.com

Once again, prospectors from every corner of the globe flocked to the region, and by September 1866, Clear Creek County was declared “indisputably” rich in ores by Central City’s Weekly Miners’ Register. Georgetown flourished, as clapboard buildings, housing, banks and business enterprises sprang up in a growing business district. Mining camps popped up everywhere--Bakerville, Brownville, Simplem, Silver Dale, and others. 

Historic Business District, Georgetown, Colorado: Donna's Gallery, December 2024

Finally, in 1869, two men, Charles A. Kimberlin and Col. Ambrose H. Bartlett from Doniphon County, Kansas, decided to establish a town in a small, wide spot in a valley half a mile east of the mines and buildings in Brownville and three miles west of Georgetown.

Things started slowly in Silver Plume, with Kimberlin constructing only one or two buildings in 1869, though one reporter was impressed by the completed work on a school building before finishing his own residence. (The original schoolhouse was a simple wood-frame structure that remained in use until the brick building we see today on Main Street was built in 1874.)

"View from Silver Plume, looking up." The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 1850 - 1930.NY Digital Library

Only a handful of buildings were built in 1870, but by the fall of 1870, they started to talk of building a hotel, and the town became known as Silver Plume.

By 1872, the town was up and running with a tightly packed commercial district, fifty to sixty residences, four to five hundred residents, and plans for a town government. In that same year, Silver Plume was incorporated.* See note below.

By the 1880s, the town grew quickly as silver mines proliferated in the mountains surrounding Silver Plume. Georgetown may have been the commercial center of Clear Creek County, but Silver Plume was also a cosmopolitan, multicultural, multilingual town comprising working-class miners and their families, a few merchants, and other entrepreneurs. At its peak, the population grew to well over two thousand people.

Original Road to the 7:30 Mine Trail: "Laden with ore from "Seven-thirty" mine, Silver Plume, Colorado." The New York Public Library Digital Collections. 

Integral to the town's growth and importance to Clear Creek County's silver mining industry was the Silver Plume-Georgetown Loop Railroad. It enabled miners to efficiently move their silver nuggets to smelters and markets.

Completed in 1884 by the Colorado Central Railroad, the three-foot narrow-gauge railroad was one of the American West's greatest engineering feats, with a 640-foot elevation gain between Silver Plume and Georgetown. The railroad used loops, switchbacks, and a high bridge, called the Devil's Gate High Bridge, to gradually accomplish the elevation gain.

"Great loop of the Silver Plume, Colorado." The New York Public Library Digital Collections.

Unfortunately, the entire world fell into deep economic depression in 1893, and silver was devalued. Neither Silver Plume nor Georgetown recovered from the devaluation, and only a handful of mines survived.

Today, tourism keeps the Georgetown-Silver Plume National Historic District alive. Visitors can take a step back in history and ride the narrow-gauge train between Georgetown and Silver Plume, stopping to tour a mine on the Georgetown Loop, or walk the historic streets of Silver Plume and buy coffee in the old saloon. For the adventurous at heart, one can hike one of several trails up the surrounding mountains and view numerous ruined mines in the area. One of the most popular is the 7:30 Mine Trail, which is 3.5-mile round-trip trail to the restored 7:30 Mine. 

*Note: Silver Plume disincorporated in 1874, when they realized they weren't ready for self-rule, but incorporated again on August 19, 1880.

Georgetown Loop Railroad, Silver Plume: Donna's Gallery, Summer 1995

Donna Hiking the 7:30 Mine Trail and Stopping at an Old Abandoned Mine: Donna's Gallery, June 2019

Donna is an Angel-award-winning author of Historical fiction for A Song of Deliverance. Book Two in the Silver Singing Mine series, Rhythms of the Heart, was released in November 2025. Weaving history and faith into stories of intrigue and redemption grew out of Donna's love of travel, history, and literature as a young adult while attending an international college in Wales, U.K. She enjoys developing plots that show how God's love abounds even in the profoundly difficult circumstances of our lives. Her stories reflect the hunger in all of us for love, belonging, and forgiveness.

Donna was a communications professional before becoming a full-time writer. Her short stories and articles have appeared in inspirational publications. She has two indie-published romantic suspense novels, Light Out of Darkness and Undaunted Valor, in her Waldensian Series. 

Donna and her husband of forty-one years participate in ministry at their local church in Colorado. They love spending time with their grandchildren and bike, kayak, and travel whenever possible.

Going Out on a Limb - Arbor Day Around the Globe

Trees.

Life-giving, majestic, sentinels of time. We line driveways, create memorials, use as privacy buffers, climb on, hang from, and depend upon them for resources. They flourish in our books, movies, and Art of many mediums. Yet our thoughts and attention go deeper than the day-to-day applications. 

What is our fascination?

AI answered my question with the hypothesis that this “stems from a deep, multi-faceted connection, blending physical, emotional, and biological factors. Trees offer essential life-giving benefits (oxygen, shade, resources), possess calming aesthetic beauty, and foster a sense of grounding and permanence.” Additionally, AI surmised we benefit from reduced stress in their calming presence. I agree with the point that older trees “evoke a sense of history, wisdom, and stability.” The realization that trees communicate, share nutrients, and support one another adds to the wonder.

I am not alone in my fondness for trees. As a collective, the United States celebrates trees on Arbor Day. What I did not realize is that states declare this on different months and days. It makes sense as the seasons switch by region, and therefore planting parameters as trees burst forth in flower and unfurl their leaves at varying times.

On April 12, 1872, Nebraska City, Nebraska established roots of the very first Arbor Day. You can read the history in Carla Olson Gade’s post. After this historic event, other states joined the revelry. Now over 50 countries participate as well. Impressive that the efforts and initiative of one man in 1872 who addressed a need for trees in the barren plains of America spread across the globe. To date, over 500 million trees have been planted! (I read posts of an earlier celebration by Spain in 1594 but couldn't find a solid source or agreement of the location.)

From humble beginnings of shovels and hands, this day now monitored by The Arbor Day Foundation has scientific support and detailed planning. According to their website, they "use GIS mapping, environmental, socio-economic, and location data paired with local guidance to identify areas of greatest need." Combined efforts worldwide aid in replenishing this natural resource.

In honor of the upcoming Arbor Day on April 24th in Georgia, I would like to share some stellar trees we visited recently across the country. Join me at our first stop Point Defiance, Washington with its monumental trees. 

I'm not sure which specimen you see at left in all its stately glory. Below, left and right, say a hearty hello to Giant Sequoia ‘70437’ at 8.36m/27.43’ in girth and 39.02m/128.01’ tall. Goodness that is a lovely tree. Despite a document providing statistics on 22 of the resident trees, I could not find an estimated age. I queried and found it is probably relatively young at anywhere from 50-150 years. Sequoias can reach full height of nearly 250-300 feet. Can you imagine? I took the second photo at bottom right sheltered beneath its lacy limbs. Snuggled under the canopy, childhood stories danced in my thoughts. What a special spot.

  

There are many other old growth and interesting trees at Point Defiance. With each encounter, I wondered what they witnessed over the years. The people passing. Technology changing. From horses to horse and buggy, to cars, and eventually planes flying overhead. All the while the steadfast tree extends roots deep below and branches wide. Embracing our exhales and releasing a gift we often take for granted.

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Our next stop is John's Island near Charleston, South Carolina. Wait until you see this Low Country Treasure. Estimated at over 400 years, this Live Oak Tree is 65 feet tall and about 28 feet around. It shades roughly 17,000 square feet of area. The longest branch is 187 feet! The caretakers of the Angel Oak supported some of its limbs and repaired others. Visitors flock to this mammoth tree each year in droves. The parcel now housing Angel Oak Park was part of a 1717 land grant to Abraham Waight. Later, in the mid-1800s, Justis and Martha Angel acquired the land. Hence the name Angel.

Do we even need words?


   

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Take a walk around the Angel Oak with me...

And another view...

Look at those limbs...

Our last stop is with the Patriot Tree at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. To be honest, this was a bonus. I had no idea we would cross paths with this sentinel. We visited our son last week and stopped to appreciate this 175 year old Live Oak. Imagine, this tree existed in this very spot before the Civil War changed the landscape. How's that for perspective?

That concludes our current tour. Which was your favorite? 

If you would like to read some prior posts featuring trees:

Liberty Trees
Trail Trees
Trail Trees II
Stave Churches, fashioned from trees and an old lilac tree to boot.

Rebecca and her husband share a townhouse with their rescued dog named Ranger, who is not spoiled in the least. They are enjoying a new season nestled in a quaint southeastern US city. She is a proud mom of an American soldier and an Aerospace grad student. If it were up to Rebecca, she would be traveling - right now. First up, trips to see their two grown sons. As a member of ACFW and FHLCW, she tackles the craft of fiction while learning from a host of generous writers.

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