The Journal of Allison Beckett

By John J. Law

The Civil War had come and gone, leaving the nation scarred and in transition. Many men migrated to the west to find their fortune and carve a new life for themselves. Many single women were left in the cities, without husbands either due to loss from the war, or simply because most of the eligible men had been taken. To say that there was a wide disparity in distribution of the sexes then, was putting it mildly. The young nation was imbalanced, and out of whack. Something had to be done to put order and balance back. This turbulent period helped usher in the era of the mail-order bride.
Young Allison Beckett worked as a live-in maid for the Wesley household. Even though she was paid, had a roof over her head and food to eat, she felt as though she was missing something more important in her life. When she received a flyer in the post about the company searching for young, single women willing to go to Oregon as mail-order brides, Allison saw her opportunity. Writing her thoughts in a journal, Allison kept her day to day life chronicled, including the journey by ship to a new, and hopefully, more fulfilling life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: J.C. Hulsey Books
• Release date: Dec 19, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223959854

Book preview

PROLOGUE

Before America grew to become the great nation that it is today, it endured a wild and rambunctious period in its history. It is this period of history that is famously (and often even infamously) referred to as the Wild West. It is this period that set the stage for what would become the modern country of the USA. 

During this period, the young country was in the middle of a turbulent period of growth. The Civil War had come and gone, leaving the nation scarred and in transition. Many men migrated to the west to find their fortune and carve a new life for themselves. Many single women were left in the cities, without husbands either due to loss from the war, or simply because most of the eligible men had been taken. To say that there was a wide disparity in distribution of the sexes then, was putting it mildly. The young nation was imbalanced, and out of whack. Something had to be done to put order and balance back. This turbulent period helped usher in the era of the mail-order bride.

The concept of a mail-order bride was borne from this imbalance in the country. Many men who had settled and established the towns and trails of the west suddenly found themselves bereft of companionship. Alone, and struggling to survive and settle in a rugged land, such was a hard fate indeed. 

It was no easier for the women in the cities who had to face the prospect of living alone and facing the potential difficulties of such a life. It was clear that there was a need on both ends, and the mail-order bride was provided as a service for both men and women.

For the men, it was a chance to meet a partner one could go home to and face the challenges of the times with. For the women, it was a chance at finding a man who could provide security and protection. It was no surprise then, that the mail-order bride business would boom and prosper.

Amidst this harsh landscape, the journals of one Allison Beckett managed to survive and were passed down to us. The journal narrates how young Allison ventured forth into the unknown to find a husband and a better life. The surviving bits and pieces of the journal tell of Allison's struggles to achieve her goals. It weaves a story of perseverance, conflict, dogged determination, and ultimately, faith. This is her story.

ENTRY #1

Today was a strange day, to say the least. It began, as most of my days always do, in work. It is always all about work. I woke up early and had to perform most of my duties around the Wesley household.

The duties mainly consisted of the usual things. Mundane tasks that my mind and body had long grown accustomed to. The day began with my cooking breakfast for Mister Wesley and his family. This consisted of the usual continental breakfast of