If you have been wondering, yes I did sign a contract to have my new book published, an early history of The Whitewater Valley including some Indiana history from the mid 1700’s through 1840. The pandemic caused yet another delay but the book, tentatively titled “Hoosier Beginnings”, is now set to be published in 2022. An editor has been assigned to work with me and plans are underway to add pictures and supplementary material.
Over the next several months, I’ll be updating my author page regularly, at least once a month and I’ll shoot for twice a month. Initially, I’ll be reviewing my latest draft of the book and revisiting the research I did. Later, I’ll reflect on my work with an editor.
I’m looking forward to reviewing my research about the early white settlers of The Whitewater Valley – Richard Rue, George Holman and their families. I’m also looking forward to learning even more about the Delaware and Shawnee and other nations that used this area for hunting grounds for many years. I wanted to make sure their story was part of my book as well.
I’m anxious to revisit the relationship between Richard Rue/George Holman and their captors. Richard and George were captured and lived with their captors for years before returning to their families. They had fought with George Rogers Clark before being captured. Then they spent years living with Delaware, Shawnee or Mingo and developed friendships with them. How did it happen that they could both fight members of these tribes and also be taken care of by them?
The early years of this area, what would become Indiana and Ohio, are filled with stories of interactions between the whites who relentlessly moved west and the peoples who had lived here for many years. Some of the interactions were violent. Other times, the Delaware or Shawnee would help the white settlers. What did they really feel toward each other? I’ll reflect more about how that theme is explored in my book soon.
Randall Wisehart 