The Journal of Amos Hannah

"I enjoyed every bit of the Journal. You did a marvelous job of designing the content around the entries, especially the way you developed related information to highlight a subject. I am very appreciative of the story that recounts the oral history of this family. I personally believe that Amos knew what he was saying when he wrote that David and Phebe (Burt) Lobdill had seven children: sons Daniel, Samuel, David and Joshua; daughters Phoebe, Lyda and Hannah... You are to be congratulated for bringing the journal to light and sharing it in the way you did. It is beautifully crafted and an appropriate memorial to Amos, who I believe would love what you have done! Thank you for your good work." ~ Oma I. Rose (10/2005)

"The Journal of Amos Hannah provides a fascinating look at day to day life in the rural Midwest from 1838 to 1850. Notes, photographs, genealogical material, etc. added by his great-great granddaughter, editor of the journal, compliment the entries, providing explanations of people, places, and events. Hannah, a cooper by trade, possessed an insatiable thirst for knowledge. He read widely in both books and newspapers, attended lyceum lectures, studied various religions, and attended services of a range of denominations. He was interested in politics (a staunch Democrat), served on the local school committee, and became a Justice of the Peace. During the course of the journal, Hannah and his young family moved frequently, but never far from his father's home in Brookville, Indiana. In 1849 he went to Iowa with his brother to enter land claims, but returned to Indiana. As the journal ends, he has embarked on a trip to California to take part in the gold rush. While Hannah's journal entries are often frustratingly brief, all in all for those interested in everyday life in the nineteenth century, this is a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience." ~ Martha N. Noblick of the Historic Deerfield Library (2005)

"In this generously illustrated volume filled with a wealth of support material, editor Gaines reproduces Hannah's journal that concludes in 1850 with the Gold Rush and a detailed letter describing the Panama crossing...His letter from Panama, dated May 31, 1850, is as prized as a bag of gold dust." ~ Gary F. Kurutz, Curator of the California State Library and author of "The California Gold Rush: A Descriptive Bibliography of Books and Pamphlets Covering the Years 1848-1853" (2005)

"We are fortunate in having this treasure, which gives us a window into the past, preserved and passed down. Chopping wood, cutting ice on the canal, raising farm animals, the steps used in making a barrel, Amos' bouts with sickness and disease--it's all here." ~ Carolyn Schmidt, Canal Society of Indiana (2005)

"Reading The Journal of Amos Hannah by Pat Gaines is like a visit to the 1800's. Amos was a maker of barrels, but he was also a man who at twenty-one wrote and received letters 'on the improvement of the mind.' Quite politically active, he was a friend of John Brown's, and his journal is full of information about the politics of his day. As a writer of historical fiction, I will use this book as a reference tool. Every page is a source of information about the past. I learned about the gold rush; about dirth, the old name for diarrhea; about pole raisings, an early political rally; about log rolling, a method of clearing land; and about so much more. Anyone who loves history will love The Journal of Amos Hannah." ~ Anna Myers (2006)

"Break the time-space continuum and go along for a ride with Amos Hannah, glimpsing day to day life in the mid 19th century through his eyes. His interest in politics, various religions and his community reveal a rare slice of humanity and society in those days. A working man, Amos might be working in the shop or digging potatoes in the morning and attending a lecture from a present day intellectual in the afternoon. Pat Gaines has supplemented his journal, explaining terms particular to the times and giving background on persons of interest and even providing maps, letters and documents. Genealogists will find the chapter on the family traced back to 1000 B.C.fascinating and the index makes it possible to discover names, places and facts with ease as it is cross-referenced. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested history or geneology." ~ C. L. Shires (2006) FIVE STARS

"I've read (the book) from cover to cover and enjoyed it immensely... I almost wept over the courage Amos related as he plodded day by day through hardship and hope. Our families are made up of such fantastic individuals and your book tells of the love and struggle of a group of wonderful people. Beautifully written!" ~ Nonnie from Florida (03/2006)

"The Journal of Amos Hannah reveals authentically the trials, adventures, and accomplishments of one family in America from 1838 to 1850." ~ Majoria (Sutton) DeShazo (2005)

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