Jane Kirkpatrick, All She Left Behind...Excellent story about a strong woman of the 1870's...

All She Left Behind by Jane Kirkpatrick is based on a true story from 1860’s Oregon history. This book is a wonderful example of Jane Kirkpatrick’s ability to tell a story from historical documentation that brings out the compassion in the readers. Jane “Jennie” overcomes great personal and physical obstacles to become a known healer, doctor, and public figure for her time in the Oregon west.

Seventeen year old Jane Lichtenthaler of Washington County, Oregon married Charles Pickett in March of 1860. During their wedding dance Charles slipped, fell hard, and hit his head on the rough floor. We will not know if this affected his personality or if he had problems before the accident, but Jennie soon learned hard lessons from the man she had married. He was not always the kind person she had thought him to be before the wedding. Jennie and Charles had a son, Douglas and a baby daughter who died at her birth due to the cord being around her neck. Jennie would always wonder if the delay of Charles bringing the doctor, both smelling of alcohol as she was in labor with baby Ariyah, had contributed to the death.

Jeanie has the spirit of a natural healer. She is knowledgeable about herbs, plants, tea, and tinctures. Her heart’s desire is to be a doctor, although she knows that Oregon in the 1860 will be hesitant to approve of allowing a woman to become a healer equal to a man. Jeannie also has a small learning disability. She has trouble reading and deciphering letters, what we would call today as dyslexia.

Read how she overcame the spousal abuse, loss of a baby, financial disaster, divorce, and humiliation among family and community to rise above and be heralded as a forceful and strong woman who kept her faith during troubled times. Once you start reading you may not want to stop!