The Winds of Hope

About the Book

This book is the true story of courageous people who became unintended victims of a flawed social experiment.

They were lured by the promise of the enlarged Homestead Act - passed by Congress in 1909 - and misled by pamphlets authored by railroad companies extolling the riches to be gleaned from the fertile but dry prairie of the Midwest. 'Would-be' landowners visualized rural 'estates' carved in the soil of western North Dakota. Acting on their visions, they acquired homesteads, or bought or rented land from previous homesteaders, in an area northwest of the present day Garrison dam on the Big Missouri River. In 1915 they organized a Baptist church and later constructed a building five miles west of Roseglen.

In 1926, when intractable circumstances had begun to fade the farmers' dreams, Rev. Charles Brown, a young idealistic minister, became their pastor. The farmers pledged to support the church 'as God would prosper them'. It was to this uncertain future and primitive living conditions that Rev. Brown brought his wife and three children.

This book is a stirring look into the lives of these people as they endure poverty, backbreaking work and tragedy. They struggle with drought, grasshoppers and low prices for their wheat while high taxes and debt payments gobble up their meager resources.

These dream-shattering circumstances push the farmers toward loss of their farms. Still, they struggle and hang on by frayed strands of binder twine. Rev. Brown works in the fields, helping them in any way he can. He finds himself spending as much time on farm work as he spends on his ministerial duties. His sixteen-hour workdays add conflict to the feisty relationship with his wife, Florence.

Despite their struggle, by the spring of 1929 several farmers have lost their farms, and Rev. Brown can no longer ignore the dark shadow creeping over the windswept prairie. Realizing that other farmers are facing the loss of their farms, he encourages them to find viable alternatives to farming.

Through their experiences the people had developed deep friendships, grown spiritually and discovered the meaning of a loving community. A few chose to remain and continue their struggle. But among those leaving there were emotional partings: some moved west to Washington and Oregon; others moved east. Others found jobs in North Dakota towns. Faith-based hope survived as they left their friends to build new lives in new places.

The little white church and most of the farm buildings are gone now. And the restless wind mourns over a boarded up schoolhouse.

About the Author

Paul Fremont Brown is the published author of two other books: FROM HERE TO RETIREMENT and THE WINDS OF HOPE. A retired Professional engineer, he is past president of the South Bay Branch of the California Writers Club. Trained in Meteorology, Paul served in WWII as an Army Air Force officer. He has a BA in Education, BS in Engineering, and MS in Cybernetic Systems. He has a lifetime teaching Credential for California colleges and has been a guest lecturer at San Jose State University and De Anza College.