Mossy Feet Books – Author Paul R. Wonning
Books About Indiana History, United States History and Garden Guides
The Seven Years War, known as the French and Indian War in North America, ended with the Treaty of Paris on 10 February 1763. The French, by virtue of the treaty, yielded to the British vast stretches of land in North America and the Caribbean Sea. Continue reading Podcast – Royal Proclamation of 1763
Jane Blaffer Owen (April 1915 – June 21, 2010)
The daughter of Robert Lee and Sarah “Sadie” Campbell Blaffer, Jane was native to Houston, Harris County, Texas. Her father was the founder of Humble Oil Company, which later became Exxon. She attended The Kinkaid School in Margaret Kinkaid’s home, which is a college prepatory school for children K – 12. She attended high school at Ethel Walker School in Connecticut, graduating in 1933. She later attended Bryn Mawr College and the Union Theological Seminary in New York. She married Kenneth Owen, who was a descendent of Indiana philosopher, manufacturer and social reformer Robert Owen. The couple would have 2 children. Kenneth was from the small Indiana town of New Harmony. Continue reading Podcast – Roofless Church in New Harmony, Indiana
The crises with England had grown after Parliament passed the so-called Intolerable Acts. In an attempt to provide a united response to Parliament and get the Acts repealed, delegates from twelve of the thirteen colonies on the Atlantic seaboard assembled in Philadelphia at Carpenter’s Hall. The last inter-colonial meeting had been the Stamp Act Congress of 1765. Continue reading Podcast – First Continental Congress assembles in Philadelphia
Johann Georg Rapp founded the group that would become the Harmony Society in Iptingen, Germany, in 1785. The Lutheran Church persecuted the members, so they migrated to the United States. They purchased land in Butler County, Pennsylvannia on February 15, 1805. They formed the Harmony Society and placed all of their possessions in common. Continue reading Podcast – Harmonist’s Labyrinth at New Harmony, Indiana
The Cathedral Labyrinth at New Harmony, Indiana
Visitors will find both a labyrinth and a maze in New Harmony. Though many think they are the same thing, there is a difference in the two. A labyrinth has one winding path leading to the center of the structure while a maze has many paths, some of which are dead ends.
Today I will talk about labyrinths, next week it will be mazes.
Walking on a labyrinth symbolizes a spiritural journey or a quest for self-discovery. It is meant as a sort of walking meditation. Continue reading The Cathedral Labyrinth at New Harmony
An Amerindian raiding party consisting of four Shawnee and one Cherokee overcame a group of three girls as they drifted on the Kentucky River, capturing them. Continue reading The Abduction and Rescue of Jemima Boone
Visitors will find the David Lenz House and Garden on North Street. The house is closed to the public, unless you take a guided tour, but the gardens are open to browse. Construction of the house occurred around 1819 by David Lenz. Continue reading Podcast – David Lenz House and Garden
June 29, 1773 – First of the Hutchinson Letters Published
Leaking sensitive government documents is nothing new. Ben Franklin, in an attempt to soothe the heat of the growing American Revolution, ended up fanning the flames instead when he sent a packet of letters written by Boston Royal Governor Thomas Hutchinson that he had acquired to colonial leaders. Continue reading First of the Hutchinson Letters Published
The Chinese and Romans each had their own forms of ice cream that the elite among them could enjoy. Roman emperors dispatched runners into the mountains to fetch snow from the snow-covered peaks to bring back for the emperor to enjoy. Servants then flavored the snow with fruits and fruit juices. Historians have found evidence that Alexander the Great (356-323 B.C.) enjoyed snow mixed with honey and fruit. Continue reading Podcast – May 12, 1777 – First Ice Cream Advertisement
The details of Thomas Posey’s parentage are uncertain. Historians know that he was native to a farm on the banks of the Potomac River near Mount Vernon. Rumors persist that he was the illegitimate son of George Washington, however no one has ever been able to either prove or disprove it. We know little of his early childhood except that Thomas enjoyed George Washington’s patronage as a child. Continue reading Sample Chapter – Thomas Posey
This episode tells the story of the legendary comedian, actor and television show host,Red Skelton. Red was born in Vincennes, Indiana. His birthplace, a museum dedicated to his life and an historical marker honoring him are all located near his birthplace. Continue reading Podcast – Red Skelton
Kidnapped in the African interior of the Rice Coast, a ten-year-old girl joined eighty-three other kidnapped Africans on the slave ship, the Hare April 9, 1754. After a ten-week voyage, the girl, whose African name is lost to the ages, was sold to a Carolina rice plantation owner at auction in Charlestown. He named her Priscilla. Continue reading Podcast – Slave Girl Priscilla Begins Her Horrible Journey
Learn about Indiana’s early governors by reading the book, Indiana’s Governors – Book 1. The book provides biographies for the Territorial governors Arthur St. Claire of the Northwestern Territory to Indiana Territory governors William Henry Harrison and Thomas Posey of the Indiana Territory. The first seven governors of the State of Indiana from Jonathan Jennings to Paris C. Denning are also included. These were the governors that served Indiana residents from the time of the 1816 Constitution until the 1851 Constitution took effect. Continue reading Indiana’s Governors – Book 1
Located in Vincennes, Indiana, the USS Vincennes Monument is a granite monument located near the Old Cathedral near the intersection of Main and First Streets. T Continue reading Podcast – USS Vincennes Monument
British Troops Killed Five in a Crowd in Boston
Greetings, this episode relates the incident that occurred on March 5, 1770 that has come to be known as the Boston Massacre Continue reading Podcast – March 05, 1770 Boston Massacre – British Troops Kill Five In Crowd
British governor Woodes Rogers, during his mission to destroy the Pirate Republic, accidentally found Alexander Selkirk, who had been stranded on an island for over four years. Author Daniel Defoe used the experience of Selkirk to write his classic book, Robinson Crusoe. Continue reading Podcast – The Rescue of Alexander Selkirk – Progenitor of Character Robinson Crusoe
What could be more fun than a cross-country road trip across Indiana? Discover Indiana’s covered bridges, wineries, caves and much more by taking one of the auto tours listed in this guidebook. The book lists over thirty Indiana road trips for Hoosiers to take while they learn the history, culture, arts and natural wonders of the Hoosier State. Fun Indiana Road Trips includes a description of the Auto Trail, contact information, Indiana county tourism sites and a guide to navigating Indiana’s system of back roads. Continue reading A Sampling of Indiana Auto Trails
People have stored food underground since ancient times. Many times, this practice involved simply placing the food in an urn or barrel and burying it or digging trenches and mounding the earth over the food. The first walk in root cellars didn’t appear in England until the 17th Century. The North American English colonists took the concept along with them and used root cellars extensively to store food. Continue reading Sample Chapter – Gardener’s Guide to Fruit and Vegetable Preservation
On July 8, 1863, Confederate General John Hunt Morgan crossed the Ohio River at Brandenburg, Kentucky and invaded Indiana. His army consisted of two thousand cavalrymen and a couple of cannons. His purpose was to divert Union General Ambrose Burnside’s Army of the Ohio in eastern Tennessee and make them come north. Continue reading Podcast – The John Hunt Morgan Trail
Colonial justice was harsh and quick. Just over one year after Oglethorpe founded Savannah in 1733 indentured servants Alice Riley and her boyfriend, Richard White allegedly murdered their master William Wise, becoming the first murderers in the fledgling settlement. The first hanging came just weeks after the murder. Continue reading Podcast – The First Woman Hanged In Georgia
Mossy Feet Books - Author Paul R. Wonning 