Martha (Marty) Santee Wetzel, the principal editor, is the granddaughter of the author and the current owner of the original material (Autobiography, Poems, Stories, Pictures, Letters, etc.) used for this book. Pictured on the back cover is the author's 3rd great granddaughter, Vivienne, at age 13 months. (from the back cover)
Summary:
'Floyd Ellen Crary Santee Carvey Bonney witnessed and participated in many significant historical events from 1878 thru 1966 and wrote prolifically about them from a woman's point of view. With her aunt & veteran uncle, she met famous civil war officers. She bacame a teacher, mother, and widow by the age of 24. Married for 41 years to an Alaskan gold miner, she experienced the boom and bust of placer mining, gold guartz ore mining & the Great Depression, many times the only woman present. Travelling with her third husband, she attended military functions honoring Congressional Medal of Honor recipients. The title of the book comes from one of the poems she wrote later in life which seems to sum up the ups and downs of her adventurous life. The last lines are: - 'now why did Fate play such havoc/ With a firendly, simple girl? / I've tried and tried to figure it out / Til my brain is all in a whirl.'" from the back cover.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.