Like Little House on the Prairie

[Diana_Catherine]

My family loves reading and watching the Little House on the Prairie series but what I would like to find are stories about Catholic pioneers. Does any one know of any books or movies about Catholic families during early America or during the Westward expansion? Could be fiction or non-fiction, or even just an informational type book.

Thanks and God bless.

 

[EasterJoy]

I don’t know, but if you contact the historical societies in the states of interest, especially the Catholic historical societies, they might be able to help you. You could also make an inquiry at the history department at Notre Dame University, since it is in the Midwest.

You might also try the American Catholic Historical Society: amchs.org/

Be ready to hear some stories of anti-Catholic sentiments. Charles Ingalls was a descendant of families that arrived in the US prior to the Revolution. Catholics and Lutherans arrived later, and often suffered from the suspicions of the pioneers hailing from New England that these others were “foreigners”. The other problem you may run into is that many of the Catholic pioneers who kept diaries did so in German or another European language, rather than English. Still, I would think the historians could point you to some good accounts.

 

[gardenswithkids]

Maybe try some of the Vision books for children, such as “Father Marquette and the Great River”, (which is from an earlier period of American history–it’s about the exploration of the Mississippi.)

You might also like Tom Playfair and other books by Fr. Francis Finn, SJ. He wrote fictional stories about a boarding school for boys in the late 1800’s/early 1900’s, inspired by his experiences in working at a Jesuit school for boys in that time frame. It starts out describing the family life and then move to the fictional mid-western boarding school.

 

[Cat]

Got this one!

More Streets and Road
Cathedral Basic Readers
Scott, Foresman and Company
Copyright 1947

Look for the section: On Roads of Early Days
These are the six stories of the Chase family, including Father, Mother, Ben, and Betsy, and the baby, They’re just awesome! I wish that someone would write more of these, but they’re kind of politically-incorrect. (They still refer to Native Americans as “Indians.” Gasp!) I love the characters. I really love the one about Betsy meeting George Washington! And the one called “The Church in the Woods!” Beautiful!

Our family wasn’t Catholic, but my Dad brought two Streets and Roads books (Catholic versions) home for me from some kind of auction or house sale waaaay back in the 1960s. I was a bookworm who devoured books, and Dad was good enough to find them for me, Catholic or not! He didn’t read very well, so maybe he didn’t even notice.

These books are one reason that I am Catholic today! The stories about human beings (there are also fairy tales and animal stories in the books) are all from a Catholic point of view. I was very impressed when I was a child!

I still have these books today, and I still get them out and read them once in a while. The stories are that good!

ALL the stories in the Streets and Roads books are super good. I remember having these books in public schools (without the religion), and the stories were good there, too. But the Catholic stories were better because God was in them.

I hope you can find them online. If not, private message me. Maybe I can scan the Chase family stories and email them to you (after the holidays, please!).

You might try a Catholic school library, the older the better!

 

[Megan7]

Maybe try some of the Vision books for children, such as “Father Marquette and the Great River”, (which is from an earlier period of American history–it’s about the exploration of the Mississippi.)

You might also like Tom Playfair and other books by Fr. Francis Finn, SJ. He wrote fictional stories about a boarding school for boys in the late 1800’s/early 1900’s, inspired by his experiences in working at a Jesuit school for boys in that time frame. It starts out describing the family life and then move to the fictional mid-western boarding school.

Thanks, great gift ideas:thumbsup:

 

[SurlyMermaid]

Great thread!!