Death Beyond the Willows: How a Wedding Day Turned Tragic in America's Heartland

In 1927, Johnny Pirkl, a handsome young farmer from a large family in southern Wisconsin, proposed to Hazel Ferguson, only child to a farm family from a neighboring community. Her parents objected because Johnny was Catholic and Hazel was not. What followed this clash of religions was a shocking wedding-night tragedy in Portage that made national news and left both families grieving for decades. The tragedy inspired Zona Gale, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and native of Portage, to write her fictional short story, “Bridal Pond.” In “Death Beyond the Willows,” journalist Greg Peck applies his award-winning skills to weave a story about the family farm and how we’re losing that part of our heritage. The story also involves an old Chevy in the days when roads offered primitive transportation. Peck uncovers startling twists to the religious prejudice at the root of this saga. “Greg Peck’s work is a breath of fresh air,” says Ben Logan, Wisconsin author of “The Land Remembers.” This new edition of “Death Beyond the Willow” includes updates and fresh graphics. An Afterword tells how the book inspired bus tours of key sites and of stunning coincidental stories that emerged and brought this rich history full circle.