The Claim

Anna Schmidt is too independent for a woman of the 1800s. Worse yet she doesn’t have a man to curb her unwomanly tendencies. When she takes a claim of one-hundred-sixty acres and then another one-hundred-sixty acres for a tree claim, has she taken on more than she can handle? It’s work that could cripple a man; a woman alone can’t expect help or understanding when she takes on this one willingly. Flooding, blizzards, heat, dust, and an incredible amount of physical labor are all set to do this determined woman in. She takes it on and through the years succeeds despite the odds, despite not having a man to depend on, showing herself and the world that this woman not only can but will make a home, a farm, and a ranch on the wild prairies. Follow along in her journal telling of her experiences.