Review
I finished this book in one long and one short session. Not because it is a quick read, but because I wanted to keep reading! The level of research is impressive, but the analysis of the records unearthed is what makes this book an extraordinary read.
Miller looked at the data from every angle, and while she could have made some leaps of logic, she stayed grounded to say "this is what the data does and does not show us." I very much appreciated this aspect of the work; it can be very fun to speculate, but unless the facts are conclusive, it is best to stick to possibilities instead of declarations.
Tennessee Wildcat is a must-have addition to the library of anyone who wants to learn more about the history behind and within the Little House books.
—Cindy Wilson, author of "The Beautiful Snow:
The Ingalls Family, the Railroads, and the Hard Winter of 1880-81"
The Ingalls Family, the Railroads, and the Hard Winter of 1880-81"
About Tennessee Wildcat
Researched over 6 years, using countless sources: original manuscripts of Little House on the Prairie and Pioneer Girl, early land records, censuses, regional histories, historical atlases and maps, original land surveys, local newspapers from 1869 on, censuses, relevant legal cases and statutes, church and civil records, and much more.
Tennessee Wildcat is the most thoroughly conducted research ever into Laura Ingalls Wilder's beloved character, Mr. Edwards.
Mr. Edwards … that colorful Tennessee Wildcat Laura Ingalls Wilder so deeply loved. He helped Pa build the family’s cabin, saved Christmas by carrying presents across a raging creek, and spit further than Laura thought possible. Though he was a little rough around the edges, Laura simply adored Mr. Edwards. Through her vivid, heartwarming stories, we came to love him, too.
But who was he?
Virtually all Laura’s Little House characters were real people … even those whose names were changed to protect their reputations.
Mr. Edwards, however, wasn’t so easy to track down. In fact, he’s the sole Little House enigma … the only mentioned character that hasn’t clearly surfaced via historical records.
Was he fiction, for the sake of illustrating pioneer stereotypes? Was he a composite character, built from several men Laura knew during their time in Kansas? Was he a loose collection of memories and family lore, cobbled together for the sake of the narrative? Or was he a real man, whose full identity had previously evaded discovery?
We wanted to know the answer …
So, we dusted off our boots and headed out … hot on the trail of the wildcat from Tennessee!
Tennessee Wildcat is the most thoroughly conducted research ever into Laura Ingalls Wilder's beloved character, Mr. Edwards.
Mr. Edwards … that colorful Tennessee Wildcat Laura Ingalls Wilder so deeply loved. He helped Pa build the family’s cabin, saved Christmas by carrying presents across a raging creek, and spit further than Laura thought possible. Though he was a little rough around the edges, Laura simply adored Mr. Edwards. Through her vivid, heartwarming stories, we came to love him, too.
But who was he?
Virtually all Laura’s Little House characters were real people … even those whose names were changed to protect their reputations.
Mr. Edwards, however, wasn’t so easy to track down. In fact, he’s the sole Little House enigma … the only mentioned character that hasn’t clearly surfaced via historical records.
Was he fiction, for the sake of illustrating pioneer stereotypes? Was he a composite character, built from several men Laura knew during their time in Kansas? Was he a loose collection of memories and family lore, cobbled together for the sake of the narrative? Or was he a real man, whose full identity had previously evaded discovery?
We wanted to know the answer …
So, we dusted off our boots and headed out … hot on the trail of the wildcat from Tennessee!
Meet the Authors
Robynne Elizabeth Miller is wife to an amazing Brit and mother to a glorious brood of adopted, biological, and foster kids. A dual citizen of America and the UK, she’s lived at length in both countries. Now, she makes her home in the Pacific Northwest. Passionate about her family, faith, music, travel, and cooking, she writes about the pioneers who formed our country and things that move her heart.
She has authored numerous nonfiction books, articles, and essays, mostly relating to pioneer life or the Little House series, including The Three Faces of Nellie, Pioneer Mixology, and From the Mouth of Ma. An experienced speaker, editor, and writing/publishing coach, Robynne teaches at conferences and writer’s workshops and speaks at Little House sites and historic venues throughout the U.S. She is also the director of the Vision Christian Writers Conference at Mount Hermon, California.
She completed her MFA in Creative Nonfiction and Fiction through Ashland University, Ashland, Ohio, and holds a B.A. in English Literature from Westmont College, Santa Barbara, CA. Her MFA critical thesis was: Nonfiction, Memoir, or Fiction? Dissecting the Works of Laura Ingalls Wilder (June 2017). Her creative thesis was Little Girl Rising (2018). On quieter days, Robynne can be found meandering back roads, singing at the top of her lungs, or making bacon from scratch.
J.D. Rushmore is a history and genealogy buff, with a particular interest in American history before 1900. He's enamored with the opening of the west, pioneers, the gold rush, the Oregon trail, etc. He's particularly passionate about researching historical mysteries, especially when they relate to the Little House series of books.
He is a musician in his spare time, as well as an "at everything" father, husband, and friend. He prefers the smell of historic archives to fresh air (unless it involves poking around a remote historic cemetery!) and has a knack for reading handwriting on historical documents that is illegible to others. Nothing thrills him more than finding the one tiny detail that, after being overlooked for decades, or even centuries, changes EVERYTHING.
She has authored numerous nonfiction books, articles, and essays, mostly relating to pioneer life or the Little House series, including The Three Faces of Nellie, Pioneer Mixology, and From the Mouth of Ma. An experienced speaker, editor, and writing/publishing coach, Robynne teaches at conferences and writer’s workshops and speaks at Little House sites and historic venues throughout the U.S. She is also the director of the Vision Christian Writers Conference at Mount Hermon, California.
She completed her MFA in Creative Nonfiction and Fiction through Ashland University, Ashland, Ohio, and holds a B.A. in English Literature from Westmont College, Santa Barbara, CA. Her MFA critical thesis was: Nonfiction, Memoir, or Fiction? Dissecting the Works of Laura Ingalls Wilder (June 2017). Her creative thesis was Little Girl Rising (2018). On quieter days, Robynne can be found meandering back roads, singing at the top of her lungs, or making bacon from scratch.
J.D. Rushmore is a history and genealogy buff, with a particular interest in American history before 1900. He's enamored with the opening of the west, pioneers, the gold rush, the Oregon trail, etc. He's particularly passionate about researching historical mysteries, especially when they relate to the Little House series of books.
He is a musician in his spare time, as well as an "at everything" father, husband, and friend. He prefers the smell of historic archives to fresh air (unless it involves poking around a remote historic cemetery!) and has a knack for reading handwriting on historical documents that is illegible to others. Nothing thrills him more than finding the one tiny detail that, after being overlooked for decades, or even centuries, changes EVERYTHING.