Like a River Glorious

For Sheila & Dave Yarbrough,

who were my “breath of heaven” when I needed it most

I
N
G
LORY
,
C
ALIFORNIA
:

Leah “Lee” Westfall, a sixteen-year-old orphan girl

Jefferson McCauley, Lee's best friend

The Joyners

Rebekah Joyner, a widow from Tennessee

Olive Joyner, her seven-year-old daughter

Andrew Joyner Jr., her four-year-old son

Unnamed baby girl, her infant daughter

“Major” Wally Craven, former wagon train leader

Hampton Bledsoe, an escaped slave

The Illinois College Men

Jasper Clapp, studied medicine

Thomas Bigler, studied law

Henry Meek, studied literature

The Hoffmans

Herman Hoffman, a farmer from Germany

Helma Hoffman, his wife

Martin, their fourteen-year-old son

Luther, their twelve-year-old son

Otto, their ten-year-old son

Carl, their nine-year-old son

Doreen, their six-year-old daughter

A
T
H
IRAM'S
G
ULCH
:

Hiram Westfall, Lee's uncle

Frank Dilley, hired gun and former wagon guide

Jonas Waters, Dilley's second-in-command

Abel Topper, mine foreman

Muskrat, local leader

Mary, Chinese immigrant

Wilhelm, hired gun

Reverend Ernest Lowrey, widower and traveling preacher