After the government opened up former Indian land, one of the railroads finagled a deal to purchase the entire tract. Settlers who had moved onto the land and filed claims under “preemption” were forced to broker deals with the new owner. By 1869, riots broke out in protest of railroad land policies. Angry settlers burned ties and tore up track as fast as the railroad could put it down. Things got so bad that President Grant sent troops into Kansas to quell the violence. A more peaceful solution was proposed: a program sponsoring the immigration of single young ladies into Kansas to become brides and provide a “calming influence” on the unruly men. I couldn’t find any evidence this program got off the ground. But what a great romance series idea! The Bride Train is first mentioned in my debut romance novel, Her Bodyguard, which is set against the same series of events in a different location. Click here to read a scene about the arrival of the first Bride Train. This scene inspired me to conceive an entire series about a railroad matchmaking service.
What do You think about Patrick's Charm (The Bride Train, #2) (2016)?
