Jim Fergus is the author of the historical fiction novel One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd. The story starts out in Washington, D.C. in a meeting between Native American leaders and President Ulysses S. Grant. They are discussing treaties. One leader from a northwest territory suggests the Native Americans will give the government 1000 horses in exchange for 1000 white brides. Upon hearing this, Grant's wife promptly faints and falls to the floor. This part of the story is true. The rest of the book is about what if this BFI (brides for Indians) actually happened. Why would a white woman agree to such a plan? In the case of May Dodd, she was locked in a lunatic asylum and her two children were taken away because she had the audacity of marrying below her station. Her parents took the kids and locked her away. So I could see why she went. The story describes another 7 or so women who went with May. Some of the Army leaders and Native American leaders are based on real people but all the women are imaginary. I enjoyed this story. I understand it has a sequel that I will get to someday.
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