Indian Blood

McClain Printing Co., 1967 Hard cover. Good. Good in good dust jacket. Book is square and tight, solid binding. Short inscription inside front cover, few lines of ink writing on several pages, only on 5 pages. Few small brown stains on edges of pages, one small mark on side text block. Dust jacket lightly tattered at edges, few small tears. Small chips missing to corners, one small faint stain on upper front cover corner. Newly protected in a clear mylar cover. 253 pages. Presumed first edition, no additional printings noted on copyright page. $6.95 original flap price. This book could belong to the Rivers of America Series. It relates the role the Youghiogheny had in the development of the Nation. The now extinct Yough Glades, often mentioned in early history are here described as they were when the first pioneers came over Backbone Mountain. The Indian story is followed in its pathos as the White Man thoughtlessly replaced the wilderness with his civilization. After the fatal march of the English across the Youghiogheny with its wilderness star, resident Indians found their ownership of Allegheny dubious; but, not until John Friend came to settle on the river's upper reaches in the Halcyon Decade did the occupying Delaware or Shawnee relinquish their homesite there. Communication between Indians and John's family-who are looked back upon as-having India blood-include brotherhood as well as 'chasing each other to the death'; and, although the hunters' bowl that became Friendsville, Maryland had a Fort Field, it, nevertheless, is blessed with a memory of mutual trust and respect. John and his family, by Indian assent, were free to pick and choose their locations in this untouched land. The underlying theme of the book is appreciation of our national heritage; and the gladeland and forest on the Maryland plateau affords 'Indian blood' special delight. As the writer's research into local history began in the 1930's when a generation lived who could recall word of mouth history back to settlement days, much historical lore and picturesque village life is herein preserved for the future. Evelyn Guard Olsen graduated from Friendsville High School in 1917 and from the University of Pittsburgh in 1925. During her four years at the latter institution, she studied under Dr. Percival Hunt, great scholar and teacher of creative writing. Mrs. Olsen taught school at Portage, Pennsylvania, and, after her marriage to Clarence C. Olsen in 1927, moved to the State of Washington. She was a social worker for three years in above state, and for eighteen years followed the same career in the state of California. The jacket cover is by Etsy Schneirsohn. It is drawn from a photograph taken of the covered bridge at 'The Crossings' (Friendsville) prior to 1898..