WILMINGTON — Author Janet Shailer’s new book “Trouble on Scioto’s Waters; Soldiers, Frontiersmen, and Native Americans, 1725-1815” ($22.95 Orange Frazer Press) takes place along the now tranquil waters of the Scioto River and its tributaries.
These were once hotbeds of activity as Prehistoric and Woodland Indians/Native Americans used them as major transportation routes.
Later the European fur trappers and frontiersmen understood their significance, followed by soldiers from three different countries.
“Parts of this book are meant as a guide for people to start their own research on the ‘First Ohioans’,” said Shailer. “As a person of endless curiosity, I wanted to provide an inspirational guide for those who want to visit sites where Native Americans once thrived.
“Some sagas about the first Ohioans have not been kind to them. As a 50-year professional journalist, I wanted to be as fair as possible to both sides of the story … I also wanted to provide a slice of Ohio history for those who want to pursue it further.”
The book also exposes the violence that occurred in Ohio between the years 1754 and 1814, violence that is tough to read but vital to understanding the history of the state.
They set the table for chapters on five famous early Ohioans from the mid-18th and 19th centuries such as Blue Jacket, Tecumseh, Simon Girty, Col. William Crawford and Jonathan Adler. All of them used the Scioto River watershed to reach certain destinations.
Copies of “Trouble on Scioto’s Waters” can be ordered online at www.orangefrazer.com or by calling 937-382-3196. They are also available via Amazon.com.
