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Ari's Wild West NTNB #1: 1848
H (25)FN: Spanish name of a character in the biblical apocrypha (goes by an English nickname)
MN: Spanish name of a biblical angel
LN: one Spanish surname with a meaning related to trees (https://surnames.behindthename.com/names/usage/spanish/tag/trees)W (22)FN: a serious, cold name (goes by a nickname)
MN: a warm, friendly name
LN: English, occupational and related to animals


H (25) is the illegitimate son of a Californio ranchero and one of his mestiza mistresses. He was born near Monterey, when California was still under Mexican rule. After the Mexican-American War ended and California's ownership shifted to the US, he found himself caught between cultures - no longer Mexican, but not yet American either. He turned to prospecting, journeying eastward with one hope: finding gold. Practical, reserved, and resourceful, he is a man of few words but deep convictions. He dreams of owning a piece of land he can call his own.W (22) is the daughter of New England abolitionists who moved to Illinois in the 1830s. Raised on a farm, she grew up reading Emerson and Thoreau by candlelight and learning practical skills like weaving, cooking, and horse care. Her parents hoped to build a utopian community in the West, but a series of savage winters broke their spirits. She is headstrong, idealistic, and fiercely independent. She would like to start a school to educate children of settlers and Natives alike.The couple met in the spring of 1847 near Independence, Missouri. W (22)'s family had joined a wagon train heading west, while H (25) served as a guide and interpreter for the group. They clashed to begin with - W (22) fiery temperament forming a sharp contrast against H (25)'s dry wit - but they eventually developed a grudging respect for each other as they forded rivers, negotiated with Native tribes, and survived a cholera outbreak.By the time the wagon train reached the foothills of the Rockies, they young couple were in love. They married in a small ceremony among the wagon train travelers. The bride wore a borrowed dress, and the groom offered her a simple pewter ring he made himself. W (22) parents were initially concerned about their daughter's future: they hoped their daughter would help them build a stable, enlightened community in the West, and not become the wife of a transient trader. However, they came to admire him for the same reasons their daughter did: his hard work and resourcefulness.The couple settled near Sutter's Fort in California just as the Gold Rush began. W (22) has opened a small boardinghouse, which she runs like the navy. So far, her married life with H (25) has been blissful - but soon, their savings will run out, and he will have to return to work as a prospector and trader, and leave his bride alone for months on end.


masculine list: https://www.behindthename.com/pnl/191050/124079
feminine list: https://www.behindthename.com/pnl/191050/124080

This message was edited 11/17/2024, 10:53 AM

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Ari's Wild West NTNB #1: 1848  ·  ari.  ·  11/17/2024, 10:50 AM
closed (nt)  ·  ari.  ·  11/19/2024, 5:04 AM
Re: Ari's Wild West NTNB #1: 1848  ·  starletinwaiting  ·  11/18/2024, 3:25 PM
Re: Ari's Wild West NTNB #1: 1848  ·  Story  ·  11/18/2024, 2:43 PM
Re: Ari's Wild West NTNB #1: 1848  ·  Story  ·  11/18/2024, 2:45 PM
Re: Ari's Wild West NTNB #1: 1848  ·  AhaRememo  ·  11/18/2024, 2:57 AM
Re: Ari's Wild West NTNB #1: 1848  ·  Guest  ·  11/18/2024, 1:27 AM
Re: Ari's Wild West NTNB #1: 1848  ·  Ohad Yigal  ·  11/18/2024, 12:50 AM
Re: Ari's Wild West NTNB #1: 1848  ·  molly  ·  11/17/2024, 10:08 PM
Re: Ari's Wild West NTNB #1: 1848  ·  Laura B.  ·  11/17/2024, 4:15 PM
Re: Ari's Wild West NTNB #1: 1848  ·  Darkbone  ·  11/17/2024, 1:56 PM
Re: Ari's Wild West NTNB #1: 1848  ·  Princess_Shireen  ·  11/17/2024, 1:43 PM
Re: Ari's Wild West NTNB #1: 1848  ·  Amoret  ·  11/17/2024, 1:03 PM
Re: Ari's Wild West NTNB #1: 1848  ·  cher529s  ·  11/17/2024, 12:31 PM
Re: Ari's Wild West NTNB #1: 1848  ·  Wordsmith  ·  11/17/2024, 11:51 AM