Madonna Jervis Wise Books

When fearless and resourceful frontier women settled in Tampa Bay, they paved the way for dauntless suffragettes and the evolution of the modern woman. Bay area suffragettes Eleanor Collier McWilliams Chamberlain, Elizabeth Robins, Julia Harrison Norris, and Elizabeth Askew fought tirelessly for the 19th Amendment and contributed to the evolving institutions of the 20th century that began to give women a voice--the woman's club, garden club, and welfare league. Covering the gamut from the Rosie Riveter types in the embodiment of prize-winning welder Margaret Clark Miller to the courageous female athletes such as Olympians Babe Didrikson Zaharias and Brooke Bennett and the first women council members and mayors of Tampa Bay area towns, perspectives were evolving. From the plight of women farm workers, Depression-era factory labor, and the changing world of women's work, Trailblazing Women of Tampa Bay offers a glimpse into the lives of female war heroes, entrepreneurs, and risk takers. Madonna Jervis Wise is a lifelong educator, having served as an administrator in three large Florida school districts. Wise's first college degree was in history, and her most endeared area of research continues to be local history and genealogy. Wise volunteers with Tampa Bay area libraries and museums and does several presentations annually. Publications have included curriculum, 11 previous books, and regular columns for local newspapers.

Dade City was named for Maj. Francis L. Dade, who perished in the Dade Battle, which opened the Second Seminole War in 1836. As the county seat, formality intermingles with frontier roots in a revered, historic courthouse, a stately jail, and an array of churches and historic homes. Dade City entices visitors with antique shops, cafs, and historical architecture. Folks are drawn to the hospitality of the Kumquat Festival, the homespun county fair, and agricultural showcases at area ranches. In 1908, O. Henry included Dade City in one of his short stories as a symbol of Americana. Surrounding the historic town are alluring places that tell the stories of Florida: the Withlacoochee State Forest, Lake Jovita, Trilby, Lacoochee, and San Antonio to name a few.

Wildcat Creek Kids champions the significance of relationships while tracing a journey through adolescence during the Great Depression in a Midwestern community. The farming village of Cutler endures hardships but the Wildcat Creek provides respite, recreation, and conduit for constant regeneration in the midst of adversity in the 1930âs. Surviving an era of disease prior to the advent of modern medical treatments such as antibiotics and immunizations, the kids of Cutler suffer losses, arbitrary afflictions such as the feared polio and poverty. Colloquialism and local legend provide texture to the tales that are based upon authentic provincial events. Institutions of the New Deal era infuse change to the lifestyles but the cooperative spirit is paramount. The charactersâ resilience and ingenuity shine through in the accounts which are based upon the life of Doyle Jervis, his adult mentors who serve as moral compasses for his life, Mommy Allen and Bright Shaffer, as well as a huddle of assorted and diverse pals.

Wesley Chapel originated in the mid-1800s as a cohesive community of settlers who demonstrated a uniquely rural authenticity and independence of spirit. Evidence of Native American presence in the area has been documented as early as 10,000 BC. Lumber harvesting and turpentine production became prominent industries, while cash-crop farming, citrus, and livestock ranching provided sustenance for the pioneer settlement. Charcoal kilns, gator hunting, and moonshine stills supplemented incomes and spawned legends. The community was also identified by the monikers Gatorville, Double Branch, and Godwin. From 1897 to 1902, Wesley Chapel boasted its own post office, two sawmills, and a general store. Primitive roads left residents with an informal town nucleus, and services shifted to surrounding towns until the late 20th century, when postal service and incorporation emerged, and the lumber trusts of John D. Rockefeller, Otto Hermann Kahn, and Edwin Wiley morphed into sizeable ranches.