Trudge with his family as they walk from Tennessee to southern Illinois. Laugh as Parish eats lice with his cornmeal and learns lessons the hard way. Weep as his family and neighbors lose babies, children and dreams. Squirm with Braxton Parish when he is Speaker Pro-tem of the Illinois State Senate. Watch him oppose Abraham Lincoln, but then beg him for help. Learn life-lessons from two intertwined families- the Parishes and the McCreerys. Experience the grueling challenges of everyday pioneer life. Travel through Illinois history from the 1820s until after the Civil War. Be inspired by pioneer faith and faithfulness.