I received this book as a gift and it is one of the best presents I’ve ever gotten. Barbara’s painstaking research goes well beyond simple genealogy; she has uncovered countless family stories that bring each of the subjects to life.

This is history the way it is meant to be; living, breathing stories of hardship, perseverance, calamity, success, and joy. Even those who are not a descendents of the families chronicled in this work will love it for its pure historical value, as it tells the stories of the pioneers that shaped America for the future.

This is a must read for any student of American history, and central California in particular. For descendents of these families it is an essential work to grace your library shelf and be handed down generation after generation.

I know for me personally these stories have been an inspiration; the troubles that affect us all in daily life seem trivial compared to the hardships my forefathers faced, and when it seems like a crisis will never pass I take heart in knowing that I come from a long line of individuals who faced worse and prospered for it.

This book is a delight from beginning to end. What a family history, I feel it could become a mini-series like Roots. It really brings history alive. I am impressed, both with the layout and writing, and with the content. It is amazing how the author was able to cover so many different time periods and still keep the information so smoothly organized. There are very few families that know so much of their history and that have such interesting ancestors. Ms Samper has done an excellent job of research and presentation. I hope she continues to research and write I would like to read more about her ancestors. This is an excellent book and a true treasure.