Magnolia Frontier: The Search for Land, Liberty, and Love (hard cover)

Ishee, Jeff

Historical Fiction

Three Swiss/German brothers establish their roots in the wilderness of the Mississippi Territory during the early 1800s. They came with dreams, big dreams that included cotton, land ownership, liberty...and love.

They depart the Old Country as a family of nine, having no idea that only the three boys would survive the epic journey. Traveling along the Great Wagon Road, brothers John, Jacob, and Fred ultimately find themselves in the deep wilderness of the Mississippi Territory. It is 1805. With little government and no laws, it is every man for himself. The brothers must rely on their wits and each other as they stake a claim at a place they name "Hope Hill." They are fortunate to make allies with nearby Choctaw Indians. Aged 21, 18, and 8, they experience danger, adventure, dismay, and heartbreak, all while carrying the heavy weight of their family's loss. Can they overcome their grief to forge a new future and even find love?

Jeff W. Ishee is an award-winning journalist with a career in radio, television, and print media. He is passionate about gardening, genealogy, American history, and growing heirloom peanuts. He served in the U.S. Navy aboard three ships of the Atlantic Fleet. Jeff is married to Carole Marshall Ishee and lives in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

325 pages, Amazon Digital Services LLC, November 1, 2025.