'Three Score Years and Ten' Life-Long Memories of Fort Snelling, Minnesota, and Other Parts of the West

"Three Score Years and Ten" by Charlotte Ouisconsin Clark Van Cleve is a memoir reflecting on 19th-century life, primarily around Fort Snelling, Minnesota, and other parts of the Western frontier. The story recalls the author's experiences alongside her husband, Lieutenant Nathan Clark, as they face the difficulties and thrills of living on the frontier, including relations with Native American tribes and creating military outposts. Initially, readers meet a young wife in Hartford, Connecticut, awaiting her husband, before their lives change when he is posted to Fort Snelling, leading her bravely choosing to join him despite the risks. The memoir recounts their demanding journey with their baby, enduring the trials of traveling through uncharted lands, the birth of more children in tough environments, and establishing a community amidst the hardships faced by early settlers. The beginning of the narrative establishes the basis for further examination of these themes and the personal stories that showcase their unique experiences in the pioneering West.