In 1859, John Carty sent his sixteen year old daughter, Anne, from their impoverished home in Ireland to meet with his brother who had established himself in Oregon. Anne, who was good at holding on to her money, promised her father she would make a home for her brothers and sisters and bring them all out to join her.

When she made that promise, Anne could not have known she would come as far as St. Louis and lose touch with her uncle in Oregon, or that James Duff would arrive from their home in Blackwater to pledge his love and support, or that the Civil War would interrupt their plans. Anne could not have foreseen that, while she saved every possible penny, her father would time and again be forced to spend the passage money she sent him for food for their starving family and taxes on their land. She was determined to bring her family out of Ireland, but how much time would pass before she succeeded and how long would James Duff be willing to wait?