Dream or Destiny: a Saga of Pioneer Spirit in an Unpredictable Land

The story begins in 1897 when John Marriage left Iowa with his family and a small herd of prize cattle to start a ranch in western Kansas. The family traveled by covered wagon and lived in a lean-to tent for almost two years after arriving in Kansas. They struggled against droughts, blizzards, coyotes, rattlesnakes, and financial troubles. Gradually, they bought land and developed a ranch of 10,000 acres. John built up a large herd of his own purebred cattle, Marriage Mulleys, that became famous across the state of Kansas. This true story provides a detailed account about the lives of a determined family as they built a home, a community and a future. The exploits, disappointments, and uncertainties of living on the Kansas prairie shaped their lives but they never gave up on their dreams.