Based on diary entries, news articles, published sources, interviews, and personal memories from the author and other family members, Crossing the Yellowstone: The Saga of a Montana Ranch Family is a classic American drama of challenges met and legacies left. In 1894, Andy Mercer journeyed on horseback from Missouri to the Great Plains, with plans to homestead in the West. Crossing the Yellowstone is a love story of land, family, and one man's dream. This narrative tells a true story set in the American West in the early 20th century, illustrating the core values of the settlers: independence, determination, and respect for the land. Andy's love for Florrie, an English nurse, turns tragic when she dies, leaving him alone with a motherless infant, Russell. The child grows from a lonely schoolboy to a reluctant cowboy and eventually must choose whether to stay on the family ranch or strike out in search of a different life. Despite the challenges of the drought during the Dirty Thirties and the Great Depression, Andy's legacy has endured for three generations on the Montana ranch near the Yellowstone River. Mary Anne Mercer's Montana family embodies Wild West history and brings to vivid life the people and country that still inspire bestselling films. The tragic love story between Mercer's British grandmother, Florrie, and her grandfather, Andy, is the heart of this memoir. It roots the next generations—from motherless Russell's childhood raised by ranch hands to his embrace of Mary, the enduring matriarch and town historian. A moving must-read for anyone who enjoys both personal and American history. — Brenda Peterson, author of Wild Chorus: Finding Harmony with Whales, Wolves, and Other Animals Richly authentic and beautifully written, Crossing the Yellowstone is a vivid real-life portrait of a family struggling to survive in the American West. An unforgettable story of a widowed father who raises his son in the hardscrabble ranching life, and that son's resilient determination to find love and build the family he always wanted. An endearing story of tragedy, tenderness, and ties that bind. — Margaret Combs, author of Hazard: A Sister's Flight from Family and a Broken Boy This is a moving story of place and relationships, beautifully written and carefully researched. Mary Anne Mercer is a superb storyteller whose narrative brings alive the characters and the places of this amazing tale. Grandfather Andy, homesteader in Montana, unexpectedly meets Grandmother Florrie, sophisticated city girl from England, "who was pivotal in all our lives." This is a story of the early 1900s prairie homesteading era, yet it speaks to us of the lasting gifts and burdens of all our family legacies. — Gary Whited, author of Being, There and Having Listened Books like Crossing the Yellowstone are important for preserving not only the history but also the culture of Eastern Montana and the MonDak area. While the hardships and triumphs of homesteading families can be told across much of the west, family stories like this tale of the Mercer family showcase the specific grit and courage it took to truly survive and thrive in the Mondak. — Nikki Bailey-Will, Executive Director, MonDak Heritage Center Mary Anne Mercer spent her early years on the family ranch in eastern Montana with her parents and six siblings. During her youth, her grandfather and great-aunt lived nearby in the original 1906 ranch house on the homestead. Crossing the Yellowstone: The Saga of a Montana Ranch Family aims to bring to life the tale of her paternal grandparents and parents, spanning the period from 1894 to the 1940s. With an academic career in international health, Mary Anne worked in many countries in Africa and Asia, focusing on strategies to improve the health and survival of pregnant women and their children. She has published on a wide range of topics related to social justice, global health, and globalization, as well as academic topics. Her previous book was Beyond the Next Village: A Year of Magic and Medicine in Nepal. The book describes her experience as a nurse practitioner in 1978, when she spent a year trekking from village to village in rural Nepal with a local health team. An emeritus faculty member in public health at the University of Washington, she and her husband divide their time between their Seattle home overlooking the Salish Sea and a small ranch near Red Lodge, Montana.