The drama and unrest that came with the Black Patch Tobacco War of the early 20th century provides the setting for a new novel published by Western New Mexico University history professor Bruce Wilson.
A signing will take place at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 21 at Tres Rosat restaurant on 304 N. Bullard Street where the title will be available for purchase.
Death in the Black Patch is historical fiction and tells the story of a Kentucky-based family in 1906. In a time when tobacco farming was essential for the care and protection of the working family, troubles began when one man created a monopoly forcing others to establish a growers’ association.
Wes Wilson is the main character and his interactions with other family members and towns people are loosely based on the author’s real-life relatives who grew up and worked in the small town of Lynnville.
“My siblings and I used to love listening to my father tell us stories,” said Wilson. “There was one story that he never enlarged upon, although we always knew that it involved tragedy. It was this legend that became the basis for my book.”
Wilson traveled back to his ancestral hometown during his research for the book. The Black Patch Wars of 1904 through 1911 are well documented and a local library provided information for the details in the book.
“I wanted the atmosphere to be genuine,” said Wilson. “This takes place a few years before the automobile and there was only one phone in the community.”
Alcoholism, vigilantes known as Night Riders, and greedy tobacco buyers provide for storylines that detailed real life struggles for the people of Lynnville in 1906.“I know have a sense of what these people, including my family members of the time, must have been like,” said Wilson. “I’m already thinking of another book for one of the fictional characters I developed. Perhaps I’ll send him out West.”
Death In The Black Patch is available for pre-sale on Amazon. Official publication date is September 13.