The Stout-Hearted Seven: Orphaned on the Oregon Trail

by Neta Lohnes Frazier

Based on a true story originally written by one of the survivors, Neta Lohnes Frazier’s account of seven children traveling westward still has the power to astonish. In the 1840s, the Sager family set off on the Oregon Trail, a dangerous and adventure-filled journey. Tragedy struck when both the mother and father succumbed to fever, orphaning the youngsters—one just a newborn. The entire wagon train adopted them, until they arrived at the Whitman Mission in Oregon. There, the Sagers settled into an ordinary life…until the day of an Indian massacre. The bravery of the Stouthearted Seven will amaze today’s young readers.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Childrens, Historical, Biography, School, Adventure

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

Neta Lohnes Frazier (1890 – 1990) was a children's author. Known for her books about the Pacific Northwest, she published 14 books between 1947 and 1973, most notably Stout-Hearted Seven, The Magic Ring, Secret Friend, My Love Is a Gypsy, and Little Rhody.

She was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma at the University of Montana, Missoula.

Reviews

[Gabby · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for an “Alls well that ends well.” type of story, this isn’t it. It retells the hard reality of trail life in the Wild West amongst Indians, illness, lies, and other unfortunate unknowns.

The book has a somewhat eery feel; mama does not want to go from the start. A series of unfortunate events appears to further compound this feeling she is carrying. And perhaps if she dug her heels in the mud deep enough, this story may have ended on a happier note.

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ I read and reread this book so many times when I was younger. It really is an incredible story about perseverance and what people had to face on the Oregon Trail that fascinated and inspired me.

[Challice · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a kid, I had this one thin biography of the Whitman family. I really loved that book. I came across this book based on a recommendation from another reader. This tells the hard-breaking story of seven children who traveled to Oregon. Their parents died while on the trail. The families that were also on the trail helped get the children to the Whitman mission. The Sager children lived happily with the Whitman's until the massacre that took their parents and some of the siblings from them.

This is not a Little House on the Prairie, all's well that ends well, kind of scenario. You do get the idea of how families HAD to work together to endure. You see much of the behind the scenes for prairie life. And most of all, you learn to understand why they are called the Stout-hearted Sagers. This was a simply written biography that middle grade could easily read.

It sounds awful to say I did enjoy it, maybe a more appropriate term was that it inspired me. I love the pioneer spirit that endured so much and still held on so much hope.

[Amanda Tero · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this true biography of the Sager children fascinating! Written more for children, I'm not so sure I would recommend it to every child as it, of course, depicts the deaths of several people as well as a massacre.

I felt like the history portrayed in this book was very accurate and it gave a very sober, realistic view of the Oregon trail, its hardships and fatalities. While very sad, I enjoyed it.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this book was interesting, I could not give it more than 3 stars because it was so depressing. It is historical fiction about the seven Stager children who survived the Oregon Trail trip (ages 14. 12, 9, 7, 5, 3 and newborn at the time) even after the death of their father and a little less than a month later the death of their mother as they journeyed along the trail. Many pioneers in the wagon train and missionaries after the journey adventure helped them. For some four years they were kept together, but after the Whitman Massacre where the two oldest boys and one the girls were killed along with their foster parents, the remaining four girls were split up. The final sentence of the book sums up their courage and endurance when it states, "They were truly stout-hearted folk," which is an expression that the Stager children's father used to describe them and his other adventurous relatives.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book that tells a story that is almost too incredible to believe. It is about the seven amazing children of the Sager family who traveled the Oregon Trail with their parents in the spring of 1844, bound for the West Coast in a wagon train. The author has taken the story from a journal that one of the children kept. If you choose to read it you will find yourself encouraging them to (1) never leave the nice home they have and/or (2) to turn back. But they weren't a family that gave up. They definitely aren't the only family who had a tough time heading to California but it is one of the only ones who actually kept a journal of the experiences. It is uplifting and eye-opening plus it shouts out about the great benefits resulting from the kindness of strangers.

[Gracie Simundson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is a unit that I remember from elementary school. My teacher read this story to us out-loud and then we got the opportunity to go on a field trip to the Whitman Mission. This is a realistic fiction book that does a great job teaching life about the Northwest expansion and the Oregon Trail. The author does an exceptional job portraying the hardships that these early explorers encountered. This is a great book to have students write journal entries coincide with the book as if they are with the characters going through this journey. This would also be a good story to develop a character list and their traits.

[Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tbh, I’m kind of disappointed in this book. It’s very well researched and to call it more historically accurate than Honore Morrow’s book is an understatement. But unfortunately the writing is bland and unengaging. Yes, there is dialogue, but she leans heavily into telling, just barely skimming the surface of the Sager story without delving into the characters and the emotions. She never made me FEEL the kids’ emotions, just told me this was the emotion they were having. And the book is very sparse on sensory details as well. So while I’m glad someone did write a book about the Sagers that doesn’t overly embellish and outright change their story, I really wish it was written better.

[Pam Hettinga · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was such a little girl when I saw the movie "Seven Alone" that I couldn't keep the theater seat from folding up on me. I cried during this movie - something I had never done. About 20 years later I saw it again with my own children. The story moved me the same way. I am delighted to find the rest of the story in this book. Are modern-day Americans cut from the same cloth as these stout-hearted folks? I am not sure. But I know that only God's Word made the difference then and it is still our only hope.

[MaryEllen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an okay story. Since it was written in the 70s, the story was a bit scattered and didn't flow smoothly from period to period. It was more like jumping from event to event until the end. Because of this, I never felt connected with the characters; however, the historical part of the story was interesting - to see the lives of those who lived in this time period. Overall a good story, but one I probably will not reread.

[Irene Cole · Rating 1 out of 5]

BIG SPOILERS:

I was WAY TOO YOUNG to read this. Maybe like 9 or 10 years old but EVERYONE DIES and BRUTALLY. I CRIED FOR HOURS until I couldn’t read the book, 9 year old me just waiting for a happy ending THAT NEVER CAME.

I don’t recommend but then again I haven’t read it since then. So I wouldn’t know. (Also my favourite character got shot in the head so I wasn’t ready for that) if you’re thinking “hey what a cool and eduacating book to give to my ten year old kids” DONTTTT PLEASE DONT.

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A harrowing story told with honesty and truth. The author does not elaborate or make the story something it is not, because there is enough drama in the story by itself. I think I read this in school back in the day and didn't quite realize at the time how much of it was about the history of where i live, so that was more important to me this reading time around.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story based on the journal of Catherine Sagar, one of the stout-hearted children, is written for school aged children to read. The children become orphans twice, and there is a massacre with some details about how the deaths occurred, so I encourage parents to pre-read this book before handing it over to their children. It was a fascinating story none the less.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

YA book that recounts one family’s trip across the Oregon Trail. (No spoiler here, the parents die leaving seven children mid-journey.) I think it’s classified as a novel but is more an oral history from one of the survivors. Good story but it feels like a fast recounting of events with less kid POV than I had hoped for.

[Kayla Tornello · Rating 4 out of 5]

The account of the Sager family is heartbreaking, even more so because it was true. I learned a lot about what life was like on the Oregon Trail and also what life was like on the frontier. This book might not be a good match for a sensitive child, as there is plenty of violence and death. It is very educational about the hardships faced by pioneers, though.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dramatic and harrowing story based on a true account of seven children orphaned on the Oregon Trail. Fascinating look at the real dangers of life at this time and the spirit of the pioneers who made the journey.

[Hollis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Picked up at a book sale because Oregon Trail.

Interesting (and I'd never heard of Whitman mission) but not well written, even for a children's book.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book about the Oregon trail

[Susan Zabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was well written, even if for youth. It makes me want to read more history of the Oregon Trail.

[Rachel Drake · Rating 4 out of 5]

A peek into the history of a painful hard time of transitions.

[Katie Blackwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maddening

[Helen T · Rating 5 out of 5]

An easy, one-night read (you won't want to put it down). Eye-opening, humbling, and inspiring.

[Moriah · Rating 3 out of 5]

a little bit boring but other than that it's pretty good.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although this is written for youth , the details may be hard for some to read . It held my interest.

[Howard White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite a testament to the spirit of the settlers. The Whitmans were courageous and generous. The Sager children withstood the trials of losing most their loved ones and survived.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

My mother gave me this book when I was 9 and it was amazing for me at that age. I still read it every few years and I love it. This is one of the books that started my love for reading.

[Joann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good historic children's book that is pretty gritty. Seems like it would make any kid grateful for what they have, compared to these early pioneers!

[Cherri · Rating 4 out of 5]

We came across this book at the gift store at the Whitman Mission Park and my husband just had to have it. On To Oregon was one of his favorite books as a child so he looked forward to this account of the Sager children. The book is an enjoyable read. It's a tragic story of children orphaned on the Oregon Trail and the kindness (but also sad) rescue by the Whitman family.

[Anh Cat]

From chapter 1 to chapter 7 (65 pages)

1. In today’s reading, did the setting or any of characters remind you of people or characters in your own personal life? Were any of the situations or events similar to your own life? How were they alike and how were they different?
I have just read some chapters of the story named “The stout – hearted seven orphaned on the Oregon trail”, but it reminded me of my parents’ migration to the south of Vietnam in 1954 (after Geneva Convention ).
In 1954, they were about five to eight years old. They and my grandparents did not get much information about the South. The only thing they knew about the South was there had not war like in he North had. Like the Sagers, although we did not know clearly about the new place we moved to, we must leave for there for the bright future. In addition, the distance is so far for them at that time; it about 1,800 kilometers (1,122 miles).
At that time, they must travel by land and by sea; and many danger or difficulty happened on the way as the changing of weather, disease, being tired, ect. Finally, they did arrive new home; and it was a blessing they were all alive.

7. Sometimes when we read, certain words or phrases or images stand out. Maybe they are words or phrases that make an impression because of their sound, or may be the meaning or image they strikes us? Sometimes we find words or expressions we just do not understand. Share those that you have come across and decrible why you listed them.
“Except my cherrywood chest…My mother gave it to me, and she had from her mother.” Mama said.
“We’ll still be all together, Naomi” Papa said.
“Papa would like to be in such a lovely place, under the tree” Elizabeth said Kartie.
“ Oh, Papa, Papa,” Kartie sobbed.
Catherine saw the boys wink back tears. “ Yes, Mama, we will.”
“..around the wagon, everything became quiet…She closed her eyes…A few minutes later, she felt a hand touch her.”
“ Naomi Carney Sager, age 27.” Papa was thirty-eight, Catherine remembered; they died only twenty-six apart.

These things above refer to family sentiment and losing close relative. Family is the most important thing for everyone. We may poor, short of food and clothing, or be in a difficult situation, but we can overcome easily with family. We are always remember each other event some of us are passed away. But it is a heart-breaking scene to the child when their both father and mother are died in a short period.

[Grace (taylor’s version:) · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was really fun and amazing!