In 1856 options for single women were limited especially a single woman with three children, no money and a heartless mother in law who was in a position to take her children. With no other options left to her, Widow Jessica Barton turned to the one person she felt could help, Teagen McMurray a friend she never met.  Jessie knew she would be safe if only for little while on Teagen's horse ranch, so she packed her and her daughters' meager belongings and left Chicago for Texas and the Whispering Mountain Ranch.