Our American Stories

California's 1st Female Pioneer, Nancy Kelsey, Arrives Barefoot and Pregnant and Becomes "Betsy Ross of CA"

Lee Habeeb, Guest- Roger D. McGrath

When the lure of a new life on the farthest edge of the frontier beckoned to Ben Kelsey, Nancy was determined to be at her husband’s side. Together they braved hunger, disaster, illness, betrayal, and death. Nancy Kelsey and her family would play a crucial role in California and American history, becoming the first wave of a great tide that would transform a nation.

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