Thirst for Learning: The Sanctified Sisters of Belton

Join local author Nicola Pearson as she shares the fascinating story behind her recent historical fiction novel, Sanctified. 

Sanctified tells the story of Martha McWhirter, a woman in late 1800s Texas who led a group of women away from life with their abusive husbands and to lives of financial independence and great success. These women professed "sanctification" as a way to stop sharing their husbands' beds and taking their money. The women sold eggs, butter, and cheese, chopped firewood, and did laundry to raise money for their Common Fund. Eventually they moved in together, creating the first safe house for women and challenging an entire community to change their perception of women's role in society.