acher is a work of fiction with a historical setting. It is set in the time of America's expansion west of the Appalachian Mountains, in the 1780s through 1804, specifically in the territory that would become southeastern Ohio, focusing on the lands purchased and being developed by the Ohio Company. Ted Hatcher was orphaned as a teenager but managed to make his way in the wilderness area by trapping fur-bearing animals and trading for his existence. Before her disappearance, his mother had provided a solid spiritual foundation that enabled him to be dependent upon God and the Holy Spirit for strength and direction. That he would become a leading force in the development of the church in this wilderness area was as much a surprise to him as any he would encounter along the way.