Ben and bebe

The ending of the civil war created a unique situation for ben calvert and bebe kaian. ben was a son of a slave owner, and bebe was an ex-slave of ben's father. the war ended slavery, but did little to provide jobs or homes for all the freed slaves. ben and bebe entered into a very unusual partnership. they overcame both social and political problems, and the constant threat of kidnapping, rustlers, and thieves. they created a unique ranch and farm. their success started with a cattle drive across country to kansas city. after years of building a large farm and providing employment and shelter for hundreds of ex-slaves, bebe took his wife on an unusual and exciting trip to california. in sacramento, he learned wheat farming from the chinese. on their return trip, they experienced a train wreck, an encounter with escaped convicts, and enjoyed the beauty of the sierra nevada mountains. -ellis v. lumpkins