The players
Daniel--the father
Rebecca--his wife who died in childbirth
Ruth Boyd--the orphan housekeeper taken as Daniel’s wife at 13 or 14
Mary--eldest daughter and surrogate mother to:
Isaac--9 years old
Benjamin--4 years old
Jemima--2 years old
Joseph--the baby
Miss Patch--a chestnut mare
Mulberry--a lesser lame mare
Tick--the cow
Onesimus--the slave, an inadvertent purchase at auction 13?
Ostracised by his Quaker community when a housekeeper remains under his roof after the death of his wife Daniel takes his family into Western Virginia by wagon.
Owning a slave presents problems for a Quaker not least of which are the moral issues. Simus breaks his leg needing the aid of a native healer from an adjoining farm. Then the girl gets pregnant those parts of the lad seemingly working just fine.
The book demonstrates the cruelty and injustice of slavery poisoning the lives of both owned and owner. It also points the finger at Christianity that observes the letter of the law but shows not love.
Rebecca--his wife who died in childbirth
Ruth Boyd--the orphan housekeeper taken as Daniel’s wife at 13 or 14
Mary--eldest daughter and surrogate mother to:
Isaac--9 years old
Benjamin--4 years old
Jemima--2 years old
Joseph--the baby
Miss Patch--a chestnut mare
Mulberry--a lesser lame mare
Tick--the cow
Onesimus--the slave, an inadvertent purchase at auction 13?
Ostracised by his Quaker community when a housekeeper remains under his roof after the death of his wife Daniel takes his family into Western Virginia by wagon.
Owning a slave presents problems for a Quaker not least of which are the moral issues. Simus breaks his leg needing the aid of a native healer from an adjoining farm. Then the girl gets pregnant those parts of the lad seemingly working just fine.
The book demonstrates the cruelty and injustice of slavery poisoning the lives of both owned and owner. It also points the finger at Christianity that observes the letter of the law but shows not love.
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