The Clarks of Willsborough Point: The Long Trek North
Darcey Hale
- In
- this,
- the
- first
- book
- in
- a
- series
- of
- three,
- the
- author
- invites
- her
- reader
- to
- come
- with
- her
- on
- a
- journey
- into
- the
- past.
- It
- begins
- in
- the
- Connecticut
- Berkshires
- in
- 1801
- and
- transports
- us
- north
- with
- George
- and
- Lydia
- who
- set
- forth
- to
- Willsborough,
- New
- York
- and,
- established
- a
- family
- presence
- in
- the
- early
- days
- of
- that
- town.
- The
- lure
- for
- George
- is
- adventure
- and
- a
- financial
- opportunity.
- We
- experience
- their
- emotions
- as
- they
- prepare
- to
- leave
- behind
- all
- that
- they
- have
- ever
- known
- and
- begin
- a
- long
- trek
- north.
- We
- join
- them
- on
- the
- oxen-drawn
- wagon
- that
- becomes
- home
- for
- Lydia
- and
- their
- 4
- offspring,
- including
- a
- tiny
- infant,
- while
- George
- rides
- beside
- them
- as
- their
- ultimate
- protector.
- We
- are
- with
- them
- as
- they
- brave
- the
- elements,
- wait
- in
- fear
- of
- the
- night
- and
- wild
- animals
- and
- cook
- their
- meager
- meals
- and
- sleep
- by
- the
- roadside.
The
- Clarks
- of
- Willsborough
- Point:
- The
- Long
- Trek
- North
- by
- Darcey
- HaleWe
- board
- the
- sail
- ferry
- at
- Charlotte,
- feeling
- their
- trepidation
- as
- they
- stare
- at
- the
- vast
- expanse
- of
- water
- that
- lies
- before
- them,
- and,
- finally,
- step
- gingerly
- onto
- the
- warm
- sand
- as
- they
- reach
- New
- York
- at
- last.
- As
- they
- enter
- Willsborough
- they
- sigh
- with
- relief
- and
- as
- they
- are
- welcomed
- into
- their
- new
- home
- with
- loving-kindness.
- They
- quickly
- sense
- that
- this
- is
- what
- Willsborough
- is
- all
- about.
- George
- takes
- us
- into
- the
- Iron
- Shop
- where
- we
- see
- he
- and
- his
- fellow
- workers
- crafting
- huge
- anchors
- for
- the
- newly
- created
- ocean
- going
- vessels
- of
- the
- U.S.
- Navy.
- We
- see
- the
- town
- grow,
- just
- as
- their
- family
- grows.
- The
- years
- pass
- swiftly.
- They
- are
- very
- busy,
- productive
- and
- happy
- times
- for
- George,
- Lydia
- and
- their
- children.Through
- it
- all
- we
- become
- a
- part
- of
- their
- lives
- as
- we
- develop
- our
- own
- perspective
- as
- to
- who
- these
- early
- Clarks
- really
- were
- –
- one
- that
- is
- often
- immensely
- personal.
- In
- the
- end,
- we
- are
- drawn
- into
- the
- final
- drama
- of
- the
- series,
- filled
- with
- anguish
- and concern.
