I had never heard of this book, which I find a little surprising, as it is very reminiscent of the “Little House” series. I think one reason that this has not had the same amount of interest is that the family detailed in this book is not as “photogenic” as the Wilder family. Also, this book is not written for small children. One reason is that Richter has written the story in speech patterns of the everyday person in that place and time, as far as he could reconstruct it. It is comprehensible, but there are a few words that I did not know. Also, Richter does not sugar-coat the story, nor does he obscure incidents through the eyes of a child. However, there are also a few places where he implies things, but does not spell them out.
The book tells the story of the Luckett family, two parents and five children, who move from Pennsylvania into the wilds of frontier Ohio. A specific year is not given, but it would seem to be in the late 1700’s or early 1800’s; definitely post-Revolution. The story is told through the oldest daughter, Sayward, or Saird, as her family pronounces her name. The father, Worth, is a hunter, and has no inclination to be a farmer. He wants to live in the wilds, with no other people around, and live off the land. Sayward says he has “itchy feet”; he does not want to stay in one place for too very long. Sayward and her mother, Jary, would prefer to stay in a more settled area; the younger children are excited for the adventure.
Without giving too much away, Sayward tries to keep her family together, despite disease, death, disappearances, and betrayals. When they first arrive in the middle of the forest – the trees- they are the only family for miles. However, eventually a small settlement springs up in the vicinity. The way of life Richter describes sounds incredibly difficult and dangerous to a modern reader. It is challenging to imagine that any of our ancestors chose to live this way. The interesting thing for me was that, for the most part, Sayward knew what to do; how to cook the venison her father provided, how to make her own soap. And when she was stumped, as when a neighbor came for tea, she did the best she could with what she had available.
If this was your family, how would you research them? If any of your ancestors were pioneers into a new area in this time frame, you should read this book. It is an unflinching look at what their lives might have been like. You should also look at local historical societies, to see if they have any diaries or letters from early settlers in the same area, or from the area they started from. Are there any places near you could visit that recreate that lifestyle? Some options might include Plimoth Plantation, Colonial Williamsburg, or Historic Jamestowne. There are a number of places that showcase the “Wild West”, but that was a generation or two removed from the time of this story. One big challenge for families like this is the lack of any written records.