by Jody Hedlund
She was largely self-taught, loved to read, and became known for her brilliant mind. One of her deepest regrets was that as a woman she’d been denied a formal education equal to that of her brother. Later, in a letter she wrote to John during the First Congress, when the founding fathers were developing the Constitution, she said: “I desire you would remember the ladies and be more favorable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of husbands.”
While I found no record of Abigail helping indentured servants (like Dotty), she felt passionate about liberty for those in bondage and had a heart for the unfortunate. In another letter she wrote to John, she said, “I wish most sincerely there was not a slave in the province. . . . We are daily robbing and plundering from those who have as good a right to freedom as we have.”
As portrayed in Rebellious Heart, Abigail did have a somewhat tense relationship with her mother, who is said to have initially objected to her affection toward John due to his social standing and being a lawyer. Abigail was disappointed in the dearth of suitors who sought after something other than wealth. She’s quoted as saying, “Wealth, wealth is the only thing that is looked after now.” Even so, she herself knew she must make an advantageous match by marrying up.
When John walked into her life, at first he wasn’t impressed by the Smith girls. Essentially he thought they were too proud. Since one of his best friends, Richard Cranch, spent time courting Mary, John was thrust more and more into the company of Abigail. And eventually he grew to admire her qualities, in particular what he called her “sauciness.”
It was during this time that they began their lifelong pattern of penning letters to each other. At that time, it was customary for letter writers to adopt classical pen names. And one of the names among many they took were Diana (the goddess of the moon) and Lysander (the Spartan statesman). And while I made up the circumstances of Dotty’s plight to initiate their letter writing, they eventually became good friends, prompting Abigail at one point to address him as “My Dearest Friend.”
John and Abigail’s courtship lasted over the span of approximately four years. Thus I had to condense some of the real events into a shorter time frame for the sake of the story flow, including: the foiled plans to propose to Hannah Quincy; the influence of his friend Parson Wibird; the influenza epidemic; his father’s resulting death; his inheriting of the farm; and the wedding of Mary and Cranch. All of these events really happened, but over the span of several years versus the several months in the story.
History also mentions a trip John and Abigail took together in the fall of 1763, apparently alone. No one is certain where they went or why. So I used this fact, along with the disappearance of so many of their early letters, to signify that perhaps they were involved in something secretive—such as I portrayed with harboring Dotty. Whatever the case, the times were not favorable to indentured servants. Many ran away, seeking a better life. Most were recaptured and punished, some severely.
The 1760s and the years leading up to the Revolutionary War were indeed setting the stage for the conflict that was yet to come. The years of 1763–1764 saw the beginning grumblings about new taxes as well as the crackdown by the British on the illegal smuggling that was widespread among the colonies. While I invented Lieutenant Wolfe, the British parliament did attempt to suppress the smuggling by sending out officers to enforce the Acts of Trade.
It was during these prewar years that many like John and Abigail began to resent the control of the British. Although I found no indication that John was involved in one of the Caucus Clubs during this time period, we know that later he supported the Sons of Liberty, a group pivotal in the rebellion.
During the course of their courtship, John and Abigail formed a beautiful friendship, overcame the barriers standing between them, and agreed to get married. They planned a wedding for the spring of 1764. But due to a smallpox outbreak in Boston, they postponed their wedding plans until the fall of 1764. They were married on October 25, 1764. Afterward they moved to John’s cottage in Braintree, where they would live the rest of their lives together as the dearest of friends. John said, “Friendship is one of the distinguishing glories of man. . . . From this I expect to receive the chief happiness of my future.”
And in her last letter to John before the wedding, Abigail asked him to take all her belongings in a cart to her new home in Braintree: “And then, Sir, if you please, you may take me.”
It’s my hope, dear reader, that as you close the pages of this book, you will walk away encouraged by the sweet relationship of this famous couple. Even more than that, I hope you will take courage from their compassion, bravery, and willingness to stand against tyranny for God’s higher laws of justice and mercy.
Acknowledgments
First, I need to thank my dear husband for his friendship. Without his ongoing support, unswerving help with our large family, and constant belief in me, I would be lost. I could not accomplish all that I do without his ever-willing, never-complaining spirit.
I want to thank my wonderful mother for pitching in and helping whenever and wherever possible—including cooking a couple of big meals for my family each week. In addition to her help, I’m grateful for her willingness to listen to me ramble on about my stories and characters as if they were real people.
I can’t neglect to thank my Bethany House editors, Dave Long and Luke Hinrichs, for their incredible wisdom, insights, and abilities. I’m also appreciative of the many other people at Bethany House who work so diligently and strive so hard to make each book a success.
I also would like to express my deepest gratitude to my agent, Rachelle Gardner, for her helpful critique on this novel and for brainstorming with me. The additional feedback was invaluable.
As with any historical novel, I also had to consult many resources. Since I’m not an expert on the Colonial or Revolutionary War eras, I’m grateful for the original documents, diaries, and biographies that are so readily available.
I especially appreciate Colonial novelist Carla Olson Gade’s generosity in beta-reading for me and providing additional ideas and details to strengthen the Colonial aura of this story. Any historical inaccuracies are completely my own fault.
Finally, I must thank the Lord for giving me the gift of writing, which I enjoy so immensely. I’m deeply grateful I’m able to do something every day that I love so much!
Jody Hedlund is an award-winning historical romance novelist and author of the bestselling A Noble Groom, Unending Devotion, and The Preacher’s Bride. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Taylor University and a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin, both in social work. Jody lives in Michigan with her husband and five busy children. Learn more at JodyHedlund.com.
Books by Jody Hedlund
* * *
The Preacher’s Bride
The Doctor’s Lady
Unending Devotion
A Noble Groom
Rebellious Heart
Resources: bethanyhouse.com/AnOpenBook
Website: www.bethanyhouse.com
Facebook: Bethany House
