Sneak Peek of the First Chapter

Thanks for taking a SNEAK PEEK of my new book and lifetime project. 

Its 101 chapters are short to accommodate the 7 main characters. 

Forever Stalwart is a TRUE account. Enjoy!

Forever Stalwart

The biography of Titus Billings including the Isaac Morley and Edward Tuttle families.

Susan Billings Mitchell

Stalwart Stories

2014

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Chapter 1

        Diantha opposed the idea from the beginning. Why should she and her family leave Montague, the township they loved, and travel hundreds of miles to settle in an undeveloped territory they had never seen? Diantha witnessed the way Isaac’s letters enticed her father. At first he showed only a hint of interest which she and her mother dismissed at once. Neither of them had set foot outside of Massachusetts and neither of them intended to do so, ever. Then why did she find herself and everything she owned covered with dust on this bouncy wagon?

               Why? Diantha thought to herself. Why? Because Isaac Morley is the most persuasive, persistent creature on earth! He will never give up when he believes he is right about something. Father became infatuated with the invitation to move to “the plushest place on earth” before I realized what was happening. The thought was exasperating to her, but there was more. As always, mother willingly gave up the fight and abandoned me to follow along in agreement with Father.

               Diantha disliked change and the thought of moving away from the beautiful land of apple blossoms to a . . . to anywhere was most distasteful to her.

               Yes, Isaac Morley was her hero, always had been. He was nine years old when she was born and as her oldest brother he had forever protected, entertained, and often teased her. Many were the songs they had harmonized and the games they had played together. No one could ask for a better brother, but now this brother was renowned. Why, he was one of the first to clear timbers in Northern Ohio, and he (so his letters claimed) introduced agriculture into the Western Reserve. Many folks were migrating there. It was a chance of a lifetime. She had heard it all. So what? Let the others enjoy it. But oh no, she was just an insignificant girl who had no say in the matter, none at all.

               Diantha brushed dust off the dulcimer case she held in her lap. Her plan was to play and sing along the way, but she was in no mood for singing and trail dust would only harm her treasured instrument.

               “How ‘you doing back here?” Thomas shouted as he rode up beside the wagon. He was the brother just older than she, a very good one too, now that he was an adult. Diantha could not help noticing how different he was from Isaac.

               “How much farther is this place?” Diantha asked with irritation.

               Thomas picked up on her annoyance and could not hide the smirk it caused to cover his face. He knew she was ready to end this journey before it began. Her attitude had been easy for anyone to detect. Now he witnessed her ongoing frustration and could not pass up the opportunity to provoke her.

               “Oh dear sister, we have just begun. It will take days and days and days before we attain our destination.”

               Diantha stood. Balancing the dulcimer with one hand she attempted to whip the irritating Thomas with an apron tie in her other hand. He kicked his horse and lunged forward as she tumbled back into the wagon landing on top of Alfred who in turn bumped into Louisa. So much for adulthood, she thought as she retrieved the music case and made apology to her younger siblings.

               “Is it really going to take all those days to get there?” Alfred asked.

               “No,” Diantha assured him as she brushed dust from his curly red hair. “Father said we should find Isaac before sunset tomorrow. “ Alfred leaned against her. Sliding the black music case to safety beside a soft quilt, she made room on her lap for the tired lad to rest his head.

               “It will be good to see Lucy again, won’t it?” Diantha said to her sister.

               “I can’t wait to meet little Philena,” Louisa added. “How old is she now?”

               “Can you believe our little niece is already two,” Diantha answered.

               “It will be fun living beside them, won’t it?”

               “Yes,” Diantha admitted. She did adore her sister-in-law. Lucy was as lovely and as capable as anyone she had ever known. The last time I saw Lucy was at her wedding. Again Diantha was daydreaming, remembering. Isaac was so excited when he came back to fetch her for his bride.                                     He had homesteaded a spot in that “plush place” and built a cozy cabin for his Lucy.

               Deep thinking was Diantha’s way of ignoring boredom. Oh, I do love weddings. Someday I will have a glorious wedding too and drape myself in the elegant lace Grandmother Marsh fashioned with her skillful hands. Mother promised. She was wed in it and I shall be also . . . if I can find a good man out there in that rugged territory. I feel like we left civilization behind us many miles ago.

               Isaac’s last letter informed us that Lucy is again in a motherly way. This will be number two. Hope it’s another girl. I do wish we would get there. Travel is such a waste of time. I am an adventurous person. I like to do things, many things, but I do not like change. And if this is how it is, I definitely don’t like moving.

               Diantha’s only hope was for Isaac’s spot to be so beautiful and inviting she would never have a need to relocate again in her life!

Historical Background “Thomas Morley moved his family to Ohio July 6, 1815” (Esplin, 2) OR according to another account the Thomas E. Morley family “moved to Kirtland, Ohio in 1829” (MorleyRH, Appendix B). [The first date seems to agree better with other happenings.] The four youngest children (of nine) came with them. (Bennion, 1). “Isaac Morley married Lucy Gunn June 20, 1812 at Montague and took her to his property” (Bennion, 1) in the “so-called Western Reserve” where he was one of the first to “cut down the woods and introduce agriculture in northern Ohio” (Jensen1, 235).