An Arkansas Family’s Struggle Through Reconstruction
No Man’s Chattel is the story of a young widow facing poverty and displacement after the Civil War. Hannah Ruth Murphy takes her mother-in-law Naomi and her brother-in-law back to the cotton plantation where Naomi grew up. Hoping to find some degree of security, they find the house has been badly damaged in the war. A great deal of land surrounds Sanctuary Hill, but as most people in the South after the conflict, they have little money, and the labor needed to grow cotton has been emancipated.
Hannah is determined to make a living on the land. She feels she has no other choice as her husband, who died in the war, left her with a large debt and poor memories of their life together. She vows to take care of her family because she promised Colonel Benjamin Murphy as he lay dying that she’d see to their safety and well-being. The problem she faces is that she knows nothing of farming. Furthermore, she refuses to allow anyone else to take control of her life again.
Hannah grows up quickly in the Arkansas Delta, where she meets good people who teach her to trust, reach out, and love again. The best lesson she learns is that faith and interdependence on God will make the possible even when all seems lost.
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What readers are saying:
“If you like historical fiction, you will love this. This story is filled with historical facts and customs. It is well-researched and provides the reader with a glimpse of what everyday life was like in the South (and Arkansas, specifically) right after the Civil War. Patricia draws the reader into the daily struggles, spirit, and courage of those who survived to begin building a new life from nothing. Patricia draws on her faith in God and displays that in her writing., building into her characters a strong belief in the presence of God in their daily lives. This book will keep you engaged with a desire to just keep on reading to the very end!” ~ Gary W. Rodgers
“No Man’s Chattel is a wonderful book. The way Patricia Blake writes about the characters and their challenges in life and their victories, makes the reader feel they know these characters on a personal level. The story keeps the reader wanting to read more of the story. Honestly it is hard to find a stopping place and put the book down. I highly recommend reading this book!” ~ debraw74
