The Crossing

By Carolyn V. Shaw

"The Crossing", is written as historic fiction during the 1750's - a time period following the Seven Years' War between the French and British. American Indians fought on both sides of this epic war, and some were friendly while some were savages. Mail order brides, missionaries, fur trappers . . .people of all walks set out to tame the land! "The Crossing," is the story of three generations of men who would develop the invention of the ferry to connect both sides of Lake Champlain and connect the lives of all who dared to make the crossing!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu Publishing Services
• Release date: Oct 12, 2016
• ISBN: 9781483458526

Book preview

THE

Crossing

CAROLYN V. SHAW

Copyright © 2016 Carolyn V. Shaw.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted by any means—whether auditory, graphic, mechanical, or electronic—without written permission of both publisher and author, except in the case of brief excerpts used in critical articles and reviews. Unauthorized reproduction of any part of this work is illegal and is punishable by law.

Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

ISBN: 978-1-4834-5853-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4834-5852-6 (e)

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Lulu Publishing Services rev. date: 09/23/2016

Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Acknowledgements

About The Author

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to the Honor and

Glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, my wonderful husband,

my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

INTRODUCTION

The Crossing is a story about three generations of ferrymen, the pride and innovation of their work and the challenges they encountered through the years. Jonah Vergennes, his son Joshua, and his grandson Jon were among the first pioneers to settle around Lake Champlain. They were well acquainted with Indians, both friendly and hostile. The events of their lives were fraught with trials and blessed with triumphs. It is the evolution of the progress achieved in their work and the determination to succeed in life with excellence of purpose.

Jon Vergennes often reflects on the life of his grandfather, Jonah Vergennes, whom he loved and admired. Through the copious notes in Jonah’s journal, Jon seeks to emulate his grandfather’s standards. It is the model he follows after his father’s death when Jon was a young boy. When encountering problems or difficult decisions, Jon turns to the journal for guidance.

On the journey of life, our paths lead us through many adventures. Sometimes the course will be uncharted waters, treacherous jungles and a maze with no obvious way of escape. Whether the challenge is a lake, a river, a country or a life, we are all crossing. For some the challenge will inspire, others will be complacent and some will be hardened and bitter.

From the time we are born until we cross into eternity, opportunity awaits. Life is not a place, but a road, and the blessings we enjoy are but a means to gather strength for the journey. To leave our little place on the planet with more love, more kindness and generosity is the goal of the noble soul.

Truly,

                                            Carolyn V. Shaw

CHAPTER 1

"Character is best formed in the stormy

billows of the world".

—Goethe

The morning was dark outside the window of the cabin. Snow flurries clung to the tall conifers, but melted on the warm ground. The fragrance of pine and smoke lingered in the cold air. Fire in the hearth crackled as the logs sent their yellow gold flame upward through the stone chimney. Jon Vergennes stood placidly, gazing into the fire, his brawny hands in his pockets as he ran his tongue over his chapped lips. Another lonely winter, he reasoned to himself as the lines in his brow, deepened. What is one expected to do? Born into a family whose life is determined as a child, the third generation in this work, Father and grandfather dutifully ground out subsistence on this lake and found an inscrutable pride in the effort.

The harsh life took its toll on the lives of his family and as he reflected on the women, his mother and grandmother, the sadness deepened and the lump in his throat brought tears to his eyes. The loss of children, both at birth and from disease left his parents with only one son, as was his own father. Often, the memories of his boyhood and the fascination of the stories his grandfather told seemed more resplendent. Tales of the Seven Year’s War and the Indians, captured the imagination of a young boy and he once pictured himself as a hero of those times. After all, it made the sameness of life disappear into the background, as he played the exciting action in his mind. Jon took his grandfather’s journal from the table. The worn leather cover was evidence of its use, as once again, he opened the pages to reminisce.

The%20Journal.jpg

The Journal

Grandfather’s journal gave a very thorough account of the life of the Van Allen struggle. The lens through which the story was pictured had been an inspiration to Jon.

Jon envisioned himself as the one who took messages from the Indians to the British during the battle at Fort Carillon. The British had convinced the local Indians that the French and Northern tribes would take their land if they did not join in the fight, but their involvement was subtle. The family had lived in the lake area for a short time, but had become friends of many Iroquois, mostly of the