Salem's Mercy

By Rebecca Southwick

In 1638, Cassandra Southwick wonders if she has made an enormous mistake. She made the epic journey to Salem, Massachusetts Bay Colony with her husband and their five children to escape religious persecution. She expects a freer life in the New World… but she's in for a big surprise.
In 1659, frightened out of her wits, Provided Southwick stands on the auction block to be sold as a slave. Her crime? She's not attending the Puritan Church. Instead, she's been secretly meeting with people who value women's voices––the Quakers. The Quakers are hanged for espousing their beliefs, beliefs that she shares. Will she be next?
In 1692, Mercy Southwick fears for her life as the Salem Witch Trials rage. She's hearing voices and seeing spirits––is she a witch? After befriending two of the girls who are accusing women of witchcraft, she tries to stop them. Will they betray her and see her hanged too?
Ten generations later, Rebecca Southwick shares the true stories of the Salem Witch Trials based on the lives of her ancestors.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Jan 23, 2023
• ISBN: 9781667875620

Book preview

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Salem’s Mercy

© 2022 by Rebecca Southwick

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Print ISBN: 978-1-66787-561-3

eBook ISBN: 978-1-66787-562-0

Contents

PREAMBLE

CHARACTERS BASED ON REAL PEOPLE

FICTIONAL CHARACTERS

Book I Cassandra & Lawrence Southwick

Chapter One ON THE BOAT

Chapter Two HOUSE & GARDEN

Chapter Three THE THIRD

Chapter Four TIGER GIRL AND FLYER BOY

Chapter Five ON THE HILL

Chapter Six MY VOICE

Chapter Seven SPEAKING

Chapter Eight BOOK OF LIGHT

1st LAW AGAINST QUAKERS GENERAL COURT, BOSTON, MA

Chapter Nine 1st JAIL

2nd LAW AGAINST QUAKERS GENERAL COURT, BOSTON, MA

Chapter Ten LAND OF FREEDOM

Chapter Eleven 2nd JAIL

3rd LAW AGAINST QUAKERS GENERAL COURT, BOSTON, MA

Chapter Twelve SWEET TIMES

Chapter Thirteen ON PAIN OF DEATH

Chapter Fourteen MUM

Chapter Fifteen GOOD MORROW

Chapter Sixteen QUAKER WITNESSES

Chapter Seventeen SHELTER ISLAND

Chapter Eighteen THE KING’S MISSIVE

Book II Mercy Southwick

Chapter Nineteen BIRTH

Chapter Twenty SALEM SISTERS’ SECRET SOCIETY

Chapter Twenty-One INDIANS

Chapter Twenty-Two DRESSMAKING

Chapter Twenty-Three FLYER BOY AND TIGER GIRL

Chapter Twenty-Four LAND

Chapter Twenty-Five FIREWOOD

Chapter Twenty-Six MIAKODA

Chapter Twenty-Seven DEVIL BE WITH YOU

Chapter Twenty-Eight QUILTING

Chapter Twenty-Nine WITCHES IN THE FIELD

Chapter Thirty SACRIFICES

Chapter Thirty-One SPECTERS

Chapter Thirty-Two DEVIL BE HEARD

Chapter Thirty-Three UNCLE JOSIAH

Chapter Thirty-Four THE DEVIL BE REAL

Chapter Thirty-Five TOUCH TESTS

Chapter Thirty-Six OKAY, DEVIL

Chapter Thirty-Seven PROTECTRESS

Chapter Thirty-Eight WITCHES ON THE HILL

Chapter Thirty-Nine PICKLING

Chapter Forty FLYER GIRL FLIES

Oath Of A Freeman September 6, 1639

Will of Lawrence Southwick July 10, 1659

INTERESTING READS

AUTHOR’S NOTES

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

To all my relatives

past, present, and future.

And especially, to Dotsy,

for her never-ending love and support.

PREAMBLE

There is a tradition in the Southwick family that Lawrence came from Lancashire, England, to America... and brought his wife Cassandra... to Massachusetts in 1630, on the May Flower, in company with Wm. Bradford... and settled at Salem, Mass.¹

This is a lovely tradition, but alas, it is not true. Even though there is a bit of fancy in what any Southwick tells you, I’m going to tell you the story as true as truth can be.

---

1 Genealogy of the Descendants of Lawrence and Cassandra Southwick of Salem Mass. By James M. Caller and Mrs. M. A. Ober.

CHARACTERS BASED ON REAL PEOPLE

This book is a fictionalized imagining of three generations of my Southwick ancestors who lived in the Salem, Massachusetts area and the people with whom they interacted.

All the characters who were Quakers, quilters, accused, judges, accusers, magistrates, reverends, and governors were real people.

All my ancestors are true, except for the name of Mary Boyle, Josiah’s wife. For the sake of clarity, I changed her name to Meg. At that time, there were already six Marys in the Southwick households.

FICTIONAL CHARACTERS

For many of my fictional characters, I used my relatives’ names, but only the names that were typical of that time period. I had a lot of fun playing with those names, naming a character after someone in my present-day family, such as Sarah Phipps, my father’s sister. Even though the spelling of the names was often slightly different.

Book I

Cassandra & Lawrence Southwick

Salem, Massachusetts

1638 - 1676

Chapter One

ON THE BOAT

April 8, 1638

Mercy, whatever was I thinking? Cassandra Southwick steadied herself against the ship rail and looked out over the cold and blustery Atlantic Ocean.

Moments before, Captain Charles Cooke had swung himself around the pole of the central staircase on the middle deck, rough and red-faced, and declared, Ten at a time. Thirty minutes. Then back to the hatches. When his counting included Cassandra in the first ten, she dashed a smile at Lawrence, her husband, handed him baby Daniel, and scurried up to the sunlight and fresh salty air.

The passengers were allowed to come up to the top deck of the Rosewood once a day, but only in clear weather. It being the first week in April, Cassandra pulled her thick wool cape tightly around her. As she stared out to sea, gray clouds melted into the horizon. She filled her lungs with fresh sea air as the waves slapped against the ship’s hull. How she had wanted to get away from England—away from the religious hypocrites, away from the tyrannical bishops, away from the bigoted men.

She shuddered with delight—they were sailing to the New World, to a settlement called Salem. Many families and young men were heading to the land of plenty in the Massachusetts Bay Colony where they could worship as Puritans without incrimination.

With a sigh she turned to starboard, as dark clouds rolled in, threatening rain or worse. She was only one week on the ship but already craving the feel of land. Peering at the sky, she implored, Dear Lord, please let us sail safely. Please, no deadly storms on the seas.

Captain, the devil’s boots are thundering in at top speed, a deckhand yelled.

The captain stuck his head up from the middle deck and stared at the roiling skies. All below! he roared.

Before scampering down the ladder, Cassandra took one last look at the black clouds barreling toward their square-rigged sailing ship, which boasted three masts and three decks. Descending to her place on the middle deck, squeezed in among all the other sixty-five passengers, she perched on top of their linen-covered straw mattress. She steadied herself against the exterior bowed walls which were coated with hardened boiled pitch. Holding baby Daniel to her breast, she also clung to her daughters, Mary, who was eight, and three-year-old Provided Ann.

Massive timbers overhead started to creak where they were pegged to the thick exterior walls. Even though the shutters were latched tightly, saltwater spurted in around the square portholes. The boat began to roll as it hit choppy waves and suddenly lurched forward. The restraining ropes burst on their oaken chest—the chest that contained all their clothing, linens, cookware, seeds, and supplies that they would need for the next year. Lawrence braced himself against the chest along with their oldest boy, John, who was fourteen, while six-year-old Josiah, stared wide-eyed at the groaning timbers.

Cassandra hung onto her young children. As Provided Ann’s whimpering increased, and Daniel started to wail, she tried to quiet her heart. Is this a foolish endeavor? Will all our hopes and dreams die with us on this ship?

Pull harder, my boys. The mast, the mast! the captain yelled from the deck above between howling gusts of wind.

As the ship tossed, Lawrence, John, and Josiah tried to hold their chest back, but instead, they skidded along with it as it screeched across the greasy oak plank floor. Ananias Conklin, Lawrence’s soon-to-be business partner, and his son, Thomas, jumped up and helped them retrieve the chest.

On the middle deck, each family was allowed one chest and one mattress, all crammed together—mattress to chest, mattress to chest. Any more possessions were on the lowermost deck, along with any animals making the voyage. A few squawking chickens had made their way to the middle floor along with Mavis, the bleating goat. Until they were established with acreage of their own and a house built, Cassandra and Lawrence, along with everyone on the boat, had to bring whatever they needed for the next year’s survival.

Lawrence was sure he could make a great life in the New World, while Cassandra yearned for it to work. But at this moment, with the sea crashing upon the boat, Lawrence mumbled as he glared at the deck ceiling, and Cassandra openly prayed for their lives.

Cassandra never liked the sea. There were too many in England who never came back from its depths. Bowing her head, she held her young ones close. Please, Lord. I will always follow your voice faithfully if you let my family land safely on the shores of this New World. She buried her face into Daniel’s neck as she clung to her two girls.

Waves crashed into the night. The hefty beams overhead and underfoot moaned. The boat rose almost vertically and then crashed back down in the churning sea. Mary spilled off the mattress and rolled across the floor, only to be stopped by a kindly-looking woman who grabbed her. They crawled over to the Southwick’s mattress as the boat rose again.

The slight, young woman clung to Mary at the edge of the mattress. Pray, may I sit with thee?

Please! Thank you, dear, for rescuing our Mary, Cassandra said as she made room for her.

Oh, my goodness, this storm is verily unnerving, the young woman said as she scrambled onto the mattress while the winds roared above her. I’m Goodwife Phips, Sarah Phips.

Cassandra looked Sarah over. The woman couldn’t be more than eighteen and seemed to be by herself. I’m Cassandra, Goody Southwick. Come, come, she said, motioning Sarah to huddle with them.

They crowded together as the storm raged.

Thank you. I needed another pair of arms! Cassandra said as she held Daniel tightly in her right arm and Provided Ann in her left. Now that Sarah embraced Mary, Cassandra felt more secure. Trying to keep her mind off the storm, Cassandra asked, What brings you on this voyage, Sarah?

Sarah smiled shyly. I have a husband, Nelson, and he is at Salem and has built me a beautiful house. We came to Salem over a year ago right after we were married, but within a few months I received word that my mum was terribly ill. Sarah hung her head. Mum died before I could reach England’s shores.

I’m so sorry, Cassandra said, touching her hand.

Sarah shook her head as if to shake away the memory and said, Then I received word that Nelson had finished the house. I can’t wait to get back. She smiled at Cassandra and said, Thank you for letting me sit here with you.

Please stay with us until the storm subsides. It would give me such comfort, Cassandra said.

It’s quite lonely over there on my mattress. Sarah lowered her voice saying, It’s next to Goodman Adams and I don’t like the way he keeps staring at me.

I will have Lawrence pull your mattress and belongings over here and we’ll squeeze you in. Don’t you worry about Goodman Adams; Lawrence will take care of him.

Cassandra was happy to have a grown woman to speak with, even though they were years apart. She was slowly befriending some of the women on the ship and having Sarah near her was a treat. Having never been away, she was already missing her dear sister and family, craving their conversations, especially with her mum.

As the night grew deeper, the roar of the storm persisted as the boat continued to pitch and roll. The shuffling and whispers of the nonsleepers mixed with the clanking of metal on metal kept Cassandra from sleep.

Sarah, are you awake? she whispered.

Yes. I can’t sleep. Sarah’s eyes shone in the lamplight.

Tell me about your Nelson. What’s he like?

Sarah smiled a huge grin as she leaned in closer. "We grew up together and I always knew I would marry him. He is so handsome and very devoted... and kind. Oh, how I miss him."

Cassandra thought back to when she and Lawrence were newly in love. Now that they were both thirty-eight and their love had matured, it had lost its excitement along the way. She looked over at her husband, propped up against the chest with John and Josiah, all fast asleep.

Cassandra pointed. That’s my husband, Lawrence, and my two boys.

When were you and Lawrence married?

Fifteen years ago, on January 25, 1623, at Kingswinford, Staffordshire, but we lived in Worcestershire.

That’s where you’re from? Nelson and I are from Leicestershire! So close by. How lucky you are to have five delightful children.

I’m not sure I would call them all delightful, but yes, I’m fortunate. Do you have any young ones?

"No, not yet. We hope to start a family when I get back to Salem. We were together before I left to go back to England, but..." Sarah blushed.

Cassandra waited for her to finish, but Sarah went mute. Usually, she would not pry, but a tear ran down Sarah’s cheek. She touched Sarah’s arm and asked, Pray tell, what is it?

"We... we tried, but I’m not with child. My sister cannot have children and I’m afraid that I also..."

Oh, my dear. It can take a while. You were married for how long before you left?

Five months.

Cassandra smiled and touched Sarah’s arm. There’s plenty of time. When you get back and have some comfortable time with Nelson, it will happen. I know of some herbs that might help.

Sarah rubbed her tears away as she took a deep breath. Oh, I hope so. We want a big family like yours, or even bigger. She was quiet a moment and then asked, What made you bring your family to Salem?

The boat heaved forward causing them to grab onto the mattress. Right now, I’m not sure, Cassandra said as she swayed.

Don’t be afraid—this storm will pass. I’ve experienced worse. We had a tremendous storm on my trip back to England and we made it through, Sarah said.

Ever since Lawrence and I were married, we had a tough time living in Worcestershire. First the plague, then the blight, and then the ridiculously high taxes.

Oh, I remember the blight, we didn’t have much to eat that year with all the crops that got ruined, but I was too young to remember the plague.

And the bishops! Cassandra swung her head around making sure no one was listening to their conversation. "The bishops said we had to show our loyalty to King Charles by worshiping under his rules. But the worst of it was that our bishop would not baptize... Cassandra pursed her lips, took a deep breath, and said softly, My babies... I had two babies that died."

Oh, Sarah gasped.

And that bishop told me my babies were going to hell unless we paid tithes to the church. Twenty pounds each! That was the last straw.

I’m so sorry.

But I had my John and Mary, and then my Josiah, Provided Ann, and Daniel, she said, pointing out each sleeping child. Thank the Lord.

Yes, thank the Lord, Sarah said. In Leicestershire, too, the clergy said the more vouchers you bought, the more certain that your loved ones would go to heaven. What kind of bumpkin brains did they think we were?

Cassandra and Sarah stared at each other and then started to giggle, and then dissolved into muffled laughter.

My Lord, I hope this will all work out. Cassandra peered at Sarah with pinched eyebrows. I hope we made the right choice.

Oh, Cassandra. Don’t you worry. You and your family will love Salem.

The next morning, the skies were bright blue with no sign of the squall of the night before. Cassandra woke to find the children wrapped tightly around her, with Sarah still lying on a corner of the mattress enfolding Mary. Lawrence and John were up hitching the chest more securely, and Josiah was off talking to the sailors.

Shortly after she rose, Cassandra was called for her thirty minutes on the upper deck. She handed little Daniel to Sarah, bolted up the staircase, and clung to the rail along with nine other passengers gazing at the sea. The crew members were already on task. She closed her eyes and took in several deep breaths of the fresh salt air. What a relief to escape the ever-growing odors of the middle deck.

A young man stood next to her, all smiles and smartly dressed. Instead of waiting for him to speak first, as women were expected to do, she felt daring and asked, What brings you on this voyage?

I’m going to make my fortune.

Cassandra stood dumb. Your fortune?

All I must do is work for Master Holmes for three years since he paid my way, and then I will be awarded two acres of my own! There’s no land for me in England. Pardon me, Nathaniel Marshall is my name. From London.

Cassandra became quiet surveying the young man’s face. She and Lawrence dreamed of making a fortune, or at the least, making a good living. Her Lawrence was a glassmaker, and his skills would be in high demand.

"And you? Why are you here? Goodwife...?"

Goodwife Southwick, she said, gazing at the young man and then out to the horizon. When Lawrence had suggested that they sail to a new land, Cassandra listened to her inner voice and she knew—Salem, the land of peace—was the place for them. I’ve come with my husband and five children.

Out of the corner of her eye, she tried to evaluate Nathaniel to determine if it was safe to express her true feelings, but since embarking on this trip and experiencing storms in which she didn’t know if there would be a tomorrow, she felt her courage blossom. Turning to him, she said, "We believe in the right to live and pray, or not pray, as we see fit. We come here to be free from tyranny."

Nathaniel extended his hand, saying, I’ll drink to that!

Cassandra shook it. A grin escaped her; she had never before shaken a man’s hand. This new land is going to be wonderful! Who else can I be and what else can I do that I’ve never done before? Her heart quickened with the wonder of these thoughts.

They had boarded the boat on the first of April, hoping that by the end of the journey they would find warm weather and soil ready for planting. After a month on the boat, Sarah proposed a plan to Cassandra. Nelson has built me a wonderful house and we’ll have an empty loft. You’ll need a place to stay until you get your own land, and I would love for you to come live with us.

That would be wonderful! Cassandra gushed. I was worried about where we would live.

After days and days of being at sea, Cassandra was craving solid ground. She again found herself on the upper deck, a refuge enabling her to endure the voyage.

Captain Cooke roared, Time to go below. The next ten, ready! Wait for the ones coming down to pass ye.

Cassandra reeled from the stench and darkness that enveloped her as she descended to the middle deck.

Then a shipmate bellowed, "Land, Captain. Land! To the bow, land ahead."

Cassandra bolted back up the stairs. Many others also rushed to the upper deck. Her eyes filled with tears as a strip of solid deep purple greeted her on the horizon. It was gorgeous!

On May 31, 1638, they landed at Salem, in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, two months after they set sail from England.

As they were leaving the boat, Cassandra lingered a moment—a rush of excitement cascaded over her. The town before her was more beautiful than she had imagined. A long wharf led up to clapboarded townhouses standing tall. And newly planted gardens, and women in shifts, not at all drab, but beautiful golden hues, and purple reds, and primrose blue with white collars, aprons, and bonnets.

Bowing her head, she whispered, Thank you, dear Spirit, most kind one. Thank you for keeping us safe. I will always follow your voice.

Goodwife Southwick. You’re holding up the line.

Forgive me, Joseph.

Carrying Daniel on her hip and holding Provided Ann’s hand, she wobbled down the gangplank exhaling as she felt solid earth beneath her feet for the first time in two months. Provided Ann squiggled away and ran to her sister, Mary, who was arm in arm with a beaming Sarah, who had just spotted Nelson coming her way.

Mum, Mum—look! Josiah came running and ecstatically pulled her toward a fence. Two long-horned bovines stood in the enclosure. There are cows here. Oh, Mum! We can have milk! And cream! He had been so worried that he would not be able to have his favorite drinks. Mum, this place is great! It’s going to be cracking good living here!

Cracking? Where did he pick up that nasty slang word? Too much time with the sailors. But then she smiled to herself. Maybe living here in the New World will be cracking good!

Chapter Two

HOUSE & GARDEN

June 1, 1638, the next day...

It was customary for new arrivals to live with others until they built their own home, giving services and goods for rent. So, Cassandra, Lawrence, John, Mary, Josiah, Provided Ann, and Daniel squeezed into the top loft of the Phips’ house, while Sarah and Nelson slept on the first floor, their bed enclosed by privacy curtains.

The first morning, Josiah came running into the house as Cassandra was unpacking their chest. Mum, Mum! Did you know that Uncle Nelson has a cow out behind the shed? He says it needs to be milked. Can I?

Cassandra smiled, calling to Mary, Would you go teach Josiah how to milk the cow?

I can milk Bella, Sarah said and pulled out a wooden bucket.

Cassandra took the bucket from Sarah and handed it to Mary, saying, This is why we’re here, and my children can certainly milk the cow. There are many chores that you’ll no longer need to do. We’re extremely grateful to you for letting us stay here.

Cassandra was thrilled to be on solid ground and in Sarah’s house. Now they must immediately get busy tilling soil and planting the seeds that they brought from England. They would need a huge garden to produce all the food they would need for a year.

You can have any of the space next to our garden, Sarah offered.

Cassandra looked over the rough area. At least the trees had been taken down, but the soil looked extremely poor.

Lawrence, John, and Nelson rose early in the morning and went out with picks and shovels to till the gardens. It was arduous work making the soil viable. Cassandra, Mary, and even Provided Ann helped dig and pick out rocks. On the advice of Sarah, Josiah and John harvested seaweed from the beach. Nelson had composted manure and seagrasses, to which they added the seaweed and mixed it all into the soil.

After the soil was ready, Cassandra and the girls planted greens, beets, carrots, cabbages, turnips, and onions, plus the new crops that Sarah introduced to them.

We were given our best vegetables—corn, beans, and squashes—by the native people here, the Indians, Sarah explained, and they showed us how to plant them. They’re the best-tasting of everything in the garden. Let me show you how to do it.

Inserting a stout stick into a mounded hill of soil, Sarah planted corn seeds surrounded by climbing beans and then scattered winter squash seeds all around. Cassandra was so very thankful. She had heard there were special plants in the New World, but she had no idea what they were.

Wait until the harvest, Sarah said, eyes sparkling. "These are the most prolific of all the plants. I will show you how to store them so that we’ll have a supply all winter long—the winter can be extremely long."

They worked hard, tending and creating a wonderful garden. This was the most important task for the year. Cassandra had to make sure her family was fed. Having been warned with stories of newcomers who died from not having enough food, she was determined that her family would not starve.

The men enclosed the gardens with fences made from the end slabs of lumber, which were mounted vertically five feet high. Being so close to the woods, many animals wanted to feast on the fresh sprouts in the garden. Nelson had learned that the hard way.

Mum! Mum! Josiah darted into the house again. Come look what Father is bringing us!

Everyone emptied out of the house to watch Lawrence striding up the lane leading a two-year-old heifer. Josiah was ecstatic. He loved the bovines.

Hugely grinning, Lawrence brought the heifer right up to Cassandra and said, This is for you, darling, and made a huge sweeping bow in front of her.

Lawrence, stop that, she said and smacked his shoulder as she smiled widely and took the rope halter as everyone gathered around their newest family member.

Mum, what should we call her?

I think Aphrodite, the goddess of love, she said and smiled at Lawrence. She looked Aphrodite over, feeling her abdomen, and then stood straight up and said, Lawrence, she’s with calf!

Lawrence stood beaming.

Soon after they arrived in Salem, Lawrence and his partner, Ananias Conklin, went to the town officials to apply for land to build their Glassworks.

That afternoon, Lawrence rushed in the door. Goodwife! We have just been awarded two acres. We don’t have to wait the usual nine months; they gave it to us today! They’re making a special exemption because they’re thrilled to have a Glassworks here in Salem and I’ve been promised much help.

Augustus Armagnac lived at the edge of the woods and had acres of forest. Responding to the surge of newcomers, he had been harvesting lumber while his son Hezekiah, a master carpenter, kept busy sawing and adzing the trees into beams and boards.

Lawrence and Ananias approached Augustus and his son.

We will be building a Glassworks in the Northfields and need a good amount of timber, Lawrence said. What kind of barter can we make?

Augustus scratched at his beard as he looked Lawrence and Ananias over. We could supply you the lumber for the Glassworks now. In return, you would give us the same amount of lumber plus a quarter more within three years.

Lawrence looked at Ananias and smiled. Then he turned to Augustus, grabbed his hand, and shook. Ananias followed suit.

Excitement was so high that many men came out to help them build. Oxen pulled the large boulders into place for the foundation. Under Hezekiah’s supervision, they erected Augustus’s timbers into a post and beam frame. Lapped rough boards were fastened to the exterior and straw bundles covered the roof.

Lawrence spent most of his time finishing the Glassworks, and in the fall of 1638, it was done. He and Ananais got it up and running with the help of John, and their third partner, Obadiah Holmes, and Obadiah’s indentured servant, Nathaniel Marshall. They were busy making bottles and glass for windowpanes. Replacing the oiled cloth that had been used for windows, the Glassworks was the first building in Salem to have fancy large glass windows, thus it was dubbed The Glass House.

A week later, after having just returned from speaking with the town officials, Lawrence paced as Cassandra stirred fixings for cornbread. Goodwife, now that our Glassworks is built, it’s time for us to build our own house. The town officials told me today that for us to acquire land for our own home certain conditions must be met. We must reside in Salem for nine months and be members in good standing at the Salem Puritan Church. Then I will be awarded two acres.

Cassandra raised her eyebrows.

Then to vote in town or colony affairs, I must become a Freeman, which requires taking an oath, and swearing allegiance to the King, including bearing arms against anyone who is a threat to the Colony.

And my name? Will my name be on the deed to the land?

Lawrence took a step back. Why would your name be on the deed? That’s not done.

Cassandra thought for a moment and poured the cornbread batter into an iron fry pan. She wiped her hands on her apron and asked, Why can’t women own land?

It’s just not necessary. What’s mine is yours. Why would you want your name on it?

Cassandra didn’t respond. She thought of Emma Hopkins. When Emma’s father died, he left her a house and a nice parcel of land. When she married, the house and land became her husband’s property. When her husband unexpectedly died, their elder sons took the property from her, which was their legal right, and left her destitute having to beg townspeople to feed her five remaining children.

Being a woman, Cassandra could own land only if she were a widow. Even if she were a church member in good standing, she could never be a Free-man with the right to vote. If Lawrence died, his property could go into her name if there were no surviving male relatives. If she had sons