Night Journeysby Avi

From Avi’s Website:

Night Journeys The year is 1768. In eight years, the American Revolution will begin. Newly orphaned, Peter York has been adopted by a deeply religious Quaker family. Peter chafes under his new guardian’s strict and unyielding views and vows to break away. He sees his chance when two runaway indentured servants are reported to be fleeing through his community. If he catches one, there will be a reward—and freedom. But capturing the runaways leads to consequences—and choices—Peter cannot foresee.

Behind the BookI had been living in Pennsylvania in a town called New Hope, situated on the banks of the Delaware River. My two boys were attending a school run by The Society of Friends, better known as Quakers. Indeed there was much Quaker history in the area. After all, Pennsylvania was founded by (and named after) the Quaker leader William Penn. Learning and reading about the historical Quakers provided fascinating details about the regional colonial life and indentured servants. The descriptions of the Delaware River and what it was like are all based on my own observations. I remembering measuring the width of the river by driving across one of the many bridges there and watching my car’s odometer.

The Delaware River Divides Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Delaware River

Location of the Shinn’s FarmThe fictional Shinn’s farm was located 60 miles above Philadelphia in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The closest community to the Shinn’s farm was Coryell’s Ferry, which was on the other side of the river, near Lambertville, which is 16 miles north of Trenton in New Jersey Colony.

Falls on the Delaware River Near

the Shinn’s FarmThe Shinn’s farm was located near Coryell’s Ferry and “close to the Delaware River between Well’s Falls and the smaller falls, Galloper’s Rift.” (p.5) These are not sharp drops, but long areas of gradual descent.

Well’s Falls: 35 ½ miles below the mouth of the Lehigh River, 4,780 feet long, 12 feet 1 inch drop

Galloper’s Rift: 31 miles below the mouth of the Lehigh River, 1,500 feet long, 7 ½ feet drop

Coryell's Ferry This is the marker for Coryell's Ferry is on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River in New Hope. Coryell's Ferry, which operated on the Delaware River between Lambertville, NJ and New Hope, PA was an important crossing during the Revolutionary War. In 1812, the name of the town that had grown up around Corryell’s Ferry was changed to Lambertville by U.S. Senator Lambert of New Jersey. Although this annoyed the Coryells, there was nothing they could do.

The Coryell FamilyThe Coryell family operated a ferry across the Delaware River near Lambertville, New Jersey Colony since the early 18th century. In 1732, Emanual Coryell petitioned George II for exclusive rights to operate a ferry there. His family operated that busy ferry during the Revolution.

Today, there is an obelisk monument in Lambertville, New Jersey, to mark the grave of George Coryell, a grandson of Emanuel, who was a Lieutenant in the Revolutionary War, was acquainted with General Washington, and later served as a pallbearer at his funeral. Coryell was also a member of Washington's Masonic Lodge. When Coryell died on February 18, 1850 at the age of 91, he was the last survivor of the six pallbearers at Washington's funeral.

Hand-Operated

Ferries

Colonial Pennsylvania

Farms

Colonial Farm Tools for Turning the Ground

Colonial Pennsylvania Farmhouse Interior

Quakers

Indentured Servants

Colonial Horses and Guns

Peter Stays with the Shinns