“We all have unique four legged stools, each leg an outshoot from our grandparents who contributed to our being.”
So begins author Alfred Woollacott III’s introductory remarks to The Immigrant, historical fiction detailing the life of John Law, an unwilling Scottish immigrant—from the stool leg representing the author’s maternal grandmother—whose time co-incides with such historical figures as Mary Rowlandson of the famous captivity narrative and Metacom of King Philip’s War, though his own life is “too insignificant for the historian’s lens.”
Woollacott’s musings on how we are shaped includes consideration of our forebears, the histories they endured and repetitions that occur through time, pulsing along with biological bonds and ancestral recall, a sort of collective memory inhabiting each of us that we receive and pass down, along with our own additions. This is illustrated in The Immigrant’s opening scenes, wherein Reuben Law’s inner essence carries readers from the American Revolution’s opening salvos at Lexington and Concord (1775) back in time to the Battle of Dunbar (1650), part of the third in a series of English civil wars. Doon Hill is where we meet up with Reuben’s—and the author’s—ancestor, John Law, who is captured, sold into indentured servitude and sent off to the colonies.
From the beginning Law harbors negative attitudes toward the English, as they demonstrate much the same, though he aims high for his future while simultaneously mourning the loss of his mother—who probably thinks he has been killed in battle—and any way to communicate with her.
Central to the larger story, however, is a parcel of land he acquires and names “New Scotland,” and which through time he fights for as key within a gift he is building for his future, that being the time ahead within his own life as well as long after. A sense of place runs through the novel, not only as pertains to New Scotland, but also within Law’s focus forward and the land’s role as conduit in his relationships with those yet to come. On one occasion he stands atop a hill on a peninsula near Charlestown and contemplates a foreboding.
“[The hill] sent chills though John’s back muscles to the nape of his neck. The hill wasn’t a windswept brae, it was nothing like Doon Hill, yet, for some reason, it was. He stepped toward it and saw the future. He sensed soldiers storming the hill, and fear-filled men atop the hill, hiding behind breastworks. John was afraid, and an incomprehensible eeriness captivated him. Perhaps his soul knew a descendant, Reuben Law, years later would be behind the breastworks, atop of what would then be known as Bunker Hill.”
It is a bit of a twist for the sense of history when past figures contemplate those not yet born—not merely for what these figures hope to gift descendants, but also what they might experience and the kinship of emotion that reverberates through time. Periodically Woollacott’s narrative reminds readers of the running memory known to the soul, though not necessarily the individual, solidifying a contemplation of the links between generations infused with an essence that survives death.
On its face, however, The Immigrant is John Law’s story, told mainly through his point of view, though jaunts into others’ perspectives occur as well. We travel through his days and years as he works for independence, marries, has children and the family rise and fall together. Though the book could do with a more vigorous edit, Woollacott quite finely guides us through individual days or longer periods, deftly gifting us experience of the time, with finer details of what it was like to live in an era many of us cover only briefly in our lessons as we pass through a series of disputes, battles and wars between colonists and Natives. Historical figures make appearances, as do those whose lives we know nothing of but for authors such as Woollacott, whose painstaking research maps out for us a greater structure and narrative to better understand what it is we may be remembering in our biological bonds.
The archetypal captivity narrative, Mary Rowlandson’s Sovereignty and Goodness of God details her nearly three-month captivity during King Philip’s War and is often considered to be the first American “bestseller.” John Law may have been familiar with the book, published as it was during his lifetime (1682).
One thing I liked the very best about Woollacott’s style is his ability to tell a simple story that can easily be read as such, while also containing these and other layers and threads of historical reality, contemplation and an almost paranormal tincture that can be explored as little or much as readers wish. He also has a way with foreshadowing that sends little prickles down one’s neck, a response that indicates how much we really are invested not only in the past, but also our past.
Centuries from now, most of us, having occupied the same rungs of society’s ladder John Law did in his own time, will be remembered on various levels, the challenge being the question of which. Woollacott references a quote from British poet and historian Thomas B. Macaulay:
“People who take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendants.”
A fascinating glimpse into the history of one family, a colony, region and seventeenth-century society, The Immigrant details the differences through time between its Scottish and English settlers with emphasis on how they see their lives, themselves and each other, not how we do, bringing voice to those who too often do not have one.
So begins author Alfred Woollacott III’s introductory remarks to The Immigrant, historical fiction detailing the life of John Law, an unwilling Scottish immigrant—from the stool leg representing the author’s maternal grandmother—whose time co-incides with such historical figures as Mary Rowlandson of the famous captivity narrative and Metacom of King Philip’s War, though his own life is “too insignificant for the historian’s lens.”
Woollacott’s musings on how we are shaped includes consideration of our forebears, the histories they endured and repetitions that occur through time, pulsing along with biological bonds and ancestral recall, a sort of collective memory inhabiting each of us that we receive and pass down, along with our own additions. This is illustrated in The Immigrant’s opening scenes, wherein Reuben Law’s inner essence carries readers from the American Revolution’s opening salvos at Lexington and Concord (1775) back in time to the Battle of Dunbar (1650), part of the third in a series of English civil wars. Doon Hill is where we meet up with Reuben’s—and the author’s—ancestor, John Law, who is captured, sold into indentured servitude and sent off to the colonies.
From the beginning Law harbors negative attitudes toward the English, as they demonstrate much the same, though he aims high for his future while simultaneously mourning the loss of his mother—who probably thinks he has been killed in battle—and any way to communicate with her.
Central to the larger story, however, is a parcel of land he acquires and names “New Scotland,” and which through time he fights for as key within a gift he is building for his future, that being the time ahead within his own life as well as long after. A sense of place runs through the novel, not only as pertains to New Scotland, but also within Law’s focus forward and the land’s role as conduit in his relationships with those yet to come. On one occasion he stands atop a hill on a peninsula near Charlestown and contemplates a foreboding.
“[The hill] sent chills though John’s back muscles to the nape of his neck. The hill wasn’t a windswept brae, it was nothing like Doon Hill, yet, for some reason, it was. He stepped toward it and saw the future. He sensed soldiers storming the hill, and fear-filled men atop the hill, hiding behind breastworks. John was afraid, and an incomprehensible eeriness captivated him. Perhaps his soul knew a descendant, Reuben Law, years later would be behind the breastworks, atop of what would then be known as Bunker Hill.”
It is a bit of a twist for the sense of history when past figures contemplate those not yet born—not merely for what these figures hope to gift descendants, but also what they might experience and the kinship of emotion that reverberates through time. Periodically Woollacott’s narrative reminds readers of the running memory known to the soul, though not necessarily the individual, solidifying a contemplation of the links between generations infused with an essence that survives death.
On its face, however, The Immigrant is John Law’s story, told mainly through his point of view, though jaunts into others’ perspectives occur as well. We travel through his days and years as he works for independence, marries, has children and the family rise and fall together. Though the book could do with a more vigorous edit, Woollacott quite finely guides us through individual days or longer periods, deftly gifting us experience of the time, with finer details of what it was like to live in an era many of us cover only briefly in our lessons as we pass through a series of disputes, battles and wars between colonists and Natives. Historical figures make appearances, as do those whose lives we know nothing of but for authors such as Woollacott, whose painstaking research maps out for us a greater structure and narrative to better understand what it is we may be remembering in our biological bonds.
The archetypal captivity narrative, Mary Rowlandson’s Sovereignty and Goodness of God details her nearly three-month captivity during King Philip’s War and is often considered to be the first American “bestseller.” John Law may have been familiar with the book, published as it was during his lifetime (1682).
One thing I liked the very best about Woollacott’s style is his ability to tell a simple story that can easily be read as such, while also containing these and other layers and threads of historical reality, contemplation and an almost paranormal tincture that can be explored as little or much as readers wish. He also has a way with foreshadowing that sends little prickles down one’s neck, a response that indicates how much we really are invested not only in the past, but also our past.
Centuries from now, most of us, having occupied the same rungs of society’s ladder John Law did in his own time, will be remembered on various levels, the challenge being the question of which. Woollacott references a quote from British poet and historian Thomas B. Macaulay:
“People who take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendants.”
A fascinating glimpse into the history of one family, a colony, region and seventeenth-century society, The Immigrant details the differences through time between its Scottish and English settlers with emphasis on how they see their lives, themselves and each other, not how we do, bringing voice to those who too often do not have one.
By Jack Shea
January 28, 2015
Read this book.
Alfred Woollacott III, an Oak Bluffs resident, has written an extraordinary first novel. Set in the mid-17th century, the book chronicles his ancestor, John Law, a 14-year-old boy caught up in a Scottish civil war, and the man he becomes as an English prisoner of war sold into indenture in the Massachusetts Bay Colony town of Concord.
The Immigrant is a terrific read because it succeeds on its literary merit: well-plotted, with substantive characters. Redolent with details of life on the frontier of the New World, John Law’s travails put the reader in his hardscrabble life, contending with bigotry, penury, and the unforgiving New England climate in the days before diversity, electric blankets, and supermarkets.
The Immigrant is rooted in a 2002 post-retirement project Mr. Woollacott undertook after a career at global accounting firm KPMG. He spent years researching his family tree, and wrote a genealogy of his forebears. Then he decided, as he told The Times this week, “to put some leaves on the tree,” based on the rich store of information he had amassed.
“Furnished with facts, I began to fictionalize their lives,” Mr. Woollacott writes in the acknowledgments to The Immigrant. For that work, he signed up with John Hough Jr., Island author and writing coach. Mr. Hough has a dedication to fine detail in replicating past events and environments which gives his books a real-time feel for readers. The you-are-there quality is evident in Mr. Woollacott’s work here.
The actual John Law was a 14-year-old boy in Dunbar, a coastal town in southeast Scotland. Young Law cared for his widowed mother in that rural community, which also happened to be in the path of Oliver Cromwell’s British forces, intent on subduing rebel Covenanters, supporters of the Scots’ King Charles II.
Law is enlisted as a pikeman to face Cromwell’s army, is captured in the Scots’ defeat and was likely sent to the Massachusetts Bay Colony as an indentured servant. Law is greeted with disdain and bigotry by the self-righteous English colonists and is assigned grueling tasks as a wood chopper and collier, until he gets his big break as a shepherd tending sheep on the outskirts of Concord, where he meets the local Native Americans, who are leery but more accepting than the British colonists. The Puritans’ behavior toward the indentured Scots and the indigenous people would enrage a stone statue, and may provide us with insight into the reason they were shown the door by England a generation earlier.
Mr. Woollacott brings a taut spiritual dimension to The Immigrant. Law’s search for a father figure, his shame at not being able to care for his mother as he had promised his father, and his efforts to resolve his uncertain view of a just and merciful God, make a continuing and heartfelt dialogue as The Immigrant fights for his place and for his family in a strange land.
Mr. Woollacott has done painstaking research into the culture and laws of Puritan Massachusetts, particularly as they related to land ownership. We learn that some were ethical, but many were Bernie Madoff act-alikes.
The author expresses his story in his own view that our lives are similar to a four-legged stool, representing our maternal and paternal ancestors who shaped us. In the foreword, Mr. Woollacott asks, “Did our forebears experience what we are now experiencing? And if so, will we react as they once did?”
We get a sense of that in an opening chapter flash-forward when Reuben Law, John’s great-grandson, musters at the Concord bridge in 1775 to fight the British, thinking the same thoughts John Law thought 100 years ago at Dunbar.
Mr. Woollacott plans a trilogy based on his family’s doings. Those Laws and Woollacotts are a zesty bunch. Turns out that Naamah Carter, an early-19th century family aunt from Peterboro, N.H. and Reuben Law’s granddaughter, was one of Brigham Young’s 27 wives, and went to Utah to find a paradise that was not forthcoming.
Mr. Woollacott is currently looking for a publisher for his story. He reports that 60 publishers sent “no interest” letters in response to The Immigrant. Oops. Their bad. My guess is that none of them read it. My hunch is that Aunt Naamah will have suitors.
Mr. Woollacott will be reading from The Immigrant on Saturday, February 7 at 2 pm at the Oak Bluffs Library and on Saturday, March 7 at 4 pm at the West Tisbury Library. Both events are free and open to the public.
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"Woollacott takes readers to war three times and on two continents, but his most impressive achievement is the gravity and majesty with which he depicts the everyday domestic realities faced by the Laws, from the romantic tension of sleeping on either side of a bundling board to the joy of a roaring fireside.
A gripping tale about the endurance and fortitude of an unlikely colonist." - Kirkus Reviews
For a the complete review you may click on the following link https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/alfred-woollacott-iii/the-immigrant/
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- Rick Herrick
- Thursday, December 18, 2014
The Immigrant, a debut novel by Hart Haven resident Alfred Woollacott 3rd is the life story of John Law, a Scotsman who left his native land for the new world in 1651. The transition was harrowing. Mr. Law, at age 15, fought for Scotland in the English Civil War. After being captured by Cromwell’s forces, he survived a death march to Durham, England, where he was shipped to colonial America aboard the Unity in shackles.
Upon landing in Boston in the winter of 1651, Mr. Law became an indentured servant working as a public sheep herder for the community of Concord. Concord becomes for Mr. Law his “New Scotland.” Eventually he marries an English woman, they have children and acquire land.
For people interested in colonial history, Mr. Woollacott’s portrayal of Puritan theocracy, the problems between colonists and Native Americans, and the general hardships of colonial life are extremely well done. The author also answers my questions about Scotland’s national grievances. John Law is clearly treated as a second-class citizen in English colonial America. The historical research that went into this book is impressive.
For those interested in a gripping tale, Mr. Woollacott delivers here, too. He writes with color, creating scenes with drama and pathos. He also has an uncanny ability to get into the heads of his characters.
The best thing about this book is that it will continue. John Law is Mr. Woollacott’s great-great-great-great-grandfather. The author plans two additional novels to bring his family up-to-date.
To get a sense of Mr. Woollacott’s project, check out his website at myfourleggedstool.com.
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'We all have unique four legged stools, each leg an outshoot from our grandparents who contributed to our being.',January 1, 2015 (rated five stars)
By
Grady Harp (rated five stars) "Hall of Fame" and "Top 100" reviewer - Top Reviewer Ranking: 52
This review is from: The Immigrant: One from My Four Legged Stool (Paperback)
Alfred Woollacott, III is a fascinating man obsessed with history - in the right kind of way. As he states on his website, `My genealogical journey began while chauffeuring [wife] Jill, her mother and two of their octogenarian cousins around England in 1999. As I lay awake, I said to Jill, "Once I retire, I'm going to work on my family tree." In 2002, I retired from KPMG, a firm where I had spent my entire career spanning some 34 years. When a fellow partner asked, "Al, you're too young to retire, what are you going to do now?" I responded, "What I have always done, except I won't be going to work." Filling in the '50 to 60 hour per week void' that retirement created was easy. Believe me, retirement is highly underrated. I honored the vow I made while in England and dabbled with my family history until a post on a genealogy website from a Charles HB Cole looking for information on the Fitchburg Woollacotts captured me. Charles's work was extensive; I was even in it. In no time, the Woollacott leg of my stool was far extended. I was hooked on family history and needed more. When my brother and I traveled to Devon in 2007, we had a lovely lunch with Charles and his family. After lunch, Charles calculated that we were 6th cousins. Like a dutiful auditor, I checked his calculations - he was correct. I told him about the love/hate relationship with genealogy that he had created within me. He laughed, and I sensed he knew what I was experiencing. When his wife added that while on their honeymoon Charles was in the library doing genealogy, I was certain that Charles knew. My adult life was spent crunching numbers and verifying assertions. So researching dates and concluding on supporting evidence comes easy to me. I received a B. S. in Business Administration ('68) and later an MBA ('71), both from Boston University. English literature, composition and creative writing were not in my college education. And at KPMG, creative writing was strictly forbidden - just the facts and then a conclusion. So transporting my wonder about an ancestor out of my head and onto paper does not come easy. So now my family history dabbling has become an obsession with dates and places stuck to my head like tossed Velcro balls hanging from a fuzzy dartboard. And the wonder, why it just permeates continuously.'
Given all that, what unveils in his THE IMMIGRANT is a story written with such verve and grace that every page captures past time and makes it now. Perhaps that is because it comes form Woollacott's genes, but fine reading it is for a long winter's night. Very briefly, `John Law is the author's seven-greats grandfather who comes to colonial America in chains as a Scottish Prisoner of War of The Battle of Dunbar. Upon landing in Boston in the winter of 1651, Law serves his remaining indenture in the community of Concord as a public shepherd. Although Concord will become his "New Scotland", Law must negotiate some challenging hurdles to make that happen --Puritan theocracy, English bigotry, and Native American dangers, among others. Throughout all of Law's ordeals, he wonders if God ever hears him. One day God does.'
Writing of this quality is immensely rewarding for the reader. Not only does the author treat us to history - he also entertains us with a multifaceted tale that has a new level of pertinence as the chapters unfold. Highly recommended.
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By
Grady Harp (rated five stars) "Hall of Fame" and "Top 100" reviewer - Top Reviewer Ranking: 52
This review is from: The Immigrant: One from My Four Legged Stool (Paperback)
Alfred Woollacott, III is a fascinating man obsessed with history - in the right kind of way. As he states on his website, `My genealogical journey began while chauffeuring [wife] Jill, her mother and two of their octogenarian cousins around England in 1999. As I lay awake, I said to Jill, "Once I retire, I'm going to work on my family tree." In 2002, I retired from KPMG, a firm where I had spent my entire career spanning some 34 years. When a fellow partner asked, "Al, you're too young to retire, what are you going to do now?" I responded, "What I have always done, except I won't be going to work." Filling in the '50 to 60 hour per week void' that retirement created was easy. Believe me, retirement is highly underrated. I honored the vow I made while in England and dabbled with my family history until a post on a genealogy website from a Charles HB Cole looking for information on the Fitchburg Woollacotts captured me. Charles's work was extensive; I was even in it. In no time, the Woollacott leg of my stool was far extended. I was hooked on family history and needed more. When my brother and I traveled to Devon in 2007, we had a lovely lunch with Charles and his family. After lunch, Charles calculated that we were 6th cousins. Like a dutiful auditor, I checked his calculations - he was correct. I told him about the love/hate relationship with genealogy that he had created within me. He laughed, and I sensed he knew what I was experiencing. When his wife added that while on their honeymoon Charles was in the library doing genealogy, I was certain that Charles knew. My adult life was spent crunching numbers and verifying assertions. So researching dates and concluding on supporting evidence comes easy to me. I received a B. S. in Business Administration ('68) and later an MBA ('71), both from Boston University. English literature, composition and creative writing were not in my college education. And at KPMG, creative writing was strictly forbidden - just the facts and then a conclusion. So transporting my wonder about an ancestor out of my head and onto paper does not come easy. So now my family history dabbling has become an obsession with dates and places stuck to my head like tossed Velcro balls hanging from a fuzzy dartboard. And the wonder, why it just permeates continuously.'
Given all that, what unveils in his THE IMMIGRANT is a story written with such verve and grace that every page captures past time and makes it now. Perhaps that is because it comes form Woollacott's genes, but fine reading it is for a long winter's night. Very briefly, `John Law is the author's seven-greats grandfather who comes to colonial America in chains as a Scottish Prisoner of War of The Battle of Dunbar. Upon landing in Boston in the winter of 1651, Law serves his remaining indenture in the community of Concord as a public shepherd. Although Concord will become his "New Scotland", Law must negotiate some challenging hurdles to make that happen --Puritan theocracy, English bigotry, and Native American dangers, among others. Throughout all of Law's ordeals, he wonders if God ever hears him. One day God does.'
Writing of this quality is immensely rewarding for the reader. Not only does the author treat us to history - he also entertains us with a multifaceted tale that has a new level of pertinence as the chapters unfold. Highly recommended.
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An outstanding first novel...a keeper, December 8, 2014 (rated five stars)
Living in Middlesex County Massachusetts, near where the action in The Immigrant predominately occurs, and an avid history buff about the birthing of this great nation, I learned of this recently published historical fiction and decided to give it to myself for Christmas. Alas, when it arrived a few days ago, I flipped a few pages and could not wait to get into it. This is a story of a Scottish immigrant who was taken as a prisoner of war to the shores of the New World in the mid-17th century, shortly after the Plymouth Rock landing. I was immediately hooked by its audacious realism, historical insights, and sheer readability.
Woollacott has the rare ability to capture the nuance of the historical narrative while imbuing his characters with a crackling rich dialogue that springs from the pages. As one reads through the story, one becomes transported to an immensely important time in our history, seeing exactly how they lived, and died, and struggled, and the enormous forces that weighed against their new way of life and culture, both from Great Britain and from the Indian tribes with whom they have to co-exist.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book to all who enjoy a good historical fiction. I started the book, intending to stretch it out over a week, and found that I was unable to put it down.
Well done, Laddie.
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Living in Middlesex County Massachusetts, near where the action in The Immigrant predominately occurs, and an avid history buff about the birthing of this great nation, I learned of this recently published historical fiction and decided to give it to myself for Christmas. Alas, when it arrived a few days ago, I flipped a few pages and could not wait to get into it. This is a story of a Scottish immigrant who was taken as a prisoner of war to the shores of the New World in the mid-17th century, shortly after the Plymouth Rock landing. I was immediately hooked by its audacious realism, historical insights, and sheer readability.
Woollacott has the rare ability to capture the nuance of the historical narrative while imbuing his characters with a crackling rich dialogue that springs from the pages. As one reads through the story, one becomes transported to an immensely important time in our history, seeing exactly how they lived, and died, and struggled, and the enormous forces that weighed against their new way of life and culture, both from Great Britain and from the Indian tribes with whom they have to co-exist.
I wholeheartedly recommend this book to all who enjoy a good historical fiction. I started the book, intending to stretch it out over a week, and found that I was unable to put it down.
Well done, Laddie.
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Good faction history book and exciting (partly fiction) family saga, January 11, 2015 (rated five stars) by Denis Vukosav, an Amazon top 1000 Reviewer
This review is from: The Immigrant: One from My Four Legged Stool (Kindle Edition)
‘The Immigrant’ written by Alfred Woollacott is well-made piece of historical fiction, a debut work that can be equally recommended for its style and story the author skillfully brought.
The main novel protagonist is John Law, a young Scottish man who was captured by the English army during the 17th century Battle of Dunbar. After John will endure the killing march towards Durham, he will be sent to the other part of the world - Massachusetts Bay Colony – on the ship "Unity" as one of hundred Scottish prisoners.
Put to a new environment, surrounded with different type of life and unknown people, John Law will find his strength in faith on a journey that will change his whole life…
As one may guess, John Law is the author distant great grandfather ancestor who came to US as Scottish prisoner and eventually found his freedom and happiness far away from home. Alfred Woollacott with his well-written book succeeds to present in-depth view of events almost 400 years ago therefore his book can be read both as faction history book and exciting (partly fiction) family saga.
What most impressed me was the author’s style and I can only say that I regret that the author waited to end a major life career to begin this writer's because given his talent too bad that we had to wait so long for this book.
Therefore, fans of historical fiction should look no further; ‘The Immigrant’ by Alfred Woollacott is novel that can be fully recommended.
I was given a copy of this book by the author for the purpose of unbiased review, while all the presented information is based on my impressions.
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This review is from: The Immigrant: One from My Four Legged Stool (Kindle Edition)
‘The Immigrant’ written by Alfred Woollacott is well-made piece of historical fiction, a debut work that can be equally recommended for its style and story the author skillfully brought.
The main novel protagonist is John Law, a young Scottish man who was captured by the English army during the 17th century Battle of Dunbar. After John will endure the killing march towards Durham, he will be sent to the other part of the world - Massachusetts Bay Colony – on the ship "Unity" as one of hundred Scottish prisoners.
Put to a new environment, surrounded with different type of life and unknown people, John Law will find his strength in faith on a journey that will change his whole life…
As one may guess, John Law is the author distant great grandfather ancestor who came to US as Scottish prisoner and eventually found his freedom and happiness far away from home. Alfred Woollacott with his well-written book succeeds to present in-depth view of events almost 400 years ago therefore his book can be read both as faction history book and exciting (partly fiction) family saga.
What most impressed me was the author’s style and I can only say that I regret that the author waited to end a major life career to begin this writer's because given his talent too bad that we had to wait so long for this book.
Therefore, fans of historical fiction should look no further; ‘The Immigrant’ by Alfred Woollacott is novel that can be fully recommended.
I was given a copy of this book by the author for the purpose of unbiased review, while all the presented information is based on my impressions.
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Genealogy brought to life., January 8, 2015 (rated five stars) by Linda U (Michigan, USA)
This review is from: The Immigrant: One from My Four Legged Stool (Kindle Edition)
We often restrict our genealogical research to dates and places of birth, marriage and death. We may be lucky enough to include an occupation or a residence or a date of arrival into our country. But we rarely take the time to merge our ancestors with the history of the people and places that may have had an impact on their lives. I have often wondered myself, why did my husband's 5times_great_grandfather come to Detroit in the 1780s and how did his family survive in the poorest area of Kent county during that time? Or what was happening in Scotland in the early 19th century to cause my Laing ancestors to leave Scotland and settle in Ontario Canada? This book makes me more determined to bring my ancestors alive by researching more deeply into the histories of the places and people when they were here. I recognize the strange feelings that the author felt when standing in the spot where his ancestors lived their lives, so different from what we experience today. I have felt the pull of my own ancestors to find out more about their lives. Thanks to the author for renewing my zeal to tell my own family story.
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This review is from: The Immigrant: One from My Four Legged Stool (Kindle Edition)
We often restrict our genealogical research to dates and places of birth, marriage and death. We may be lucky enough to include an occupation or a residence or a date of arrival into our country. But we rarely take the time to merge our ancestors with the history of the people and places that may have had an impact on their lives. I have often wondered myself, why did my husband's 5times_great_grandfather come to Detroit in the 1780s and how did his family survive in the poorest area of Kent county during that time? Or what was happening in Scotland in the early 19th century to cause my Laing ancestors to leave Scotland and settle in Ontario Canada? This book makes me more determined to bring my ancestors alive by researching more deeply into the histories of the places and people when they were here. I recognize the strange feelings that the author felt when standing in the spot where his ancestors lived their lives, so different from what we experience today. I have felt the pull of my own ancestors to find out more about their lives. Thanks to the author for renewing my zeal to tell my own family story.
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Entertaining, thought provoking novel of immigration in post colonial times, January 21, 2015 (rated five stars) by
Claire Osgood
This review is from: The Immigrant: One from My Four Legged Stool (Kindle Edition)
This novel would appeal to readers who relish historical fiction relating to the earliest founding of the English colonies in what would become Massachusetts. Woollacott's extensive research has given us a scary view of the plight of a Scott's experience as a prisoner of war under the control of the early 1600's English. The accounts of indentured servitude and it's resulting aftermath are quite heartbreaking. Well written, well placed account of a reluctant immigrant's striving to make a home for his English wife and sons and daughters born in the new world.
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Claire Osgood
This review is from: The Immigrant: One from My Four Legged Stool (Kindle Edition)
This novel would appeal to readers who relish historical fiction relating to the earliest founding of the English colonies in what would become Massachusetts. Woollacott's extensive research has given us a scary view of the plight of a Scott's experience as a prisoner of war under the control of the early 1600's English. The accounts of indentured servitude and it's resulting aftermath are quite heartbreaking. Well written, well placed account of a reluctant immigrant's striving to make a home for his English wife and sons and daughters born in the new world.
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Excellent, January 20, 2015 (rated five star) by Hailey L
This review is from: The Immigrant: One from My Four Legged Stool (Kindle Edition)
A masterfully written historical tale, it is a saga that is both imaginative and well presented. The 17th century realities are brought to life in a magnificent way and I could imagine the storyline vividly. The characters were deeply engaging and unique. One of the best I’ve read lately. Well worth the read.
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This review is from: The Immigrant: One from My Four Legged Stool (Kindle Edition)
A masterfully written historical tale, it is a saga that is both imaginative and well presented. The 17th century realities are brought to life in a magnificent way and I could imagine the storyline vividly. The characters were deeply engaging and unique. One of the best I’ve read lately. Well worth the read.
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A detailed and tremendously well written tale of struggle, family and faith that will inform and intrigue until the final page, January 19, 2015 (rated five stars) by A. Stacco
This review is from: The Immigrant: One from My Four Legged Stool (Kindle Edition)
I'm not much of a history buff, but novels such as The Immigrant make learning about history enjoyable. It is much easier for me to gain an understanding of historical events through the narrative of a character's journey. I find it allows me to relate and to correlate events with an emotional sympathy that ultimately reflects and reveals the conditions and society of the time.
Woollacott provides a story that weaves the struggle for individual and family survival into the context of indentured servitude in the New World. The struggles of his protagonist, John Law, develop complications within his family and within himself. His faith is and his understanding of himself deepens as he traverses life’s difficulties. These are the sort of themes that, when grounded in historical fact, solidify my understanding of milieu. They are relatable themes that I have struggled with in my own life. It was enlightening to see that, though the details of history change with time, the soul and human condition are ever constant. Woollacott succeeds at depicting the social environment of the time as I became invested in the novel and in John Law's journey.
I very much appreciated that the author implements Scottish dialects throughout the novel. Such a device maintained the regional atmosphere he so vividly created. The narration is effective in transporting us into 17th century Scotland and the New World.
The Immigrant is proof that our own life story is often the most compelling narrative to be told. The author researched and delved into his personal Scottish heritage to produce a novel of historical fiction that educates and entertains. The Immigrant is a novel of faith and perseverance, and of family love, that is grounded in historical facts and has all the components of a worthwhile read. Highly recommended.
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This review is from: The Immigrant: One from My Four Legged Stool (Kindle Edition)
I'm not much of a history buff, but novels such as The Immigrant make learning about history enjoyable. It is much easier for me to gain an understanding of historical events through the narrative of a character's journey. I find it allows me to relate and to correlate events with an emotional sympathy that ultimately reflects and reveals the conditions and society of the time.
Woollacott provides a story that weaves the struggle for individual and family survival into the context of indentured servitude in the New World. The struggles of his protagonist, John Law, develop complications within his family and within himself. His faith is and his understanding of himself deepens as he traverses life’s difficulties. These are the sort of themes that, when grounded in historical fact, solidify my understanding of milieu. They are relatable themes that I have struggled with in my own life. It was enlightening to see that, though the details of history change with time, the soul and human condition are ever constant. Woollacott succeeds at depicting the social environment of the time as I became invested in the novel and in John Law's journey.
I very much appreciated that the author implements Scottish dialects throughout the novel. Such a device maintained the regional atmosphere he so vividly created. The narration is effective in transporting us into 17th century Scotland and the New World.
The Immigrant is proof that our own life story is often the most compelling narrative to be told. The author researched and delved into his personal Scottish heritage to produce a novel of historical fiction that educates and entertains. The Immigrant is a novel of faith and perseverance, and of family love, that is grounded in historical facts and has all the components of a worthwhile read. Highly recommended.
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Relive early days of colonial times in U.S., February 15, 2015 (rated 5 stars) by Joan A. Adamak, an Amazon Vine Voice Reviewer
This is an historical novel, which is fascinating, educational and dramatic. The author did a great deal of research covering these historical times and then encompassed it in a great novel of John Law, a fifteen year old Scot who had been grabbed by Scottish military to fight as a pikeman against the British forces of Cromwell. During the battle of Dunbar, the Scots were defeated and all Scots who were not wounded or sick were gathered up and sent overseas to the British colonies in Massachusetts to work as indentured servants for several years. There were factories there capable of making Englishmen good money, except there were no laborers. This is where these prisoners were to go. John originally was to be in a factory, but then instead was labeled a shepherd and placed in a tract of land where English farmers left their sheep with him to be grazed as long as necessary.
John, because of being a Scottish soldier, is not treated well by the English, but an Indian soon comes along and through sign language and a little English, teaches John where the best ground is for planting and how to learn to live in this wild, very cold country. This story encompasses John and Lydia, his wife, the births and deaths of their eight children, his continual struggle to hold his land because the English never designated him a land holder. The characters are filled with emotion because of the many experiences they had, good and bad, you live with John and his family, realizing his helplessness. His Indian friend who attempted to become a Christian, was badly treated in the end and taken off as a slave. The story includes Indian wars as they attempted to hold back the tide of English settlers.
This story is well written, realistic and certainly educational as to those times. At the end, the authors gives several of books relative to those times, which helped him produce this historical novel. I couldn’t lay the book down. In its way, it is a page turner and I highly recommend it.
This is an historical novel, which is fascinating, educational and dramatic. The author did a great deal of research covering these historical times and then encompassed it in a great novel of John Law, a fifteen year old Scot who had been grabbed by Scottish military to fight as a pikeman against the British forces of Cromwell. During the battle of Dunbar, the Scots were defeated and all Scots who were not wounded or sick were gathered up and sent overseas to the British colonies in Massachusetts to work as indentured servants for several years. There were factories there capable of making Englishmen good money, except there were no laborers. This is where these prisoners were to go. John originally was to be in a factory, but then instead was labeled a shepherd and placed in a tract of land where English farmers left their sheep with him to be grazed as long as necessary.
John, because of being a Scottish soldier, is not treated well by the English, but an Indian soon comes along and through sign language and a little English, teaches John where the best ground is for planting and how to learn to live in this wild, very cold country. This story encompasses John and Lydia, his wife, the births and deaths of their eight children, his continual struggle to hold his land because the English never designated him a land holder. The characters are filled with emotion because of the many experiences they had, good and bad, you live with John and his family, realizing his helplessness. His Indian friend who attempted to become a Christian, was badly treated in the end and taken off as a slave. The story includes Indian wars as they attempted to hold back the tide of English settlers.
This story is well written, realistic and certainly educational as to those times. At the end, the authors gives several of books relative to those times, which helped him produce this historical novel. I couldn’t lay the book down. In its way, it is a page turner and I highly recommend it.
Historical fiction at its finest, January 19, 2015 (rated five stars) by Sam B, an Amazon Top 1000 Reviewer
This review is from: The Immigrant: One from My Four Legged Stool (Kindle Edition)
If you're a fan of historical fiction, do yourself a favor and do not miss this read. I consider myself a bit of a historical fiction aficionado, and this represents the genre at its finest.
Woollacott's writing style is well educated, well researched, and altogether charming. Rich and rife with historical flavor, this is the kind of book that envelops me - I can totally get lost in the time period and feel completely absorbed. Since I have tons of family in Massachusetts, I loved that part of the story; one of the most wonderful things about that part of the country is how full of history it is.
Highly recommended reading; this is beautiful and evocative. Fantastic.
This review is from: The Immigrant: One from My Four Legged Stool (Kindle Edition)
If you're a fan of historical fiction, do yourself a favor and do not miss this read. I consider myself a bit of a historical fiction aficionado, and this represents the genre at its finest.
Woollacott's writing style is well educated, well researched, and altogether charming. Rich and rife with historical flavor, this is the kind of book that envelops me - I can totally get lost in the time period and feel completely absorbed. Since I have tons of family in Massachusetts, I loved that part of the story; one of the most wonderful things about that part of the country is how full of history it is.
Highly recommended reading; this is beautiful and evocative. Fantastic.
Jo Ammons
NY Books Examiner A fascinating historical novel based on solid research ‘We all have unique four legged stools, each leg an extension from our grandparents who contribute to our being. At conception, our entire biology stems from our forebears, the history that preceded us.’ This is the explanation given by Alfred Woollacott, III on the subtitle of his debut novel, ‘The Immigrant: One from My Four Legged Stool’. It all started with the author’s passion for genealogical research. Upon his retirement, he decided to dedicate his time to digging into his own genealogy and bringing to light the lives of his ancestors, with dates, facts, and events. The moment he realized that these people had complex, interesting lives, filled with hardships, dreams, and hopes, was the moment he took the leap and used his imagination to fill in the gaps and offer readers captivating stories that would keep them on the edge of their seats, while also providing them with invaluable historical insight. ‘The Immigrant’ tells the story of the author’s seven-greats grandfather John Law, who was a young Scotsman who ended up in the Massachusetts Bay Colony under terrible, unexpected circumstances. At 15, John fought for his country in the English Civil War, and he was captured by Cromwell’s forces. He survived a death march to Durham, England, where he was shipped to colonial America along with other 150 prisoners of war. So, in 1651, John Law was an outcast, thrown into a world which was very different from his, and forced to find ways to survive and adapt. He became an indentured servant working as a public sheep herder for the community of Concord. He worked hard and used all his intelligence and determination to build a future in this new world and society that treated him badly. Eventually, he married an English woman, had children, and even managed to acquire land. Alfred Woollacott has done a great job at portraying colonial America in the seventeenth century. Those who are interested in colonial history will soon realize ‘The Immigrant’ is an absolute must-read. The Puritan theocracy, the problems between colonists and Native Americans, and the hardships of colonial life, all these are presented in great detail, but in a way which is captivating to the reader. The story is quite fast-paced, and it is also filled with invaluable insight into the social, political, and economical situation of the historical period the main character lived in. The characters are believable and relatable, and readers will root for John Law from page one. The fact that he was a real person who went through all the difficult, yet incredible experiences described in the novel, makes the book all the more valuable, interesting, and intriguing. Fans of true historical literature will want to keep an eye out for Alfred Woollacott’s next books and the genealogical research results he regularly posts on his website. 
by T. B Markinson, author Claudia Must Die, Confessions From a Coffee Shop, A Woman Ignored, and Mariuonette
Alfred Woollacott didn’t have to look too far from home for an idea about a novel. He turned to his own family tree to find inspiration. While The Immigrant: One from My Four Legged Stool is historical fiction, it’s about his ancestors during the 1600s. His imagined account not only seems plausible, but is a wonderful and enthralling read. John Law, a Scotsman, is captured by Lord Cromwell’s forces in the seventeenth century during the Battle of Dunbar. Law survives the march to Durham, England. During his imprisonment in England, he is sold as an indentured servant and Law will have to serve his time in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. This move alters his life on many levels, including being branded an outcast in a new land. The young man learns quickly how hard it is to adapt to a new country and to people who aren’t accepting. This saga shows the determination of one man to overcome obstacles. John Law may not be a welcome addition to the new country, but he’s determined not to let that break him. History books are filled with deeds and accomplishments of great people: kings, queens, presidents, explorers, scientists, authors, and many others. However, the past is peopled by so many more, including the everyday person. John Law may not have changed the history of Scotland or of early Colonial America, but he did live through the times and his life matters. Not just to his descendants, but to those who want to know more about the time period. To know how people lived everyday life and how they coped with traumatic events. Historical fiction offers a wonderful glimpse into how the little person lived. Not only does this genre educate the readers, it entertains them. This novel transports the reader back in time. The author has done a wonderful job of staying true to the time period, including having his characters speak in the dialect from the 1600s. This takes some getting used to when the reader first starts, but using today’s vernacular doesn’t fit. Historical fiction is judged by its authenticity, including the language. Woollacott has done his research into the time period and includes many of the great tumults of the age. The wars, discrimination, unjust laws or customs, and unfortunate family traumas, all aid with maintaining the stories authenticity while also captivating the reader. The main reason the reader cares about the story is because the author has created intriguing characters with depth. This family saga sucks the reader in, making them one of its family members sitting on the sidelines, fascinated by what’s going to happen next. The family, the history, and the importance of it all comes alive making this time period accessible to readers. This is a heartfelt story that will captivate the reader. For those who love to learn about different time periods, look no further. This is Woollacott’s debut novel, which he started when he retired. It’s a real shame he didn’t start writing earlier since he is so very talented. Hopefully this novel won’t be his last and he continues with the Law family saga. |
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