First published 2009
Richard Holmes sets out to trace the forgotten pathways that once connected the Ulster Scots who settled Derry, New Hampshire in 1719. These immigrants, led by Reverend James McGregor from Aghadowey in County Londonderry, Ireland, had fled British prejudice and Anglican intolerance to build new lives in America. Holmes follows the network of footpaths that these determined walkers carved across East Derry Hill throughout the eighteenth century. His journey takes him through the community's turbulent early politics and pioneering schools, the contentious separation from Londonderry Parish, and the rise of sprawling shoe manufacturing during industrial expansion. This marks the first comprehensive historical account of the town in many years. Holmes reveals how this New Hampshire community, which would later produce poet Robert Frost and astronaut Alan Shepherd, was shaped by generations of hardworking, independent-minded residents who valued both labor and learning.
Genres: biography, history, historical-fiction, american-history
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family
Setting: Derry, New Hampshire, Aghadowey, County Londonderry, Ireland
Period: 18th Century, 19th Century, 20th Century
128 pages · Paperback · The History Press