First published 1955
When Pennsylvania authorities demand loyalty oaths during the American Revolution, a group of Quakers finds themselves caught between conscience and country. These members of the Society of Friends cannot swear allegiance to the revolutionary cause, bound by their religious principles against violence and oath-taking. Their refusal brands them as suspected loyalists, leading to their forced removal from Pennsylvania to Virginia. Separated from their families and communities, these men must navigate the harsh realities of exile while holding fast to their beliefs. The story follows their struggle to maintain dignity and faith in the face of suspicion, hardship, and separation. Gray explores how ordinary people respond when political upheaval forces impossible choices between personal conviction and public pressure. At its heart, this is a tale about the price of moral courage when standing firm means losing everything familiar.
Genres: american-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, 19th-century, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, moral-dilemma
Setting: Pennsylvania, Virginia
Period: American Revolution
Textbook Binding · Lippincott