Posted on: Chowan County NC. Query Forum Reply Here: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/NC/Chowan/10994 Surname: Fletcher ------------------------- This comes from a Lenoir Co. Post >I read Inglis Fletcher's biography. During WWII she lived near Wilmington, >N.C. and was writing one of her novels. One day an Army officer from near >by Camp Davis came to visit her. She was surprised but invited him in, >served refreshments, and finally asked if he would like to see her maps. >Showing surprise, he said yes, he would indeed like to see them. She took >him to her office and showed him the old maps of the waterways and so forth >that she was using to get her locations correct. He laughed and said he was >glad to see they were old maps. It seems that some of her servants, being >loyal citizens, had reported that she was always looking at the maps and >writing. The officer had been sent to see if she was a spy. I believe she >moved to Edenton after this incident--not immediately-after she finished >the book. >I have found she renditions of the activities of the people who were actual >people to be pretty much what the historians say. I liked them the most >because of the insite they give into the living habits of the people of the >time. Who would ever have studied politics enough to get feeling of the >time as she gives it in her books. She demonstrates how politics concerned >every phase of life. I believe that it is accurate as it could be as to how >the people actually lived. I heard enough tales when I was growing up to >know that it was mostly the way she portrays it. >All of you should read her books at least once. >> >> >> >>I have a feeling that a good portion of our members do not know who Inglis >> >>Fletcher was or anything about her books. Would you and Sue enlighten the >> >>lists. It has been so many years since I read her books but they were GREAT >> >>and waited with baited breath for the next one. I can tell you she wrote >> >>what is called historical fiction but she was well known for extensive >> >>research on her subject matter. She lived in Edenton as I recall and wrote >> >>only about early NC historical figures. Guess it is time to re-read her >> >>books. >> >> >> >>Martha >> > >> >Inglis Fletcher was a native of Ohio (or somewhere like that) who grew up >> >hearing family stories of eastern NC, especially the Albemarle region. >> >She began writing historical novels and eventually moved to Edenton. Her >> >first book (in historical chronological order) was *Men of Roanoke,* and >> >was about one of the first temporary settlements in the Roanoke Island >> >area. She continues historically through the American Revolution. Her >> >main characters in her books are fictional, but many of the supporting >> >characters were the early leaders of the VA and NC colonies and states. >> >She did a lot of research. Her introductions to her books emphasize that >> >they are fiction, and she does such things as, for example, compress >> >several years' events into a shorter time period. I've personally seen >> >documents that support a lot of what she's written, just doing my own >> >research. >> > >> >She also makes the point in some of her introductions that records of >> >women's roles in the settling of the colonies is not well documented. >> >(I'm sure we are all in painful agreement with her). She does a very good >> >job of depicting the way it likely was. >> > >> >Most of the characters in her books (real and fictional) are large >> >landowners and therefore slave owners. She wrote the books in the 40's >> >and 50's, so she paints more of a picture of happy slaves serving their >> >masters than we understand today, but I think she also makes a point that >> >there was a strong slave community with its own customs and spirituality >> >that was not known to the white masters. She also shows that the >> >knowledge and ability of the slaves was a valuable part of building the >> >colonies. Many of the slaves were clearly intelligent and perceptive >> >people--not just sterotypes. >> > >> >As Evelyn says, reading her books is like reading stories of your >> >family--and your family might be in them! I want to thank Mary Fulford >> >for suggesting I read or re-read the books and pass her recommendation on >> >to you all. >> > >> >Evelyn--you might try going on line to the Avid Reader bookstore site. I >> >think it's avidreader.com. This is a used bookstore in Chapel Hill that >> >has a specialty line of NC history and genealogical books (used), both >> >fiction and non-fiction. It's been awhile since I looked at it, but if I >> >remember right, you can e-mail them to watch out for particular books and >> >notify you if they come in. > > Webpage