Sally Smith O'Rourke
Wills, Roots and Entails, oh my
I must admit that the prospect of joining the seasoned authors here at Austen Authors on the Readers Choice project has me somewhat apprehensive. However, when the decision was made to include a split in the Bennet clan on how the infamous entail ought to be handled, I was a bit more confident as the financial laws of the past were something with which I was fairly well versed… or so I thought. However, as it turned out, I was very wrong.
It started with a search for my roots. I grew up hearing stories of poor Irish immigrants who found their way to our shores via steerage on ocean liners and ultimately struggling on the streets of Chicago. With names like Keenan, Kehoe and Ammond abounding in the family, it wasn’t a stretch and I believed it to be my legacy. As the only remaining member of my generation it fell to me to secure that legacy. Imagine my surprise in finding that the largest branch of the tree was actually English. Discovering, too that many of the stories I heard growing up may well have been an attempt to re-write the history of the family or at least to hide parts of it.
As my search deepened I was unable to trace any of the Irish surnames further than the late 19th century and the mid-western United States. So I moved on to another branch which took me to 1603 and Jamestown, Virginia. I actually got back to the 14th century, Shropshire, England as well as Wiltshire, Cornwall and Kent in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Rooted by Jennifer Young
I followed the family from California to Alabama to Tennessee to the Carolinas and Virginia then discovered an unpleasant truth. My great-great-great grandmother, according to the 1840 US census, was the head of her household which I found particularly interesting since she had three grown sons. But something else in the census really took me by surprise. Mary Lee had 20 people living with her and twelve of them were slaves. Slaves! Added to that her land was worth $3500. In today’s money that would be over $100,000 and didn’t include the income she must have received from the land and slaves. Hardly a struggling immigrant, Irish or not.
The thing that set me on an in depth search of inheritance laws was a will written in 1724 by an ancestor who left his four adult sons small parcels of land, some money and a few slaves each. He had a large plantation in Virginia and left the bulk of it to his only daughter. There was no mention of a husband which made it all the more interesting to me.
This branch of my family tree began with the two younger sons of a wealthy and well-connected English family who were given money and land grants in the New World, specifically Virginia. The older of the two was my ancestor and he established a large plantation on the banks of the James River and, as far as I can tell, was the first of the clan to own slaves. It was his son who left the will.
I realized that my assumptions, rather than actual knowledge, about whether women could or could not inherit, had to be wrong. I resolved to find out how my family had so much and were able to ‘will’ it entirely at their own discretion.
Falls of the James by
Joseph Burrough
To my surprise nothing in English (the US was still a colony) inheritance law dictated that only male progeny could inherit. Now this isn’t to say that the men didn’t still dominate most of the time, but it wasn’t a legal thing it was societal. Land ownership, the amount of land and the income derived determined a man’s power and stature and the family’s place in society. So keeping an estate together by leaving the vast majority of it to the eldest son was logical and traditional simply to maintain the family’s standing which, in turn, allowed the younger siblings to marry well.
Entails, rather than mandatory were entirely voluntary, at least for the owner who first instituted it and had an end point as it generally was set for no more than four generations. Often an entail was stipulated as a way to keep a wayward heir from losing the family’s land by gambling or bad investments but could be broken by a future owner and his son by simply agreeing to do so (hence our storyline in The Bennet Brother). But in order to break the entail it had to be an actual heir ‘of the body’ rather than a distant relative (think Mr. Collins). Something else that I found particularly interesting was that an entail didn’t have to be a male heir, the entail could specify female heirs; however I never found an example of it.
Daughters were protected, kind of, with marriage portions of which the husband would gain control as soon as the marriage took place so often the marriage contract included a jointure that would be an amount set aside for support of the wife and children, generally based on the size of the portion, in the event the husband died before the wife. But the truth was that female progeny could and did inherit entire estates. It does, however, seem to have become more common after families left the UK and the societal constraints were as strong.
All of this has given me a whole new prospective on inheritance and entails but I’m afraid I can’t say that it has helped my confidence level when it comes to entering into the Readers Choice project but I shall persevere. And as I climb the branches of my family tree I find that I become inexplicably bound in, not just my own history but that of England and the United States. I have always been drawn to Virginia and England and my late husband believed I lived previous lives in both places. Now I have to wonder if it isn’t simply genetic.
I’d like to thank Jennifer Young for the beautiful image titled ‘Rooted’, stop by her website and see her other Vibrant Landscapes
Also a special thanks to Joseph Burrough for his lovely painting entitled ‘Falls of the James’. Visit Joseph’s on-line studio
Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen is on sale at Amazon!
Stop by my blog Sally Smith O’Rourke for a chance to win Colette Saucier’s
In celebration of All My Tomorrows nomination as An Amazon 2013 Breakthrough Novel
Sally Smith O'Rourke
“Where shall I begin? Which of all my important nothings shall I tell you first?” (J.A. June 15, 1808) That I live in the Victorian village of Monrovia, CA, that I work as a surgical scrub nurse. That I have had four novels published, Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen; The Man Who Loved Jane Austen; The Maidenstone Lighthouse and Christmas at Sea Pines Cottage. My current project is Physician, heal thyself which is a story that touches on reincarnation.
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Sally’s blog
All writers know the emotions that fueled Jane’s description of P&P as ‘my darling child’. You nurture an idea, an embryo if you will, until it reaches maturity. Then with heart in hand you send it out into the big wide world. You attempt to protect and defend it from the onslaught of agents, editors and the dreaded ‘blue pencil’ (not that anybody uses a blue pencil anymore, but you get my meaning) balancing your vision with the sometimes harsh comments and changes required by an editor who just doesn’t seem to get ‘it’. Ultimately it gets done and the revisions are accepted.
Your stomach jumps when a cover arrives and you see your name in print, officially, for the first time. After the copy edit is done you get the galley and you see your words in print bound as a book. It’s exciting. It was weird seeing my name on the even numbered pages of The Man Who Loved Jane Austen. As many of you know the first three books published with my name were collaborative efforts with my late husband, Michael. I had sent the first of the three out into the publishing world because I didn’t want them to die with him and they didn’t, not because of any ability I have but because of his talent. Continue reading
Sally Smith O'Rourke
“Where shall I begin? Which of all my important nothings shall I tell you first?” (J.A. June 15, 1808) That I live in the Victorian village of Monrovia, CA, that I work as a surgical scrub nurse. That I have had four novels published, Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen; The Man Who Loved Jane Austen; The Maidenstone Lighthouse and Christmas at Sea Pines Cottage. My current project is Physician, heal thyself which is a story that touches on reincarnation.
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Janeites… to be or not to be
A few weeks ago (January 27 to be precise) a friend sent me a link to an article her husband was sure I would find interesting.
Janeites: The curious American cult of Jane Austen
A bit of trivia ~ I here apologize to the memory of literary scholar George Saintsbury who coined the term Janeite in an introduction to the 1894 publication of Pride and Prejudice. I thank the Jane Austen Fans of Ireland for setting me straight as I had credited Rudyard Kipling.
The article was trying to posit an explanation of why Americans like to dress in Regency era clothing, have tea parties and balls and devour sequels not written by Jane Austen.
Laurel Ann Nattress of Austenprose suggested to the author of the article that the elegance of the time is a part of the draw as is looking to the motherland, siting the intense interest in Downton Abbey as an example. Further explaining that Jane wrote only six books and it simply wasn’t enough, people don’t want to give up the characters.
But the overriding conclusion of the article seemed to be that the romance of the stories is what draws people to them even though we know that romance was not Austen’s intent. In fact, Jane created what we see as romance now; successful men who love strong, independent women. She was way ahead of her time. And while I agree with most of the assessment I think the article missed the most important thing that draws people to her and has for two hundred years. At least it is what drew me to her and is the reason my mother gave me Pride and Prejudice when I was fifteen which was my introduction to Jane.
In an era when novels were dark and foreboding she wrote bright, lively tales that often included scandal but scandals that were always resolved without death or destruction. Even Maria Bertram Rushworth in Mansfield Park, who is not allowed the society of her family, is still taken care of in comfort along with her Aunt Norris. As Austen says in reference to this ‘punishment’, “the penalty is less equal than could be wished. Continue reading
Sally Smith O'Rourke
“Where shall I begin? Which of all my important nothings shall I tell you first?” (J.A. June 15, 1808) That I live in the Victorian village of Monrovia, CA, that I work as a surgical scrub nurse. That I have had four novels published, Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen; The Man Who Loved Jane Austen; The Maidenstone Lighthouse and Christmas at Sea Pines Cottage. My current project is Physician, heal thyself which is a story that touches on reincarnation.
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Happy Valentine’s Day
Although often referred to as a Hallmark Holiday, Valentine’s Day has been celebrated in some form since the third century AD. There is speculation as to who the person for whom the day is named actually was but all the legends seem to have certain things in common. He was an Italian priest who preached the gospel of Jesus and was executed because of it. One of the legends says it was because he performed Christian marriages, hence the love connection. However, speculation arises there as well, since before the 14th century it was simply celebrated as the execution date of a martyr having nothing whatever to do with lovers.
Then in the 1382 Chaucer’s Parlement of Foules seems to have made reference to the day
For this was on St. Valentine’s Day ~ When every bird came there to choose his mate
Again, much speculation surrounds this theory because there was also in Paris a Court of Love, ostensibly set up by Princess Isabel of Bavaria which dealt with love contracts, betrayals and violence against women. No historic proof has ever been found so most believe it was a fabrication of the Princess’ imagination. As the ‘court’ met on February 14, the legend persists.
The earliest surviving English Valentine was written in 1477 by Norfolk gentlewoman Margery Brewes to her intended, John Paston. The letter is housed at the British Library. She calls him her Valentine and signs the letter his Valentine. She is informing him that her father may not be able to pay the full dowry agreed upon and she hopes that he will not forsake her because of it for she would not forsake him. Continue reading
Sally Smith O'Rourke
“Where shall I begin? Which of all my important nothings shall I tell you first?” (J.A. June 15, 1808) That I live in the Victorian village of Monrovia, CA, that I work as a surgical scrub nurse. That I have had four novels published, Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen; The Man Who Loved Jane Austen; The Maidenstone Lighthouse and Christmas at Sea Pines Cottage. My current project is Physician, heal thyself which is a story that touches on reincarnation.
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Pemberley New Year
If Elizabeth had looked at her husband’s face at that moment she would have seen such a look of love in his eyes that she would have been unable to stop the blush that surely would have warmed her cheeks. Intent on not disappointing him or their guests her sweet voice filled the room, accompanied by the lilting strains of the song performed by her new sister, Georgiana.
Darcy’s rapt attention of the two women he loved above all else did not go unnoticed by Caroline Bingley who’s jealousy was more than a little difficult to control and was inflamed by being forced to take part in the holiday celebration here at Pemberley. As enthusiastic applause greeted the end of the Darcy women’s song, she watched him go to the piano and kiss his sister’s cheek, Caroline cringed, Georgiana would never be her sister. But when she saw the look on Mr. Darcy’s face when he took his wife’s hand, it was more than Caroline could bear. In desperation she rose and moved to a window that overlooked Darcy’s vast estate, an estate to which she had dreamed of one day being Mistress; now that dream was gone 
forever.
Hoping the outdoor view would help relieve her rage and disappointment Caroline was instead met by the sight of her brother and Jane walking arm and arm in the cold December afternoon. She bit her lip to stop the tears then quietly but quickly left the music room and ran up the stairs. The maid had told her that the guest room had been made up especially for her by Mrs. Darcy. She threw herself on the bed and allowed the tears she had been holding back to flow prodigiously. Continue reading
Sally Smith O'Rourke
“Where shall I begin? Which of all my important nothings shall I tell you first?” (J.A. June 15, 1808) That I live in the Victorian village of Monrovia, CA, that I work as a surgical scrub nurse. That I have had four novels published, Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen; The Man Who Loved Jane Austen; The Maidenstone Lighthouse and Christmas at Sea Pines Cottage. My current project is Physician, heal thyself which is a story that touches on reincarnation.
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The Darcy’s First Christmas
Elizabeth skipped down the stairs, still unable to stop smiling after three weeks of marriage. She laughed, she really was blissfully happy. She already felt at home, helped no doubt by the fact the Mr. Darcy seemed to be just as happy.
She stepped into the breakfast room, a small west facing room already warmed by the morning sun. It had been Mr. Darcy’s favorite rooms in the house. A slight blush warmed her face for he had told her that their bedroom was now his favorite.
She picked up the envelope tucked next to her plate on the table set for just the two of them. It was a letter from Jane. At the window she snapped the seal and unfolded the small paper.
Darcy stood in the doorway; she was breathtaking as the sun glistened in his wife’s hair. He smiled at the word wife then silently crossed the room. Elizabeth startled slightly when he bent and kissed her neck. A small whimper escaped her throat as he continued the soft butterfly-like kisses up to her ear, then whispered, “Good morning, Mrs. Darcy.” She turned and kissed him full on the mouth, stopping only for her own greeting, “And good morning to you, too, Mr. Darcy.”
“What has your sister to say?” He asked gesturing to the letter.
“Jane would very much like to come as soon as possible rather than Christmas Eve and they would like to stay through Twelfth Night.”
“Is there a problem at Netherfield?”
“Jane does not say it but even her sweet tempered nature and Mr. Bingley’s patience are, I am sure, sorely tested by my mother and Aunt Phillips.” Continue reading
Sally Smith O'Rourke
“Where shall I begin? Which of all my important nothings shall I tell you first?” (J.A. June 15, 1808) That I live in the Victorian village of Monrovia, CA, that I work as a surgical scrub nurse. That I have had four novels published, Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen; The Man Who Loved Jane Austen; The Maidenstone Lighthouse and Christmas at Sea Pines Cottage. My current project is Physician, heal thyself which is a story that touches on reincarnation.
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P&P200: Wedding Fashions, Customs and Cake
GOOD GRACIOUS! LORD BLESS ME! ONLY THINK! DEAR ME! MR. DARCY!
And so began the planning for the double wedding of Mrs. Bennet’s two most deserving daughters. After the initial shock of learning that Lizzy would be marrying Mr. Darcy with his 10,000 a year and the possibility of a special license there is little doubt that foremost in her mind were the wedding clothes.
The marriages of her two oldest children to two of England’s most eligible bachelors would have put Mrs. Bennet over the moon and in a mood to plan an event to rival a royal wedding. As for the gowns it is clear that her preference would be specially made, elaborate white gowns, not the blue of the middle classes. And while Jane and Elizabeth would have objected to something as ostentatious or extravagant as silk and satin they would have conceded to specially made gowns of fine white muslin or lawn, perhaps embellished with white on white 
embroidery. As Jane and Elizabeth had their feet planted firmly on the ground, they would have chosen dresses that could be used after the wedding.
White was used not to represent the bride’s purity—as Austen said in P&P, “loss of virtue in a female is irretrievable; one false step involves her in endless ruin…”— virginity was assumed; white was the color of celebration and certainly Jane and Elizabeth would want to celebrate their marriages. Continue reading
Sally Smith O'Rourke
“Where shall I begin? Which of all my important nothings shall I tell you first?” (J.A. June 15, 1808) That I live in the Victorian village of Monrovia, CA, that I work as a surgical scrub nurse. That I have had four novels published, Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen; The Man Who Loved Jane Austen; The Maidenstone Lighthouse and Christmas at Sea Pines Cottage. My current project is Physician, heal thyself which is a story that touches on reincarnation.
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Celebrating YOURS AFFECTIONATELY, JANE AUSTEN
Was Mr. Darcy real?
Mike, my late husband, and I set out to answer that question in The Man Who Loved Jane Austen. And I’m continuing the story with Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen. With the coming 200th anniversary of Pride and Prejudice just months away, it seemed the perfect time to delve into the complex nature of the man who became the embodiment of Austen’s most legendary hero.
Pragmatic New Yorker, Eliza Knight would never know if it was the champagne and ambiance of the centuries old southern estate or the man himself, but by the end of Pemberley Farms heritage Rose Ball she is in no doubt that Fitz Darcy of Virginia was Jane Austen’s inspiration for Elizabeth Bennet’s Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, arguably the most romantic figure in English literature.
Discovering, as the weekend draws to a close that she is falling in love with the enigmatic horseman, Eliza’s emotions are in turmoil. Darcy has spun a tale of love and romance in Regency England so compelling that she cannot believe this passionate, handsome man is in love with her and not Jane Austen.
Rationalizing that Austen has been dead for centuries Eliza takes her mother’s advice and risks it all for the love of a man she’s known less than a week. But things are happening in the quiet hamlet of Chawton, England that could change everything.
Will Jane Austen be the wedge that divides Eliza and Fitz or the tie that binds them?
Here is a taste of YOURS AFFECTIONATELY, JANE AUSTEN
CHAPTER 5
Although the sun was fully up in the Virginia summer sky, it was not yet hot. Fitz found jumping exhilarating; the cool morning air caressing his face, and Lord Nelson, so strong and graceful, took all the jumps with no effort.
Heritage Week was over so things could get back to normal. He shrugged. Whatever normal is. He realized there was a very good chance that his normal was about to change radically. Eliza’s letter—the one she had found written to him from Jane—had ended his search for the truth of his Regency encounter. But Eliza did much more than give him the letter. Continue reading
Sally Smith O'Rourke
“Where shall I begin? Which of all my important nothings shall I tell you first?” (J.A. June 15, 1808) That I live in the Victorian village of Monrovia, CA, that I work as a surgical scrub nurse. That I have had four novels published, Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen; The Man Who Loved Jane Austen; The Maidenstone Lighthouse and Christmas at Sea Pines Cottage. My current project is Physician, heal thyself which is a story that touches on reincarnation.
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Michaelmas
“Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England; that he came down on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place, and was so much delighted with it, that he agreed with Mr. Morris immediately; that he is to take possession before Michaelmas, and some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next week.”
Next Saturday, September 29th is Michaelmas, the feast of Michael the archangel who threw Lucifer out of heaven. Michaelmas festivities date back to the sixth century. Traditionally it was celebrated as a harvest festival.
It was at this time that tenants were able to pay their rents after working hard all spring and summer. They celebrated with food, music, dancing and games. The 
children would pretend to be St. George out slaying dragons. Legend held that St. George was Michael’s representative on earth.
In British folklore it is said that goose was the traditional Michaelmas meal because Elizabeth the first was dining on it when she learned about the defeat of the Spanish Armada, resolving to eat goose every Michaelmas after. Long before QEI mutton, duck, chicken and goose were served as the centerpiece of Michaelmas feasts. Like Bannock, bread made of grains and milk, goose was served because they were the fruit of the harvest. Continue reading
Sally Smith O'Rourke
“Where shall I begin? Which of all my important nothings shall I tell you first?” (J.A. June 15, 1808) That I live in the Victorian village of Monrovia, CA, that I work as a surgical scrub nurse. That I have had four novels published, Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen; The Man Who Loved Jane Austen; The Maidenstone Lighthouse and Christmas at Sea Pines Cottage. My current project is Physician, heal thyself which is a story that touches on reincarnation.
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The Independent Jane
For all the love, romance and scandal in Jane Austen’s books, what they are really about is freedom and independence. Independence of thought and the freedom to choose.
Elizabeth’s refusal of Mr. Collins offer of marriage showed an independence seldom seen in heroines of the day. Her refusal of Mr. Darcy while triggered by anger showed a level of independence that left him shocked and stunned.
The freedom she exhibited in finally accepting him in direct defiance of Lady Catherine and knowing her father would disapprove was unusual even for Austen. In her last
book Anne Elliot is persuaded to refuse Captain Wentworth at Lady Russel’s insistence.
Although Jane played by the rules of the day, all of her writing is infused with how she wanted life to be. She ‘screams’ her outrage at the limitations for women in Emma.
When accosted by Mrs. Elton, Jane Fairfax says,
“Excuse me, ma’am, but this is by no means my intention; I make no inquiry myself, and should be sorry to have any made by my friends. When I am quite determined as to the time, I am not at all afraid of being long unemployed. There are places in town, offices, where inquiry would soon produce something — offices for the sale, not quite of human flesh, but of human intellect.” Continue reading
Sally Smith O'Rourke
“Where shall I begin? Which of all my important nothings shall I tell you first?” (J.A. June 15, 1808) That I live in the Victorian village of Monrovia, CA, that I work as a surgical scrub nurse. That I have had four novels published, Yours Affectionately, Jane Austen; The Man Who Loved Jane Austen; The Maidenstone Lighthouse and Christmas at Sea Pines Cottage. My current project is Physician, heal thyself which is a story that touches on reincarnation.
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