Traces

by Patricia L. Hudson

An early American adage proclaimed, "The frontier was heaven for men and dogs—hell for women and mules." Since the 1700s, when his name first appeared in print, Daniel Boone has been synonymous with America's westward expansion and life on the frontier. Traces is a retelling of Boone's saga through the eyes of his wife, Rebecca, and her two oldest daughters, Susannah and Jemima.

Daniel became a mythic figure during his lifetime, but his fame fueled backwoods gossip that bedeviled the Boone women throughout their lives—most notably the widespread suspicion that one of Rebecca's children was fathered by Daniel's younger brother. Traces explores the origins of these rumors, exposes the harsh realities of frontier life, and gives voice to the women whose vibrant lives have been reduced to little more than scattered footnotes within the historical record. Along the path of Daniel's restless wandering, the women were eyewitnesses to the clash of cultures between the settlers and the indigenous tribes who fought to retain control of their native lands, which made life on the frontier an ongoing struggle for survival.

Patricia Hudson gives voice to these women, all of whom were pioneers in their own right. The Boone women's joys and sorrows, as well as those of countless other forgotten women who braved the frontier, are invisibly woven into the fabric of America's early years and the story of this country's westward expansion.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Book Club, Historical, Audiobook, War

288 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 2022

Reviews

[Christy fictional_traits · Rating 5 out of 5]

'The forgotten man is nothing to the forgotten woman' (Arthur M Schlesinger Jnr)

Although Daniel Boone's adventures have grown to almost mythological proportions over the centuries, next to nothing has ever been noted of his wife, Rebecca, nor his daughters Susannah and Jemima. Indeed, if we believe, 'behind every great man, there is a great woman', then just who were these womanly influences? Patricia Hudson, pulls together a story using a tri-pointed counter to the lauded tales of Boone, 'Remember this. This is the other side of all that roaming men do. Remember, and maybe someday you'll have the sense to spare women in your life this sort of pain...'

Needless to say, women - wives, daughters, and sisters - living on the newly founded frontiers of America endured much. Through utilising three different women's voices, Hudson captures a breadth of feelings and experiences. Their migratory existence - subsistence, while trying to raise a family amongst fear and danger - between clashing with Cherokee and Shawnee, as well as the rumbling discontent that leads to the American Revolution, must have been utterly daunting. Further, Hudson manages to touch upon slavery, cultural clashes, and the full circle of fear and hate becoming a dawning understanding of shared humanity, 'But they're just like us, Mama. You'd be furious too if you watched your land being stolen, bit by bit'.

I loved this book. Any historical fiction fans who love reading about the American frontier and women who lived within it, then this tale is for you. I see it was aptly endorsed by Amy Belding Brown, whose 'Flight of the Sparrow' I just loved too.

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

So far one of my favorite books of 2023! What a reading experience. As someone who loves historical fiction, this book had everything I look for. It is incredibly well researched, absorbing, and has realistic characters and stunning prose.

At first I was a bit put off by the fact that the book begins from the perspective of Rebecca, Daniel Boone's long suffering wife, whose story made me pick up the book. But then it switches to POVs from her daughters. Eventually I settled in and began to appreciate why she did this. It enables the reader to absorb even more of this complex story from different angles. Like a prism, these pitch perfect voices create a wonderful spectrum of light and beauty in a very dark time.

The book is complicated by a growing and necessary awareness of pioneer appropriation. But this is handled skillfully. Do note for readers who have trouble with violence that there are disturbing and graphic details due to the warring between local tribes and the pioneer men. Hudson does her best to objectively present the Native side while not flinching from the horrors the pioneer women had to endure and the tragic losses on both sides.

There is a blog by the author that explains some of her process and research. If you love the book like I did, read the blog after for a bit more info:

https://www.patricia-hudson.com/blog-1

There is also a helpful map: https://www.patricia-hudson.com/map

A wonderful contribution to the fictional world of these pioneer women who would have been forgotten otherwise. I still feel the intense cold these women experienced much of their days and the loss of the "long hunters" who disappeared, like land sailors, into the woodlands, leaving them vulnerable and in charge of the families left behind. I'm not sure which task was more difficult.

Highly recommend.

[Christy Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daniel Boone is much lauded as one of the first of the nonindigenous men to explore thru the Cumberland Gap leading westward from Tennessee to Kentucky. Many books have been written about him and his story is legend. No matter what those good original sources of information are, many biographers and historians, left out of that book some important people that made his journey real. “Traces” is the story of Daniel Boone’s women. This is the story of Rebecca Boone, his wife, and two of his daughters, Jemima and Suzanne. The life and times of Daniel and Rebecca Boone are explored around the known history of their lives and the times, morays, and hardships of life for both men and women in the mid to late 1700s thru the 1800s. It is told thru the eyes, ears, and heartaches of the women who loved, respected, and followed Daniel Boone thru primitive settlements, long hunts, and Indian warfare on his mission of providing a home for his very large family and leading other settlers and expanding the way west. The novel Is correctly classified as historical fiction but so well written you will find yourself celebrating and crying at the triumphs and tragedies of the Boone family. It is that real. Of course, some of it is fiction. There is a great deal we do not know about Daniel and Rebeccas Boone and their family. Ms. Hudson bases her supposition on what we do know and what is not said. It makes her story good and the Boones human. This book was well written, the characters historical, and the story is one that never gets old. Rebecca and her daughters are the heroes of this book. I thoroughly enjoyed this incredible story thru their eyes. Thanks, Patricia Hudson and The University of Kentucky Press for allowing me to be an early reader of his great book.

[Maureen Grigsby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent historical novel about the (Daniel) Boone family as told through the eyes of his wife and two of his daughters. I recommend this one for anyone who likes historical fiction!

[Martine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Traces is a well-written historical novel that tells the story of Rebecca Boone, the wife of Daniel Boone, and her daughters. It shows what life was like for women on the early American frontier, depicting their hardships, struggles, and resilience. The author does a great job of developing the characters and making them feel real. She clearly did a lot of research, and it shows in the details of the setting and time period. While the writing is beautiful and the story is meaningful, the pace can be slow at times. Still, it’s an important book to read. Too often, women's stories are left out of historical records, and Traces is a powerful reminder that women's roles are just as important as men's.

[Lucretia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Traces tells the stories of the Kentucky frontier from the perspectives of the Boone women, including Rebecca, Daniel Boone's wife, and his daughters Susannah and Jemima. Patricia Hudson brings these women's voices to the forefront and provides a different frame of reference on the colonial period in the U.S. The reader learns about the many hardships and obstacles that women faced, including the loss of children, bearing numerous children, foraging for food, leaving loved ones behind and summoning amazing courage. In addition, the voice of indigenous peoples is a positive presence as well. After reading the first page, I knew it would be difficult to put this book down and I did not want it to end. The descriptions of the characters and of their many frontier homes are vivid and encompassing. I could envision where they were and what they were experiencing. Highly recommended as one of the best historical fiction novels that I have read in recent years.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t know much about Daniel Boone, but I’m always interested in hearing some history from a female perspective. So many men get credited for great things and their stories leave out the people behind the scenes that help make their “greatness” possible.

With this book, I had to redefine “strong” based on today’s world and reconcile it to Rebecca’s time. I had to stop jumping to a conclusion based on what I thought she should do and let her story tell me, in her time and place, what a strong woman was. Once I did that, Rebecca’s story unfolded into a heartbreaking, beautiful story.

[Janilyn Kocher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot express how much I loved this book. How did I not know this was available last year?!
Hudson captures the voices of the Boone women so well. All the hardships, drudgery, and constant grind was wearing on them.
A must read any fan of frontier historical fiction!

[Tammy Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

After hearing stories of Daniel Boone all my life, it was nice to hear the stories told from the women’s points of view.

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well researched, the author has told Rebecca's story in a simple but addictive manner. Being a courageous steadfast wife and mother was no easy task for a frontierswoman trying to carry the weight of being both parents at times, but Hudson has managed to find Rebecca's inner character.

One of my favorite passages in the book: "She could almost hear the tramp of hundreds of feet all around her, as if every soul that had ever funneled through that narrow portal was still present. As she rode upward, their voices-Indian and white-crowded around her, whispering tales of hope and fear, triumph and discouragement. Her neck prickled with the sense that they were accompanied by a host of others. For her, the Gap was a haunted place."

[Kimberly Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daniel Boone is my 6x great grandfather. Susannah Boone Hayes my 5x great grandmother. I was so happy to discover this. It was recommended on Historical Fiction book lovers Facebook page.
I really haven’t studied Daniel Boone too much. I’ve known I was related to him for as long as I remember. A great Aunt had our family tree done in late 1960s. I never asked my grandfather if he had always known. I’ve been getting into genealogy more in my later years. I will definitely do more research on the Boones. I follow a descendants of Daniel Boone Facebook page. I live in California so I have never been to Kentucky or Missouri but would love to someday. Thank you.

[Anne-Marie McCartan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It matters not that most of this book only imagines the life of Rebecca Boone, wife of frontiersman Daniel Boone. Hudson has the reader engrossed in every detail of the hardships she must have overcome moving from camp to fort to homestead at his behest, bearing up under endless pregnancies and heart breaks. Particularly compelling was her treatment of how colonial settlers came to push native peoples further and further west, only occasionally having insights into why those tribes might have felt the territory was rightfully theirs. I highly recommend this book.

[Dan Ream · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great historical novel that draws on research and imagination to tell the untold story of Daniel Boone’s wife, Rebecca, and their family’s life in North Carolina, Virginia, and Kentucky. Daniel wasn’t very inclined to stay home and raise their 10 children, making him a challenging partner in parenting, to say the least. This story is well-written and engaging and left me sorry it was over at its ending. Highly recommended!

[Heather Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author said it best in the forward. This book follows the women footnoted in history.
Good read.

[Vicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best of 2023 for me.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook...excellent narration! I would have given it 5 stars, except for occasions of blasphemy. I won't give five stars in that case; just not necessary.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting to read about Daniel Boones wife and many children and his extended family. Well written account of this and the families travails in the late 1700’s

[Martish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grew up watching the Daniel Boone TV series so enjoyed this fictionalized version focusing on his wife and daughters.

[Elizabeth Felicetti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping historical novel about Daniel Boone's wife.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those books that I’ll think about for a long time. Having lived in Kentucky most of my life, I’ve been taught about Daniel Boone from early on. I’ve been (and lived) in many of the places mentioned in the book. Rebecca and the other women have always been footnotes to Daniel’s life. This book has really got me thinking about all the other “footnotes” in our history lessons, the hard work, the sacrifices- how our history was shaped by these women whose stories never got told. No matter how much of this book is fiction, I appreciate that it has shined a light in my mind on the indelible mark that Rebecca and women like her have left.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Traces, journalist Patricia Hudson imagines the life of Rebecca Boone, the wife of infamous American frontiersman, Daniel Boone. Little is known of this woman as Daniel Boone’s biographers make little mention of her. Hudson spent years researching any reference to Rebecca and their children, then chose to write a novel as the most effective way to tell her story.

Rebecca was born in northwestern Virginia in 1739 and died in 1813. She married Daniel in 1756, when she was living with her parent’s in western North Carolina, at the age 27 years. She and Daniel had ten children over the next twenty plus years, four boys and six girls. Daniel was away for long periods of time as he hunted and explored the areas west of them, the mostly unexplored areas over the Appalachian Mountains. He was also away when he fought in the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War.

Rebecca was not happy that she was left alone for long periods of time, sometimes as long as two years, but Daniel told her that she knew when they married that he was not a farmer, that he would support his family by hunting and selling furs. Sometimes their relationship was tense.

They often lived in small, rough cabins, far away from others. Raiding Indians were always a threat. In addition to their children, Rebecca often cared for various nephews and nieces. The children all helped her garden and grow a few crops. When they reached their teen years, some of them traveled with their father.

Rebecca’s two oldest daughters, Susanna and Jemima, also take prime roles in Traces. Susanna traveled with her father in the earlier years of finding the Cumberland Gap. She and a Black slave of one of the explorers, cooked for the men and developed an unusual friendship for that time.

There were questions about Jemima’s birth as she was born when Daniel had been gone for more than a year. As a result, people whispered about Jemima and said Rebecca was a loose woman. Hudson supposes that Daniel’s brother Ned, who married Rebecca’s sister Martha, might be Jemima’s father. He lived near the Boones while Daniel was gone, and often helped with her crops and animals. As a result of the rumors, Jemima did not feel that Daniel cared for her, until he rescued her from the Shawnee Indians who kidnapped her when they lived in Kentucky.

Over the years of their marriage, Rebecca and Daniel lived in a variety of areas, including Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio and Missouri. For a few years they lived within a fort in Kentucky, for protection, and for a few other years they lived along the Ohio River where Daniel kept a tavern. However, Daniel was often away, so it was Rebecca who fed and cared for the travelers who stopped in.

The title refers to a trail, as they were often called traces at that time.

Traces is a well written and engrossing look at a mostly ignored frontier woman. Hudson makes her novel feel like a biography.

However, after reading the book, I wanted notes, sources and other information on her research. The book lacks them. From various Hudson interviews, I discovered that a year after Traces was published, some of her source information became available in volume 50, No 1-2, of the Appalachian Journal.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

If they know anything about the Westward Expansion of the United States during its formative years, most readers will be familiar with the name and legend of Daniel Boone. But Boone's story, fascinating and important as it may be, like so much of history, ignores the importance of the women in his life. In this well-researched, immersive, and thoughtful account of his wife, Rebecca, and two daughters, Susanna and Jemima, the author seeks to remedy that omission. Through her narrative, readers find themselves in Rebecca's shoes, married at a young age to a man who often seems gone on one expedition or another, leaving her to fend for herself and to take care of their growing family. Those long months of loneliness and uncertainty are described vividly as are the daily tasks necessary to keep up a household. And as if often the fate of a woman alone, Rebecca was subject to rumors that she was unfaithful to her husband. Once a rumor starts, it tends to take on a life of its own, and such was the case for Rebecca, whose heart was constantly broken by the deaths of friends and family members, often at the hands of Indians defending their land from the intrusion of white settlers. As portrayed in this account, Rebecca is rendered as complicated with complex feelings about her marriage and all that movement. Her daughters also are portrayed as strong individuals, one caught in an abusive marriage, and the other constantly dodging rumors about her parentage. The author uses vocabulary and description fitting to the time period in which the book is set--starting in 1760 in North Carolina--and readers will feel as though they, too, are on the run from Indians set on revenge and heartbroken to leave behind all the trappings of civilization. The book's title--Traces--is perfect for its content since these women, like so many others of that time and beyond--were often disregarded, leaving behind only traces of their existence despite the important roles they played. Since explorers also leave behind traces or follow traces in trying to find new places to live, the title works well on several levels. This book, almost a quarter of a century in the making, is a solid choice for fans of historical fiction or those who want to know more about various periods of history, told through the lens of women. I'm grateful that my friend, Ed Sullivan, recommended it.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Her father spent a good part of that evening dancing with their mother, then afterwards, sitting by one of the fires, recounting his adventures to anyone who cared to listen. Her mother sat beside him, quietly taking it all in. As the evening wore on, Jemima saw her mother's jaw tighten as she watched her husband sell Kentucky to his audience as smoothly as a peddler touting the benefits of a homemade elixir. Clearly, he meant to go back across the mountains, and he didn't intend to go alone."
--from TRACES, by Patricia Hudson

Just this morning I finished reading TRACES, the fine new novel by Patricia Hudson. It's the Daniel Boone story told from the point of view of the women, primarily Rebecca Boone and their daughters, Savannah and Jemima. With all that has been written about Boone and his adventures, rarely is there even a mention of Rebecca beyond "wife." Ms. Hudson has changed that. Oh, has she ever changed it.

I've long been fascinated by pioneer life, perhaps from growing up in rural SW Virginia. I'm also captivated by Boone in particular, no doubt due to the fact that an important chunk of his exploration took place all through our mountains. (In fact, the Daniel Boone Trail is noted all along the route I take whenever I go "home.") What was it like to live in those wilds at that time, both as the explorer but also as his wife—a woman who bore 10 children and spent so much time homesteading in dire and dangerous circumstances? Without him, for years at a time? Why did she put up with his long absences? How did she survive?

Now I know, because Ms. Hudson has brought this all to life through meticulous research that is woven expertly and seamlessly into a compelling narrative.

I loved this book.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a total impulse buy for me. I was at a book fair where the author was set up and was immediately interested in this work of historical fiction told from the viewpoint of Daniel Boone’s wife and daughters. I’m glad I took a chance because this is the best book I have read so far in 2023. First of all, it’s wonderful to read a book where the author actually has great writing and use of grammar. It’s descriptive without being overdone and captivating from page one until the end.

I loved how the author fleshed out these women from history and made them come alive. Each woman had her own distinct personality and they went through so many things that modern women today can relate to. There is love, heartache, jealousy, pettiness, motherhood, grief, pain, fear and loneliness. Some of the lines that stood out to me were:

(pg 237) “..it dawned on her that marriage was not about choosing one’s partner just once, but over and over again.”

(pg 263) “Nonhelema’s dark eyes softened. “Your hatred will eat you from within.”

(pg 273) She carried people in her heart, too—those she was apart from, and all the dear ones who’d passed on. Once Nonhelema had told her: “My people believe that one day we’ll be reunited with those we’ve lost, so we have to need for goodbye. Instead, when we part ways, we say, ‘Silinoke kanola.’ It means: ‘Again, we’ll see each other.”

(pg 259) After reading John Filson’s book about her father, where he basically ignored the women in the family and their contributions, Susannah remarked, “We were there,…. but no one will remember us.”

Thanks to author Patricia Hudson they will Suzy — yes they will!!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quite well done exploration of what it would have been like to be a woman in Daniel Boone's world. Focusing mostly on his wife, Rebecca, but also including his two oldest daughters, Suzannah and Jemima, this work of fiction does a very credible job of putting the reader in a time and place that is in fact difficult (at least for me) to imagine: being one of the first white female settlers on the frontier. She paints the hardships, but also the joys, that might have been part of this world. There are some false notes along the way - most particularly involving an effort to view the people of this time through a modern, progressive lens. Rebecca's interaction with Nonhelema (a female leader of the Shawnee nation) felt artificially introduced in order to allow Rebecca to develop a more enlightened view of the Indians. Similarly, the “friendship” between Suzannah and the enslaved woman Dolly felt overly romanticized, with Dolly feeling free to give Suzannah little mini-lectures on female oppression. On the other hand, this novel also humanized Daniel Boone, depicting him as a good man but also a very flawed human being whose "heroism" was in part simply his living the way he wanted to live despite its effect on others (his family, indigenous people).

[Tracy Jentzsch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hands down an amazing book! It is abundantly evident that Patricia Hudson did her research. This is such a well written, well researched book that really brings the story of Daniel Boone and his family to life. She artfully crafts the story of the Boone women (wife Rebecca, and daughters) in such a manner that you laugh and cry with them through the trials and tribulations of life in 18th century as the Boone family is pushing the boundaries of settling the American west. She paints an artful picture of what it truly meant to be a woman at this point in history, of what they had to face. It is not just a story of love and loss but of resilience and understanding. I absolutely love the way that Hudson writes and simply couldn’t put this book down. Being a lover of history myself, there were many times I said to myself “I didn’t know that”, would look things up and sure enough, everything was completely accurate. This is my favorite genre of books, and I will be sure to recommend this one to everyone I know, and I do hope that Ms. Hudson has more stories to share with us.

[Emily Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Not for School*
I gave this 5 stars because it was well done and very thought-provoking. I am still thing about it. In retrospect, I previously read Boone: A Biography by Robert Morgan, and reading this book before Traces made me appreciate all the excellent research that went into creating this story.

Traces followed the life of the Boone women. They were amazing and went through all the exploration and hardships that the Boone men went through. They were with the explorers but no one cared to appreciate or document it. Hudson does a good job giving voice to these women. That being said I didn't 100% approve of the voice, but my annoyance didn't distract me from the book. It only made me think more about life from the women's point of view.

[Bonnie Blaylock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Top-notch historical fiction by an author who did her research! Loved this behind-the-scenes story as experienced by Daniel Boone's wife and daughters. The man made famous by legend and song was supported and loved by his family, who get little to no mention by historians. Hudson weaves their stories into this lovely novel, piecing together bits from the historical record, proving Rebecca Boone and her children were courageous, resilient, and full of their own desires, ambitions, and opinions. Hudson traces the Boone family from homestead to homestead in a tale that's adventurous, surprising and filled with plenty of emotional turns. An unexpected pleasure to read as fiction from the 1700's isn't my usual go-to! Well-deserved award-winning book!

[Linda Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good and well-researched historical fiction told from the viewpoint of Daniel Boone's wife, Rebecca, and his oldest daughters, Susannah and Jemima Boone. I've read about Daniel and all of his explorations all my life but never knew anything about his family. You never really understand the harsh conditions of the frontier during the years of American Revolution and clashes with Native Americans until you see it from a woman's viewpoint. Rebecca Boone was one very strong and tough lady to raise 10 children while moving from one settlement to another, building cabins, raising gardens, hauling water, feeding cattle, and doing everything she could to take care of her family while Daniel was off exploring for months at a time.

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honest gripping story of the Boone women who were caught in the mesh of Daniels fascination with exploration and the outdoors. Rebecca, wife, Jemima, daughter, and Susannah, the mistreated daughter, all lend their fictional voices to their stories and lives. Of all the problems Rebecca had with raising 10 children and being on her own in the wilderness, one of the saddest was her daughter Susannah, who had an abusive husband.
This is a vivid historical story, seemingly well researched, and mind blowing to see the lives of these women in early America.