The Day Must Dawn

by Agnes Sligh Turnbull

A story of the frontiers of western Pennsylvania. Against this historical background is told the story of the Murrays and their neighbors, of Violet the daughter, who suddenly realized that she was in love with her foster brother, Hugh, and of how Hugh felt he must play a man's part before he declared his love for her. Authentic pictures of frontier life, of the crudeness of the houses and the furnishings, of the superstitions, old wives tales, religious quirks, and of the essential faith in liberty and democracy. Good substantial historical fiction, by author of The Rolling Years.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction

483 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1942

About the author

Novelist Agnes Sligh Turnbull was born in 1888 in New Alexandria, PA. After a dozen years as a short story writer, Turnbull wrote her first novel, The Rolling Years, published in 1936. In the 14 additional novels she wrote over the next 40-plus years, Turnbull built a thorough chronicle of the Scots who settled and farmed rural Westmoreland County. Turnbull died in 1982.

Reviews

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a surprisingly good historical novel of the settlement of Hannastown, Pennsylvania, during the period of the Revolutionary War. The town was destroyed in real life (and in the book) by Seneca Indians in 1782 and is considered one of the last hostile acts of the war [Wikipedia].

The writing is historically accurate and honest, though written from the perspective of the settlers. The Indians are all (except for the few Indian allies) "savages" and the author doesn't spend any time looking at things from their perspective. Having said that she does a really good job of portraying the difficult and dangerous life of wilderness settlers during the war, constantly in danger from the elements, from wild animals, and from the attack of hostile Indians.

In this passage, Mrs. Turnbull eloquently explains how weather affects history: "Nothing in the long history of man is more startling , more significant, or more ironic than the effect of weather upon his destiny. A shower of rain may unseat a king; a snowstorm may send an empire crashing. Man with all his lordly powers must, at the very moment of his pride, pause and wait and be still while Nature moves about her own quiet providences." It's a remarkably perceptive insight.

Reflecting the genuine faith of many of the settlers, one of the characters, Martha, recounts how despite the harshness of their wilderness life, her vow from the beginning of her marriage had been, "Where God gives me home, there will I give him homage." Something we could all take to heart.

Salt was essential to life for the settlers and Mrs. Turnbull has a beautiful paragraph expressing its importance. She writes, "He went over to the corner of the stable and lifted a large gourd shell from the floor. In it was a commodity infinitely precious. The essence of all flavor, the very life of taste and appetite for both man and beast, it admitted of no real substitute and was as valuable in the Back Country as gold itself...So the white grains that lent zest to the palate and savor to all living were brought from the east on laden pack horses; were bought by the frontiersmen with careful bargaining and then guarded by housewives as though they were rubies."

Martha, one of the books key characters, and a woman that has literally been physically broken by the hardscrabble life of the frontier, has a moment of illumination in the book when she realizes that there are some whose lot it is to come into the virgin wilderness and bear the difficulties and dangers of settlement, and others who will come after and reap the rewards. Mrs Turnbull puts it this way in Martha's words: "There's some that must cut down the wilderness and break the rough ground and maybe wet it with their blood. And then there's some that will come after and live on the fat of the land. God must sort out which is which."

This book is about those who came first and wet the land with their blood.

[Kari · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the book describing my ancestor, Sam Craig, and his son Sam with his nice singing voice. That was an interesting story to put into some more context.

I also ran into Simon Girty again here. I suppose this is his earlier life, before he appears in Zane Grey's Betty Zane. I'm gratified that his character seems to be the same between two authors.

[Sharon Zink · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Agnes Sligh Turnbull's writing, and I like pioneer stories. This book is too long, and the good characters are completely good, while the bad characters are completely bad. Some of the descriptions are improbable. This is a story of wilderness settlement in Pennsylvania during the Revolutionary War. Sounds like an intriguing plot, but it was disappointing.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical fiction of the Pennsylvania Frontier of Westmoreland County from 1777-1782. Sam, Martha, Violet and Hugh Murray survive its harshness, the Revolutionary War, and the depravations and death which frontier living in Hannastown, PA would require.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of the settling of western Pennsylvania. It is the fleshing out in novel form of a diary left by a woman who lived this experience. Well written and researched. I struggle a bit with the white perspective of the times, knowing that the Native Americans were driven from their lands by disease, warfare and many broken treaties and promises.

[Beth Shields-Szostak]

1st edition, signed by author; also own several other copies

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book. Realistic pioneer love/survival story. Although it wouldn't be politically correct today I am sure the author told it like it was in the 1700's.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good pioneer story, and really engaging. Found it on a free cart at the library and glad I took it home.