As with all historical fiction, some of the elements of this story are true accounts of history and well-researched fact. I used original sources and journals whenever possible, and the setting and characters are accurate to early 1800s England and America. The following people and events deserve mention as nonfictional parts of the story:
Richard Allen and his wife, Sarah, did live in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the early to mid-1800s. He did establish a church there. They did work tirelessly to abolish slavery and to help freed slaves. The Allens’ home and church worked as part of the Underground Railroad until Pennsylvania became a free state and long after as they housed as many as they could. They raised six children and were often called the mother and father of their congregation. All guesses at their personalities were mine. The church they founded is still in use today. It sits on a property that holds the distinguished characteristic of being the oldest parcel of land in the United States continuously owned by African Americans. It used to be the home of a blacksmith shop and was purchased for thirty-five dollars. The Allens helped move the shop elsewhere, and the church they built in its place became the African Methodist Episcopal Church. At one point in this book, during a sermon, Richard preaches a bit of doctrine I appreciate regarding slavery. This was originally spoken by Frederick Douglass many years later, but I imagine Richard Allen felt the same way, so I included the quote because it pertained so well to the time.
I studied maps of Philadelphia of the time period and tried to be as accurate as possible.
The idea of a female inheritance was rare in England, but there are evidences of such a thing actually occurring.
Ship captains did perform weddings, but usually only in circumstances in which they had also held a position in the church. Marriages could also be performed by the ship’s own clergyman.
Believe it or not, a time or two, lady members of the nobility were known to run and hide as servants in other households. I was first intrigued by the idea while reading The Maid of Fairbourne Hall by Julie Klassen.
I spared readers extreme details of awful circumstances passengers experienced in steerage on a ship.