Betty Layman Receveur tells the...
Illustration
Betty Layman Receveur tells the story of the founding of Kentucky as the fifteenth state admitted to the United States in the exciting novel Oh, Kentucky. Daniel Boone comes off as something of a jaded hero, who did found, among other places, Boonesborough, a fort on the Kentucky River. That site was home for Kitty Gentry, one of the founding mothers of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Beautiful, bright, industrious and courageous, Kitty experienced great love, grief and dark tragedy. What is most impressive in this story is to realize how people experienced the providence of God through their dependence upon one another. Together they had to battle the natural elements as well as the enemies who attacked them in their fields or made assaults on the fort. In preparation for raids on the fort all hands of men, women and children had to work together to lay food in store, repair and strengthen the fort, and prepare ammunition. When the enemy struck, all hands had to work together to load and reload ammunition. Women disguised themselves as men to give the appearance of greater numbers. They were dependent upon one another in other ways for light and fire, for assistance in illness, childbirth, grief and death. Their thanksgiving for God's providence through others was deeply felt. -- Huxhold
