Travel to Berkeley Plantation

Nine days until release day of A Storm Coming. The excitement is building!

Let talk about Thomas Kearsey, one of the main characters. One reviewer, Fiza Pathan, says “… the most surprising voice of all appears who is Kearsey, a half-Weyanoke indentured servant on Colonel Benjamin Harrison’s Virginia plantation, who will eventually re-enter the central narrative as its agent of grace.”

“Agent of grace” perfectly describes Kearsey. He embodies kindness, forgiveness, and unconditional love. Spoiler alert: He comes to the rescue in the end.

Known simply as Kearsey, Thomas Kearsey is from the Weyanoke tribe. He is diametrically opposite to Jane in personality. He is a good-natured jokester who enjoys bringing joy to others. Most of his actions center on the goals of faith and family. Kearsey is my 7x great-grandfather.

Kearsey was raised on the Harrison plantation.

The Harrison plantation on the James River is officially known as Berkeley. Located in Charles City County, Virginia, this 1,000-acre estate is famously the ancestral home of the Harrison family. It is the birthplace of William Henry Harrison (the 9th U.S. President) and Benjamin Harrison (the 23rd U.S. President). Benjamin Harrison V, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, was also born here.

I have visited Berkeley Plantation. It still boasts the original 1726 three-story Georgian brick manor. Benjamin Harrison IV, Kearsey’s best friend, built Berkeley. It is one of the oldest three-story brick houses in Virginia. It also houses the slave cabins, where Kearsey likely lived. Berkeley is a great summer trip.

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