Following the American War for Independence, Betsy Green and her husband, Charles—who fought with the Loyalists—are relentlessly persecuted by their neighbours and fear they can no longer remain in New Jersey. Having traversed the land between his home and Upper Canada during his time with Butler’s Rangers, Charles plans to go to the Niagara Region, then return for his pregnant wife and five children. There, he hopes the British government will grant him land as a reward for his loyalty to the Crown. But Betsy alters their plans when she makes a decision—though virtuous and kind-hearted—that endangers her entire family. They must flee their home immediately.
Desperate to move quickly, Charles and Betsy leave their three eldest children in the care of Charles’s brother and set out with their two youngest, a few supplies, and their only horse. So begins their long and dangerous trek—full of twists and toils—to Upper Canada. They must travel under cover of darkness or risk being caught and arrested.
Blending true stories with fictional details, and told through the voices of Betsy and later her daughter Rebecca, Our Pursuit of Happiness is an extraordinary tale of a family whose love, strength, courage, and fortitude during perilous times paved the way for generations to come.
T.R. Biggar
T.R. Biggar has published several short stories and plays. She grew up in Niagara Falls, and her ancestors were United Empire Loyalists. A lifelong lover of historical fiction, she spends her summers at her cottage on an island in Georgian Bay, where she enjoys time with her family, walking in the woods, kayaking, and writing. She lives in Kitchener, Ontario.
