Author’s book explores history of Lyman family

PORTLAND >> “Historical Fiction as a Portal to the Past: The Lymans of Lyman Orchards” will be the topic of a program by Diana Ross McCain, author of the new historical novel “Thy Children’s Children,” based on the true story of the first five generations of the Lyman family of Middlefield, at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29, at the Waverly Center, 7 Waverly Ave., Portland. The program is free to the public and sponsored by the Portland Historical Society.

Between 1741 and 1871, Lyman men and women established and nurtured a farm and homestead that are owned by descendants to this day. Their dreams were much the same as those of people of today: opportunity and freedom to create and support a family, a home, and a community, and to leave the legacy of a bright future for their children and grandchildren. They pursued these goals while grappling with the harsh challenges of life in a time when every aspect of existence, from housekeeping to medicine to transportation to communication, was far different from modern circumstances — and usually more primitive. Sometimes they succeeded, sometimes they failed, but always they persevered.

Lymans also took part, often at great personal peril, in political, moral, and economic movements that shaped the course of American history.

Today the eighth and ninth generations of Lymans operate Lyman Orchards, an 1,100-acre agricultural/recreational complex that includes the land first purchased in 1741.

McCain will provide an overview of the turbulent period covered by “Thy Children’s Children” and the role the Lymans played in the critical events of that era that transformed a handful of American colonies into a young nation on the cusp of the modern industrial era.

She will share how she melded historical fact with imagination to craft a work of fiction that breathes life into the people and the events of this period, making it more accessible to readers.

She will highlight examples of how information gleaned from historical records provided the framework for chapters on everything from daily life to historical milestones, as well as for shaping the personalities of characters in the novel.

“Thy Children’s Children” is based on two decades of research into the Lyman family by McCain, who is an independent historian with more than thirty years of experience in researching and writing history. Connecticut state historian Dr. Walter Woodward praised the book as “the story of a real family in the thick of Connecticut and American history for more than a century, told in a novel that accurately portrays the past and is also a great read.”

McCain holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history, and was on the staff of the Connecticut Historical Society for 25 years. She is the author of several non-fiction works of history, including It Happened in Connecticut, Mysteries and Legends of New England, and Connecticut Coast. She is a partner in “Come Home to Connecticut,” an enterprise which offers historical and genealogical research services, consulting, and programming.

Copies of “Thy Children’s Children” will be for sale for check or cash and for signing by the author following the presentation.

The price is $20, which includes state sales tax.