John Baring's House

"John Baring's House" by Elsie Singmaster is a historical fiction story that follows Elizabeth Scott and her brother Herbert as they try to rebuild their lives in their family’s old home after their mother passes away. Set after the Civil War, the book explores themes of legacy, the difficulties facing communities, and the challenges of old grudges that are still there from the past, especially concerning the actions of Elizabeth’s grandfather, John Baring. When Elizabeth and Herbert start living in their house again, they realize it needs a lot of repairs. They are hopeful that they can fix up the farm and make it successful, but they soon find out that their grandfather's bad reputation has made them outcasts in the town. Even though Elizabeth is strong and determined, they face anger and distrust from the people around them, causing them to question their family's history. After a weird meeting with a man in the woods, they wonder if their grandfather betrayed his neighbors during the war. The siblings' dreams of building their orchard become more and more difficult, pointing to deeper conflicts within themselves and the community as they deal with the heavy burden of their grandfather’s past.