Come Spring

I have a biased opinion of this wonderfully written book, a fictionalized yet historic telling of our families settling in what would become the state of Maine, in Sterlingtown, which was Incorporated as Union in 1780. We have spent many summers at my wife's Grandparents house in nearby Friendship exploring the area. My wife and I now have the time to explore at an easier pace, and look forward to going up very soon, probably next month. I know, if you enjoy history as much as I do, you will enjoy "Come Spring". While it is quite long, it captures your imagination and you can feel how it must have been living in the Wilderness, with the Moose and Bear and the First Nations people around. How it must have been to see your loved ones going off to join the fight for Independence in the Militia. And just a side note: If you enjoy the History of the founding of our Great Country, I encourage you to Google #THEFAIRBANKSHOUSE in Dedham, Massachusetts. I'm also proud to say this house was built by our family ancestors in 1636-7. It is the oldest still standing wood frame structure in the United States. The house is open for tours and is on the Registry of Historical Sites.

This book is a novel about the real farmers that founded Union, Maine during the revolutionary war. Unlike most historical novels, the big names of generals and officials play a minor part, as the novel focuses on the struggles of common folks, clearing the forests, planting crops, and raising families under difficult conditions. The story is long and detailed, but if you persevere you’ll be rewarded with a deeper understanding of what our ancestors went through to turn the American wilderness into the USA.

It's time that some of Maine's historical stories be repeated and Ben Ames Williams' "Come Spring" is one of them. The book tells a tale of a family settling a piece of our state almost from its beginning, reminiscent of "Swiss Family Robinson". Things tough these days? This is a reminder of what it was like when living was REALLY tough. You ate the moose (winter-frozen) until it rotted, for example. Nobody had a little convenience store to run to when food ran out - instead, one planted and hunted with an eye for how long those comestibles would last without reliable preservation methods available.Danger? It was frightening and all new to recent settlers. Regardless of the big outside events, they had to struggle for their own survival every day.My friends knew nothing about these books from our recent past, and I am re-introducing this one to our 2014 neighbors.

As a direct descendant of Joel Adams and Jemima Robbins, I was extremely excited to read this book and it did not disappoint. I only wished it was longer. Such an easy read, I finished it in less than a week. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the hardships of my ancestors as well as their accomplishments. Highly recommend and I cannot wait to continue my research of my family and to visit Union. I’ve always had a special connection to Maine and now it makes more sense after reading this book.

This book is a treasure. It was not in print as a hard-back for so many years and I wondered if I would ever own a copy. Thank you Union, Maine Historical Society for making this wonderful book available again!

This is a book that I have read numerous times- indeed a family favorite. It’s is a beautifully written story about a couple when Maine was being homesteaded. I highly recommend it.

This is a great account of revolution and post-revolution Maine. Very enjoyable read.

Taking place during the Am. Revolution, it gives a fine account of life on the frontier of Maine...the challenges, the privations, the love. It would have been four or five stars if it hadn't been overly repetative and long.