The Long Journey of Writing ‘Noble Son’

I started working on Noble Son in March 2020 and, now, publication is coming soon.

The process of researching and writing this book has been the most challenging and rewarding writing project of my life. I did much of my research using online newspaper archives and reading through dozens of Civil War books. Also, in what became a great adventure, I traveled thousands of miles visiting libraries, museums, research centers, and historic sites. I tried to go everywhere Willet went, from his birth in 1844 to his death in 1864 at 19, as well as other locations for my research. Below are lists and photos from that long journey:

States visited

New York

New Hampshire

Pennsylvania

Maryland

Virginia

Mississippi

Louisiana

Florida

Historic sites visited

Willet Rathbun boyhood farmstead, Parish, New York (thanks to the current owner!)

Halfshire Historical Society, Richland, New York

Patterson Park, Baltimore, Maryland

Maryland Center for History and Culture, Baltimore, Maryland

National Museum of Civil War Medicine, Frederick, Maryland

National Civil War Museum, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Fortress Monroe National Monument, Fort Monroe, Virginia

Louisiana State University Libraries Special Collection, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Port Hudson Battlefield and State Historic Site, Jackson, Louisiana

Ship Island National Seashore, Mississippi

Fort Zachary Taylor, Key West, Florida

Florida Keys History Center, Key West Florida

Other Civil War sites visited for historic context

Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, Virginia

Vicksburg National Military Park, Mississippi

Other sites for writing and research – almost the entire book was written at these three sites

My home office!

Carmel Clay Library, Carmel, Indiana

Bracken Library, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana

Panera, Rangeline Road, Carmel, Indiana