The Real Characters

Historical Fiction: Where Fact Fuels the Imagination

Craig Pennington masterfully blends real events and historical figures into captivating stories that both educate and entertain. His novels are rich with historical detail, yet driven by compelling narratives that bring the past vividly to life.

The heart of his Moorhead Series lies in his own family history. Drawing inspiration from his maternal ancestors—like the fierce warrior John James Muirhead and the passionate abolitionist James Moorhead—Pennington invites readers into immersive worlds shaped by courage, conflict, and conviction.

James Moorhead (1780-1857)

Craig's 5X Great Grandfather was one of Pennsylvania's most outspoken abolitionists and Anti-Mason crusaders. His newspaper, The Clarion of Freedom, was first published in Indiana in 1843. Later, he published The Independent, another paper dedicated to eradicating slavery and Freemasonry. His son, grandson, and great-grandson were all newspapermen.

Dr. Robert Mitchell (1786-1863)

was the second physician to settle in Indiana and one of the first conductors and station masters of the fledgling Underground Railroad. He was instrumental in defending Anthony Hollingsworth and eventually paid a large fine for hiding other freedom seekers. In later years, Mitchell became a State Representative and Associate Judge.

Bishop Richard Allen (1760 – 1831),

a former slave, helped mobilize the free black citizens during the Philadelphia Yellow Fever Epidemic. In 1794, he and Absalom Jones founded the Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church in Philadelphia. Later, Allen and his wife, Sarah Bass, were active participants in the Underground Railroad.

Dr. Benjamin Rush (1745 – 1813)

was a highly regarded physician and social reformer. He was a signer of the Declaration and served as surgeon general of the Continental Army. He opposed slavery, advocated free public schools, and sought educational opportunities for women. Ironically, Rush died from a series of bleedings attempting to cure his case of typhus.

Murder on the Underground Railroad

Fergus Moorhead (1742-1822)

Fergus and Jane Moorhead left "a numerous and respectable progeny." They had nine children who lived: William, Joseph, Euphemia, Thomas (who may have died of smallpox), Samuel, Margaret, James, Fergus, and Jane. Three others died during childbirth. The exact dates and order of the children's births is not known.

Fergus Moorhead died in 1822, at the age of 80. Jane White Moorhead died two years later, at the age of 79.

Lt Colonel Barrimore St. Leger (1733-1789)

was a British Army officer who enjoyed varying levels of success during his career. Following his involvement in General Burgoyne's 1777 Saratoga Campaign, St. Leger remained on the frontier for the duration of the war. After its conclusion, he served briefly as commander of British forces in Quebec. Due to ill-health, St. Leger returned to England in 1785 and died there in 1789.

Joseph Brant (1742 - 1807)

is one of the best-known Native Americans of the late 18th century. Born in the Mohawk tribe, and not a son of a chief, Brant earned his title of Mohawk war chief after his successful career in the French and Indian War. During the Revolutionary War, Joseph Brant (now a sachem of the Mohawk) was instrumental in convincing the Iroquois Nation to side with the British.

Chief Cornplanter (1745 – 1813)

John Abeel III, generally known as Cornplanter, was a Seneca war chief and diplomat of the Wolf clan. As a chief warrior, Cornplanter fought in the French and Indian War and the American Revolutionary War. He believed the Iroquois should stay out of the white man's war. During the War of 1812, Cornplanter supported the American cause and offered to bring two hundred warriors to assist the U.S., but his offer was refused.

West of the Alleghenies

Archibald Campbell, Marquess of Argyll, 8th Earl of Argyll, Chief of Clan Campbell (1607 – 1661) was the de facto head of Scotland's government during most of the conflict of the 1640s and 1650s known as the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, He invited John James Muirhead to Inveraray Castle to take command of the guard.

John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll (1680–1743): Son of the 1st Duke, he was a notable military leader and politician, serving as a field marshal and playing significant roles in the War of the Spanish Succession and the Jacobite rising of 1715. Considered a man of great talent, he also caused quite a scandal when he introduced the very pregnant Lady Warburton.

Elizabeth Campbell, Duchess of Argyll, Duchess of Hamilton, née Gunning (1733 –1790), was a celebrity Irish beauty without rank who caused a sensation when she and her sister were introduced into high society. Elizabeth married the Duke of Hamilton only weeks after meeting him at a masquerade. Upon his untimely death, she married John Campbell, Marquess of Lorne. Young Alexander was as smitten as the rest of Europe.

Field Marshal John Campbell, 5th Duke of Argyll (1723 –1806), Marquess of Lorne from 1761 to 1770, was a Scottish soldier and nobleman. After serving as a junior officer in Flanders during the War of the Austrian Succession, he was given command of a regiment and was redeployed to Scotland. He married Elizabeth, Duchess of Hamilton. Young Alexander Moorhead and his mother have dinner with the couple on their trip to America.

The Heart of the Run

Jane Campbell, Duchess of Argyll (born Lady Jane Warburton; 1683 – 1767) was known for her extravagant lifestyle and outrageously revealing dresses. When she was introduced as the fiancée of John Campbell at the famous Pineapple Dinner, the Lady was visibly and proudly pregnant.

Walker Evans (1903-1975)

was best known for documenting the effects of the Great Depression on Southern farm workers. In his later years, Evans became a professor at Yale University School of Art. Many critics now consider him one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century.

Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961)

remains one of America's most famous and recognizable writers. In 1933, he was in Cuba to fish when he met Walker Evans. The two became drinking buddies, and Evans entrusted Hemingway with his photos. Hemingway later took the prints to Key West, where they were found years later.

Carleton Beals (1893-1979)

was an American journalist, writer, historian, and political activist with a special interest in Latin America. His book, The Crime of Cuba, was illustrated with photos by Walker Evans and exposed the horrors of the Machado Regime. He was the author of more than 200 magazine articles and 40 books.

Benjamin Sumner Welles (1892 – 1961)

was an American government official and diplomat. He served as a major foreign policy adviser to President Franklin D. Roosevelt and held the position of Under Secretary of State from 1936 to 1943 during Roosevelt's presidency. His efforts to support the Machado Regime ultimately led to the collapse of the Cuban government in 1933.