SALLY HASTINGS SUBJECT

OF NEWLY PUBLISHED NOVEL

You may have heard of Sally Hastings who was a talented poetess, member of Donegal Church, and Maytown resident way back around the year 1800.  She has again been brought to life in a newly published book, though partly fictitious, by Violet Covert of Butler, PA. The book is titled, “Reflections of a Grass Widow,” referring to Sally’s separation from her much older husband Enoch Hastings.

 Mrs. Covert and her husband were here last year researching Sally’s home area, including her Maytown home which is now the Maytown Historical Society Museum, and visiting Donegal Church which she attended and where her mother and step-father Brice and Margaret Clark are buried. Though Sally left our area early in her life, the Clark family was prominent among Donegal Church members, and also the Donegal Society.  Martha Bladen Clark was one of the society‘s organizers and served as president for many years until her death.

 Sally Hastings, nee Anderson, wrote poetry that “displayed insight and wisdom, both religious and philosophical, which was phenomenal for her age and for her time and environment.”  Her story endures mainly because of the diary which she penned telling of the rigorous 24-day early winter trip across Pennsylvania in 1800. With her invalid sister and family, they traveled by horse and wagon at a time when there were no actual roads over seven mountain ranges, to reach Washington County.  This account was published, along with much of her poetry, by a Lancaster printer shortly thereafter, and, though very scarce, the Maytown organization has obtained a copy of the small booklet.  Donegal’s archives have photo-copied pages, but not Sally’s published diary.

 The new novel about Sally contains 320 pages and can be obtained from the Maytown Historical Society for $20.09 with the author very generously donating 25% of the proceeds to the society.  It is possible that there may be a sequel to “Reflections of a Grass Widow” which would focus on the remainder of Sally’s relatively short lifespan.  She died in 1812 at Cross Creek in Washington County, and sadly, her burial place is unknown.

Last Edited on 05/25/2008