The Entailed Hat; Or, Patty Cannon's Times

In this richly layered romance, a wandering writer returns to the quiet peninsula between the Chesapeake and the Delaware, drawn by a curious bequest: an entailed hat that has passed through generations like a silent witness to the land’s hidden histories. As he explores the moss‑covered courthouses, abandoned iron furnaces and the lingering folklore of Snow Hill, the hat becomes a thread that links his own childhood memories to the shadowy legacy of Patty Cannon, the notorious kidnapper whose name still haunts local lore.

The narrative weaves together the everyday lives of judges, foresters, and ordinary townsfolk, offering vivid snapshots of a region on the brink of modern change. Through gentle humor and keen observation, the story captures the clash between old customs and new beginnings, inviting listeners to wander the tangled paths of memory, superstition, and the restless spirit of a bygone era.