The Woodneys: An American Family is a historical novel written by John Breckenridge Ellis and published in 1914. The book is set in the early 19th century and chronicles the lives of the Woodney family, a wealthy and influential family from Virginia. The story follows the family through several generations, from their early days as plantation owners to their involvement in the Civil War and the Reconstruction era.The novel is divided into several sections, each focusing on a different member of the Woodney family. The first section introduces the patriarch of the family, Colonel John Woodney, and his wife, Elizabeth. The couple is portrayed as proud and ambitious, determined to maintain their social status and wealth at all costs.As the story progresses, we see how the Woodneys’ fortunes are tied to the fate of the South during the Civil War. Several family members serve in the Confederate army, while others remain at home to manage the plantation and support the war effort. The novel also explores the impact of slavery on the Woodneys and their community, and how the family’s attitudes towards the institution change over time.Throughout the book, Ellis weaves in themes of family loyalty, honor, and sacrifice. The Woodneys are depicted as a close-knit clan, fiercely devoted to each other and their way of life. However, their loyalty is tested by the upheavals of war and the social changes that follow.Overall, The Woodneys: An American Family is a sweeping saga that offers a vivid portrait of life in the American South during a tumultuous period in history. Ellis’s prose is rich and evocative, bringing to life a cast of characters who are both flawed and deeply human.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world’s literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.