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Kidnapped By Robert Louis Stevenson

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In 18th-century Britain, the kidnapping of an aristocratic boy by the name of James Annesley thoroughly captivated the public’s attention. James was the legitimate heir to the wealthy house of Annesley, but was only twelve-years-old when he was kidnapped by his uncle, shipped to America, and sold into indentured servitude. James spent twelve years in servitude until he finally escaped and returned to Ireland to reclaim his birthright. His story, riddled with betrayal and bravery, inspired many fictional works, including the famous novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson. Birthright: The True Story That Inspired Kidnapped, written by A. Roger Ekirch and published in 2010, is the historical account of that kidnapping. Ekirch wrote …show more content…

Lord Altham was advised to marry a good woman if he wished to “inherit the titles and entailed estates of his elder cousin, the Earl of Anglesea” (Ekirch 50). The baron did so soon after. He married a woman by the name of Sally Gregory in 1722. Sally Gregory was cruel to Jemmy and beatings were commonplace. Although Lord Altham insisted his son would one day succeed him as Earl of Anglesea, there were rumors that Gregory planned to start a new family with the baron and leave Jemmy out of his rightful inheritance. Due to the insistence of Gregory, Jemmy was sent away and forced to live on the streets and perform odd jobs for money. He was eventually taken in by a good-hearted butcher and his family, but it was not before long that trouble began to stir. While James was away, his father died rather suddenly and mysteriously. Right before his death, Lord Altham “reportedly asked for God’s forgiveness for having ‘wronged’ his son” (Ekirch 60). His guilt towards James was probably due to the banishment of the boy, as well as bastardizing him temporarily as part of a financial stunt. Due to the symptoms and spontaneity of the death, Ekirch suspected possible foul play. The biggest suspect was Richard Annesley, Lord Altham’s little brother. Richard and Altham had a very tumultuous relationship with a history of discord and numerous quarrels over inheritance. While there were no suspicions at the time and no proof now,

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