in My books, My short stories, US History 453 Words

“You Couldn’t Help But Like Bob” — historical short story

Today I am introducing you to the main character in “You Couldn’t Help But Like Bob,” the second story in my new book, Traveling Through History: A Collection of Historical Short Stories.

Photo of the front cover of Traveling Through History: A Collection of Historical Short Stories, by Janet Morrison

Genealogy has been a hobby of mine since I was a young adult. Robert Dooling is the most colorful of my ancestors that I have found so far. He immigrated from Ireland to America in the early 1700s and settled in Virginia.

Some people would be embarrassed at discovering one of their great-great-great-great-great-grandfathers was on the wrong side of the law in Colonial Virginia, but that just made Robert Dooling that much more interesting to me. To my way of thinking, that’s a lot better than just knowing an ancestor’s birth and death dates.

I devoured the colonial court records, eagerly searching for every tidbit or reference to Robert. As far as I know, he never did anything too serious. Perhaps his worst offence was “abusing” a Justice of the Peace. (I’m not clear on what constituted “abusing” a Justice of the Peace in Tappahannock, Virginia in the early 18th century.

I had fun creating a fictional story about this man I only know on paper, but his blood runs through my veins and I’m grateful to know more about him than just his name.

Here are the opening lines in the story:

“You couldn’t help but like Bob. Unless he owed you money. Unless you were a Justice of the Peace in Essex County, Virginia in the early 1700s.

“Even so, you just couldn’t help but like Bob.

“To say Bob was irritating would be an understatement, but you couldn’t stay made at him for long. Unless he owned you money or tobacco. Unless you were a Justice of the Peace, tired of seeing him dragged into your court room.”

I hope you will enjoy reading the story as much as I enjoyed writing it.

After you read “You Couldn’t Help But Like Bob” in Traveling Through History: A Collection of Historical Short Stories, you’ll know more about him. I hope you will like him, too!

I case you missed my November 24, 2025, blog post about the first story in my new book, here’s the link: “The Tailor’s Shears” – Historical Short Story.

Where you can find my new book

Traveling Through History: A Collection of Historical Short Stories is available on Amazon, or ask for it at your favorite independent bookstore.

For my readers in North Carolina, the book is now available at Second Look Books in Harrisburg.

Thank you for supporting my writing! If you enjoy my book, a rating or review on Amazon or Goodreads would be greatly appreciated.

Janet

11 thoughts on ““You Couldn’t Help But Like Bob” — historical short story”

  3. That’s right, Rebecca. “Bob” wasn’t a hardened criminal, but it was fun reading court records and seeing his name. The poor fella was caught playing cards on the Sabbath. I’m afraid I’m guilty of worst!

    Liked by 1 person

  7. He would do something like that, be fined so many pounds of “tobo” (tobacco), told to come back to court, then he wouldn’t show up, then he’d be fined more pounds of “tobo.” You can’t make this stuff up!

    Liked by 1 person

  9. I love that show, Rebecca! Yes, at least he didn’t murder that Justice of the Peace! I wish I knew what constituted “abusing” a Justice of the Peace in Virginia in the early 1700s. He could have just talked back to him. Who knows? But you are right. Some of the things uncovered on Finding Your Roots aren’t the kinds of things I’d want to know about my ancestors!

    Liked by 1 person

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.