David Hoffman, a filmmaker, shares a story told by Nettie Mitchell, an 89-year-old woman from Maine, about a tragic event that occurred in their town. The story revolves around Emeline, a 13-year-old girl who was sent to work in a cotton mill in Massachusetts in the early 19th century. She became pregnant with her boss's child and was forced to give the baby up for adoption. Emeline returned to her hometown, where she was shunned by the community due to her past. Years later, she married a younger man, but their marriage was short-lived as his family discovered that she was his birth mother. Emeline was left alone and ostracized, struggling to survive. The story highlights the cruelty and kindness that existed in Puritan New England during that time. David Hoffman verifies the story's authenticity through extensive research and interviews with locals, including a 97-year-old woman who knew Emeline. The story has been adapted into a book, "Emmeline" by Judith Rossiter, and an opera.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The storyteller, David Hoffman, is a filmmaker.
2. Nettie Mitchell is an 89-year-old woman from Fayette, Maine.
3. Nettie tells a story about a woman named Emmaline who lived in the 1800s.
4. Emmaline was born into a poor family and was sent to work in a cotton mill in Lynn, Massachusetts, at the age of 13.
5. Emmaline became pregnant with the child of a young boss and gave birth to a baby at the age of 14.
6. The baby was sold to a childless couple, and Emmaline returned home.
7. Emmaline was ostracized by her community and family for having an illegitimate child.
8. Emmaline married a young man, but their marriage was annulled when it was discovered that he was her son, born out of wedlock.
9. Emmaline lived the rest of her life in poverty and isolation, shunned by her community.
10. Nettie Mitchell knew Emmaline as a child and would sometimes visit her with small gifts.
11. Emmaline died in poverty, and her funeral was attended by people who had not spoken to her during her lifetime.
12. A book, "Emmaline," was written about Emmaline's life, and an opera was composed based on the book.
13. David Hoffman made a documentary about Emmaline's life, which was researched and verified through libraries and archives in Fayette.
14. A 97-year-old woman in an old-age home confirmed that Emmaline had lived on Moser Pond.
15. David Hoffman was unable to find any information about what happened to Emmaline's son after he was taken away from her.