The Chicken Thieves of Watertown: A Novel

The Chicken Thieves of Watertown is a multigenerational, historical, novel inspired by a true story. In 1915, Croatian immigrant Sam Rajkovic steals chickens to feed his family in Rock Island, Illinois. Arrested and shot while attempting to escape, he dies the following day and is buried in an unmarked paupers' grave. His orphaned son, Daniel Whitmarsh, is adopted and grows up unaware of his true origins. He becomes a celebrated athlete, serves as a Navy navigator during World War II, and later builds a life in rural Illinois marked by both success and personal setbacks, all while quietly wondering where he came from. Decades later, Daniel's daughter, Pam Alcorn, uncovers the forgotten story of Sam Rajkovic through historical records and genealogical research. Together, father and daughter retrace their family's journey from an unmarked grave in Illinois to their ancestral roots in Croatia. In the end, Daniel discovers the identity he spent a lifetime seeking, revealing how one desperate act can echo across generations and how persistence can restore a family's lost history.