Tom Dougan, the scion of the clan, left his beloved Ireland in 1737 shortly after the British rulers hanged his best friend. He survived a two-month boat trip to America as well as attacks by Pennsylvania Native Americans to marry his love, Mary Kerr, and raise six children. Thus begins the reader's interesting and often moving trip through the lives, loves and low points of this family’s existence.

Based on true tales from author Carole Lynne Smith's own family history, Vanished Glory is a poignant portrayal of how each of the six generations of Dougans met and dealt with the particular challenges of their specific time.

Smith deftly weaves the multiple stories together to provide a fascinating tapestry of hard-learned lessons from the past from which the reader can benefit. She briefly synopsizes periods with a gentle touch and imparts the knowledge gleaned from them in historical perspective. It is a sweeping, well-paced saga traversing the past from the Revolutionary War to World War II to form the heart-warming tale of the quintessential American family.