The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1877-05-19

Hall, and many prominent citIzsns attend
cd We collected over 81 900 for her in
those rooms. had written an article and
published IN the Commercial advertiser
it found its way down to Quebec, where
the Canadian Parliament was sitting II
was read by permission Of the speaker, a
committee was appointed to investigate The
facts, and, when found to be true, the
Government gave Abigail 100 acres Of land
near Port Rowan, where she now lives.
have letter from her, written Last year,
now in my pocket.
Another pretty incident connected with
this story is this
The late Joseph Walker, Quaker Presi-
dent Of the Life Saving Benevolent Aaso-
citation of New York, hearing of this, wrOte
to me "The giving of our medal 10 cpn
fined To the saving of American life. III
thou wilt find that there was an Amerienn
life saved from ON board the COnductor,
Abigail shall have our best medal" In
quiry showed that there were two ArAeri-
cans on board and saved; the mate Jerome,
and one other of the crew The medr, 9
fine, large ONE made sp- siAlly for kbr, vas
sent me to give her. wns aaked IN aet d
receipt I,senk 4 1sRp 10 % Q6ll S;- is {
Port Rowan, an old army officef, t0 give
her, and return me receipt. He found
Abigail could not write, so he took her to
daguerrean artist, and seating her with
my Bible on a table, one arm resting upon
it, and her medal in an open case in the
other hand, took her picture and sent it to
me as her receipt. ] had it put on s.one,
making a nice engraving, and sent the orig
al - Ill
Abigail was taught by the ladies of Port
Rowan to write, and she is quite improved
And thus, gentlemen, you have the story
of Abigail Becker, the heroine of Long
Point. 1t will be new to most of you it
has never been so fully written before, and
it mas never been placed with our Histori-
cal 5, ciety. This is specially prepared for
it, as matter of local interest ] give it
as a tribute u noble woman, and Of the
great deed performed by Abigail Becker in
saving from otherwise certain death the
lives Of Capt. Hackett, first mate Jerome,
four sailors and cook, seven persons in all q,
Of the schooner Conductor, of Amherst
burg, Canada.
Maritime history affords no parallel to
this, requiring such ply steal effort, such
clear judgment, adopting the only possible
means to save those people, surrounded
as they were with such desperate circum-
stances, carrying out her plan when form
ed with such uuhnchlng courage and de-
votton IN that freezing cold exposure.
Having left her home early in the morn
ing, not daring to return or to leave the
beach, not knowing what moment the yes
sci might break up aud GO to pieces, throw
ing the crew struggling into the waters,
there this heroic woman stood all day long,
watching and waiting to save them, not
knowing how her children Jared at home,
the oldest not IL years old, sacrificing ma
ternal instincts and love Of them to her
higher dury of saving human life.
We can readily understand how, under
the impulse of excited, warm emotions,
surrounded perhaps by spplaudIng multi
tudes, men and women may be inspired
70 DO brave deeds, but picture to yourself
this noble woman, exposed all day on the
beach, without food OF rest, to that terri
BILE driving storm of sleet and snow, chilled
and oold, wading barefooted into the freez-
.--e- -..-.-.-- --r--4-lis - ----------z 49,.
suffering crew.
Was not this a supreme triumph Of the
nubler qualities Of our nature, the sur
rounding impulses that generally move
and inspire to brave and meritorious
deeds Was it not great exhibition Of
the divine ia our poor human nature, aud
did she not deserve all the honors she re-
ceIveL, and to have her ennobling deeds
placed upon the records Of our Buffalo
Historical Society, even at this late day
think SO, and am quite sure it will have
yunr hearty and genuine Endorsement as
one of the most meriturious acts ever per-
formed by human being, and worthy OF
special coumendatlon as done W a noble
woman BnFdio Commercial Advertiser.