Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-04-14
NOBLE MARY DRAPER
STORY OF ONE OF THE WOMEN Or
REVOLUTIONARY DAYS.

have searched everywhere to ascer
tain the maiden name and parentagc Of
the woman who is, to my mind, the
greatest heroine of the Revolutionary
days. though. if objection is made to
this assertion, / could modify it by
claiming that she was certainly the most
patriotic in the state Of Massachusetts.
She was Mary Draper. wife of Captain
Draper Of Dedham. Mass. married long
before the war, and with children well
grown up when the trouble began at
Lexington; therefore the seeming i'm
possibility of finding any history of her
early life.
Captain Draper was thriving farm
er. and had always prospered, if one
could judge from his surroundings and
the manner Of living carried On in his
family. His house and his barns were
large, and the latter were Slways filled
to their utmost capacity with the stores
for winter fer his family and the dumb
animals which belonged to him.
The house was built with two large
ovens. either one Of them large enough
to bake bread for the whole village.
When the news was heard Of the eE-
pected attack Of the British upon our
patriots at Lexington, General Putnam,
in Connecticut, was at work i'll his field
blowing. He left all and seized his
musket, ard. rot waiting to change his
apparel, marched On to Cambridge. call
ing on all he saw on his way to Join in,
bring any weapons they had, and fol-
low without delay. Their route happen
ed TO he TIE road passing the homo OF
the Diapers in Dedi,ain.
Men Thought Of nothing but liberty
and the safety cf their homes and fami-
lies. They put their trust in the Lord,
and left all III the hands of Providence,
but struck with their right arms their
first blow for freedom at this Lexington
fight. Il raay be judged such an oppor-
tunity IS this would develop almost any
| character and such n benevolent woman
as Mary Draper would become a bright
and shining Light.
At the first call she ezhorted her hus-
| band to lose 10 time i'll preparing ard
| hGstening to tie scene of action. With
| her own hands she bound knapsack and
| blanket to tie shoulders of her only sou,
q boy OF il years, bidding him hasten to
| do his duty and follow in the footsteps
OF his father. The daughter entreated
the mother TO allow him to remain and
| protect them, but she answered, mo,
lie must go, but you and /, Kate, will
have enough to do to feed the hungry
who viii pass here Oh their way before
| tomorrow night
| Hundreds did come and were fed, and
passed on, only to be followed by hun
dreds mere, who were all treated in the
| same generous manner. Refreshed and
| rested and encouraged to 90 Oh by Mary
Draper. they continued to pass along
this road that led by their homo for sew
eral days, till order and discipline were
established.
Mary Draper, assisted by her daughter
and domestic in her family, spent the
whole day and night and following day
| III baking brown bread. The two ovens
that / have mentioned as being Of IN
usually large capacity were set il full
blast, and they never had been before Sc
pushed to their fullest extent, and
doubt il ever since. IN such small
space Of time.
With tie help of disabled French
man. veteran Of TIE French war. whc
had Ren given home in the Draper
family for many years, Mary Draper has
all the refreshments il readiness to Offer
the weary patriots as they passed along.
q iorg wooden form was erected By Tn.
roadsi lie. large pans Of bread and chces.
were placed upon it and rcpleEished q.
often as necessary. The old veteran
brought tubs which Were filled full 81
cider from their cellar, and it was served
out by two lads who volunteered theil
services. Mrs. Draper presided at t,i:
entertainment, and when her stock u
provisions gave out. called upon hel
neighbors for contributions.
Her husband had purchased bulle
mold to supply himself and son witt
this article of warfare, ard Mrs Draper
not satisfied with giving the pewter t
tho general demand, some Of it tn,
greatest ornament Of her old home, be
gan herself to melt her platters, pan.
and dishes and transform them into til,
required ammunition
, Winter was now approaching and wit!
| ~ ieA0 "a 'iiO want VI supplies IUr Ut
army. Tho country could scarcely yielt
what was sure to be the demand mad'
upon it should the war continue. Tn,
calls upon private benevolence becam,
imperative and the question of clothin.
for the patriots, who must spend TIL
winter il camp. was a very momentou
one. Hrs. Draper was one of the first t.
see this approaching difficulty, and be
came deeply interested and the mos
active in efforts TO render all the aid il
her power, and inspired her neighbor
TO do Likewise. Her, house had Away
been ali asylum for tho destitute, an,
, now her deepest sympathies were enlist
| cd for the newly forming army Il
; which the hardships of war were almcs
, entirely unknown
, She considered their own possession
only as means OF assisting her distress
cd country. The supply of cloth. wove!
for use in her OWN family, was convert
ed into coats for soldiers By her daugh
ter and maid. under her direct super
vision. and sheets and blankets wer,
} fashioned into Shirts for them also, an
even garments already made ont of tn