The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-03-13

an American Jeanne nAfcs
About twelve miles from Boston. on
the road TO Concord. stands a fine old
house. surrounded by beautifully kept |
farm. says the New York Mail and Elk
press. Just at the back OF this old
time mansion ls a magnificent pine |
grove from which the place takes It's |
name. "Plne-Groye farm" Here live
the descendants Of an American Jeanne
dare. Deborah Sampson by name,
whose history taken from the gene
alogy Of the Sampson family. Is unique
aud thrilling.
This revolutionary maid. left to the
care Of strangers at tender Tge, with
a mind far ahead Of her time and class
until she was 20 did the farm drudgery
required Of a bound feeding the
pigs and chickens and milking the
cows She had a passion for reading
but little opportunity TO indulge H. She
7 gained enough knowledge however 10
teach a public school In Mlddleboro,
where the curriculum was comprised
In THE New England Primer" a spell
ing book. the psalter and a new testa-
ment.
The repeated inyaslons Of pop liar
rights on the part Of King George and
his ministers made a strong impref sion
on Deborah simpsons mind She
drank deep Of the fountain OF patriotic
inspiration that fell from the LIS Of
the fiery Otis. the devoted Warner and
the dauntless Adams. Her blood L .ped
as she heard the news Of the b ton
tea party Then came Lexington and
Bunker Hill-and one fine sumner
morning the scholars In the little Hid
dleboro schoolhouso found their tea her
gone She had spun herself a sui Of
mems clothes. taken the name Of sui
Ter. and ran away 10 the wars.
The girl was mustered into the sar-
/, tylce at Worcester and In company with
] large number OF recruits marched q
Join the army at West Point. There
p she was placed In Capt. Webbs com
s pany Of light Infantry. In Col. Shep'
4 herds regiment and Gen. Patterson,
s brigade. Here her civilian suit va
!. exchanged for the continental uniform
= In her first experience on the TEL
p the attack OF the enemy was unexpt ct
g ed and furious. and a man AT her sd
z was shot dead. However. she suffered
;. less from fear than from fatigue, Cirs
Is and the heat Of the day She served II
g the French army under Count tOcham
!. beau-all told by her In vivid terms
. and participated In the marcl OF IN
whole allied army under Washington
10 protect New York. resulting In th
B. siege OF yorktown. These exposure
r brought on a severe cold. together will
b. exhaustion and bllstered hands. He
"a delicate appearance and haylns N
l. beard was often noticed. and she "a
A called the "smock- faced boy" but ne
p. sex was never suspected. She wen
,f through three campaigns sharing I
10 an the hardships aud was twic
D. wounded
D.. At last being oyortakon with ma
. llenant fever. and being brought TO IN
re verge OF death the attending physical
discovered that the brave laddie' wa
"a a woman. hue he sacredly guarded n
. secret. save TO the matron. who had h'
removed 10 her own apartments On
nursed with the greatest care.
On her departure Tor camp after n
Illness for the purpose OF being di
o. charged. the doctor wrote a letter
~ Gen. Patterson. disclosing the seore
"a The general. who had had the your
s' woman as aid-de-camp on his staff, vi
e. greatly astonished. but treated her vii
I" utmost Kindness, giving her an hono
ID able discharge. Miss Sampson vi
q granted a pension. On returning hon
nu she ala not Immediately make herse
~ known among her relatives, but
er length resumed female apparel ard O.
de pioyments. In few months she W
a. married and became the wife OF BE
III iamln Gannett Of sharon and lived
rear family Of three children.
's At the age Of 81 she died at her hor
u In sharon. where she had sustained I
re- character OF an exemplary wife al
no mother as well as a gallant and dey'
~ ed patriot