The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1896-03-11
NOBLE MARY DRAPER
STORY OF ONE OF THE WOMEN OF
REVOLUTIONARY DAYS.

How a Massachusetts Farmers Wife Rem
dered IncalculabIe Assistance to Her
Distressed Country - Furnishing Food
and Clothing to Patriot Soldiers.
I have searched everywhere to ascer-
tain the maiden name and parentage 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 1t 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 inn
possibility of finding any history of her
early life.
Captain Draper was a thriving farm
or, 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 always filled
to their utmost capacity with the stores
for winter for 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 ex
pected attack of the British upon our
patriots at Lexington, General Putnam,
in Connecticut, was at work in his field
blowing He left all and seized his
musket, and. not 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 the road passing the home OF
the Diapers in Dedham.
Men thought of nothing but liberty
and the safety of their homes and fami-
lies. They put their trust in the Lord,
and left all in the hands of Providence,
but struck with their right arms their
first blow for freedom at this Lexington
fight. 1t may be judged such an oppor-
tnnity as this would develop almost any
character and such benevolent woman
as Mary Draper would become bright
and shining light.
At the first call she exhorted her hus-
band to lose no time in preparing and
Fastening to the scene of action. With
her own hands she bound knapsack and
blanket to the shoulders of her only son,
a boy of 16 years, bidding him hasten tc
do his duty and follow in the footsteps
IS L., Q1Al ke.J
the mother to allow him to remain and
protect them, but she answered, "No,
he must go, but you and l, Kate, will
have enough to do to feed the hungry
who will pass here ON their way before
tomorrow night -
Hundreds did come and were fed, and
passed on, only to be followed by hun
dreds more, who were all treated in the
Same generous manner. Refreshed and
rested and encouraged to go on by Mary
Draper. they continued to pass along
this road that led by their home 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
in baking brown bread The two ovens
that have mentioned as being Of un.
usually large capacity were set in full
blast, and they never had been before sc
pushed to their fullest extent, and
doubt il ever since. in such a small
space Of time.
With the help of o disabled French.
man, veteran of the French war, who
had been given home in the Draper
family for many years, Mary Draper had
all the refreshments in readiness to offer
the weary patriots as they passed along.
A long wooden form was erected by the
roadside, large pans Of bread and cheese
were placed upon it and replenished as
often as necessary The old veteran
brought tubs which were filed full of
cider from their cellar, and it was served
out by two lads who volunteered their
services. Mrs Draper presided at this
entertainment, and when her stock Of
provisions gave out, called upon her
neighbors for contributions.
Her husband had purchased a bullet
mold to supply himself and son with
this article of warfare, and Mrs. Draper,
not satisfied with giving the pewter to
the general demand, some Of it the
greatest ornament of her old home, be-
gan herself to melt her platters, pans
and dishes and transform them into the
required ammunition.
Winter was now approaching and with
it fears of the want Of supplies for the
army. The country could scarcely yield
what was sure to be the demand made
| upon it should the war continue. The
calls upon private benevolence became
imperative and the question Of clothing
for the patriots, who must spend the
winter in camp, was very momentous
one. Mrs. Draper was one of the first to
see this approaching difficulty, and be-
came deeply interested and the most
active in efforts to render all the aid in
her power, and inspired her neighbors
| to do likewise. Her house had always
been an asylum for the destitute, and
now her deepest sympathies were enlist
ed for the newly forming army - to
which the hardships of war were almost
entirely unknown.
She considered their own possessions
only as a means of assisting her distress
ed country. The supply Of cloth, woven
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 were
fashioned into shirts for them also, and
even garments already made out Of the
last new weavings for herself were con-
verified into such mems wear as was
most needed. These deeds of disinterest-
ed generosity were scarcely known be-
yond their own neighborhood. IT'S said
she lived to the age of 100 years, in this
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