Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1901-02-28
Famous Women of Famous Times.

previous year to the West Side Read
ing Circle and invited them to meet
at the home of r. b. Showalter.
To say the half could not be told
would be expressing it mildly. One
must have been a witness to fully APP
preciate the genuine wit and humor
of We olden time.
AS the secretary called the roll of
ancient DANES, each responded by
paper giving a short sketch of herself
or her husband. A regular ..Whc,
What and When Club. Who they
were, what they did and when they
lived
Martha Washington informed US
that her maiden name was cambridge.
At the age of seventeen she married
Daniel Curtis and upon his death was
left one of the youngest and wealthiest
widows in the colony. After the mar
riage of the widow Curtis, 1859, to
George Washington they took up their
abode in the famous old house at Mt.
Vernon. Upon the death of his step
son, John Park Curtis, Washington
adopted the young mans two child
ren, George Washington Park Curtis
and Eleanor Park Curtis. Upon the
decease of her husband, Mrs. Wash
ington said, Ills well; all is over.
| shall soon follow him" Her death
followed two years later.
Mrs. Ethen Aliens husband immi
grated to the Green mountains and
later entered the army and was COM
missioned to raise a large company
of Green mountain boys III Vermont.
When in the course of his military
career he commanded British COM
mander to eXcavate a certain fort in
the name of the great leader and Al
mighty God, the British at once sur
rendered Col. Allen was engaged in
war until he was taken as a prisoner
to England and held for six months
when he was released He returned
to America and was again captured
and kept a prisoner year and half.
Allen died suddenly in 1899.
Abigail Adams was proud to say
she was the wife of the second presi-
dent, and gloried iii the fact of being
the wife OF one president and the
mother of another. and also that she
was first class Woman's Rights wo-
men and the first lady to occupy the
White House.
Mary Washington, mother of George
Washington, was the daughter of
Joseph Ball, and was little versed in
book lore but was of such command
ing character as to inspire respect and
obedience. But one thing could sub
due her dauntless spirit and that was
the fear of tightening. In her will,
dated 1889, we find the following be-
quests: 40 my daughter-in-law,
Hannah Washington, will leave my
purple cloak lined with shay. To my
grandson, Fielding Lewis, the blue
and white tea china, half of my kitch
en- furniture and half my pewter. |
devise all my wearing apparel to be
equally divided between my grand
daughters, Bet Y Carter, Fanny Ball,
and Milly Washington; but should my
daughter, Betty Lewis, fancy any one,
two or three articles thereof, she is to
have them before any division there
o. f"
Eleanor Park Curtis, Washing
tons adopted daughter, inherited her
grandmother's beauty and charms.
On WashingIon's last birthday, Feb.
y, 1899, she was married to his nep-
hew, Lawrence Lewis at Mt. Vernon.
where later the body of the great chief
lay on his sable bier.
Betty, George Washington's only
sister. married Col. Fielding Lewis
a majestic looking woman, so strik-
ingly like her brother that it was
matter of frolIc to throw his cape
around her shoulders and place a mil
itary hat on her head. Such was the
resemblance that on her appearance
battalions would have presented arms
and senates rise to do homage to the
chief.
Mrs. General Knox, patriotic wife.
was a visitor in Valley Forge in com
pany with Lady Stelling and others in
l777.
Madame Lafayette took great pride
in giving a history of the Marques de
LaFayette's military career in the
United States.
Mrs. Nathaniel Hart related some
of her experiences as spy for Wash
IngtOn.
Mollie Pitcher gloried in the fact
that when her husband was killed she
took his place and fired of the can
non, thus making name in history
for herself.
Mrs. Col. Trum bal was too modest
to more than acknowledge that her
husband was celebrated painter.
Pocohontss, who married John Rot
in 1917, said she was the first native
convert in the British colony and was
baptized by the name OF Rebecca-
When she went to England with her
husb band she was always addressed a,
Lady Re5ecca.
Betsy Ross gave history Of her
part in making the 'fr.t tri-c1lored
aag under the supervision 81 General
. Washington. who designed tne jag,