Omaha daily bee., 1906-03-31
REVOLUTIONARY HEROINE
Georgia Amazon Who SInRIe-Handed
Captured Ten Tories ut
Feast.

Nancy Hart. the famous Georgia char
acter of the revolutionary days is by no
means mythical. but was very real per-
sonage Notwithstanding her gigantic
frame, red hair, freckles and crossed eyes,
her memory is kept greener. among the peo-
pie OF her native state than that OF many
more prepossessing heroine.
She was what is Familiarity known a
Georgia cracker a poor though intelli-
gent white, who lived among the sand
hills or in the isolated districts OF the
state.
Her capture Of the ten tories while they
were devouring the tempting viands she
had been compelled to prepare for them is
recognized as a historical fact
During Andrew Jackson's presidency rep
resentatives from Georgia. desiring to
bring that state to the notice Of the presi-
dent decided TO present painting for one
Of the inches in the rotunda OF the United
States capitol building. At length It was
completed-a portrait of Nancy Hart, bare
headed, barefooted her skirts to her knees,
crossing shallow stream driving ten
tories before her at the point OF one OF their
own guns. The president who was red
headed and came of hardy pioneer stock,
is said to have been very much pleased
with the picture and it is to be hoped
that Georgia proited by the diplomacy of
its representatives.
TIE idea that Nancy Hart followed her
husband to Florida and died there is erro-
neous After the fierce disturbances of the
| revolution had gone down as history she
buckled up her yoke of oxen and with her
children and grandchildren emigrated to
South Carolina.
Ae af f1,a efn he Ia,
in-law became engaged in a drunken brawl
and was taken in custody by an officer.
Ever quick to meet an emergency, Nancy
went to the rescue. Bestowing few
pugilistic bumps on the detainer of her
| son-in-law she seized the latter and lifted
him bodily into the bed of the wagon and
drove out of town.
Nancy Hart located near Edgefeld a
small town not far from the Georgia line.
Her fame preceded her there, and she was
welcomed and respected by her neighbors.
My grandfather's grandfather lived in
| Edgefield and was one of the early Baptist
preachers. The Scotch-Irish were almost
universally Presbyterian, but once agitated
| there was soon large sprinkling of Bap-
! lists and Methodists throughout the south.
The ministers were for the most part itln-
| Grant, and revivals that rivalled Moody
and Jones in enthusiasm were held under
huge open tabernacles and men rode on
horseback a hundred miles to be in at
tendance.
Tradition says that Nancy Hart was con.
verted at one of these meetings. It would
be reasonable to suppose that time and
hardships would nave touched the red
hair with gray and curbed the old daunt.
less spirit, but she was as strenuous in
religion as in politics. There are mystical
stories in my mind of a gaunt old woman
embracing my dignified ancestor and dis.
arranging his stock and dragging sluggarC
sinners by their queues and coat tails e
the penance seat, but these are traditions
repeated from generation 10 generation
and I would not vouch for their anthem
ITCHY.
However I have always understood thai
Nancy. Hart lived to a good old age, died
and was buried in the old Edgeheld district
now Edgefield county South Carolina
y = 1871 yeader -