Evening star., 1932-04-03
Famous W0men
Continued from Seventeenth Poge


In recognition of her services Congress In July.
l779 passed the following resolution:
Resolved. That Margaret Corbin, wounded
and disabled at the Battle Of Fort Washing
ton, while she heroically filled the post Of her
husband, who was killed by her side serving
piece of artillery, do receive during her nat
ural life or continuance of said disability. one
half of the monthly pay drawn by soldier In
service of these States; and that she now re-
ceive out of public stores one suit OF clothes
or value thereof in money"
At the first call to arms the husband and the
16-year-old son of Mrs. Mary Draper OF
Dedham, Mass, left their home to serve the
cause of freedom on the battlefield. the
following day Mrs. Draper had erected by the
roadside of her farm long form, which she
kept filled with crooks of bread and cheese ana
pals of cider so that the weary soldiers might
be refreshed on their tramp toward Boston.
Later, when Washington called for supplies
of lead and pewter to be converted into
ammunition, Mrs Draper not only assembled
her pewter pans, dishes and ornaments many
of which were treasured heirlooms, but, using .
mold which had been purchased by her hus-
band actually cast the material into bullets
An instance of female patriotism, the
authenticity OF which appears not to be
doubted that of a young girl, Emily
Geiger of South Carolina, who carried an
Sumter then on the Weteree. Experiencing
difficulty in finding a man to engage in so
dangerous an undertaking, Gen. Greene finally
accepted the offer of EmilyS services. Taking
a letter from Greene and receiving at the same
time verbal information to its contents
Emily proceeded horseback through a nest Of
Tories toward the Weteree. The day after
her departure she was taken in custody by
some of Lord Rawdons scouts, who arranged
to have her searched by Tory matron. As
soon as she was alone for moment Emily ate
up the letter, and the careful search which
followed proved fruitiess Being permitted to
continue, she in due time reached her journeys
end and delivered Gen. Greene's verbal message.
as result of which Sumter soon joined the
main Army at Orangeburg.
The heroic mother of Andrew Jackson laid
down her life for the patriot cause. She spent
the closing days of her life nursing the
wounded, visiting patriots in British prisons
and providing food and clothing for the needy
soldiers. Returning from journey to carry
provisions to friends on a prison ship in the
port Of Charleston, she was stricken with fever,
and having already been forced to flee from her
home on the Waxhaw after the rout of Buford's
men, she soon died in her dilapidated tent
pitched in the Carolina woods.
Betsy Ross, because of her persistency In
making flags for Congress, was read out Of
the meeting" of Friends, thus having the same
experience which came to Lydia Darragh Of
Philadelphia. All Friends who took part in
the American Revolution were diSowned by
the Society of Friends. After the war they
organized the Society of Free Quakers,
frequently referred to Fighting Quakers."
Betsy Ross attended Christ Church, Phila-
delphia, with her first husband and after his
death continued in attendance until the
organization of the Free Quaker Society in
1893. Her pew in Christ Church was near one
occupied by Gen Washington and is marked
by brass plate bearing these words:
"In this pew wo-shiped Betsy Ross, who
made the first flag"
Betsy Ross lived to be "a years old and died
in 1886. In defiance of her loyalist brother
in-law, Col James Ferguson, Isabella Ferguson
is famed for the following retort: eyes, am a
rebel! My brothers rebels, and our dog
Trip is rebel tool"
Mrs Esther Reed, who served as president Of
the relief association in Philadelphia, toiled
unremittirgly in successful effort to raise
sufficient furdJ fc- mitigating the suferings of
the Army during those distressing days of the
year 1780. Weakening under the strain of her
unceasing labors. another heroine gave her
life in the cause of freedom.
After the war Gen. Washington took
occasion to thank behalf of his country
both verbally and by letter. Mrs. Margaret
Whetten, wife of Capt. William Whetten of
New York, whose hcme was referred to as
''Rebel Headquarters" for her many acts Of
mercy toward the patriot prisoners.
The celebration in 1882 of the 200th
anniversary of the birth of George Washing
ton will no doubt serve also to create greater
appreciation and understanding generally of the
self-sacrif1cing loyalty. enthusiasm and heroism
Of the women who figured with the men, In
the war for American independence.