This display honoring female patriots is in the Centreville Regional Library until the end of May.
In celebration of the 250th anniversary of American independence, the Lane’s Mill Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) has placed a special display in the Centreville Regional Library. Focusing on five women who served the patriotic cause during the American Revolution, it’ll be up until the end of this month. Below are some details of these women:
* Deborah Sampson, (Massachusetts, 1860-1827). She was self-educated, working as a teacher in the summers of 1779/1780 and a weaver during the winters. She wanted to support the Revolutionary War, so she disguised herself as a man and joined the patriot forces. As the only woman to earn a full military pension for her participation in the American Revolutionary Army, she’s remembered for her heroism on and off the battlefields.
* Sarah Martin Tyonajanegan “Two Kettles Together,” (Oneida tribe, New York, circa 1740-1824). She fought alongside her Oneida chief at the Battle of Oriskany, Aug. 6, 1777. She and other Oneida women went behind British lines, warning the Mohawk Valley settlements about the British. She’s remembered as a heroine of the Oneida Indian.
* Mary Ludwig Hays “Molly Pitcher,” (New Jersey or Pennsylvania, Oct. 13, 1754-Jan. 22, 1832). She’s acknowledged for her noble efforts during the Revolutionary War. During the Battle of Monmouth, June 28, 1778, she was nicknamed “Molly Pitcher” because she brought water to the troops in the 4th Pennsylvania Artillery and took her husband William’s place at the cannon when he was seriously wounded. A cannon shot even went through her petticoats. Gen. George Washington recognized her with the honorary rank of a non-commissioned officer.
* Abigail Adams, (Massachusetts, Nov. 22, 1744-Oct. 28, 1818). She was homeschooled by her mother, as women of that time did not have access to formal education. She married John Adams, a Revolutionary founding father, advised him on political issues and asked that he “Remember the Ladies” in passing new laws in the new American nation.
* Phyllis Wheatley, (Massachusetts, born in West Africa in 1763 and died in America in 1784). She was the first African American and enslaved woman to publish a book of poetry, and it reflected the ideals of the American Revolution. She began publishing her writings in 1767 in local newspapers and challenged the view of society on slavery and the intellectual abilities of African Americans. Abolitionists referenced her writings throughout the 18th and 19th centuries.