NOBLE DEEDS
OF
AMERICAN WOMEN;

WITH
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

OF SOME OF THE MORE PROMINENT.

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EDITED BY

J. CLEMENT.,

WITH AN INTRODUCTION
BY

MRS. L. H. SIGOURNEY.

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Such examples should be set before them as patterns for their daily imitation.

NEW EDITION REVISED.

NEW YORK:
MILLER, ORTON & CO.,
25 Park Row.

1857.

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Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1851, by

GEO. H. DERBY & Co.,

In the Clerk's Office of the Northern District of New York.

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Editor's Preface.

This work was suggested by one of a similar character, entitled "Noble Deeds of Woman," an English work, which contains but three references to American Women, two of which are of but very little importance. Only one article is the same in both works, and that is the letter written by Mrs. Sigourney to the women of Greece, in 1828, in behalf of the ladies of Hartford.

This failure to do justice to American women, may have been an oversight; be that as it may, a work of the kind here presented, seemed to be needed, and we regret that its preparation had not been assigned to an abler pen. Multitudes of works have been consulted, and such anecdotes gleaned as it is thought will have a salutary influence on the mind and heart. Should the records of female courage and virtue herein presented to the daughters of the land, encourage, even in the slightest degree, a laudable spirit of emulation, our humble labors will not have been put forth in vain.

Facts are more sublime than fictions; and American women have actually performed all the good, and grand, and glorious deeds which the honest and judicious novelist dares ascribe to the female sex; hence we have found no occasion, in striving to make this work interesting, to deviate from the path of historical truth.

The sources whence our materials have been derived, are largely indicated in the body of the work. Possibly, however, we may have failed, in some instances, to indicate our indebtedness to historians and biographers where such reference was justly demanded; suffice it to say, therefore, once for all, that, although something like two hundred of these pages are in our own language, we deserve but little credit for originality, and would prefer to be regarded as an unpretending compiler, rather than as an aspirant to the title of author.

NOTE TO THE REVISED EDITION.

The fact that eight thousand copies of this work have been published in less than a year after its appearance, indicates a degree of popularity which was not anticipated. In this edition we have thrown out a few pages of the old matter, and substituted, in most instances, fresher anecdotes; and this revision, with the illustrations which the liberal-minded publishers have added, will, it is hoped, render the work still more acceptable.

J. C.

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CONTENTS.

href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@39079@[email protected]#Page_104" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">104 Hannah Dustin 108 The Heroines of Bryant's Station 111 Mrs. Daviess 114 A Kentucky Amazon 118 Heroism at Innis Settlement 120 Bold Exploit at Tampico 124 Dicey Langston 125 Rebecca Motte 129 Another Sacrifice for Freedom 132 A Patriotic Donation 133 The Little Black-eyed Rebel 134 The Benevolent Quakeress 136 A Pioneer in Sunday Schools 140 The Women of Wyoming 142 Mary Gould 143 The Mother of President Polk 145 Trials of a Patriot 146 Intrepidity of Mrs. Israel 164 Incident in Missionary Life 166 A Kind-hearted Chippewa 169 Humanity of a Cherokee 170 Self-sacrificing Spirit of the Missionary 171 Daring Exploit of Two Rebels 176 Elizabeth Martin 178 The Mother's Effectual Petition 180 Noteworthy Integrity 182 A Faithful Mother 184 Mrs. Spaulding 186 Wife of Colonel Thomas 188 Exemplary Piety 190 Adventure of a Patriotic Girl 192 Mrs. Caldwell and the Tories 195 Mother of Randolph 198 Cornelia Beekman 199 Mother of West

align="right">202 Heroic Endurance 204 Maternal Heroism 211 A Modern Dorcas 213 Sarah Hoffman 218 Heroism of Schoharie Women 221 A Sterling Patriot 223 Heroic Conduct at Monmouth 237 Courage of a Country Girl 239 The Ledyards at Fort Griswold 241 Seneca Heroines 244 Martha Bratton 246 A Poor Woman's Offering 250 Mother of Jackson 251 Heroine of Fort Henry 253 A Benevolent Widow 256 Anne Fitzhugh 258 Esther Gaston 261 Remarkable Presence of Mind 263 Wife of Governor Griswold 265 Bold Exploit of a Young Girl 266 Susanna Wright 268 Patriotism of 1770 270 Mrs. Spalding 272 Mrs. Dillard 275 Phœbe Phillips 277 Example of a Poor Widow 279 Elizabeth Estaugh 284 Kate Moore 297 Captivity of Mrs. Rowlandson 299 Mrs. Bozarth 303 Heroine of Steel Creek 305 Benevolence of a Colored Woman 308 Rebecca Edwards 309 The Beautiful Rebel 311 Harriet B. Stewart

href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@39079@[email protected]#Page_313" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">313 A Kind and Benevolent Woman 316 Noble Example of Pioneers 320 Mrs. Slocumb 323 Wife of Captain Richardson 330 Striking Instance of Patience 331 Susannah Elliott 336 Anna Elliott 338 Patriotic Stratagem 340 Influence of a Faithful Teacher 341 Wife of Thomas Heyward 343 Noble Decision 345 A Tennessee Heroine 346 Mrs. M'Kay 352 Heroic Conduct of a Daughter 354 Heroic Decision 356 Daughter of Aaron Burr 358 Female Intrepidity 361 Wife of Richard Shubrick 362 Retort of Mrs. Ashe 365 Wife of a Drunkard 366 Mother of Dr. Dwight 370 Happy Results of Maternal Fidelity 373 Mrs. Scott 375 Success of Boldness 378 Mary Knight 380 Wife of William Gray 381 Mrs. Huntington 383 Mrs. Biddle 385 Kindness of Convicts 387 Margaret Prior 388 Noble Acts of Kindness 395 Wife of Dr. Ramsay 398 Margaret Schuyler 400 Noble Treatment of Enemies 402 Humanity Rewarded

href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@39079@[email protected]#Page_403" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">403 Margaret Winthrop 404 A Pioneer Settler's Adventure 408 Mrs. McKenny 410 The Fisherman's Heroic Wife 416 Mrs. James K. Polk 418 Widow Jenkins 421 Faithful Little Girl 423 Hospitality of California Women 424 Sarah Lanman Smith 425 Brother saved by his Sister 429 Mrs. Borden 431 Margaret Corbin 432 Mrs. Channing 433 Commendable Courage 434 Heroine of Shell's Bush 435 Father Taylor's Widowed Friend 437 Revolutionary Mother 440 Successful Daring 443 Worthy Example of Forgiveness 444 Crookshanks saved by a Female 445 Patriotic Artist 446 Mohawk Women 448 Female in the Revolutionary Army 450 Elizabeth Brant 459 Brief Anecdotes 465 Miss D. L. Dix 474

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INTRODUCTION.

The advantages of Biography are obvious and great. To the weight of precept, it adds the force and efficacy of example. It presents correct and beautiful models, and awakens the impulse to imitate what we admire. Other sciences strengthen the intellect, this influences and amends the heart. Other subjects interest the imagination, this modifies conduct and character. By the recorded actions of the great and good, we regulate our own course, and steer, star-guided, over life's trackless ocean.

In remote ages, the department of Female Biography was almost a void. Here and there on the pages of the Sacred Volume, a lineament, or a form, is sketched with graphic power, either as a warning, or bright with the hues of heaven. Yet uninspired history, though she continued to utter "her dark sayings upon the harp," was wont to relapse into silence at the name of woman. Classic antiquity scarcely presents aught that might be cited as a sustained example. In the annals of ancient Greece, the wife of one of its philosophers has obtained a place, but only through the varied trials, by which she contributed to perfect his patience. Rome but slightly lifts the household veil from the mother of the Gracchi, as she exultingly exhibits her heart's jewels. Cleopatra, with her royal barge, casts a dazzling gleam over the Cydnus, but her fame is like the poison of the reptile that destroyed her. Boadicea rushes for a moment

in her rude chariot over the battle field, but the fasces and the chains of Rome close the scene.

Modern Paganism disclosed a still deeper abyss of degradation for woman. The aboriginal lord of the American forests lays the burden on the shoulder of his weaker companion, and stalks on in unbowed majesty, with his quiver and his tomahawk. Beneath the sultry skies of Africa, she crouches to drink the poison water before her judges, having no better test of her innocence than the deliverer, Death. In India, we see her plunging into the Ganges her female infants, that they may escape her lot of misery, or wrapped in the flames of the burning pile, turn into ashes with the corpse of her husband. Under the sway of the Moslem, her highest condition is a life-long incarceration, her best treatment, that of a gilded toy—a soulless slave. Throughout the whole heathen world, woman may be characterized, as Humanity, in Central Asia has been, by an elegant French writer, as "always remaining anonymous,—indifferent to herself,—not believing in her liberty, having none,—and leaving no trace of her passage upon earth."

Christianity has changed the scene. Wherever her pure and pitying spirit prevails, the sway of brute force is softened, and the "weaker vessel" upheld. Bearing in her hand the blessed Gospel, "a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of the people Israel," she adds to the literature of the world a new volume, the History of Woman. She spreads a page, for which the long, slow ages had neither looked, nor inquired,—neither waited for, nor imagined, the page of female biography.

So liberal have been our own immediate times in supplying fitting materials, that an extensive and valuable library might readily be selected in this department alone. Since knowledge has shed her baptism upon the head of woman, her legitimate sphere of duty has become extended, and enriched by incident. We see her not only brought forward as a teacher, but entering unrebuked the fields of science and literature; we see her amid the hardships of colonial life, displaying a martyr's courage, or ascending the deck of the mission ship to take her part in "perils among the heathen."

The venerable moralist of Barley Wood, who so perseveringly encouraged her sex to reflect, to discriminate, to choose the good and refuse the evil, who, after attaining the age of sixty years, presented them with eleven new and instructive volumes, has not long laid down her pen, for the rest and reward of the righteous. That high souled apostle of erring, suffering humanity, to whose dauntless benevolence crowned heads did honor, whose melodious voice I almost fancy that I again hear, as in the plain garb of her order, she stood as a tutelary being among the convicts at Newgate,—she has but recently arisen to that congenial society of the just made perfect, who rejoice over "one sinner that repenteth."

And the harp of that tuneful one, so recently exchanged for a purer harmony, still breathes upon our hearts the echoes of her varied lay, as when touched by her hand it warbled—

She, too, who sleeps beneath the hopia-tree in Burmah, whose courage and constancy no hero has transcended, how rapidly has she been followed in the same self denying path, by others who "counted not their lives dear unto them," if they might bear to the perishing heathen the name and love of a Redeemer.

And one still lives, the wonderful Scandinavian maiden, whose melody now holds our own land in enchantment, and who exhibits, on a scale hitherto unknown in the world's history, rare endowments, boundless liberality, and deep humility; God's grace held in subservience to the good of her fellow creatures. Through the power of song, which, as the compeer of the nightingale, she possesses, and with a singular freedom from vanity and selfishness, she charms and elevates, while with the harvest of her toils she feeds the hungry, clothes the naked, comforts the desolate, aids the hallowed temple to uplift its spire, and the school to spread its brooding wing over the children of future generations.

If all true greatness should be estimated by its tendencies, and by the good it performs, it is peculiarly desirable that woman's claims to distinction should be thus judged and awarded. In this young western world, especially in New England, her agency has been admitted, and her capacity tested, of mingling a healthful leaven with the elements of a nation's character. Here, her presence has been acknowledged, and her aid faithfully rendered, from the beginning. There is a beautiful tradition, that the first foot which pressed the snow clad rock of Plymouth was that of Mary Chilton, a fair young maiden, and that the last survivor of those heroic pioneers was Mary Allerton, who lived to see the planting of twelve out of the thirteen colonies, which formed the nucleus of these United States.

In the May Flower, eighteen wives accompanied their husbands to a waste land and uninhabited, save by the wily and vengeful savage. On the unfloored hut, she who had been nurtured amid the rich carpets and curtains of the mother land, rocked her new born babe, and complained not. She, who in the home of her youth had arranged the gorgeous shades of embroidery, or, perchance, had compounded the rich venison pasty as her share in the housekeeping, now pounded the coarse Indian corn for her children's bread, and bade them ask God's blessing, ere they took their scanty portion. When the snows sifted through their miserable roof-trees upon her little ones, she gathered them closer to her bosom; she taught them the Bible, and the catechism, and the holy hymn, though the war-whoop of the Indian rang through the wild. Amid the untold hardships of colonial life, she infused new strength into her husband by her firmness, and solaced his weary hours by her love. She was to him,