Phillis Wheatley

Phillis Wheatly was born c. 1753-5 in Gambia, Africa. Phillis was a slave child of seven or eight and sold to John and Susanna Wheatley in Boston on July 11, 1761.  Her first name was apparently derived from the ship that carried her to America, The Phillis. During her life, while it was not common for American women to be published, it was especially uncommon for children of slaves to be educated at all.  Her gift of writing poetry was encouraged by her owners and their daughter, Mary;  they taught Phillis to read and write, with her first poem being published at the age of twelve, "On Messrs. Hussey and Coffin." The countess of Huntingdon, Selina Hastings, was a friend of the Wheatley's who greatly encouraged and financed the publication of her book of poetry, Poems.  Obour Tanner, a former slave who made the journey through the middle passage with Phillis also was one of the chief influences and supporters of Phillis' craft. She was especially fond of writing in the elegiac poetry style, perhaps mirroring the genre of oration taught to her through the women in her African American tribal group.  Her elegy on a popular evangelical Methodist minister, George Whitefield, brought her instant success upon his death.  She also was well versed in Latin which allowed her to write in the epyllion (short epic) style with the publication of "Niobe in Distress."
Unfortuantly Phillis died December, 1784 in  Boston, Massachusetts as a result of childbirth. I love Phillis because she has some magnificent poetry and she was a slave that fullfilled her dream! 

Flora MacDonald!

Flora MacDonald was born in 1722 in South Uist, Scotland, to a well-placed family in the MacDonald clan. She aided Charles Edward Stuart , known as Bonnie Prince Charlie, to escape to France after the defeat of the Jacobites at Culloden Moor in 1746. In 1750 she married Allen Macdonald of Kingsburgh, and in 1773 they emigrated to America. In the War of Independence he served the British government and was taken prisoner. In 1779 his wife returned home in a merchant ship which was attacked by a privateer. She refused to leave the deck during the action, and was wounded in the arm. On the 4th of March, 1790 she died in the same bed in which Bonnie Prince Charles had slept. I like Flora because she shows women and be the hero and save the day too!

Deborah Franklin

Deborah was born c. 1707 to John Read, a carpenter from London, England, and Sarah White Read of Birmingham, England. Whether the child was born while her parents still lived in Birmingham, or after they moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, remains uncertain. The second of seven children, Deborah received little formal education; almost nothing else is known about her childhood. Her first husband, John Rogers, deserted her in 1725. In 1727, she heard of Rogers' death and began dating her former sweetheart, Ben Franklin. Married Benjamin Franklin in 1730 Operated a general store out of the front of Ben's print shop Raised Ben's son William as well as their own two children, Francis and Sarah Her fear of ocean voyages prevented her from traveling with Ben, so she spent many years alone in Philadelphia while Ben was in Europe. In 1774, while Ben was in England, she died unexpectedly of a stroke. Deborah Read Franklin played an important role in the founding of the United States simply by taking on the management of her family business. By doing so she allowed her husband, founding father Benjamin Franklin, the opportunity to actively pursue his role in state and national politics in the decades before and after the American Revolution. I love Deborah because maybe she didn't do very much but she helped her husband in any way she could and that's good enough!

bibilyography:

 http://www.fi.edu/franklin/family/deborah.html

Nancy Hart

Nancy Hart was born in 1846, in Raleigh, North Carolina.  Nancy never learned to read or write.

Nancy married Joshua Douglas, former Ranger, he enlisted in the CSA.  Josh Douglas, was dying of his wounds, and Nancy nursed him back to  health.  After the war he returned to the area, found Nancy and married her.  After the war Nancy and Josh settled in Greenbrier County.  They spent the rest of their lives there.  Nancy and Josh had two sons, George and Kennos. Nancy gained the trust of one of her guards.  She was able to get his weapon from him and she shot him dead.  Nancy then dived headlong out the open window into a clump of tall jimson weeds.  She took Lt. Col. Starr's horse, and rode bare back.  She was clinging low to the horse's neck, Indian fashion.  About a week later at 4:00 o'clock in the morning, July 25, 1862, Nancy returned to Summersville with 200 of Jackson's Cavalry led by Major R. Augustus or Col. George Patton's 22nd Virginia Infantry.  Nancy was still riding Lt. Col. Starr's horse.  They raided the town, setting fire to three houses, including the commissary store house, destroyed two wagons, and took eight mules and twelve horses, as well as several prisoners, including Lt. Co. Starr. She died in 1830 in Henderson County, Kentucky, where she was buried. I especially like writing about Nancy because, she shows that women are brave and they will stand up for their country and they wont take any bulls**t! bibliography: http://www.nkclifton.com/nancy.html  http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-2876

Mary Philips!

Mary Philips was born Born July 3, 1730 Daughter of Frederick Philipse. She was described as having great personal beauty, with dark eyes and hair, strong-willed yet of a kindly disposition. George Washington was a Virginia Colonel, 24 years of age, who had just won his first laurels on the field of battle. On his way to Boston to meet General Shirley, he stopped at the house of Colonel Robinson in New York. There he met Miss Mary Philipse, visiting her brother-in-law during the winter months. George's young heart was touched by her charm and beauty. He left reluctantly, continuing on to Boston. On his return he was again the willing guest of Colonel Robinson. He remained there, in Mary's company, as long as duty would allow. Speculation is that he offered her his hand but was refused, though that is in doubt. The most probable version of the story is that he was called away by his public duties before he was able to make sufficient overtures into the lady's heart. Truth was that Washington's time was taken up almost totally by military matters. Shortly thereafter, he heard that Colonel Roger Morris, his companion-in-arms and confidante on the bloody field of Monongahela, won Mary's hand. The couple were married in 1758. Mary, her sister and the wife of Rev. Charles Inglis were the only women accused of treason during the Revolution. Mary went to England with her husband where he died in 1794. Mary lived for another 31 years. She died at the age of 96 and was buried by her husband's side near Saviour-gate church in York.
Mary, her sister and the wife of Rev. Charles Inglis were the only women accused of treason during the Revolution. Mary went to England with her husband where he died in 1794. Mary lived for another 31 years. She died at the age of 96 and was buried by her husband's side near Saviour-gate church in York.

bibliography: http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/notable/philipsem/

Sybil Ludington.

Everyone knows about Paul Revere and his ride, but fewer people know about a female Paul Revere. The "female Paul Revere" was Sybil Ludington. Her trip was twice as long!
Sybil was born in Paterson, New York in 1761. Her father was a colonel in the local militia. Sybil helped at home by spinning, knitting, weaving, and sewing. She also made butter, soap, candles baking bread, mending clothes, and washing dishes. Sybil assisted her mother in gardening. She had twelve brothers and sisters. The female heroine also had a horse named Star. Star also helped Sybil ride the night ride. She was just tucking in her brothers and sisters when an exhausted messenger came to her house to warn her family about something. The messenger said that British soldiers were burning down the town of Danbury, Connecticut. Danbury was the supply center for the militia. Someone had to warn the farmers about the attack. The messenger was too tired to go any further. Sybil's father was in charge of the militia so he could not leave. Sybil wanted to take the job and her father agreed to let her go. So, she got ready for the 40-mile trip that awaited her.
She started off at her house. Then she and her horse Star rode to the first farmhouse. She just knocked their door and shouted the message. Then she hurried off to the farmhouses along Horse Pound Road. When she reached the farmhouses there, she did what she did before knock on the door, and shout out her message. It was about ten o' clock when Sybil reached Shaw's Pond. Then she remembered that so many people were sleeping. So she did not beat on every door or shout at every house. Instead neighbors called to each other and the first ones awake would rush to ring the town bell. Still her job was not finished. As she rode in the darkness, British soldiers were going the other way. So she and her horse Star hid behind a tree. When she reached the next town, Stormville the alarm already had begun to sound. Someone from another town had already come with the news. Sybil was glad and she and Star headed home. When she got home, more than 400 men were ready to march. The eastern sky was red, Sybil realized that she had ridden all night. Her family was really proud of her, but she did not feel like a real soldier. All she wanted to do was to sleep. General Washington went to her house to thank her for her courage. Even though she didn't get to Stormville in time, she was still brave enough to ride for independence. At the age of twenty-three, Sybil was married to Edmond Ogden. She had six children and she took well care of her family. Sometimes she would stop and think back to the wet and cold night in the year of 1777. Sybil Ludington lived to be 78. Sybil was a brave young woman who are the idol to many brave young women. we should be thankful for what she did for her country. Sybil's tale will always live on!

Deborah Sampson

Deborah Sampson was born in Plympton, Massachusetts, on December 17, 1760 as the oldest of three daughters and three sons of Jonathan and Deborah Sampson.
Deborah's youth was spent in poverty. Her father abandoned the family and went off to sea. Her mother was of poor health and could not support the children, so she sent them off to live with various neighbors and relatives. At the young age of eight to ten, Sampson became an indentured servant in the household of Jeremiah Thomas in Middleborough. For ten years she helped with the housework and worked in the field. Hard labor developed her physical strength. In winter, when there wasn't as much farm work to be done, she was able to attend school. On May 20, 1782, when she was twenty-one, Sampson enlisted in the Fourth Massachusetts Regiment of the Continental Army at Bellingham as a man named Robert Shurtleff (also listed as Shirtliff or Shirtlieff). On May 23rd, she was mustered into service at Worcester. Being 5 foot 7 inches tall, she looked tall for a woman and she had bound her breasts tightly to approximate a male physique. Other soldiers teased her about not having to shave, but they assumed that this "boy" was just too young to grow facial hair. She performed her duties as well as any other man. Sampson apparently was wounded in the leg in a battle near Tarrytown. She tended her own wounds so that her gender would not be discovered. As a result, her leg never healed properly. However, when she was later hospitalized for fever in Philadelphia, the physician attending her discovered that she was a woman and made discreet arrangements that ended her military career. Sampson was honorably discharged from the army at West Point on October 25, 1783. Deborah returned home, married a farmer named Benjamin Gannett, and had three children. Deborah died April 29, 1827 in Sharon, Massachusetts, at age 66. Sampson is a perfect example for womens rights. She is a huge role model, even to women today. It's women like her who give women a huge honor to be girls!!

Bibliography: http://www.distinguishedwomen.com/biographies/sampson.html