Page:The part taken by women in American history.djvu/233

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Part Taken by Women in American History


conveying intelligence and sometimes ammunition to friends in the army, or evolving schemes for the relief and deliverance of the city. Another patriotic woman who devoted herself to the American cause was Mrs. Brewton. Rebecca Motte was celebrated for her heroic conduct in giving Lee the bow and arrows to fire her dwelling when it was occupied by the British. She was a daughter of Robert Brewton and was married in 1758, and died in 1815. The name of Mrs. Barnard Elliott is familiar to everyone in South Carolina. She was a Miss Susannah Smith, the daughter of Benjamin Smith, speaker of the Provincial Assembly. She was an orphan and had been brought up by her aunt, Rebecca Motte, whose patriotism is revered to this day. Another prominent woman mentioned is Sabina, the wife of William Elliott. Her youngest daughter, Ann, married Colonel Lewis Morris, eldest son of Lewis Morris, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. One of her devoted friends and admirers was Kosciusko. She is said to have saved the life of Colonel Morris when their house was visited by the Black Dragoons. Anna Elliott, daughter of the brave patriot, Thomas Ferguson, labored constantly for her country and ministered to the poor and afflicted, and many were the favors granted at her request by the British when they held Charleston. The mother of John C. Calhoun was Martha Caldwell, whose parents emigrated to Virginia in 1749. She was one of the conspicuous figures of that day.

About the noted women of North Carolina and Kentucky we have already written in the chapter on our pioneer women: Miss Susan Hart, Sarah Bledsoe, Catherine Sherrill, Mrs. Sevier, Sarah Richardson, Charlotte Reeves, who became Mrs. Robertson, Mrs. Kenton, Sarah Sibley, who was Miss Sproat, Mrs. Talbott, Mrs. Sibley, Rebecca Heald, Mrs. Helm, Mrs. Kinsey and others.