Noble Deeds of American Women

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.

J. C.

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.

CONTENTS.

PAGE.

INTRODUCTION 13

Mother of Washington 25

Wife of Washington 33

Wife of John Adams 39

Ann H. Judson 52

A Christian Woman in the Hour of Danger 66

Humanity of Hartford Ladies 69

Mother Bailey 73

Elizabeth Heard 76

Ladies of Philadelphia in 1780 78

Wife of President Reed 80

Completion of Bunker Hill Monument 85

Lydia Darrah 89

Widow Storey 93

Mrs. Hendee 95

Patriotic Women of Old Middlesex 97

The Cacique's Noble Daughter 99

Humane Spirit of a Forest Maid 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