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Part of the American
History & Genealogy Project |
Ladies of the Washington Era
Mary A.
Sitgreaves
Among the intimate friends of "Nellie Custis'' was Mary A.
Sitgreaves, the second daughter of Colonel Daniel Kemper of the
Revolutionary Army. She was born in New York, April 1774. During
the occupation of New York by the British, her father removed to
Morristown, New Jersey. The headquarters of General Washington
were in the neighborhood and through her frequent visits to the
camp Miss Kemper became an intimate friend of Mrs. Washington.
During a visit to her uncle, Dr. David Jackson of Philadelphia,
she met in the drawing-room of the President Honorable Samuel
Sitgreaves, a member of Congress, and they were married June,
1796.
Susan
Wallace
Mrs. Susan Wallace, the mother of Horace Binney Wallace, lived
opposite Washington's house in Philadelphia. She was the
daughter of Mrs. Mary Binney of Philadelphia, and married John
Bradford Wallace, who died in 1849. He was the nephew of Mr.
Bradford, the second attorney-general of the United States. Mrs.
Wallace was also one of the close friends of Mrs. Washington.
Mary Abigail
Fillmore
Mary Abigail Fillmore, the only daughter of President Fillmore,
was, on account of her mother's delicate health, mistress of the
White House during President Fillmore's term. She was a
remarkably intellectual young woman, highly educated, and a fine
linguist. Her taste and talent for sculpture was scarcely second
to that of her most intimate friend the distinguished Harriet
Hosmer, and but for the cutting off of her life by cholera at
the age of twenty-two years, she might have become as
distinguished as this beloved schoolmate. She was much admired
and attained a national reputation on account of the graceful
and acceptable manner in which she presided over the White
House.
The Mother of Webster
Daniel Webster spent his childhood in a log cabin on the banks
of the Merrimac in an unfrequented part of New Hampshire. From
his mother he received those lessons which formed his mind and
character and fitted him for the great part he was to play in
public life. She denied herself everything possible that he
might go to Exeter Academy and to Dartmouth College. Her faith
in his ability for future greatness being so strong, she desired
to give him every opportunity for education. To her Webster
always gave the credit for his success in life.
Women of
America
Source: The Part Taken by Women in
American History, By Mrs. John A. Logan, Published by The Perry-Nalle
Publishing Company, Wilmington, Delaware, 1912.
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