American women : a Library of Congress guide for the study of women's history and culture in the United States

464 Pages·2001·65.5 MB·English

by  Washington : Library of Congress : For sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. G.P.O.

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The sentiments of an
AMERICAN woman.
O
N the commencement of aftual war, the Women of America manifefted a firm refo-
lution to contribute as much as could depend on them, to thedeliverance of their coun¬
try. Animated by the purefi; patriotifm, they are fenfibleof forrow at this day, in not offer¬
ing more than barren wifhes for the fuccefs of fo glorious a Revolution. Thev afpire to ren¬
der themfelves more really ufeful jand this fentiment is univerfal from the north to the fouth
cf the Thirteen United States. Our ambition is kindledby the fame of thofe heroines of an¬
tiquity, who have rendered their fex illuftrious, and have proved to the univerfe, that, if
the weaknefs of our Conftitution, if opinion and manners did not forbid us to march to glo¬
ry by the fame paths as the Men, we fhould ar leaft equal, and fometimes furpafs them in our
love for the public good. I glory in all that which my fex has done great and commendable.
I call to mind with enthufjafm and with admiration, all thofe ads of courage, of conflan-
cy and patriotifm, which liiftory has tranfmitted to us : The people favoured by Heaven,
preferved from deftrudion by the virtues, the zeal and the refolution cf Deborah, of Judith,
of Efther 1 The fortitude of the mother of the Macchabees, in giving up her for.s to die be¬
fore her eyes : Rome faved from the fury of a vidoriou; enemy by the efforts cf Volumnia,
and other Roman Ladies: So many famous fieges where the Women have been feen forget-
ing the weaknefs cf their fex, building new walls, digging trenches with their feeble Hands,
furnilhing arms to their defenders, they themfelves darting the milTile weapons on the ene¬
my, religningthc ornaments of their apparel, and their fortune, to fill the public treafury,
ar.d to haden thedeliverance of their country ; burying themfelves under its ruinsj throwing
themfelves into the flames rather than fubmit to the difgracc of humiliation before a proud
enemy.
Born for liberty, difdaining to bear the irons of a tyrannic Government, we affociate our-
felvos to the grandeur of thofe Sovereigns,cherifhed and revered, who have held with fo much
fplendour the feepterof the greateft States, The Batildas, the Elizabeths, the Maries, the Ca¬
tharines, who have extended the empire of liberty, and contented to reign by fweetnefs and
juftice, have broken the chains of flavery, forged by tyrants in the times of ignorance and
barbarity. The SpanifhWomen, do they not make, at this moment, the mod patriotic facrifices,
to encreafe the means of vidory in the hands of their Sovereign. He is a friend to the French
Nation. They are our allies. We call to mind, doubly interefted, that it was a French Maid
who kindled up amongft her fellow-citizens, the flame ot patriotifm buried under long mis¬
fortunes : It was the Maid of Orleans who drove from the kingdom of France the anceftors
of thofe fame Britifh, whofe odious yoke we have juft flraken off ; and whom it is neceffary
that we drive from this Continent.
But I muft limit myfelf to the recollection of this fmall number of atchievements. Who
knows if perlons di pefed to cenfure, and fometimes too feverely with regard to us, may not
difapprove our appearing acquainted even with the actions of which our fexboafts.^ We are
at leaft certain, that he cannot be a good citizen who will not applaud our efforts for the relief
of the armies which defend our lives, our pofl'effions, our liberty f The fituation of our foldiery
has been reprefented to me; the evils infeparable from war, and the firm and generous fpirit
which has enabled them to fupport thefe. Bat it has been faid, that they may apprehend, that,
in the courfeof a long war, the view of their diftreffes may be loft, and their fervices be for¬
gotten. Forgotten ! never ; I can anfwcr in the name cf-all my fex. Brave Americans, your
diiintereftedijefs, your courage, and your conftancy will always be dear to America, as long
as (he fhall preferve bar virtue.
We know that at adiftance from the theatre of war, if we enjoy any tranquility, it is the
fruit of your watchings, your labours, your dangers. If I live happy in the midft of my family ;
if myhufband cultivates his field, and reaps his harveft in peace ; if, furrounded with my
children, I myfe'f nourifti the youngeft, and prefs it to my bofom, without being affra'd
of feeing myfelf feparated froro it, by a ferocious enemy ; if theboufe in which we dwell ; if
our barns, our orchards are fafeat theprefent time from the hands of thofe incendiaries, it is
to you that we owe it. And fhall we hefitate to evidence to you our gratitude.'’ Shall we hefitate
to wear a cloathing more Ample; hair dreffed lefs elegant, while at the price of this fmall priva¬
tion, we fhall deferve your benedieflions. Who, amongft us, will not renounce with the higheft
pleafure, thofe vain ornaments, when-fhe fhall confider that the valiant defenders of Ame¬
rica will be able to draw fom.e aclvantage from the money which fhe may have laid out in thefe;
that they will be better defended from the rigours of the feafons, that after their painful toils,
they will receive fenre extraordinary and unexpected relief; that thefe prefents will perhaps
be valued by them at a greater price, when they will have it in their power to fay : This is
the o^'erin? of ll: Ladies. The time is arrived to difplay the fame fentiments which animated
us at the beginning of the Revolution, when we renounced the ufe of teas, however agree¬
able to our tafte, rather than receive them from ourperfecutors ; when we made it appear to
them that we placed former ncceftaries in the rank cf fuperfluities, when our liberty was inte-
refted ; when our republican and laborious hands fpun the flax, prepared the linen intended
for the ufe of our foldiefs ; when exiles and fugitives we fupported with courage all the evils
which are the concomitants of war. Let us not lofe a moment; let us be engaged to offer the ho¬
mage of our gratitude at the altar of military valour, and you, our brave deliverers, while mer¬
cenary flaves combat to caufe you tofhare with them, the irons with which they are leaded, re¬
ceive with a free hand cur offering, thenureftrchichcan be prefented to your virtue,
" By Ax AMERICAN WOMAN.
IDEAS, relative to the manner of forvearding to the American Soldiers, the Prejcnts
of the American Women.
A ^
plans are eligible, when doing good is the objedl; there is however one more pre¬
ferable ; and when the operation is extenfive, we cannot give it too much uniformity.
On the other fide, the wants of our army do not permit the flownefs of an ordinary path. It
is not in one month, nor in eight days, that we would relieve our foldiery. It is immediately}
and our impatience does not permit us to proceed by the long circuity of colledors, receivers
and treafurers. As my idea with regard to this, have been approved by fome Ladies of my
friends, I will explain them here ; every other perfon will not be lefs at liberty to prepare and
to adopt a different plan.
ift. All Women and Girls will be received without exception, to prefent their patriotic of¬
fering ; and, as it is abfolutely voluntary, every one will regulate it according to her abili¬
ty, and her difpofition. The (hilling offered by the Widow or the young Girl, will be re¬
ceived as well as the moft confiderable fums prefented by the Women who have the happinefs
to join to their patriotifm, greater means to beufeful.
2d. A Lady chofen by the others in each county, (hall be the Treafurefs ; and to render
her tafk more fimple, and more eafy, (he will not receive but determinate fums, in a round
number, from twenty hard dollars to any greater fum. The exchange forty dollars in paper
for one dollar in fpecie. i
It is hoped that there will not be one Woman who will not with pleafure charge herfelf
with the embarraffment which will attend fo honorable an operation.
3d. The Women who (hall not be in a condition to fend twenty dollars in fpecie, or
above, will join in as great a number as will be neceffary to make this or any greater fum,
and one amongft them will carry it, or caufe it to be fent to the Treafurefs.
4th. The Treafurefs of the county will receive the money, and will keep a regifter, writing
the fums in her book, and caufing it to be figned at the fide of the whole by the perton who
has prefented it.
5th. When feveral Women (hall join together to make a total fum of twenty dollars or
more, i(he amongft them who (hall have the charge to carry it to the Treafurefs, will make men¬
tion of all their names on the regifter, if her aflociates (hall havefo direded herj tbofe whofe
choice itihall be, will have the liberty to remain unknown.
6th. As foon as the Treafurefs of the county fhall judge, that the fums which (he (hall have
received, deferve to be fent to their deftination, flie will caufe them to be prefented with the
lifts, to the wife of the Governor or Prefident of the State, who will be the Treafurefs-Gene-
ral of the State j and (lie will caufe it to be fet down in her regifter, and have-it fent to Mif-
trefs Wafliington. If the Governor or Prefident are unmarried, all willaddrefs themfelves to
the wife of the Vice-Prefident, if there is one, or of the Chief-Juftice,&c.
yfh. Women fettled in the diftant parts of the country, and not chpfing for any particular
reafon as for the fake of greater expedition, to remit their Capital to the Treafurels, may
fend it diredly to the wife of the Governor, or Prefident, &c. or to Miftrefs Wa(hington,
who, if (lie (liall judge neceffary, will in a (hort anfwer to the fender, acquaint her with the
reception of it.
8th. As Mrs. Wafhington may be abfent from the camp when the greater part of the banks
(hail be fent there the American Women confidering, that General Wafhington is the Fa¬
ther and Friend of the Soldiery ; that he is himfelf, the firft Soldier of the Republic, and
that their offering will be received at its deftination,as foon as it (hall have come to his hands,
they will pray him, to take the charge of receiving it, in the abfence of Mrs. Wafhing¬
ton.
qth. General Wafhington will difpofeof this fund in the manner that he (hall judge mod
advantageous to the Soldiery. The American Women defire only that it may not be confider-
ed as to be employed, to procure to the army, the objeds of fubfiftenee, arms or cloathing,
iwhich are due to them by the Continent. It is an extraordinary bounty intended to render
the condition of the Soldier more pleafant, and not to hold place of the things which they
ought to receive from the Congrefs, or from the States.
loth. If the General judges neceffary, he will publifli at the end of a certain time, an
amount of that which fhall have been received from each particular State.
nth. The Women who (hall fend their offerings, will have in their choice to conceal or
to give their names j and if it fhall be thought proper, on a fit occafion, to publifh one day
the lifts, they only, who fhall confent, fhall be named ; when with regard to the fums fent,
there will be no mention made, if they fo defire it.
Printed By JOHN DUNLAP.
Overleaf, on the Endpapers:
I he Sentiments of an American Woman. Verso: Ideas, relative to the manner of forwarding to the
American Soldiers, the Presents of the American Women. [Philadelphia:] Printed bj’ John Dunlap,
[June JO, lySoJ. Printed Ephemera Collection, Portfolio 146;^. Rare Book and Special Collections Divi¬
sion. Photograph hr Yiisef El-Amin.
In late May 1780, General George Washington reported to Congress that serious and prolonged shortages
of rations, clothing, and pay had nearly exhausted his troops. Immediate relief was needed. Aspiring "to
render themselves more really useful," the women of Philadelphia, who had observed that government
measures were usually slow and inadequate, took on this challenge.
Led by Esther De Berdt Reed (1747-1780), first lady of Pennsylvania, the ladies quickly organized a sys¬
tematic plan for canvassing the city and suburbs. In mid-June, at least three dozen women went from house
to house soliciting funds. The efforts of this "resistless force" were so successful that in her July 4, 1780,
letter to Washington, Esther Reed could report that the women had raised more than $300,000 in paper
currency.
Subscription papers for this pioneering charity drive, later published by Reed's grandson, list 1,645 con¬
tributors by name and amount. Although most contributions were in depreciated paper currency, more than
a third of the funds were in specie. One pair of leather breeches was donated. Both the countess de La
Luzerne, wife of the French minister, and the marquise de Lafayette, through the marquis, contributed gen¬
erously. The ladies' campaign received repeated praise in the Pennsylvania Packet, where the amount the
women raised was shown to rival the sum pledged by men to establish a bank—and these subscriptions
from the men were expected to be returned to them with interest.
Sentiments of an American Woman—probably written by Esther Reed—sets out historical examples of
aggressive female patriotism as inspiration and justification for a call to political action. Professing women's
"love for the public good" to be at least equal to that of men, the writer encourages women actively to
make personal sacrifices to give soldiers "extraordinary and unexpected" presents of gratitude and remem¬
brance.
Esther Reed's patriotism is particularly noteworthy. She had come to America only a decade earlier as the
bride of Joseph Reed. The conditions of war had effectively separated her from her family and friends in
England. Furthermore, Esther undertook leadership of the women's relief efforts in the weeks immediately
following the birth in May of her sixth child, George Washington Reed, at a time when most women would
have restricted their physical and social activities severely.
On the verso of this broadsheet is a detailed plan for collecting and forwarding funds. Virginia Congress¬
man John Walker, in his June 13, 1780, letter to Governor Thomas Jefferson, suggests that it was drawn up
by Francois, marquis de Barbe-Marbois, secretary of the French legation, who was known to have encour¬
aged the women's relief activities. This broadsheet, which, according to the June 13 Pennsylvania Packet, was
published on June 10, 1780, was undoubtedly the plan enclosed by several congressional delegates with
their June correspondence home.
With encouragement from Esther Reed and Martha Washington, similar fund drives were organized in
Maryland, New Jersey, and Virginia. As in Philadelphia, women in these three states adapted their fund¬
raising efforts to meet local conditions. Before year's end, the results of their collective efforts also were for¬
warded to General Washington.
Although the Philadelphia ladies had hoped that their contributions could be used to provide "an extraor¬
dinary bounty" beyond the food and clothing due to soldiers by the government, Washington insisted that it
was shirts that would provide the greatest comfort to his men. So in late August, Esther Reed began pur¬
chasing linen. Its transformation into shirts unfortunately fell to other hands, however, for Esther Reed died
suddenly on September 18, 1780, of a fever.
After an autumn of "general sickness" in the city, the Philadelphia women, wanting to stretch their funds
as far as possible, began making the shirts themselves. On December 26, 1780, Sarah Franklin Bache for¬
warded more than two thousand shirts to Washington, with the wish that they "be worn with as much
pleasure as they were made."
—Rosemary Fry Plakas
This early episode of American women's collective patriotism can be traced by consulting the following sources:
Letters of Delegates to Congress, 1774-1789, 26 vols. (Washington: Library of Congress, 1976-2000), 1 5:284,
287, 315-16, 329, 355; William B. Reed, Life and Correspondence of Joseph Reed, 2 vols. (Philadelphia: Lindsay
and Blakiston, 1847), 2: 260-71,429-49; and Pennsylvania Packet (Philadelphia, John Dunlap), June 13, 17, 27;
July 8; and November 4, 1780.
American
Women
NOTICE
I
HERE BY forewarn all persons
crediting my wife, Delilah McCon-
NELi., on my account, as she has absconded
without iny consent. I am therefore de*
termined to pav none of her contracts.
WILLIAM McConnell.
May 15,1828. 13—^
I .
TGiPES.
Dll IrViy, hS(r»
"Notice: I liereb') forewarn all persons against crediting my wife, Delilah
6x!a y<S DB DXJSa D-RT, DXt*^
McConnell." Cherokee Phoenix (New Ecliota, Georgia), May 28, 1828
(Newspaper vaidt). Serial and Government Publications Division. FT JCWP JATiP. D*V^J5GrO^Z IifvRe DX*
Notices such as this bilingual one in English and Cherokee from the Chero¬ p.iR-4. c^yii DXJBvi ivjxy^^
kee Phoenix (New Echota, Georgia), refusing to honor an estranged wife's
debts, appear in newspapers from the early nineteenth century to the pres¬ DB DXJBa lileShAiSjT.
ent day. Since husbands were responsible for the debts and contracts of ©p cpypo-.!.
their wives, without this notice William McConnell would have been forced
1828
to pay the debts incurred after his wife's departure. In some locales, news¬ aeyssDA T§ DOoi)E.i, .
papers publish the only official statement of record for debt notices, bank¬
ruptcies, and estate announcements.
A Library of Congress Guide for the Study of
Contributors
Sheridan Harvey
Humanities and Social Sciences Division
Georgia Metos Higley
Serial and Government Publications Division
Pamela Barnes Craig
Law Library of Congress
Rosemary Fry Plakas
Rare Book and Special Collections Division
Jacgueiine Coleburn
Special Materials Cataloging Division
Janice E. Ruth
Manuscript Division
Barbara Orbach Natanson
Prints and Photographs Division
Patricia Molen van Ee
Geography and Map Division
Robin Rausch
Music Division
Nancy J. Seeger
Recorded Sound Section—Motion Picture,
Broadcasting, and Recorded Sound Division
Rosemary Hanes with Brian Taves
Moving Image Section—Motion Picture,
Broadcasting, and Recorded Sound Division
James Hardin
American Folklife Center
Peggy K. Pearlstein and Barbara A. Tenenbaum
Area Studies Collections
Leslie W. Gladstone
Congressional Research Service
Sara Day
Publishing Office
Women’s History and Culture in the United States
American
Women
edited by
Sheridan Harvey
Humanities and Social Sciences Division
Janice E. Ruth
Manuscript Division
Barbara Orbach Natanson
Prints and Photographs Division
Sara Day and Evelyn Sinclair
Publishing Office
Introduction by Susan Ware
Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Studies
Harvard University
Library of Congress
Distributed by
Washington
University Press of New England
2001
Hanover and London
Scholars Advisory Committee
Susan WAre
Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Studies
I larvard University
Eileen Boris
University of California, Santa Barbara
Joanne i\I. Braxton
College of William and Mary
Carol IS Karlsen
University of Michigan
Alice Kessler-11 arris
Columbia University
Vicki L. Ruiz
Arizona Stiite University
Design: Adrianne Onderdonk Dudden
Introduction copyright © 2001 by Susan Ware
Library oi Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
American women : a Library of Congress guide for the study
of women's history and culture in the United States / edited
by Sheridan Llarvey . . . [et al,] ; introduction by Susan Ware,
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-8444-1048-9 (alk. paper)
1. W'omen—United States—I listory—Library re¬
sources. 2. Library resources—W'ashington (D.C.)
3. Library of Congress I. Title: Library of Congress
guide for the study of v^'omens history and culture in
the United States. 11. Harvey, Sheridan, 1945-
III. Library of Congress.
Z7164.U5 A47 2001
[I IQ 1410]
026'.3()54'()973 —dc21 2001029547
Library of Congress reproduction numbers arc given follow¬
ing identifying information in illustration captions. Ck)p\right
restrictions apply tis indicated. Please cite the number (such
I'itle Page: Suffrage tent tour at Suffolk County Fair, Long Island,
New York, igi-f.- Photograph. Harriot Stanton Blatch Papers {con¬ as LC-USZ62-34299, LC-USZC4-5347, LCMSS-12997-in,
tainer lo). Alanuscript Division. LC-MSS-iigg--lo. Al'C 194()/()() I: P05 I, or W I P-iMC-C()()8-20) to order copies
of images in this book from the Library of Ciongress, Photo¬
In New York State, groups like Harriot Stanton Blatch's Women's Political
Union and Carrie Chapman Catt's Empire State Campaign Committee duplication Seiwice, W ashitigton, DC1 20540-4570; phone
mounted an all-out effort In the summer of 1914 to sway male voters who 202 707-5640, fax [phone].
would decide the fate of a state suffrage amendment passed by the legis¬
lature in 1913 and placed on the November 1915 ballot. As part of their
I'hc paper in this pnhlicatlon meets the requirements for
southern "tent tour," WPU members set up a booth at the Suffolk County
permaneiiee established by the American National Standard
Fair on Long Island. Eager to attract working mothers to their cause and
perhaps to dispel the perception of suffragists as marriage-hating spinsters, ANSI/NISD 2.19.48.1992, Permanence of Paper jar
the group offered free baby-sitting to fairgoers. Pnhiicalions and Documents in Libraries anil Archives.
Content Overview
Preface James H. Eillington .xiii
Acknowledgments xv
Introduction Susan Ware xix
Using the Library of Congress xxxi
1 I he (iCMieral Collections Sheridan Harvey 3
Marching for the Vote: Remembering the Woman Suffrage Parade of 1913 Sheridan Harvey 32
-w Serial and (ioveriiuieiit I’ublietitioiis Division Georgia Metos Higlej' 41
Law Library of Congress Pamela Barnes Craig 69
The Long Road to Equality: What Women Won from the ERA Ratification Effort Leslie W. Gladstone 92
^4' Rare Book and Special Collections Division Rosemary Fry Plaluis and Jacqueline Colehiirn 101
v) Alannseript Division Janice E. Ruth 123
"With Peace and Freedom Blest!" Woman as Symbol in America, 1590-1800 Sara Day 176
() Prints and Photographs Division Barbara Orbach Natanson 187
Women on the Move: Overland Journeys to California Patricia Molen van Ee 216
( (Jeography and Map Division Patricia Molen van Ee 227
H Mnsie Division Robin Rausch 253
The House That Marian Built: The MacDowell Colony of Peterborough, New Hampshire Robin Rausch 270
f) Recorded Sound Seetion-Alotion Pietnre. Broadcasting,
and Recorded Sound Division Nancy J. Seeger 279
I 0 Moving linage Section-Motion Pietnre. Broadcasting.
and Recorded Sound Division Rosemary Planes with Brian Eaves 301
II American I olklife Center James Hardin 323
^Vfea Studies Collections Peggy K. Pearlstein and Barbara A. Penenbaiim 341
Abbreviations 371
Notes 373
Index 389
Baker &■ Connvall. Modern Manual d raining School. I^holooraph, /905. Prints and Photop^raphs Division.
LC-USZ62-1
Even in the new coeducational public and manual training schools around the turn of the twentieth century, courses of
study were often dictated by gender. Girls in this 1905 classroom practice home economics on one side of the room
while boys learn about tools for shop on the other.