In the Spotlight

A young robin, still spotted and new to the world, was sitting on the top of our outdoor bench, looking all around- at the sky, the trees...as if in wonder of this new life...and I saw his shadow on the fence.  Blip in the bag.

One more story from my family tree.

 In the spotlight today is Eleanor Carothers.  I'll have her represent all the women in our (as in everyone, even yours) family histories..  Many times their maiden name and hence their own family ties have been lost when they married and changed their name. Most family trees will have many women by the first name only: Elizabeth, Margaret, Sally, Mary.... These women worked hard, bore their husband's children and often worked themselves into an early grave.  They are truly the unsung heroes and often lived in the shadow of their husband.

But Eleanor.  Wow...Eleanor was quite the scrappy lady.  She stood with her husband in the fight for Independence from England.  She had given birth to 11 - yes that's ELEVEN boys.  Along with her husband, Robert Wilson, seven of her sons were fighting against the Crown.   Robert and a couple of his boys were delivering goods to people active in the war when they were captured by Lord Cornwallis.  Apparently they were well known enough that Cornwallis paid Eleanor a visit and asked her if she would influence her husband and sons to 'turn coat' and fight for England.   Eleanor, not particularly impressed with him and apparently pretty much pissed   annoyed with him and with his attitude, famously said:
"I have seven sons who are now or have been bearing arms; indeed, my seventh son Zaccheus, who is only fifteen years old, I yesterday assisted to get ready to go and join his brothers in Sumter's army.  Now sooner than see one of my family turn back from this glorious enterprise, I would take these boys, " pointing to three or four small sons, ":and with them would myself enlist under Sumter's standard, and show my husband and sons how to fight, and, if necessary, to die for their country."  

Daughter of America; or Women of the Century, Chapter II, Women of the Revolution, Page 62:

If you go to Mecklenberg County in North Carolina, visit the Steel Creek Presbyterian Church.  Some of the oldest graves in the county are there and 13 veterans of the Revolutionary War are buried there, including Robert and Eleanor Wilson.  

It's hard to stop with just this story because there is so much more.  But, perhaps I've bored you all enough with this.  Thanks for putting up with my history lessons.  :)