Search -
women on the raisin during the war of 1812
women on the raisin during the war of 1812 Author:MaryEllen Van Wasshenova When the idea for the book about the Women of Frenchtown & their roles in the War of 1812, came to me, it was with the realization that all I had read about in the usual sources were stories about men, about soldiers & their incredible feats of survival & about how they coped with life in the wilderness. — At one point a thought struck me: what ... more »happened to the reports, books, pamphlets or stories of the women? Surely, they were there along with their men, in this new Northwest Territory wilderness.
With the help of Ralph Naveaux, an idea took shape in my head, a desire to tell some of these women's stories. I raided Ralph's files, dug through old newspaper articles, read diary entries, & researched ancient books about the Knaggs & Anderson families.
The stories began to swim in my mind, until I almost felt as if I were there with these women. Their stories needed to be told.
All the information about these eight women can be found in records housed in the Monroe County Historical Museum. These women & girls not only had to perform the difficult domestic duties of raising children & keeping homes together but were also faced with responsibilities of enduring their family's survival while their men were off to war.
These jobs were not taken for granted, except perhaps by posterity. Violence & death would change their lives forever.
The followoing accounts are readable by adults, but are especially meant for younger readers. They show what can be accomplished when decisions are hard to make, but will affect many.
Hopefully, the middle school student can reflect on these stories & appreciate those who lived during that time, what they accomplished , & how it affects us today.
Monroe is rich in the fact that many of the founding families still have descendants who live in & around the county. Therefore, this book is also written for those who want to learn more about their ancestors who lived along the River Raisin, especially about the women.
Lastly, this book should have a general appeal to anyone interested in learning what makes Monroe, then Frenchtown, a unique place to raise children , have families, & appreciate what has been accomplished despite many hardships endured by our early settlers. The women of the River Raisin country never planned to be heroes, but their deeds made them worthy role models for us who are living today.
This is the author's foreward. Book is also autographed by her...« less