Fun Fact of the Day - Annis Stockton

Annis Stockton, the wife of NJ Declaration Signer Richard Stockton was a well-read and educated woman of her time, who would write and publish poetry. She would be the only woman member of the American Society. One of the pieces she wrote was called Welcome, Might Chief, Once More, which celebrates the capture of Lord Cornwallis:

BRING now ye Muses from th' Aonian grove,

The wreath of victory which the sisters wove,

Wove and laid up in Mars' most awful fane,

To crown our Hero on Virginia's plain.

See from Castalia's sacred fount they haste,

And now, already on his brow 'tis plac'd;

The trump of fame proclaims aloud the joy,

AND WASHINGTON IS CROWN'D, re-echo's to the sky.

Illustrious name! thy valour now has broke

Oppression's galling chain, and took the yoke

From off they bleeding country, set her free,

And every heart with transport beats for thee.[1]

A copy of this was sent to General Washington, who, in turn, wrote her a note of thanks.

[1] https://archive.org/stream/AnnisStocktonAndSusannaRowson/Annis-Stockton_and_Susanna-Rowson_djvu.txt