Patriots in Petticoats: Women in the American Revolution

Posted by Bob Foley, Program Director, Van Cortlandtville Historical Society

Patriots in Petticoats:  Women in the American Revolution is the topic of an inspiring program to be held on Saturday, September 19th, at 2 p.m., at The Little Red Schoolhouse, 297 Locust Avenue, Cortlandt Manor, New York. Sponsored by the Van Cortlandtville Historical Society, the event is open free to the public.

Featuring presenters from the Daughters of Liberty’s Legacy, the PowerPoint program will showcase what life was like for the brave women who supported the cause for freedom before, during and after the American Revolution. Debra Palazzo and Cynthia Kauffman, co-founders of the Daughters group, will present the historic story of Ann Fisher Miller and the important role she played in the Westchester area during the struggle for American independence.

In a living-history re-enactment, Mrs. Kauffman will portray Ann Fisher Miller, who was born in 1728 and only recently recognized as a “Patriot of the Revolution” for the many sacrifices she and her family made for the cause of freedom. Her home, located on Virginia Road in North White Plains, hosted many generals, principally George Washington, and also served as a military hospital and encampment during the Battle of White Plains.

In describing the goals of the Daughters of Liberty’s Legacy, Ms. Palazzo, an attorney with offices in Hawthorne, will narrate the introduction. She says: “Our mission is to preserve history through education and promoting patriotism. We are currently raising funds to pay for Ann Miller’s headstone and working to preserve the Miller House.” Details on how to donate are on the group’s website: DOLL1776.com.

Both women are members of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and Trustees of the White Plains Historical Society. They point out that “we are women who are descended from Revolutionary War patriots and who treasure history. We have realized that once a piece of history is lost, it is gone forever. It is our goal to find and preserve as much history as we can, so that it can be an education for future generations.”

Mrs. Kauffman serves as President of the Daughter’s of Liberty’s Legacy and she is the Registrar and Historian of the White Plains Chapter of the DAR. She is also a member of several genealogical societies associated with various stages of our nation’s heritage and development from the Mayflower landing to the Jamestown settlement. A resident of North Castle, she is married and the mother of two children and has run her own small business for 20 years.

The Little Red Schoolhouse (the venue for the Sept. 19th program) is located at the north end of Locust Avenue, next to Old Saint Peter’s Church and cemetery, on the hill just south of Oregon Road in the Town of Cortlandt.       For more information, visit: www.vancort.net; or, call (914) 736-7868.