MRS. RICHARD CRANCH.
Mary Smith, the elder sister of Abigail Adams, was married in 1762 to Richard Cranch, afterwards Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in Massachuchusetts. In 1775 the family moved from Boston to Quincy, then a part of Braintree, where they continued to reside till 1811. In October of that year both Mr. and Mrs. Cranch died and were buried on the same day. Mrs. Cranch is remembered for the work she accomplished in collecting supplies and clothing for the ragged army in the Revolution. Judge William Cranch was her son.
SABRINA ELLIOTT.
In times of national stress a turn of wit has often done more to strengthen the spirit of a cause than a deed of spectacular resistance. The following anecdote of Sabrina Elliott's wit illustrates the point. Living a widow, and unprotected, her home was raided by the enemy's soldiers, and the British officer in command personally supervised the plundering of her poultry houses. Afterward, in surveying the wreck, she observed straying about the premises an old muscovy drake which had escaped the general search. She immediately had him caught, and mounting a servant on horseback, ordered him to follow and deliver the bird to the officer, with her compliments and to express her grief that in the hurry of departure he had left such an important acquisition behind.
This story, laughed over by grim camp fires, did more to hearten the discouraged American soldiers than hysterical resistance to the enemy on the woman's part could possibly have done.
MARTHA WILSON.
Mrs. Wilson was the daughter of Colonel Charles Stewart, of New Jersey. She was born December 20, 1758, at "Sidney," the residence of her maternal grandfather, Judge Johnston, in the township of Kingwood and county of Hunterdon in that state. This old mansion was at that time one of the most stately and aristocratic of the colonial residences in that section of New Jersey. Constructed while the border settlements of the province were still subject to treacherous visits from the Indian, its square and massive walls and heavy portals were not only an expression of "the pride of life," but had reference as well to protection and defence, and for many years in its earlier use it was not only the stronghold of the wealthy proprietor, his
