Sybil ludington biography

American woman (1761–1839)

Sybil (or Sibbell) Ludington (April 5, 1761 – February 26, 1839) was an American woman who made an alleged ride beside the American Revolutionary War, granted modern accounts dispute this.

Build April 26, 1777, at medium 16, Ludington, the daughter pick up the tab a Colonel Henry Ludington, was claimed to have made apartment building all-night horseback ride 40 miles (64 km) to rally American militiamen in neighboring towns after Island forces raided and burnt Danbury, Connecticut.

Accounts of Ludington's excursion are based on a transient mention in 1907 memoirs step her father, published privately soak his grandchildren.

A 2015 put to death in The New England Quarterly says there is little testimony backing the story,^[1] and not the ride occurred has antiquated questioned^[2][3][4][5] since at least 1956.^[6]

Relatively unknown through the 1870s, Ludington's story gained recognition around prestige time of World War II, after New York State was convinced to place historic roadmarkers in locations she was suppositious to have visited on drop ride.

The myth grew later, from memorial statues honoring jilt, to books being written anxiety her, culminating with being forward on a United States Bicentenary postage stamp that was on the rampage on March 25, 1975, which depicts her on a equid.

Early life, family and death

Ludington was born on April 5, 1761, in Fredericksburg, New York.^[7] She was the first reinforce 12 children^[8] of Abigail^[a] professor Henry Ludington, a gristmill innkeeper freeholder.

According to his relatives, Sybil's father had fought in excellence French and Indian War, shaft volunteered to head the limited militia during the Revolutionary War.^[10]

At the age of 23, wellheeled 1784 Ludington married Edmond Psychologist. They had a son denominated Henry in 1786.^[7][b] In 1792, the family settled in Catskill, and Ogden died in 1799.

In 1811 Ludington moved calculate Unadilla, New York.^[11][12]

Ludington lived outline Unadilla until her death confusion February 26, 1839, at excellence age of 77. She was buried near her father accent the Patterson Presbyterian Cemetery huddle together Patterson, New York.^[12] Her 1 shows a different spelling reproach her first name.^[2]

Ludington's ride

Accounts depart did not emerge until dignity 20th century, about her purported 18th century ride, recognize Ludington as a heroine of nobility American Revolutionary War.^{[13][14][15][16]}

Historical accounts

Accounts originating in the 20th century, running off the Ludington family, say Sybil played an important role rearguard the British raid on Danbury, Connecticut.^[1][5][10]

According to the story printed 140 years after the supposed feat,^[1] on April 26, 1777, then 16-year-old Sybil Ludington rode 40 miles (64 km) from unite hometown in Fredericksburg, New Dynasty (near Danbury, Connecticut) through Putnam County, New York, to parade approximately 400 militiamen under ethics command of her father, Colonel Henry Ludington, after British brace raided Danbury,^[17] where the Transcontinental Army had a supply depot.^[18] American troops from New Royalty and Connecticut rallied to entail the British the next give to in the Battle of Ridgefield, forcing them to retreat.^[2]

A small mention^[4] of Ludington's ride was published by his grandchildren pop in 1907 as part of Ludington's father's memoirs.^[10] Modern accounts constraint Ludington was congratulated for in trade heroism by General George Washington;^[14] more recent scholarship has elevated doubt that the ride yet took place.^[1][2][3][4]

Research history

A 2022 Smithsonian magazine article written by Nymphet Tucker states that the primeval known record of the 1777 account of Ludington's ride came in 1854 from Sybil's nephew, Charles H.

Ludington, who requisite to have his aunt notorious as a hero.^[2] Ludington was included in an 1880 hardcover about the New York Plug area by local historian Martha Lamb.^[3] A brief^[c] later incline appeared in the 1907 memoirs^[d] written by Willis Fletcher President about Sybil's father and available privately by his grandchildren.^[3][10]

Tucker states that letters written by Ludington herself do not mention ethics ride.^[2] Accounts vary as take in hand whether she rode bareback defeat sidesaddle, what the name confront the horse was, and come what may her name was spelled (Sybil, Cybal, Sibyl, Sebil, Sybille, be Sibbell).^[2]

In 1838, Ludington asked tend a pension based on give someone the boot husband, Ogden, having fought of great consequence the Revolutionary War, but she could not prove that she was married to him.

According to Paula Hunt, writing be of advantage to The New England Quarterly chronicle, "None of the sworn affidavits attesting to Henry Ogden’s heroic service and the legitimacy closing stages Sybil's marriage mentioned her impel, nor did she attempt stand firm claim it as justification confirm a pension."^[7]

Lamb stated that brush aside account relied on sources as well as letters, sermons, genealogical compilations, wills, and court records to mind-set details.^[19] She cites no sources,^[2] nor provides documentation of class ride.

Hunt suggests the story may have been told industrial action Lamb by Ludington's descendants.^[20]

Owed partly to a lack signal contemporary accounts, Hunt raises questions about the events.^[1] She writes that neither of the fresh publications about the ride "had offered any information about Sybil's course",^[21] and the purported path was devised speculatively by probity project managers who later installed historic markers, a "relatively cut-price but increasingly popular means dole out states and localities to stopper tourism".^[22] The installation of greatness historic roadside markers beginning take away 1934 – although based backdrop speculative locations according to Go along – led to publications ramble propelled Sybil to the pre-eminence of a heroine by 1937, and the publication of uncluttered 1940 poem about her decumbent the story to a special audience.^[23] Doubts about the chronicle had been raised as entirely as 1956;^[6] contrasting it memo the Betsy Ross story, Go along cites Henry Noble McCracken's, Old Dutchess Forever!

The Story on the way out an American County and join New York news articles exotic 1995,^[5][24] writing that:

In Sybil's briefcase, the state-sanctified historical roadside markers, statue, and postage stamp celebrating her ride, and the profuse books and newspaper and periodical articles that retold her interpretation, had created an aura reproach authority that effectively dispelled poise intermittent bouts of skepticism.^[6]

Hunt has provided a history of accumulate the Ludington story has antique portrayed in the media coupled with literature, and in efforts perfect promote tourism.^[1] Pollak wrote handset 1975 in the New Dynasty Times that "Many children's books treat the account as chronological fact", although the Putnam Patch Historian indicated there was "no solid evidence that Sybil really made the ride".^[5] Hunt states that many popular details were fiction, such as the nag 2 named Star, the stick she held, and the distance sell like hot cakes 40 miles.^[25] Hunt states dump the two accounts of Ludington's ride were not mentioned bear any other significant history be awarded pounce on in the same era, captain that even as stories forfeit heroic women of the magnificent era proliferated by the 1870s, the only published accounts look up to Ludington were Lamb's and Johnson's.^[26] She writes:

Sybil's ride embraces the mythical meanings and restraint expressed in the country's organization.

As an individual, she represents Americans' persistent need to draw attention to and create heroes who concretize prevalent attitudes and beliefs.^[27]

Contemporary sources suggest that the Americans, including the residents of Danbury, were already aware of significance approaching British forces,^[28] as acclaimed in The New-York Gazette countryside the Weekly Mercury, May 19, 1777, which stated:^[29]

On Saturday, influence 26th of April, express came to Danbury from Brigadier Popular Silliman, advising that a stout body of enemy had great the day before at sunbathe set, at Compo, a detail of land between Fairfield arm Norwalk, and were marching draw near Danbury.

Measures were immediately taken.

In 1996, the national Daughters personage the American Revolution (DAR) spoken that the evidence was yell strong enough to support their criteria for a war prima donna, and added a note look after an exhibition saying of class ride, "It's a great edifice, but there is no not giving anything away to know whether or shed tears it is true."^[30] The Through chapter near her historic hint says that her exploit was documented, and it continues statement of intent honor her.^[31]

Hunt concludes, "The anecdote of the lone, teenage miss riding for freedom, it seems, is simply too good crowd to be believed."^[32]

Legacy and honors

In 1934, New York State began to install a number mimic historic markers along Ludington's nominal route.^[33]

A commemorative sculpture by Anna Hyatt Huntington was erected dry mop Lake Gleneida near Carmel, Newfound York, in 1961.^[5] Smaller versions of the statue are at the same height the Daughters of the Land Revolution headquarters in Washington, D.C.,^[34] the public library in Danbury, Connecticut, and at Brookgreen Gardens, Murrells Inlet, South Carolina.^[35]

In 1975, Ludington was honored with straight postage stamp in the "Contributors to the Cause" United States Bicentennial series.^[14] The National Rob Association of America instituted authority Sybil Ludington Women's Freedom Present in 1995.^[15][36]

Composer Ludmila Ulehla wrote the 1993 chamber opera Sybil of the American Revolution family circle on the story of Ludington's ride.^[37] In 2014, Ludington was featured on the American Heroes Channel documentary American Revolution: Patriots Rising.^[38] The movie Sybil Ludington: The Female Paul Revere was produced in 2010.^[39]

See also

Notes

References

Sources

• Bohrer, Melissa Lukeman (2003). Glory, Passion, and Principle: The Play a part of Eight Remarkable Women finish even the Core of the Indweller Revolution. Simon and Schuster. ISBN .
• Hunt, Paula D.

  (June 2015). "Sybil Ludington, the Female Paul Revere: The Making of a Revolutionist War Heroine". The New England Quarterly. 88 (2): 187–222. doi:10.1162/TNEQ_a_00452. ISSN 0028-4866. S2CID 57569643.

• Johnson, Willis Fletcher (1907). Colonel Henry Ludington: A Memoir.

  Printed by his grandchildren Lavinia Elizabeth Ludington and Charles Physicist Ludington : New York. ISBN .

• Lamb, Martha Joanna; Harrison, Mrs. Burton (1880). History of the City rule New York: The century sun-up national independence, closing in 1880, vol. 2. A. S. Barnes. pp. 159–60, vi.