In Which I Meet

The Marquis de Lafayette

August 1824

Greetings to you my good friends, I am here to write to you today about my latest encounter with a famous person! Last week I met the Marquis de Lafayette, hero of the Revolutionary War.

He thought I was Felicity! Do I look like Felicity?! And how does Felicity know him when independence hasn't yet been declared? He must have met her later.

Mark Schneider of Colonial Williamsburg

I tried to sketch some self-portraits with Lafayette in the background. I gave up and let my guardian draw the picture instead.

I heard from my friend Faith in Boston the Marquis was a bit of a fop but he is not such a fop any longer. He is a very interesting man fighting to abolish slavery, freedom of worship and rights for women. If he had known he was creating a nation of slavery, he would never have come.

This year, 1824, Lafayette is making a tour of America. He came to Providence to speak with an audience. He spoke about his time in America during the Revolutionary War and how he helped secure victory at Yorktown in October 1781. Lord Cornwallis was curiously ill that day and tried to send his second in command to surrender but General Washington would accept no one less than first in command! Lafayette helped corner Cornwallis and forced him to surrender.

Did you know Lafayette was at Valley Forge during that devastating winter of 1777-1778? He was then asked to lead an invasion of Quebec from Albany, New York. Finding there were not enough men, Lafayette recruited the Oneida tribe (Iroquois Nation) to the cause of American independence. 47 Oneida traveled back to Valley Forge to offer assistance to George Washington. The Oneida considered Lafayette a great warrior and named him Kayewla (fearsome horseman). Lafayette befriended a young Oneida man, Peter Otsiquette, and brought Peter back to France to stay in his own home and be educated. On his return journey in 1784, Lafayette visited the Oneida again and helped them negotiate better peace and trade relations with Anglo-America. On this tour, 1824-1825, Lafayette wanted to see his old friends. Most of the Oneida were too young to know Lafayette but a few warriors were still living, including Peter's father who could not die without meeting Kayewla.

Lafayette married his wife when she was 14 and he 16! It was an arranged marriage but they loved each other very much. They had four children. The boy, Georges Washington Lafayette, died young. The youngest girl was named Marie Antoinette, plus another name in honor of Lafayette's friend, American ambassador to France, Thomas Jefferson. When the name Marie Antionette fell out of favor, they called her by her middle name, Virginie!

A man named Thomas Coles presented this sword to Lafayette.

After he visited the Brown family mansion, Lafayette visited the Masonic Lodge and that night there was a ball in his honor. I was not invited to either of those events!

It was a short visit on a warm day. We had to go back to the future and back to work! No fair! My guardian refused to buy me a new gown! She said she doesn't have the money. Why do you work other than to provide for ME and sometimes my friends?

I will write more soon about another famous person I happened to meet last year.

Your friend,
Susanna

A Visit With the Durfees of Fall River

in the Eighteenth Century

Good day my friends!

It has been a long time since I have had anything of note to write to you about. My guardian got a JOB and doesn't have as much time for me anymore. Boo!

The weekend before last, we traveled to Fall River, Massachusetts to visit the Durfees. This home, in the 18th century, is one of 18 homes near the Taunton River. Judge Thomas Durfee built his house high on the top of a hill, around the year 1750. Judge Durfee was a strong patriot during the war and mortgaged his fine home to pay for the war.

Col. Joseph Durfee led the militia of Fall Rover during the Revolutionary War, served under The Marquis de Lafeyette, fighting in battles in New York, Fall River and Rhode Island. The Marquis was a frequent visitor to Col. Durfee's home.

In the house, we met Col. Durfee and a few merchants selling their wares. We purchased a chocolate block sweetened with sugar for hot chocolate and coffee beans. Both came from the West Indies!

Downstairs there were samples of beautiful gowns and merchants selling buttons and wool, men's vests and caps.

Milliners and Mantua Makers

One lady recognized me! She thought I was Felicity. I get that a lot. Felicity or Samantha! [Ed. note: She was sad not to see girls in Boston clutching red bags full of beautiful clothing and accessories We are too! The lady was surprised and sad to hear Felicity's lovely things are not available.]