W&M ScholarWorks Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects Theses, Dissertations, & Master Projects 1998 "I feel quite independent now": The life of Mary Greenhow Lee Sheila R. Phipps College of William & Mary - Arts & Sciences Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wm.edu/etd Part of the United States History Commons, and the Women's Studies Commons Recommended Citation Phipps, Sheila R., ""I feel quite independent now": The life of Mary Greenhow Lee" (1998). Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects. Paper 1539623936. https://dx.doi.org/doi:10.21220/s2-na70-x160 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses, Dissertations, & Master Projects at W&M ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects by an authorized administrator of W&M ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. 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"I FEEL QUITE INDEPENDENT NOW:" THE LIFE OF MARY GREENHOW LEE A Dissertation Presented to The Faculty of the Department of History The College of William and Mary in Virginia In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Sheila Rae Phipps 1998 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number: 9920308 Copyright 1999 by Phipps, Sheila Rae All rights reserved. UMI Microform 9920308 Copyright 1999, by UMI Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. UMI 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, MI 48103 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. APPROVAL SHEET This dissertation is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Sheila Rae Phipps Approved, July 1998 %Qf]/Uy£, Leisa pieye: Llip J Luawell H.wohnson, III — \Q-OJ- Elizabeth RI? . Varon1Varnri ' Wellesley College n Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS v LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS xi ABSTRACT xiii INTRODUCTION 2 CHAPTER I. "MY BIRTHDAY—I HAVE SPENT IT QUITE PROFITABLY* 20 CHAPTER H. "A MOST ACCURATE REMEMBRANCE OF MY WILD KICKS": 51 THE EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF A REBEL CHAPTER m . "IN THE PALM DAYS OF OLD WINCHESTER": 85 THE ENVIRONMENT OF MARY GREENHOW LEE’S TRANSFORMATION TO RESPONSIBILITY CHAPTER IV. 132 NORTH MARKET STREET: "SECESH LIVES HERE" 121 CHAPTER V. WINCHESTER, VIRGINIA: "VILLAGE ON THE FRONTIER" 157 CHAPTER VI. "DECENCY COMPELS ME TO EMPLOY MY FINGERS": 203 THE HOUSEKEEPING WARFARE OF MARY GREENHOW LEE CHAPTER VH. "THIS IS SURELY THE DAY OF WOMAN’S POWER": 234 MARY GREENHOW LEE'S GENDER WARFARE CHAPTER VIH. "I FEEL QUITE INDEPENDENT NOW" 271 BIBLIOGRAPHY 305 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my appreciation to Professor James P. Whittenburg for his administrative and scholarly guidance, for his willingness to patiently listen to all of the problems and questions that arose during this project, and for his sage counsel toward finding solutions. Professors Leisa Meyer, Philip J. Funigiello, Ludwell H. Johnson, and Elizabeth R. Varon of Wellesley College, the other members of the committee, also gave essential advice as well as direction for broadening this project in the future. In addition, the committee members facilitated completion of this final degree requirement on relatively short notice and, for that, I am especially grateful. Family and friends merit special thanks for their belief in me and the work that occupied much of my time. My son, Brian Phipps, offered calm and thoughtful assurances. My daughter, Brandi Phipps, took an active interest in my progress and added a great deal to the project by lending her graphic design skills to the illustrations included here. Finally, I must express my heartfelt gratitude to my mother, Shirlie Islay Smith Baber, for her invaluable assistance in researching, gathering tax data, computing numbers, proofreading, and cooking for me when necessary. Her most valuable gift to me, however, has been her example of courage, upon which I have drawn countless times. iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 1. Mary Greenhow Lee.1 2. Mary Ann Wills Greenhow (first wife of Robert Greenhow), crayon portrait by Charles Ffrvret de Saint-Mdmin, c. 1807.2 3. Robert Greenhow, crayon portrait by Charles Fdvret de Saint-MSmin, c. 1807.3 4. Robert Greenhow, Jr., crayon portrait by Charles F6vret de Saint-Mdmin, c. 1807.4 5. Samuel Greenhow (1771-1815), miniature on ivory by Lawrence Sully.5 6. "View of Richmond," by Charles Fdvret de Saint-M6min, c. 1807.6 7. Robert Greenhow home on Capitol and Tenth Streets in Richmond, built by Edmund Randolph, c. 1802, demolished in 1884.7 'Drew Gilpin Faust, Mothers o f Invention: Women o f the Slaveholding South in the American Civil War (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1996) 237. Photo property of Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society, Winchester, Virginia. F illmore Norfleet, Saint-Mtmin in Virginia: Portraits and Biographies (Richmond, Virginia: The Dietz Press, Publishers, 1942), 73, 169. Original owned by Hall Padre McCullough, New York; displayed at The Bland Gallery, Inc., New York. 3Zbu/., 73, 168-169. Original owned by Hall Parke McCullough, New York; displayed at The Bland Gallery, Inc., New York. *Ibid., 73, 169-170. Original owned by Hall Parke McCullough, New York; displayed at The Bland Gallery, Inc., New York. iRichmond Portraits: In an Exhibition o f Makers o f Richmond, 1737-1860 (Richmond, Virginia: The Valentine Museum, 1949), 83. Portrait owned by Mary Greenhow Johnston. ‘Norfleet, Saint-Mtmin in Virginia , 43, original in die New York Public Library. 7Mary Wingfield Scott, Houses o f Old Richmond (Richmond, Virginia: The Valentine Museum, 1941) 58. Photo owned by the Valentine Museum, Richmond. v Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 8. Drawing of Greenhow home in Richmond, by Mutual Assurance Society of Virginia, 1803, when insured for Edmund Randolph.8 9. Catherine Bush Norton Ambler (Mrs. John Ambler, 1773-1846), oil on canvas painted by Charles Bird King, c. 1814.9 10. John Ambler (1762-1836), oil on canvas painted by Edward F. Peticolas, 1822.10 11. Chief Justice John Marshall (1755-1835), oil on canvas painted by Jane Braddick Peticolas from a portrait by Cephas Thompson." 12. Mary Willis Ambler Marshall (Mrs. John Marshall, 1766-1831), miniature on ivory by Lawrence Sully.12 13. Thomas Ritchie (1778-1854), oil on canvas painted by ThomasSully.13 14. Monumental Church, on Broad Street between College and Twelfth Streets, Richmond. Robert Greenhow and his family were members of this church since its opening in 1814.14 15. Rose O'Neal Greenhow and daughter.15 16. Map of Frederick County.16 sIb id ., 60. Photo owned by the Valentine Museum, Richmond. 9Richmond Portraits: In an Exhibition o f Makers of Richmond, 1737-1860 (Richmond, Virginia: The Valentine Museum, 1949) 6-7. Loaned to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts by the Ambler family. l0Ibid., 6-7. Loaned to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts by the Ambler family. 11 Ib id ., 116-117. Portrait owned by Anna B. Boykin. l2lb id ., 116-117. Portrait owned by Mrs. Oswald Garrison Villard. 12Ibid., 170-171. Portrait owned by the College of William and Mary. MMary Wingfield Scott, Old Richmond Neighborhoods (Richmond, Virginia: Whittet & Shepperson, Inc., 1950) 102. Photo, originally owned by Heustis B. Cook, the property of Valentine Museum, Richmond. “Lynn Sberr and Jurate Kazickas, Susan B. Anthony Slept Here: A Guide to American Women’s Landmarks (New York, NY: Times Books, Random House, Inc., 1994) 465, original of photo at the Virginia State library. 16Margaretta Barton Colt, Defend the Valley: A Shenandoah Family in die Civil War (New York: Crown Publishers, Inc., 1994) xix. vi Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. 17. Map of Winchester.17 18. Frederick County Court House, Winchester, Virginia, 1840.18 19. An 1864 sketch by Union artist James E. Taylor of the Market House in Winchester.