My Heroes... Sarah Scott Hopkins and Anne Smith Hopkins

The book Wives of the Signers states that pretty much all they have on her personally is that she was a "kindly, industrious, and frugal woman, a good mother and an affectionate wife." Nice eulogy. However, what was fun for me was to learn that Sarah's great grandmother was the sister of Ann Hutchinson. The same Ann Hutchinson embroiled in the religious intolerance of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. This is important to me because you go back far enough, and WOOHOO! We're related. How cool is that?

Sarah passed away before her husband was in Congress.

The dear woman who endured her husband's treasonous ways (LOL) was Anne Smith Hopkins, also her second marriage. At 38, she brought 3 living children to the marriage, and apparently the family blended well. Mr. Hopkins was elected governor and ended up in Congress. She passed away 2 years before her husband, in 1783, at the age of 66.

Much of what we know of the Founding Fathers is through their letters. What we know their wives is also mostly through letters. Abigail Adams and John Adams wrote each other extensively, so we learn a great deal about both. We know less about those who don't have letters to share. We know so much about the men because of written documents, either their own or others. The value of the written word.