My Heroes... Mary Chew Paca and Anne Harrison

What little is known of her is that she was descended from John Chew, who arrived in Jamestown in 1622. So she came from a well established American family. Sadly, though she had five children, only one survived, a son. She died before the Revolution was well under way.

William Paca then married Anne Harrison. She died three years later. Their one child did not long survive. The Founding Fathers didn't simply struggle with the pledge of their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. Many lost wives and children simply due to the realities of living when there was no penicillin or other medical miracles we take for granted.

I love this photo.