Mary McDonald was born on November 14, 1770 in Frogtown (near Norristown). When Mary was 4 years old, her mother died. She was then sent to live with the family of Rees Howell as a bound servant. Howell had a farm situated on the road between Gulph Mills and Valley Forge. In mid December, 1777,…
Tag: American Revolution
Admiral Howe was quite the cheeky fellow
On this day in 1776, George Washington refuses to accept a letter from British Admiral Richard Howe. The admiral and his brother, General William Howe, were attempting to contact Washington without recognizing the legitimacy of his military title. Of course, what they really meant is that they did not accept the legitimacy of the American…
Lodge Alley
Lodge Alley was a street in Philadelphia that ran from the west block of 2nd Street, between Chestnut and Walnut Streets, connecting to Smith’s Alley. As you might have guessed, Lodge Alley was so named because the first Masonic Lodge building in Philadelphia stood at the corner of 2nd St. and Lodge Alley. Today, this…