Mary Draper married young and was widowed quickly after her wedding. She soon after met Moses Draper of Dedham, Massachusetts—but soon again, Mary found herself a widow with six children after her husband died just three months before the start of the Revolutionary War. Despite this family tragedy, Mary’s son joined the Continental Army. Mary herself wanted to help serve, but as a woman, she couldn’t join the ranks of the soldiers on the battlefield. So, she instead decided to open up her home to the wounded. Mary Draper offered food and housing to any soldiers in need.
From her roadside home, Mary set up a table laden with pans of bread and cheese, along with tubs of cider. As soldiers needed sustenance, they could simply visit the Draper home and take as much as they required. Her neighbors joined in, offering their own food and supplies. As the years of the war dragged on and the Continental Army grew worse for the wear, Mary Draper also began contributing her own cloth. Along with her daughter and her maid, Mary sewed coats, shirts, and pants from her old fabric, blankets, and clothes. Mary even melted her family heirlooms, turning them into bullets and offering them to the troops. Until her death at age 91, Mary Draper firmly believed that war was crucial for American to gain its freedom, and she hoped to serve her new country in every possible way.
The costume includes an 18th Century style poly/cotton blend dress with contrasting poly/cotton and zipper back. The bodice is fully lined with a poly/cotton broadcloth for comfort and trimmed with white lace on both the neckline and bell cuffs. We also include a lace-trimmed colonial shawl and matching colonial mob cap to complete this women's colonial costume.
