Project Appleseed

Our Welcome Center => History => Topic started by: PHenry on May 01, 2013, 06:27:54 PM

Title: Hannah Davis
Post by: PHenry on May 01, 2013, 06:27:54 PM
I have a line in my 2nd strike that I have been asked to verify the authenticity of and For the life of me, I cannot recall where I got it originally.

"Congress twice suggested recompense for Hannah's loss and twice voted to deny her. To do so would have been a violation of the Constitution and a failure to respect what Isaac Davis died for. To take from one by force of law and give to another; no matter how deserving, is a form of slavery and they would have none of it."

Now in my searches, oddly enough, I found this line - verbatim - posted on AR15.com, but that was surely an Appleseeder who got it possibly from TIPS section. I know I stole mush of my 2nd strike from DonD and some from Colycat, but not certain if that line came from either of them.

I do know from reading about Congress' fiscal situation and frugal nature that such an action would have been in keeping with Congressional SOP in late 1700s, but an IIT asked me if I can verfity the source and I cannot.

Does anyone have any idea where this came from? It may well be in Congressional record, but not sure how to find it and fairly certain it would take more time than I can afford to spend on this. Any help appreciated greatly.
PHenry
Title: Re: Hannah Davis
Post by: V on May 01, 2013, 06:57:17 PM
I suspect you got them from the links I gave in this (http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=6456.msg59691#msg59691) reply as you quote the pension denial link later in that thread.

Unfortunately, the links I gave are now 404 errors.... I'll dig around and see if I have 'em stashed anywhere or can find the original originals.

Cheers
V
Title: Re: Hannah Davis
Post by: Mutti on May 01, 2013, 07:06:05 PM
So far I cannot find that the Petition was denied (applied for January 19, 1818 by Mr. Fuller on behalf of Hannah Leighton widow of Issac Davis - page 156 of the link to follow) - however the record goes on and on.  Most of this daily Congressional information can be found in eBook form (Congressional Edition Volume 4 (http://books.google.com/books?id=qX9HAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA156&lpg=PA156&dq=%22isaac+davis%22+revolutionary+war+congress+denies&source=bl&ots=h0N7w3JlhP&sig=tstWT_GSIUxmq_IV80xlAfFZ36c&hl=en&sa=X&ei=sYqBUbilH-3V0gHM_YGADA&ved=0CEcQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=%22isaac%20davis%22%20revolutionary%20war%20congress%20denies&f=false)), so maybe I'll make a Homeschool Project of this   :) .

(according to follow up): A very striking discussion follows irt this issue here : (Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856: Nov. 13, 1820 ...Page 165/166 (http://books.google.com/books?id=CGkFAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA165&dq=congressional+Edition+%22Hannah+Leighton%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=342BUcbuNuiZ0QGK5YGoDg&ved=0CDMQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=congressional%20Edition%20%22Hannah%20Leighton%22&f=false)) - (Pension was still denied)

And eventually (1841) the Pension was approved: (Page 820 (http://books.google.com/books?id=2KLtHEwglBQC&pg=PR86&dq=congressional+volume+Hannah+Leighton+pension&hl=en&sa=X&ei=QZCBUf_UGa_W0gGgkoDYDA&ved=0CDkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=congressional%20volume%20Hannah%20Leighton%20pension&f=false))

I'll keep looking although it appears the discussion has already been had elsewhere...(now I'm all curious. I need WiFi so I can still read while milking the goats).

mutti



Title: Re: Hannah Davis
Post by: V on May 01, 2013, 07:10:16 PM
Well, if anyone is in the area (http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=45693698) you could always take her some flowers.

Quote
Her long
life is full of many colorful stories from surviving ship wreck off the
cost of Cape Cod to running a children daycare or 'Dame School' in her
home. Hannah died on December 24, 1841 at the age of 96. She is buried in
Woodlawn Cemetery between the original burial spot of her first husband,
Capt. Isaac Davis and their two children, Hannah and Paul Davis and her
second husband Mr. Samuel Jones.

I guess I'm getting grumpy in my old age but sometimes this stuff starts to grind...

Its not enough that the guy gave his life to help create a nation, but that nation, when it finally gets around to breaking the law in order to give her a pension is too little too late, she dies a few months after it is granted so as old Sam Whittemore might have said, she had no further use for it.

And then when they finally get around to acknowledging all this stuff as a nation and decide to start actually putting up memorials and statues  a hundred years later they go dig the poor guy up from between his beloved wife and children and bury him on the side of the road in Acton (https://maps.google.com/maps?q=42.485612,-71.433505&num=1&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=42.485643,-71.433512&panoid=t5WqXjXhazBlYmV8SqkbNw&cbp=12,118.89,,0,-4.39) green under a big memorial. Not so much as a by your leave.... Sometimes I wonder about this progressive era memorialising, was it really in honour of those who died or more to the aggrandizement of them that put them up and made all the speeches.

Title: Re: Hannah Davis
Post by: PHenry on May 02, 2013, 03:11:44 PM
So, looks like my 2nd strike is off a bit, as Congress did eventually approve recompense and in a fine tradition that still survives today - too little / too late.

I will confess that I use the line to show one of the stark differences between then and now. Always looking for ways to make comparisons that offer a chance for students to think.

My father assured me as a boy that people never change - only their tools and toys. I wish he was still here so I could tell him I have accepted that as fact.
Title: Re: Hannah Davis
Post by: Unbridled Liberty on May 02, 2013, 05:53:48 PM
Quote from: PHenry on May 02, 2013, 03:11:44 PM
So, looks like my 2nd strike is off a bit, as Congress did eventually approve recompense and in a fine tradition that still survives today - too little / too late.

I will confess that I use the line to show one of the stark differences between then and now. Always looking for ways to make comparisons that offer a chance for students to think.

My father assured me as a boy that people never change - only their tools and toys. I wish he was still here so I could tell him I have accepted that as fact.

Amen.  And not only differences, but similarities.  The cartridge boxes Isaac made for his men are the equivalent of today's "high-capacity" magazines.  The bayonets he made them were not for deer hunting.  Paul Revere was detained at a roadblock/checkpoint.  The grenadiers specialty was kicking down doors during warrant-less house-to-house searches.  Etc.

UL
Title: Re: Hannah Davis
Post by: PHenry on May 02, 2013, 06:01:16 PM
I would never speak of such things. I merely explain how it went in 1775. Any conclusions drawn are the conjuring of the listener and are clearly beyond my control or jurisdiction.  :cool2:
Title: Re: Hannah Davis
Post by: 9mm4545 on May 02, 2013, 08:50:00 PM
Maybe I am pushing it a bit by referring to the Charleville musket with attached bayonet as an "18th Century assault weapon" and the cartridge box as a "high capacity ammunition feeding device"? I do mention that the Charleville was the first "assault weapon" banned as the importation was halted by the Crown. I will likely be including now that Paul Revere was stopped and indefinitely detained at a roadblock checkpoint and the grenadiers were doing warrantless searches. Thanks for that. ;)
Title: Re: Hannah Davis
Post by: PHenry on May 03, 2013, 11:38:24 AM
Definitely flirting with the edge - just keep one foot firmly planted.  ^-^