FUN FACTS

*Abraham Lincoln was born to parents Nancy Hanks Lincoln and Thomas Lincoln on February 12, 1809. Nancy’s mother was believed to be Lucy Hanks, who gave birth to her on February 5, 1784. Lucy became pregnant with her at around the age of sixteen, remaining unmarried until becoming the wife of Henry Sparrow in 1790. Though many facts were lost over the years, Abraham Lincoln is said to have believed his mother to be born illegitimate, and it was long rumored that her biological father was a wealthy landowner from Virginia.     

*The Raleigh Tavern in Williamsburg was a place well-known for its food, entertainment, and rum punch. Many sales and other forms of business were conducted on its steps.

*Dinner was actually the mid-day meal, served over several courses and taking a great amount of time, often hours. Breakfast and supper mainly consisted of leftovers, although supper parties did occur that lasted well into the night on special occasions.

*Sir John Harrington introduced the first 'modern' toilet in 1596 that he built for his Godmother, Queen Elizabeth I, but the first patent for a flushing toilet was actually given to Alexander Cummings in 1775.

*Water closets first appeared in the 1700s. These early toilets usually had a tank above to hold water with a pipe running down to the toilet. When the handle was pulled, it opened a trap door sending water to wash the waste downward to the ground underneath.

*Major Benjamin Tallmadge, the leader of the Culper Spy Ring, was a Yale graduate and served as the superintendent of Wethersfield High School before joining the war effort. In his memoirs, he spoke of a lady who brought information back and forth from Philadelphia, across enemy lines, using the ruse of gathering eggs to travel. He also wrote of an incident where they were spotted together at the Rising Sun Tavern exchanging information one evening and went on to explain how they hurried out the back upon being recognized. He pulled her onto the back of his horse and rode as they were being fired upon by the British Army until they reached a nearby town, where she quietly slipped into the crowd and disappeared before he returned to his own camp. He was appointed the head of Washington’s spy ring while in Winter Quarters at Valley Forge (winter 1777-1778).

*John André was a captain (not appointed AG-Major until 1779) while stationed in Philadelphia where he was sent after being held as a prisoner of war for a time. It was there he met Peggy Shippen, the future wife of Benedict Arnold. He was a known 'ladies’ man' and very well-liked by everyone he met. At that time, he served under General Howe and was also the officer that planned his commander's going away party that lasted several days (the Mischianza) before Howe returned to England and General Clinton took his place. In the spring of 1779, he was appointed the chief of intelligence by Clinton.

Notable Citizens of Eighteenth-Century Williamsburg:

*Catherine Blaikley- The town midwife for thirty years. It is recorded that she delivered over 3,000 babies during that time.

*William Holt- His main occupation was that of a shopkeeper, however in addition to that, he served in the posts of Mayor, Quartermaster of the Militia, Peace Commissioner and Justice, among others. He was also the father of triplets as announced in the Virginia Gazette, possibly the only set recorded at that time.

*John and James Carter-John was a merchant and shopkeeper that shared a building with his brother James, a surgeon and apothecary that operated the Unicorn’s Horn.

*Peyton Randolph-Attorney and first President of the Continental Congress that occupied one of the (currently) most haunted places in Colonial Williamsburg.