The widow Smith

[Lucky R A]

      As a youth I grew up in the White Deer valley near the Susquehanna River.  I had a keen interest in the Indian culture and sought and collected  artifacts in the plowed fields in the spring.   I learned of the Great Runaway down the river from Antes Fort when the settlers sought safety at Fort Augusta.  Later, after my initial retirement, I began displaying longrifles at Fort Freeland  near Watsontown, PA   One day I discovered a historical marker near the village of White Deer commemorating the Widow Smith's barrel boring mill.  The story is intriguing.  It is told in great detail in the attached link and gives a great perspective on the life and times of a patriot barrel maker--who was a woman!  Hope you enjoy this thought provoking and informative link.   Ron
   https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2020/06/the-widow-catherine-smith.html

[Shreckmeister]

Industrious woman. Good read

[Avlrc]

What a tough woman.   Interesting & a true patriot.  From the report does not sound like she was treated fairly.  Guess  women mill owners did not get respect back then.

[Bob Roller]

What a tough woman.   Interesting & a true patriot.  From the report does not sound like she was treated fairly.  Guess  women mill owners did not get respect back then.

rp

Women were for centuries consigned to "Children-Church-Kitchen"but the 2nd World War brought that fallacy to a sharp halt and Henry Ford's Willow Run was turning out a 4 engine,ready to fly to Europe and bomb Hitler's Germany back into the dark ages from which it came.These planes were flown for delivery o the USAF by women and BUILT by women who quickly learned the skills needed to build them.Every hour on the hour one of these planes rolled out and all 4 engines started for mag checks.
Bob Roller

[Lucky R A]

        Hey Bob,  I live in Emporium, PA the very place where the Sylvania corp. developed the proximity fuse.  I am sure you remember Sylvania radio tubes as being the very best--they never thought transistors would catch on.   Anyhow, there were so many women employed here making fuses and radio tubes that Emporium was known as "Girl's Town."   There were special train runs to Emporium, so troops on leave could visit the girls....

[Bob Roller]

My late mother in law worked for Sylvania here in Huntington WV during the 2nd World War and worked 16 hour s day.
The building is now occupied by the WVa Dept.of Motor Vehicles and the State Roads Commision which we refer to as The Department of Parallel Ruts .I heard a story about Hitler when he heard of the Willow Run plant and the ability to make these big planes and he threatened death to anyone who spread that word around.Apparently Der "Fehlfuehrer"* knew nary a thing about old Henry Ford.* "Fehlfuehrer"=MISleader.

Bob Roller