On this day 250 years ago the women of Edenton, North Carolina, led by Penelope Barker met to sign a resolution pledging to adhere to the North Carolina Provincial Congress’s ban on imports from Britain including linen and tea. This was the first organized action by a group of women in support of the Revolution.
The Eden Resolves state:
As we cannot be indifferent on any occasion that appears nearly to affect the peace and happiness of our country, and as it has been thought necessary, for the public good, to enter into several particular resolves by a meeting of Members deputed from the whole Province, it is a duty which we owe, not only to our near and dear connections who have concurred in them, but to ourselves who are essentially interested in their welfare, to do every thing as far as lies in our power to testify our sincere adherence to the same; and we do therefore accordingly subscribe this paper, as a witness of our fixed intention and solemn determination to do so.
The names of the 51 women who signed these Resolves should be remembered and our commemorations should reflect that this country was founded not only by Fathers but by Mothers too:
Abagail Charlton, Mary Blount, F. Johnstone, Elizabeth Creacy, Margaret Cathcart, Elizabeth Patterson, Anne Johnstone, Jane Wellwood, Margaret Pearson, Mary Woolard, Penelope Dawson, Sarah Beasley, Jean Blair, Susannah Vail, Grace Clayton, Elizabeth Vail, Frances Hall, Elizabeth Vail, Mary Jones, Mary Creacy, Anne Hall, Mary Creacy, Rebecca Bondfield, Ruth Benbury, Sarah Littlejohn, Sarah Howcott, Penelope Barker, Sarah Hoskins, P. Ormond, Mary Littledle, M. Payne, Sarah Valentine, Elizabeth Johnston
Elizabeth Cricket, Mary Bonner, Elizabeth Green, Lydia Bonner, Mary Ramsay, Sarah Howe, Anne Horniblow, Lydia Bennet, Mary Hunter, Marion Wells, Tresia Cunningham, Anne Anderson, Elizabeth Roberts, Sarah Mathews, Elizabeth Roberts, Anne Haughton, Elizabeth Roberts Elizabeth Beasly
Sources: https://www.ncpedia.org/anchor/primary-source-edenton-tea; https://mosaicnc.org/edenton-tea-party; https://ehcnc.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Edenton-Tea-Party-Overview-and-Primary-Sources.pdf
Today and tomorrow the town of Edenton is hosting a full set of events to commemorate the contribution that these women made to our Revolution:
On This Day In The Revolution 