Women's History Month: Moment of Strength

March is Women's History Month and as such GeneaBloggers' prompt today is: Moment of Strength: share a story where a female ancestor showed courage or strength in a difficult situation. ... We all show courage and strength at some point during our years however one person comes to mind: Margaret Still.

Margaret Still is my (mom, Pops, Pierson, Franklin, George) great-great-great-great grandmother. She was born in 1788 in Chester County to Charles and Margaret Rhoades Still. She was one of four children. She was the only daughter. Her father - and possibly one or two of her brothers - owned a tavern in Uwchlan Township.

In 1880, at the age of 20, still being single, she gave birth on 3 May to her first of two children: George David Still. George was born in East Fallowfield Township. Her parents - according to my Aunt Helen who was the youngest child of George's son Franklin - "put her out" on a farm.

Aunt Helen said that when Margaret got pregnant, her father bought land - a small farm - in Goosetown in East Fallowfield, approximately 15 miles away from the family.

Can you imagine what courage and strength it would have taken in 1808 to leave your parents home and be "put out" on a farm some 15 miles away? Can you imagine having a child in 1808 without the support of a husband?

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