The Alpha Nu Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma recently placed a spotlight on a significant woman in history: Catharine “Caty” Greene, wife of General Nathaniel Greene (1742-1786) at a meeting at Peddler’s Village. DKG is composed of distinguished educators in Bucks County that supports community initiatives and encourages educational growth in young women in education. Carol Simon Levin portrayed Caty Greene and told of the indomitable wife of Nathaniel, one of General George Washington’s most valued officers.
Before the presentation took place, I looked at the woman donned in historical garb and questioned what ignited Carol’s interest in portraying women in history. Her response could not have been more surprising.
Carol exercised at Curves, a health and fitness franchise. One day, Carol was using one of the machines in the trademark circle design. She shared with the woman next to her that she was a college and children’s librarian. The woman shared that she was a history professor who wished more people would learn about important women of past generations.
This ordinary conversation between two strangers ignited Carol Simon Levin to become a professional storyteller and independent historian who specializes in telling the stories of significant women in history. Her vast arsenal of performances is in demand for America 250 presentations. Her goal is to encourage storytelling as educational enrichment at all levels of learning.
Catharine Littlefield Greene (1755-1814) was born off the coast of Rhode Island Colony on Block Island. Her village was modest and did not provide public education. Her mother died when Caty was six years old. She and her sister were raised by her aunt and uncle. Her uncle later became the governor of Rhode Island (1778-1786). Along with her uncle’s political distinction, came a whole new world for Caty. She was tutored and learned the expected social graces.
She met a variety of young men in her elite social circle. One such young man was Nathaniel Greene, who was 12 years and six months her senior. After a brief courtship, they married on July 20, 1774. She expected a comfortable, domestic life in Coventry, Rhode Island, but the Revolutionary War took her life in another direction. Nathaniel, only 33, went to fight in the Battle of Lexington. Although trained for domestic life, Caty wanted her freedom. She was restless at home, curious about the war, and pregnant with her first child. “Caty” joined her husband at the Tory-owned mansion whose grounds served as a camp near Jamaica Plains, Massachusetts.
Caty loved having the freedom of being commander’s wife. She was often responsible for planning social events and dinner parties. She loved to dance and was not shy about dancing with George Washington, commander-in-chief. Caty was astute in military politics and often corresponded with those in high office: Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and Henry Knox, the Secretary of War.
Caty continued to follow her husband in pursuit of the country’s freedom. During that time, she gave birth to seven children from 1775-1786: George, Martha, Cornelia, Nathaniel, and Louisa. One daughter died due to premature birth and one was stillborn.
After the war, Nathaniel was given land for his military service. He was deeply in debt. Caty watched her husband push aside his anti-slavery beliefs and produce slave-labor. She thought her husband “a tired, haggard ex-soldier who had given himself to a belief, had signed away his future life, in fact, for that cause.” Nathaniel had shattered Caty’s dreams for wealth, leisure, and security. When he died suddenly on June 19, 1786, the devastation of their life remained.
Caty did what women in any generation do after unthinkable loss and challenges. She gathered her wits, stood up, and moved on to pursue a stable life. She hired Phineas Miller, her children’s tutor, to manage her plantation, “Mulberry Grove.” Miller would later become Caty’s second husband. Caty contacted Alexander Hamilton to pursue government funds to satisfy debt.
In later years, Caty met Eli Whitney, a man that would go on to produce the “cotton gin” on her property. It is often said, but never verified, that it was Caty’s suggestion “to use a brush to separate the seeds of cotton.” This technique led to the perfecting of the cotton gin.
In 1814, Caty Greene Miller died of malaria and was buried in the family cemetery on the plantation.
Caty’s legacy continues to teach Americans that the pursuit of freedom is not only pursued on battlefields; it is pursued in the daily sacrifices of its citizens. The definition of freedom is as diverse and as complex as each American.
It is historians like Carol Simon Levin that keep Caty Greene and other notable, historical women in the contemporary minds of American citizens.
As we prepare to celebrate America 250, let us show appreciation for those that have served to enrich our county and those that keep their spirit and purpose alive.
