“lady” Knox
George Washington had his Martha; John Adams had his Abigail—and Henry Knox had his Lucy. Or did Lucy have him? She was high-strung, demanding, and stubborn, but she loved him unto death
April 1966 | Volume 17, Issue 3
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Although Henry Knox’s name is borne by numerous towns and counties as well as by the repository of the national wealth, Fort Knox—a wry choice, for Harry could never manage his finances—his contributions as a patriot, soldier, and statesman were forgotten except by the specialist. Montpelier was pulled down in 1871, but in the 1920*3, local interest began to reawaken. The Knox Memorial Association was formed and built a replica of Montpelier—not on the original site but on a rise overlooking the town. This house is now under the wardenship of the state of Maine and, lovingly maintained, is open to the public. An award for patriotism in Henry Knox’s name is presented yearly in Thomaston on the anniversary of his birthday, July 25, and then once more the beat of marching feet is heard, bugles blow, and the Paul Revere bell peals. Lucy is remembered only in an inscription on her husband’s monument; she is a footnote in the histories of her time. She made a contribution, however, to the republic she never fully understood, by loving unto death a man who served it nobly.
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Why do we need a national nonprofit membership society for American history?
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“Save America’s Treasures” has been totally eliminated—the largest Federal program supporting preservation of such treasures as the original Star Spangled Banner and George Washington’s tent.
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65% of Americans don’t know what happened at the Constitutional Convention, according to a recent survey by Newsweek.
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The “Teaching American History” grants—the largest Federal program supporting history education—have been completely eliminated.
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Visits to the Top 20 Civil War battlefields have dropped in half from 1970 to 2009 according to official National Park Service statistics.
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40% of Americans can’t identify whom we fought in World War II, according to a recent survey by Newsweek.
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A quarter of Americans believe Congress shares power over U.S. foreign policy with the United Nations, according to a recent Annenberg survey.
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“There is little that is more important for an American citizen to know than the history and traditions of his country,” John F. Kennedy wrote in American Heritage.
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The “We the People Program,” which touched some 30 million students and 90,000 teachers over 25 years, has been completely eliminated.
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Two-thirds of Americans could not correctly name Yorktown as the last major military action of the American Revolution, according to a recent national Gallup survey.
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The National Heritage Areas and Scenic Byways program, the only major Federal program encouraging visits to historic places, has been completely eliminated in Congressional committee.
