Grace Growden Galloway's worries began in June of 1778 when the British evacuated Philadelphia after an 8 month long occupation of the city to consolidate British forces in New York.
Her husband, Joseph Galloway, a prominent loyalist, had become the Superintendent of the Police and the Port for British occupied Philadelphia.
After the British evacuated, Joseph took their daughter, Elizabeth, and fled, first to British occupied New York, and then to England in fear for his life.
Grace stayed behind to protect their estates and property, including their home in Bensalem, from being confiscated by the American government.
Much of the property and estates, including Durham Furnace, was willed to Grace on her father's death in 1770 and had come into Joseph Galloway's control through his marriage to her in 1753.
Not a month after the British evacuated the city, the Continental Congress sent five men to Grace's home on Market Street to inventory the Galloway belongings.
Grace documented her treatment at the hands of the Continental Army and the newly formed American government eloquently in a diary.
JULY 21, 1778
The men told Grace her house would be sold and that she must vacate. Grace defied them and called to her so called "friends" for help including Lewises and Ben Chew, but they offered her little assistance and neither of her good friends Molly Craig or Peggy Johns offered to take her in.
"They told me they must advertise the house. I told them they may do as they pleased, but till it was decided by a court, I would not go out unless by the force of a bayonet"
July 22, 1778
The Galloway lands were surveyed in preparation for their sale by the Congress.
"Hugh Hughs sent for Mr. Dickinson last night. and told me he wou'd look over the law to see if I could recover my own estate and this evening he came and told me I cou'd not recover dower and he feared my income in my estate was forfeited likewise and no tryal would be of service; but advised me to draw up a petition to the Chief justice."
"Lewise sent me word that I must shut my doors and windows, and if they would come to let them make a forcible entry. Accordingly, I did so and a little after 10 o'clock. They knocked violently at the door 3 times. They went round in the yard. And tried every door but could none open."
After trying all the doors and windows they forcibly broken into the house, terrorizing Grace and her servants.
"Then, they went to the kitchen door and with a scrubbing brush, which they broke to pieces. They forced that open, we women standing in the entry in the dark, they made repeated strokes at the door and I think it was 8 or 10 minutes before they got it open."
Grace showed them the opinion of the lawyers. but they rejected the papers, and threatened to throw her clothes in the street. Grace was forced to leave, though she did it on her own terms, refusing the assistance of the men who had invaded her home, especially that of "Peel" (assumed to be Charles Wilson Peale)
"Many things have since interven'd but I have neglected to set them down as they consisted of little more than slights and neglect from my pretended friends."
October 25, 1778
Joseph and Elizabeth set sail for England on October 17th or 18th and Grace was consumed with worry about the likelihood that they would safely reach their destination.
"I dreamed that the vessel in which Mr. G and my child sailed in was sunk and they were all lost...when there were five or six men of war taken or lost I then thought the news true and awoke in a fright."
Communication was much slower between continents. A typical crossing could take 4 to 6 weeks, without the interference of wartime blockades and sea skirmishes. Then another 4 to 6 weeks for a letter to make its way back once they arrived.
November 5, 1778
Evicted from her home in August, Grace found herself shuffled from home to home feeling an outcast amongst her friends. Until finally, in November, a new friend, Deborah Morris, offered her a permanent pace to reside.
Deborah was a member of the Philadelphia Quaker community and it is they who became Grace’s friends and surrogate family support during this time. Her diary is filled with the names of the Quaker families who accepted her and came to her aid.
November 13, 1778
In her diary, Grace shifted back and forth between periods of severe doubt and self-pity followed by strength and defiance.
"My dear child came into my mind and what she would say to see her momma walking five squares in the rain at night like a common woman and go to rooms in an alley for her home I dare not think."
"In the even. Mrs. Shoemaker and Sally Rawles, her daughter, came and told me her husband had wrote to her that my dearest child was well and that there is a letter for me at New York. I am very glad of this news, but am impatient for my letter and fearful what situation they are in."
April 20, 1779
Despite losing her home, her property and her friends, as well as being separated from her husband and daughter, Grace continually proved resilient!
"I told them I was the happiest woman in town for I had been stripped and turned out of doors and yet, I was still the same. And must be Joseph Galloway's wife and Lawrence Growden's daughter. "
"And that it was not in their power to humble me for I should be Grace Growden Galloway to the last as I had now suffered all that they can inflict upon me. I should now act as on a rock to look upon the rack of others. And see them tossed by the tempestuous billows, while I was safe ashore, that if my little fortune would be of service to them, they may keep it."
The below silver pitcher is but one piece of Grace's property taken from her during this time, and yet her diary addresses these losses with defiance.
April 20, 1779
"For I had exchanged it, content that a wooden waiter was as useful, though, not as sightly as a silver one and that I would never let these people pull me down while I had a splendid shilling left. I would be happy in spite of them...I would keep my wooden cup if I could get no other and be happy to the last."
May 25, 1779
As the war continued Grace often had cause to fear for herself and what little belongings and stores that remained. Her diary shares accounts of the turmoil around her.
"The Germantown militia and our own are all in arms in order to lower the price of goods...Many men were sent to gaol. I was much alarmed as is the whole city."
August 23, 1779
The Galloway estates were advertised for Auction on August 23, 1779 by order of George Wall. On August 30th, regarding the sale sale, Grace writes:
"I sum'd up the conduct of those JG call's friends and found he had not one friend in the place that would reach out a hand to keep us all from sinking...I am friend less and alone"
Over the course of the next few years Grace wrote dozens of letters to her daughter but never sent them because of the difficulty of smuggling letters to England. In December of 1781 on the last page of her letter brook she wrote:
“It is now going on three years since I was left in this dreadful situation, and my health is now so impaired that I never hope to have it in my power to see my relations or native country more. Want of health and to save your inheritance alone detains me. If by it I save my child all will be right.”
After much legal wrangling and many appeals, it took until 1806 before State Supreme Court of Pennsylvania ruled in that subsequent to his death, Joseph Galloway’s treason vested in the state no right to his wife’s assets.
Elizabeth had won her suit, the first woman to do so in the newly formed country. Grace's daughter inherited everything, but had no interest in living in America after the pain and suffering of her parents in this country. Much of the property stayed in the family holdings and was passed down to future generations.
Today the Growden Mansion, known today as Trevose Manor, is a museum open to the public.
Credits:
https://historynet.com/revolutionary-war-philadelphia-loyalist/ https://therevolutionarycity.org/islandora/galloway-grace-growden-letter-book?search_api_fulltext=grace%20growden%20galloway%20lettter%20book https://therevolutionarycity.org/islandora/galloway-grace-growden-letter-book https://allthingsliberty.com/2018/03/grace-galloway-abandoned-loyalist-wife/