Anne Geddy- A Colonial Woman
by Dana Walter
links by Dana Walter
Much interesting resource information on Anne Geddy and her family can be found http://www.volunteers.com/frwilliams.html, especially in the Almanack section under "Meet the People" and "See the Places."
Anne Geddy and her husband James Geddy Sr., are real people who probably arrived in Virginia from Scotland in 1733. Their family along with Mr. Geddy's gunsmithing and brass founding business settled in the prominent colonial town of Williamsburg. The Geddy's were an upper middle class family. They had eight children, four boys and four girls. In the summer of 1744 tragedy struck the Geddy family when James Geddy Sr. suddenly died. This left the Geddy family and business without its leader. The following is historical fiction based on actual events in the life of Anne Geddy.
The summer of 1744 was difficult for all of us. After my beloved James died I was left with the responsibilities of the business as well as a house full of eight children. I know that James had faith in me. He always encouraged me and told me that I was a strong woman. Sometimes during that year I did not feel very strong, but I knew that I had to keep working hard.
David, our oldest son, was a great help to the whole family. For many years before, James had been teaching him to work in the family business. James had done a very good job so that David was able to take over much of the work at the foundry and gunsmith shop. The three younger boys, James Jr., William, and John had not had the opportunity to learn very much from their father. They were still very young when their father died. I knew that they needed to learn about the family business so I began looking for someone who would be able to teach them. After spending a lot of time thinking about how I could make sure that my boys were properly trained, I came up with an idea. Mr. Samuel Galt, the local silversmith, was looking for some property to rent. I offered him a part of our property to rent. This worked out particularly well because Mr. Galt had agreed to teach my boys and the money he paid for rent gave us some extra income. Mr. Galt was an excellent teacher and today James, Jr., is one of the best-known silversmiths in Williamsburg.
I made sure that the girls had a proper education as well. One of the most important things that they learned was how to sew. I enjoyed watching them learn to stitch their first dresses and make their first dolls. They have each grown to be fine young women.
There was always time for the children to play as well. We spent many afternoons laughing together as we played the newest games or put together a puzzle. The stores in Williamsburg always had the best toys and games. I remember one afternoon in particular when we all watched and giggled as John chased Sarah as she walked on stilts. She was pretty quick on the stilts, but of course he caught her.
The next few years after James died were not easy, but we all worked hard and have many memories. Now the children are all grown. James, Jr., bought the house and the land from me. He established a very successful silversmith and jewelry business there. James, Jr., also tore down the house and built a very modern home shaped like an L. I do like the new house very much, but it took me a little time to get used to it. I have continued to live with James, Jr., and his family in the new house.
No one is sure of the exact date of Anne Geddy's death, but it was sometime between 1784 and 1787. Because of her hard work she was able to successfully raise her eight children and see that the family business continued even after her husband's death. During the time of Anne's life, it was very unusual for a woman to have the opportunity to be in charge of both a family and its business. Anne Geddy proved by her hard work and determination that it could be done.
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. Where did Anne Geddy and her family live ?
2. What tragic event happened in 1744?
3. Why was it important that Anne Geddy was a hard worker?
4. How did Anne solve the problem of teaching her sons?
5. What is one way that Anne Geddy's life was different from our lives today?
OUTLINE FOR STORY TELLING
I. Introduce the Geddy family
A. Who they were
B. James Geddy, Sr., dies
II. Anne Geddy takes care of the family
A. Boys' education
B. Girls' education
C. Fun times
D. All the children grow up
PROPS
1. Dress as a person from colonial days and pretend you are either Anne Geddy or one of her children while telling the story.
2. Bring in silver and brass items that could have been made by the Geddys.
3. Bring in toys that children played with during colonial days.
ANSWERS TO COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. The Geddy family lived in Williamsburg, VA.
2. James Geddy, Sr., died suddenly during the summer of 1744.
3. It was important that Anne Geddy was a hard worker because after her husband died she was responsible for all eight children and the family business. Anne needed to work hard to make sure that her children were taken care of and that the business kept going.
4. Anne solved the problem of teaching her younger sons by renting part of the property to Mr. Samuel Galt, a silversmith. He agreed to teach the boys to be silversmiths.
5. One thing that was different when Anne Geddy lived was that girls and boys had separate educations. Girls learned to sew and do other things, while boys learned a profession. Another difference was that women did not often have the opportunity to have the responsibility for a family and a business.
SOURCES
1. http://www.volunteers.com/frwilliams.html
2. personal knowledge