Her husband has admirably gone down in history as the first signer of the Declaration of Independence as a representative of the New Jersey delegation, but his wife, Annis Boudinot Stockton, can well claim a seat in American and Literary history as well. The daughter of the owner of a copper company, she was one of the first female poets in the 13 colonies and published her first poem when she was only 16 years old.
She also was a staunch patriot, secreting important papers about the Whig Society when the British ransacked Morven, the family home, and later raising money for the Continental Army
Born in what is now Darby, Pennsylvania in 1736, Annis was able to secure an excellent education because of her father’s social position due to being a company owner as well as postmaster in Princeton.
Annis was 21 years old when she married Richard Stockton, the son of the founder of the College of New Jersey, now known as Princeton.
Throughout her life, she authored poems, including several to and about George Washington, a patriot she admired greatly. However, very few of her poems were published during her lifetime, since she was a woman, and little attention was paid to publishing women’s writings at the time.
The Stockton children, four daughters and two sons. were between 3 and 17 years of age when the British took over Morven, the Stockton home in Princeton, and General Cornwallis used it as his headquarters when the British launched their assault on New Jersey.
Before they arrested and imprisoned Stockton, he was able to have Annis and the children leave the house for safety. She, however, returned and managed to bury family documents and family silver, including important papers relating to the American Whig Society. Annis and Richard’s son, Richard, though only 12, and attending college across the road from Morven, remained behind with a servant and guarded the house.
After her husband died of cancer and debilitating health brought on by the torture he endured from the British during his five weeks in prison, Annis remained at Morven and continued to raise money for the Continental Army.
She became a frequent correspondent with Washington and drafted several poems which described the bravery of the revolutionary army. She continued her correspondence with Washington after he became President and he and his wife Matha were frequent visitors to Morven and the Princeton area.
After Stockton died in 1780, his wife remained at Morven until 1795 when she handed the property over to Richard, her oldest son. Morven continued in the Stockton family until 1945 when it was sold to Governor Walter Edge with the provision it be transferred to the state, which he did two years later. Morven became the first executive mansion for the Governor and is now a museum with historic gardens and recognized as the most historic home in New Jersey.
Annis Boudinot Stockton is the only woman ever admitted to the American Whig Society thanks to her safekeeping of the Whig Society documents during the Revolution which protected the identities of the Society members from the British.
The poetess, patriot and widow died February 6, 1801, in Fieldsboro in Burlington County. She is believed to be buried at White Hill Mansion there, a mansion listed on the New Jersey Register of historic places.
A pom Annis Boudinot Stockon wrote to George Washington, with a reference to his wife and friend, Martha, known to her friends as Amanda
Say; can a female voice an audience gain
And Stop a moment thy triumphal car?
And wilt thou listen to a peaceful Strain
Unskilled to paint the horrid Scenes of war?
The motive only stamps the deed divine.
But thy last legacy, renowned Chief,
Has decked thy brow with honors more Sublime,
Twined in thy wreath the Christians firm belief.
Thus crowned, return to Vernon’s soft retreat;
There, with Amanda, taste unmixed joy.
May flowers Spontaneous rise beneath your feet,
Nor Sorrow Ever pour her hard alloy.
And, oh, if happily in your native Shade
One thought of Jersey Enters in your mind,
Forget not her on Morven’s humble glade,
Who feels for you a friendship most refined.
A Hymn Written in the Year 1753 by Annis Boudinot Stockton
Jesus thy Servant is resign’d
To thy unering will;
Oh; may my heart be more inclin’d
Thy precepts to fulfill.
Do with me what thou thinkest best,
Conform my soul to thee,
Stamp thy dear image on my breast
And ne’er depart from me
For in thy blissful smiles I live —
More sweet than lifes thy love,
And in thy favour is Contain’d
The heaven I hope above.
Thou art my souls honour and wealth
Her bliss and friendship too,
The source of all her peace and health
And every joy in view.
Then lead me thro the giddy path
Of youths deceitful road,
Nor leave me to the tempters wrath
My Saviour and my God
And at the last and gloomy hour
When death my flesh invades,
Oh! let thy staff thy crook thy power
Support me through the shades.
Then with thy presence gild the gloom
Of that tremendous vale
O! guide the wandering exile home
Nor let my foes prevail.
But let thy spirit whisper peace,
And shew my sins forgiven;
Make ev’ry doubt and sorrow cease,
And antedate my heaven
