Petition from Philadelphia Women to Secretary of War Stanton
7/29/1862
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This petition gives an early look at wage-earning women and the struggles they faced. Women employed doing sewing work for the U.S. arsenal in Philadelphia sent this letter to Secretary of War Edwin Stanton during the Civil War. In it they protest the change in management of the arsenal to contractors, and ask the War Department to restore their wages.
They state that the contractors will only pay about half what the arsenal paid, which is not enough for them to live on since many of them have husbands, fathers, sons, and brothers fighting in the war, or are widows. They ask "why should the government money be taken from the families of the poor to enrich the wealthy speculator without any gain to the government"?
It is signed by many women, who often list the number of children they have and if they have a husband, son, or brother in the war or who has been killed in the war.
They state that the contractors will only pay about half what the arsenal paid, which is not enough for them to live on since many of them have husbands, fathers, sons, and brothers fighting in the war, or are widows. They ask "why should the government money be taken from the families of the poor to enrich the wealthy speculator without any gain to the government"?
It is signed by many women, who often list the number of children they have and if they have a husband, son, or brother in the war or who has been killed in the war.
Transcript
To Hon. Edwin M StantonSecy of War
Sir
We the undersigned formerly doing sewing for the United States Arsenal at Philadelphia most respectfully remonstrate against the action of Col. Crossman in taking the work from us and giving it to Contractors who will not pay wages in which we can live – many of us have husbands, fathers, sons & brothers now in the Army, and from whom we derived our support. deprived of that as we are, our only mode of living was by sewing and we were able by unceasing exertions to barely live at the prices paid by the Arsenal – the Contractors who are speculators offer about fifty per cent of the prices paid heretofore by the arsenal – we respectfully ask your attention to our case we have all given satisfaction in the work we have done. then why should the government money be taken from the families of the poor to enrich the wealthy speculator without any
gain to the government.
Very Respy
Yours &c
Anna Long Widow 5 children [illegible] 121 Moris St
Louisa Bastian 124 Morris St
Mary Hamilton 16-73 Front St Husband at war
Hannah L B Blaisie Widdow 123 Cottage
Tabitha Haun widow Four children
Sarah Holland Widow Tow [sic] children
Mary Henry widow Three children
Eliza J Henry 1669 Front
Mary Jane Fitzgerald Enterprize St
Anna Nugent Widow Tow [sic] sons at war
Elizabeth Farry Widow Three children
Margarett Maltman Hazel St
[illegible] E. Maltman Hazel st
Catharine Schaffer 107 Hazel St
Mary Cozens Widow Five children
Ann [illegible] hazel St
Harriet Rivel Hazel St
Hannah Dean Widow Two children
[illegible] Mary Lane Alexander Fedril [sic] St
Mary Ann Dick Widow 3 children
Ellez McGuire widow two children
Elizabeth Rowand Cathrine St
Catharine A Brooks germantown widow
Elizabeth Gilfry 341 Reed St
Mary E Frazer 1732 South Front
Susan Florance 1515 Fifth St
Elizabeth [illegible] Widow 2 children
Elizabeth Moffit 143 lumbard st
Henrietta Mc[illegible] 211 Christin St
Rebeca M Lloyd 121 widow 5 children
Mary Jane Crane widow 2 sons at war
Meria Hale Three children husband kill at war
Margtt. Jackson 2 children son kill at war
Sophia Mitles widow 2 children
Margt McMullen 121 Brother kill at war
A Palmore 921 Mountin St
A Rofs 121 Mountin St
Comfort Palmore 2 Brothers wounded
Emily Bruce 241 clear st
Maria Flyn widow son at war
Mary a Mulhall 325 [illegible] St 2 sons war
Mary [illegible] Miller 1011 Sumer St
Georgeanna [illegible] 1107 powell st
Bridget [illegible] Widow 2 child
Martha Yeager Brother at war
Rebeca Davidson 7 St Father and 2 son at war
Elizabeth Patten 125 Hamilton st
Elizabeth Peak 135 Washington St
Ellen M Wolfe widow Clark St
Margaret Higgins son kill at war
Mary M Kelley Lost Husband and son at war
Catharine Johnson widow 121 Morris St
Ann Shepard 121 Christon Brother in war
Catharin [illegible] 121 Oliver st
Sarah Pollock 199 Mountin
Nancy Craig Martin vill widow son in war
Sarah Dorsey 134 Lombard St
Charlet Murphy 223 Maret St
Maria [illegible] 347 Hanover St
Fanny Stevens Washington St
Martha [illegible] [illegible] Street 921
Sarah Hunter widow two sons in the army
Ann Harford 234 oseo street
Catharine [illegible] 346 greenwich street
Ann Howe 121 tasker street
Nancy Mc[illegible] 223 [illegible] son in the army
Mosent Johnson 1012 Second Street
Catherine [illegible] Mulbery St
[to left of vertical line]
Elizabeth [illegible]
Rebecca Alexander
Sarah Cressee
Mary Cope
Mary Cooper
Sarah Barnett
Sarah Saunders
Catharine Walsh 77 South Fifth St
Elizabeth Kraft 21 Brother kill in the war
Mary Ann Collins husband at war
[to right of vertical line]
Eliza Ann Sprouts Widow
Margaret McLaughlin
Phebe Roberts Widow
Maria Sheller widow
Sarah Potts widow
Sophia Buckley 134 oteo St
Mary Brewton 342 Front Street
Elizabeth Auls 1612 Moyamensing Av
Margaret Anderson 1136 Do
Jane Deitz 1567 Do
Sally Ann Thomis 1611 Do
Margaret Frazier 1551 Do
Mary Sampson 233 weet st
Hannah Taylor federa [sic] St 225
Mary Holt 234 Reed Street
Sarah Stewart
Fannie Scott widow 142 [illegible]
Rozanna Lentz
Susan Florance
Elizabeth Roper
Cynthia Cope husband in the war
Mary houlin
Sarah Jackson
ann Eliza bishop 1 son in the war
Mary Lelack
Mary E Smith
Eliza Beck widow 2-21 Marion St
Caraline [illegible]
Sarah Jane Long Widow 2 sons in the war
This primary source comes from the Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General.
National Archives Identifier: 3854703
Full Citation: Petition from Philadelphia Women Employed at an Arsenal to Secretary of War Stanton; 7/29/1862; Consolidated Correspondence Files, 1794 - 1890; Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, Record Group 92; National Archives Building, Washington, DC. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/documents/document/petition-philadelphia-women-stanton, April 27, 2025]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.
