Illuminating Lives: The Stories of Several Women During the American War for Independence

Using archival sources and research techniques, Saratoga National Historical Park Curator Christine Valosin will talk about six women with ties to the Schuyler family or estate, sharing little-known stories of their lives during the American War for Independence: Barbara Gray Schuyler, Hannah Pettit, Bet and Britt (whose closely intertwined stories are presented together), Mary McAlpin, and Catherine Schuyler. Many left little written evidence, so their stories are reconstructed from indirect sources and contextual clues.

The talk focuses on 1776–1783, with the Schuyler Estate as its central anchor. The goal is to dig deep and tell each woman’s story so that we can say “we know them a little better now.”

A practiced genealogist, Valosin draws on Philip Schuyler’s Store Ledger, letters, 18th-century prints, wartime ledger accounts, land records from the Philip Schuyler Papers, local and town histories, pension records, published and unpublished family histories, newspaper accounts, Loyalist Papers, and church records.

Support for the Fall Lecture Series is provided by Friends of Saratoga Battlefield. Reservations are required due to limited space. Email [email protected] to reserve your seat.

This event is free to attend.

Date: October 29, 2026
Time: 6:30 PM
Duration: 1 hour
Location coordinates: 43.012212, -73.648927
Contact: Garrett Cloer, 581-670-2980