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SATURDAY December 6, 2003 - Subscribe - Contact Us Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels Turnips for a First Lady Jeff Cheek It was July 1779. The American Revolution had dragged on for four long years, with two more to come before victory at Yorktown. In Morristown, New Jersey, Colonel John Symmes had a problem. His wife had died, leaving him a four-year-old daughter to care for while he led his troops in battle. The obvious solution was to place Anna with her maternal grandmother, Anna Tuthill, but the Tuthills lived on Long Island and the British held New York. Symmes assembled his staff to brief them on his plan. He would don a British prisoner's uniform and smuggle Anna through enemy lines. His staff objected. If he were caught in an enemy uniform he would be hanged as a spy. "These are risks I cannot avoid taking," he replied. He also asked them to find oversized saddlebags and a bushel of turnips. When these arrived, he filled the right saddlebag with turnips then stuffed Anna into the left one with a few turnips as camouflage. Years later, Anna would recall that her father was challenged several times but never searched. He replied: "I am taking these New Jersey turnips to General Clinton. Take a look." He held up a turnip as proof. Anna did her part by staying still and quiet. They made it safely to Long Island. Symmes surrendered his daughter to her grandmother. Anna would not see her father for four more years. The British did not evacuate New York until November, 1783. Her father returned and together they watched General Sir Guy Carleton, Clinton's replacement, being rowed out to board a waiting British warship. Symmes could have reclaimed his old job as a Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court. Instead, he married again, bought 50,000 acres of land in Ohio Territory, and moved there. Anna grew up on the frontier, near Cincinnati. On November 25, 1795, she married Lt. William Henry Harrison, scion of an old and respected Virginia family. Money was scarce so they moved directly into his bachelor quarters at Fort Washington. It was a long and happy union. Harrison made a name for himself as an Indian fighter then was appointed Governor of Indiana Territory. Meanwhile, Harrison built a mansion on their prosperous farm at North Bend, Ohio. Anna stayed home to manage the farm and raise their five children. Others called him General or Governor. She called him "Paw." When the Whigs nominated Harrison for president in 1840, she was upset. He was 68 years old, and enjoyed being at home. When he was elected, she burst into tears." I wish my husband's friends had left him where he is, happy and contented in retirement." Anna never assumed her duties as First Lady. She had been ill, and was waiting for the stagecoach to Washington when she learned he had died of pneumonia, one month after taking the oath of office. When asked if she were disappointed, she answered: "It means very little to a girl who went into New York in a saddlebag, disguised as a sack of turnips." Living on the frontier, wild game was part of their menu. Her recipe is for wild duck, but also works for domestic. INGREDIENTS: 1 whole duck 1/2 cup orange juice 1/4 cup orange marmalade 1/4 cup red wine 1 clove garlic, crushed PREPARATION: Mix wine, garlic, marmalade and juice. Baste duck inside and out. Pierce skin and bake on a rack to let fat drain. Bake at 325 degrees until done, basting several times. Turn duck on breast after 90 minutes. A five pound duck will need about three hours to roast. Jeff Cheek lives in Medford DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Road Cams