Mary McDonald 1770-1906
Story copied from: Philadelphia Stories by Bob Mcnulty Note: I have found no evidence to Mrs. McDonald or Mr. Gibson. Mary McDonald was born on November 14, 1770 in Frogtown (near Norristown). When Mary was 4 years old, her mother died. She was then sent to live with the family of Rees Howell as a bound servant. Howell had a farm situated on the road betwe ... en Gulph Mills and Valley Forge. In mid December, 1777, (about a month after her 7th birthday) Mary watched as Washington's ragged Continental Army passed in front of the Howell's house on their way to nearby Valley Forge where they would make camp for the next several months. It was snowing fiercely on January 1, 1778. The Howell family was about to sit down to a New Years Day feast when their neighbor, Isaac Walker arrived outside their door on a huge sleigh. Walker told them that the soldiers at Valley Forge were starving and he had been out collecting food for them all day. The Howells were Quakers an