Laura Secord

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For the chocolate company, see Laura Secord Chocolates.
Statue of Laura Secord at the Valiants Memorial in Ottawa.
Statue of Laura Secord at the Valiants Memorial in Ottawa.

Laura Secord (born Ingersoll) (September 13, 1775 – October 17, 1868) was a Canadian heroine of the War of 1812.

Laura Ingersoll was born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts in 1775. Suffering the aftermath of the American Revolution, her father, Thomas Ingersoll, moved the family to Canada in 1795, and in 1797 she married the Loyalist James Secord, son of an officer of Butler's Rangers (the Ingersolls themselves were not Loyalists). James and Laura resided in Queenston in Upper Canada (present-day Ontario), while her family went on to settle present day Ingersoll, Ontario. On October 13, 1812, James Secord was injured at the Battle of Queenston Heights, part of the emerging War of 1812.

In June of 1813 the American army invaded again and the Secord home was forced to billet American officers. Laura became aware of plans for a surprise attack on troops led by British Lieutenant James Fitzgibbon at Beaver Dams, which would have furthered American control in the Niagara Peninsula. While her husband was still suffering the effects of his injury, Laura set out to warn Lieutenant Fitzgibbon herself. She walked approximately 30 km from present day Queenston through St. David's, Homer, St. Catharines and Short Hills at the Niagara Escarpment before arriving at the camp of allied Native warriors who led her the rest of the way to Fitzgibbon's headquarters at the Decew home. A small British force and a larger contingent of Mohawk warriors were then readied for the American attack with the result that almost all of the American soldiers were taken prisoner in the ensuing Battle of Beaver Dams.

Laura Secord warns James Fitzgibbon.
Laura Secord warns James Fitzgibbon.

The story has become something of a legend in Canada. An older version said that Laura brought a cow with her as an excuse to leave her home in case of questioning by American patrols; another version holds that she left under the guise of visiting a sick relative in neighbouring St. David's. It is also said that she walked barefoot and took six hours to climb the Niagara Escarpment. Although, this story is not likely true, there was no cow and even though she may have lost her shoes in the forest, she was far too sensible a woman to have started her walk in the morning with no shoes on her feet.

Although her heroism was much appreciated, and greatly admired, had she not made the journey, the British still would have had advanced warning of the attack. Aboriginal warriors had been following the U.S. forces for some time and had warned FitzGibbon many times to expect a U.S. attack. FitzGibbon had known of this attack for a few days and was more than prepared by the time Secord showed up.

Over the years, Laura Secord and James Fitzgibbon petitioned the government in request of some kind of acknowledgment but to no avail. Finally, in 1860, when Laura was 85, Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (later Edward VII), heard of her story while travelling in Canada. While stopped in Chippawa near Niagara Falls, he was made aware of Laura's heroics and her plight as an aging widow and later sent an award of £100. It was the only recognition that she received in her lifetime.

Laura Ingersoll Secord died in 1868 at age 93 at the Village of Chippawa (today part of Niagara Falls, Ontario). She was burried in the Drummond Hill Cemetery next to her husband.

Today her restored homestead at 29 Queenston St, Niagara-on-the-lake, Ontario just north of Partition St (43° 9' 51" N, 79° 3' 16" W) is a museum near the bank of the Niagara River, with a commemorative plaque in front. Laura and her husband attended Holy Trinity Church in Chippawa where their grave markers are presently located, as well as a few relics of the family. Laura and James are buried in Drummond Hill Cemetery in Niagara Falls, Ontario at a monument (with a bust of Laura on top) close to that marking the Battle of Lundy's Lane. A cup and saucer from the family are displayed at Lundy's Lane Historical Museum in Niagara Falls, Canada and the original home in Queenston has been rebuilt to the original floorplan including the original fireplaces.

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[edit] References in popular culture

  • A 60-second "Heritage Minute" dramatization of the Laura Secord legend aired on Canadian television during commercial breaks.
  • The Canadian band Tanglefoot performed a song entitled 'Secord's Warning for Love', which tells Laura Secord's story, on their album 'The Music In The Wood' - lyrics at [http://www.tangl pie
                              efootmusic.com/music/lyrics/gos.htm#secord http://www.tanglefootmusic.com/music/lyrics/gos.htm#secord].
  • There is a high school in St. Catharines, Ontario named after Laura Secord.
  • There is an elementary school in Winnipeg, Manitoba named after Laura Secord.
  • The Canadian band Alexisonfire released a song entitled "The Philosophical Significance of Shooting My Sister in the Face: An Essay By James Secord" as part of their 2002 EP, the Math Sheet Demos.

[edit] Monument

Laura Secord Monument
Laura Secord Monument

Secord, Laura, in Acton Free Press, 27 Jun 1901, page 3, column 2 Monument to Memory of Laura Secord. Mr. and Mrs. Alex. Secord and Mr. and Mrs. T. E. M. Secord, and Miss Rachel, went to Lundy's Lane on Saturday to participate in the unveiling of a monument erected there as a tribute to the memory of Canada's heroine, Laura Secord. The monument consists of a shapely shaft of granite, rectangular in shape, some seven feet in height, resting upon a base of the same material. Upon three sides are polished shields bearing suitable inscriptions cut into the stone. Surmounting the shaft is a life-size bust in bronze of the heroine. Among the friends and descendants of the woman whose memory all honour present were Mrs. C. W. Young, wife of Mr. C. W. Young of the Cornwall Freeholder, who is the daughter of Mrs. Secord's youngest daughter; Messrs. T. E. Secord and Alex. Secord, Acton; Mr. W. F. Secord, Thorold, grand-nephew; Miss Laura Clarke, Toronto, and Miss Augusta Smith, Guelph, granddaughters, and Mr. Andrew Carnochan, who for many years was a next-door neighbor of the Secord family at Chippawa. These were all introduced to the thousands who thronged the historical spot by Rev. Canon Bell, President Lundy's Lane Historical Society. The unveiling was performed by Mrs. Geo. W. Ross, wife of the Premier. The event was one of very great interest.

[edit] Chocolate

Laura Secord Chocolates, founded in 1913, was named in her honour. "Laura Secord Chocolates" is now all around Canada, and is known for its ice-cream and dark chocolates, shaped in the pendant with Laura Secord's face in white chocolate as its logo, as seen on the monument of Laura Secord in Lundy's Lane.

[edit] External links