UPCOMING EVENTS...

All are Welcome!

The Millbrook Society and the Amy B. Yerkes Museum are open most Wednesday evenings from 7:30 to 9:30 on the second floor of the Hatboro Baptist Church on York Road in Hatboro.  We also have a very active Facebook page posted with history, photos, and local updates...check us out! 

Members and non-members...our doors are open and we welcome you to stop by!    

Millbrook Highlights...

On Sunday, March 26^th, The Millbrook Society recognized National Women’s History Month with a program, “Alice Paul: The Quaker Fights for Equality.”   As Alice Paul (a.k.a. first-person interpreter Patricia Troilo) entered the meeting room, the audience traversed back over a century to a sunny Spring afternoon - March 26^th, 1921.    

Before returning to Washington D.C. to continue her work and law school studies, she took time to visit us in Hatboro - a town much like Alice herself - born with and formed by Quaker values. 

The 19^th Amendment to our United States Constitution was voted on by Congress two years ago allowing for women’s suffrage - a women’s right to vote.  That Amendment became the law of the land last summer, August 1920, after Tennessee became the 36^th state to vote for ratification - thus opening the way for women to vote for the first time in a presidential election.     

Ms. Paul has been one of the most influential leaders and voices for the cause of women’s suffrage and equality.  She believed that the Quaker value of equality between men and women instilled in her by her family at an early age motivated her to advocate for these causes throughout her life.  She admits that she was always interested in social issues, government, and law, and following these pursuits, she became well-traveled and highly educated (a self-described “life-long learner!”) 

Ms. Paul and her associates endured many struggles, suffering, and sacrifices in their fight for equality - many of which she talked about honestly and soberly during her visit at Millbrook.  She shared some graphic details about the abuses she and others endured while in jail, particularly those endured after she and her fellow ‘Silent Sentinels’ were arrested in front of the White House - a time infamously known as the ‘Night of Terror.’

She met and fellow suffragettes met with President Woodrow Wilson, who did not support the suffrage movement and held steadfast to his position, which led to the ‘Silent Sentinel’ protests in front of the White House.  Considering his position against women’s rights, Ms. Paul smiled as reflected on the irony of the President’s words in his speech to the joint Congress that entered the U.S. into World War I:

“The world must be made safe for democracy.” Americans must fight “for the rights and liberties of small nations” and to “bring peace and safety to make the world itself at last free.”  But the right is more precious than peace, and we shall fight for the things which we have always carried nearest our hearts - for democracy, for the right of those who submit to authority to have a voice in their own Governments.”   

Although she and her associates were discouraged at times through the hardships, she said it was a battle of the wills that prevailed.  She is proud to see that their work led to the passage of the 19^th Amendment, but she told us in closing that their work is not over - she is beginning work on passing an Equal Rights Amendment.     

On Saturday, February 25th, 2023, local military historian Michael Jesberber presented his program - "The Valley Forge Encampment" to a capacity crowd at the Union Library of Hatboro. 

This joint Millbrook-Union library education program recognized President's Day and the 245th anniversary of the Valley Forge encampment. 

Michael talked about the miserable conditions endured by the troops and the challenges military leaders faced, particularly General Washington.  The biggest challenge was disease - wet grounds and mud (more so than the cold and snow as is traditionally believed) created a breeding ground for disease.  Deficient supplies were another major challenge - uniforms, equipment, meat, and bread were in short supply or unavailable - 1 of 3 soldiers was shoeless.  Michael shared the inscription written on a New York marker on a monument at Valley Forge (in part) - "...its is beyond description to conceive what the men suffered." 

He highlighted the impact of Baron von Steuben, a 39-year-old military leader from Prussia, and his indispensable influences on molding these troops into a disciplined and formidable American army.  Michael closed with one little-known story - it is believed Valley Forge was the first public birthday party for George Washington - complete with a cake made by his wife, Martha, who came up from Mount Vernon to visit and lend her support to the troops.  Michael Jesberger can be reached at J4Regiment@comcast.net