Josephine Ward Thomson

Josephine Antoinette Ward[1] was born in 1820 at Sing Sing,[2] Westchester County, New York. She was the eldest child of Aaron Ward and Mary Watson Ward.

Josephine Antoinette Ward Thomson Swann
Born1820
Sing Sing, New York, US
DiedMarch 2, 1906(1906-03-02) (aged 85–86)
Washington, D.C., US
NationalityUnited States
Other namesJosephine Ward Thomson
Known forPhilanthropy, Wife of Governor of Maryland Thomas Swann

Career

She was a founding member of the Princeton [3] Daughters of the American Revolution.

She was the first benefactor of the Princeton University Graduate College [4]

With Kate McFarlane, Josephine helped preserve Rockingham, George Washington's final headquarters of the Revolutionary War, from demolition and decay.[5]

Personal life

She was the second wife of Senator John R. Thomson from 1845 until his death in 1862.

In 1878, Josephine became the second wife of former Governor of Maryland, Thomas Swann.[6] Some of the groom's family said this was a sign of "insanity growing out of dotage." The Governor was 72 at the time. The couple separated in 1880.[7]

Josephine was a frequent participant in Miss Matoaca Gay's Shakespeare seminars during the 1880s and 1890s.[8]

She died 2 March 1906 in Washington, D.C. and is buried at Princeton, New Jersey.

References
  1. "Library of Congress Name Authority File" http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n94075201.html
  2. The name of the Village of Sing Sing was changed to Ossining in 1901, the Town of Ossinsing was created in 1845 and renamed Ossining the next year
  3. "Princeton DAR", Accessed 05 September 2016 http://www.princetondar.org/ChapterHistory.htm
  4. "Princeton University, The Graduate College", Accessed 05 September 2016 http://www.princeton.edu/~gradcol/perm/hist.htm
  5. "Rockingham Historic Site", Accessed 05 September 2016 http://www.rockingham.net/history.html
  6. "SWANN THOMSON WEDDING ANNOUNCEMENT; The Times, Philadelphia, PA; Page 2; Friday, 21 June 1878" https://www.newspapers.com/clip/3350035/swann_thomson_wedding_announcement_the/
  7. "Dissolution of Marriage- Settlement; Thomson/Swann; The Sun, NY, NY; Page 1; Thursday, 5 Feb. 1880" https://www.newspapers.com/clip/3350083/dissolution_of_marriage_settlement/
  8. File:Matoaca_Gay_-_Shakespeare_clipping.png Unidentified news clipping from January 1894 in the Washington D. C. area.
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