Computer generated image showing what Susan might have looked like as a child
(Developed from a late-life portrait of Susan Boudinot painted by John Chapman)
Most of Susan's early life was spent in northern New Jersey. From 1772 to 1777, Susan lived in Elizabethtown at "Boxwood Hall", and from 1777 to 1784 she resided at Basking Ridge, her family's residence in the Somerset Hills. Benjamin Franklin's son William became governor of New Jersey in 1763. William was an ardent Loyalist, and remained such, causing an irreparable, life-long split with his father. The Boudinots visited Governor Franklin's residence in the spring of 1774, and given Elias' boyhood familiarity with the Franklins, attending a tea party with old family acquaintances was probably not out of the ordinary, despite the heated political divisions. As the story goes, nine year old Susan showed herself a staunch patriot by refusing to drink the cup of tea that had been pressed on her. Several different versions of this "event" appeared in print during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The most accurate descriptions come from Jane Boudinot and Bishop George Doane. Jane Boudinot provides two versions of the story in two different texts. In one of these texts, she claims that Susan Boudinot told her the story personally:
"It was this young
girl, when nine years of age, having a cup of tea pressed upon her while
visiting at Governor Franklin's, proclaimed her rebel principles by only
raising the cup to her lips, and then, suddenly crossing the room, throwing the
contents from the window."
In another slightly different
version, Jane states:
“Her character was well
exemplified in an amusing incident of her childhood. One evening, as an invited guest at Governor
Franklin’s, she was presented with a cup of tea. The stamp act had passed, and all good
patriots were filled with resentment.
Our little heroine politely declined the tea, and, being again and again
pressed, she took the cup and with a grave courtesy raised it to her lips, but
without touching a drop crossed the room and poured the contents from the
window.”
Bishop George Doane, who presided
over Susan Boudinot's funeral, relays this version of the event:
"An occurrence of her childhood
is characteristic of her spirit, while it illustrates her patriotism. Passing
the evening, at Governor Franklin's, in Burlington, soon after the seizure of
the tea, in Boston harbor, a cup of tea was offered her; which she declined.
When it was so pressed, that farther refusal would have been rude, she took it,
touched it to her lips, without swallowing a drop of it; and, crossing the
room, emptied it, from the window. She was nine years old."
Some months after Susan's display
of solidarity with those who opposed the King's tax, Susan's only sibling,
Anna Maria, died on September 3rd, at the age of two. Alexander Hamilton, a
close friend of the family, upon hearing of young Anna’s sickness, hurriedly
left King’s College in New York for Elizabethtown. Hamilton, who once bounced baby Anna on his
knee, and was devastated and in the midst of his grief, composed a poem about
young Anna for Mrs. Boudinot.
In June of 1777, Susan and her family evacuated
Boxwood Hall for the relative safety of Basking Ridge. Somewhere around this period (probably in
transit), Susan and her family were surprised and levied upon (i.e. robbed) by
a party of British soldiers. As a ruse
to avoid losing their cash and valuable possessions, Susan told the officer in
charge that her aunt, who was present, had asked for British protection. The British officer seems to have seen
through Susan’s attempt (more than likely Susan exuded patriot sentiment in her
words, actions and body language) and stated: “Not, by your advice, I
presume”. Undeterred, Susan quipped back
“That it never was, I can tell you”. Life
in the Somerset Hills was difficult for the Boudinot's, seeking refuge from the
British raids that constantly surrounded the region. Common everyday items were not available to
Susan and her family during this period, as with the case of the one and only
darning needle, which was possessed by the whole of the community. A young boy by the name of Morton, apparently
dropped the needle while taking it from the Boudinot’s to a neighbor. Young Master Morton was made to return and
confess the loss to Susan and her mother, much to his consternation.
Susan Boudinot, or "Sukie" as her father called her, was present for a very curious meeting between General George Washington and a party of Indians. Preparations were made by Washington to host the Indians for a meeting and a makeshift stage for them to sit atop was constructed. The Indians were seated, and as luck would have it, the temporary stage collapsed, throwing the Natives to the ground. Needless to say, much persuasion and diplomacy was implemented to convince the Indians it was not a preplanned attempt to eradicate them. On another occasion, sometime in early 1780, Susan was out exercising under the supervision of her maid, when she heard scattered musket fire. Thinking it was coming from British troops, Susan dashed into her home screaming “The British are coming! the British are coming!” Darting up the stairs, she ran right into the arms of Martha Washington, who was a frequent guest at the Boudinot home due to the close proximity of General Washington’s headquarters in Morristown. Mrs. Washington lovingly soothed her, and explained that the muskets were from practicing American troops, not British, as Susan had feared.