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You are here: Home / Patriotic Patter / Historical Figures / Laura Secord

Laura Secord

October 24, 2009 By Pat Williams

Laura Secord meets Fitzgibbon
There are few women recognized in our history, which makes Laura Secord an even more important role model.

Born an Ingersoll, in Massachusetts, Laura’s father didn’t want to live under the U.S. government of the day, so the family moved to Southern Ontario (then called Upper Canada). Given a land grant in Queenstown (near Niagara Falls), the Ingersolls began their new life.

In time, Laura married James Secord; hence the famous name of a famous woman was born. James was a merchant, but he also volunteered in the militia.

The War of 1812, was a war between the British (Canadians) and the United States. It was this time period that permanently established the borders that run the length of both countries. The Americans were pushing into Upper Canada, and on June 21st, 1813 a group of soldiers took over the Secord home in Queenston, Upper Canada.

Perhaps Laura’s first act of personal courage precedes the one she’s most known for. When her husband was wounded in the Battle of Queenston Heights (shoulder and knee), Laura found him in the battlefield, brought him home, and began to tend to his needs. But Laura was forced to cook, serve, and clean up after the intruders too. She also gave them plenty to drink. As the evening wore on, the soldiers began to talk of their plans. Perhaps they did so because of the alcohol or perhaps they knew that James Secord was not a threat.

Laura overheard Colonel Boerstler’s plan to surprise Lt. Fitzgibbon at Beaverdams. She knew the Niagara peninsula would fall into the American’s hands if the British were not warned of the impending invasion.

Our heroine began to hatch her plan at that moment. As she had spent the day serving American officers, their General granted her a pass to be out after curfew (on the excuse that she wanted to visit her sick sister-in-law). She and her oldest daughter took a basket of food to St. David’s farm, and there she shared with her sister-in-law what she had overheard from the American soldiers. It was then that the two Secord sisters left the children in care of Laura’s daughter, and set off to warn a Canadian Lieutenant about the upcoming ambush.

Although there is some conflict as to how she got there, the truth is that she did – by walking 20 miles (32 km). It was an arduous and dangerous journey…

The two got lost in a swamp and were confronted by Mohawks. At that point, she was exhausted. Still, she managed to convince the Chief of the importance of her mission, by explaining that “many big knives were coming” (a term used by First Nations peoples to refer to the Americans). Laura set out again without her sister, but with an Indian guide, toward the DeCew farm where Lt. Fitzgibbon was.

As a result of her courageous act that night, all but 6 of the American soldiers were captured.

The Horseshoe Falls and the fertile soil of the Niagara Peninsula are still proudly, Canadian.

In mid-June of 2011, the Laura Secord Homestead opened, in Queenston, Ontario. Open from early May to Labour Day seven days a week (and then for limited hours to mid-October), you can visit this famous woman’s home yourself. The cost is nominal (about $10 for adults). To find out more about this attraction please visit http://www.niagaraparks.com/heritage-trail/laura-secord-homestead.html.

The year 2012 is the bicentennial of someone who Prime Minister Stephen Harper has called Canada’s most famous war hero. Different celebrations will take place, but perhaps the largest and most significant movement is lovingly fostered by The Friends of Laura Secord. This organization’s president and founder is Caroline McCormick, and she’s a direct descendant of our famous heroine.

Perhaps no words about Laura Secord are as poignant as the ones recorded by Lt. Fitzgibbon:

laura secord stamp

“The weather on the 22nd day of June, 1813 was very hot, and Mrs. Secord, whose person was slight and delicate, appeared to have been and no doubt was very much exhausted by the exertion she made in coming to me, and I have ever since held myself personally indebted to her for her conduct upon that occasion…”
Lieutenant James Fitzgibbon in an 1827 letter

Images are courtesy of the National Archives & Canada Post

Filed Under: Historical Figures, Patriotic Patter Tagged With: Canadian War Hero, famous Canadian women, history of Upper Canada, Laura Secord, Laura Secord homestead, Lieutenant James Fitzgibbon, War of 1812, women from Canada's history

Previous Post: « Trivia EH? Frank Thompson
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Delpiero_10_elisa says

    January 3, 2011 at 8:45 pm

    hmmmmmmmm….

  2. Cesca says

    February 15, 2011 at 3:29 pm

    what does this have to do with laura secord i asked why she is important i already no about the war

  3. Dany says

    February 25, 2011 at 8:57 pm

    why is laura secord a hero

  4. dany says

    February 25, 2011 at 8:58 pm

    ya i now

  5. cletch says

    February 25, 2011 at 9:06 pm

    She saved Canada from being invaded by traveling through the night to the British camp and telling the Colonel that she overheard the Americans making plans to invade. When teh Americans arrived, the British were waiting for them and were able to fight them off. If it weren’t for Laura Secord the Niagara Peninsula would be part of the USA today.

  6. Lefnowenon says

    March 8, 2011 at 10:10 pm

    Laura Secord is definitely an inspiring person

  7. robbie says

    March 18, 2011 at 7:09 pm

    its about here story

  8. robbie says

    March 18, 2011 at 7:12 pm

    because she saved canada from being american

  9. Ssss says

    March 25, 2011 at 3:21 pm

    kool

  10. Sssssssssss says

    March 25, 2011 at 3:22 pm

    hey we are learni ng this stuff in school

  11. Sssssssssss says

    March 29, 2011 at 7:05 pm

    that is pretty mean beacuse th war is inportant.

  12. Afsheen1998 says

    May 12, 2011 at 12:33 am

    she is important because if not for her Canada would be a part of USA

  13. kiah juliet says

    June 1, 2011 at 10:04 pm

    This amaizing it helped so much thankyou but ur missing a few details

  14. Bob says

    June 22, 2011 at 7:13 pm

    BOB SAGET

  15. Coolkid8 says

    February 9, 2012 at 12:51 pm

    this is ackward

  16. uhiubye says

    February 29, 2012 at 10:42 pm

    wow

  17. Soban1231 says

    March 7, 2012 at 8:10 pm

    she was a brave woman

  18. Euan Robertson says

    March 9, 2012 at 11:01 am

    How many kids did she have? I’ll invent time travel and give her some.

  19. Bob says

    March 28, 2012 at 4:37 pm

    cool

  20. kayz143 says

    April 19, 2012 at 9:26 pm

    No wonder she has chocolate named after her :O Amazing

  21. Jenna says

    May 28, 2012 at 7:44 pm

    Laura had 7 kids, 6 daughters and a son

  22. Pat Williams says

    May 28, 2012 at 8:39 pm

    Thanks for answering the question although I was opting to push him into inventing time travel. 😉

  23. Zoe says

    May 31, 2012 at 4:59 pm

    Laura Secord is awesome.

  24. Laura says

    June 4, 2013 at 5:06 pm

    YAY!

  25. JoJo says

    March 5, 2014 at 11:37 am

    What would it be like without Laura?

  26. hannah says

    March 29, 2014 at 10:35 am

    what where some difficulties with Laura?

  27. dila says

    June 6, 2016 at 7:57 pm

    was the change that Laura created long lasting?

  28. misskittycutie says

    May 15, 2017 at 4:22 pm

    laura was an amazing woman and she is very unique and i respect that and she is very VERY important to the history of canada because if she did not overhear the soilgers plans and go to lt. fitsgibbon canada would be part of america

  29. Joana says

    April 2, 2018 at 10:44 pm

    What was Laura Secord´s Role in the War of 1812??

  30. Joana says

    April 2, 2018 at 10:46 pm

    What are the experiences in Life that made Laura Secord a Success??

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