Temperance Wick facts for kids

Temperance Wick (born October 30, 1758, died April 26, 1822) was a brave young woman during the American Revolutionary War. People often call her Tempe Wick. She became famous for a story about how she saved her horse from soldiers. Many people see her as a symbol of courage for women in early America.

Tempe Wick's Early Life

Tempe Wick was born in a place called Jockey Hollow in New Jersey. She was the youngest of five children. Her family was one of the oldest and richest in the area. Her father, Henry Wick, owned a lot of land. Not much is known about Tempe's early years. By the time she was 21, only she and her brother Henry Jr. were still living at home with their parents.

The Revolutionary War at Jockey Hollow

Tempe's father, Henry Wick, was a leader in the local army unit. This unit helped protect the government in New Jersey.

The winter of 1780–1781 was extremely cold. It was known as the "Hard Winter." More than 10,000 American soldiers, called the Continental Army, set up camp on the Wick family's large property. General Arthur St. Clair and his team even stayed in the Wick House.

Life was very tough for the soldiers that winter. They didn't have enough clothes or food. Many walked barefoot in the snow. About 100 soldiers died from sickness and were buried nearby.

The Pennsylvania Line Mutiny

Pennsylvania Line Mutiny

The soldiers had not been paid for a long time. Many had left the army because of this. In late December, a group of soldiers from Pennsylvania decided to take action. They planned to march to Philadelphia. They wanted to demand their pay directly from the government. These soldiers, called mutineers, stole horses and food as they traveled.

On December 21, 1780, Tempe's father, Henry Wick, passed away. This left Tempe to care for her sick mother and her brother. When her mother got worse, Tempe quickly got on her horse. She rode to find Doctor William Leddell, who lived about a mile away. The doctor was not home, so Tempe left a message and headed back.

On her way home, three mutineers stopped her. One grabbed her horse's bridle. They demanded that she give them her horse. Tempe pretended to agree. But when the soldier let go to help her down, she quickly whipped her horse. She galloped home as fast as she could. She made it safely, but she worried the soldiers would follow her.

Tempe's Clever Horse Hiding Spot

There are a few stories about what happened next. In one popular version, Tempe led her horse inside the house. She hid it in a guest bedroom. She closed the window shutters and put a soft feather bed under the horse. This was to muffle the sound of its hooves. The soldiers soon arrived and searched everywhere outside. But they left without finding the horse. Tempe supposedly kept the horse hidden until New Year's Day. That's when the mutineers marched away.

Another story says Tempe hid her horse in the kitchen. People sometimes say you can still see a faint horse's hoof print in one of the bedrooms at the Wick House.

The Wick House at Jockey Hollow is still standing today. It is part of the Morristown National Historical Park. Visitors can see the bedroom where Tempe is said to have hidden her horse.

Later Life

After her mother, Mary, died in 1787, Tempe inherited the Jockey Hollow property. She married Dr. William Tuttle when she was 30 years old. They had five children together.

Is the Story True?

Historians are not sure if all parts of Tempe Wick's story are completely true. However, Tempe and her parents are mentioned in many old letters and records from that time. This shows they were real people.

Tempe in Books

Tempe Wick's story has been told in many books.

• Frank R. Stockton, a famous American storyteller, wrote a short story about her. His story showed Tempe as a very patriotic girl. But he added many details that might not be true. He wanted to show how brave American girls could be.
• Ann Rinaldi's novel A Ride Into Morning is a historical fiction book. It tells Tempe's story from the point of view of her cousin.
• Howard Fast's novel The Proud and the Free (1950) tells the story of the Pennsylvania Line Mutiny. It shows what it was like for the regular soldiers.
• Patricia Lee Gauch's book "This Time, Tempe Wick?" is a popular children's book about her.