Darragh, Lydia Barrington (1729–1789)

American nurse and midwife who was a Revolutionary War hero. Born Lydia Barrington in Dublin, Ireland, in 1729; died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on December 28, 1789; daughter of John Barrington; married William Darragh (a tutor), in November 1753 (died 1783); children: nine, of which five reached maturity, Charles, Ann, John, William, and Susannah.

Lydia Barrington Darragh immigrated to America from Ireland in 1753, shortly after her marriage. Settling in Philadelphia, she and her husband William became members of the Monthly Meeting of Friends and parented nine children (five of whom reached maturity). In addition to caring for her children, Darragh worked as a nurse and midwife, making a significant contribution to the support of her large family.

Her status as a hero of the American Revolution developed from a story first published in 1827, long after her death, which later received elaboration. Accordingly, during the period of the British occupation of Philadelphia (September 1777–June 1778), Darragh's house faced the headquarters of General William Howe and was commandeered for a secret meeting held on the night of December 2, 1777. Listening at a keyhole, Darragh learned of the British plan to attack General George Washington two nights later at Whitemarsh, eight miles away. On the morning of December 4, Darragh obtained a pass to leave the city to purchase flour but instead made her way toward the American camp, where she encountered Col. Thomas Craig and relayed the information. Craig passed the word along, and when the British troops marched out of Philadelphia they found the Continental Army ready to repel them, forcing Howe's return to the city. Unrecognized as a hero in her lifetime, Darragh continued to reside in Philadelphia, where, after her husband's death in 1783, she was suspended from the Quaker church for failing to attend meetings and for not adhering to church policies. She appears to have been reinstated, however, for when she died in 1789 she was buried in the Friends' cemetery in Philadelphia.