Last Man Standing, Posted on June 3, 2026

• June 3, 2026
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• Posted By: Scott Family Collection

This ambrotype of Ralph Farnham was made in 1858 when he was 102 years old.

At that time, Ralph was one of the few remaining veterans of the Revolutionary War. He had enlisted in May of 1775, a few weeks before the Battle of Bunker Hill.

As is often the case, when the number of survivors of an historic event starts to dwindle, interest is generated for those that remain.

Ralph was written about and as he became more and more famous, he was credited with being the last survivor of the Battle of Bunker Hill. Not exactly.

As far as we know, Ralph did enlist a few weeks before Bunker Hill but was not engaged in that particular conflict. He never said that he was. We know about his war record from the pension application he filed in 1832.

 Farnham did serve in subsequent campaigns, however, and he was a witness to British general John Burgoyne’s surrender at Saratoga in 1777. 

Ralph left the Continental Army and returned home to Maine. He became a farmer, married a woman named Mehitabel Bean, and together they raised a family.

When invited to visit Boston for a celebration, Ralph Farnham wrote in reply, “I do not think I deserve any special credit to the part I took in the Revolution. I only felt and acted as others.”

Farnham nevertheless accepted the invitation and arrived in Boston on October 8, 1860.

On October 15, 1860, a concert was given in Farnham’s honor at the Tremont Temple. His visit to Boston coincided with a tour of the city by the Prince of Wales (the future Edward VII), and the Maine veteran briefly met with the young prince on 18 October.

Relative of Betsy Ross, Posted on May 18, 2026

• May 18, 2026
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• Posted By: Scott Family Collection

Image: tombstone of Ann Ross White, (1734-1819), Hawfields Presbyterian Church graveyard, Mebane, NC, the blue box surrounds the phrase, “Relative of Betsy Ross”

Have you ever watched any of those television shows where people find out about their ancestors? Sometimes the ancestor disappeared and the quest is to find them. Other times they have heard family lore that they are related to someone famous or even infamous!

Well, we have just such a mystery here in Alamance County. One of the tombstones in the graveyard of Hawfields Presbyterian Church reveals a surprising detail. On the tombstone of Ann Ross White (1734-1819) is inscribed: “Relative of Betsy Ross.”

What is interesting here is that Ann died in 1819, long before Betsy Ross became famous, although they were alive at the same time. It was not until 1870 that one of Betsy’s grandsons started promoting her significance.

So, what did Ann Ross White know that we don’t?

As it turns out, one of Ann’s daughters, Susan White, married Samuel Mebane. Samuel was either the nephew or cousin of Alexander Mebane, Jr. 

In 1795, Alexander Mebane, Jr., then a widower, married Ann Claypoole. Ann was related to John Claypoole, who married Elizabeth Griscom Ross Ashburn, or Betsy Ross as we know her today.

Alexander died a few months after he married Ann Claypoole in Philadelphia but not before updating his will. His will provides for Ann and her return to Philadelphia after his death. If you want to learn more about the Claypooles of Philadelphia, consult Genealogy of the Claypoole Family of Philadelphia, 1588-1893, by Betsy’s granddaughter, Rebecca Irwin Graff.

Dedication of the Scott Family Collection Office, Posted on May 6, 2026

• May 6, 2026
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• Posted By: Scott Family Collection

On Friday, May 1, 2026, at 2:30 PM, a plaque was dedicated in honor of Margaret L. “Peggy” Boswel, the Inaugural Curator of the Scott Family Collection of Alamance Community College.

Friends, family, colleagues and staff gathered in the hallway outside of the Collection for an afternoon of speeches, fun, and of course, wonderful food.

First to speak was Dr. Ken Ingle, President of Alamance Community College. Dr. Ingle praised Peggy’s unflagging efforts to get the Collection started and to manage it successfully for 27 years.

Scott Family Collection Advisory Board Chair, Chris Ackiss, spoke about Peggy’s remarkable vision and charm. Right from the start, Peggy decided that the Scott Library was in fact a collection. She was asked what she wanted her title to be. She chose Curator, as the job would involve managing and interpreting objects, documents, and many other items. Over the years the Collection has produced countless exhibits, videos, slide shows and talks, all emphasizing the significance of the Scotts and their extended family to the people of Alamance County, the State of North Carolina, and yes, even the nation!

Then, Peggy got up to speak. She thanked everyone for their presence and went on to talk about how the Collection came into being. Many names were mentioned, people who had shared her vision and helped to make the Collection what it is today.

Then, we all went inside to see the ribbon cutting. The ribbon cutting was carried out by President Ingle, Peggy Boswell, and Peggy’s grandson Ezra Sullivan, with the assistance of Carolyn Rhode, Vice President for Institutional Advancement, and Sara Thynne, Director, Learning Resources Center.

Photo credit: Jaylen Webb, Communications Specialist, ACC

Impedimenta, Posted on April 28, 2026

• April 28, 2026
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• Posted By: Scott Family Collection

Two trunks. The top one contained medical supplies. It belonged to Dr. John Alexander Mebane ((1790-1861). The larger one, below, belonged to Mamie White Scott (1865-1953), a schoolteacher.

When I was studying Latin in high school, I learned the word, “impedimenta.”  Loosely translated, it refers to luggage.

Nowadays, we have all sorts of clever ways to make luggage less cumbersome. Whoever thought of adding wheels to a suitcase deserves a prize.

Back in the day, and I do mean back, luggage was a serious business. The photo that appears above includes two trunks. The top one is thought to be the medical trunk of Dr. John Alexander Mebane (1790-1861), a son of Alexander Mebane for whom the town of Mebane was named. In his day, doctors would visit their patients in their homes.

The larger one on the bottom was owned by Mamie White Scott (1865-1953), a schoolteacher who must have taken everything she owned from school to school during her career.

I was in Greensboro, North Carolina over the weekend and was able to arrange a visit to the graves of Dr. Mebane and his wife Celia Sutton Mebane.

Their graves are hidden away in a small cemetery located on the grounds of the Greensboro History Museum. The cemetery was associated with First Presbyterian Church and is still under their authority despite the fact that the church moved to another location many years ago. The museum, which is really spectacular, was built around the church and they connect. We found the Mebanes right away and went on to explore further.

Our tour guide, Grace, stopped us at a small marker on which was inscribed: Known only to God. What a sad story that was. A small child passed away while a group of travelers was passing through Greensboro many years ago. The church stepped in to provide a burial for the child, but no one knew her name. Grace has researched this child and even found a newspaper article about the burial, but so far has not discovered the child’s name. Grace is very smart and diligent. I expect that some day, she will solve this mystery.