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The Little Nine Partners Historical Society of Pine Plains, NY, presents Widow’s Weeds, written by Dyan Wapnick and directed by Robert Lyons, at Stissing Center for Arts and Culture on Sunday, September 20, 2026 at 3PM, in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Widow’s Weeds tells the compelling true story of Mary Ingalls, who in 1842 at 84 years of age applied for her husband Elihu Ingalls’ pension under the Pension Act of 1836, which extended pension benefits to Revolutionary War widows for the first time. Elihu had served in the NY militia and died in 1823 without ever receiving a pension. Unfortunately, nearly all of his service papers and proof of their marriage were lost, and Mary had to rely on memory and oral testimonies to support her application.
Premiered last fall as one of Dutchess County’s REV250 grant projects and the recipient of another REV250 grant this year, Widow’s Weeds returns to Stissing Center to popular acclaim. The grant was open to all twenty Dutchess County historical societies of which 19 applied, and out of 27 project proposals, 23 were funded. The grant’s mission is to “Encourage and support public-facing programming and interpretive products that engage diverse audiences through exploring how the ideas, events, and impact of the American Revolution changed life experiences and shaped the path to liberty for Dutchess County residents.”
According to Dutchess County Historian Will Tatum, “This play brings a vital type of primary source record to life, places a spotlight on the experience of Revolutionary War Veterans’ widows, and explores the lingering impact of our struggle for independence on our rural landscape.”
Funded by Dutchess County Government.
In Banning Hall
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