Pitcher

Pitcher, Molly, 1744-1832, American Revolutionary heroine whose real name was Mary Ludwig Hays or Heis, b. near Trenton, N.J. As the wife of John Hays or Heis, she carried water for her husband and other soldiers in the battle of Monmouth (1778) and earned her nickname. The legend that she manned her husband's gun is apocryphal and possibly rose from confusion with Margaret Corbin. After her husband's death, she married George McCauley, and in 1822 she was pensioned by Pennsylvania.

Any carnivorous plant with pitcher-, trumpet-, or urn-shaped leaves. Several families include pitcher plants: Nepenthaceae (Old World pitcher plants), Cephalotaceae, Asclepiadaceae (milkweed family), and especially Sarraceniaceae (New World pitcher plants, particularly those in the eastern North American genus Sarracenia). Pitcher plants inhabit bogs, swamps, wet or sandy meadows, or savannas where the soils are water-saturated, acidic, and deficient in nitrates or phosphates. Their unusual tubular leaves have a series of nectar-secreting glands that extend from the lip down into the interior and attract insects. Once in the plant, the prey tumbles down into a liquid pool and drowns, after which an enzyme secreted within the leaf digests it, releasing nitrates and other nutrients, which supplement the meager nutrient supply of bogs. Most pitcher plants produce pitcher-shaped, insect-catching leaves in the spring and tubeless leaves in the fall. Their flowers are showy and have an agreeable scent.

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byname of Mary Ludwig Hays McCauly

(born 1754, near Trenton, N.J. [U.S.]—died Jan. 22, 1832, Carlisle, Pa., U.S.) U.S. patriot. In the American Revolution, according to legend, she accompanied her husband, William Hays, a gunner, at the Battle of Monmouth (1778), where she carried pitchers of water to American soldiers for cooling the cannons, thereby earning the nickname “Molly Pitcher.” Supposedly, after her husband collapsed from the heat or was wounded, she took his place at the cannon and served heroically through the battle.

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byname of Mary Ludwig Hays McCauly

(born 1754, near Trenton, N.J. [U.S.]—died Jan. 22, 1832, Carlisle, Pa., U.S.) U.S. patriot. In the American Revolution, according to legend, she accompanied her husband, William Hays, a gunner, at the Battle of Monmouth (1778), where she carried pitchers of water to American soldiers for cooling the cannons, thereby earning the nickname “Molly Pitcher.” Supposedly, after her husband collapsed from the heat or was wounded, she took his place at the cannon and served heroically through the battle.

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Pitcher is a town in Chenango County, New York, United States. The population was 848 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Nathaniel Pitcher, a Lt. Governor of New York.

The Town of Pitcher is on the west border of Chenango County, west of the City of Norwich.

History

The town was first settled around 1794. The town, in a region formerly known at the "Gore," was acquired by the hi its jachit.

The Town of Pitcher was formed from parts of the Towns of German and Lincklaen in 1827. The size of Pitcher was increased in 1833 with and additional portion of Lincklaen.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 28.5 square miles (73.8 km²), all of it land.

The west town line is the border of Cortland County.

The Otselic River flows through the town.

New York State Route 26 is a major highway running northeast-southwest through the town, following the course of Otselic Creek. New York State Route 23 passes across the south part of Pitcher following the course of Brakel Creek.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 848 people, 293 households, and 230 families residing in the town. The population density was 29.8 people per square mile (11.5/km²). There were 381 housing units at an average density of 13.4/sq mi (5.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 99.29% White, 0.24% African American, 0.12% Native American, and 0.35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.53% of the population.

There were 293 households out of which 40.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.1% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.5% were non-families. 17.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the town the population was spread out with 29.7% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 103.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $35,000, and the median income for a family was $34,875. Males had a median income of $27,500 versus $19,219 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,102. About 13.2% of families and 17.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.5% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in Pitcher

• Chandler Corners -- A former location in the town, northest of Pitcher village.
• Hydeville -- A hamlet by the west town line and north of Pitcher village on County Road 12.
• North Pitcher -- A hamlet in the northern part of the town on NY-26 and Otselic Creek.
• Pitcher -- The hamlet of Pitcher is in the western part of the town, near the west town line, on NY-26 and Otselic Creek.
• Pitcher Springs -- A hamlet northeast of Pitcher village. It was a popular spa during the early history of the town.
• Ufford Corners -- A location northwest of North Pitcher near the north town line.
• Union Valley -- A hamlet at the west town line, mostly within Cortland County.
• Waldron Corners -- A location at the east town line.

References

External links

• Early history of Pitcher, NY
• Historical and other information on Pitcher