Elizabeth Cummings
Elizabeth Cummings
A stubborn and independent shopkeeper who, along with her sister, refuses to boycott the sale of British goods
From the Card:
- You and your sister are orphans, but a shopkeeper, Elizabeth Murray, gives you both the financial support to start your own store.
- A Patriot newspaper publishes your name in a list of “enemies to the country,” because you import British goods.
- Although you did not have strong political opinions before, this event pushes you towards Loyalism.
- When the British evacuate Boston in 1776, you and your sister move to Canada and establish a new, even more prosperous, store.
Ame and Elizabeth Cummings are two shopkeepers who had no greater ambition than to be able to support themselves with an honest business. However, living in the political storm of 18th-century Boston, they were forced to make choices. The Cummings sisters are a prime example of how ordinary people of the revolutionary era had to make choices and take gambles that would shape their futures.
For more information on Ame and Elizabeth Cummings, try:
- Enemies to Their Country from the blog Vast Public Indifference- This article tells the story of Ame and Elizabeth Cummings’ difficult choices.
- The Elizabeth Murray Project- This website is devoted to Elizabeth Murray, who taught the Cumming sisters how to run their business.
- Mapping Revolutionary Boston- This web app contains information about the Cummings sisters and marks the location of their home.
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