Marsha Ann Tate | Looking for Laura Secord on the Web: Using a Famous Figure from the War of 1812 as a Model for Evaluating Historical Web Sites | The History Teacher, 38.2

Looking for Laura Secord on the Web: Using a Famous Figure from the War of 1812 as a Model for Evaluating Historical Web Sites

Marsha Ann Tate
The Pennsylvania State University

LAURA INGERSOLL SECORD was, admittedly, a well-known historical figure—at least in Canada over a century before the development of the World Wide Web. In 1860, she first achieved widespread notoriety in her adopted homeland of Canada (she was born in Massachusetts) when a deed she performed for the British army during the War of 1812 was publicly recognized by the Prince of Wales. The deed for which Laura received fame, albeit relatively little fortune (100 pounds sterling from the Prince), was walking approximately 20 miles through inhospitable terrain to alert British Lieutenant John Fitzgibbons that American troops were preparing to launch an attack on the British garrison at Beaver Dams, Upper Canada in late June 1813. However, as the diverse accounts of Laura Secord's journey detailed in a later section of this essay will demonstrate, this seemingly straightforward chronology of events has undergone a vast number of iterations over the years. Indeed, it would even eventually secure Laura Secord a hallowed place within the Pantheon of Canadian heroes and heroines.

Over the years, as detailed in Appendix A, Laura Secord's journey has inspired a myriad of books, plays, music, stamps, and more. Since 1913, moreover, Laura Secord has served as the namesake for a popular chain of candy stores located throughout Canada. ¹ Even today, the Laura Secord legend remains alive and well thanks to a recent spate of children's books and scholarly works devoted to various aspects of her life. Meanwhile, she also continues to inspire contemporary artists, including an upscale sock puppet sculptor—among others. However, despite the availability of an eclectic array of print and other materials related to Laura Secord, for many individuals the World Wide Web will serve as the principal, or in some cases, the only source of information about her exploits or even about other aspects of the War of 1812.

Given this fact of modern life, this essay will explore the cyberspace repository of information about Laura Secord in an attempt to answer the following questions: 1) How is Laura Secord's journey depicted on web pages/sites? 2) How are the web-based depictions of Laura Secord similar/different from accounts found in print sources? and, 3) In what, if any, other aspects do the web-based resources related to Laura Secord differ from their print counterparts? Using the web research conducted on Laura Secord as a basis for discussion, the essay's final section will address the major issues that should be taken into account when conducting web-based historical research. It should also be emphasized that although this essay focuses exclusively upon one single historical figure, the methods used to help determine the reliability of web-based resources devoted to Laura Secord are equally applicable to other historical web sites regardless of topic area.

Laura Secord's World

Before delving into the questions outlined above, however, it is first important to place Laura Secord within the historical context of her times. It is equally important to briefly address the symbolic role Laura Secord has played in helping foster a sense of Canadian identity in the years following the War of 1812. In Flames Across the Border: The Canadian-American Tragedy, 1813–1814, a print history of the War of 1812, Canadian historian Pierre Berton relates that in the early years of the 19th century, three-fifths of the population of Upper Canada (present day Ontario) were immigrants from the United States, "lured north of the border by cheap land and low taxes" (p. 3). Fellow Canadian author, Christopher Moore, further describes the exile of at least fifty thousand residents of the thirteen colonies who had been loyal to King George during the American Revolution. Most of these exiles (the United Empire Loyalists) settled in Canada. Although they assimilated into local societies, and became Nova Scotian or Upper Canadian, they often preserved specific Loyalist traditions (Moore, 1994, p. 9).

Laura Secord was born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts on September 13, 1775 to Thomas and Sarah Ingersoll. Having fought on the side of the colonists during the Revolutionary War, Thomas eventually earned the rank of Major following his participation in helping quell Shay's Rebellion. Sarah, his wife, was a daughter of General John Whiting who fought on the side of the rebels during the American Revolution. Financial difficulties, a distaste for American policies, the lure of inexpensive land, or a combination of the three factors prompted Thomas Ingersoll to move his family to the Queenston area of Canada in the early 1780s. In 1795 General Whiting also immigrated to Upper Canada "...where he had obtained a township grant for settlement" (McKenzie, 1976, p. 405). While living in Upper Canada, Laura eventually met James Secord, an American-born merchant and militia volunteer whom she would later marry in 1797. James Secord was the son of a loyalist officer of Butler's Rangers who brought the family to Niagara in 1778. At the outbreak of the War of 1812, Laura was thirty-eight years of age and the mother of five children, while James was a sergeant in the 1(st)Lincoln militia (Wallace, 1963; McKenzie, 1976, p. 405).

A Legend with a Purpose

In many respects, Laura Secord serves as a perfect Canadian heroine. She was a woman who displayed bravery and tenacity in the face of multiple adversities. More importantly, she was a Loyalist who assisted the British in their struggle with the Americans. As Pierre Berton notes, "Laura's story will be used to underline the growing myth that the War of 1812 was won by true-blue Canadians—in this case a brave Loyalist housewife who single-handedly saved the British Army from defeat" (Berton, 1981, p. 83). Tapping into the Laura Secord legend to help foster a sense of Canadian nationalism has been an ongoing enterprise within Canada. For example, to mark the centenary anniversary of the War of 1812, a ceremony was held at Brock's monument, erected in honor of Major-General Sir Isaac Brock for his accomplishments at Detroit and Queenston. The event at Queenston Heights featured a number of respected citizens of Canada who offered their thoughts on the meaning of the War of 1812 and their relevancy for modern Canadians. One speaker, Dr. James L. Hughes, a school inspector, argued that teaching about the lives and deeds of both men and women during the War of 1812 era needed to be an essential component of education for all Canadian children. He declared:

We should fill each child's life with a splendid courage that can never be dismayed, by telling how a few determined settlers scattered widely over a new country successfully repelled invading armies coming from a country with a population twenty-fold larger. We should teach reverence not only for manhood but for womanhood by recounting the terrible hardships endured willingly by Canadian women generally, as well as proudly relating the noble work done by individual women, of whom Laura Secord was so conspicuous an example. (J. L. Hughes, quoted in MacKirdy, Zoltvany, & Moir, p. 109).

However, a "definitive account" of Laura Secord's late June 1813 exploits remains elusive, because, as Pierre Berton relates, "In all her long life, Laura Secord will tell her story many times, embellishing it here and there, muddying it more than a little" (Berton, 1981, p. 83). Berton further notes:

Laura will never make clear exactly how she heard the rumour of an impending attack. ...On this detail she is vague and contradictory, telling FitzGibbon that her husband learned of it from an American officer; telling her granddaughter, years later, that she herself overheard it from enemy soldiers who forced her to give them dinner in Queenston (Berton, 1981, pp. 83–84).

Since accounts of the event offered by Laura herself varied, it is not surprising that later accounts of the event offered by others would differ as well. However, Laura's own varied recollections merely marked the first of many alternate versions of the story with new variations appearing on a regular basis to the present day, especially on the web.

Despite the polymorphic nature of the Laura Secord legend, its role in fostering Canadian nationalism appears to remain an important underlying incentive for evoking the legend even on the World Wide Web. But the name and the legend also serve a number of other purposes: 1) for individual and group discussions about Canadian history; 2) to provide supplementary materials for films and television shows related to the War of 1812 and/or Laura Secord; 3) to describe and review books written about Laura Secord; and finally, 4) to promote products, namely, Laura Secord chocolates.

The web pages/sites surveyed for this study were identified using a search query for "Laura Secord" in three well-known web search engines: Google, AllTheWeb.com, and Yahoo! The contents of the first fifty pages/sites listed in the search results for each search engine were then examined. Pages/sites which provided links to other relevant web pages/sites not previously retrieved via the search engine queries were also visited. In addition to web-based materials, a number of print works about the War of 1812 and/or Laura Secord were also examined. Thereafter, information gathered from both formats was compared and contrasted.

Before delving into an examination of the web pages and sites found, it should be noted that virtually all of the web sources related to Laura Secord were created by Canadians. Not surprisingly, visitors to these pages/sites are offered a predominantly Canadian perspective on the War of 1812 and Laura Secord's role in the conflict. For this reason, while Laura is regarded as a heroine and patriot by Canadians, her exploits when viewed from an American perspective may be interpreted quite differently. For example, from an American standpoint, Laura Secord may arguably have more in common with Benedict Arnold than someone like Betsy Ross or Molly Pitcher since she essentially betrayed her country of birth—the United States—to the enemy, the British. However, with a few exceptions such as the Alward (2001) web page which points out, "Laura knew she could not [allow herself to] be captured. In those days the punishment for spies was death by firing squad," the notion of treason or related issues are rarely addressed in the web-based accounts of Laura Secord's war-related activities.

How Did Laura Learn of the Americans Proposed Attack?

Accounts vary. As the six excerpts from web pages and sites below demonstrate, more versions of how Laura Secord learned of the American plan to attack Beaver Dams seem to exist than varieties of chocolates included in a Laura Secord Sampler. The authors of the pages and sites themselves, moreover, likewise are comprised of an eclectic mix of individuals of varying ages and educational levels.

Version A: "In late June 1813 Laura Ingersoll Secord awoke one morning to find her small village, Queenston, Upper Canada, surrounded and taken over by invading Americans. With 600 men and two artillery pieces they were planning a surprise attack on Lieut. FitzGibbons at Dew Cew Falls 20 miles to the west" (Source: Harley, J., Canada's Joan-of-Arc. One of a number of stories included on the Mysteries of Canada web site).

Version B: "In 1813, Laura's hometown of Queenston, Ontario was American occupied. Forced to provide food for enemy soldiers late one summer's evening, she stole outside to listen to what they said. She learned that shortly the Americans were to ambush British troops at nearby Beaver Dams. Someone had to warn the British, quickly. As her husband was convalescing from another battle, Laura decided to go herself" (Source: New Westminster School District 40, Pearson Adult Learning Center. Weekly feature Laura Secord: A great Canadian: Jennifer's weekly feature. Retrieved from < http://palc.sd40.bc.ca/palc/feature/02-01/laurasecord.htm >).

Version C: "The American troops moved into people's homes and took over the household. Because of three [sic] soldiers, the Secord's [sic] had to live in only the kitchen and one bedroom. The Secord's [sic] had to liked [sic] like servants for the American men like providing them food. The men would usually talk about military matters and stuff like that. On June 21, 1813, the American soldiers were talking to their commander over dinner. Laura overheard the conversation and was terrified to here [sic] the men were planning a surprise attack on Canadian forces near a place called Beaver Dams.... Laura memorized what they were planning and told her family what must be done. One of them had to go to Lieutenant FitzGibbon of the Canadian troops and tell him about the Americans' plans (Source: Laura Ingersoll Secord. Retrieved from <http://www.rockyview.ab.ca/bpeak/>. Note: The information was provided by a primary student in Alberta).

Version D: "On June 21, 1813, the Secords were ordered to provide shelter to some American soldiers. The soldiers led by Captain Gyrenius Chapin were secretly planning an assault against Lt. James Fitzgibbon at Beaverdams. That evening, the soldiers drank too much and became boisterous and bragged of their plans to crush the British that remained in the area. Laura and her husband overheard their plans.... Upon hearing the plan, the Secords knew that Fitzgibbon must be warned" (Source: Carrol, C. Who is Laura Secord? Retrieved from < http://mdmd.essortment.com/whoislaurasec_rjcg.htm >).

Version E: "May of 1812.... The invading troops needed shelter and three soldiers moved into the small Secord home and confined the Secords to the kitchen and one small bedroom. They had to provide dinner for the soldiers, while they discussed military matters over dinner. One day, the soldiers invited Colonel Boerstler to dinner and they talked about the war and army strategies. Laura overheard them talk about a surprise attack on Beaver Dams the next day, which was under the control of Lieutenant James FitzGibbon.... James and Laura decided that someone must warn FitzGibbon, but it was impossible for James to go, so Laura planned to warn him herself" (Source: Thomson CI Web Spinners. Laura Secord homepage. Retrieved from <http://schools.tdsb.on.ca/dmthomson/>. Note: The Thomson CI Web Spinners are a group of Ontario secondary students).

Version F: "The American officers came to the Secords' [home] and insisted Laura serve them dinner. Food was plentiful. The wine flowed. The officers became careless and boasted that they were going to attack the British and Canadians at Beaver Dams. Colonel Boerstler planned to attack Lieutenant Fitzgibbon and destroy his headquarters and take the detachment that was protecting the military equipment captive. Laura knew if Fitzgibbons wasn't warned, the entire Niagara Peninsula would be lost. Laura talked to James. He was unable to go. Laura, to James' dismay, decided she would make the trek. At dawn the following morning, Laura began her journey" (Source: Alward, M. Laura Secord. Retrieved from < http://la.essortment.com/laurasecord_raee.htm >).

The above versions generally agree on the following aspects of the Laura Secord story: 1) At the time of Laura Secord's journey, Queenston was occupied by American troops, 2) Laura was married to James Secord who was wounded in an earlier battle (Queenston Heights in 1812), 3) By some means (a point of dispute among the sources), Laura overheard American soldiers planning an attack on the British forces, and 4) She intended to warn the British of the Americans' plan. Nevertheless, beyond basic agreement upon these four facets of the story, the web pages differ—at times markedly—in their depictions of other aspects of the story as shown in Figure 1 . Interestingly, relatively few of the web-based accounts note the existence of multiple plausible versions of the story.

Figure 1. Selected Aspects of the Laura Secord Story

Source	Terms used to Refer to Laura Secord	Time Laura Secord Left on Her Journey	Length of Journey to Canadian Forces	Keywords Used to Describe Journey	Laura Secord's Dress/Appearance	Description of Indians' Assistance	References to Differing Interpretations of Her Actions
Her Story Women		4 a.m.	20 miles	swamps, rain-swollen creeks, up the Niagara Escarpment		Mention of Six Nation allies lout no mention of any confrontation with L. Secord	None
Laura Secord (M. Alward)	"heroic trek;" "famous act of patriotism"	"crack of dawn"		"wildcats, wolves and rattlesnakes ...at that time, the Niagara Peninsula was full of them"; "crossed over fields"; "waded through swamps"; "hot sun beat down upon her"; "brambles tore at her clothes"; "climbed a steep escapement"; "forged ahead through the deep undergrowth"	"dressed in a cotton dress with a long straight skirt and white bonnet. On her feet, Laura wore slippers of light kid with low heels and with ties at the instep"; "It is believed that at some point she lost the kid slippers she was wearing and continued her trek in bare feet." "Her clothes were town and bedraggled and her feet were bare"	"Upon entering a clearing, Laura found her self surrounded by Indians. Though she trembled in fear, Laura didn't panic. Somehow she made the chief understand the urgercy of the situation. according to her own account, the chief escorted her to Beaver Dams and to Lieutenant Fitzgibbon.'	"Laura knew she could not be captured. In those days the punishment for spies was death by firing squad."
War of 1812 People & Stories: Laura Secord		"left before sunrise"	'Walked for 18 hours"; "20 mile cross trek"	"through swamp, brush and farmland"; "braved the blazing June sun and potential for wild animals"	"...wore her secondbest dress, low-buckled shoes, and cotton sunbonnet"	"Near the end of her journey she encountered some native warriors and asked them to take her to Fitzgibbon's headquarters."
Laura Ingersoll Secord		"On June 22, 1813, Laura began her, long walk"		"dangerous animals lived in the area"; "Laura and Elizabeth got caught in a bog and were slowly sinking"		".. surrounded by frightening looking Mohawks and Caughnawagas"; "Native people kind enough to bring her to the Decew House where FitzGibbon was."

A web site devoted to the War of 1812 created by Galafilm, a Canadian film production company to accompany a film about the War, is one of the few web pages/sites found during the web exploration that provide quotes from primary source materials associated with Laura Secord, such as the text of the memorial Laura presented to the Prince of Wales in 1860 that described her wartime service. The site also offers a number of other period documents as well as a collection of war-related images of paintings, drawings and etchings. In addition, the site also offers a Historian's Perspective page which includes several questions regarding the Laura Secord legend posed to Canadian historian George Sheppard along with his responses to them. Sheppard was first asked whether the story of Laura Secord was actually true. He replied, "For the most part, it seems to ring true." He then discussed how a cow became a part of the legend thanks to an 1860s historian and the historical debate over the effectiveness of Secord's warning. The second question posed to Sheppard was whether Canadians living in the 1860s and thereafter needed to have a heroine from the War of 1812. He responded in part:

you've got people, by the 1860s, who are looking for heroines or heroes that they can put forth to the population and say, 'Look it. We are Canadians, we have done this in the past. We've thrown back...—it's especially nice that you're throwing back the Americans, you know...' (The War of 1812: Historian's Perspective. Retrieved from < http://www.galafilm.com/1812/e/background/hist_secord.html >).

The Galafilms site, unlike most of its web counterparts, to some extent addresses the issue of whether Secord was intentionally vague about how she learned of the Americans' plans. This is a topic, however, more likely to be covered in book-length treatments of the War of 1812 and of Laura Secord than in web-based accounts. For example, in Flames Across the Border, Pierre Berton suggests Laura Secord's circumspection and vagueness concerning her source for the American plans were due to the fact that it was "not in her interest to give her source" since her informant may quite possibly have been an American still living in the United States. If this was indeed the case, the individual—if found out—would have been charged with treason (Berton, 1981, p. 84, The Devil is in the Details).

Although Laura's story is rife with ambiguities and uncertainties, extremely detailed accounts of her journey are available on the web. For example, in several instances, authors relate that Laura "set off at 4:00 am to warn the Canadian forces of the upcoming attack" (Her Story Women. Retrieved from >; C. Carroll, Who is Laura Secord?). Others provide intricate details about the clothes she wore on her June 1813 trek. M. Alward's Larua Secord page, for example, describes Laura's clothing during the different stages of her journey. When she sets off on her journey, readers are informed that she was "dressed in a cotton dress with a long straight skirt and white bonnet. On her feet...slippers of light kid with low heels and with ties at the instep." Later we are told, "It is believed that at some point she lost the kid slippers she was wearing and continued her trek in bare feet," and that by the time she reached Fitzgibbon, "her clothes were torn and bedraggled and her feet were bare" (Alward, M., 2001).

Some accounts of Laura's journey remind one of a combination of modern-day television shows such as Crocodile Hunter and Survivor. One page notes that "She made the 20-mile journey across swamps, rain-swollen creeks and up the Niagara escarpment to find the Canadian forces" (Her Story Women >). Another not only offers an even more heart-pounding account but also adds a companion for a portion of the trek—Laura's niece Elizabeth:

Laura and Elizabeth finally got out of the swamp but that was only half of the journey, there was still 'The Mountain' (local name for the Niagara Escarpment which is steep and covered with dense forest). Elizabeth stayed behind for she was too tired to continue on with Laura, Laura understood and went up the Mountain by herself. Her climb was a difficult one, flooded creeks trying to sweep her away and logs with broken branches covering her bare foot (Laura Ingersoll Secord). ²

Despite the widely varying accounts of Laura's journey, however, one crucial aspect of the story remains unfailingly constant throughout—Laura Secord successfully achieves her goal of reaching Lieutenant FitzGibbon and alerting him to the American plans. With this news in hand, FitzGibbon's British troops and their native compatriots later succeed in surprising the Americans and ultimately win the Battle of Beaver Dams.

Lessons the Laura Secord Project Can Teach

Scouring the web for information on Laura Secord yielded a number of observations which are applicable to any web-based research foray. Admittedly, the challenges involved in undertaking web-based historical research on Laura Secord or any other topic is at times fraught with danger and uncertainties just as the legendary journey examined in this paper. These uncertainties include the difficulty in establishing the authorship of many web pages/sites. Moreover, even if an author's name is included, his/her qualifications for writing about the topic are frequently absent. For example, out of twelve web pages/sites devoted to Laura Secord analyzed in depth for the essay, only five included author attributions and none of the pages/sites offered any information about the named authors. In comparison, the majority of printed works devoted to Laura Secord which were consulted (especially those published in the last few decades) included at least a brief biographical statement about the author. Another noticeable departure from print-based scholarly publications is the relative lack of documentation for sources of information used in writing web pages/sites. In some instances, bibliographies of works are included with pages/sites but this occurs all too infrequently.

However, in response to critics who decry the questionable quality of the information provided on the web, it should be noted that wide variations in the depiction of Laura Secord also were found in the print sources consulted including those published by university and other "reputable" publishers. In addition, although many histories of the War include bibliographies of works cited at the end of the book many also lack pinpointed cites of sources. Web-based information tends to be of the unfiltered variety whereas in the print world at least some type of gatekeeper such as an editor and/or peer review process is undertaken to ascertain whether a work meets a prerequisite set of standards for publication. Nonetheless, traditional publishing practices also do not always insure the accuracy or overall quality of information. In the end, it must be remembered that information of dubious as well as high quality can be disseminated via any format or medium.

As a general observation, the web pages/sites visited tended to offer a more "black and white" version of the Laura Secord legend and largely avoided addressing the many historical debates surrounding the story. Although the Alward account indicates that a controversy over the story exists, it claims that divergent accounts begin at the point where Laura sets off on her journey and not earlier. However, as the examples demonstrate, discrepancies begin cropping up very early in the story.

Despite the many historical uncertainties surrounding Laura Secord's trek, one young web author observed:

I REALLY like this girl. She did what people thought back then women couldn't do. She was loyal, strong, brave, and true. She saved her husband and saved the country that allowed her to live [sic] in peace. I think we need more women like Laura around don't you? (Laura Ingersoll Secord)

Arguably, these simple words capture the essence of the Laura Secord legend whether it's retold in a book, a play, a song, or on a web page. Laura Secord offers a good story about a Canadian woman who through tenacity and determination defeats the odds and beats the Americans. It's a great Loyalist tale if ever there was one.

Notes

^1. Laura Secord^®, the leading retailer of boxed chocolates in Canada, was founded in 1913 by Frank O'Connor and was named after Laura Secord which the company describes as "...a Canadian icon of courage, devotion and loyalty." "Laura Secord® products are distributed through 175 company-operated retail stores and selected drug and department stores." (Source: Fannie May Candies: Company History) Adding a bit of historical irony to the story, in June 1999, the previously Canadian-owned Laura Secord company was purchased by the Chicago-based Archibald Candy Corporation.

^2. This particular account has Laura losing a shoe sometime earlier when she "got caught in a bog" and was slowly sinking.

References

Berton, P. (1981). Flames across the border: The Canadian-American tragedy, 1813–1814. Boston: Little, Brown.

Brown, C. (Ed.). (2000). The illustrated history of Canada. Toronto, ON: Key Porter Books.

Hickey, D. R. (1990). The War of 1812: A forgotten conflict. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press.

Kingsford, W. (1968). The history of Canada (Vol. 8, 1808–1815). New York: AMS Press.

MacKirdy, K. A., Zoltvany, Y. F., & Moir, J. S. (Eds.). (1967). Changing perspectives in Canadian history. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press.

Mahon, J. K. (1972). The War of 1812. Gainesville, FL: University of Florida Press.

McKenzie, R. (1976). Ingersoll, Laura (Secord). In Dictionary of Canadian Biography (Vol. 9). Toronto, ON: University of Toronto Press.

Moore, C. (1994). The Loyalists: Revolution, exile, settlement. Toronto, ON: McClelland & Stewart.

O'Malley, Michael, & Rosenzweig, R. (1997, June). Brave new world or blind alley? American history on the World Wide Web. Journal of American History, 84(1), 21 printed pages.

Wallace, W. S. (Ed.). (1963). The Macmillan dictionary of Canadian biography (3rd ed., rev. & enl.). London: Macmillan.

Appendix A

Web Pages/Sites Related to Laura Secord Consulted for the Paper

Archibald Candy Company. (2002). Fannie May Candies: Company history. Retrieved April 30, 2002 from <http://www.fanniemay.com/static/company_history_form.asp>.

Alward, M. (2001). Laura Secord. Retrieved April 25, 2002, from <http://la.essortment.com/laurasecord_raee.htm>. A brief survey of the la.essortment.com home page brings up a listing of a bizarre array of links to topics ranging from "Garbanzo bean soup recipe," "How to stop dog from digging," and "What is waterbirth and is it for you?" to "Character analysis of Shakespeare's Hamlet and Othello" and "Pablo Picasso biography." At the bottom of the Laura Secord page is a group of FAQs, one of which asks: "Want more info on the author of the article?" When the link is followed, a message pops up which states, "Our privacy policy prevents us from giving out any information about any of our authors. Some of the articles have an author's name on them—it has been included at their request. Some of them do not have the authors name, again, at the authors request. In either case, we do not give out any additional information."

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Laura Secord. Retrieved April 25, 2002, from <http://www.cbc4kids.ca/general/time/history-challenge/winner2/secord.html>.

Carroll, C. Who is Laura Secord? Retrieved April 30, 2002, from <http://mdmd.essortment.com/whoislaurasec_rjcg.htm>.

Galafilm. The War of 1812, People & Stories: Laura Secord. Retrieved May 2, 2002, from <http://www.galafilm.com/1812/people/secord.html>.

Harley, J. Canada's Joan-of-Arc. In Mysteries of Canada. Retrieved January 28, 2004, from <http://www.mysteriesofcanada.com/Ontario/secord.htm>.

Her Story Women. Retrieved April 2002, from <http://www.niagara.com/~merrwill/herwomen.html>.

Heritage Minutes: Laura Secord. Retrieved April 30, 2002, from <http://www.histori.ca/historica/eng_site/minutes/minutes_online/secord.html>. Web page provides excerpt on Laura Secord from The Heritage Post. 7th ed.

Laura Secord. Retrieved May 2, 2002, from <http://members.tripod.com/~war1812/secord.html>.

Laura Ingersoll Secord. Retrieved May 2, 2002, from <http://www.rockyview.ab.ca/bpeak/students/canada/kasecord.html>.

New Westminster School District 40, Pearson Adult Learning Centre. (2002, February 10). Laura Secord: A great Canadian : Jennifer's weekly feature. Retrieved January 28, 2004, from <http://palc.sd40.bc.ca/palc/feature/02-01/laurasecord.htm>.

Schulze, L. M. (2001). The Canadian Military Heritage Project: Laura Secord. Retrieved May 2, 2002, from <http://www.rootsweb.com/~canmil/1812/bios/laura.html>.

Thomson C.I. Web Spinners. Laura Secord Homepage. Retrieved from <http://schools.tdsb.on.ca/dmthomson/secord/index.htm>. Note: Web page created by students at David and Mary Thomson C.I., a secondary school in Ontario.

Appendix B

Works Related to Laura Secord Beyond the Web

A.I.D. International & I. H. Enterprises. (1977). The War of 1812. London, ON: A.I.D. International. A set of filmstrips and sound cassettes about the War of 1812 for use in schools. One segment of the work is devoted to Laura Secord.

Alberta, S. (1960). Canada, my homeland. Montréal: RCA. A 33 1/3 album by Canadian musician "Alberta Slim" which includes the song, "The Laura Secord Story."

Barnes, C. (1981). Laura Secord. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Library Association. One of a number of readers on different subjects designed for "new literates" in adult literacy courses initiated and designed by the London (ON) Council for Adult Education.

Bassett, J. M., & Petrie, A. R. (2004). Laura Secord (Rev. ed.). Markham, ON: Fitzhenry & Whiteside. A children's book about Laura Secord, originally published in the 1970s. In 1981 the work was reprinted under the title Laura Secord as a part of The Canadians series. In 2004, a revised edition was published as a part of The Canadians series.

Boyko-Head, C. A. (1995). The myth of Laura Secord in nineteenth-century artistic (re)presentations to twentieth-century popular culture. Hamilton, ON: McMaster University, Department of English. A Ph.D. dissertation about the Laura Secord myth.

Brundle, J. (1949). Laura, the heroine of Beaver Dam, June 24th, 1813. Roche's Point, ON. A poetic take on Laura Secord.

Canadian Home Economics Association & Laura Secord Candy Shops. (1966). The Laura Secord Canadian cook book. Toronto, ON: McClelland and Stewart. One of a number of Laura Secord cookbooks published through the years in Canada.

Carnochan, J. (1913). Laura Secord monument at Lundy's Lane. A Niagara Historical Society (Niagara, ON) publication which discusses the Laura Secord monument erected at Lundy's Lane.

Coates, C. M., & Morgan, C. L. (2002). Heroines and history: Madeleine de Vercheres and Laura Secord. Toronto, ON: University of Toronto Press. Scholarly biographies of Madeleine de Vercheres and Laura Secord.

Crook, C. B. (1993). Laura's choice: The story of Laura Secord. Winnipeg, MB: Windflower Communications. A fictional account of Laura Secord for juvenile readers.

Crook, C. B., & Lawrason, J. (2000). Laura Secord's brave walk. Toronto, ON: Second Story Press. A fictionalized account of Laura Secord's 1813 journey.

Cruikshank, E. A., et al. (1892). Lundy's Lane Historical Society documents, 1812–1815. Welland, ON: Lundy's Lane Historical Society. Documents include the "Story of Laura Secord."

Currie, E. A. (1900). The story of Laura Secord and Canadian reminiscences. Toronto, ON: W. Briggs. A component of the History of Women microfilm series.

Curzon, S. A. (1887). Laura Secord, the heroine of 1812: A drama; and other poems. Toronto, ON: C. Blackett Robinson. A set of poems and fables of both English and French origins which represents one of the earlier collections devoted to Laura Secord.

Curzon, S. A. (1891). The story of Laura Secord, 1813. Toronto, ON: Williamson. A fifteen page biography of Laura Secord published under the auspices of the Lundy's Lane historical society in July, 1891.

Denison, M. (1931). Henry Hudson and other plays: Six plays for the microphone from the Romance of Canada series of radio broadcasts. Toronto, ON: The Ryerson Press. A script of a radio play "Laura Secord" from the Romance of Canada series radio broadcasts. The broadcasts were "based on historic episodes in the Canadian past."

Foundation, C. (1998). Minute by minute the making of a Canadian mythology. In Making of a Canadian mythology; CRB Foundation heritage minutes. Montréal, QE: Corvideocom Ltd. "Laura Secord" would provide the topic for one of The Heritage minutes that appeared on Canadian television during the early 1990s.

Friesen, C. A. (2000). The lady with the bonnet: The story of Laura Secord. St. Catharines, ON: Niagara Pub. Another recent work of juvenile fiction written about Laura Secord.

Grol, L. R. (1994). Laura Secord and boastful Alice: A one act play. Fonthill, ON: Trillium Books. A children's play based upon Laura Secord.

Grol, L. R. (1997). The Battle of Beaverdam: a historical drama in three acts. Guelph, Ont., Questex. A historical theatrical drama featuring Laura Secord as a featured protagonist.

Herrington, W. S. (1910). Heroines of Canadian history. Toronto, ON: Briggs. Laura Secord is one of a number of Canadian "heroines" whose lives and deeds are recounted in this 1910 work.

Hume, B. (1928). Laura Secord. Toronto, ON: Ryerson Press. A 1920s biography of Laura Secord.

Lunn, J., & Newhouse, M. (2001). Laura Secord: A story of courage. Toronto, ON: Tundra Books. Yet another recent fictionalized account of Laura Secord for children.

McKenzie, R. (1972). Laura Secord: The legend and the lady. Toronto, ON: McClelland and Stewart. A 1970s look at the Laura Secord legend.

McLeod, C. (1983). Legendary Canadian women. Hantsport, N.S.: Lancelot Press. Biographies of a number of Canadian women including Laura Secord.

Montgomery, L. M., & MacGregor, M. E. M., et al. (1934). Courageous women. Toronto, ON: McClelland & Stewart. Yet another biography of Canadian women including Laura Secord. The work was coauthored by noted Canadian writer, Lucy Maude Montgomery.

Parr, J., & Rosenfeld, M. (1996). Gender and history in Canada. Toronto, ON: Copp Clark Ltd. A feminist view of Laura Secord is offered by Madge Pon in her chapter contribution, "'Of slender frame and delicate appearance': the placing of Laura Secord in the narratives of Canadian loyalist history."

Price-Brown, J. (1930). Laura, the undaunted; A Canadian historical romance. Toronto, ON: Ryerson Press. A fictionalized account of Laura Secord written in 1930.

Robinson, H. C. (1981). Laura, a portrait of Laura Secord. Toronto, ON: Dundurn Press. A volume in the Canadian heroines series, this biography of Laura Secord was written for juvenile readers.

Roussin, C. (1975). Marche, Laura Secord! Montréal, QE: L'Aurore distribution Agence de distribution populaire. A French-language play based upon the life and times of Laura Secord. It is part of the collection Entre le parvis et le boxon (no. 14).

Swain, S. S. (1927). The story of Laura Secord and Fanny Doyle: Heroines of the Niagara frontier. Buffalo, NY: [s.n.]. Includes short biographical sketches of Laura Secord and Fanny Doyle.

Thompson, E. J., Mrs, et al. (1913). Laura Ingersoll Secord: Monument at Lundy's Lane; Queenston in early years; Diary of a prisoner in Red River Rebellion. Niagara, ON: Niagara Historical Society. Published by the Niagara Historical Society, the work includes several chapters related to Laura Secord including "Laura Secord" by Mrs.E.J. Thompson as well as a chapter on the Laura Secord monument at Lundy's Lane by Janet Carnochan.

Trottier, M. and K. Reczuch (2000). Laura's journey : a childhood tale of Laura Secord. Markham, ON: North Winds Press. A children's book featuring a tale about a young Laura Secord and her lost cow.

Un récit canadien. (1950). Canada, my homeland, Québec.

Wagner, A. (1979). Women pioneers. Toronto, ON: Canadian Theatre Review Publications. A volume in the Canada's Lost Plays series (v. 2), this work is a compilation of Canadian plays including S. A. Curzon's "Laura Secord, the heroine of 1812."

Wallace, W. S. (1932). The story of Laura Secord: a study in historical evidence. Toronto, ON: The Macmillan Company of Canada Limited. Stewart takes a critical look at Laura Secord's activities related to the Battle of Beaver Dams.

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