Antonia Ford Willard
by: Moriah Lewis & Savannnah Meade
Early years
Antonia Ford Willard was born on July 23, 1838 in Fairfax Court House. Her parents were Edward Rudolgh Ford and Julia F. Ford. IN 1857 she went to school at Buckingham Female Collegiate Institute in BUckingham, Virginia.
(link for pic http://www.civilwarbummer.com/stuarts-femme-fatale-or-seductive-secession-spy/ )
Contribution to the Civil War
She provided military information in the First Battle of Manassas. She worked for Colonel John S. Mosby. In 1863 she was arrested when she was caught spying by a Union spy. Then she was sent to the Old Capital jailhouse in Washington, D.C.
(link for picture http://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/media_player?mets_filename=evm00000772mets.xml )
Life after the Civil War
She was later released after the war because she fell in love with her captor and his name was Major Joseph Willard. And later married him on March 10 1864. They had three kids but only 1 survived infancy. On February 14,1871 she died from an illness that she got from being in the prison . She is buried in Washington D.C. in Oak Hill Cemetery.
Interesting Factors
The five interesting facts about Antonia Ford Willard are, one, she was captured by her soon to be husband. Second, two of her beloved babies died at infancy. Third, the child of hers that survived and later became a staff member of Robert E Lees nephews during the Spanish-American War. Fourth, she went to a single gender school. And last but not least number five, in august 1862 before the Second Battle bull run she rode horse carriage for 20 miles to warn Stuart about the unions plans.