Elizabeth Chew Tilghman

Biography

Elizabeth Chew Tilghman was born in 1751 and lived through the American Revolution and the founding of the nation. As a member of the prominent Chew family, she was part of Philadelphia's most distinguished circles and witnessed the transformation of colonial society into the American republic.

Mrs. Tilghman lived ninety-one years, passing away in 1842, making her a living link to the colonial period and early American history. Her long life spanned from the mid-eighteenth century through the early decades of the nineteenth, allowing her to observe the development of the young nation. She remains remembered as part of Philadelphia's enduring aristocratic families.