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Emily Geiger is an American Revolutionary War Heroine who was captured by the Tories and eventually released after taking some drastic measures. She went on to complete the mission she was after and is now an important woman in the history of the Revolutionary War.

Family History
Emily’s family was from the village of Wydnau, Zurich Switzerland. Her great grandfather, Hans Jacob and grandfather, Herman, left Switzerland on December 5, 1736 and arrived in Charleston, SC on Feb. 1, 1737 aboard “The Prince of Wales”. The family settled in Saxe Gotha, Lexington District, South Carolina. Her father was John Geiger and her mother was Emily Murff. She was an only child. She married John Threwits. She had one daughter named Elizabeth Juliet Threwits.

Revolutionary War Involvement
Due to Emily's father's infirmities, he could not go to the battlefield, so when the opportunity to deliver a very important message for General Nathaniel Greene accross enemy grounds arose, Emily jumped at the chance to serve for her country and defend her father's beliefs. The general, both surprised and delighted, consented to her proposal. He wrote a letter and gave it to Emily, and at the same time communicated the contents of it verbally, to be told to Sumter in case of accidents and/or capture. Emily pursued her journey on horseback on a sidesaddle. She traveled under the disguise of being on her way to her Uncle Jacob's house many miles away. But on the second day, Lord Rawdon's scouts near the Congaree River intercepted her. Coming from the direction of Greene's army and not being able to lie without blushing, Emily was suspected and confined to a room. The officer had an old Tory matron search Emily. When they weren't looking, she tore the message to pieces and ate it all. When the matron went to search her, they found nothing. They let her go and had someone accompany her on her journey to her Uncle Jacob's house. Once she arrived there, she made her way to Sumter and delivered the message verbally.

Burial
Emily's grave marker was moved to the Geiger Cemetery in 1958. The State newspaper stated on April 13, 1958 that "A granite marker to Herman Geiger, a pioneer citizen of the Congaree area, is to be dedicated at 3:30 p.m. May 11 [1958] at the Geiger (formerly Tyler Field) Cemetery. This historic spot is near the line between Calhoun and Lexington counties, on the Calhoun side, a quarter of a mile west of U.S. Highway 176 on a county road half-way between Geiger's store and the county line." This is also where Emily's marker was moved to.

Memorials
Two South Carolina chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution are named for her. To honor Emily and commemorate her heroic ride, the woman holding the laurel branch on the South Carolina State Seal is designated as Emily Geiger. There are also monuments to her at the Cayce, South Carolina history museum and at the South Carolina state house (Capitol).