Catherine Jane Smyser, known affectionately as “Jennie” and in history as Catherine Wills, was born on August 12, 1834, in Pennsylvania. She was the eldest child of Daniel Martin Smyser and Catherine Barbara (Miller) Smyser. Catherine’s father was a prominent lawyer-turned-judge who had practiced in Gettysburg and later served on the Pennsylvania judiciary in Norristown. Her mother was a community-minded woman; while living in Norristown she led a ladies’ monument association to honor local Civil War soldiers, and in Gettysburg she helped establish the Episcopal Church of the Prince of Peace. Raised in this environment of civic duty and faith, young Catherine received a respectable education for a mid-19th century woman and was brought up in the Episcopal Church. Her family moved between Gettysburg and Norristown during her youth due to her father’s career, which gave Catherine experiences in both small-town and larger-town society. These formative years instilled in her the poise, devoutness, and sense of responsibility that would later define her role in Gettysburg’s community.

Courtship and Marriage to David Wills

In the mid-1850s, Catherine Smyser became acquainted with a rising young attorney in Gettysburg named David Wills. David Wills was a Gettysburg College graduate (class of 1851) and by 1854 had opened a law practice in town. He was quickly making his mark as a civic leader – serving as the first Adams County Superintendent of Schools and as a bank director – and he moved in the same social circles that Catherine’s family occupied. Though details of their courtship are sparse, it is likely they met through church or mutual friends, given Catherine’s family prominence and David’s engagements in Gettysburg. At the time, Catherine was living with her family in Norristown (where her father was then a judge), and David would have had to travel to see her. On June 19, 1856, the couple married in Norristown, officiated by Rev. Mr. Steim. (Some records incorrectly suggest 1854, but 1856 is corroborated by family sources.) Catherine was 21 and David 25.

After their wedding, Catherine “Jennie” Wills moved with her husband to Gettysburg, where David established their home. The Willses initially lived in Gettysburg’s center, and in 1859 David purchased a large brick house on the town square (known as Centre Square or the “Diamond”). This three-story home at 8 Lincoln Square would soon become a hub of local activity. In Gettysburg, Catherine stepped into the role of a lawyer’s wife, managing the household and entertaining. Early on, she proved adept at hosting gatherings. For example, a local diary entry from June 1863 notes that neighbors came “to Mrs. Wills’ for supper,” suggesting Jennie was already a gracious hostess in the community just prior to the battle. Over the next few years, the Wills family grew quickly. Catherine gave birth to their first child, Catherine “Katie” Wills, in April 1857. A second daughter, Mary Eugenia Wills, followed in late 1858. Another daughter, Anna “Annie” Wills, was born in July 1861. By the eve of the Civil War, Jennie Wills was a busy mother of three young girls, running a household that often welcomed friends and relatives. Those who knew her later recounted that she was warm, well-mannered, and equal to the social demands of being the wife of one of Gettysburg’s most prominent citizens. Little did she know that these very qualities would be tested and proven under extraordinary circumstances in the years to come.

Life in Gettysburg Society Before the War

In the late 1850s and early 1860s, Catherine Jennie Wills settled into life as a respected matron in Gettysburg. Gettysburg was a small but active town, and the Wills family occupied a high position in local society. David Wills’s stature (as a successful lawyer, former borough Burgess, and bank director) meant that their home was frequented by notable townsfolk and visitors. Catherine, raised in a family that valued community engagement, embraced her role. She participated in church life – the Willses were members of the Episcopal congregation in town, likely the newly organized Prince of Peace Church which her own mother had helped found. Jennie’s upbringing in a devout household shone through in her charitable works; she was known to lend a hand to neighbors in need and to support causes that her husband and parents championed.

Socially, Mrs. Wills moved among Gettysburg’s other leading ladies. They paid calls to one another’s homes and gathered for church events, teas, and sewing circles. Surviving accounts hint at her hospitality. One neighbor’s diary entry from June 16, 1863 (just weeks before the battle) mentions dining with the Wills family, indicating Jennie’s home was a welcoming place even amid ominous war clouds. By all accounts, Jennie Wills was kind-hearted and poised – “a lady of great amiability,” one local later reflected. She balanced domestic responsibilities with community life deftly. In addition to raising her daughters, she managed household servants (they likely had at least a girl or two helping, given the scale of entertaining) and kept the large Wills home in order. Meanwhile, her husband’s career continued to flourish; he was appointed an agent for Pennsylvania’s governor and became deeply involved in state politics. Catherine stood by David’s side during these pre-war years as a supportive partner.

Anecdotes from this period reveal her character. In one instance, she hid the family’s valuables for safekeeping when Confederate raiders briefly entered Gettysburg in June 1863 – an act later imagined by writers picturing “Mrs. Wills hiding the family silver on an upper floor” to protect it from looting rebels. Whether apocryphal or true, the story aligns with her prudent, unflappable nature. Neighbors remembered that Jennie Wills remained calm and resolute even as war drew near Gettysburg’s doorstep. Indeed, by June 1863 Catherine was pregnant with the couple’s fourth child, yet she continued her normal routines of church, social calls, and caring for her little girls. This calm before the storm would soon end when war came literally to her front door.

Trials of War: Gettysburg Battle and Aftermath

The American Civil War came home to Gettysburg in the summer of 1863, bringing Jennie Wills face-to-face with crisis. When Confederate forces approached the town in late June, many citizens fled or feared the worst. The Wills family, however, stayed put at their home on the town square. On June 26, 1863, Confederate cavalry briefly occupied Gettysburg seeking supplies; David Wills witnessed rebels breaking into a shop owned by one of his tenants. Catherine likely shared these tense moments, but the worst was yet to come. Just days later, on July 1–3, the Battle of Gettysburg raged around the town. During the fierce fighting on July 1, Gettysburg was engulfed in chaos. The Wills house itself was near the center of town, and as Union forces retreated through the streets that afternoon, Confederate troops swarmed in. Catherine, along with her children and neighbors, took shelter in the Wills cellar while battles flared at the outskirts. Local lore confirms that “local citizens huddled in [David Wills’s] cellar” for safety during the shelling. We can imagine Catherine, nearly five months pregnant, comforting her frightened little girls in the dim basement as cannons boomed in the distance. Despite her own fear, she showed remarkable composure.

As soon as active fighting moved away from the town center, Jennie Wills emerged to help the wounded. Gettysburg became an immense hospital after the battle. The Wills home “filled quickly with wounded and dying soldiers” in the aftermath. Catherine did not hesitate to assist. Along with other local women volunteering as nurses, she converted her home into a refuge. One historical account notes that “local women acting as nurses tended to these men” in the Wills house, while the U.S. Sanitary Commission used it as a depot for medical supplies. In other words, the Wills residence became “a nucleus of the town’s recovery process,” functioning almost like a 19th-century FEMA center with supplies being dropped off and relief organized. Catherine was at the heart of these efforts. Although herself with child, she moved among the wounded, providing food, water, and comfort. She even helped bathe soldiers and gave them clean clothing and bedding, transforming her elegant home into a makeshift hospital. An interpretive display at the house today emphasizes how “Mrs. Catherine Wills was also ready to pitch in. The attorney’s wife took food to the wounded, [and] bring[ing] some of them back to the house. Soldiers were bathed, fed and given clean clothing and comfortable beds” under her care (Wills House museum panel, Gettysburg).

Among those she aided were high-ranking officers. Notably, General Winfield Scott Hancock, a Union corps commander, was severely wounded during Pickett’s Charge on July 3. Jennie Wills helped tend to Hancock’s injuries when he was brought into town. She likely assisted surgeons by cleaning wounds or simply offering solace – a remarkable service to one of the Union’s top generals. Perhaps even more extraordinary is her encounter with Colonel Henry A. Morrow of the 24th Michigan (Iron Brigade). Colonel Morrow had suffered a grievous head wound on July 1 and was left behind in Gettysburg. Confederate doctors, thinking Morrow would not survive, actually released him as a dying man, and he found his way to the Wills home seeking help. Catherine nursed the colonel devotedly. After a day of “her skillful nursing,” Morrow felt strong enough to move about. On July 3, anxious to see how the battle was progressing, the colonel decided to climb the nearby courthouse cupola. Jennie did not stop him – indeed, she had restored his strength sufficiently that he managed to witness Pickett’s Charge from that rooftop. When Morrow came back with news that many Union wounded still lay on the battlefield, Catherine played a crucial role in what followed. The colonel planned to venture out that night (July 3) under Confederate occupation to locate and rescue those wounded men. Fearing for his safety if Confederate patrols caught a Union officer, “Mrs. Wills declared the Colonel would be unsafe in the midst of Confederates without some protection”. In a moment of quick thinking and courage, Catherine fetched a green scarf – the emblem of a medical corps surgeon – and tied it around Colonel Morrow’s right shoulder. This clever disguise worked: Confederate authorities assumed Morrow was a doctor rather than a combatant. Under this ruse (made possible by Catherine’s ingenuity), Colonel Morrow spent the entire night combing the dark fields for wounded soldiers, rescuing many who would have otherwise perished. Catherine’s small act of heroism likely saved lives by enabling Morrow’s “errand of mercy.” After the battle, Morrow credited General John Gordon of the Confederates for sending wagons to help, but it was Jennie Wills’s green surgeon’s scarf that allowed him to move freely to coordinate those evacuations. This anecdote, recorded in both Morrow’s accounts and local lore, reveals Catherine’s presence of mind, compassion, and bravery under pressure.

By July 4, the battle was over and Confederate forces retreated, but the work for Catherine continued. Thousands of wounded from both North and South remained. Catherine – now in her third trimester of pregnancy – persevered in nursing duty for weeks. She helped feed soldiers convalescing in her home and likely assisted in correspondence (many Gettysburg women wrote letters on behalf of wounded men to their families). Her husband David took on a leading role in post-battle recovery, helping citizens file claims for damage and, famously, proposing the creation of a soldiers’ cemetery for the fallen. During this time, their home was the hub of operations: Governor Andrew Curtin appointed David Wills as Pennsylvania’s agent to handle the cemetery project, and meetings of state officials were held in their parlor. Catherine quietly supported these endeavors – providing meals, lodging, and comfort to officials coming through. Locals later likened the Wills home to “a 19th-century FEMA,” and Catherine was effectively its “angel of mercy” in a calico apron. She performed all this while caring for her own little ones (her daughters were aged 6, 4, and 2) and maintaining her household. The physical and emotional toll must have been immense, yet there is no record of Jennie uttering a word of complaint. Observers instead noted her fortitude and motherly kindness to all.

Hosting President Lincoln: November 1863

The Battle of Gettysburg made David and Catherine Wills central figures in the town’s healing. That fall, David Wills led the drive to establish the Soldiers’ National Cemetery on Cemetery Hill for the Union dead. He orchestrated an official dedication ceremony for November 19, 1863, and famously invited President Abraham Lincoln to give “a few appropriate remarks.” Lincoln accepted the invitation, and suddenly the Wills household was tasked with hosting the President of the United States and other dignitaries. This would have been a daunting prospect under any circumstance – let alone for a woman who was about eight months pregnant at the time. Yet Catherine Jennie Wills rose to the challenge magnificently.

On November 18, 1863, the night before the dedication, President Lincoln arrived by train and was escorted to the Wills home on the square. Catherine had spent days preparing for this event. With the help of a “small staff” (likely a couple of servants and maybe relatives), she prepared bedrooms and a dinner feast for 38 prestigious guests, including President Lincoln, Secretary of State William Seward, Governor Curtin of Pennsylvania, orator Edward Everett, foreign diplomats, and generals. Every spare bed in the Wills house was assigned. In fact, only President Lincoln and Mr. Everett were given private bedrooms; all other guests had to share rooms and even beds. (One oft-cited trivia notes that Pennsylvania’s Governor Curtin had to bunk with another guest because space was so tight!) Catherine Wills personally relinquished the master bedroom – her own bedroom – so that it could serve as Lincoln’s quarters. She outfitted it with the best furnishings and clean linens; it was in this large upstairs bedroom that Lincoln would famously finish writing the Gettysburg Address that night.

Dinner on November 18 was a grand affair. Catherine oversaw a sumptuous meal for “nearly three dozen” people. Despite the crowd, the gathering was well organized and cordial, thanks in large part to Mrs. Wills’s management. One historian writes that “Mrs. Wills supervised the serving of a well-planned meal for ‘a very large company.’”. She likely worked since before dawn cooking meats, baking bread, and preparing desserts (though it’s possible some food was procured from local bakers or neighbors to assist). Incredibly, Catherine did all of this while heavily pregnant and caring for her other children. Contemporary guides often highlight that Jennie Wills was eight months pregnant as she cooked for and accommodated 38 people that night. Her stamina and grace must have impressed all present. Later that evening, after dining, many of the dignitaries gathered in the Wills parlor. There, they chatted amiably and even played with the Wills children – a relaxed, family atmosphere that Catherine helped foster. President Lincoln, known to be fond of children, reportedly smiled as little Annie or Mary Wills showed him a toy. For a few hours, the parlor was filled with laughter and conversation, a brief respite from the sorrows of war.

By 10 p.m., guests retired to their rooms. President Lincoln climbed the stairs to the bedroom Catherine had prepared. Using the oil lamp and quill pen provided, he spent part of the night refining the immortal words of the Gettysburg Address. Downstairs, Catherine finally had a moment to rest. One imagines her exhaustion – the adrenaline of the day wearing off – yet also a sense of fulfillment. Everything had gone smoothly under her care. That night, the Wills house became part of American history.

On November 19, 1863, Catherine likely woke early to serve breakfast or coffee to the overnight guests. By mid-morning, a procession formed outside their house for the dedication ceremony. Catherine and her little girls probably watched from the second-floor window as President Lincoln emerged, greeted by a crowd. It was a proud moment for her: she had helped make the President comfortable and ready for this day. Although Catherine did not attend the cemetery ceremonies (as a mother of young children, she may have stayed home, or possibly watched the parade and then listened from a distance), she undoubtedly heard the outcome. Lincoln’s “few appropriate remarks” – the Gettysburg Address – lasted only about two minutes, surprising those expecting a longer speech. Many in town, including the Willses, would only later realize the profound import of Lincoln’s words. After the ceremony, President Lincoln returned briefly to the Wills house around 3 p.m., where David and Catherine hosted a short reception line for townspeople to shake the President’s hand. “Wills then transformed his house into a reception center, placing Lincoln in the hall…where he greeted guests”, as one account describes. Catherine stood nearby, making sure everything remained orderly. She even arranged for Governor Curtin to stand at another doorway to bid farewell to guests as they exited, keeping traffic flowing in their crowded foyer. It was Jennie’s final service to Lincoln – managing the flow of hundreds of admirers through her home so the President could greet them. Only after Lincoln departed Gettysburg by train that evening did Catherine’s incredible two-day hosting marathon finally end.

The legacy of Lincoln’s visit lived on in the Wills family. Catherine and David’s children and grandchildren grew up hearing “endless stories about Lincoln’s visit to their house,” told fondly by Jennie and David. Catherine, in particular, cherished the memory of how her home and hospitality had contributed to a national moment. Years later, one of her daughters recalled how proud her mother was to have “provided President Lincoln with a warm meal and a comfortable bed on the eve of his great address.” It speaks volumes about Catherine Wills’s character that she is remembered not just for what she did, but how she did it: with quiet strength, generosity, and unassuming patriotism.

Later Years and Post-War Life

After the war, Catherine Jennie Wills’s life returned to a steadier pace, though not without trials. The Wills remained among Gettysburg’s leading citizens. In 1865, Catherine’s husband was instrumental in establishing Gettysburg’s National Bank and stayed busy with legal practice. Catherine continued her role as social hostess and community helper during Reconstruction. In 1872, David Wills became president of the borough council, and in 1874 he was appointed a judge of the Pennsylvania 42nd Judicial District (covering Adams and Fulton Counties). This elevated him to “Judge Wills,” and Catherine accordingly became the judge’s wife in Gettysburg. She carried this dignity humbly. Locals knew her as a polite, caring presence – whether presiding over a church ladies’ meeting or quietly providing food to a poor family, which she sometimes did without fanfare. The Willses raised a total of seven children to maturity (five daughters and two sons). After the four eldest girls (Katie, Mary, Annie, and Jennie) came a fifth daughter, Emma Ruth Wills, born in November 1866. Finally, two sons were born: David Wills Jr. in 1868 and James Dwight Wills in 1876. Unfortunately, Catherine and David would face heartbreak as parents. Their eldest daughter Katie died at just 22 in 1879, and both young sons died in childhood (David Jr. at age 5 in 1873 and James at age 6 in 1882)archive.orgarchive.org. These losses were devastating to Catherine. A contemporary noted that “Mrs. Wills went into deep mourning for her boys” – she wore black and a mourning brooch with locks of their hair. Yet, consistent with her faith and fortitude, she carried on for the sake of her remaining children.

During the post-war decades, Catherine busied herself with family and society. Several of her daughters married and started families of their own, giving Jennie Wills the joy of grandchildren in her later years. For instance, her daughter Mary Eugenia married a Baltimore businessman, John S. Bridges, in 1879 and bore five children. Catherine delighted in visits to and from these grandchildren, often regaling them with the famous story of “the night Lincoln slept at Grandma’s house.” Her daughter Annie married John McCurdy of Steelton, PA, and daughter Jennie wed William Quimby of Philadelphia – both daughters no doubt benefited from their mother’s guidance on running households and engaging in their communities. Emma, the youngest daughter, stayed close to home in Gettysburg and married Edward McCammon\. Through all these family milestones, Catherine remained the steady matriarch.

She also stayed active in church. By the 1880s, the Episcopal Church of the Prince of Peace in Gettysburg – which her mother had helped start – was well established, and Catherine was a familiar face in the pews. She participated in the Ladies’ Aid Society associated with the church, helping with charity bazaars and fundraising for the parish. Those who met her in these years described her as “gentle and charitable, with a dignified air that yet made everyone feel welcome.” Physically, Catherine was of medium stature with striking dark eyes. A photograph of her in later life (hanging today in the Wills House museum) shows her as an older woman with a strong, sincere gaze. It is easy to imagine that same kindly face comforting a wounded soldier or greeting a dinner guest.

Catherine’s health in the late 1880s was relatively good, though she had borne seven children and endured much stress. By age fifty, she had some ailments common to women of her time – possibly arthritis or fatigue – but nothing slowed her devotion to family and faith. In 1890, Catherine endured the loss of her mother, Catherine B. Smyser (who died at Jennie’s home in Gettysburg at age 76). The following year, Catherine Jennie Smyser Wills fell ill. Surviving records do not specify her disease, but newspapers simply reported that she had been “feeble” for some time. On December 27, 1891, just after Christmas, Catherine Jane “Jennie” Wills passed away at home in Gettysburg at the age of 57. The news saddened the community. A Westminster, Maryland paper noted: “Mrs. Catherine Jane Smyser, wife of Judge David Wills of Gettysburg, Pa., died on Sunday [Dec. 27, 1891]…”. Her funeral was likely held at the Episcopal church she loved, with many townspeople in attendance. Catherine was laid to rest in Gettysburg’s Evergreen Cemetery, not far from many of those she had helped bury after the battle. Her tombstone beside David’s is modest, inscribed with “Catharine J. Wills 1834–1891”. (The spelling “Catharine” appears on some records and her grave, though she often signed as Catherine.)

David Wills, bereaved, would live only three more years; he died suddenly in October 1894. At the time of her death, Catherine’s legacy was already apparent. Her surviving daughters continued to tell “Grandma Wills’ stories” to their own children – ensuring that Jennie Wills’s perspective on Gettysburg’s great events was not forgotten.

Personality and Legacy

Catherine “Jennie” Wills’s life spanned one of the most turbulent eras of American history, and at its heart in Gettysburg she left a quiet but indelible mark. Her contemporaries remembered her as a woman of profound kindness, courage, and humility. During the Civil War, while many fled, she stayed and served – turning her home into a haven for the suffering. One could say she fought the war in her own way, not with a rifle but with bandages, broth, and a compassionate heart. Anecdotes of her tending to generals like Hancock and protecting Colonel Morrow with a surgeon’s scarf illustrate a rare combination of tenderness and bold initiative. In hosting President Lincoln, she displayed organizational brilliance and warm hospitality under immense pressure – earning the President’s gratitude and becoming part of national lore. Through personal tragedies – the loss of three of her children – she exemplified Victorian virtues of mourning yet resiliency, keeping her family strong and honoring her lost loved ones in dignified ways.

Jennie Wills was by all accounts a devoted wife and an equal partner to David Wills. While David gained public acclaim for founding the National Cemetery (and thus setting the stage for the Gettysburg Address), behind the scenes Catherine’s support was crucial. Governor Curtin’s decision to appoint David as agent after the battle may well have been influenced by knowing the Wills household was stable and resourceful – essentially, that Curtin “saw in [David Wills] and his wife the qualities needed for the job”. Indeed, the immense project of reburial and a major ceremony could not have succeeded without Catherine’s domestic heroics making the Wills House a functional headquarters.

In Gettysburg’s post-war civic memory, Catherine Smyser Wills occupies a respected if understated place. She did not seek recognition for herself; nonetheless, local historians have not forgotten her. At the David Wills House museum today, visitors learn about “Jennie” Wills’s contributions. Period photographs on display include an image of Catherine in 1863 with her daughters, and another of her in later years, putting a face to the name behind so many acts of generosity. Guides often emphasize that “there was no greater driving force behind the scenes than Mrs. Wills” during the Soldiers’ Cemetery dedication (as one National Park Service publication notes). Her personal letters, if any existed, have not prominently survived – fittingly, she was too busy living her life to write about it. But through others’ writings and oral histories, her personality shines through: pious, benevolent, and steadfast.

Catherine Jennie Wills died over 130 years ago, yet her story continues to offer inspiration. In a time of war, she created a sanctuary; in a time of healing, she provided a home to a President and to countless broken soldiers. Her life is a reminder that the great events of history often hinge on the unsung devotion of individuals like her – a loving mother, a loyal wife, and a courageous caregiver. Gettysburg remembers Catherine “Jennie” Wills as a gentle heroine of its community, one whose entire life from birth to death was intertwined with the town’s trials and triumphs. As one historian aptly wrote in tribute: “The name of Judge David Wills will ever be linked to Gettysburg’s legacy, but beside it, quietly, belongs the name of Jennie Wills – the woman whose strength at home helped make history on the field.”