Abigail Hartman-Rice (Character Details)

Brief Character Description

Abigail Hartman Rice was a woman from the surrounding community who helped nurse soldiers at Washington Hall and the other hospitals at Yellow Springs. Her brother, Peter Hartman, and her husband, Zachariah Rice, were key figures in the construction of Washington Hall and in transporting soldiers and supplies to and from Valley Forge. For our purposes, Abigail should be portrayed as a young adult. An actress anywhere from her late twenties to her late thirties would be appropriate for the role.

Character Background in the Summer of 1778

By the summer of 1778, Abigail Hartman Rice was a 35-year-old wife, mother, and neighbor whose life revolved around caring for others. She had already given birth to many children and managed a busy household near Yellow Springs while her husband worked as a millwright and carpenter. As the Revolutionary War brought thousands of sick and wounded soldiers into the area, Abigail volunteered as a civilian nurse, helping care for patients and gathering food, medicines, and supplies from nearby farms. Working alongside neighbors like Christina Hench, she became part of the informal network that kept the military hospitals running during one of the darkest periods of the war. Although she had recently contracted typhus while caring for soldiers and never fully regained her health, Abigail continued serving her family and community despite her own illness.

Character Physical Description

Abigail was a woman of German descent who was in her thirties during the summer of 1778. The image above is a photo mock-up of what we believe she may have looked like based on our research. We are looking for actors and actresses whose appearance closely matches Abigail’s, although matching her exact hair and eye color is not essential. While Abigail would have been pregnant during the winter of 1777–1778, our Town Tours and Village Walks focus on the summer of 1778, after the birth of her son Henry. Because of this, we will portray her after his birth rather than during her pregnancy, though her clothing would have been similar to what is shown in the image above.

Costume Details

• Plain linen shift (underdress) worn beneath the outer clothing.
• Simple linen or lightweight wool gown in a muted color, such as brown, blue, gray, green, or natural linen.
• Plain petticoat (skirt) suitable for everyday farm work.
• Linen or wool bedgown (short jacket) worn over the gown when outdoors or receiving visitors.
• Full linen apron for cooking, nursing, gardening, and other daily chores.
• Hair pulled back neatly and covered with a plain white or off-white linen cap or a simple linen kerchief.
• No makeup and little to no jewelry, aside from a simple wedding band if desired.
• Plain knitted wool or linen stockings.
• Sturdy leather shoes with low heels and simple buckles or ties.
  • TLDR: Abigail’s clothing should appear clean but well worn, reflecting the life of a hardworking, middling-class German immigrant farmer’s wife and civilian nurse. Avoid bright colors, fine silks, lace, elaborate embroidery, or fashionable accessories that would have been associated with wealth or the upper class. Overall appearance should be practical, modest, and appropriate for a woman who spent her days caring for her family, assisting wounded soldiers, and working on a farm.

We can assist with costuming depending on sizing. Regardless of sizing, we have accessories available for Abigail.

Full character biography (research ongoing!) can be found here

Interested in acting as Abigail in our Town Tours and Village Walks Event in 2026?

Please click through to this form, select Abigail from the dropdown menu, and fill out the rest of the form! We will be in contact with you shortly!

(You can also scan the QR code below with your mobile phone to be brought to the same form for more details)