In the rugged wilderness of colonial Pennsylvania, few figures stand out as boldly as Ann LeTort, a French Huguenot refugee who carved out a place in history as one of the region’s earliest fur traders. Often overshadowed by her husband, Jacques LeTort, it was Ann’s fierce independence, shrewd business sense, and unwavering resilience that truly helped shape the early fur trade in what would become Lancaster County.
Fleeing Persecution, Seeking Opportunity
Ann and Jacques LeTort were part of a wave of French Protestants fleeing religious persecution after King Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes in 1685, stripping Protestants of their civil rights and religious freedoms. Refusing to convert to Catholicism, the LeTorts fled to England, where Jacques became associated with influential figures like Dr. Daniel Coxe (physician to King Charles II) and Sir Mathias Vincent. These men planned to establish a trading empire in William Penn’s new colony, and in 1686, the LeTorts set sail for Pennsylvania—the only family willing to venture beyond Philadelphia into the wilderness.
They settled along the Schuylkill River at French Creek, in what is now Chester County, on land originally intended for a Huguenot colony that never materialized. Their household included their son James and daughter Ann Margaret, whose life remains largely undocumented aside from an estate record filed in 1715.
A Woman Alone in a Man’s World
In 1690, Jacques returned to England on a dangerous diplomatic mission for Coxe, hoping to advance their fur trading enterprise. With her husband gone for three years—and at times presumed dead—Ann took over the family’s fur trade. Despite the isolation and threat of war, she dealt directly with Native American clients and managed trading operations with French allies Peter Bisaillon and Captain John Dubois. She even partnered with the Shawnee leader Martin Chartier, who had recently relocated near the mouth of the Susquehanna.
Ann wasn’t merely a placeholder; she excelled in the trade and guarded her enterprise fiercely. In 1692, when two men attempted to intercept furs she was owed, she famously chased them off her property with a horsewhip, declaring there was no room for rogues—English or Swedish—on her land.
Accused of Espionage
Her growing success and connections with Native communities stirred jealousy and suspicion among rival (mostly English) traders. They accused her of treason, claiming she was sending coded messages to French Canada wrapped in trade ledgers. With Jacques still overseas, Ann was summoned to Philadelphia in December 1692, enduring a grueling winter journey of 12 to 14 hours on horseback—only to find that her accusers had not appeared.
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She asked for a new hearing in better weather, but was denied. Summoned again in February 1693 (by which time Jacques had returned), she confronted her accusers with defiance. No evidence was found, and the Pennsylvania Council dismissed the charges, though not without requiring Jacques to report any suspicious activity in the future.
Adding to her hardships, Ann never learned English and had to rely on translators during these legal proceedings. Despite her difficulties, she stood her ground, navigating complex political, legal, and cultural waters—often alone.
Later Years
Jacques LeTort vanished from the historical record after 1696—possibly lost at sea or during a trading expedition. By 1697, Ann and her son James moved closer to Chartier’s Shawnees, settling near the Susquehanna River at Conestoga Manor. Her son, now grown and newly apprenticed, joined the fur trade under Bisaillon’s mentorship and later acquired 500 acres in Conestoga around 1703.
She expanded her operations again in 1718, establishing a new trading post near Carlisle, Pennsylvania, at the western edge of colonial settlement. She ran the Carlisle outpost until her death in 1720.
Notably, even in her final years, Ann maintained a strong presence in native affairs—sometimes clashing with local tribes when her pigs wandered into gardens or when she was perceived as too “rude” in interactions. These complaints were serious enough to be recorded in the colonial archives, a testament to how prominent and visible she had become. Ann didn’t have time to be a “lady” in the traditional sense—she wore men’s trousers, rode her horse astride, and smoked cigars. Her lifestyle may have raised eyebrows in polite colonial society, but on the frontier, it marked her as a woman of action—respected, feared, and impossible to ignore.
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William Wagner’s 1821 Map of Lancaster CountyPrice range: $24.99 through $44.99
Legacy of a Frontier Matriarch
Madame Ann LeTort wasn’t simply the wife of a trader—she was a trailblazing entrepreneur in her own right. She braved hostile terrain, fended off political rivals, and helped shape Pennsylvania’s early frontier economy. Her name lives on across the Commonwealth—in Letort Spring Run and LeTort Park in Carlisle, and in Lancaster County at Penn Manor’s Ann LeTort Elementary School. These lasting tributes reflect the enduring impact of a woman who helped forge relationships, trade routes, and communities where none had existed before.
Her legacy is one of strength, defiance, and unyielding independence—a true pioneer of Pennsylvania’s wild frontier.
Adventure Awaits!
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