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On this day 250 years ago an anonymous writer in Northampton County, Virginia wrote a letter complaining of harassment by “Captain Collins” (actually Lieutenant Henry Collins) of the 6-gun schooner HMS Magdalen that was published in the next edition of the Virginia Gazette. Four days earlier Collins had searched a sloop at Hungars Harbour in…
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In the early morning hours before daylight on this day 250 years ago on Silver Creek in Kentucky, a party of Native Americans attack the encampment of Daniel Boone’s trailblazing party while they were constructing the Boone Trace. Captain William Twitty (sometimes spelled Twetty) was mortally wounded, and his slave, Sam, was killed instantly. Felix…
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On this day 250 years ago at the Second Virginia Convention in Richmond, the Committee formed by Patrick Henry’s resolutions on the previous day presents its recommendations to the Convention for the formation of the Virginia militia. Patrick Henry is chairman of the Committee and the other members are Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Andrew…
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On this day 250 years ago at the Second Virginia Convention in Richmond, Patrick Henry introduced three resolutions modeled after the Fairfax Committee’s resolution to form an independent company of militia. The first resolution stated: that a well regulated Militia composed of Gentlemen and Yeomen is the natural Strength and only Security of a free…
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On this day 250 years ago in Harford County, Maryland, 34 men sign the Bush Declaration: We, the Committee of Harford County, having most Seriously and maturely Considered the Resolves and Association of the Continental Congress, and the Resolves of the Provincial Convention, do most heartily approve of the same, and as we Esteem ourselves in a more particular manner…
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On this day 250 years ago in Williamsburg, Virginia, Royal Governor Lord Dunmore issues a proclamation outlawing Richard Henderson and the Transylvania Company for their unauthorized purchase of land from the Cherokees: And whereas advice has been received, that one Richard Henderson, and other disorderly persons, his associates, under pretence of a purchase made from…
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On this day 250 years ago at the Parish Church of Henrico County (now St. John’s Episcopal Church) in Richmond the Second Virginia Convention convenes. 95 delegates are present on the first day and over the next week a total of 120 delegates would participate in the convention including Peyton Randolph, Patrick Henry, George Washington,…
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On this day 250 years ago in London, Benjamin Franklin wrote too Arthur Lee: I leave Directions with Mrs. Stevenson to deliver you all the Massachusetts Papers, when you please to call for them. I am sorry that the Hurry of Preparing for my Voyage and the many Hindrances I have met with, prevented my meeting…
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On this day 250 years ago in Boston, John Andrews wrote to his brother-in-law in Philadelphia reports of British soldiers harassing citizens of Boston: An officer, with men from the 4th Regiment in Barracks at West Boston, erected a couple of tents just at the back of Howard’s meeting and conducted a parcell of fifes…
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On this day 250 years ago, the Treaty of Sycamore Shoals was signed by Chiefs Oconostota and Attakullakulla of the Cherokees selling Cherokee rights to most of Kentucky and a portion of Tennessee — upwards of twenty millions of acres of land — to the Transylvania Company led by Richard Henderson. Source: https://www.npshistory.com/publications/usfs/region/8/daniel-boone/history/chap8.htm; https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=47196; https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=268080…