On This Day In The Revolution

On this day 250 years ago in New Bern, North Carolina, “a general meeting of deputies of the Inhabitants of this province” led by John Harvey elected North Carolina’s Delegation for the First Continental Congress. The three Delegates to the Continental Congress would all go to be recognized as Founding Fathers from North Carolina. Joseph…

On this day 250 years ago, Robert Champlin of Newport, Rhode Island purchased a 5ft 4 ¾in tall “negro” boy of about 16 years of age who had been enslaved in Africa, most likely Ghana, and who would eventually go by the name “York Champlin.” On March 15, 1778 York Champlin would enlist in the…

250 years ago this week, Ebenezer Hazard of New York wrote to Thomas Jefferson requesting Jefferson’s subscription and contribution to a collection of “American State Papers” that Hazard proposed to publish. The collection would include every important public Paper (such as Royal Grants, Charters, Acts of Parliament, &c. &c.) relating to America, … down to…

250 years ago on August 22, 1774, the people of Hatfield, Massachusetts erected a Liberty Pole to symbolize their commitment to the Patriot cause. 250 years ago this week in New York City, John Adams recorded in his diary meetings of the Massachusetts delegation to the Continental Congress with Patriot leaders in New York. Source:…

250 years ago this week, Delaware and Iroquois chiefs met with Arthur St. Clair and George Croghan at Croghan’s home in western Pennsylvania. Croghan, an Irish immigrant to America, was an adopted member of the Iroquois and was married to Takarihoga (known in English as Catherine) the head of the Turtle clan of the Mohawk.…

On this day 250 years ago in Boston John Trumbull wrote John Adams about a humorous story told about town of one of the [British Army] deserters, though I cannot say it is absolutely to be depended upon as a fact: a soldier, whose name is Patrick, deserted sometime ago and settled in a country…

On this day 250 years Abigail Adams from their home in Braintree, Massachusetts wrote to her husband John Adams on his way to Philadelphia: The great distance between us, makes the time appear very long to me. It seems already a month since you left me. The great anxiety I feel for my Country, for…

On this day 250 years ago, the Massachusetts Gazette reported that £350 had been received from Alexandria, Virginia, while vessels filled with large quantities of flour and wheat had come from Virginia and Maryland, for the “noble cause” of the relief of Boston. Source: https://www.proquest.com/openview/1119b060b8f5bee4f22ba92c3ead5759/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y Also on this day John Adams recorded in his diary…

On this day 250 years ago in New Haven, Connecticut, John Adams and the Massachusetts delegation on their way to the Continental Congress met with Roger Sherman. Adams recorded in his diary that Sherman’s views on the rights of the American colonies were even more radical than those expressed by the leading Patriots in Massachusetts:…

On this day 250 years ago, about 1500 citizens of Berkshire County, Massachusetts gathered in Great Barrington to prevent the sitting of judges appointed by the Royal Governor. The people of western Massachusetts were showing that they would not submit to judges unless they were elected by the people. Sources: Also on this day, John…