The Massachusetts Banishment Act, officially named the "Banishment Act of the State of Massachusetts", was passed in September 1778 "to prevent the return to this state of certain persons therein named and others who have left this state or either of the United States, and joined the enemies thereof." Over 300 people, including many former officials of the

Province of Massachusetts Bay The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a colony in British America which became one of the Thirteen Colonies, thirteen original states of the United States. It was chartered on October 7, 1691, by William III of England, William III and Mary II ...

, were listed in the act.

Notable people banished

* Sir Francis Bernard, former provincial governor *

Daniel Bliss Daniel Bliss (August 17, 1823 in Georgia, Vermont, United States – July 27, 1916 in Beirut, Lebanon) was a Christian missionary from the United States and the founder of the American University of Beirut. Life and work Born in the town of Geo ...

, lawyer and court of common pleas judge *

Jonathan Bliss Jonathan Bliss (October 1, 1742 – October 1, 1822) was a lawyer, judge and political figure in New Brunswick. He represented St. John County in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 1786 to 1792 and from 1796 to 1802. He was born in ...

, lawyer and justice of the peace * Sampson Salter Blowers, lawyer, friend of

Benedict Arnold Benedict Arnold ( Brandt (1994), p. 4June 14, 1801) was an American military officer who served during the Revolutionary War. He fought with distinction for the American Continental Army and rose to the rank of major general before defect ...

* Benjamin Church, physician and convicted spy * Thomas Cutler, lawyer * John Fleming, printer, publisher, and bookseller * Thomas Flucker, former secretary of the province *

Sylvester Gardiner Dr. Silvester Gardiner (June 29, 1708 – August 8, 1786) was a physician, pharmaceutical merchant and land developer of Maine. He is known for founding the city of Gardiner. Early years He was born in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, the son of ...

, physician and merchant *

Bradford Gilbert Bradford Lee Gilbert (March 24, 1853 – September 1, 1911) was a nationally active American architect based in New York City. He is known for designing the Tower Building in 1889, the first steel-framed building anywhere and the first skysc ...

, merchant *

Harrison Gray Harrison Leroy Gray (September 5, 1941 – August 19, 2022) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings during the 1963–64 season. The rest of his career, which lasted ...

, treasurer of the province * Joseph Green, poet and businessman * John Howe, printer and writer * Thomas Hutchinson, former provincial governor *

John Jeffries John Jeffries (5 February 1744 – 16 September 1819) was an American physician, scientist, and military surgeon with the British Army in Nova Scotia and New York during the American Revolution. He is best known for accompanying French invent ...

, physician and military surgeon *

Ephraim Jones Ephraim Jones (April 17, 1750 – January 24, 1812) was a soldier, judge, and political figure in Upper Canada. He was born in Weston, Massachusetts, in 1750. His father, Elisha, and five of his brothers served with the British during the American ...

, military commissary *Richard Lechmere, namesake of

Lechmere Square Lechmere Square ( ) is located at the intersection of Cambridge Street and First Street in East Cambridge, Massachusetts. It was originally named for the Colonial-era landowner Richard Lechmere, a Loyalist who returned to England at the beginnin ...

Daniel Leonard Daniel Leonard (May 18, 1740 – June 27, 1829) was a lawyer from colonial Massachusetts and a Loyalist in the American Revolution. Biography Born in Norton, Massachusetts, Leonard was a member of a prominent family who made their fortune from ...

, lawyer *

Joshua Loring Joshua Loring (3 August 1716 – September 1781Charles Henry Pope''Loring Genealogy''(Cambridge, Mass., 1917), pp. 78-79) was an 18th-century colonial American naval officer in British service. During the French and Indian War, he served as a ...

, member of the

Governor's Council The governments of the Thirteen Colonies of British America developed in the 17th and 18th centuries under the influence of the British constitution. After the Thirteen Colonies had become the United States, the experience under colonial rule would ...

* Daniel Murray, militia soldier of

King's American Dragoons The King's American Dragoons were a British provincial military unit, raised for Loyalist service during the American Revolutionary War. They were founded by Colonel Benjamin Thompson, later Count Rumford, in 1781. They were initially formed fr ...

* Peter Oliver, Chief Justice of the

Superior Court In common law systems, a superior court is a court of general jurisdiction over civil and criminal legal cases. A superior court is "superior" in relation to a court with limited jurisdiction (see small claims court), which is restricted to civil ...

* Thomas Oliver, former provincial lieutenant governor *

Robert Pagan Robert Pagan (November 16, 1750 – November 23, 1821) was a Scottish-born merchant, judge and political figure in New Brunswick. He represented Charlotte County in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 1786 to 1819. He was born ...

, merchant involved in shipbuilding * William Paine, physician * Sir William Pepperrell, merchant * Benjamin Pickman Sr., merchant * James Putnam, lawyer and former

Attorney General In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have exec ...

* Isaac Royall, real estate investor, slave trader *

Timothy Ruggles Timothy Dwight Ruggles (October 20, 1711 – August 4, 1795) was an American colonial military leader, jurist, and politician. He was a delegate to the Stamp Act Congress of 1765 and later a Loyalist during the American Revolutionary War. Ear ...

, member of the

Stamp Act Congress The Stamp Act Congress (October 7 – 25, 1765), also known as the Continental Congress of 1765, was a meeting held in New York, New York, consisting of representatives from some of the British colonies in North America. It was the first gat ...

Jonathan Sewall Jonathan Sewall (August 24, 1729 – September 27, 1796) was the last Colonial attorney general of Massachusetts. He was born in Boston on August 24, 1729 to Jonathan Sewall Sr. and Mary (Payne) Sewall. Sewall's father was an unsuccessf ...

, lawyer and former

Joshua Upham Joshua Upham (November 3, 1741 – November 1, 1808) was a lawyer, judge and political figure in New Brunswick. He served as a member of the New Brunswick Council. He was born in Brookfield, Massachusetts, the son of Dr. Jabez Upham and Kathari ...

, lawyer *

Edward Winslow Edward Winslow (18 October 15958 May 1655) was a Separatist and New England political leader who traveled on the ''Mayflower'' in 1620. He was one of several senior leaders on the ship and also later at Plymouth Colony. Both Edward Winslow and ...

, government official and peace officer

References

External links

Full list of people named in the act
1778 in law Massachusetts in the American Revolution Massachusetts statutes 1778 in Massachusetts {{Massachusetts-gov-stub