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The town of Dedham, Massachusetts, participated in the American Revolutionary War and the protests and actions that led up to it in a number of ways. The town protested the Stamp Act and then celebrated its repeal by erecting the
Pillar of Liberty The Pillar of Liberty is a monument in Dedham, Massachusetts commemorating the repeal of the Stamp Act. Erected by the Sons of Liberty, it originally had a pillar with a bust of William Pitt on top. Background When Parliament imposed the Stamp ...
. Townsmen joined in the boycott of British goods following the
Townshend Acts The Townshend Acts () or Townshend Duties were a series of British acts of Parliament enacted in 1766 and 1767 introducing a series of taxes and regulations to enable administration of the British colonies in America. They are named after Char ...
, and they supported the
Boston Tea Party The Boston Tea Party was a seminal American protest, political and Mercantilism, mercantile protest on December 16, 1773, during the American Revolution. Initiated by Sons of Liberty activists in Boston in Province of Massachusetts Bay, colo ...
. Dedham's
Woodward Tavern The Ames Tavern was a tavern in Dedham, Massachusetts. Founded as Fisher's Tavern in 1649 by Joshua Fisher, it eventually passed into the hands of Nathaniel Ames through a complicated lawsuit based on colonial laws of inheritance. It was eventual ...
was the site where the
Suffolk Resolves The Suffolk Resolves was a declaration made on September 9, 1774, by the leaders of Suffolk County, Massachusetts. The declaration rejected the Massachusetts Government Act and resulted in a boycott of imported goods from Britain unless the In ...
gathering was first convened. At the outset of the war, nearly every man in town went off when the alarm was sounded following the
Battles of Lexington and Concord The Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775 were the first major military actions of the American Revolutionary War between the Kingdom of Great Britain and Patriot (American Revolution), Patriot militias from America's Thirteen Co ...
. There were several Tories in the community, notably Rev. William Clark, but they were largely ostracized and even arrested for being traitors. Many soldiers passed through the town during the war, including
George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...
. There was also an encampment of French troops under the command of Count Rochambeau. In May 1776, several months before Congress acted, Town Meeting voted that "if the Honourable Congress should, for the safety of the Colonies, declare their independence of the Kingdom of Great Britain, they, the said Inhabitants, will solemnly engage with their lives and fortunes to support them in the measure."


Prelude to war


Stamp Act and the Pillar of Liberty

When Parliament imposed the
Stamp Act 1765 The Stamp Act 1765, also known as the Duties in American Colonies Act 1765 (5 Geo. 3. c. 12), was an Act of Parliament (United Kingdom), act of the Parliament of Great Britain which imposed a direct tax on the British America, British coloni ...
on the 13 colonies, there was little effect in Dedham and thus little outcry. The one person most affected was Dr.
Nathaniel Ames Nathaniel Ames (July 22, 1708 – July 11, 1764) was a Thirteen Colonies, colonial American physician who published a popular series of annual almanacs. He was the son of Nathaniel Ames first (1677–1736) and the father of Nathaniel Ames (thi ...
who would have to pay for each sheet of paper used in his almanac, his liquor license, and for his medical papers. He began stirring up his fellow townsmen, and Town Meeting appointed a committee to draft a set of instructions to
Samuel Dexter Samuel Dexter (May 14, 1761May 4, 1816) was an early American statesman who served both in Congress and in the Presidential Cabinets of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. A native of Boston, Massachusetts, Dexter was a 1781 graduate of Harvard ...
, their representative in the
Great and General Court The Massachusetts General Court, formally the General Court of Massachusetts, is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts located in the state capital of Boston. The name "General Court" is a holdover from the earliest days of ...
. Seven men were appointed to the committee, but their draft was likely written by Ames. The letter, which instructed Dexter to oppose the Act, was unanimously approved on October 21, 1765. When the act was repealed, there was great rejoicing in Boston but just an "illumination" at the
Ames Tavern The Ames Tavern was a tavern in Dedham, Massachusetts. Founded as Fisher's Tavern in 1649 by Joshua Fisher, it eventually passed into the hands of Nathaniel Ames through a complicated lawsuit based on colonial laws of inheritance. It was eventual ...
. Some of those celebrating included the
Sons of Liberty The Sons of Liberty was a loosely organized, clandestine, sometimes violent, political organization active in the Thirteen American Colonies founded to advance the rights of the colonists and to fight taxation by the British government. It p ...
, whose Dedham Chapter included Nathaniel Ames,
Ebenezer Battelle Ebenezer Battelle (1754–1815) was an American Revolutionary War veteran, a bookseller in Boston, Massachusetts, and a settler of Marietta, Ohio, in the late 18th century. Life in Dedham Battelle was born in 1754 in Dedham, Massachusetts, to Ebe ...
,
Abijah Draper Major Abijah Draper (May 10, 1737 – May 1, 1780) was a military officer under George Washington and prominent resident of Dedham, Massachusetts. Personal life Draper was born in Dedham, Massachusetts on May 10, 1737. On the death of his father, J ...
, and Dr. John Sprague, as well as the Free Brothers, a similar group which included Ames, Battelle, Sam West,
Manasseh Cutler Manasseh Cutler (May 13, 1742 – July 28, 1823) was an American Congregational clergyman involved in the American Revolutionary War. He was influential in the passage of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 and wrote the section prohibiting sla ...
, Nat Fisher, and Joseph Ellis Jr. On July 22, 1766, Nathaniel Ames and the Sons of Liberty erected the
Pillar of Liberty The Pillar of Liberty is a monument in Dedham, Massachusetts commemorating the repeal of the Stamp Act. Erected by the Sons of Liberty, it originally had a pillar with a bust of William Pitt on top. Background When Parliament imposed the Stamp ...
on the church green at the Corner of High and Court streets. A "vast concourse of people" attended its erection. All that was there on that date as a block of granite from Battelle's farm that had been squared, polished, and had an inscription written by Ames. It is the only monument known to have been erected by the Sons of Liberty. Seven months later, a 10' pillar was added with a bust of
William Pitt the Elder William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham (15 November 170811 May 1778) was a British Whig statesman who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1766 to 1768. Historians call him "Chatham" or "Pitt the Elder" to distinguish him from his son ...
. Pitt was credited, according to the inscription on the base, of having "saved America from impending slavery, and confirmed our most loyal affection to King George III by procuring a repeal of the Stamp Act." The bust was carved by Skilling, a Boston craftsman best known producing figureheads for ships. The monument was destroyed on the night of May 11, 1769. In inscription stated on the base's north face:
The Pillar of Liberty
To the Honor of William Pitt Esqr
& other Patriots who saved
America from impending slavery
and confirmed our most loyal Affections
to King George III by pro
curing the repeal of the Stamp Act
18th March 1766
And on its west face:
The Pillar of Liberty
Erected by the Sons of Liberty
in this Vicinity
Laus DEO REGI et Immunitatm
autoribusq. maxine Patrono
Pitt, qui Rempub. rurfum evulfit
Faucibus Orci.
Townshend Acts The Townshend Acts () or Townshend Duties were a series of British acts of Parliament enacted in 1766 and 1767 introducing a series of taxes and regulations to enable administration of the British colonies in America. They are named after Char ...
, Town Meeting voted on November 16, 1767, to join in the boycott A boycott is an act of nonviolent resistance, nonviolent, voluntary abstention from a product, person, organisation, or country as an expression of protest. It is usually for Morality, moral, society, social, politics, political, or Environmenta ...
of imported goods:
...that as this Town will in all prudent methods encourage the use of such articles as may be produced in the British American Colonies, particularly in this Province, and discourage the use of superfluities, imported from abroad, and will not purchase any article of foreign produce or manufacture of said Colonies.
On March 5, 1770, the same day Parliament voted to repeal the act, Town Meeting that "we will not directly or indirectly have any commerce or dealing with those few traders... who have had so little regard to the good of their country" as to oppose the boycott. It also voted that "we will not make use of any foreign tea, nor allow the consumption of it in our respective families."


Boston Tea Party and the Intolerable Acts

Eleven days after the Sons of Liberty dumped tea into Boston Harbor">Boston Tea Party">dumped tea into Boston Harbor, Town Meeting gathered to "highly approve" the actions taken by the mob and to create a Committee of Correspondence to keep in touch with other communities. They also voted that
...as so many political evils have been brought about by an unreasonable liking to the use of tea, and as we are convinced that it us baneful to the human constitution, we will do all in our power to prevent the use of it in time to come; and if any shall refuse to comply...we shall consider them as unfriendly to the liberties of the people, as well as giving flagrant proof of their own stupidity under a most grievous oppression.
Parliament responded by passing the
Intolerable Acts The Intolerable Acts, sometimes referred to as the Insufferable Acts or Coercive Acts, were a series of five punitive laws passed by the British Parliament in 1774 after the Boston Tea Party. The laws aimed to punish Massachusetts colonists fo ...
which, among other things, banned town meetings unless they were approved in advance by the governor. Dedham held five illegal town meetings despite the Act. At these meetings, they supported the
Suffolk Resolves The Suffolk Resolves was a declaration made on September 9, 1774, by the leaders of Suffolk County, Massachusetts. The declaration rejected the Massachusetts Government Act and resulted in a boycott of imported goods from Britain unless the In ...
, the
Continental Congress The Continental Congress was a series of legislature, legislative bodies, with some executive function, for the Thirteen Colonies of British America, Great Britain in North America, and the newly declared United States before, during, and after ...
, the
Continental Association The Continental Association, also known as the Articles of Association or simply the Association, was an agreement among the Thirteen Colonies, American colonies, adopted by the First Continental Congress, which met inside Carpenters' Hall in Phi ...
, and acts to further embarrass anyone in Dedham caught drinking tea. This included publishing the names of anyone "so devoid of patriotism" to drink tea as a traitor. There was a great risk in doing so, as Dedham was so close to Boston and the troops amassed there under General
Thomas Gage General Thomas Gage (10 March 1718/192 April 1787) was a British Army officer and colonial administrator best known for his many years of service in North America, including serving as Commander-in-Chief, North America during the early days ...
. The troops frequently went out marching and were often spotted on roads in Dedham and surrounding towns.


Suffolk Resolves

A general convention of delegates from every town in Suffolk County was called for August 16, 1774, at Doty's Tavern in Stoughton (today Canton). The group agreed on the need to take a united stand against the
Intolerable Acts The Intolerable Acts, sometimes referred to as the Insufferable Acts or Coercive Acts, were a series of five punitive laws passed by the British Parliament in 1774 after the Boston Tea Party. The laws aimed to punish Massachusetts colonists fo ...
but, since not every community was represented, it was decided to adjourn and try again to get every community represented. Richard Woodward, a member of the Committee of Correspondence, offered to host the next gathering on September 6, 1774. Woodword and Nathaniel Sumner were elected as delegates from Dedham. The
Woodward Tavern The Ames Tavern was a tavern in Dedham, Massachusetts. Founded as Fisher's Tavern in 1649 by Joshua Fisher, it eventually passed into the hands of Nathaniel Ames through a complicated lawsuit based on colonial laws of inheritance. It was eventual ...
at the corner of Ames and High Streets, where the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds sits today. When the more than 60 delegates gathered, they determined that such a large group made it impossible to accomplish their goals. Instead, the group unanimously agreed on the need to oppose the British reprisals and then appointed a subcommittee draft a resolution. Three days later, at the home of Daniel Vose in Milton, the
Suffolk Resolves The Suffolk Resolves was a declaration made on September 9, 1774, by the leaders of Suffolk County, Massachusetts. The declaration rejected the Massachusetts Government Act and resulted in a boycott of imported goods from Britain unless the In ...
were adopted. The resolves were then rushed by
Paul Revere Paul Revere (; December 21, 1734 O.S. (January 1, 1735 N.S.)May 10, 1818) was an American silversmith, military officer and industrialist who played a major role during the opening months of the American Revolutionary War in Massachusetts, ...
to the
First Continental Congress The First Continental Congress was a meeting of delegates of twelve of the Thirteen Colonies held from September 5 to October 26, 1774, at Carpenters' Hall in Philadelphia at the beginning of the American Revolution. The meeting was organized b ...
. The Congress in turn adopted as a precursor to the
Declaration of Independence A declaration of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another state or failed state, or are breaka ...
. The resolves denounced the Intolerable Acts as "gross infractions of those rights to which we are justly entitled by the laws of nature, the British constitution, and the charter of the province" and called on the towns to organize militias to protect "the rights of the people." In 1774, the year after the
Boston Tea Party The Boston Tea Party was a seminal American protest, political and Mercantilism, mercantile protest on December 16, 1773, during the American Revolution. Initiated by Sons of Liberty activists in Boston in Province of Massachusetts Bay, colo ...
, the Town outlawed India tea and appointed a committee to publish the names of any resident caught drinking it.


Eliphalet Pond incident

In May 1774, Eliphalet Pond signed a letter with several other addressed to Governor Thomas Hutchinson that was, in the opinion of many in Dedham, too effusive in praise given the actions the British crown had recently taken on the colonies. A group confronted him the day after the
Powder Alarm The Massachusetts Powder Alarm was a major popular reaction to the removal of gunpowder from a magazine near Boston by British soldiers under orders from General Thomas Gage, royal governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, on September 1 ...
. What happened next is unclear. According to Pond's own account, he spoke calmly with the group and they were satisfied that he was a patriot. In other accounts, he and his black servant, Jack, had to hold off a mob by pointing muskets out the second story window.


Raising of militia company

On October 18, 1774, the first parish met to choose military officers. There was a "long debate" about whether the Town should raise a militia company at the January 1775 town meeting but, unable to come to a consensus, the matter was deferred until March. A company of 60
minutemen Minutemen were members of the organized New England colonial militia companies trained in weaponry, tactics, and military strategies during the American Revolutionary War. They were known for being ready at a minute's notice, hence the name. Min ...
was established on March 6 and bound to serve for nine months.


Revolutionary War


Battles at Lexington and Concord

On the morning of April 19, 1775, a messenger came "down the Needham road" with news about the battle in Lexington. He stopped at
the home ''The Home'' was a high-quality Australian magazine published in Sydney, New South Wales, between 1920 and 1942. Starting as a quarterly publication, the magazine became bimonthly from July/August 1924 until 1926. It was then published month ...
of
Samuel Dexter Samuel Dexter (May 14, 1761May 4, 1816) was an early American statesman who served both in Congress and in the Presidential Cabinets of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. A native of Boston, Massachusetts, Dexter was a 1781 graduate of Harvard ...
and ran up to the front door. Dexter met him at the front door and, upon hearing the news, nearly fainted. He had to be helped back into his house. One messenger who alerted the people of Dedham to the hostilities was Abel Benson, a nine-year old son of a slave who blew a trumpet to call attention. Church bells were rung and signal guns were fired to alert the minutemen and militia of the need to gather. Captain Joseph Guild's company began leaving in small groups, as soon as enough men to form a platoon had assembled. When "a croaker" claimed that it was a false alarm, Guild had him gagged and left under guard so that he could not dissuade any faint hearted men from heading off to the battle. Within an hour of the first notice, the "men of Dedham, even the old men, received their minister's blessing and went forth, in such numbers that scarce one male between sixteen and seventy was left at home." A total of 89 men from the first parish went off, led by Captains
Aaron Fuller Aaron Fuller may refer to: * Aaron Fuller (American football) (born 1997), American football player *Aaron Fuller (basketball) Aaron Craig Fuller (born December 3, 1989) is an American-Mexican professional basketball player for the RANS Simba B ...
and George Guild. Captain William Bullard led 59 from the second parish, and Daniel Draper and William Ellis led 55 men from the third parish. From the Springfield parish, David Fairbanks and Ebenezer Battle led 80. By the end of the day, even the older veterans from the
French and Indian War The French and Indian War, 1754 to 1763, was a colonial conflict in North America between Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of France, France, along with their respective Native Americans in the United States, Native American ...
headed off to Lexington. It total, there were four companies plus minutemen. Aaron Guild, a captain in the British Army during the French and Indian War, was plowing his fields in South Dedham (today Norwood) when he heard of the battle. He immediately "left plough in furrow ndoxen standing" to set forth for the conflict, arriving in time to fire upon the retreating British. The companies led by Bullard, Draper, Ellis, Fairbanks, and Joseph Guild also took aim at the retreating redcoats. They, along with units from Needham and Lynn, took up positions behind a wall and along a hill near the Jason Russell House in
Menotomy Arlington is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The town is six miles (10 km) northwest of Boston, Massachusetts, Boston, and its population was 46,308 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. History Europe ...
. They waited along the south side of the road for the British to retreat. A British flanking company surprised them, pushed them back towards Russell's house, and killed 10 men, including Dedham's Elias Haven from Battle's company. Dr. Nathaniel Ames tended to the wounded. Of the more than 300 men who responded to the
Lexington Alarm The Lexington Alarm announced, throughout the American Colonies, that the American Revolutionary War, Revolutionary War began with the Battle of Lexington and the Siege of Boston on April 19, 1775. The goal was to rally patriots at a grass roots ...
, some were only gone from home for a few hours while others stayed with the army for up to 13 days. Battle's company walked the entire length of the battle, collecting weapons and burying the dead.


Faith Huntington

Faith Huntington Faith Trumbull Huntington (January 25, 1742 - November 24, 1775) was a Colonial American woman who lived during the American Revolutionary War. Early and personal life Huntington was born in 1742 in Lebanon, Connecticut, the daughter of Governor J ...
and several friends arrived in Roxbury to visit her brother, a soldier in the
Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies representing the Thirteen Colonies and later the United States during the American Revolutionary War. It was formed on June 14, 1775, by a resolution passed by the Second Continental Co ...
, on June 17, 1775. Instead of a glamorous and exciting military display, they witnessed the brutality of the
Battle of Bunker Hill The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought on June 17, 1775, during the Siege of Boston in the first stage of the American Revolutionary War. The battle is named after Bunker Hill in Charlestown, Boston, Charlestown, Massachusetts, which was peri ...
. The realization that this might be the fate of her brothers and husband seems to have been too much for Huntington, and she began experiencing episodes of serious depression. As these bouts grew worse, and as her husband Jedediah, who was in Boston, did not feel he could leave his men, he and his mother brought Huntington to stay with friends in Dedham, where he could visit her frequently. There, she was treated for depression by Dr. John Sprague. On November 24, 1775, shortly after one of these visits, she hanged herself. Her funeral was held at the Samuel Dexter House on November 28, 1775 and she was buried in the tomb of
Nathaniel Ames Nathaniel Ames (July 22, 1708 – July 11, 1764) was a Thirteen Colonies, colonial American physician who published a popular series of annual almanacs. He was the son of Nathaniel Ames first (1677–1736) and the father of Nathaniel Ames (thi ...
. Following the funeral, the mourners went to the
Ames Tavern The Ames Tavern was a tavern in Dedham, Massachusetts. Founded as Fisher's Tavern in 1649 by Joshua Fisher, it eventually passed into the hands of Nathaniel Ames through a complicated lawsuit based on colonial laws of inheritance. It was eventual ...
.


Dedham soldiers

The Town voted to hire an additional 120 minutemen on May 29, 1775. They were called into action just a few weeks later, but only 17 ended up fighting at the
Battle of Bunker Hill The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought on June 17, 1775, during the Siege of Boston in the first stage of the American Revolutionary War. The battle is named after Bunker Hill in Charlestown, Boston, Charlestown, Massachusetts, which was peri ...
. There, they lined up between the breastwork and the rail fence. After the war moved south, the
Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies representing the Thirteen Colonies and later the United States during the American Revolutionary War. It was formed on June 14, 1775, by a resolution passed by the Second Continental Co ...
issued the town a quota but, as the town had already run through its available men, it was forced to hire mercenaries from Boston. The population at the time was between 1,500 and 2,000 persons, of which 672 men fought in the Revolution and 47 did not return. General
George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...
gave Timothy Stowe a commission in the army as a captain during the war, and Stowe led a company to
Fort Ticonderoga Fort Ticonderoga (), formerly Fort Carillon, is a large 18th-century star fort built by the French at a narrows near the south end of Lake Champlain in northern New York. It was constructed between October 1755 and 1757 by French-Canadian ...
.


Other troops

Following the outbreak of hostilities, military traffic from throughout southern and western New England was "marching thick" through Dedham on their way to Boston. It was good for Dedham taverns and farmers who suddenly had a lot more customers, but it also brought disease. The town suffered through waves of
dysentery Dysentery ( , ), historically known as the bloody flux, is a type of gastroenteritis that results in bloody diarrhea. Other symptoms may include fever, abdominal pain, and a feeling of incomplete defecation. Complications may include dehyd ...
and
smallpox Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by Variola virus (often called Smallpox virus), which belongs to the genus '' Orthopoxvirus''. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (W ...
. During the Revolution, the corner of modern-day Washington and Worthington Streets was the site of an encampment for French troops under the command of Count Rochambeau. A monument to the soldiers stands at the corner of Marsh and Court streets.


Tories

In 1770, Rev.
William Clark William Clark (August 1, 1770 – September 1, 1838) was an American explorer, soldier, Indian agent, and territorial governor. A native of Virginia, he grew up in pre-statehood Kentucky before later settling in what became the state of Misso ...
of the Anglican St. Paul's Church commented with disdain on the republican sensibilities of Dedhamites. He found their notions of liberty to be more akin to licentiousness, and asked to be transferred to congregations in
Georgetown, Maine Georgetown is a town in Sagadahoc County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,058 at the 2020 census. Home to Reid State Park, the town is part of the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area. Located on an island accessible by ...
or Annapolis, Nova Scotia, but was refused by the
Society for the Propagation of the Gospel United Society Partners in the Gospel (USPG) is a United Kingdom-based charitable organisation (registered charity no. 234518). It was first incorporated under Royal Charter in 1701 as the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Pa ...
. As his territory stretched into Stoughton, he attempted to move there but the Dedham Selectmen declared him to be a non-resident and cut off his salary from the taxes his parishioners paid. In April 1776, the General Court ordered him to be arrested as a Tory, but he was never brought into custody. The people of Dedham stoned his church and then took it over for use as a military storehouse. From then on, Clark would secretly conduct services in his house. By March 1777, Clark announced that he would cease preaching; such an action was easier to swallow than eliminating prayers for the king. On May 19, 1777, he was charged by the Board of Selectmen in Dedham of being a traitor to the
American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...
. Samuel White, Tim Richards Jr., and Daniel Webb were all charged with the same offense. Two days later, on May 21, he was surrounded by a mob as he went home, but "escaped on my parole." The mob was upset that he had provided a letter of recommendation to a loyalist whom they had previously run out of town after stealing his farming utensils and other property. Clark was arrested on June 5, 1777, and held for a day at the
Woodward Tavern The Ames Tavern was a tavern in Dedham, Massachusetts. Founded as Fisher's Tavern in 1649 by Joshua Fisher, it eventually passed into the hands of Nathaniel Ames through a complicated lawsuit based on colonial laws of inheritance. It was eventual ...
in a room with a picture of
Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English statesman, politician and soldier, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in British history. He came to prominence during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, initially ...
. After being denied bail, he was brought to Boston to stand before a military tribunal. When his carriage broke, he was forced to walk several miles the rest of the way. His trial, he said, "was carried on in so near a resemblance to the Romish Inquisition." He was denied counsel and was not told what the evidence against him was. Clark was nearly found not guilty, as the only thing he had done was to provide aide to a fellow man in distress. He refused to pledge allegiance to the Commonwealth, however, and so was sent onto a prison ship for 10 weeks. While there, his health suffered greatly. He was released on a £500 bond and prohibited from traveling more than one mile from his house. In June 1778,
Fisher Ames Fisher Ames (; April 9, 1758 – July 4, 1808) was a Representative in the United States Congress from the 1st Congressional District of Massachusetts. He became conspicuous in promoting the new Constitution during his state's ratifying co ...
obtained a pass for him and Clark was allowed to leave America.


Town Meeting supported independence

In May 1776, Town Meeting voted that "if the Honourable Congress should, for the safety of the Colonies, declare their independence of the Kingdom of Great Britain, they, the said Inhabitants, will solemnly engage with their lives and fortunes to support them in the measure."


Notable visitors


George Washington

Following the evacuation of Boston General
George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...
spent the night of April 4, 1776, at Samuel Dexter's home on his way to New York. Dexter had retired to Connecticut, but his fellow Governor's Councilor Joshua Henshaw was living at the house.


Adams family

During the revolution,
Samuel Adams Samuel Adams (, 1722 – October 2, 1803) was an American statesman, Political philosophy, political philosopher, and a Founding Father of the United States. He was a politician in Province of Massachusetts Bay, colonial Massachusetts, a le ...
returned to Massachusetts for a two month break from the Continental Congress. He found his home on Purchase Street in Boston had been destroyed. The windowpanes were etched with insults and caricatures were drawn on the walls. His garden was trampled, the outbuildings knocked down, and the house was robbed of all its furnishings. Adams was unable to fix the house, so he moved his family to Dedham. In July 1775,
Abigail Adams Abigail Adams ( ''née'' Smith; – October 28, 1818) was the wife and closest advisor of John Adams, the second president of the United States, and the mother of John Quincy Adams, the sixth president of the United States. She was a founder o ...
came to visit Sam Adams' wife, Betsy, and found her "comfortably situated, in a little Country cottage with patience, perseverance and fortitude for her companions, and in better Health than she has enjoyed for many months past." The family later moved back to Boston. Abigail also attended the
First Church and Parish in Dedham The First Church and Parish in Dedham is a Unitarian Universalist congregation in Dedham, Massachusetts. It was the 14th church established in Massachusetts. The current minister, Rev. Rali M. Weaver, was called in March 2007, settled in July, and ...
to hear
Jason Haven Jason Haven (March 2, 1733 – May 17, 1803) was the longest serving minister of the First Church and Parish in Dedham. Personal life Haven was born on March 2, 1733, in Framingham, Massachusetts. He was graduated from Harvard College in 1754. Whil ...
preach. On January 9, 1777,
John Adams John Adams (October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Before Presidency of John Adams, his presidency, he was a leader of ...
stayed at the home of Dr. John Sprague as he rode to Baltimore to attend the
Second Continental Congress The Second Continental Congress (1775–1781) was the meetings of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that united in support of the American Revolution and American Revolutionary War, Revolutionary War, which established American independence ...
.


Lafayette

Men commanded by
Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de La Fayette, Marquis de La Fayette (; 6 September 1757 – 20 May 1834), known in the United States as Lafayette (), was a French military officer and politician who volunteered to join the Conti ...
camped in Dedham.


See also

* Walpole, Massachusetts, in the American Revolution


Notes


References


Works cited

* * * * * * * * * * * {{Dedham Massachusetts in the American Revolution American Revolutionary War History of Dedham, Massachusetts