Boston Tea Parties at Parrott-Wood Memorial Library
What would it be like to don the disguise of an Indian warrior, sneak onto a masted cargo ship in the dark of night, and hoist hundreds of crates of British tea overboard into the Boston Harbor in an act of defiance against the tea tax imposed by King George and the British Empire? For two afternoons, December 4 and 5, guests from the community and members of the Rocket Afterschool Study Club got a tiny taste of that experience during two Tea Parties at the Parrott-Wood Memorial Library in Strawberry Plains.
The parties were hosted by Carolyn Mitchell, 1st Vice Regent and Chair of the Commemorative Events Committee of the Martha Dandridge Washington Chapter (MDW), National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR), and Donna Phillips, Director of the Parrott-Wood Memorial Library.
Mitchell presented the program in first person and in the persona of Sarah Bradley Fulton, a member of the Daughters of Liberty and the originator of the idea of the Tea Party. It was her suggestion that the participants disguise themselves as Mohawk Indians. If her involvement had become known to the British, she could have been charged with high treason and hanged. Fortunately, that did not happen, and Fulton went on to serve as one of George Washington’s spies and headed the first-aid division of the Colonial Army at the Battles of Bunker Hill, Lexington, and Concord. According to Mitchell, Fulton’s role in the Revolutionary War deserves to be remembered.
Mitchell said that on the evening of December 16, 1773, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and the Sons of Liberty held meetings in opposition to the British Parliament and protested the arrival of three ships filled with tea from the British East India Tea Company that were to be unloaded at Griffin’s Wharf. The Colonists voted to refuse to pay taxes for the tea or to unload the shipment.
That night a large group of men sworn to secrecy and disguised as Mohawk Indians arrived at Griffin’s Wharf, encouraged on by 1000 to 1500 other colonists who watched. Approximately 150 men and boys aged 14-16 boarded the ships, locked the crews below decks, destroyed 340 chests of tea, and threw the broken chests of tea into the water. The chests contained about 90,000 pounds of tea worth about $1 million in today’s currency.
Many other events and the growing belief that the King George was subjecting the colonists to “Taxation without Representation,” led to that fateful night. The Boston Tea Party led the colonies one step closer to the Revolutionary War, which was begun on April 19, 1775.
The Monday afternoon event at Parrott-Wood was attended by more than 40 ladies, gentlemen, and children. Some of the ladies came in colonial dresses and hats. Little girls also came in costume, one in a green satin princess gown. Also in attendance was Bryan R. Green, member of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revoution (NSSAR) and husband of MDW Member Diane Wright-Green. Green traces his ancestry to Patriot and Major-General Nathanael Greene in the Continental Army.
Mitchell, Phillips, and ladies from the MDW Chapter and the Friends of the Library served dainty cookies, tea biscuits, and hot Taylors of Harrogate Yorkshire Tea with real cream and lumps of sugar. The tea is a favorite of DAR Member Bonnie Mitchell, daughter of Carolyn., who lives in Scotland and who sent the tea to be enjoyed.
Mitchell had prepared a tea table with a miniature Boston Harbor consisting of a pan of real water and blue plastic scrunched up to look like waves. A tiny model of a sailing vessel rested atop those waves. Guests were invited to come forward and take a silver demitasse spoon, somewhat like those made by colonial silversmith and Patriot Paul Revere, dip it into a container of loose tea, and sprinkle the tea upon the diminutive harbor waters.
The next day, Mitchell gave a modified program for the Rocket Afterschool Study Group. The children eagerly lined up to toss their teaspoons of tea into “the drink.”
For information about other activities at Parrott-Wood, see the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pwml321.
For information about the DAR, contact MDW Registrar Karen McFarland at (865) 258-8670 or Regent Janet Guyett at (865) 712-8782.
MDW 1st Vice Regent and Chairman of Commemorative Events Carolyn Mitchell took on the persona of Sarah Bradley Fulton, “Mother of the Tea Party,” to share the story of the Boston Tea Party. Bryan R. Green, member of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, attended the event. Green traces his ancestry back to Patriot and Major-General Nathanael Greene.
Sarah Bradley Fulton (aka Carolyn Mitchell) assists Lili Romines as she contributes her teaspoon of tea to the Boston Harbor. Rocket Club members Laci Lawson, Faith Stair, Amelia Morris, Bailee Elmore, and Lily Elmore await their turn.
