Autographs
Sons of Liberty Member's Secret Letter of Correspondence William Palfrey has Informed Joseph Palmer that a British Tea Ship has Docked at Philadelphia and has been Allowed Only Six Hours to Leave with its Cargo of Tea in 1770
JOSEPH PALMER (1716-1788). British born American Patriot; Member of the Sons of Liberty in Boston; Palmer was also a skilled writer and used his talents to communicate with other members of the Sons of Liberty and to promote the cause of American independence; he is remembered today as a hero of the American Revolution.
(WILLIAM PALFREY)(1741-1780). (Mentioned, Not Signed.) William Palfrey often served as the "Scriber" a communicator for the "Sons of Liberty" in Boston, and he maintained a correspondence with the radical John Wilkes on behalf of the group; on July 16, 1775, William Palfrey was appointed an Aide-de-Camp to Major General Charles Lee; on February 10, 1776, appointed Aide-de-Camp to the Commander-in-Chief General George Washington; Selected as Paymaster General, the Chief Financial Officer of the Continental Army on April 27, 1776; elected Consul to France on December 9, 1780, embarked and Sailed for France but his ship was never heard from again, all aboard presumed lost at sea.
William Palfrey was an American merchant and politician who served as an Agent for the Massachusetts Bay Colony in London during the period leading up to the American Revolution. In 1770, Palfrey, a Patriot and communicator for the "Sons of Liberty," sent a message to Boston warning of the arrival of a British Tea Ship called the Polly, which was scheduled to arrive in November of that year. Palfrey's warning was part of a larger effort by American colonists and the Sons of Liberty, to resist British taxation policies, which included taxes on Tea.
Joseph Palmer was an American Patriot and early member of the Sons of Liberty, a political organization that was formed in the American colonies in the early 1760s to protest against British taxation policies. Palmer was a prominent figure in the Sons of Liberty, and he played a key role in the organization's efforts to resist British rule.
In 1770, Palmer was involved in communications between the Sons of Liberty in Boston regarding their response to the arrival of a British Tea Ship, named the Polly, which was initially intended to dock at Philadelphia. The Polly was then redirected to Boston due to the American colonist's protests and resistance against British taxation policies in Philadelphia.
The Polly arrived in Boston in August of 1770, and it was met with protests from the Sons of Liberty members and other American Patriots who were opposed to British taxation policies, including taxes on Tea. However, unlike the Tea Ships that arrived in Boston in 1773, such as the Dartmouth, the Eleanor, and the Beaver, which were involved in the famous "Boston Tea Party", the Polly was allowed to unload its cargo of Tea without incident. The American colonists had managed to avoid the escalation of tensions and the potential conflict that had characterized the major protests in Boston in later years.
However, the arrival of the Tea Ship Polly in Boston was still significant in terms of the growing resistance against British rule in the American colonies. It was one of many events that contributed to the growing tension between the American colonists and the British government, and eventually led to the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War.
Joseph Palmer played a key role in the organization's efforts to resist British rule and was involved in communications with other members of the Sons of Liberty in Boston in 1770 regarding the British Tea Ships that were arriving in American ports. The arrival of the Tea Ships, which were carrying Tea subject to British taxation, was seen as a threat to American liberties, and the Sons of Liberty were determined to prevent the Tea from being unloaded.
Joseph Palmer's communications with the Sons of Liberty in Boston helped to coordinate the resistance against British rule and played a key role in the events that led up to the American Revolution. While there is no specific record of a letter or message from Palmer to the Sons of Liberty in Boston in 1770 regarding the Tea Ships, such messages would have been sent clandestine. Palmer was certainly involved in the efforts to resist British taxation policies and played an important role in the broader movement for American independence.
This "1770" Docketed Autograph Letter Signed by Joseph Palmer is written in a cryptic fashion, without a specific date or place, the recipient is not named, yet it was very likely Doctor Joseph Warren. There is no record of a specific documented letter from Joseph Palmer to his fellow Son of Liberty, Patriot Dr. Joseph Warren regarding the Tea Ships in Boston in 1770. However, one may clearly speculate that this current handwritten communication by Palmer was meant to be transmitted in secret, in case it was intercepted, thus keeping the recipients identity unknown to the British.
However, there is record of a letter from Dr. Joseph Warren to Samuel Adams in which he discusses the situation in Boston, and the efforts of the Sons of Liberty to resist the British taxation policies. In that letter, which was written on November 5, 1770, Doctor Warren describes the tension and unrest in Boston and the efforts of the Sons of Liberty to prevent the unloading of the Tea from the Dartmouth and other British Tea Ships. Dr. Warren also discusses the possibility of violence, and warns that the situation could escalate if the British government does not back down. As both Warren and Palmer were ranking members of the Sons of Liberty, it is possible and likely, to conclude that they corresponded with each other regarding their efforts to resist British rule. This Letter appears to be once such communication.
Palmer helped to organize the protests against the Tea Ships, and he was involved in the efforts to prevent the unloading of Tea Ships. He also worked with other members of the Sons of Liberty to spread news and information about their protests, and to coordinate their activities. Palmer's communications with the Sons of Liberty in Boston helped to galvanize opposition to British rule in the American colonies and played a key role in the events that led up to the American Revolution.
William Palfrey's warning that was urgently sent to Boston was heeded by the American colonists, and they took what action they could to prevent the unloading of the Tea. This event, along with similar incidents in other American ports, including Philadelphia, contributed to the growing tensions between the American colonies and the Royal British government.
This important "Tea Ship" related, Autograph Letter Signed, "J.(oseph) Palmer", 1 page, measuring about 8" x 5", Boston, Docketed "1770", containing great historic period content being one such warning of a Tea Ship. Paper loss at the left bottom margin restored with a neat professional repair, also along the right edge and with the parts of the few words restored, neatly written in as identified. Palfrey's prior sent letter of warning to the Boston Sons of Liberty (not present), is mentioned in this letter as it adds verification of the information being provided. A well known credible Son's of Liberty source, named in this current letter.
This letter sent within Boston we conclude to be a direct "Sons of Liberty" secret communication regarding Palfrey's letter of warning about a Tea Ship. In late September 1770 the Merchants in Philadelphia ended their Boycott for all British products, other than Tea. This important rejection of a "Tea Ship" unloading its cargo, contains critical and timely information from Philadelphia, regarding their recent protest on British Tea. This Letter reads, in full:
"Boston, Monday PM -- Dr Wrn. / I have only oppt. [opportunity] to send the paper of the Day, & (say) that Palfrey has sent from Phila., That a Tea-Ship (has) arrived there, with a Consignee on board; & that (the) People w'd not suffer him to Land, & have allo(wed) only 6 Hours to prepare for their return to Lon(don). All well - The above I suppose true, but h(ave) not had time to enquire more particular(ly.) -- Adieu, 16. - (Signed) J. Palmer".
The Recipient's Docketing on the back confirms the "1770" date of this correspondence, reading: "Mr J Palmer - 1770"
This Letter relates to the continued American colonist's protests against the Tax placed on Tea by the British, per the hated "Townshend Acts" of 1767. After the uproar in the American colonies when the British imposed the Stamp Act Tax in 1765, forcing its repeal in 1766, the British Parliament then passed the Townshend Acts, placing heavy duties on five categories of Imported Items, Including "Tea" - Parliament arguing that the duties were not a "Tax" (being the reason for the objections to the Stamp Act).
That Parliament had the right to Regulate Commerce with the American colonies. However, the American colonists saw through this thin argument, and merchants pledged themselves to "Non-Importation" Agreements, agreeing not to receive British goods imported into the American colonies. On April 12, 1770, Parliament Repealed all of the Townshend Duties, Except ... the Tax on Tea.
William Palfrey (1741-1780):
George Washington's Mount Vernon Washington Research Library
The "descendant of a reputable line of Boston mechanics," William Palfrey was born in Boston on February 24, 1741. He was liberally educated at the Boston Latin School and afterwards apprenticed in the mercantile firm of Nathaniel Wheelwright.
Palfrey's acumen for trade gained the attention and respect of John Hancock, who in due course, employed William Palfrey as a business associate. As with most of the merchants of Boston, the Stamp Act of 1765 drew the ire of these two men and they became involved in the remonstrations against the administration of King George III.
William Palfrey often served as the scriber for the "Sons of Liberty" in Boston and maintained a correspondence with the radical John Wilkes on behalf of the group. Moreover, he would call upon like-minded leaders when he travelled to the port cities of North America and England on business.
In the Massachusetts spring of 1775, the tenuous situation between the citizens and the government of the crown came to a head at Lexington and Concord. The United Colonies began to prepare for war and, on July 16, 1775, William Palfrey was appointed an aide-de-camp to Major General Charles Lee. In this role, he increasingly came into the notice of General George Washington, who was impressed with his "conduct and activity".
Hence, on February 10, 1776, the Commander-in-Chief courteously requested Major Palfrey from General Lee. Believing Palfrey to be "valuable and capable," Lee acquiesced and Palfrey was appointed an aide-de-camp to General Washington in General Orders for March 6, 1776. However, his time on the staff of the Commander-in-Chief was short-lived.
William Palfrey's "talents and address" were recognized by the Continental Congress and General officers alike and he was selected to the post of Paymaster General " or the chief financial officer " of the Continental Army on April 27, 1776.
With the uncertainties of currency in the new country, Lieutenant Colonel Palfrey served in this problematic position dependably for over four years until he was elected a consul to France on December 9, 1780. Shortly thereafter, William Palfrey embarked for Europe on board the Shelala, but the ship was never heard from again. All aboard were presumed to have been lost at sea.
See: Palfrey, John Gorham "Life of William Palfrey: Paymaster-General in the Army of the Revolution" In Sparks, Jared, ed., The Library of American Biography: Second Series, Vol. VII (Boston: Little & Brown, 1845), pp. 339-344.