The Daughter of the American Wayne Chapter celebrated the 250th Anniversary of the Boston Tea Party at their November Chapter meeting at the Cox House Museum, located in St. Peter, Minnesota. Each Daughter savored a cup of tea in their favorite tea cup, commemorating a historic moment in our nation's history.
Commemorative Events
250th Anniversary of the Boston Tea Party,
and the Edenton Tea Party
Brief Summary of the History Related to the Boston Tea Party
On December 16, 1773, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and the Sons of Liberty held meetings rallying against British Parliament and protested the Griffin’s Wharf arrival of the three ships that were loaded with tea belonging to the British East India Company. Colonists voted to refuse to pay the taxes on the tea and the tea would not be unloaded. That night, a large group of men were helped by Sarah Bradlee Fulton to disguise as Mohawk Indians and arrived at Griffin’s Wharf. They boarded the docked ships and threw 340 chests of tea into the harbor.
These men, mostly apprentices around the ages of 14-16, were literally putting their lives on the line. They only knew the name of their commander and maybe some of their compatriots who were boarding one of the three ships. They destroyed more than 90,000 lbs. of tea that would be worth more than $1 million dollars today. This act was high treason, and the penalty would be transported to England for trial and hanging. All participants were sworn to secrecy.
Brief Summary of the History Related to the Edenton Tea Party
On October 25, 1774, fifty-one women penned their names to a resolution against the tax policies of the British Empire in Edenton, North Carolina. This action formed the earliest organized, written political activity taken by women in America. The anniversary of the ‘Edenton Resolves,’ known as the Edenton Tea Party, presents a unique opportunity to highlight the bravery of these remarkable women.
Penelope Barker, wife of the treasurer of the Province of North Carolina is believed to have organized the protest.
Abigail Charlton, F. Johnston, Margaret Cathcart, Anne Johnston, Margaret Pearson, Penelope Dawson, Jean Blair, Grace Clayton, Frances Hall, Mary Blount, Elizabeth Creacy, Elizabeth Patterson, Jane Wellwood, Mary Woolard, Sarah Beasley, Susannah Vail, Elizabeth Vail, Elizabeth Vail, Mary Jones, Anne Hall, Sarah Hoskins, Sarah Valentine, Elizabeth Green, Anne Horniblow, Teressa Cunningham, Elizabeth Roberts, Rebecca Bondfield, Sarah Littlejohn, Penelope Barker, Elizabeth P. Ormond, M. Payne, Elizabeth Johnston, Mary Bonner, Lydia Bonner, Sarah Howe, Lydia Bennet, Marion Wells, Anne Anderson, Sarah Matthews, Anne Haughton, Elizabeth Beasley, Mary Creacy, Mary Creacy, Ruth Benbury, Sarah Howcott, Mary Littedle, Elizabeth Crickett, Mary Ramsay, Mary Hunter, Elizabeth Roberts, Elizabeth Roberts.
(The 51 signers included several relatives with comparable or similar names)