Downtown in Boston in Suffolk County, Massachusetts — The American Northeast (New England)
A Riot, the Massacre, and the Tea Party
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 14, 2009
1. A Riot, the Massacre, and the Tea Party Marker
Inscription.
A Riot, the Massacre, and the Tea Party. . From 1769-1776 Boston was the flashpoint for events leading up to the American Revolution. On February 22, 1770, a crowd gathered around the house and shop of a Tory sympathizer and customs agent, Ebenezer Richardson. When they started pelting the house with snowballs and debris, Richardson shot his gun into the crowd, hitting 12-year-old Christopher Snyder (or Christian Seider) in the stomach. Snyder died that night and was buried at Granary after a large funeral procession orchestrated by Samuel Adams. Black poetess, Phillis Wheatley (Sign #7), wrote an elegy entitled “On the death of Mr. Seider Murder’d by Richardson.” Eleven days later on March 5, 1770, British troops shot and killed five demonstrators in what was dubbed “The Boston Massacre.” The victims were Crispus Attucks, an African-American seaman; James Caldwell, also a seaman; Patrick Carr, who worked for a breeches-maker; Samuel Gray; and Samuel Maverick, an apprentice ivory-turner. The funeral march to Granary Burying Ground was said to have been witnessed by 10,000 to 12,000 people. Snyder and the “Boston Massacre” victims are buried together in Tomb 204., On the evening of December 16, 1773, about 50 “Sons of Liberty” snuck onto three ships anchored at Griffen’s Wharf and emptied over 300 crates of tea into Boston Harbor to protest the Tea Act of 1773. While the identities of those at the “Tea Party” were kept secret, after the American Revolution many came forward, including Joseph Shed (d. 1812) who is buried in Tomb 69 and Matthew Loring (1751-1829) who is buried in Tomb 75., Patriots , Samuel Adams (1722-1803), patriot, signer of the Declaration of Independence, and Massachusetts governor, graduated from Harvard in 1736. His father was Deacon Samuel Adams, a Boston brewer and merchant. Adams inherited the family business but was a poor businessman, spending all his resources on his real interest, politics. Described by those opposed to him as “the greatest incendiary in the Empire” and by his supporters as “father of the Revolution,” Adams founded the Sons of Liberty and, with John Hancock and James Otis, led the anti-taxation protests in Boston. He held many town positions, established the Committee of Correspondence in 1762, and represented Massachusetts in the Continental Congress. In 1788 he was a Massachusetts representative to Congress, served as lieutenant governor from 1789-1793, and became governor when John Hancock died in 1793. His is buried with his first wife, Elizabeth Checkley, in her family tomb (Tomb 68)., Tomb 74 contains the remains of Capt. Edward Blake (d. 1815) and his son Lt. Edward Blake Jr. (c. 1771-1817), both of whom served in the Continental Army during the American Revolution. Tomb 73 belongs to Joshua Blanchard (1693-1748), master mason and bricklayer. Blanchard laid the brick walls for the original Faneuil Hall designed by John Smibert, as well as the brickwork for the Old South Meeting House., Robert Treat Paine (1731-1814), Tomb 88, is one of three signers of the Declaration of Independence buried at Granary. Paine was born a few blocks away on School Street and graduated from Harvard College in 1749. He was one of the prosecuting attorneys in the Boston Massacre trial in 1770, described as “a rough, sometimes overbearing opponent, the perennial legal rival of John Adams.” In 1774 Paine was chosen as one of the five Massachusetts delegates to the Continental Congress. Robert Treat Paine was Massachusetts’ first attorney general and served as a judge of the Massachusetts Supreme Court from 1790-1804.
From 1769-1776 Boston was the flashpoint for events leading up to the American Revolution. On February 22, 1770, a crowd gathered around the house and shop of a Tory sympathizer and customs agent, Ebenezer Richardson. When they started pelting the house with snowballs and debris, Richardson shot his gun into the crowd, hitting 12-year-old Christopher Snyder (or Christian Seider) in the stomach. Snyder died that night and was buried at Granary after a large funeral procession orchestrated by Samuel Adams. Black poetess, Phillis Wheatley (Sign #7), wrote an elegy entitled “On the death of Mr. Seider Murder’d by Richardson.” Eleven days later on March 5, 1770, British troops shot and killed five demonstrators in what was dubbed “The Boston Massacre.” The victims were Crispus Attucks, an African-American seaman; James Caldwell, also a seaman; Patrick Carr, who worked for a breeches-maker; Samuel Gray; and Samuel Maverick, an apprentice ivory-turner. The funeral march to Granary Burying Ground was said to have been witnessed by 10,000 to 12,000 people. Snyder and the “Boston Massacre” victims are buried together in Tomb 204.
On the evening of December 16, 1773, about 50 “Sons of Liberty” snuck onto three ships anchored at Griffen’s Wharf and emptied over 300 crates of tea into Boston
Click or scan to see this page online
Harbor to protest the Tea Act of 1773. While the identities of those at the “Tea Party” were kept secret, after the American Revolution many came forward, including Joseph Shed (d. 1812) who is buried in Tomb 69 and Matthew Loring (1751-1829) who is buried in Tomb 75.
Patriots Samuel Adams (1722-1803), patriot, signer of the Declaration of Independence, and Massachusetts governor, graduated from Harvard in 1736. His father was Deacon Samuel Adams, a Boston brewer and merchant. Adams inherited the family business but was a poor businessman, spending all his resources on his real interest, politics. Described by those opposed to him as “the greatest incendiary in the Empire” and by his supporters as “father of the Revolution,” Adams founded the Sons of Liberty and, with John Hancock and James Otis, led the anti-taxation protests in Boston. He held many town positions, established the Committee of Correspondence in 1762, and represented Massachusetts in the Continental Congress. In 1788 he was a Massachusetts representative to Congress, served as lieutenant governor from 1789-1793, and became governor when John Hancock died in 1793. His is buried with his first wife, Elizabeth Checkley, in her family tomb (Tomb 68).
Tomb 74 contains the remains of Capt. Edward Blake (d. 1815) and his son Lt. Edward Blake Jr. (c.
Photographed By J. Makali Bruton, June 17, 2021
2. A Riot, the Massacre, and the Tea Party Marker
1771-1817), both of whom served in the Continental Army during the American Revolution. Tomb 73 belongs to Joshua Blanchard (1693-1748), master mason and bricklayer. Blanchard laid the brick walls for the original Faneuil Hall designed by John Smibert, as well as the brickwork for the Old South Meeting House.
Robert Treat Paine (1731-1814), Tomb 88, is one of three signers of the Declaration of Independence buried at Granary. Paine was born a few blocks away on School Street and graduated from Harvard College in 1749. He was one of the prosecuting attorneys in the Boston Massacre trial in 1770, described as “a rough, sometimes overbearing opponent, the perennial legal rival of John Adams.” In 1774 Paine was chosen as one of the five Massachusetts delegates to the Continental Congress. Robert Treat Paine was Massachusetts’ first attorney general and served as a judge of the Massachusetts Supreme Court from 1790-1804.
Location. Marker has been reported missing. It was located
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 14, 2009
3. Marker in Granary Burying Ground
near 42° 21.446′ N, 71° 3.669′ W. Marker was in Boston, Massachusetts, in Suffolk County. It was in Downtown. Marker was at the intersection of Tremont Street and Bromfield Street, on the left when traveling north on Tremont Street. Marker is along the walking trail in Granary Burying Ground. Touch for map. Marker was in this post office area: Boston MA 02108, United States of America. Touch for directions.
More about this marker. The right side of the marker contains a copy of a Boston Gazette propaganda piece from March 12, 1770 about the Boston Massacre. The right side of the marker features portraits of Samuel Adams and Robert Treat Paine. A partial map of the cemetery showing the location of the marker and several of the graves mentioned on the marker is at the bottom center.
Related markers.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 14, 2009
4. Grave of Samuel Adams
Here lies buried Samuel Adams Signer of the Declaration of Independence, Governor of this Commonwealth, A leader of men and an ardent Patriot Born 1722 ... Died 1803
Massachusetts Society - Sons of the Revolution 1898
Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Take a tour of the markers found along the walking trail in Boston’s Granary Burying Ground.
Also see . . . Granary Burying Ground. Details of the Freedom Trail from the City of Boston website. (Submitted on May 9, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.)
Library of Congress
5. Four coffins of Men Killed in the Boston Massacre
“The Bodies of Samuel Gray, Samuel Maverick, James Caldwell, and Crispus Attucks, the unhappy victims who fell in the bloody Massacre of the Monday Evening preceeding.”
Engraved by Paul Revere from The Boston Gazette, and Country Journal, March 12, 1770.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 14, 2009
6. Grave of James Otis
Here lies buried James Otis Orator and Patriot of the Revolution Famous for his argument against Writs of Assistance Born 1725 – Died 1783
Massachusetts Society – Sons of the Revolution 1808
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 14, 2009
7. John Hancock's Grave
This memorial is erected A.D. MDCCCXCV by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to mark the grave of John Hancock.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 14, 2009
8. Robert Treat Paine's Grave
Robert Treat Paine 1713 - 1814 One of the signers of the Declaration of Independence
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 14, 2009
9. Victims of the Boston Massacre
The remains of Samuel Gray Samuel Maverick James Caldwell Crispus Attucks and Patrick Carr Victims of the Boston Massacre, March 5th, 1770, were here interred by order of the Town of Boston. ---------- Here also lies buried the body of Christopher Snider Aged 12 years, Killed February 22nd, 1770 The innocent victim of the struggles between the Colonists and the Crown, which resulted in INDEPENDENCE. ---------- Placed by Boston Chapter D.A.R. 1906.
Photographed By Bill Coughlin, April 14, 2009
10. Graves in Granary Burying Ground
The graves of the Massacre victims, Samuel Adams and Robert Treat Paine can all be seen in this photo
Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 9, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 3,440 times since then and 71 times this year. Photos:1. submitted on May 9, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. 2. submitted on July 11, 2021, by J. Makali Bruton of Accra, Ghana. 3, 4. submitted on May 9, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. 5. submitted on April 3, 2021, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. submitted on May 9, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.