The Saga of Tory Henry Barnes

The Saga of Tory Henry Barnes. Marlborough, Massachusetts. , During the period of the American Revolution, this property belonged to Henry and Christian Barnes. Both were Tories (American colonists who supported England) and were eventually exiled as traitors. , Henry Barnes came from Boston in the 1750's and established a center for potash manufacturing, an apple brandy distillery, and a retail store for sale of liquor and imported English goods. His retail business caused local opposition when England tried to impose taxes on colonial purchases. , In 1770, local Patriots burnt a likeness of Barnes in effigy on Fairmount Hill in full view of his home. In February 1775, two British reconnaissance spies came to Marlborough, but were soon discovered. Under cover of a raging snow storm, Barnes helped them escape unharmed. , Christian Barnes was a prolific letter writer. Her letters, located in the Hingham Historical Society and the Library of Congress, detail the terrors that Tory families received from Patriots. They also contain historical details on the lives of domestic slaves and the development of a merchant class of women just before the Revolution. , Prince Demah Barnes was a Barnes' slave. With the support of the Barnes family, Prince Demah became a portrait painter and is recognized as one of the finest slave portrait painters in all American history. After Barnes' exile, Prince declared himself a free man, fought for the Patriots during the Revolution, and later died in Boston of a virulent disease. , [Captions] , . Top: The Barnes home as it still appeared in the late 1800s. The two homes at the top of the hill remain largely unchanged. The terraced landscape walls of the Barnes property seen in the photo also remain behind the old Central Fire Station. , . Bottom (from left): Christian Barnes by Prince Demah Barnes . Henry Barnes by Prince Demah Barnes