The Wolfe and the Stamp Act riot

My story from the Newburyport News

Sketch of Wolfe Tavern, 1764. History of Newburyport. John J. Currier.

The famous Wolfe Tavern was first established in Newbury, Massachusetts. Although the Wolfe’s reputation was built upon catering to the upper crust, the tavern’s proprietor, William Davenport, was also privy to the more colorful and seedy tavern patrons.  A potpourri of bar brawlers, sketchy privateers, and local tarts found their into his tap room. But the buzz that brewed among the port tribe one night at Davenport’s would stamp out all other naughty night dramas, and the bar bill is still around to prove it.

The great Boniface, Captain William Davenport, fought with General James Wolfe, who died on the Plains of Abraham during the battle of Quebec. Davenport, a talented wood carver, used his craft to immortalize the distinguished military general by chiseling his likeness into a sign post. The wooden General Wolfe made his debut in 1762 when Davenport opened his doors for business.  The sign continued to patrol the public house until the great fire in 1811, despite threats to all things British.

The Wolfe supplied plentiful libations, warm beds, and fine victuals for locals and visitors. The tavern also hosted meetings for the Marine Society and St. Peter’s Lodge of Freemasons. Even General Washington enjoyed an overnight stint at the Wolfe. On Saturday evenings, men came to the tavern to discuss politics, theology and the state of the crops. They gathered in the capacious barroom at night, around the cheerful, blazing fire, to while away the time with mugs of flip and mulled cider (Currier History of Newbury).

The year was 1765; the issue was the Stamp Act, which created a hotbed of conflict in Massachusetts. The Brits were already in hot water and the locals were fed up! The act would drain money from the colony: “Our Commerce would Stagnate and our Laborers Starve” (Newburyport Town Records). The Sons of Liberty in Newburyport were bent on preventing allegiance to a law that was contrary to the British constitution, certain laws of God and the common rights of mankind (MA House of Representatives).

The atmosphere was the same in every town; riots sprang up all over. According to Rev. Appleton, the “uneasiness” was universal. “All as one man rising up in opposition to it, such a union, as was never before witnessed in all the colonies,” so that, in the language of Dr. Holmes, on November 1, when the act was to take effect, not a sheet of stamped paper was to be had throughout New England, New York, Pennsylvania, and the two Carolinas (Coffin). But Newburyport would overshadow even Beantown’s August revolt!

On September 25, men were summoned to a meeting at the Wolfe to commiserate a stirring. A tavern had the proper ingredients to ease the “Greate Uneasyness and Tumult on Occasion of the Stamp Act.” Spirits fired to scorch a tax collector as well as the pockets of Dr. Joseph Stanwood.  Stanwood, targeted as the main instigator, delegated a posse to storm the streets and stalk locals with the issue at hand: Stamp or no Stamp.

Recalling the infamous evening, Joshua Coffin wrote, “[the] question was put to another stranger, who replied, with a sagacity worthy of a vicar of Bray, or a Talleyrand, 'I am as you are.' He was immediately cheered and applauded, as a true son of liberty, and permitted to depart in peace, wondering, no doubt, at his own sudden popularity (A Sketch of History of Newbury, Newburyport, and West Newbury). However, poor John Boardman, selected for the post of stamp distributor, fell victim to the protest. He was hung in effigy from a tree dubbed “The Liberty Elm” located in Jonathan Greenleaf’s yard. Ten tar barrels surrounded him as his image was snipped and dropped into the flames to burn.

The next morning, when Davenport tallied up the bar tab, he must have held his breath as he handed over a bill for 59 pounds, 17 shillings, and three pence to S D Co. This list including morning brew and vittles consumed after the all-night bender. A very amusing article published in Harper’s Magazine in 1876 estimated a gallon of punch for each partaker who kept his spirits up by pouring spirits down. The “uneasiness” now haunted Davenport as he attempted to collect – 85% was put on credit – eleven pounds from Captain Robud, Richard Farrow, and one Celeby.

Three years after the event, Davenport, on his last nerve, appealed to officials at a town meeting, who voted that he should  receive six pounds and six shillings compensation (Town Records Vol. 1 125). While the Wolfe would see many more nights of  high spirits and even higher bar tabs, like the Independent Military Society’s forty-five toast finish in 1774 (Essex Journal 21 Town records), there will never be another night like the Stamp Act riot!

“Dr. Messrs. Joseph Stanwood & Others of the Town of Newburyport for Sunday expences at My House on Thirsday, Septr. 26th, A.D. 1765. At the Grate Uneasiness and Tumult on Occasion of the Stamp Act.

To William Davenport		Old Tenor
To 3 Double Bowls punch by Capt. Robud’s Order		£3,	7,	6
To 7 Double Bowls of punch		7,	7,	6
To Double Bowl of Egg Toddy			14
To Double Punch 22/6 Single bowl 11/3		1,	13,	9
To Double Bowl Punch 22/6 Double bowl toddy 12/		1,	14,	6
To Bowl Punch 11/3 Bowl Toddy 6/			17,	3
To Double Bowl Toddy 12/ bowl punch 11/3		1,	3,	3
To Double Bowl punch 22/6 Nip Toddy 3/		1,	5,	6
To Mug Flip 5/ To a Thrible Bowl Punch 33/9		1,	18,	9
To Double Bowl Punch 22/6 To a Thrible Bowl Ditto 33/9		2,	16,	3
To Double Bowl Punch 22/6		1,	2,	6
To a Double Bowl Punch 22/6		1,	2,	6
To Thrible Bowl Punch 33/9 Double Bowl Ditto 22/6		2,	16,	3
To Double Bowl Punch 22/6 Bowl Ditto 11/3		1,	13,	9
To Double Bowl Punch 22/6 To Double Ditto 22/6 Bowl		2,	5
To 6 Lemons 15/ To Bowl of Punch 11/3		1,	6,	3
To 2 Double Bowls Punch		2,	5
To Double Bowle Punch 22/6 bowl Punch 11/3		1,	13,	9
To 2 Double Bowles punch 1/5 To bowl punch 11/3		2,	16,	3
To bowl Punch 11/3 To bowl punch 11/3		1,	2,	6
To the Suppers which were cooked Hot		2,	5
To 8 Double Bowles Punch after Supper		9
To Double Bowl Toddy 12/ Bowl Punch 11/3		1,	2,	6
To Bowl Egg Toddy 7/			7
To 6 pintes and 1/2 of Spirits @ 10/ per pint		3,	5
To a Breakfast of Coffee for Sd Company		2,	5
		—————
		59,	17,	3
Lawful Money		7,	19,	7½

Newbury Port 28 Sept. 1765.
Errors excepted William Davenport.”

From Nothing as Yet Having Been Inserted in Any of the Papers, Relative to the Opposition That Newbury-Port Has Made
Date: Monday, March 17, 1766 Paper: Newport Mercury (Newport, RI) Issue: 393 Page: 3

Additional Info as recorded from History of Newburyport J J Currier: WOLFE TAVERN. May 4, 1726, Jonathan Dole, of Newbury, saddler, sold Samuel Greenleaf, of Newbury, tailor, about ten rods of land, no buildings mentioned, for £,2^, bounded and described as follows : southerly on Fish Street or Greenleaf s lane, east- erly by land of Paul Shackford, northerly and westerly by land of the grantor (Essex Deeds, book 47, page 127). Oct. 24, 1 74 1, Samuel Greenleaf, of Newbury, tailor, sold W^illiam Davenport, of Newbury, car\'er, the above-described lot of land with dwelling-house thereon (book 82, page 22). Aug. 5, 1743, Jonathan Dole, of Newbury, saddler, sold William Davenport, of Newbury, carver, a lot of land, con- taining nine rods, seventy-two feet, more or less, adjoining- land of the said Davenport, and bounded on the south by land of the grantee, on the west b)' a way one rod broad (now Threadneedle alley), on the north by a way one and a half rods wide (now^ Inn Street), and on the east by land of the grantor. This deed was recorded Oct. 21, 1774, in the Essex Registry of Deeds, book 123, page 202. For twenty years, William Davenport probabl)- occupied the house purchased of Samuel Greenleaf in 1741 as a resi- dence for himself and family. In 1762, extensive alterations and additions were made, and the house was opened for the entertainment of travellers under the name of Wolfe Ta\-ern. William Davenport probably came to Newbury in 1738, when he was twenty-one years of age. He was a great- grandson of Thomas Davenport, who is recorded as a mem- ber of the church in Dorchester Nov. 20, 1640. Ebenezer Davenport, son of Thomas Davenport, was born in Dorchester, April 26, 1661, where he lived and died. James Davenport, son of Ebenezer Davenport, was born in WOLFE TAVERN 493 Dorchester March i, 1693. He married, first, Grace Tileston, of Dorchester ; second, Sarah, daughter of Josiah and sister of Benjamin Frankhn ; and, third, Mary Walker, of Ports- mouth, N. H. He was an inn-keeper and baker in Boston. Samuel A. Drake, in "Landmarks of Boston," says: — The King's Head, another inn of " ye olden time " was at the north- west corner of Fleet and North Streets, by Scarlett's Wharf. It belongs to the first century of the settlement. It was burned in 1691, and re- built. James Davenport kept it in 1755, and his widow in 175S. James Davenport had, by his three wives, twenty-two children. William, his eldest son, was born in Boston Oct. 19, 1717. Rev. John Lowell, minister of the Third Parish in New- bury, officiated at the marriage of William Davenport to Sarah, daughter of Moses Gerrish, of Newbury, April 3, 1740. Eighteen months later, William Davenport bought the house and land on Fish Street, as previously stated. William Davenport, in the early conveyances of real estate to and from him, is styled " carver." He undoubtedly found steady employment at his trade in Newbury ; for ship-building was prosperous, and many vessels were annually constructed within the limits of the town. An old bill, now in the possession of Mrs. Catherine (Davenport) Pearson, of Newburyport, seems to corroborate and confirm this statement, and to furnish conclusive evidence of his occupation at that date. The items of the bill are as follows : — ■ Ralph Cross To W^ Davenport. 1748. June To fixing the same i . 4. o To 17 foot of tails (o) 9/ per foot 7. 13. o To hair brackets 3.5.0 To 2 Scrowels for the Raills 2. o. o August ^23. 2. o 1752 To 4^ days labour on bord Nathani Newman . . 5. 12. o old tenor ^28. 14. o Newbury Dec'' 24"' 1755 To apeice of timber 13 feet long