"Denied All Communications" - Newburyport Loyalist Henry Atkins
In the past, we at Untapped History have discussed the various activities of “patriots” that hailed from Newburyport. But what about the Loyalists from that town? A quick review of the historical work The Loyalists of Massachusetts: Their Memorials, Petitions and Claims reveals there were five identified Loyalist families and individuals in a town of three thousand on the eve of the American Revolution. One such individual was Henry Atkins. Mr. Atkins was born in Boston an
"Loaded With Potatoes and Turnips Intended for the Enemy in Boston" - The Privateers of Tr
Along Newburyport's waterfront is a historical marker which highlights the role that Tracy’s Wharf played in the American Revolution. The wharf was originally built by Richard Dole in 1678 and was acquired by Patrick Tracey in 1757. Mr. Tracy was born in Wexford, Ireland in 1711 and eventually immigrated to Newburyport. A very successful businessman, Patrick Tracy erected along his wharf several large warehouses for the storage of merchandise. His large and exquisite home,
"They Performed the Manual Exercise and Filings" - The Independent Marines Prepare for War
When war with England appeared inevitable, the Massachusetts Provincial Congress looked to the colony’s militia to serve as its military arm. The origins of the Massachusetts militia can be traced back to the reign of Edward I, when Parliament enacted legislation decreeing that every freeman between the age of fifteen and sixty was to be available to preserve the peace within his own county or shire. In the towns where the freemen were located, they were organized into milit
"Turn Out! Turn Out! Or You will All Be Killed!" - The Great Ipswich Fright
Two days after the Battles of Lexington and Concord, widespread panic set in among the residents of several North Shore Massachusetts towns. Known as the "Ipswich Fright", this psychological phenomenon led to the mass abandonment of homes and the evacuation of Essex County residents into New Hampshire. Local tradition suggests that on the morning of April 21, 1775, A British naval cutter anchored at the mouth of the Ipswich River. In response, the local alarm list mobilized b
