borders shattered that world forever.
Chapter Three
REBELS, RIOTERS AND SPIES
Framingham in the American Revolution
A T OWN OF F ARMERS
Framingham on the eve of the American Revolution was a small agricultural town. In the 1765 provincial census, the town had 205 houses containing 234 families and a total population of 1,313. While a huge increase over the mere 7 families who were living here in 1675, this was roughly similar to the population of the surrounding townsâMarlborough had 1,287 people, Concord 1,564, Sudbury (which still included Wayland) was a bit larger at 1,773, Sherborn smaller at 643 and Natick smaller still at 511. (Boston, by far the largest town in the province, had 15,520 residents.) Almost the entire population lived on farmsâeven those men who had other professions such as miller, carpenter, tavern keeper, shoemaker or blacksmith were generally also farmers.
The surnames of the town officeholders in the early 1770s were largely familiar onesâMajor Lawson Buckminster, Captain Josiah Stone, James Clayes Jr., Captain Joseph Eamesâplus a few whose families were relative newcomers to Framingham, such as Major John Trowbridge, Daniel Sanger and Deacon William Brown. Yet perhaps the most prominent of Framinghamâs sons to gain fame in the era of the Revolution was not culled from the ranks of these town fathers, although he was in fact owned by one of them.
C RISPUS A TTUCKS , M ARTYR TO THE R EVOLUTION
Those who lacked the means to own their own farms worked as laborers for others. At the bottom of society were slaves. Although small in scale compared to the South, slavery continued to exist in Massachusetts until it was outlawed just after the Revolution in 1783, when a court ruled it incompatible with the freedoms guaranteed in the new state constitution of 1780. In 1765, there were twenty-five African Americans living in Framingham, although it is unclear how many were free and how many were slaves.
That some of them were slaves there is no doubt. There had been slaves in Framingham at least as early as 1716, when Jone Jackson, a slave owned by John Stone, sought her freedom. There were never large numbers of slaves in the town, just one or two owned by each of the wealthiest families, and their duties could vary widely. It did not resemble the gang labor employed in agriculture in the South that we often picture when thinking of slavery, though the institution was certainly no less abhorrent.
Not much is definitely known about the life of Crispus Attucks. He is believed to have been half African American and half Native American and a descendant of John Auttuck, a Natick Indian who was hanged alongside Captain Tom during King Philipâs War in 1676 (see Chapter One ). Local lore has it that he was born in the vicinity of Hartford Street in what is now Framingham, although at the time it lay within the bounds of Natick. On October 2, 1750, the following advertisement ran in the Boston Gazette :
RAN-away from his Master , William Brown of Framingham, on the 30 th of Sept. last, a Molatto Fellow, about 27 Year of Age, named Crispas [sic], 6 Feet two Inches high, short curlâd Hair, his Knees nearer together than common; had on a light colour of Bearskin Coat, plain brown Fustian Jacket, or brown all-Wool one, new Buckskin Breeches, blue Yarn Stockings, and a checkâd woolen Shirt. Whoever shall take up said Run-away, and convey him to his abovesaid Master, shall have ten Pounds, old Tenor Reward, and all necessary Charges paid. And all Masters of Vessels and others are hereby cautionâd against concealing or carrying off said Servant on Penalty of the Law .
It was said that other than this one incident, Attucks had a good relationship with his master, Deacon William Brown. He was deemed âa good judge of cattle,â and Brown gave him broad discretion to conduct business. He later became a sailor in the coastal trade, supposedly with Brownâs
Chapter Three
REBELS, RIOTERS AND SPIES
Framingham in the American Revolution
A T OWN OF F ARMERS
Framingham on the eve of the American Revolution was a small agricultural town. In the 1765 provincial census, the town had 205 houses containing 234 families and a total population of 1,313. While a huge increase over the mere 7 families who were living here in 1675, this was roughly similar to the population of the surrounding townsâMarlborough had 1,287 people, Concord 1,564, Sudbury (which still included Wayland) was a bit larger at 1,773, Sherborn smaller at 643 and Natick smaller still at 511. (Boston, by far the largest town in the province, had 15,520 residents.) Almost the entire population lived on farmsâeven those men who had other professions such as miller, carpenter, tavern keeper, shoemaker or blacksmith were generally also farmers.
The surnames of the town officeholders in the early 1770s were largely familiar onesâMajor Lawson Buckminster, Captain Josiah Stone, James Clayes Jr., Captain Joseph Eamesâplus a few whose families were relative newcomers to Framingham, such as Major John Trowbridge, Daniel Sanger and Deacon William Brown. Yet perhaps the most prominent of Framinghamâs sons to gain fame in the era of the Revolution was not culled from the ranks of these town fathers, although he was in fact owned by one of them.
C RISPUS A TTUCKS , M ARTYR TO THE R EVOLUTION
Those who lacked the means to own their own farms worked as laborers for others. At the bottom of society were slaves. Although small in scale compared to the South, slavery continued to exist in Massachusetts until it was outlawed just after the Revolution in 1783, when a court ruled it incompatible with the freedoms guaranteed in the new state constitution of 1780. In 1765, there were twenty-five African Americans living in Framingham, although it is unclear how many were free and how many were slaves.
That some of them were slaves there is no doubt. There had been slaves in Framingham at least as early as 1716, when Jone Jackson, a slave owned by John Stone, sought her freedom. There were never large numbers of slaves in the town, just one or two owned by each of the wealthiest families, and their duties could vary widely. It did not resemble the gang labor employed in agriculture in the South that we often picture when thinking of slavery, though the institution was certainly no less abhorrent.
Not much is definitely known about the life of Crispus Attucks. He is believed to have been half African American and half Native American and a descendant of John Auttuck, a Natick Indian who was hanged alongside Captain Tom during King Philipâs War in 1676 (see Chapter One ). Local lore has it that he was born in the vicinity of Hartford Street in what is now Framingham, although at the time it lay within the bounds of Natick. On October 2, 1750, the following advertisement ran in the Boston Gazette :
RAN-away from his Master , William Brown of Framingham, on the 30 th of Sept. last, a Molatto Fellow, about 27 Year of Age, named Crispas [sic], 6 Feet two Inches high, short curlâd Hair, his Knees nearer together than common; had on a light colour of Bearskin Coat, plain brown Fustian Jacket, or brown all-Wool one, new Buckskin Breeches, blue Yarn Stockings, and a checkâd woolen Shirt. Whoever shall take up said Run-away, and convey him to his abovesaid Master, shall have ten Pounds, old Tenor Reward, and all necessary Charges paid. And all Masters of Vessels and others are hereby cautionâd against concealing or carrying off said Servant on Penalty of the Law .
It was said that other than this one incident, Attucks had a good relationship with his master, Deacon William Brown. He was deemed âa good judge of cattle,â and Brown gave him broad discretion to conduct business. He later became a sailor in the coastal trade, supposedly with Brownâs
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