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| Wigmaker's Journal on Boston Tea
Party Found in Boston by Evan M. |
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November 31st 1773
To my wonderful sister Sarah,
I have a very uneasy feeling right now. In fact for the last 3 years,
since the massacre on King street I have had this uneasy feeling. I
feel that Boston, a normally gentle place, is about to erupt with
violence and anger because of these "Lobsterbacks," also known as the
British Soldiers. They are ruining our city little by little every
single day. Surely you know not the high tensions over there in London,
because all are Loyalists, like you, and you don't have to worry about
us Patriots rebelling. The only thing you have to worry about is
deciding what merchant to buy your tea from. So I shall tell you no
more about my problems. For you have no worries; that disgusts me.
Today I woke up while my apprentice was still asleep. I ate some
leftover food from the previous night . Then I awoke John Nays,
my apprentice, and told him to go wake my other workers. I told
them to meet me at my shop on King Street for I wanted to get started
on Patriot and friend John Adams’ queue (ponytail) wig. It is a six man
job from sunrise to sunset so we needed to get started. I rode my horse
to work, traveling 180 rods to get there. Later when we finished,
I
treated John to fish muddle for dinner and a gingerbread cake for
dessert. After dinner I read some of my book and did my daily prayer
with Nays. Now I am writing this while listening to the heavy snoring
of my apprentice, trying to fit all of my many thoughts in this
devilish thing.
Something else happened today, something quite peculiar. Three ships
carrying tea docked here today. The ships names are "The Dartmouth",
"The Eleanor", and "The Beaver". Have you heard anything about this
over in London? There is going to be trouble because Parliament has put
a three pence tax on tea regarding the matter of losing all their
money. I fear for the taxers because a man of which I know not his name
was severely beaten for trying to collect taxes. Tempers are starting
to rise because Governor Thomas Hutchinson won't let the ships leave,
apparently trying to show his power. He thinks that he has to prove
that he has money and that he can do what he wants when he wants
without anybody getting in the way. We Patriots want his ships to leave
not because of the tax, I can pay that, I can afford alot of things,
but
because the idea of us paying for something the loyalists have gotten
themselves into. Oh yes, I have an important statement to tell you. I
was recently accepted into the Sons of Liberty, a gang led by Samuel
Adams that exercises their Patriot rights. I guess they can trust me
because I do make their wigs and do their surgery and pull their teeth.
I also think they like me because I am kind but if someone tries to
harm my friends, I will spoil for a fight. That is extremely exciting
because some of the most respected apothecaries, silversmiths, and just
highly honorable people are in this group. Anyway I have got to go to
their first secret meeting at the South Meeting House so send my
regards to mother and be safe.
Love your dearest brother,
Gary Barker
December 16th 1773
Dearest Sarah,
Today is the due date. The ships have to leave by midnight
tonight or they will get unloaded. When I went to that Sons of Liberty
meeting a couple of weeks ago at the South Meeting House, I found out
some crucial and important secrets. However I can not share my
knowledge with you alas someone may intercept our letter and forewarn
the British about our secret plan...
Anyway, today I awoke to a brisk and chilly wind as I stepped outside
to go to Griffins Wharf to get my supplies for my wigs such as: Yak
hair, Goat hair, and a small supply of young women’s hair. As I was
walking I pulled a plain small sweet smelling JohnnyCake out of my
pocket and started to eat it when I witnessed a group of young lads
heckling a British Soldier by throwing sticks and stones at him and
taunting the soldier by calling him a "Damn Lobsterback." I remember
thinking "Oh no they have got to stop that,” somebody's going to to get
hurt just like that Christopher Seider lad 3 years ago. But when I
looked at the British Soldier again I suddenly got a feeling of anger,
those British have no right at all to be here I thought and so I yelled
out: ''Good Job boys, they don't belong here, keep it up, get those
damn Redcoats out of here," and those 16 words gave me such a feeling
of power and such a feeling of anger towards the British I just am
spoiling for a fight or I would like to do something drastic, maybe
tonight?
Alas, I am waiting to travel yonder to the Green Dragon Tavern where I
will meet around 30 other Patriots and we will go to the wharf dressed
as Mohawk Indians and further more await instructions from Mister
Samuel Adams. I should best be leaving so send my regards to Mother and
you two take good care of yourselves and be safe and careful.
With much love, always yours,
Gary Barker
December 30th 1773
Oh lovely Sarah, I am so sorry to hear about young Jessica. Smallpox is
such a dreadful disease. And I feel terribly bad about her loss at such
a young age of 3 years, but alas thou will get through with support
of friends and family. Let me ask you a question though, did you
try to bleed her or pull any teeth? These work for my clients, As a
wigmaker I also am a dentist and a barber as you probably already know,
you being a lawyer and all. But I am still deeply sorry, but I know
that
thee shall get through it.
Anyways, life here in Boston is both wonderful and terrible at
the same time. Let me tell you of the latest events. About two weeks
ago 150 Sons of Liberty including me I dressed up as Mohawk Indians and
raided the three tea ships and dumped the big square black blocks of
tea into the harbor while the British soldiers made no attempts
whatsoever to stop us. Some of them even helped us dump the tea! But
there was one case of injury where a fellow tea dumper and Son of
Liberty got hit in the head by a loose winch and fell to the ground
unconscious. We made sure that only the tea was harmed and the boat or
the rigging wasn't touched at all. But what I was surprised about was
that Samuel Adams organized this whole thing which is a monster of a
thing to do for just one man, but sometimes I think he is more than a
man.
It was a major event that will hopefully change the way the
British treat us. To try to pull taxation without representation
on us, hopefully it will show them that there are rebels here and
that we do have spirit and that they need to treat us with a little bit
of respect, even though they might close our harbor. So as I am sitting
here thinking about the exciting adventures of these last couple of
weeks, I realized I have to teach Mister Nays about wig making. I was
teaching Mister Nays the basics of wig making, which is pulling teeth,
surgery, new fashions from London,and wig weaving, when who should come
to the door but John Adams explaining that the British are starting
to close down the ports which is why I am writing you now, but don't
bother to write me back because it probably won't reach me. We found
out that 342 crates of tea had been thrown overboard and cut repeatedly
with hatchets. Also in Philadelphia and New York they wouldn't
let ships dock, and in Charleston they sent the ships out to the sea to
rot. So be careful and be safe and know that my heart is with you and
mother, but right now I am afraid that there is a war in the dark
future and things are getting worse but I will stay strong.
Much Love,
Gary Barker.
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Historical References:
About Wigmaking. April 7th 2006.
Boston Tea Party Ships and Museums. April 26th 2006.
http://www.bostonteapartyship.com/history.asp
Colonial Life and Food. April 5th 2006.
www.colonialwilliamsburg.orgAlmanac/life/food/foodhdr.com
Cornerstones of Freedom.
April 23rd 2006 The Boston Tea Party.
R.Conrad Stein. Grolier
Publishing. New York.1996
Eighteenth Century Hair. April 5th 2006.
www.costumes.org/history/100pages/18thhair.htm
History Colonization. April 7th 2006.
http://www.kidinfo.com/American_history/colonization_colonial
_life.html
www.history.org/history/teaching/wigmkr.cfm.
Jansen,Cassandra.BostonTeaparty.April 28, 2006.
www.let.rug.h1/usa/E/teaparty/bostonxt.htm
us-history.BostonTeaParty.April 28, 2006.
2006.http://www.v-s-history.com/pages/hg4ghtm
Wigmaker. April 7, 2006.
www.americanparknet.com/parkinfo/cw/sights/trades.html
Wigmaking. April 8th 2006.
www.edhelper.com/readingcomprehension_35_slo.htm/
Wigmaking and famous events. April 5th 2006 and April 27th 2006.
www.Kidport.com.
Wigmakers. April 3, 2006.
Http://www.pocanticohills.org/tradesman/wigmaker.htm
World Book: Boston Tea Party.
Pauline Maier.April 23rd 2006
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Historical Terms
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| liberty |
Parliament |
| tax |
Lobsterback |
| rods |
apprentice |
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About the Historian
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Evan Michalski's full name is Samuel
Evan Adkins
Michalski but everbody calls him Evan. He loves Football and Basketball
but he thinks Lacrosse is fun to. He also loves hanging out with his
friends and he says you
will never catch him without a football or without music.
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