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| Journal of Jeffery Adams by Mary H. |
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December 12,1773
Today I went down to Faneuil Hall
to barter some food and jewelry for my shop. We needed to know
what was going on in England, since merchants have to get merchandise
from other countries. A merchant’s life is dangerous because some
people smuggle in goods that are not able to be in the country. My life
is dangerous just like the others. Since I have been selling for
almost four years I am used to it.
When I was done trading I went
back to my shop and sold the goods to my customers. My wife came
downstairs, since we lived above the shop. She gave me fruit and
vegetables so I could sell them. My wife went back upstairs to take
care of our son Jonathan because he has the influenza.
After a while, I stepped outside
and went for a walk down Merchant Street where my shop was located.
When I came back I noticed something that I had not noticed before
about my shop. I noticed that in one corner there were burn
marks. I was very curious about the marks.
Well I have to get going and
figure out what had happened to that corner. I will write back later.
Sincerely,
Jeffery Adams
December 17,1773
Today was an ordinary day for me.
I was at my shop selling fruit and vegetables to my customers. We were
running out of wood and it was getting a bit cold. So I went out
and got wood. On my way there I saw people rushing toward the harbor. I
was being quite noisy so I dropped the wood off at my shop and
got my coat and went out to see what was going on.
When I got to the harbor the
place was crowded with hundreds of Bostonians. I did not really know
what was going on, so I asked Indians and they emptied many chests of
tea into the harbor. I was so shocked, but I was not mad because I am a
Patriot. I was concerned because I am scared that the Loyalists might
do something bad.
I ran home as fast as I could.
When I got home my wife asked what happend? I told her that the
Sons of Liberty dressed as Mohawk Indians and emptied many chests of
tea into the harbor. She did not believe me, so we both took Jonathan
with us. When we got there we saw them emptying the chests of tea. When
she saw the Colonists doing that she was as shocked as I was.
After time people started to clear out and go home so my wife, my son
Jonathan , and I went home too.
While we were walking home most
people were talking about what was happening. When we got home we
talked about it a bit more. After that we all went to bed. I was
wondering when I was laying down what was going to happen next.
Sincerely,
Jeffery Adams
December 20, 1773
Today was a ordinary day just
like any other day. I did not really get many items because the harbor
was closed because “the destruction of the Tea.” The harbor was closed
so no ship could come in or out. That’s why I did not get many items.
When I was taking a walk down
near the harbor, I saw people in boats beating down the tea that was
still floating in the harbor. If you got caught with tea you would have
been thrown into the harbor.
I saw one of the men that dumped
the chests of tea into the harbor. He acted like nothing had happened.
Well, I should be going now. I
will write later.
Sincerely,
Jeffery Adams |
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Historical References:
Hakim, Joy. From
Colonies to Country New York, 2003 Oxford University Press.
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