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| Housewife Reveals Information on
Christopher Seider by Tia G. |
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February 20, 1770
Dear Diary,
Today was a rather queer day indeed. As I was going down to the market
to buy spices and flour, British soldiers were marching down the street
towards the Common. I saw a small group of young boys about my son
Henry’s age taunting the soldiers and calling them names such as
Lobsterbacks, Redcoats, and a few other words I shall not mention
Ever since the Townshend Acts were passed in 1767, people have
been
acting like savages! It’s not that I am so shaken over the taxation,
It’s just us colonists had no say in the matter! People are so upset
about it that they are willing to take lives over it, and that just
should not be an option! I can only fear for my son that he too, might
be spoiling for a fight. I know he and his friends truly hate the
soldiers, and so do I, but I don’t want to come to find that my son got
hurt in a fight with a loyalist.
Victor, my husband, comes home every night telling me about
conversations he overhears about the lobsterbacks in his Tavern; The
Ivory Creek. The exchanging of words he heard last night 'twas
something about a mob but I can not quite recall. It tis rather hard to
hear him over the chattering of the children. Perhaps my husband will
come home tonight with a conversation against the crown. Poor Gracia,
my little girl. She only be four years old and she is all caught up in
this. About a week ago while I was cleaning the house she says to
me
“Mommy, why are the bad men still here?” I did not know what to tell
here, but all I said was” Everything is going to be all right.” I just
hope what I said was true!
Letty Van Howell
February 23, 1770
Dear Diary,
A terrible event happened yesterday evening. Henry and his friends took
part in an angry mob outside of a Loyalist merchants home. It
displeases me so to find my son in such a gathering. Henry came home
that night sobbing. He came to me saying his best friend was shot
shot
twice; once in the stomach, and once in the eye. At the time I
was
giving Gracia a washing and she look at me horrified. I could not bare
the look on her face.
His killer was Ebenezer Richardson, the very same merchant whom
was targeted by the angry mob. As much as it pains me to punish Henry,
what he did was wrong. Putting their lives in danger! Even though the
loyalists deserved it. But for their actions that young boy is dead!
The knowledge that my son has been caught up in this terrifies me.
I have also been informed by Christopher’s mother that his body has
been taken to Faneuil Hall by a man named Samuel Adams. Such a horrible
man Ebenezer Richardson is! The mob scene had not have been that bad to
go and shoot a bullet through an innocent young child! I hope he gets
sent to prison for that.
Letty Van Howell
February 28, 1770
Dear Diary,
In my last writing I mentioned a man named Samuel Adams and how he took
poor Christopher Seider’s body to Faneuil Hall. I soon found out that
the reason for this is because Samuel Adams wanted to provide a funeral
for Christopher. Many attended, including people I have never even met
before in my life. There must have been hundreds of people following
the procession! There was so many people that I got separated from my
husband and children.
I searched everywhere for them, but there was so many people that it
was barely possible. I was trying to cross the street and I
tripped over an old man’s foot. I was now covered in dirt darker than
my own dress, and the ground was very cold. I could feel the little
warmth I had left escaping my body. As I was trying to get up, someone
almost toppled right on top of me! When I saw who it was, she looked
surprised to see me, like she has met me somewhere before. She and her
husband helped me up from that bitter-cold ground. The woman left after
that. It seemed that this whole ordeal was to tragic for her.
Every one walked down to the Granary to bury the boy. Henry held tight
to my hand and had a look an his face that seemed to say “How dare you!
How dare you leave us!” I assured him that it was not
Christopher’s fault for him being in this state, neither was it Henry’s.
We finally got home, but it didn’t seem like home at all. Everyone was
quiet. Even little Gracia, whom is always talking to herself. All she
was doing that night was staring out the window as if she was waiting
for Christopher to come over to play. Johanna my second youngest was
sewing a doily. Perhaps this nonsense is over now. Or maybe it is just
the beginning.
Letty Van Howell |
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Historical References:
Shoales, Parker Gary. Backround Information. Justice and
Dissent. April 2006.
<http://home.att.net/~betsynewmark/Bostinfo.html>
"Colonial Woman". Portland State University. March 2oo6.
<http://www.iroquoisdemocracy.pdx.edu/html/colonialwoman.htm>
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