Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1851-04-04
THE LAST MAN OF THE TEA PARTY.

from the press of Harper a. Brothers, gives a
sketch of Mr.. David Knnison, said to be the on
ly survivor of the famous Tea Party in his
18th year
David Kinnison was born the 18th of Novem
ber 1886, in Old Kingston, near Portsmouth,
province of Maine. Soon afterward his parents
removed to Brentwood, and thence in few years
to Lebanon (Maine,) at which place he followed
the business Of farming until the commencement
OF the Revolutionary war. He is descended from
a long lived race. His great grandfather. who
came from England at an early day, and settled
in Name lived to very advanced age; his grand
father attained the age of one hundred and twelve
years and ten days. his father died at the age OF
one hundred and three years and nine months ;
his mother died while he was young.
He has had four wives, neither of whom is
now living he had four children by his first
wife and eighteen by his second none by the
last two. He was taught to read after he was
sixty years of age, by his grandfather, and learn
ed to sign his name while soldier of the Revo-
luton, which is all the writing he has ever ac-
complished.
He was one of seventeen inhabitants of I,eba-
non who some time previous to the "Tea Party"
formed club which held secret meetings to de-
liBorate upon the grievances offered BY the moth
er country. These meetings were held at the
tavern of one "Colonel Gooding," in private
room hired for the occasion The landlord,
thougha true American, was not enlightened as
| to the object of their meeting. Similar clubs
were formed i'll Philadelphia, Boston, and the
towns around. With these the Lebanon Club
kept up correspondence. They (the Lebanon
Club determined, whether assisted or not, to de-
stroy the tea at all hazards. They repaired to
Boston, where they were Joined by others and
twenty -four, disguised as Indians, FASTENED on
board twelve armed with mnskets and bayonets,
the rest with tomahawks and clubs, having first
agreed, whatever might be the result, to stand
by each other to the last, and that the first man
who faltered should be knocked on the head and
thrown over with the tea. They expected to
have fight, and did not doubt that an effort
would be made for their arrest. "But" (in the
| language Of the old man) ''We cared no more for
! our lives than three straWS, and determined TO
throw the tea overheard. We were all captains
and every one commanded himself" They
pledged themselves in no event while it should
be dangerous to do 50, to reveal the names of the
party-a pledge which was faithfully observed
until the war of the Revolution was brought to
| a successful issue.
Mr. kinnison was in active service during the
| whole war, only returning home once from the
time ofthe destruction Of the tea until peace had
been declared. He participated in the affair at
Lexington, and, with his father and two brothers
was at the battle of Bunker Hill, all four csca-
ping unhurt. He was within few feet of War
rem when that officer fell. He was also enga-
ged in the siege of Boston; the battles of Long
Island, White Plains, and Fort Montgomery
skrmishos on Staten Island, the battles of Still
water, Red Bank, and Germantown; and lastly
in a skirmsh at Saratoga Springs, in which his
company (scouts) were surrounded and Captur-
ed by about three hundred Mohawk Indians He
A. !
en- months, about the end of which time peace
was declared. After the war he settled at Dan
/ vile, Vermont, and engaged in his old occupation
| of farming. lie resided there eight wears, and
then removed to Wells, in the State of Maine,
where he remained until the commencement of
the last war with Great Britain. He was in
service during the whole of that war. and was
in the battles of Sackett's llarbor and Williams
| burg In the latter conflict he was badly wound
ed in the hand by grapc-shot the only injury
which he received in all his engagements.
Since the war he has lived at Lyme and at
Sackett's IIarbor, New York. At Lyme while
engaged in telling tree, he was struck down by
a limb, which fractured his skull and broke his
coar-bone and two Of his ribs. While attending
"training'' at Sackcu's IIarbor, one of the can
| non having been loaded (as he says "with rotten
wood, was discharged. Tie contents struck
the end of rail close by him with such force as
| to carry it around, breaking and badly SCATTERING
both his legs midway between his ankles and
knees. He was confined long time by his
wound, and, when able again to walk, both legs
| had contracted permanent "feycr sores" His
! right hip has been draw n ont Of Joint by rheuma-
tSm. A large scar upon his forehead gives con-
elusive testimony of its having come in contact
with the heels of a horse In his own language
he ''has been completely bunged up and stove
in."
When last he heard of his children there were
but seven OF the twenty-five living. These
were scattered abroad from Canada to the Rock
V Mountains. He has entirely lost all traces Of
them, and knows not that any are still living.
Nearly five years ago he went to Chicago with
the family of William Mack with whom he is
now living. Hell reduced to extreme poverty.
and depends solely upon his pension OF ninety
six dollars per annum for subsistence most of
! which he pays for his board. Occasionly he is
assisted by private donations. Up to l848 he
has always made something by labor. The
last season." says my informant 'he told me he
had gathered one hundred bushels of corn, dug
potatoes. made hay, and harvested cats. But
now he finds himself too nfrm to labor, though
he thinks he could walk twenty miles in day by
starting eorly.'
He has evidently been very muscular man.
Although not large, his frame is one of great
power He boasts of "the strength OF former
years Nine years ago, he says, he LITE
barrel Of rum into wagon with ease. His
hight is about five feet ten inches, with an expan-
sive chest and broad shoulders. He walks some
what bent, bat with as much yigor as many al
most hafa century younger. His eye is usually
somewhat dim, but, when excited by the rccol-
lection of his past evcntful life, it wrinkles and
rolls in lis socket with remarkable activity. His
memory Of recent events is not retentive, while
the string scenes through which he passed in
his youth appear to be mapped out upon his mind
in unfading colors. He is fond of martial music.
The drum and fife of the recruiting service. he
says, daily put new life into him" an fact"
he says, "it's the sweetest music in the world.
There's some sense in the drum, and fife, and
buge, but those pianos and other such trash
can't stand it."
Many years ago he was troubled with partial
deafness; his sight also failed him somewhat, and
he was compelled to use glasses. OF late years
both hearing and sight have returned to him as
perfectly as he ever possessed them. He is
playful and cheerful in his disposition. 81 have
seen him says my informant, "tor hours upon
the sidewalk with the little children, entering
with uncommon zest into their childish past