Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1852-03-16


And still they steal the record,
And bear il far away;
This mission fight by day or night,
No magic power can stay.
So teach me, Heavenly Father
To spend each flying hour,
That as they go, they may not show
My heart poison Hover
THE LAST OF THE "BOSTON TEA PARTY. "
While we write, the remains of David Kinni-
son, the last of that famous company OF brave,
daring men who composed the world renown-
ed Boston Tea Party, lies few blocks distant
from our Office, clad in the vesture of the tomb.
The death of one who bore so conspicuous a
part in those early struggles for freedom, the
fruits Of which we daily and hourly enjoy, but
which it is to be feared, we do not fully appreci-
ate, has impressed the public mind with unusual
solemnity, and there is much solicitude to learn
the particulars Of the history of the man, who,
while living amongst us attracted, we are sorry
to say, but little of the public attention and in
tcrest Friends, however, the old man had
What the public should have performed rs an
act of duty and gratitude,a private family, bound
to the old man by no other ties than those of a
common humanity, voluntarily assumed, and,
careless of their own comfort and ease, for ten
tenderness and assiduity that could have been
expected of them had they been his own off
spring. Let our citizens remember Mr.. and Mrs.
William e. Mack!
Some three years ago, at the solicitation of
Mr.. LOSING, who was then engaged upon n
work that he has since published under the title
of "Field Notes of the Revolution" We took
down from the old gentlemans lips a brief
,>f ba nhcto Of xubi oh
we proceed to lay before the readers of the Iri-
bune:
David Kinnison was born the 18th of Novem-
ber 1886, in Old Kingston, near Portsmouth,
Province of Maine, and was consequently one
hundred and fifteen years, three months and sew
EN- days old, at the time of his death. Soon af-
ter his birth, his parents removed to Brentwood,
and thence in few years to Lebanon (NIaine),
at which place he followed the business of farm
ing until the commencement of the Revolution
ary war. He was descended from long lived
race His great grandfather, who came from
England at an early day, and settled in Maine,
lived to very advanced age; his grandfather at
tanned 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
hy his second; none by the last two. He was
taught to read after he was sixty years of age,
by his grand daughter, and learned to sign his
name while soldier of the Revolution, which
was all the writing he ever accomplished.
Sometime previous to the celebrated "Tea
Party" himself and sixteen others, inhabitants
of Lebanon, organized themselves into politi-
cal club. They were in the habit of holding Sc
cret meetings for the purpose of deliberating up
on the grievances imposed upon the colonies by
the mother country.
These meetings were held at the tavern of
one Colonel Gooding," in private room hired
for the occasion. The landlord, though true
American; was not enlightened as to the object
of their meeting. Similar clubs were formed in
Philadelphia, Boston, and the towns around
With these the Lebanon Club kept up cores
pondence. They (the Lebanon Club) determn-
cd whether assisted or not, to destroy the tea
in Boston Harbor, at all hazards.
They repaired to Boston, where they were
joined Oy others; and twenty-fOur disguised as
Indians, boarded the vessels, twelve armed with
muskets 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 a fight, and did not
doubt that an effort would be made for their
arrest. "But," Tin the language the old man)
ave cared no more for our lives than three
straws and were determined to throw the tea
overheard. We were all captains, and every
one commanded himself" They pledged them
selves TO each other, that in no event, while it
was dangerous to do so, would they reveal the
names of the party, a pledge which was faith
fully observed until the war Of the Revolution
was brought to successful issue.
Mr.. Kinnison was in actual service during the
whole war, only returning home once from the
time of the destruction of the tea, until peace
had been declared. He participated in the af-
fair at Lexington, and, with his father and two
brothers, was at the battle of Bunker Hill, all
four escaping unhurt. He was within few
feet Of Warren when that officer fell. He was
also engaged in the siege of Boston; the battles
of Long Island, White Plains, and Fort Mont
gomery; skirmishes on Staten Island, the bat
ties Of Saltwater, Red Bank, and Germantown
"a laotlv a.. N al. a -