Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1858-04-28
REVOLUTIONARY "REMINISCENCES

~'N"H~' "cAilioANOu OSNA DOA"
in 1918. and lived to 1894, was in the
prime Of life when English oppresson OF
the Colonies commenced, and his sons
were old enough to be participatOrs in
tie revolutionary struggle.
The ship carpenters were among the
most active Of the patriots, and Eleazer
Johnston vas one of their leaders. In
deed the ship yards were the hot beds
of the Revolution, and we are not ceatain
that the first aggressive acts against tie
authorities were not there conceived, and
by those men pu. into execution. Il
was the fact that Rev. Mr. Parson' 5
society was composed principally of
them, thai made him the most active at
that time in defence of liberty; so that
at meeting a: his heuse he iurnished j
what was then called liberty tea;' and
at the close Of one Of his sermons, called
for volunteers to step forward in the
church, for the formation of military
company. The same year they built
the powder house. Il774,) the town
voted that the granting IAN excise on
distilled spirits was an infringement upon
the natural rights of Englishmen.' For
this vote all the carpenters in the town
held up their hands. They used to
know then when eleven and four O'Clock
came in the yards.
Next after came the stamp oppression;
and here again they were united; and
from those ship yards. more Than else
where, came the professions that march
ed about the town with The fife and drum,
calling upon every man to answer TO the
question stamp or no stamp? If lie
replied stamp they knocked him down,
hissed at him, or otherwise showed their
displeasure; if no stamp the answer
was fall in-join US no neuirals were
allowed. Eleazer Johnston was in the
head ranks of this semi.rebellion.
Next came the tea difficulty. and all
have heard what was done by the Mo
hawks.' of Boston with the tea at this
pert; but as yet none of our historians
have given the fact, that before Boston
acted in the disguise of Indians, the ship
carpenters Of Newburyport publicly and
openly burned the tea in Market Square
How this well authenticated fact escaped
them, that the first definite resistance to
the tea imposition in this country. was in
NewburypOrt. We cannot tell. But twice
was this resistance made; once by burn
ins it in Federal street, and again in the
Market. The tea was stored in the pow
der house for safe keeping.
Eeazer johnson, standing one day up
on the timber in his yard, called his men
about him. and, after few patriotic
words. gave the ord r, 'All who are
ready TO join, kuock your adzes from
their handles. and follow me- Every
adze in the yard was knocked off, and
that stout, athletic man, who would
have marched through a regiment Of red
coats had they stood in his way, TAX
inI his broad axe as an emblem for
leadership and Tor use, marched at the
head Of The company TO bepo~der house.
There that well tried axe opened a way
the door, and each man, shoul- |
dering his chest of tea again tell into
line. They marched direct to the Mar
ket, and then in single file around the
old meeting house, where the pump now
is, when Johnson's axe opened his chest,
and box and tea were on the ground to-
gether' Each man as he came up, did
The same, when, with his own hand
Johnson lighted the pile and burned it TO
ashes; and on that spot, without disgu. Sc,
the ship carpenters Of Newburyport
burned the first tea that was DESTROYED
in America.