George Robert Twelves Hewes
| George Robert Twelves Hewes | |
|---|---|
Portrait of Hewes painted by Joseph G. Cole in 1835.
|
|
| Born |
August 25, 1742 Boston, Massachusetts Bay, British America |
| Died | November 5, 1840 (aged 98) Richfield Springs, New York |
| Buried at | Grand Army of the Republic cemetery, Richfield Springs, New York |
| Allegiance | |
| Service/branch |
Massachusetts militia Massachusetts Navy (Privateer) |
| Years of service | Massachusetts militia - 1777, 1778, 1780, 1781 Privateer - 1776 (with the Diamond), 1779 (with the Defence) |
| Rank | Private |
| Spouse(s) | Sarah Hewes |
| Other work | Shoemaker |
George Robert Twelves Hewes (August 25, 1742 – November 5, 1840) was a participant in the political protests in Boston at the onset of the American Revolution, and one of the last survivors of the Boston Tea Party and the Boston Massacre. Later he fought in the American Revolutionary War as a militiaman and privateer. Shortly before his death at the age of 98, Hewes was the subject of two biographies and much public commemoration.
In his biographies, written at the end of his life, Hewes recalled that his participation in the Patriot movement began on March 5, 1770, when he joined the mob of Bostonian apprentices and craftsmen present at what is now called the Boston Massacre. Hewes joined the crowd in support of the apprentice who was trying to collect on a debt from British Captain John Goldfinch. Hewes was unarmed during the riot that ensued, but nonetheless he suffered injury when British Private Kilroy struck him in the shoulder with his rifle. On his way home that night Hewes had a verbal confrontation with two British soldiers, which he related in an official deposition the next day.
On December 16, 1773, Hewes joined the band of Bostonians who protested the Tea Act by dumping tea into Boston Harbor, an event now called the Boston Tea Party. The protesters divided themselves into three boarding parties, each going aboard one of the three tea ships, Dartmouth, Eleanor and Beaver. Hewes was appointed "boatswain" of his party that boarded Dartmouth, mostly on account of his "whistling talent." In his capacity as boatswain, Hewes went to the captain of the boarded ship to demand the keys to the tea chests. He also fought with Captain O'Connor, a fellow protester who was trying to take some of the tea for himself. According to Hewes, it took three hours to empty every tea chest and throw the content into the Boston Harbor. Like the other protesters, Hewes then quietly returned to his place of residence.
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Wikipedia