Description:

Lincoln Benjamin 1733 - 1810 In a 1776 meeting in nearby Watertown during the siege of Boston, the Council of the Colony of the Massachusetts-Bay appoints William Thurlo, Minute Man in the Lexington Alarm, as Captain - signed by 16 patriots!
Partly Printed Document Signed "B. Lincoln," "James Otis," "B. Greenleaf," "W. Spooner," "Caleb Cushing," "Joseph Gearish," "John Whetcomb," "Jedh Foster," "Chas. Chauncy," "J. Palmer," "Moses Gill," "Jabez Fisher," "S. Holten," "Michael Farley," and "B. White" as members of the Council of the Massachusetts-Bay and "John Lowell" as Deputy Secretary, 1 page, 12.5' x 9". Watertown, Massachusetts, March 23, 1776. Completed in manuscript. Affixed to a 13.75" x 9.5" sheet of heavy weight paper. Embossed seal affixed with red wax affixed at top left. Minor flaws, holes backed by paper. Very Good condition.



In part, "The Major Part of the COUNCIL of the Massachusetts-Bay, in New-England, to William Thurlo Gentleman Greeting. You being appointed Captain of the ninth Company of the Eighth Regiment of Militia in the County of Worcester, whereof Abijah Stearns Esqr is Colonel By Virtue of the Power vested in us, WE do by these Presents, (reposing special Trust and Confidence in your Loyalty, Courage, and good Conduct,) Commission you accordingly…"


William Thurlo (1744-1784) was Lieutenant, Capt. Ebenezer Bridge's Company, in the Regiment of Minute Men of Col. John Whetcomb (signer of this document) which marched on the alarm of April 19, 1775, to Cambridgeand was Ensign, Capt. Stearns' Company, Col. Doolittle's Regiment, at the siege of Boston. Capt. Thurlo marched on an alarm at Bennington Aug. 22, 1777, under command of Maj. Ebenezer Bridge, at request of Gen. Stark and Col. Warner, and was dismissed by Gen. Benjamin Lincoln after proceeding 90 miles. He also served under Maj. Ebenezer Bridge at Saratoga. Capt. Thurlo served in Rhode Island from July-September 1778.


Benjamin Lincoln was Major General of the Massachusetts Militia and Major General in the Continental Army. James Otis, Benjamin Greenleaf, and Walter Spooner served as Council President at various times in 1775 and 1776. Moses Gill, Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts (1794-1800), was Acting Governor from 1799-1800. Samuel Holten was a Member of the Provincial Congress (1774-1775) and of the Continental Congress (1778-1780, 1783-1785, 1787).


Unbeknownst to the Council members, six days earlier, on March 17, 1776, the eight-year British occupation of Boston ended when British troops evacuated the city and sailed to the safety of Halifax, Nova Scotia.

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