William Molineaux Letters

William Molineaux (c. 1713 – October 22, 1774) was a Boston merchant and a key, but often overlooked, figure in the American Revolution. Best known for his role in the Boston Tea Party of 1773 and earlier political protests, Molineaux was one of the most radical and active organizers of Boston’s resistance to British rule. Though often described as a "hardware merchant," the letters in this collection reveal his involvement in the Triangle Trade.

Molineaux left few surviving manuscripts, making this collection particularly rare. There is no known archive or repository of his papers or business records, and only a handful of documents bearing his signature exist. The Massachusetts Historical Society holds one letter by Molineaux in the Robert Treat Paine Papers.

Unlike many of his contemporaries, Molineaux was born in England and later emigrated to Massachusetts. He was not part of the province’s Congregationalist elite, instead attending an Anglican church and reportedly expressing deist views. He also had a history of violating British trade regulations, sending ships to the Dutch Republic in defiance of imperial restrictions. This history suggests his radical politics may have been driven in part by economic self-interest, as increased customs enforcement in the 1760s threatened his business.

Between 1768 and 1774, Molineaux was second only to Samuel Adams as a leading organizer of Boston’s resistance. He worked alongside figures such as James Otis Jr., John Hancock, James Bowdoin, Dr. Thomas Young, and Dr. Joseph Warren. However, he never held major elective office, wrote no significant political tracts, and died before the first battles of the Revolution, which contributed to his relative obscurity in historical narratives.

Molineaux was known for his fiery temperament and direct action. John Adams described him as "too rash" and "impetuous," noting that his loss was not deeply mourned by more cautious political leaders. He helped lead protests against the Townshend Acts, customs enforcement, and the stationing of British troops, often guiding Boston’s street demonstrations with an implicit threat of violence. He also spearheaded public works projects, such as organizing unemployed Bostonians to spin and weave linen.

In one of his most radical moments, on January 18, 1770, Molineaux advocated for a march on Acting Governor Thomas Hutchinson’s mansion, despite warnings that such an act was treasonous. Following the Boston Massacre, he pushed for aggressive prosecution of both the British soldiers and customs officials. During the 1773 tea crisis, his confrontation with the Clarke family nearly led to an armed standoff. While most Whig leaders gathered at Old South Meeting House on the night of the Boston Tea Party, Molineaux was notably absent—suggesting he was at the waterfront overseeing the destruction of the tea.

By 1774, Molineaux continued to resist British authority, refusing jury duty under royal judges and possibly assisting in gathering artillery for the patriot cause. However, in October of that year, he suddenly fell ill and died on October 22. His death sparked conflicting rumors—some suspected poisoning by British officers, while royalist sympathizers alleged he had committed suicide after being caught embezzling funds from a New York merchant. While his estate was indeed in debt, Molineaux ultimately died of natural causes.

Though his contributions were largely forgotten, Molineaux played a crucial role in Boston’s revolutionary movement, using his wealth, influence, and organizational skills to galvanize public resistance. This collection of letters offers a rare glimpse into his commercial dealings and sheds light on an important but underappreciated figure of the American Revolution.

Samuel Vernon (1683-1737) and his wife, Elizabeth Fleet, lived in Newport, Rhode Island, where he held many public offices. Their eight children included Samuel (1711-1792), Thomas (1718-1784), and William (1719-1806). Thomas, a merchant and royal postmaster, was a Loyalist during the American Revolution. Samuel and William, who both supported the Revolution, jointly ran a shipping firm. William also served as president of the Continental Navy Board. Samuel and his wife, Amey Ward, had ten children; William and his wife, Judith Hardwood, had three children.

Samuel (1711-1792) and William (1719-1806) Vernon were both born in Newport, Rhode Island, the sons of silversmith, Samuel (1683-1737) and Elizabeth (Fleet) Vernon. The two entered business together and created the mercantile firm, Samuel and William Vernon, and established themselves as prominent Newport merchants prior to the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783). Their business was active in all parts of the triangular trade, which involved purchasing enslaved people from Africa with rum from the colonies, selling enslaved people in the West Indies for molasses and selling the molasses in the colonies in order to buy more rum and to continue the trading cycle. The Vernon brothers were also known as the first Newport merchants to sell enslaved people from Africa directly to the southern colonies, making their first sale in Charleson, South Carolina, in 1755. They were also involved in privateering during King George's War (1744-1748). Samuel and William Vernon were in business together until Samuel's death on July 6, 1792. Both Samuel and William were among the original forty-six proprietors of the Redwood Library and William served as president of the Library from 1797 to 1801. William Vernon died on December 22, 1806.