Richard Clarke (merchant)
Encyclopedia
Richard Clarke Boston merchant and Loyalist
, was the son of William and Hannah (Appleton) Clarke of Boston, where he was born. On May 3, 1733 he married Elizabeth Winslow, who has been variously said to be the daughter of Edmund, Isaac, and Col. Edward Winslow. It is probable that she was the Elizabeth, daughter of Edward Winslow and Elizabeth his wife, whose birth of February 16, 1712 is recorded in the Boston records. Both Richard Clarke and his wife were of distinguished ancestry and occupied a high social position.
Richard had graduated from Harvard College
in 1729 and became one of the most prominent merchants in Boston, his firm at the time of the American Revolution
including his two sons, Jonathan and Isaac, under the name of Richard Clarke & Sons. Jonathan was in London
in 1773 and Richard Clarke & Sons were named as factors for the Honourable East India Company and were among the consignees of the tea which was thrown into Boston Harbor
in December of that year, in the Boston Tea Party
. On November 2, they had received a letter signed "O. C.," ordering them to appear at the Liberty Tree
the following Wednesday at noon to make a public resignation of their commission as factors. On Wednesday morning some of the other consignees, including Thomas Hutchinson, Benjamin Faneuil, and Joshua Winslow, met the Clarkes at their warehouse on King Street
. A mob of about five hundred had gathered at the Liberty Tree and, as the merchants did not appear, a considerable number gathered in front of the warehouse. Nine of them went in as emissaries to induce the merchants to yield, and, when they refused to do so, the mob attempted to storm the building but was repulsed. When Jonathan arrived from England there was a gathering of friends at the Clarkes' house in School Street
to welcome him, which led to another attack by the mob. The Clarke firm at first refused to sign the Non-Importation Agreement, but afterward consented. Richard Clarke was also one of the signers of the Address to Gen. Gage
.
The family had become extremely unpopular with the Whigs
, and when, on one occasion, Isaac went to Plymouth to collect some debts, he was attacked and forced to make a midnight escape. Susannah Farnum Clarke, one of Richard's four daughters, had married the artist John Singleton Copley
in 1769 and had gone to live with him in London. In view of the growing difficulties in Boston, Clarke decided to go to England also, and after a remarkable voyage of only twenty-one days landed there on December 24, 1775, and lived at Copley's house until his death. With one of his sons he joined the Loyalist Club of London. The family was on the American proscription lists, but in his will Clarke disposed of considerable property, including Bank of England
stock and American securities.
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
, was the son of William and Hannah (Appleton) Clarke of Boston, where he was born. On May 3, 1733 he married Elizabeth Winslow, who has been variously said to be the daughter of Edmund, Isaac, and Col. Edward Winslow. It is probable that she was the Elizabeth, daughter of Edward Winslow and Elizabeth his wife, whose birth of February 16, 1712 is recorded in the Boston records. Both Richard Clarke and his wife were of distinguished ancestry and occupied a high social position.
Richard had graduated from Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
in 1729 and became one of the most prominent merchants in Boston, his firm at the time of the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
including his two sons, Jonathan and Isaac, under the name of Richard Clarke & Sons. Jonathan was in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1773 and Richard Clarke & Sons were named as factors for the Honourable East India Company and were among the consignees of the tea which was thrown into Boston Harbor
Boston Harbor
Boston Harbor is a natural harbor and estuary of Massachusetts Bay, and is located adjacent to the city of Boston, Massachusetts. It is home to the Port of Boston, a major shipping facility in the northeast.-History:...
in December of that year, in the Boston Tea Party
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a direct action by colonists in Boston, a town in the British colony of Massachusetts, against the British government and the monopolistic East India Company that controlled all the tea imported into the colonies...
. On November 2, they had received a letter signed "O. C.," ordering them to appear at the Liberty Tree
Liberty Tree
The Liberty Tree was a famous elm tree that stood in Boston near Boston Common, in the days before the American Revolution. Ten years before the American Revolution, colonists in Boston staged the first act of defiance against the British government at the tree...
the following Wednesday at noon to make a public resignation of their commission as factors. On Wednesday morning some of the other consignees, including Thomas Hutchinson, Benjamin Faneuil, and Joshua Winslow, met the Clarkes at their warehouse on King Street
State Street (Boston)
State Street is a major street in the financial district in Boston, Massachusetts and is one of the oldest streets in the city. The street is the site of some historic landmarks. The Faneuil Hall Marketplace can also be found nearby...
. A mob of about five hundred had gathered at the Liberty Tree and, as the merchants did not appear, a considerable number gathered in front of the warehouse. Nine of them went in as emissaries to induce the merchants to yield, and, when they refused to do so, the mob attempted to storm the building but was repulsed. When Jonathan arrived from England there was a gathering of friends at the Clarkes' house in School Street
School Street
School Street is a short but significant street in the center of Boston, Massachusetts. It is so named for being the site of the first public school in the United States...
to welcome him, which led to another attack by the mob. The Clarke firm at first refused to sign the Non-Importation Agreement, but afterward consented. Richard Clarke was also one of the signers of the Address to Gen. Gage
Thomas Gage
Thomas Gage was a British general, best known for his many years of service in North America, including his role as military commander in the early days of the American War of Independence....
.
The family had become extremely unpopular with the Whigs
Patriot (American Revolution)
Patriots is a name often used to describe the colonists of the British Thirteen United Colonies who rebelled against British control during the American Revolution. It was their leading figures who, in July 1776, declared the United States of America an independent nation...
, and when, on one occasion, Isaac went to Plymouth to collect some debts, he was attacked and forced to make a midnight escape. Susannah Farnum Clarke, one of Richard's four daughters, had married the artist John Singleton Copley
John Singleton Copley
John Singleton Copley was an American painter, born presumably in Boston, Massachusetts, and a son of Richard and Mary Singleton Copley, both Irish. He is famous for his portrait paintings of important figures in colonial New England, depicting in particular middle-class subjects...
in 1769 and had gone to live with him in London. In view of the growing difficulties in Boston, Clarke decided to go to England also, and after a remarkable voyage of only twenty-one days landed there on December 24, 1775, and lived at Copley's house until his death. With one of his sons he joined the Loyalist Club of London. The family was on the American proscription lists, but in his will Clarke disposed of considerable property, including Bank of England
Bank of England
The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694, it is the second oldest central bank in the world...
stock and American securities.