THE REVOLUTIONARY SHORE – January 4, 1775

By Kellee Blake

250 years ago . . .

Court official Littleton Savage had more tea than one man could possibly consume—pounds and pounds and pounds of it. The cache of treasured tea was not his, but belonged to the residents of Northampton County. The County’s newly formed Committee of Inspection was eager to support the Continental Association’s prohibitions against British goods. British tea was not to be consumed and real patriotism—as shown in Boston, Chestertown, and elsewhere–demanded that British tea be destroyed.

Most folks understandably hesitated to outright trash their precious tea, so the Northampton Committee “recommended” citizens store it with Colonel Littleton Savage until the Association’s restrictions might end. Nearly all expected these privations to be short-lived; most reasoned the British would quickly accede to Congress’ demands and their tea would soon be returned to them.  

The Northamptonians submitted their packages of tea to traveling court officials or carried their poundage through the January cold to the Courthouse. By the time the Northampton Committee again met on January 11, Colonel Savage could report holding 416 pounds of surrendered tea. It was to be stored for safekeeping according to the “directions of the Committee.” 

Even so, some Northampton “gentlemen” determined to make a powerful expression of support for Congress and the Association.  They wanted their tea publicly burned, not stored. Soon enough, the acrid smell of burning tea filled the Courthouse grounds as piles of the carefully cultivated leaves were scorched to ashes.  News of these patriotic actions and the County’s unique “tea party” quickly spread through the colonies and across the Atlantic.  

In the end, of course, the ban on English goods did not quickly pass, but continued for the duration of the war and beyond.  How long was the tea stored? Was it ever returned?  And where did Savage keep it? At the Courthouse or on Savage property, possibly Cherry Core?  Let’s learn together in a future installment of The Revolutionary Shore!

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