Massachusetts' Provincial Congress

Massachusetts' Provincial Congress: Britain's Guiltless Children

By Beth van Duzer

A large red building on the corner of Lexington Road and Main Street is a focal point in downtown Concord. On the front of the building, a white sign with black text states it is called The Wright Tavern and that Committees from the Provincial Congress met in the building. Usually, information on a sign signifies a special historical episode. Regrettably, there is no elaboration on why this was important. Learning what the Provincial Congress was, what it did, and why the Tavern was involved will help clarify the importance of the historic event on the plaque.

What was the Provincial Congress?

In 1630, when colonists from England settled the Massachusetts Bay Colony, a charter allowed the settlers to run the colony as they saw fit. Therefore, there was a bottom-up government in addition to a top-down government. The bottom-up government allowed locals to be elected or appointed to positions in town and for local handling of disputes. In contrast, the top-down government started with the King/Parliament appointing the Governor of Massachusetts, who then appointed judges, etc.

Unfortunately, England saw Massachusetts as a spoiled child after the Boston Tea Party. It was the salty teenager of the thirteen colonies. Thus, to punish the colonists of Massachusetts like the naughty children they were, Parliament passed the Intolerable Acts in 1774. One of the Acts took away the right of the Colony of Massachusetts to self-govern itself — no more bottom-up government.

The Wright Tavern

Courtesy of Concord Free Public Library

“…England saw Massachusetts as a spoiled child after the Boston Tea Party.”

By 1774, the residents of Massachusetts had been running a local government for almost 150 years. Taking self-government away from the colonists did not go over well. Instead of the colonists heeding the restriction thrust upon them by Parliament, the men of Massachusetts chose to rebel. Consequently, they created their own government, called it the Provincial Congress, and advertised it in local newspapers.

What did the First Provincial Congress do? The first Provincial Congress met in Concord for four days, from October 11 – 14, 1774. During these few days, the Provincial Congress wrote a letter airing its grievances against England to be delivered to General Gage. Additionally, it directed collectors of taxes not to turn tax money over to crown officers. Newspapers published both actions.

What did the Second Provincial Congress do? The Provincial Congress reconvened in Concord for almost a month, starting on March 22, 1775, and adjourning on April 15, 1775.

While it met in Concord, one significant outcome of the Second Provincial Congress was creating and adopting Rules and Regulations for the Massachusetts Army. In February, when the Provincial Congress was in Cambridge, it charged a Committee with preparing rules and regulations for an army. While in Concord, after the Committee read its report, Congress weighed in with suggested additions or amendments. After several days of negotiations, Congress passed the rules on Wednesday, April 5, 1775.

Once again, newspapers printed portions of the proceedings. In the article, Congress started its justification of creating this document by first referring to the colonists of Massachusetts as Britain’s “guiltless children, who are unjustly and wickedly charged with licentiousness, sedition, treason, and rebellion…” Ironically, preparing to form an army and writing Rules and Regulations for the Massachusetts Army was both treasonous and rebellious.

Rules and Regulations for the Massachusetts Army, 1775.

Concord Museum Collection, Gift of the Cummings Davis Society; Gift of the Neil and Anna Rasmussen Foundation; Gift of the Philip and Betsey C. Caldwell Foundation; Gift of Charles and Frances G.; 2006.229.

Another notable outcome was letters to two different tribal nations, the Indigenous Stockbridge and Mohawk people. Both chose to join the fight of the colonists as minutemen. Letters addressed the Indigenous allies as brothers to the colonists. In part, the first letter read: “Good Brothers – It affords us great pleasure and satisfaction, to hear…that our brothers, the natives of Stockbridge, are ready and willing to take up the hatchet in the cause of liberty and their country.” The letters allowed each side to overcome a challenging past by proving their allegiance to each other.

Today, we know Indigenous allies from Stockbridge were a combination of Mohican, Housatonic Wappingers, the Niantics, Tunxis, and other tribal nations that chose to make their homes on land near a river that the colonists renamed Stockbridge.

About a fortnight after receiving their letter, the Indigenous Stockbridge minutemen marched in response to the Lexington alarm. As they marched east, they joined other militia and minutemen from towns throughout New England traveling to participate in the siege of Boston.

All this information is interesting, but what Committees met at the Wright Tavern? The Provincial Congress created Committees to take care of specific assignments. In 1774, the Committee of Safety was created, with John Hancock as a member. The Committee of Safety often met with the Committee of Supplies. While in Concord, both had meetings at the house of Mr. Taylor. The house of Mr. Taylor is known today as the Wright Tavern.

Almost immediately after its creation, the Committee of Safety ordered the acquisition of stores, not just ammunition but also food and shelter, for troops. Transcripts from meetings in Concord recorded lodging “a ton of musket balls that had arrived in Concord” and moving cannon powder to Concord to create cartridges. Importantly, at a meeting on April 1, 1775, it was resolved that “the stores at Concord, and elsewhere, shall not be removed without written orders from the committee of safety.” Finally, an order arrived on April 18 instructing specific stores to be removed from Concord or hidden. Decisions made by these Committees, some made at the house of Mr. Taylor, impacted the town of Concord and forever changed its history.

Now, when reading the sign outside the Wright Tavern, you can understand more about why Committees of the Provincial Congress warrant being on a sign. Perhaps, when pausing outside the red building, you can easier imagine a special historical episode like 260 Congress members milling about downtown after a meeting, Committee members like John Hancock debating using cannon powder to make cartridges inside the house of Mr. Taylor, or the Indigenous allies from Stockbridge marching beside other companies of soldiers bearing arms to fight alongside their brothers.

Beth van Duzer is a public historian, owner of Concord Walking Tours, and the clerk for the Concord250 History & Education Subcommittee.