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 THE 
 
 Historic Tea-Party of Edenton, 
 
 OCTOBER 25TH. 1774. 
 
 AN INCIDENT IN NORTH CAROLINA 
 CONNECTED WITH BRITISH 
 TAXATION 
 
 RICHARD DILLARD, M. D. 
 
 *^ National recollection is the foundation of national character" 
 
 Edward Everett. 
 
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1 
 
 -^>^268 
 
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 1^ 
 
TO 
 HON.W. D. PRUDEN, 
 OF THE ROANOKE COLONY MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION 
 THIS IS RESPECTFULLY I NSCRfBED. 
 
MRS. PENELOPE BARKER. 
 PRESIDENT OF THE EUENTON TEA-PARTY OF 1774. 
 
 [Fro/ii a pot /rait i// possession of her dcscendants'\ 
 
PROEM. 
 
 The religious votaries of the Maldivean Isles, at cer- 
 tain times, commit to the mercy of the wind and 
 waves Httle boats laden with rich hued flowers, delicate 
 perfumes, and sweet-scented woods of their native isles, 
 hoping to receive in return rich rewards for the sacri- 
 fice ; though I hsve no flowers of rhetoric to offer, no 
 measured lines, no burning incense from the Muses' 
 shrine, 'tis thus I consign this bit of native history 
 rudderless to the tide, trusting some friendly wave may 
 bear it safely on : Hoping also like Ruth in the fields 
 of Boaz, to glean, and bind together a few handfuls, 
 which other and abler reapers have carelessly, or on 
 purpose let fall. 
 
There is in Aforhanistan, accordino- to Eastern tra- 
 dition, a miraculous history plant, which records upon 
 its broad luxurious leaves whatever happens each day 
 in its immediate vicinity; There are no inaccuracies and 
 misstatements of the press, no partiality or parti/an wri- 
 ters, no incongruity of conflicting records, but like the 
 polished waters around which it flourishes, it faithfully 
 mirrors the environing objects. Unfortunately in this 
 country there is no such gift by Nature, no historic 
 Genii, but there is, I believe, a movement on foot to con- 
 dense, preserve, and separate true and legitimate history 
 from the ordinary records of the press. The ancients 
 were especially particular that their records should be ex- 
 act, even the works of the historian Livy, barely escaped 
 annihilation at the hands of the infamous Caligula, for 
 their alleged historical inaccuracies As history is but 
 the story of the past, then posterity demands a truth- 
 ful and unbiased narration of facts; "'Truth comes to us 
 from the past, as gold is washed down from the mount- 
 ains of Sierra Nevada, in minute but precious particles, 
 and intermixed with infinite alloy, the debris of cen- 
 turies." It is sufficient for us to preserve facts as they 
 happen, the succeeding generations will give them their 
 proper coloring. 
 
 Tacitus, appreciating the value of history to mankind, 
 wrote, nearly twenty centuries ago, that its chief object 
 was "to rescue virtuous actions from the oblivion, to 
 which the want of records would consign them." 
 
 Even in this practical, speculative age there seems 
 to be a tendency all over our country to exhume from 
 oblivion the events and traditions of our past. This 
 growing reverence for American history is an evidence 
 of increasing national intelligence, pride and dignity. 
 Unfortunately for North Carolina, many of her most 
 
beautiful traditions have been allowed to pass unnoticed, 
 and her glorious deeds regarded as mere ephemera to 
 perish with the actors. The establishment of a chair 
 of history at the state university, and the organization 
 of the historical society will do much to develop and 
 preserve our vast and valuable historic material. We 
 must confess, and with mortification and chagrin, that 
 in order to study any subject connected with state his- 
 tory intelligently, we have been obliged in the past to 
 refer not only to the historical societies of other states, 
 but even to the libraries of Europe. 
 
 It is the object of this paper to bring into light an 
 exceptionally interesting and patriotic incident in North 
 Carolina, hitherto only casually noticed by one state 
 historian. A stranger coming to Edenton twenty-five 
 years ago was shown an old-fashioned, long wooden 
 house fronting directly on the beautiful court-house 
 green; this historic house has since yielded to the ruth- 
 less hand of modern vandalism. It was the residence 
 of Mrs. Elizabeth King, and under its roof fifty-one pat- 
 riotic ladies.* (and not fifty-four as stated erroneously by 
 Wheeler) met October 25th, 1774, and passed resolutions / 
 commending the action of the provincial congress. They 
 also declared they would not conform "to that Perni- 
 cious Custom of DrinkingTea,or thatthe aforesaid Ladys 
 would not promote ye wear of any manufacture from 
 England" until the tax was repealed. Wheeler, in al- 
 luding to this incident and to the stormy days closely 
 preceeding the Revolution, in his second volume says, 
 "The patriotism of the men was even exceeded by that 
 of the women. By some strange freak of circumstance, 
 many years ago, there was found at Gibraltar a beau- 
 tiful picture done in skillful style, enameled on glass, of a 
 'meeting of the ladies of Edenton destroying the tea, 
 (their favorite beverage) when it was taxed by the Eng- 
 
 *As the population was sparce, it is very probable that fifty-one names 
 comprised most of the ladies living in and around Edenton then. 
 
lish parliament. This picture was procured by some of 
 the officers of our navy, and was sent to Edenton, where 
 I saw it in 1830." 
 
 This is not only erroneous, but Mr. Wheeler has also 
 misquoted the reference to the meeting in the American 
 Archives, and there has been considerable other misin- 
 formation afloat regarding it, all of which I shall endeav- 
 or to set aright. The following is the correct notice 
 copied directly from the American Archives, and occu- 
 pies just twelve lines: ''Association Signed by Ladies of 
 Edenton, North Carolina, October 25, 1774. As we can- 
 not be indifferent on any occasion that appears to affect 
 the peace and happiness of our country; and it has been 
 thought necessary for the publick good to enter into 
 several particular resolves, by meeting of Members of 
 Deputies from the whole province, it is a duty that we owe 
 not only to our near and dear relations and connections, 
 but to ourselves, who are essentially interested in their 
 welfare, to do everything as far as lies in our power 
 to testify our sincere adherence to the same, and we do 
 therefore accordingly subscribe this paper, as a witness 
 of our fixed intention, and solemn determination to do 
 so.' Signed by fifty-one ladies."* 
 
 Women have always been potent factors in all great 
 moral and political reformations. The drafting of such 
 resolutions, so direcrly antagonistic to royal authority 
 required a calmer, far more enviable courage than that 
 developed by the fanatic heroism of the crusades, or the 
 feverish bravery of martial music. The tax upon tea 
 was a direct insult to their household gods; it poisoned 
 every cup of their tea, it affected every hearthstone in 
 the province. In looking back upon our past it should 
 be a matter of pride to know, that such women helped 
 to form the preface of our history, characters which 
 should be held up to our children as worthy of emulation. 
 
 ♦American Archives fourth series, vol. i. 8qi. 
 
V. 
 
 
 - V 
 
 >^d 
 
 l:.-''y 
 
"These are deeds which should not pass away, 
 And names that must not wither, though the earth 
 Forgets her empires with a just decay.'' 
 
 The account of this tea-party found its way into the 
 London papers of that day, and the effect it had there 
 may be noted in the following old letter, strongly tinct- 
 ured with sarcasm. It was written by Arthur Iredell 
 of London to his brother James Iredell, a distinguished 
 patriot of this place, who married Miss Hannah Johnson, 
 a sister of one of the signers of the noted document, 
 
 "London Queen Square," January 31, 1775. 
 
 Dear Brother: I see by the newspaper the Edenton ladies 
 have signalized themselves by their protest against tea drinking. 
 The name of Johnston I see among others; are any of my sister's re- 
 lations patriotic heroines? Is there a female congress at Edenton too? 
 I hope not, for we Englishmen are afraid of the male congress, but 
 if the ladies, who have ever since the Amazonian era been esteemed 
 the most formidable enemies ; if they, I say. should attack us, the 
 most fatal consequence is to be dreaded. So dexterous in the hand- 
 ling of a dart, each wound they give is mortal; whilst we, so unhap- 
 pily formed by nature, the more we strive to conquer them, the more 
 we are conquered. The Edenton ladies, conscious, I suppose, of this 
 superiority on their side, by a former experience, are willing I im- 
 agine, to crush us into atoms by their omnipotency; the only securi- 
 ty on our side to prevent the impending ruin, that I can preceive, is 
 the probability that there are but few places in America which pos- 
 sess so much female artillery as Edenton. 
 
 Pray let me know all the particulars when you favor me with a 
 letter. Your most affectionate friend and brother. 
 
 ARTHUR IREDELL. * 
 
 The society of Edenton at this period was charming 
 in its refinement and culture; it was at one time the co- 
 lonial capital, and social rival of Williamsburg, Virginia. 
 Edenton then had five hundred inhabitants. Its galaxy 
 of distinguished patriots, both men and women, would 
 shine resplendent in any country or in any age. The tea- 
 party then, as now, was one of the most fashionable 
 modes of entertaining. The English were essentially a 
 tea-drinking nation, and consequently tea became the 
 almost universal drink of the colonies. Dr. Johnson de- 
 clared that "with tea he amused the evening, with tea 
 
 * Life and correspondence of James Iredell, vol. i, page 230. 
 
 8 
 
solaced the midnight, and with tea welcomed the morn- 
 ing". Coffee was not introduced in Europe until much 
 later, the first cup having been drunk by Louis XIV. of 
 France at a cost of twenty-nine dollars per pound. The 
 principal variety of tea used by the colonies was the 
 Bohea, or black tea, and came from India. It was of the 
 purest quality, the art of sophistication and adulteration 
 being unknown at that day. The feeling of ease and 
 comfort inspired by an elegant cup of tea, as well as the 
 exhilaration of the mental faculties which it produces, 
 made ic a necessary assistant to break the stiffness of 
 those old-fashioned parties. It contains an active prin- 
 ciple thine, which, taken in considerable quantity, pro- 
 duces a species of intoxication. Foreigners who visit 
 China, where tea is served upon almost every occasion, 
 become frequently tea-drunk. The method of prepar- 
 ing tea by our ancestors was essentially that of the 
 wealthy class in China. The tea was brought upon the 
 table in decorated china tea-caddies, some of which are 
 still in existence, along- with an urn of boiling water. 
 The tea-leaves were then placed in the cup of every 
 guest, the cup filled with hot water, and the saucer in- 
 verted over it for a few minutes to retain the aroma. 
 The tea-pot was only used then by the rather 
 bourgeoisie. Social life was never more enjoyed than 
 then, there was an abandon and freedom of manner, 
 united with an open-hearted hospitality, of which we 
 know nothing at this day, when social restrictions re- 
 strict also social pleasures. 
 
 Col. Edward Buncombe but crystalized, and formu- 
 lated the almost universal feeling of this section, when 
 he inscribed, in unmistakable lines upon his front gate 
 t4i#-^uphoneous distich. 
 
 "Welcome all 
 
 To Buncombe Hall"* 
 
 There were quiltings, and cotillion parties, and tea- 
 parties without number, the gentlemen would often go 
 
 ♦Buncombe Hall stood in Washington Co., and was the seat of a generous 
 hospitality; The mantel from its banquet hall is now in the Courthouse at 
 Asheville the county seat of Buncombe. 
 
 9 
 
great distances on horseback, with their sweethearts 
 riding behind them, and attend these gatherings. If the 
 night was cold, blazing fires of lightwood crackled to re- 
 ceive them, and huge bowls of spicy apple-toddy mel- 
 lowed to enliven and cheer, later in the evening tea 
 would invariably be served, which no one would be so 
 unfashionable as to refuse. An old lady informed me 
 that her orrandmother had a medical friend, who would 
 always drink fourteen cups of tea, 
 
 Under its influence conversation enlivened, and wit 
 sparkled. After tea the ladies would gossip, and spin, 
 and reel, while the grentlemen would retire to discuss the 
 political issues of the day, the policy of Lord North in 
 regard to the American colonies, or the unjust tax which 
 was about to be placed upon tea, or perhaps one would 
 read aloud a recent speech by Mr. Pitt, from an Eng- 
 lish newspaper, which he had been so fortunate to ob- 
 tain from some incoming ship; All along this would be 
 punctuated by puffs of tobacco smoke from their long- 
 stemmed pipes. They were as notional about their to- 
 bacco as they were about their tea, the method of pre- 
 paring and using the weed, was to cure it in the sun, cut 
 it upon a maple log. keep it in a lilly pot, which was a 
 jar of white earth, and to light the pipe with a splinter 
 of juniper, or with a coal of fire, in a pair of silver tongs 
 made for that purpose. 
 
 The incidents connected with this particular tea-party 
 are especially interesting, as they come to us through 
 the blue mist of a century. We can easily imagine how 
 they sat around in their low-necked, short-waisted gowns, 
 and after they had gossiped sufficiently, "it was resolved 
 that those who could spin, ought to be employed in that 
 way, and those who could not should reel. When the 
 time arrived for drinking tea, Bohea, and Hyperion were 
 provided^ and every one of the ladies judiciously rejected 
 the poisonous Bohea, and unanimously and to their very 
 great honor, preferred the balsamic Hyperion" which was 
 nothing more than the dried leaves of the raspberry vine, 
 a drink, in the writer's opinion, more vile even than the 
 
 10 
 
much vaunted Yeopon. 
 
 The picture of this patriotic party, incorrectly alluded 
 to by Wheeler, has a strange and unique history, and I 
 give it as I have received it from the lady into whose 
 possession the picture has fallen. Lieutenant William 
 T. Muse, a United States naval officer, who became con- 
 spicuous during the civil war, and whose mother was a 
 Miss Blount of Edehton, while on a cruise in the Medi- 
 terranean stopped at Port Mahon on the island of Min- 
 orca, and accidently saw hanging in a barber's shop there 
 a picture, representing the Edenton tea-party of 1774. 
 It was purchased, and brought by him to Edenton in 
 1830. I have this date from an old Bible bearing the 
 date of his return from the cruise. It was first placed on 
 exhibition in the court-house, and the representation of 
 the characters was so distinct that many of the ladies 
 were easily recognized. It then found a resting place in 
 the old tailor shop of Joseph Manning, ancestor of Chief 
 Justice Manning of Louisana, and finally in a cracked 
 condition, was intrusted to the care of a lady. During the 
 confusion of refugeeing incident to the civil war, it was 
 broken in three pieces. 
 
 It is a painting upon glass, twelve by fourteen inches. 
 Upon one of the pieces is the declaration set forth by the 
 ladies, that they would drink no tea, nor wear any stuffs 
 of British manufacture. Upon another is the picture of 
 the lady, who presided upon that occasion. She is seat- 
 ed at a table with a pen in her hand, her maid Amelia 
 standing behind her chair. This maid lived for many 
 years after this incident, and is still remembered by some 
 of the oldest citizens. By a singular coincidence her 
 granddaughter is still living upon the very same lot where 
 thejtea-party was held. Upon the third fragment of this 
 picture in plain letters is written, ''The Town of Eden- 
 ton." It is not known how the picture of this party was 
 obtained, or how it found its way to Port Mahon, or even 
 into the barber shop. The printer's name in the corner 
 of the picture is said to have been the same one, who 
 printed the celebrated letters of Junius in the reign of 
 Georo^e III. 
 
 11 
 
Pictures have immortalized many events in liistory, 
 and it is very probable that but for this one, the pleas- 
 ing little incident would have been lost or forgotten. 
 The defense of Champigny, by the"Garde Mobile,"could 
 never have been so immortalized in prose or rhyme, 
 as by the brush of Edouard Detaille. The Confederate 
 etchings by Dr. A. J. Volck, spoke volumes and were so 
 severe, that he was confined in Fore Mc Henry prison, 
 and the political cartoons by John Tanniel of the Lon- 
 don Punch produced a profound sensation. "Porte Cray- 
 on;" (General Strother). in his interesting article on 
 Edenton and the surroundings, written for Harper's 
 Magazine in 1857, says, "It is to be regretted that Porte 
 Crayon did not get a sight of this painting, that the world 
 might have heard more of it, and that the patriotism of 
 the Ladies of Edenton might have been blazoned be- 
 side that of the men of Boston, who have figured in so 
 many bad woodcuts." None of the names of the fifty- 
 one ladies present at this party have been preserved in 
 history, but I have succeeded in rescuing five of them 
 from the local traditions. Mrs. Penelope Barker, whose 
 picture appears here, was the president of this party. 
 She was no advocate of celibacy, having been married 
 first to a Mr. Hodgson, then to a Mr. Craven, and 
 lastly to Mr. Barker, whom she survived. 
 
 At a casual glance one might easily mistake her por- 
 trait for that of Lady Washington. She was one of those 
 lofty, intrepid, high-born women peculiarly fitted by 
 nature to lead; fear formed no part of her composition. 
 Her face bears the expression of sternness without harsh- 
 ness, which a cheap novelist would describe as hauteur. 
 She was abrilliant conversationalist, and a society leader 
 of her day. 
 
 Mr. Thomas Barker,* her husband, was a gifted lawyer 
 and had for his pupil at one time the distinguished Gov- 
 ernor, Samuel Johnston. The attachment of Gov. John- 
 ston for Mr. Barker wassogreat, that in after years he had 
 
 *A portrait of Thomas Barker by Sir. Joshua Reynolds, graces the Hayes 
 library. There is also a fine portrait of him, probably by Princely, in the 
 Cupola house. 
 
 12 
 
him and his more illustrious wife interred in his private 
 graveyard on his beautiful estate Hayes,* where a mossy 
 slab marks their last resting-place. Mr. Barker was de- 
 tained for some time in London during the Revolution, 
 and while there his wife was called upon to show some 
 of that pluck, and courage she had evinced at the tea- 
 party. Being informed by a servant that some British 
 soldiers were taking her carriage horses from her stables, 
 she snatched her husband's sword from the wall, went 
 out and with a single blow severed the reins in the of- 
 ficer's hands, and drove her horses back into the stables. 
 The British officer declared, that for such exhibition of 
 bravery, she should be allowed to keep her horses, and 
 she was never afterwards molested. Mrs. Barker's resi- 
 dence stood upon the site now occupied by the Wood- 
 ard Hotel. 
 
 Mrs Sarah Valentine was also one of the signers, her 
 portrait is still in the possession of her descendants, j and 
 her house is still standing- on lower end of Main St. Mrs. 
 Elizabeth King was another signer, and it was at her house 
 as before mentioned, that the party was held. She was 
 the wife of Thomas King, a prominent merchant of the 
 town. The Miss Johnston referred to in the Iredell let- 
 ter was undoubtedly Miss Isabella, a sister of Governor 
 Johnston. She was engaged to Joseph Hewes, a signer 
 of the Declaration of Independence from North Carolina 
 and died just before her marriage was consummated. 
 Hewes, who was a man of great wealth and refinement, 
 soon followed her broken-hearted to the grave. 
 
 Mrs. Winifred VViofPfins Hoskins, was another sigrner, 
 and lived in the country near Edenton, she was the wife 
 of Richard Hoskins, a fearless and zealous patriot: join- 
 ing the American army at the first sound to arms, he ser- 
 v^^with signal bravery and courage until its close. 
 During his absence, his wife managed the entire farming 
 
 *Hayes, the lovely seat of Gov. Johnston, is the most interesting place in 
 North Carolina, Its library of artistic octagonal design, and unique appoint- 
 ments, together with its 5000 vols, of rare books, old manuscripts, busts, and 
 portraits of distinguished men, still stands unsullied by time, and without a 
 parallel. 
 
 jThe Bockover family of Norfolk, Va., are among her descendants. 
 
 13 
 
FROM AN OIL I'AINTINC; OF THE ORIGINAL KKAC;.MKNTS, I'KKShNTKD THE \IR- 
 
 GINIA DARE MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION BY THE AUTHOR, AND NOW 
 
 IN THE STATE LIURAKV AT RALEIGH, N. C. 
 
interest with prudence and profit. When they were mar- 
 ried, they came down the Roanoke river in an open boat, 
 crossed the Albemarle sound, and landed at Edenton. 
 He then took his bride behind his own horse, to his farm 
 called Paradise'^' by a bridle path, there being no public 
 roads in that direction then. Her wedding dress was spun 
 and woven from flax grown upon her father's farm in Hali- 
 fax county So delicate and smooth was the warp, that 
 when she was preparing it for the loom, she passed the 
 entire chain through her gold ring. The art of household 
 production probably reached its greatest perfection 
 about this time. All connection with the mother country 
 was severed, and the colonists thrown upon their own re- 
 sources. It was indispensable to every lady's education 
 that she should know how to spin, sew, and weave. The 
 spider-like fineness of their yarns, the exquisite beauty of 
 their needlework, and the lacy filminess of the woven 
 fabrics which their nimble fingers wrought, are the envy 
 and admiration of the present age. From the Napoleonic 
 standpoint Mrs. Hoskins was the greatest of them all, 
 having given eight sons, and eight daughters to her 
 country. t I extract the following from the first volume 
 (1877) of the Magazine of American History. 
 
 "Revolutionary Caricature. I send a description of a caricature 
 that may interest collectors. It is a mezzotint, fourteen by ten inches, 
 entitled A Society of Patriotic Ladies, at Edenton, in Nortli Carolina. 
 
 *The fine pasturage and great number of wild bees in that vicinity sug- 
 gested the name. It literally flowed with milk and honey. 
 
 JThe Hoskins family and collateral branches are still prominent in the 
 state. The venerable VV. E. Rond, a descendant ot this family, possesses 
 a priceless and unique relic, a gold breastpin of Turkish scimetar design 
 upon which is engraved "H de M. 1574 [81]." 
 
 Henry de Montmorency was constable of France, and Grand Master 
 
 -4Cmghts Templar about that time. The figure 81 may represent the number 
 
 of the Commandery.or it may have been a Knight's personal badge, 81 is also 
 
 the square of a square, formed from the original degree of Masonry, of 
 
 which 9 was the square. 
 
 The history of this relic is veiled in mystery, and it is not known whether 
 it was presented to a member of this family for valuable services, or whether 
 it descended by intermarriage with some of the Montmorencys. The fact 
 however that the Hoskins Arms was augmented with a sword would seem 
 to strengthen the former supposition. 
 
 15 
 
London, Printed for R. Sayer & J. Bennett, No. 53 in Fleet Street, 
 as the Act directs 25 March. 1775, Plate V. A group of fifteen figures 
 are around or near a table in a room. A female at the table with a 
 gavel is evidently a man, probably meant for Lord North. A lady, 
 with pen in hand is being kissed by a gentlemen. Another lady, 
 standing, is writing on a large circular which can be read, 'We the 
 Ladys of Edenton do hereby solemnly engage not to conform to that 
 Pernicious Custom of Drinking Tea, or that we the aforesaid Ladys 
 will not promote ye wear of any manufacture from England, untill 
 such time that all Acts which tend to enslave this our Native Country 
 shall be repealed ' The other figures are not close around the table, 
 and are empyting tea-caddies or looking on. A child and dog are 
 under the table. Compare Bancroft's United States, Vol. VII p, 
 282. J. C. B." 
 
 It will be remembered that Lord North, referred to 
 in the description, was prime minister of England at that 
 time, and the Stamp Act, which included a great many 
 articles, had been relieved upon everything except tea; 
 this made him especially odious to the ladies of the Col- 
 onies. The dissolute, and impecunious King was car- 
 tooned at this time as a hopeless pauper, thrusting both 
 hands down to the bottom of his empty pockets, in 
 search of his last guinea. The taxation of the Cc)lonies 
 became a necessity, which grew out of his extravagances. 
 A writer in alluding, to the activity and zeal of the women 
 of the Revolution says, "In the lives of those high- 
 mettled dames of the olden time, the daughters, wives, 
 and mothers of men, the earnest inquirer might find 
 much to elucidate that befogged question of the present 
 day, what are the rights of women ?" 
 
 And now my task is ended, let history distill in her 
 great alembic whatever is valuable from these pages for 
 posterity. 
 
 "The torch shall be extinguished which hath lit 
 My midnight lamp, and what is writ is writ" * 
 
 *A portion of this article appeared in the Magazine of American History, 
 August 1892. 
 
 Edenton, North Carolina, Nov. 2§ih, i8g8. 
 
 16 
 
\ 
 
 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
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