The town of Walpole, Massachusetts, participated in the years leading up to and through the Revolutionary War in various ways.
Pre-Revolutionary War years
Even before the Revolution began in earnest, Walpole was prepared to join forces with American patriots to prevent a usurpation of the people's rights. On September 21, 1768, the town of Walpole "Voted that they Send one Person to join the Committees at Faniuel Hall." The town agreed to send Joshua Clapp as its representative. The next day, Clapp joined representatives of 96 towns and eight districts to consider measures for the peace and safety of Massachusetts citizens.
After the British sailed into Boston Harbor on September 28, 1768, Walpole took a new interest in the affairs outside her own boundaries. Walpole elected its first representative, Capt. Seth Kingsbury, to the General Court on May 29, 1769. He was succeeded the following year by Clapp.
Early in 1773, the town called a special town meeting for the "Consideration of the Many Grievances that the Province and Colonies Labour under ..." On January 12, 1773, Walpole voted "That it is the opinion of this Town that our Rights and liberties are Infringed upon which is a great Grievance." The town then appointed a committee – composed of Ensign Seth Bullard, Enoch Ellis, Dr. Samuel Cheney, George Payson, and Aquila Robbins – to draft instructions to guide their future representatives.
The Suffolk Resolves and Walpole
In August 1774, town meetings became illegal in Massachusetts, but Walpole defied authority and held one on August 29, 1774. At this meeting, the town chose "Deligats" to meet committees of other towns in Suffolk County "in order to Consult what measures is Proper to be taken for the Safety of the County." Nathaniel Guild, Enoch Ellis, and Dr. Samuel Cheney were chosen.
After a series of deliberations between the representatives of Suffolk County, all met on September 9, 1774, at Daniel Vose's home in Milton to adopt the Suffolk Resolves. The document was the most revolutionary product the Colonies had produced at the time, and the only one of the 19 resolutions in which members of committees or towns were named included Walpole: "15. That under our present Circumstances it is incumbent on us to encourage Arts and Manufactures amongst us by all Means in our Power, and that Joseph Palmer, Esq.; of Braintree, Mr. Ebenezer Dorr of Roxbury, Mr. James Boies and Mr. Edward Preston of Milton, and Mr. Nathaniel Guild of Walpole, be and hereby are appointed a Committee to consider the best Ways and Means to promote and establish the same, and report to this Convention as soon as may be."
The Massachusetts Provincial Congress and Walpole
Walpole participated in the Massachusetts Provincial Congress following the Suffolk Resolves. On September 23, 1774, the town voted to have Enoch Ellis "Joyn in and with a Provincial Congress to be held where the Provincial Congress shall appoint." Simultaneously, the town took the first steps towards preparing for armed conflict as they appointed Capt. Ebenezer Clapp and Ensign Theodore Mann to "Purchas Two field Peices."
On December 5, 1774, the Provincial Congress called on towns to carry out the plans of the Continental Congress to boycott British goods. Several days later, on December 19, Walpole appointed Dr. Samuel Cheney, Enoch Ellis, Nicholas Harris, John Boyden, Phillip Robbins, Ensign Theodore Mann, and Nathaniel Guild to the Committee of Inspection. Later on Capt. Seth Bullard, Aquilla Robins, George Payson, Capt. Joseph Hartshorn, Joseph Day, Joshua Clapp, Jr., Capt. Jeremiah Smith, Aaron Blake, and John Lewis were added to the committee as well. In an effort to aid Boston while the Port of Boston remained closed, the town voted on December 30, 1774, to provide wood to "Suffering Industrous Poor in the Town of Boston."
Walpole formed its minutemen on January 9, 1775, where the town voted "one Quarter Part of the Training Band Soldiars Should be Inlisted in the Province Service to be Ready at a miniutes warning." Walpole's minutemen were paid two schillings every day they were called together, while William Fisher, Esq. Clapp, and Capt. Seth Kingsbury were named to make arrangements for drill.