Manuscript DS, one page, 8.25 x 7.75, August 29, 1770. Hancock and five other Selectmen of Boston authorize passage of “two women & their children from Boston to Halifax per order of the Selectmen.” Signed at the conclusion by Hancock, Joseph Jackson, Samuel Pemberton, Henderson Inches, and Jonathan Mason. Document has been inlaid to a slightly larger sheet. In very good condition, with intersecting folds, one through a single letter of signature, several professional repairs to separations and paper loss, some mild toning, and light show-through from docketing along bottom.
The sparks of the rebellion against the British crown had been ignited only a few months earlier when British troops, angered over a mob of taunting Bostonians, fired into the crowd of colonists, killing three people on the spot. Two more citizens later died from their wounds, and six survived injuries suffered in what became known as the Boston Massacre. Although additional citizen uprisings were averted when the Redcoats withdrew to islands in Boston Harbor, the unrest remained. The hostile environment—one in which the seeds of the American Revolution began to take root—became a cause of alarm for some residents. As such, many sought refuge outside of the 13 Colonies—such as the women and children here for whom Hancock and his fellow selectman allowed passage to Halifax. Historically significant documentation forewarning the oncoming storm of democracy. Pre-certified John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and RRAuction COA.
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