Blog 4 History

Thank you to Tattered Fabric for listing this site as a “100 Awesome Blogs for History Junkies“… anything I can do to feed your need… LOL.

O.K., a simple google search and one can find that he was a Boston resident, a lawyer in fact, and with a little more searching he was a friend of John Adams. He also wrote a pamphlet, “The sentiments of a British American” in 1764 as a result of the Stamp Act. I also found a bio sketch: “Oxenbridge Thacher, who was born in 1720. He also was educated at Harvard, in 1738, and became a lawyer. His name has been frequently mentioned in terms of high esteem as a compeer with Adams, Quincy and Otis. Governor Hutchinson, in his History of Massachusetts, mentions him “as an active and influential opposer of the measures of Parliament; a lawyer of great eminence, and a learned and able writer.”

Why do I ask? In a letter Adams wrote (John Adams to H. Niles) in 1818 and a fairly famous letter at that for this quote: “The Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people…” But if you keep reading you come to this:

The characters the most conspicuous, the most ardent and influential in this revival, from 1760 to 1766, were, first and foremost, before all and above all, James Otis; next to him was Oxenbridge Thacher [my emphasis]; next to him, Samuel Adams; next to him, John Hancock; then Dr. Mayhew; then Dr. Cooper and his brother. Of Mr. Hancock’s life, character, generous nature, great and disinterested sacrifices, and important services, if I had forces, I should be glad to write a volume. But this, I hope, will be done by some younger and abler hand. Mr. Thacher, because his name and merits are less known, must not be wholly omitted. This gentleman was an eminent barrister at law, in as large practice as any one in Boston. There was not a citizen of that town more universally beloved for his learning, ingenuity, every domestic and social virtue, and conscientious conduct in every relation of life. His patriotism was as ardent as his progenitors had been ancient and illustrious in this country. Hutchinson often said, “Thacher was not born a plebeian, but he was determined to die one.” In May, 1763, I believe, he was chosen by the town of Boston one of their representatives in the legislature , a colleague with Mr. Otis, who had been a member from May, 1761, and he continued to be relectcd annually till his death in 1765, when Mr. Samuel Adams was elected to fill his place, in the absence of Mr. Otis, then attending the Congress at New York. Thacher had long been jealous of the unbounded ambition of Mr. Hutchinson, but when he found him not content with the office of Lieutenant-Governor, the command of the castle and its emoluments, of Judge of Probate for the county of Suffolk, a seat in his Majesty’s Council in the Legislature, his brother-in-law Secretary of State by the king’s commission, a brother of that Secretary of State, a Judge of the Supreme Court and a member of Council, now in 1760 and 1761, soliciting and accepting the office of Chief Justice of the Superior Court of Judicature, he concluded, as Mr. Otis did, and as every other enlightened friend of his country did, that he sought that office with the determined purpose of determining all causes in favor of the ministry at St. James’s, and their servile parliament.

I did a search on my favorite Pre-Revolutionary blog (Boston 1775) and found only this (link) humorous entry by Adams of some gossip:

Thus it seems that the Air of Newbury, and the Vicinage of Farnham, Chipman &c. have obliterated all the Precepts, Admonitions, Instructions and Example of his Master Thatcher, and have made him in Thatchers Phrase a shoe licker and an A—se Kisser of Elisha Hutchinson. Lowel is however very warm, sudden, quick, and impetuous and all such People are unsteady. Too much Fire. Experientia docet [experience teaches].

Not the same ThaTcher obviously.  Anyway, Adam’s speaks very highly of Oxenbridge Thacher and when I came across his name I was interested as I have never heard it before. Perhaps he is the missing link in my “Taxation without representation is tyranny” quote hunt… hmm.

Any thoughts?

Found this fascinating data on one of my favorite blogs Vast Public Indifference and I am simply going to post this and you can visit the post and make comments if you wish; I’m not sure what to think.

The “Cyclorama” was a very popular late 1800s attraction that gave visitors a kind of “three dimensional” view of landscapes usually in the form of famous battles. Made of large oil-painted canvases people could view the large paintings and sometimes see very detailed areas of a battlefield.

The “Battle of Gettysburg” Cyclorama at Gettysburg National Military Park is [deleted] one that has survived, but there were others and one of them was displayed for a time in Denver, Colorado. The Gettysburg Cyclorama is 359 feet long, 27 feet high and weighs an estimated 3 tons. A visitor sent me the following photos of the location in Denver where the Cyclorama was displayed for a time; these images were sent to me back in July:

I have not been diligent in my postings as I have been away at an A.P. United States history conference. This has been a great experience and has given me a lot to think about and also use in my classroom. Our presenter was George Henry, a master history teacher and from what I could gather during the 4 days my classmates and I spent with him, a good man. He has probably forgotten more about teaching A.P. history than I will ever know. The best compliment I could give Mr. Henry is, I wish my own children could be his students. Here is his bio:

A graduate of the University of Utah, George Henry is in his 28th year of teaching in the public and private schools of Salt Lake City, Utah. He has served as Teacher, Department Chair, Curriculum Specialist and Student Council advisor at South High, Highland High, and Rowland Hall St. Marks. George has also served as a member of the Achievement Test Development committee in United States History, and a Faculty Consultant at the AP U.S. History reading.

George has served the Western Region of the College Board in the capacity of Regional Council member, Academic Assembly Chair, and Regional Council Chair. He is a consultant for AP U.S. History, Building Success, and AP Vertical Teams workshops. George has a strong commitment to equity and access for all students to AP programs, and focuses his attention specifically on how to increase paths of access for minority and under represented students in AP courses. Currently he serves on the National Academic Advisory Committee of the College Board.

For more info…