Diary of Christopher Marshall, June 1, 1774

This being the day when the cruel act for blocking up the harbour of Boston took effect, many of the inhabitants of this city, to express their sympathy and show their concern for their suffering brethren in the common cause of liberty, had their shops shut up, their houses kept close from hurry and business; also the ring of bells at Christ Church were muffled, and rung a solemn peal at intervals, from morning till night: the colours of the vessels in the harbour were hoisted half-mast high; the several houses of different worship were crowded, where divine service was performed, and particular discourses, suitable to the occasion, were preached by F. Allison, Duffield, Sprout, and Blair. Sorrow, mixed with indignation, seemed pictured in the countenances of the inhabitants, and indeed the whole city wore the aspect of deep distress, being a melancholy occasion.

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, p. 6

Diary of Christopher Marshall, June 4, 1774

This being the birth-day of King George III., scarcely, if any, notice was taken of it in this city, by way of rejoicing: not one of our bells suffered to ring, and but very few colours were shown by the shipping in the harbour; no, nor not one bonfire kindled.

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, pp. 6-7

Diary of Christopher Marshall, June 8, 1774

This day a petition was presented to John Penn, our governor, (signed by near nine hundred respectable freeholders in and near this city,) requesting him to call the Assembly, in order to consider the proceedings of the British Parliament towards America in their proceedings against the town of Boston, &c. &c., to which his Honour was pleased to return the following answer, "Gentlemen, upon occasions when the peace, order, and tranquillity of the Province require it, I shall be ready to convene the Assembly; but as that does not appear to be the case at present, I cannot think such a step would be expedient or consistent with my duty."

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, p. 7

Diary of Christopher Marshall, June 9, 1774

A great number of mechanics met at the State House about six o'clock in the evening, in order to consider an answer to send to the tradesmen of New York, who had written to this city respecting what was necessary to be done. At this meeting, John Ross, Esq. opened the reasons for calling them together, read their letter, &c.; upon which a committee amongst the tradesmen was appointed, who are to answer the said letter, and communicate and keep up a correspondence with the committee at New York.

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, p. 7

Diary of Christopher Marshall, June 10, 1774

There was a meeting held at the Philosophical Hall, and also the day after, consisting of the committee and a number of other inhabitants, called in from all Societies in town, to advise, consult and deliberate upon the propositions that were to be laid before the general meeting of the inhabitants on the eighteenth instant, near the State House, at three o'clock in the afternoon.

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, p. 7

Diary of Christopher Marshall, June 18, 1774

A very large and respectable meeting of the freeholders and freemen of this city and county met in the State House yard, where Thomas Willing and John Dickinson were chairmen, when they entered into six spirited resolves, and chose forty-three persons as committeemen to transact their affairs.

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, pp. 7-8

Diary of Christopher Marshall, June 22, 1774

This day twenty-nine of the committee met at the Carpenters' Hall, in Chesnut-street, Thomas Willing in the chair, agreed and appointed three of their members, viz. Joseph Reed, John Nixon, and Thomas Whartone to wait upon the Speaker of the Assembly, requesting him to call the Assembly, and to give them a positive answer whether he would or not, before they made their report to the General Committee that is to meet on Monday, the 27th inst. They also, at this meeting, appointed a number of their members to go to different parts of the city and suburbs to crave collections for poor Boston.

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, p. 8

Diary of Christopher Marshall, January 9, 1774

Very little news has transpired this week, except an observation on the conduct of the Bostonians. See Pennsylvania Journal, No. 1623.

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, p. 5

Diary of Christopher Marshall, January 18, 1774

Sundry resolves were passed by our Assembly respecting the riots in the county of Northumberland; also, some resolutions were laid before the House from Maryland.

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, p. 5

Diary of Christopher Marshall, January 20, 1774

This day was published a scheme for a Society of Innoculating for the Small Pox.

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, p. 5

Diary of Christopher Marshall, March 23, 1774

Account of [the] destruction of tea in Boston reached London about [the] 20th of January, and our tea ship sent back arrived at Dover the 25th same month.

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, p. 5

Diary of Christopher Marshall, April 25, 1774

Received by ship Concord, Captain Volans, from Bristol, eighty-four pamphlets from my friend, George Stonehouse. Great debates in the House of Commons. See Pennsylvania Journal, No. 1641.

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, p. 5

Diary of Christopher Marshall, May 21, 1774

This day part of [the] Standing Committee met to consider the resolve of the town of Boston, sent here by express, but as they were uncertain what the Provinces of Maryland, Virginia, and Carolina would do, they appointed a suitable answer to be wrote back to New York and Boston, and at [the] same time wrote to other Provinces to know their minds on this alarming occasion, which was sent by express, and (they) wait till its return. The same day arrived the ship Prosperity, Captain McCulloch, from Belfast in twenty-eight days, with four hundred and

fifty passengers.

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, pp. 5-6

Diary of Christopher Marshall, May 30, 1774

A number of the inhabitants, composed of most of the different Societies in this city, met and agreed that it would be proper to express their sympathy for their brethren at Boston, by suspending all business on that day, viz. the first of June.

SOURCE: William Duane, Editor, Passages from the Diary of Christopher Marshall, Kept in Philadelphia and Lancaster during the American Revolution, Vol. 1, 1774-1777, p. 6