Nov 22, 2005 - Sale 2058

Sale 2058 - Lot 3

Price Realized: $ 8,050
?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 6,000 - $ 8,000
"DISALLOW'D" (AMERICAN REVOLUTION.) HANCOCK, JOHN. Document Signed, as a Selectman of Boston, recommending the petition of Hopestill Foster to the Massachusetts Justices of the Court of General Sessions of the Peace to allow him to sell spiritous liquors at his shop on Hollis Street. The endorsement on the conjugate leaf of the petition written and signed by Foster. Additionally Signed by other Boston selectmen John Scollay, Timothy Newell, Thomas Marshall, Samuel Austin, Oliver Wendell and John Pitts. The petition 1<1/4> pages, the endorsement 1 page, folded large 8vo sheet; separated along joint, other separations at folds nicely repaired. Boston, 28 June 1773

Additional Details



Hopestill Foster, whose shop was on Hollis Street near the corner of Tremont, sent the petition to the British colonial officials since his previous license to sell rum was in his deceased father's name. A contemporary notation on the terminal leaf indicates that the request was "Disallow'd." Just five months later, on the night of 16 December 1773, revolutionaries dressed as Indians met at the Doggett House on Hollis Street (near Foster's shop) before marching to the Boston Tea Party. The Boston chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution owns one of only two extant tea chests taken from one of the ships, given to them in 1902 by a descendent of Hopestill Foster. It seems likely that Foster participated in the Boston Tea Party, perhaps, even in part as retaliation for being denied the license.