Portsmouth and the American Revolution
William Appleton
c. 1800
Attributed to John Roberts, Portsmouth
Pastel on board
Gift of Annie Appleton Ferree
This rare pastel portrait depicts William
Appleton (1778-1830), an importing merchant and shipmaster. Appleton was married
to Mary Briard; they had five children before his death in a shipwreck off
the coast of South America. Appleton's father, also William, was a Portsmouth
merchant who signed the Association test in April 1776 as an expression of
his support for the Revolution; his mother was Sarah (Odiorne) Appleton Hart
(1743-1822). This portrait is probably the work of John Roberts, a Scotsman
who emigrated to the United States around 1793 and advertised his services
in Portsmouth in 1800. Also in the collection of the Portsmouth Historical
Society is a portrait in oils William's younger sister, Mehitable Cutts (Appleton)
Drown (b. 1780).
With Paul Revere's ride into Portsmouth in December 1774, Portsmouth citizens
realized that it was time to make a stand, lest the British fleet blockade
the harbor, the lifeline to fishing and the Atlantic trade. That same year
John Wentworth, the last royal governor, fled with his family from his mansion
on Pleasant Street. A group of men including John Stark and John Langdon raided
Fort William and Mary. The arms and ammunition they captured, which might have
been used against the port and the city, were used instead in the Battle of
Bunker Hill.
By 1776,
a number of Portsmouth men were playing important roles on the national level
in the Revolutionary government. Among them were William Whipple, who signed
the Declaration of Independence, and John Langdon, who became agent of prizes.
Langdon was instrumental in creating the new Continental Navy and building
its first three ships, the Raleigh, the Ranger, and the America.
In 1776
the majority of Portsmouth men signed the Association Test, signifying their
support for the revolutionary cause. A few hedged, however, whether because
they doubted the outcome or because they had so much to lose. Among them were
Woodbury Langdon, Daniel Warner, and Samuel Livermore.
The following
year saw the arrival of John Paul Jones, the new commander of the frigate
Ranger. Although his biographers tell us he was bristly and arrogant, he became
an icon of the Revolution with his daring victory at sea against the world's
premier naval power. After the defeat of HMS Serapis, John Adams, then in Paris,
wrote in his diary: "John Paul Jones is at present the subject of conversation
and admiration. I wish to know the History of this adventurous Hero."
Poignant family
letters provide insight into these turbulent times. During and after the Revolution,
a wide range of commemorative wares were produced for consumers in Britain and
America, including Liverpool jugs, printed handkerchiefs, and China services.
Portsmouth people paid tribute to the founding of the Republic by saving the
artifacts commemorating the events and heroes of the Revolution.
Visitors to the Society will see a wide variety of objects related to the American Revolution, including an extensive collection of Liverpool ceramics with patriotic motifs. These ceramics were made in England for the American market shortly after the Revolution.
