Marblehead Bicentennial

One of the unsung heroes of the American Revolution derived from Marblehead, Massachusetts. Jeremiah Lee (1721-1775) became Marblehead’s most prominent figures. In the pre-Revolutionary War era, he became one of the richest businessmen- trading dried salt fish and shipbuilding, making him flourish by age 21. His politics made him a figure during the Revolutionary War. He served for twenty-five years as a British Colonel. Lee smuggled war funds through his alliance with France and Spain. He met  with Samuel Adams (1722- 1803) and John Hancock (1737- 1793) regularly, and he became a wanted subject in the eyes of the British Regulars. The meeting in Marblehead before April 19th, 1775 never happened as the Revolutionary War began, and about a month later, Lee contracted a fever and succumbed to his illness on May 10th, 1775. The Jeremiah Lee Mansion still sits in Marblehead, Massachusetts, with many visitors going. The mansion represents the remaining colonial architecture and represen...

  You may have seen the painting Washington Crossing the Delaware in your American History class, but did you know that the men in the boat were from Marblehead, Massachusetts? In the painting, as in life, a heroic Washington guided the Continental Army across the Delaware River on Christmas 1776. Despite disastrous weather and icy waters, they went on to triumphantly win The Battle of Trenton.  These brave soldiers were a part of the Glover’s Regiment in the Continental Army. Salem-born Col. John Glover (1732-1797) succeeded the 21st Massachusetts Regiment after Col. Jerimiah Lee’s death shortly after April 19th, 1775. Lee assisted in the plan to save Samuel Adams and John Hanock from being arrested by the British regulars.  Soon, Glover took hold of the Army after being appointed by General Washington. Glover’s financial success with the “codfish aristocracy” led to him commanding the Continental Navy on the ship, Hannah . The schooner was commissioned in September 177...