Al Maze's Stories Behind the Stones

 

Dr. and Major General Joseph Warren

Joseph Warren was a doctor and remained so until his death at the Battle of Bunker's Hill on the 17th of June 1775. He is best known in American history for his activity as a writer and as an organizer prior to the Revolutionary War.

Born in Roxbury MA [then a separate town from Boston] on June 11th, 1741, Warren graduated from Harvard in 1759 and began teaching at Roxbury Grammar School. His interest in medicine would cause him to study to become a physician and he soon he was the most prominent in Boston. He championed the need for a two year training period for doctors and, then, a test of their skills.

Warren's concern for the needs of those living in the Colonies led him to protest against the chipping away of individual righs and freedom by the British government. Along with Samuel Adams and others in Boston, Warren, began organizing opposition to new rules and taxes. The Boston Tea Party in December of 1773 was the tipping point. When three shiploads of tea were dumped into the harbor, King George III ordered that Boston be punished. The British closed down the Port of Boston and the town suffered immensely; this aided in building opposition to British rule.

The separate colonies were seeing that the time had come to stand together. In September of 1774 the First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia. Boston was represented by Samuel Adams, John Adams, and Robert Treat Paine. Warren was asked to draw up a document stating the opinions of the people Massachusetts, and wrote what would be called The Suffolk Resolves. These 19 "resolves" declared although Massachusetts was loyal to their king, when the king takes away their rights he loses that loyalty. The Resolves also state that the people will take up arms to defend these rights and themselves. Warren went on to write that anyone arrested on the king's orders would find one of the king's appointees arrested. Along with all this, Warren declared that all illegal laws and taxes should be ignored by patriotic Americans. Never before had Americans stated their independence so forcibly.

The Congress voted to approve The Suffolk Resolves and a copy was sent to England. Dr. Joseph Warren had set America on it's long and difficult road to independence.

As chairman of the Boston Committee of Safety, Warren had organized men loyal to the cause to keep watch on British army activity.

 

 



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