William Dawes, Jr., One of the Riders with Paul Revere - Boston, MA - American Revolution Patriot Graves on Waymarking.com

In Boston's downtown section is the King's Chapel Burying Ground. In the middle of the cemetery is a tomb that has a plaque with the name, "William Daews, Jr."

The tomb is accessed via a brick walk. From the entrance at Tremont Street, walk left, then right, then right again. The tomb is at the end of the short walkway. The text on the plaque has the following:

"William Dawes Jr.
Patriot, Son of Liberty, and first messenger sent by Warren from Boston to Lexington on the night of April 18-19 1775 to warn Hancock and Adams of the coming of the British troops.

Born April 6, 1745
Died February 25, 1790

Placed by the Massachusetts Society [logo] Sons of the Revolution
April 19, 1899"

There is a historical marker on the left. The marker related to the several people in the area. The following is text about William Dawes:

"William Dawes, Jr. (1745-1799) is said to be buried in one of two Dawes bombs on this path. He worked in Boston as a tanner, leather dresser, retailer, grocer, and trader, and owned a shop in Dock Square. His most significant contribution to the city, and to the country as a whole, was a horseback ride that he took on the night of April 18, 1775.

When Dr. Joseph Warren, an active patriot and the chairman of the Committee of Safety for the Provincial Congress, learned that the British were planning an attack on Concord on April 19, he sent William Dawes and fellow patriot Paul Revere to warn John Hancock and Samuel Adams, who were in Lexington. Revere and Dawes took different routes, Revere went "by sea," rowing across the Charles River then riding through Cambridge. Dawes rode "by land" across Boston Neck, through Roxbury, and across the Charles River bridge near Watertown. As he rode, Dawes alerted towns of the impending attack giving them the chance to call out their militia. Dawes was nearly captured by the British, but escaped and was able to trick hem into ending their pursuit. He later fought in the Battle of Bunker Hill and started an army supply company. Other members of the Dawes family are buried here, including his great grandfather Ambrose Dawes (1642-1705), a bricklayer and mason, whose gravestone sits left next to the Dawes tomb at the end of the path.

Patriot Name: William Dawes, Jr. Type of Service Provided: Messenger for the Sons of Liberty Cemetery Name: King's Chapel Burial Ground Text of the Grave Marker: "William Dawes Jr. Patriot, Son of Liberty, and first messenger sent by Warren from Boston to Lexington on the night of April 18-19 1775 to warn Hancock and Adams of the coming of the British troops. Born April 6, 1745 Died February 25, 1790 Placed by the Massachusetts Society [logo] Sons of the Revolution April 19, 1899" Grave Marker Type: Stone Tablet on Tomb Historical Background: He was one of three riders on the night of April 18-19, 1775, along with Revere and Prescot, to warn the countryside that the British troops were marching into Concord. See above for details.

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Date Logged Log User Rating   04/01/2012 petendot visited it