Joseph Shedd, Granary Burial Ground - Boston, MA - American Revolution Patriot Graves on Waymarking.com

In Boston, within the Granary Burial Ground, is a grave marker that lists Joseph Shedd, a Patriot and participant in the Boston Tea Party.

The Granary Burial Ground is located along Tremont Street and about a tenth mile northeast of Boston Common. It is a popular stop along the Freedom Trail.

The marker is located by the fence along Tremont Street and is near the memorial for Samuel Adams.

The memorial is a stone slate laid flat to the ground. The top is by the fence and the bottom is by the walkway. On it is the following text:

"...
Joseph Shed
Born June 17, 1732
Died October 18, 1812

Revolutionary Patriot
Member Boston Tea Party"

Joseph Shed was a carpenter at the time who later became a grocer. He was friends with Sam Adams, who was one of the major agitators in the Boston Tea Party. He was a Jeffersonian-Democrat. According to one source, people gathered at his house prior to the Boston Tea Party to don disguises. I couldn't find anything else on Shed's involvement. Participation was kept a secret so people wouldn't get caught and punished. Often people would only come forward years later (and, no doubt, some claimed to be there and actually weren't).

The Boston Tea Party was a protest of large proportions against the British government's policies and taxes on governing the colonies. In particular, they were protesting the Tea Act of May 10, 1773. Before the event, meetings were held at Old South Meeting House on Washington Street. At the event somewhere between 100 and 175 people actually boarded the ships at dock and dumped the tea into the harbor. This protest caused the British government to clamp down on Boston, closing the port, which caused more protests...and the eventual start of the American Revolutionary War.

A couple sites provided some background as to why some people would participate. After the French and War, the economy in the colonies was depressed. People then stopped coming to the city to settle. This would affect people like carpenters who build the houses for the people moving in. People also blamed the British government for compounding the situation by levying taxes like the

Nearby the marker is a historical sign that combines graves related to the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party.


Sources:

Boston Tea Party Ship & Museum (Joseph Shed):
(visit link)

Revolutionary Characters:
(visit link)

Old South Meeting House:

(List of Participants):
(visit link)

(The Meetings at Old South Meeting House):
(visit link)

Patriot Name: Joseph Shedd Type of Service Provided: Member of the Boston Tea Party Cemetery Name: Granary Burial Ground Text of the Grave Marker: No. Samuel A. Shed & William Goddard Tomb 1822 Joseph Shed Born June 17, 1732 Died october 18, 1812 Revolutionary Patriot Member Boston Tea Party" Grave Marker Type: Slate Tablet Marker Historical Background: Joseph Shed claimed to have been a participant in the Boston Tea Party.

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