Lexington Historical Society

On April 19, 1775, the first armed conflict of the American Revolutionary War took place on the village green in Lexington, Massachusetts. I picture the tension in those early morning hours, Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott had alerted the local militia, and two of my 5th great-grandfathers, Joseph Simonds and Joel Viles, stood among the seventy-seven men of Captain John Parker’s Company facing 800 British soldiers.

As the standoff unfolded, a shot suddenly rang out, its origin remains a mystery, and the British troops opened fire. Eight colonists were killed, and several others wounded, marking the beginning of open revolution. I feel immense pride knowing that my ancestors were there, part of that “shot heard round the world.”

Joshua Simonds (6th g-grandfather) was present at Lexington Green and had gone into the meetinghouse for gunpowder with Caleb Harrington and Joseph Comee. Comee was killed and Harrington was wounded as they attempted to leave the house. Simonds stayed to safeguard the gunpowder.

“When the British came up in front of the meeting-house, Joshua Simonds was in the upper gallery, an open cask of powder standing near him, and he afterward told me, that he cocked his gun and placed the muzzle of it close to the cask of powder, and determined to “touch it off,” in case the troops had come into the gallery.” Deposition of Ebenezer Munroe on 2 April 1825.

Read More about the Depositions: In the aftermath of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the Massachusetts Provincial Congress ordered depositions to be taken from eyewitnesses. The Congress was trying to prove the British fired first at Lexington. Deposition #7 was given by Nathaniel Mullikin, Philip Russell, and others, who testified the British fired first at the Battle of Lexington. Source: American History Central

Lexington‘s Revolutionary War Monument

Funded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, following a 1797 petition to the General Court by Joseph Simonds to,”preserve to posterity a record of the first effort made by the people of America for the establishment of their freedom and independence,”

Erected on July 4, 1799, Lexington‘s Revolutionary War Monument is the oldest war memorial in the United States. Featuring a granite obelisk set on a simple pedestal, it marks the approximate location of the line of the Lexington militia that stretched across the town common to confront the British Regulars on April 19, 1775.

Source: Monuments – Freedom Way

Read more about Lexington: (246th Anniversary) The Shot Heard Round Buckman Tavern

The header for my blog features a painting by American academic realist painter Don Troiani and is titled “Lexington Common.” The painting captures the emotions of the local militia as they prepared to meet the British in Lexington, Massachusetts on the 19th of April 1775. (Mr. Troiani kindly gave me permission to feature his amazing work).

I choose the painting to honor my 5th great grandfathers Joseph Simonds and Joel Viles, two of the seventy-seven men of Captain John Parker’s Company of Lexington Militia who stood bravely before the vanguard of 800 advancing British regulars.

As the British advance guard assembled on the Lexington Common, Captain Parker, vastly outnumbered, ordered his company to disperse. A shot was fired (historians debate who fired the shot) and the British then fired several quick volleys killing 8 and injuring 10 militia. This brief skirmish is regarded as the first exchange of gunfire in the Revolutionary War.

Battle of Lexington by Hammatt Billings
Boston: Smith & Knight, 1861, Scottish Rite Masonic Museum, Lexington, MA

Buckman Tavern – In this later print of the Battle of Lexington (above), Buckman’s Tavern can be seen in the background (left-middle) on the edge of Lexington Green. The initial construction of the tavern was started between 1709-13 by my 7th great-grandparents John Muzzy and wife Elizabeth Bradshaw on land conveyed to him by his father Benjamin. Following is a brief history of Buckman Tavern, which is still standing and a furnished historic site with audio tour and exhibit space managed by the Lexington Historical Society.

The Buckman Tavern is most renowned for its role in the events of April 19, 1775. However, the site is important in other ways. It has been a notable presence in Lexington since it became a tavern in 1713, shortly after it was built. As a “Public House of Entertainment,” the Tavern was faithfully tended by John Muzzy from 1713 to about 1755, *Samuel Stone from 1764 or earlier to 1768, John Buckman from 1768 to 1784, **Joseph Simonds from 1784 to 1794, and Rufus Meriam from 1794 to about 1815 when the building ceased to be used as a tavern. (Source: Historic Structure Report – Buckman Tavern, Lexington Historical Society)

*Samuel Stone, my 6th great-grandfather, married to Jane Muzzy, the daughter of John.

**Joseph Simonds, my 5th great grandfather who fought in the Battle of Lexington, married to Elizabeth Stone, the daughter of Jane and Samuel Stone.

Side Note: After Samuel Stones death, his wife Jane sold the tavern to John Buckman (hence Buckman Tavern) who was the husband of Ruth Stone (who I am guessing was her sister-in-law?)

Comments, corrections and and suggestions appreciated.

“If they mean to have a war, let it begin here.” Captain Parker

(246th Anniversary) The Shot Heard Round Buckman Tavern