Sarah Bradlee Fulton - Mother of the Boston Tea Party
American Revolutionary
Born: December 24, 1740, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
Died: November 9, 1835, U.S.A.
Sarah Bradlee Fulton was a fearless patriot who helped spark revolution and supported the fight for freedom through daring acts of courage and service.
Sarah was born on December 24, 1740, in Dorchester, Massachusetts, a neighborhood in Boston. Growing up near the busy city, she was surrounded by talk of liberty and resistance to British rule. In 1762, she married John Fulton, a fellow patriot, and moved to the town of Medford. Like many colonists at the time, Sarah became active in the fight for independence. She joined the Daughters of Liberty, a group of women who protested unfair British taxes and supported the boycott of imported goods.
Sarah is most remembered for her role in the famous Boston Tea Party of 1773. When the British Parliament passed the Tea Act, colonists were furious. The law forced them to pay extra taxes on tea and gave the British East India Company a monopoly over its sale. To resist, the Sons of Liberty planned a dramatic protest: they would board British ships and dump the tea into Boston Harbor. But first, they needed disguises. Sarah is credited with the idea of dressing the men as Mohawk Indians, painting their faces, and giving them clothes to conceal their identities. After the protest, the men hurried back to her home, where Sarah helped wash the paint off their faces and hide their disguises. Thanks to her quick thinking, the British never discovered who had carried out the act. Because of this, Sarah became known as the “Mother of the Boston Tea Party.”
Her bravery did not stop there. When the Revolutionary War began in 1775, Sarah took action again. During the Battle of Bunker Hill, she rallied other women in Medford to nurse wounded soldiers. They brought bandages, lint, and medicine to treat the injured, even performing minor surgeries when doctors were scarce. Sarah’s care and determination helped save lives at a time when resources were limited.
In March 1776, Sarah proved her courage once more. Major John Brooks, a patriot leader, needed an urgent message delivered to General George Washington. The mission was dangerous because it required crossing enemy lines. Sarah volunteered without hesitation. She carried the dispatch to Washington’s camp in Charlestown and returned safely. Washington personally thanked her for her bravery, an honor she treasured for the rest of her life.
One of Sarah’s boldest moments came during the Siege of Boston. The Continental Army was in desperate need of wood for fuel and supplies. The Fulton’s purchased a shipment, but British soldiers seized it before it could be delivered. Refusing to accept defeat, Sarah chased after them. She grabbed the oxen, pulling the wood by their horns and turned them around, daring the soldiers to fire at her. “Shoot away!” she shouted. Shocked by her fearlessness, the soldiers let her leave with the wood, which she proudly delivered to the American troops.
Sarah’s home in Medford also became a gathering place for patriots. Paul Revere’s alarm in 1775 passed through her town, and later General John Stark used her house as headquarters for his New Hampshire regiment. Even after the war, Sarah welcomed important visitors, including General Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette. Washington drank from her silver punch bowl, and years later Lafayette sat in his chair, listening to her retell the stories of those daring days.
Sarah Bradlee Fulton lived a long life, passing away peacefully on November 9, 1835, just weeks before her 95th birthday. She was buried in Medford’s Salem Street Cemetery, surrounded by the community she had served so bravely.
Although her name is not as well-known as other patriots, Sarah played a vital role in the struggle for independence. She disguised revolutionaries, nursed the wounded, carried secret messages, and even defied British soldiers face-to-face. Her story reminds us that America’s freedom was not won by generals alone, but also by the courage of ordinary people, especially women like her. Sarah Bradlee Fulton, the “Mother of the Boston Tea Party,” deserves to be remembered as one of our nation’s true founding mothers.
References:
Hunter, Brittany. “Remember One of America’s Founding Mothers: Sarah Bradlee Fulton.” America’s Future, 27 June 2023, americasfuture.org/remember-one-of-americas-founding-mothers-sarah-bradlee-fulton.
“Sarah Bradlee Fulton.” American Battlefield Trust, www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/sarah-bradlee-fulton.
“Sarah Bradlee Fulton.” Boston Tea Party Ships, www.bostonteapartyship.com/sarah-bradlee-fulton.
“Sarah Bradlee Fulton.” Honoring Our Patriots, 14 June 2024, honoringourpatriots.dar.org/patriots/sarah-bradley-fulton.
Keywords:
Wartime, Justice, Courage, Perseverance, Freedom, Responsibility, Take Risks for Others, Stand Up for Your Beliefs
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