The Pine Tree Riot of 1772 | Summary & Explanation

The Pine Tree Riot was one of the earliest significant acts of rebellion against British authorities in the Thirteen Colonies, preceding much more well-known acts of resistance such as the Boston Tea Party.

Context

In the 17th and 18th centuries, timber was a hugely important commodity.

The British Navy needed huge quantities of wood for its fleet of ships, in order to maintain its global naval dominance, and control its overseas territories. Conflicts such as the French and Indian War (1754 to 1763) were won by the British in large part thanks to their control of the seas.

Timber was also used to build merchant ships, as well as to produce barrels, houses, barns, paper, and fuel for heating and cooking.

Due to the huge demand for timber, much of England had been deforested, and the British relied on its overseas territories for certain types of wood. In particular, in New Hampshire, white pine trees were found to be a quality choice in the production of ship’s masts.

As a result, the British implemented the Mast Preservation Clause under the new Massachusetts Bay Charter implemented in 1691, which also applied to New Hampshire.

The clause stated that all white pine trees in New Hampshire under 24 inches were reserved for the British Crown – and this restriction was later reduced to 12 inches in 1722.

Officially, surveyors of the King’s Woods were tasked with marking reserved trees using an arrow symbol. Colonial settlers were forbidden to cut down or use these trees without royal permission, even when they were planted on private land.

Fortunately for the colonists, enforcement of this law was very relaxed, at least up until the mid-1750s. The clause was largely ignored – New Hampshire pines were used freely by colonial shipbuilders, and their timber was exported by colonial merchants.

The Pine Tree Riot

In 1767, John Wentworth was appointed governor of New Hampshire, and under his rule, the Mast Preservation Clause began being enforced much more strictly.

This caused significant frustration among the colonists. Enforcement was inconsistent, often arbitrary, and viewed as a symbol of British exploitation. The colonists felt that they had the right to timber planted on their own private property.

In 1771, several sawmill owners were accused of cutting down white pine trees reserved for the Crown at Clement’s Mill, in Weare, New Hampshire. Other mill owners in nearby Goffstown were also charged.

John Sherburne, the Deputy Surveyor, fined the men, ordering them to appear in court in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and pay penalties. However, those from Weare, led by a man named Ebenezer Mudgett, refused to pay the fine.

On April 13, 1772, Wentworth sent the county sheriff, Benjamin Whiting, and his deputy John Quigley to Weare to arrest Mudgett and his co-conspirators.

They met Mudgett, who stated that he would gather the funds necessary and pay what he owed the next morning, so Whiting and Quigley stayed overnight at the nearby Quimby’s Inn, also known as the Pine Tree Tavern.

Hearing what had happened, the sawmill owners and the people of Weare decided to run the enforcement officers out of town.

After the two officers had retired for the night, Mudgett gathered a group of around 20-30 men, many disguised with blackened faces to conceal their identities. They raided the tavern and severely beat Whiting and Quigley using wooden poles, before shearing their horses and clipping their ears to humiliate the two men.

Aftermath and legacy

Soon after the riots, many of the perpetrators were discovered and arrested by the British. They were charged with rioting, assault, and disturbing the peace.

In a court case held in September 1772, the men were found guilty, but got off with a light fine of just 20 shillings – about $840–$1,200 in today’s money.

Despite the relative severity of the crimes – Whiting in particular was badly beaten – the men did not face jail time, as there was widespread sympathy for their cause.

The Pine Tree Riots were one of the first major acts of rebellion against British authority in the Thirteen Colonies. Ultimately, the riots showed the power that the colonists had to resist British overreach, and likely strengthened their resolve to fight back against future laws that would be considered unjust, such as the Tea Act of 1773.

The actions of Mudgett and his men can be considered almost New Hampshire’s version of the Boston Tea Party. Although a much lesser-known event than the Sons of Liberty’s dumping of British tea in Boston Harbor, the success of the Pine Tree Riots was significant for the people of New Hampshire, as the colony was heavily reliant on the timber trade for its economic prosperity.

From this point on, the Mast Preservation Clause went back to being largely ignored, especially regarding white pines planted on private land.

Prior to the riots, the pine tree had long been a symbol of New England, since at least as early as the beginning of the 1700s. However, from this point on, it became more commonly used as a symbol of the colony’s independence, especially during the Revolutionary War.