Jan 2

Jan 2 The Defacing of Daniel Malcom's Grave

Daniel Malcom was a Patriot whose refusal to permit a Tax Collector to search his property united the rebels of Boston a decade before independence was declared.

”Oh fire away, ye villains and earn King George’s shillin’s, but ye’ll waste a ton of powder afore a rebel falls; you may bang the dirt and welcome, they’re as safe as Daniel Malcolm, ten foot beneath the gravestone that you’ve splintered with your balls!”

These words are from the Oliver Wendell Holmes poem of 1875 titled Grandmother’s Story of Bunker Hill Battle as She Saw it From the Belfry.

The line references Redcoats using the tombstone of Daniel Malcom for target practice.

But who was Daniel Malcom and why would the British be desecrating his grave?

Daniel Malcom

Daniel Malcom was a Boston merchant, or, more accurately, a smuggler.

He had made his living carrying goods into Massachusetts while avoiding the paying of taxes.

This was a common practice at the time, though, in the 1760’s the King and Parliament had begun to crack down on the lawbreakers.

As Malcom was well known for his illegal activities, he became an early target for arrest. This would have been a great example to set for the other colonists.

Writ of Assistance

In the Autumn of 1766, two men approached Malcom’s house...one a tax collector, the other a sheriff.

These men carried with them a writ of assistance. This document was, essentially, an open-ended warrenet that permitted the holder to search any property for any reason, so long as the suspected illegal activities were going on.

They believed that Malcom was hiding smuggled wine in his basement (which was likely true). Their goal was to rummage through the house and confiscate other illicit goods.

Daniel had other ideas.

You Shall Not Pass

When the men arrived at the Malcom residence, Daniel greeted them with two pistols in his hand (and a sword for good measure).

He informed them that if they attempted to search his property he would ‘blow their heads off.’

They wisely left and went to get a proper warrant.

When they returned, approximately 200 men were waiting. These Patriots made it known that the tax collector could not enter Daniel’s property until they made it clear why, specifically, they believed Malcom was breaking the law.

The authorities gave up on the search and a few weeks later the charges were dropped.

Insulting the Dead

Unfortunately, Daniel Malcom passed away just three years later.

This was well before the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. Although he did not participate in the Revolution, his resolution against the British Government’s authority certainly places him among the American Founders.

The Redcoats certainly thought so.

That’s why he was asked to be buried 10 feet underground, and why they used his tombstone for target practice.

His grave is still there today, with the bullet wounds which verify this tale.

Here are some other PRE-REVOLUTION FOUNDERS:

Christopher Seider - First Casualty of the American Revolution

James Otis Ignites a Revolution

Riots Over Coffee - From Loyal Nine to Sons of Liberty

The 1760’s in Boston was a very interesting time and place to be a part of.

To learn more, I’d recommend checking out ‘Cradle of Violence.’

If you’d like a copy you can get one through the Amazon affiliate link below (you’ll support this site, but don’t worry, Amazon pays me while your price stays the same).