Paul Revere was a man of many talents, a “Jack Of All Trades” if you will.
Patriot, silversmith, engraver, and republican, he was destined to be a hero.
Born to parents Apollos De Rivoire, a French Huguenot, and Deborah Hitchbourn,
Paul Revere came into the world on January 1, 1735 in Boston Massachusetts.
Clark’s Wharf is where the Reveres resided now. The third born of eight
children Revere learned early the lesson of perseverance, a lesson that would be
an important in his later life, Revere would need to keep on going no mater what
obstacles appeared in his way. Revere attended school in Boston where he got a
sufficient education as well as in the shop with his father and the wharves of
where he lived. As Revere grows in age he upholds many different jobs, including
being a bell ringer for Christ’s Church, an Episcopal parish. Around the time
of Reveres newly found job the first indications of the Revolutionary War were
be gossiped about around the town. On the Sunday morning in which he was to toll
the bell of Christ’s church a young boy heard the first gun of the revolution.
Revere didn’t know this yet but his honorable duty lay within that revolution.
On the twenty-second day of July, 1754 Reveres father died in his sleep. He was
buried in the Old Granary. Paul was very distraught over losing his father. They
were close, more like friends than father and son. After his fathers death Paul
became the man of the house. He had to take on more responsibilities and work
harder to support his large family. After a while the stress was weighing him
down and it was probably some sort relief when he went to fight the French. In
1756 he returned. On August 4, 1757 Paul Revere married Sara Orne, or a Revere
referred to her “Sary”. After some years of marriage Revere thinks it’s
time for something new so he joins the masons, where he meets James Otis and
Joseph Warren both men whom are of importance to him. In 1761 the year James
Otis made his famous speech to Revere it would be know as the year that he
fought his cousin Francis husband. The reasons why these two young men fought
are not known but are probably logical considering that Revere was not the
brawling type. All the while Revere is still making silver. Smallpox strikes the
Reveres household as well as the rest of Boston. Paul Revere loved his children
and couldn’t bear the fact of losing them. He called them his little lambs.
Luckily none of them died nor did Sara. Pope day of this year, November 5 1764,
got out of hand and riots were started. Many were killed and brutally maimed.
Revere was outraged over this, but this was the last completely unrestrained
old-fashioned pope day in Boston. Times were rough now for the Reveres, with
five children to support Revere is forced to take up new traded to make ends
meat. He joins the sundry clubs, revolutionary in character, tries his skills in
engraving and dentistry, but still does best as a silversmith. On Friday,
September 30. 1768 the ships of war were sent from England, they were anchored
and harbored on all sides of the town. Fighting drove on and years later a
bloody battle on king street lead to an engraving done by Revere that would be
remembered forever. In April of 1770, Paul Revere decided it’s time for him
and his family to move from Clark’s Wharf to North Square. A farm, soon the
Revere family would acquire mare, sheep, and livestock. Life was good at their
new establishment but now a terror crept up again. It was May 3,1773 when Sary
died, Paul was heart broken. His true love gone ,and him left to raise eight
children alone. She was buried in the Old Granary. As shocking as it is Revere
marries quite quickly after the sudden death of Sary. On September 23, 1773,
Revere marries Rachel Walker. In November of the same year Paul takes his first
ride in pride of his country. Him and five others were chosen to ride to
neighboring seaports to worn that they might try to unload at their wharves.
Paul does attend the Boston Tea Party but then must ride to Philadelphia. When
he returns home from Philadelphia he finds that Boston has went berserk. He
continues making silver and engraving but is always ready to ride if ever he is
needed. The present governor, Hutchinson, Reveres cousin, turns Boston over to
General Gage and leaves for London , never to return again. British soldiers
once more control the town but Revere carries word of their plans. As Robert
Newman hangs the lanterns, and Revere crosses to Charleston. He carries the
Alarum to Lexington. He British capture him. Revere is in quite a dilemma now.
To his great luck thy let him free and he returns to John Hancock and Sam Adams.
He saves Hancock’s trunk for him and goes into Cambridge. He risks a trip into
Boston to make sure his family finally succeeds in getting a pass. By May of
this year Revere has turned to printing money, engraving printing plates, and he
designed the first official seal used for the colonies as well as the seal still
used by Massachusetts today. During this same time one of Reveres friends from
back in Boston was caught red Handed by George Washington holding criminal
correspondence with the enemy, Dr.Church. By November of 1776 the Americans were
in desperate need of Gunpowder so they turned to Paul Revere. Paul made powder
in his mill until 1779 when it blew up. The British rule (Gage) and the Tories
left Boston, Revere and his family return to North square. As a dentist it is
Reveres duty to identify dead bodies, on of which is his friend from the masons,
Joseph Warren. Later that year it is said that George Washington himself asked
Revere to go out to Castle Island to fix the cannon. This was a great honor. But
with honor comes sadness and on May 26th his mother passed at aged 73. Revere
had suffered many losses including his wife and father but this one hurt the
most. He had lived with his mother his whole life and really respected the idea
of family. Revere worked more with the government and Castle Island. He soon
packed up and head home once again. Hard times strike once again and Revere is
once again drove to find more work. He tries commercial work but silver is still
his main income. Revere fights to be court marshal, re-establishes his
character, and writes endless letters to his cousins in France and Guernsey.
Paul sets up a foundry and casts the first bell ever cast in Boston. Paul Revere
now has lived over half his life and relaxes a bit. He gets involved in civic
projects and the welfare of children, grandchildren and friends. He discovers
the secret of rolling copper and establishes a great industry. Paul Revere dies
May 10 1818.