Jonathan Plowman, Jr. - Justice of The Peace

Justice of The Peace

Another passage found in the Maryland archives tells the story of Robert Moreton, a customs/tax collector. Apparently the merchants of Baltimore did not like the fact that he seized the cargo and ship Speedwell. The story is that the ship Speedwell came up from Turk Islands and apparently against Moreton's order began to unload, because of the merchant's insistence to get the goods ashore. Moreton then informed the Captain that he had just forfeited the ship and cargo and went to Annapolis to file the papers. Upon Moreton's return a great number of merchants and masters of vessels came down to the boat with clubs and staves with intention to kill, and on that night tarred and feathered two men, who occasionally worked with Moreton, and brought them to Moreton's door with torches in their hands, and made them damn all Custom House Officers. At the same time the mob broke the door down, broke the windows, and forced Mrs. Moreton to take them all over the house and cellar to see if they could find Mr. Moreton. They searched every house for Moreton with their faces being black'd and disguised in sailors' jackets and trousers, but most of them were the principal merchants in Baltimore and Fells Point). When they could not find Moreton, they beat a drum and played a fife up to town, beating the men all the way there, and then they tied one to the stern of a boat and towed him along until he was nearly drowned. On Friday April 30, 1773 Mrs. Moreton dispatched a letter by a messenger to Annapolis which upon receipt in the evening of the same day Moreton saw the Governor, filling him in, and praying his protection and support. The Governor gave him a letter addressed to "Mr. Plowman a Merchant and a Justice of the Peace at Baltimore —" The Mob assembled again on May 1, 1773 set on burning down the house. A gentleman took pity and argued not to hurt the wife and innocent children so they put aside their intentions, but they did decide to tar and feather that man and drag him through the water instead. Moreton did return to Baltimore, but because his house was being watched Moreton went to a friend's home outside town who hid him. Mrs. Morton sent for Jonathan Plowman, and gave him the letter written by the Governor. Jonathan Plowman went to the coffee house and read it to the town. Afterwards Mr. Plowman returned with several others and told her that her husband could come home. But she told her husband not to since people still looked for him even forcing the Marshal to come look for him because they would tar and feather him if he didn't. Mr. Moreton fled to Boston, but then missed a court date to testify against one John Pitts for shooting Mr. Ross the gaoler. A side note is that his best friend and business partner Dr. John Stevenson was also an appointed Justice of the peace.