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{{Short description|American Revolutionary War figure}}
{{otherpeople|Robert Newman}}
{{other people|Robert Newman}}
'''Robert Newman''' (March 20, 1752 – May 26, 1804) was an [[United States|American]] [[Sexton (office)|sexton]] at the [[Old North Church]] in [[Boston, Massachusetts]]. He is considered a [[Patriot (American Revolution)|Patriot]] in the [[American Revolution]] for hanging lanterns in his church's [[steeple]] on April 18, 1775, part of a [[Intelligence in the American Revolutionary War|warning signal]] devised by [[Paul Revere]] during the [[Battles of Lexington and Concord]].
[[File:Here lies Robert Newman, born in Boston Mch. 20 1752, died in Boston, May 26, 1804 - DPLA - 790b63f6df0fbf8ac39e9003087fbf0b.jpg|thumb|Grave at Copp's Hill Burying Ground]]
'''Robert Newman''' (March 20, 1752 – May 26, 1804) was an American [[Sexton (office)|sexton]] at the [[Old North Church]] in [[Boston, Massachusetts]]. He is considered a [[Patriot (American Revolution)|Patriot]] in the [[American Revolution]] for hanging lanterns along with [[vestryman]] [[John Pulling (captain)|John Pulling]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Charlestown |first=Mailing Address: Boston National Historical Park 21 Second Ave |last2=Us |first2=MA 02129 Phone: 617 242-5601 Contact |title=Old North Church - Boston National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service) |url=https://www.nps.gov/bost/learn/historyculture/onc.htm |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=www.nps.gov |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Captain John Pulling Jr. Historical Marker |url=https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=115353 |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=www.hmdb.org |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=History of Old North Church {{!}} The Old North Church |url=https://www.oldnorth.com/our-history/ |access-date=2023-10-02 |website=The Old North Church & Historic Site |language=en-US}}</ref> in his church's [[Steeple (architecture)|steeple]] on April 18, 1775, part of a [[Intelligence in the American Revolutionary War|warning signal]] devised by [[Paul Revere]] during the [[Battles of Lexington and Concord]].


==Life and career==
==Life and career==
[[File:Robert Newman House, corner of Salem and Sheaffe Streets.jpg|thumb|Robert Newman House, corner of Salem and Sheaffe Streets (c. 1898)]]
⚫
Newman had become sexton of Christ Church, now known as Old North Church, in 1772. He lived with his mother in 1775, and she was renting part of their home to British officers. After pretending to go to bed on the night of April 18, Newman snuck out of his house undetected by the officers and joined [[vestryman]] [[John Pulling (captain)|John Pulling]] and Thomas Bernard, who assisted him with the signal. Bernard served as a lookout while Pulling and Newman went to the [[bell tower|belfry]], the tallest structure in the area. Using a code devised by Revere, Newman hung two lanterns in the church's belfry to warn Patriots that the British were about to descend upon Lexington via the [[Charles River]]. The signal was spotted across the river, and allies began spreading the word. Newman returned home after the signal was set, and though he was later arrested, nothing could be proven against him.<ref name="waters">Waters, Henry Fitz-Gilbert (1877). ''The New England historical and genealogical register, Volume 31.'' The Society</ref> He said he had given the keys of the church to Pulling, and when British authorities went to question Pulling, he had already escaped to [[Nantucket]], where he remained until it was safe to return.<ref name="goldfeld">Goldfeld, Alex R. (2009). ''The North End: A Brief History of Boston's Oldest Neighborhood.'' The History Press, {{ISBN|978-1-59629-518-6}}</ref>


⚫
Newman continued as sexton until his death. The famous steeple was toppled by the [[Snow Hurricane of 1804]] in the fall after Newman died. He was survived by his second wife, Mary Hammon, whom he married in 1790. He is buried at [[Copp's Hill Burying Ground]] in Boston. His collected letters were published on the bicentennial of his signal, in 1975.<ref name="sheets1975">Sheets, Robert Newman (1975). ''Robert Newman: His Life and Letters 1752–1804.'' Commonwealth Book Company, Inc.</ref>
⚫
Newman had become sexton in 1772. He lived with his mother in 1775, and she was renting part of their home to British officers. Newman served as caretaker of Christ Church, now known as Old North Church. After pretending to go to bed on the night of April 18, Newman snuck out of his house undetected by the officers and joined [[vestryman]] John Pulling and Thomas Bernard, who assisted him with the signal. Bernard served as a lookout while Pulling and Newman went to the [[belfry]], the tallest structure in the area. Using a code devised by Revere, Newman hung two lanterns in the church's belfry to warn Patriots that the British were about to descend upon Lexington by via the [[Charles River]]. The signal was spotted across the river, and allies began spreading the word. He said he had given the keys to Pulling, and when they went to question Pulling, he had already escaped to [[Nantucket]], where he remained until it was safe to return.<ref name="goldfeld">Goldfeld, Alex R. (2009). ''The North End: A Brief History of Boston's Oldest Neighborhood.'' The History Press, ISBN 9781596295186</ref> Newman returned home after the signal was set, and though he was later arrested, nothing could be proven against him.<ref name="waters">Waters, Henry Fitz-Gilbert (1877). ''The New England historical and genealogical register, Volume 31.'' The Society</ref>

⚫
Newman continued in the position until his death. The famous steeple was toppled by a [[Snow Hurricane of 1804]] in the fall after Newman died. He was survived by his second wife, Mary Hammon, whom he married in 1790. He is buried at [[Copp's Hill Burying Ground]] in Boston. His collected letters were published on the bicentennial of his signal, in 1975.<ref name="sheets1975">Sheets, Robert Newman (1975). ''Robert Newman: His Life and Letters 1752-1804.'' Commonwealth Book Company, Inc.</ref>


==References==
==References==
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==External links==
==External links==
*{{findagrave|6077}}
* {{find a Grave|6077}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Newman, Robert}}
[[Category:1752 births]]
[[Category:1752 births]]
[[Category:1804 deaths]]
[[Category:1804 deaths]]
[[Category:Patriots in the American Revolution]]
[[Category:People from colonial Boston]]
[[Category:People from colonial Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Burials at Copp's Hill Burying Ground]]


{{US-reli-bio-stub}}

Latest revision as of 20:42, 31 July 2024

For other people named Robert Newman, see Robert Newman (disambiguation).
Grave at Copp's Hill Burying Ground

Robert Newman (March 20, 1752 – May 26, 1804) was an American sexton at the Old North Church in Boston, Massachusetts. He is considered a Patriot in the American Revolution for hanging lanterns along with vestryman John Pulling[1][2][3] in his church's steeple on April 18, 1775, part of a warning signal devised by Paul Revere during the Battles of Lexington and Concord.

Life and career

[edit]
Robert Newman House, corner of Salem and Sheaffe Streets (c. 1898)

Newman had become sexton of Christ Church, now known as Old North Church, in 1772. He lived with his mother in 1775, and she was renting part of their home to British officers. After pretending to go to bed on the night of April 18, Newman snuck out of his house undetected by the officers and joined vestryman John Pulling and Thomas Bernard, who assisted him with the signal. Bernard served as a lookout while Pulling and Newman went to the belfry, the tallest structure in the area. Using a code devised by Revere, Newman hung two lanterns in the church's belfry to warn Patriots that the British were about to descend upon Lexington via the Charles River. The signal was spotted across the river, and allies began spreading the word. Newman returned home after the signal was set, and though he was later arrested, nothing could be proven against him.[4] He said he had given the keys of the church to Pulling, and when British authorities went to question Pulling, he had already escaped to Nantucket, where he remained until it was safe to return.[5]

Newman continued as sexton until his death. The famous steeple was toppled by the Snow Hurricane of 1804 in the fall after Newman died. He was survived by his second wife, Mary Hammon, whom he married in 1790. He is buried at Copp's Hill Burying Ground in Boston. His collected letters were published on the bicentennial of his signal, in 1975.[6]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Charlestown, Mailing Address: Boston National Historical Park 21 Second Ave; Us, MA 02129 Phone: 617 242-5601 Contact. "Old North Church - Boston National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2023-10-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ "Captain John Pulling Jr. Historical Marker". www.hmdb.org. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  3. ^ "History of Old North Church | The Old North Church". The Old North Church & Historic Site. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  4. ^ Waters, Henry Fitz-Gilbert (1877). The New England historical and genealogical register, Volume 31. The Society
  5. ^ Goldfeld, Alex R. (2009). The North End: A Brief History of Boston's Oldest Neighborhood. The History Press, ISBN 978-1-59629-518-6
  6. ^ Sheets, Robert Newman (1975). Robert Newman: His Life and Letters 1752–1804. Commonwealth Book Company, Inc.
[edit]


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