Thomas Knowlton–America’s First Spy
Did you ever notice the stone and brass plaque at the intersection of Main and Washington streets in West Boxford? It is dedicated to an early American hero, Thomas Knowlton, born in West Boxford on Nov 22, 1740.
At age 8 his family moved to Ashford, CT. At age 15 he joined his older brother to fight in the French & Indian War in several battles including the taking of Fort Ticonderoga, and later in Cuba. He returned home to Ashford, married, and with his wife Anna, raised 9 children. In 1775, as a captain, he led 200 Connecticut Minutemen to the battle of Bunker Hill where he fought under the command of William Prescott until ammunition ran out. The retreat of the Connecticut troops was made possible by the defense formed by the Essex battalion which included many Boxford men under the command of Captain William Perley.
Knowlton was promoted to Lt Colonel by George Washington and formed a reconnaissance group that became known as Knowlton’s Rangers, and remembered as America’s first spies. In September 1776 during the New York campaign, leading his men at the Battle of Harlem Heights Thomas Knowlton was killed in action, at age 36, a grave loss for Washington’s army and his family. Even today, the ‘1776″ on the US Army’s intelligence service refers to the creation of Knowlton’s Rangers.
British Museum Pays homage to Boxford Colonist
A Boxford couple was traveling through England this past May when they stumbled upon the room.
The American Museum, located in a Georgian mansion in the English countryside surrounding Bath, is all about America and, as it turns out, a little bit of Boxford. The museum showcases pre-1880 American items including rooms that bring America’s colonial beginnings to life. One of the rooms, The Perley Parlor, uses the original pine paneling from a home in Boxford that was built in 1763 by Captain William Perley (1735-1812).
The house, which was originally located at 52 Bare Hill Rd, is no longer standing. Captain Perley commanded the Boxford company in the battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775. Of the 52 Minute Men under his command, eight gave their lives that day.
2025 Boxford Historical Society Annual Meeting
The Annual Meeting to be held Monday, December 8 @ 6:30 pm.
The agenda for the evening includes:
- The election of trustees and officers.