Barlow Trecothick

Note on Husband: Barlow Trecothick - shared note Barlow Trecothick was born in Stepney on 27 January 1720, and was baptised there. His father was a sea captain named Mark Trecothick and his mother was Hannah Greenleaf. He had a brother Edward baptised 1721 in Stepney, and at that time the family resided in nearby Ratcliff. By 1724 the family had moved to Boston, where his sister Hannah was born the same year. They were members of King's Chapel, the preeminent Church of England in Boston, where many of the city's elite worshipped. Barlow received his education and made firm acquaintances in Boston. He was apprenticed to Charles Apthorp, a leading merchant in Boston, and later married his daughter Grizzell Apthorp in Boston in 1747. Barlow became a successful merchant in connection with the Apthorps and Tomlinsons and together they were well established among the merchantile elite of the late 18th century British world. He moved to Jamaica about 1742 and also owned plantations in Antigua, Barbados and Grenada. It is reported that he owned hundreds, if not thousands, of slaves who toiled producing sugar. He returned to Boston for a while, but settled permanently in London by 1756. There he was the colonial agent for New Hampshire. In London Barlow's wealth, connections and ambition led him into the political sphere. In 1764 he became an Alderman of Vintry Ward in London. He became a sheriff of London in 1766. In 1768 he was elected a Member of Parliament, belonging to the Whig party. In this capacity he was ever the champion of the rights of Americans. In 1770, on the death of the incumbent mayor, Barlow Trecothick was elected to fill out the remainder of the term and he was invested with the chains of office as Lord Mayor of London. Barlow Trecothick will always be remembered as the primary force in leading to the repeal of the hated Stamp Act of 1765. It is claimed that in doing so he averted the Revolution a decade and changed the course of American history. It is to his credit that he led the merchant class in an upswelling of protest and lobbying to have the hated taxes rescinded. Along with Benjamin Franklin, who was also in London, Barlow's eloquence and thorough knowledge of the workings of American commerce convinced Parliament to repeal the Stamp Act. Barlow Trecothick married twice but had no children. Upon his death in 1775 he willed his estate to various charities as well as to family members and friends. He offered much to his sister's son, John Ivers, on the condition that he take the surname of Trecothick. Thus he became John Ivers Trecothick. biography by Bryce E. Withrow: "A Biographical Study of Barlow Trecothick 1720-1775" in vol. 38, no. 3 (Summer 1992) of The Emporia State Research Studies. From BARLOW TRECOTHICK: A FORGOTTEN COLONIAL CORNISH-AMERICAN HERO, by Barry E.Tracy http://www.historyguild.org/library/cornish_crier/cc_vol12_no3.txt (extracted 25.8.2009)

Biographical Summary

"TRECOTHICK, Barlow (?1718-75), of Addington, Surr. - b. ?1718, s. of Capt. Mark Trecothick, mariner, by his w. Hannah Greenleaf. educ. Boston, Mass. m. (1) 2 Mar. 1747, Grizzell (d. 31 July 1769), da. of Charles Apthorp of Boston,2 s.p.; (2) 9 June 1770, Anne, da. of Amos Meredith, sis. of Sir William Meredith, 3rd Bt., s.p. Of her sisters Henrietta m. 1758 Frederick Vane, and Mary 1769 Lord Frederick Campbell.

Offices Held

Alderman of London 2 Jan. 1764-1 Nov. 1774; sheriff Apr.-Sept. 1766; ld. mayor 29 June-Nov. 1770.

Provincial agent for New Hampshire 1766-74."

SOURCE: The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1754-1790, ed. L. Namier, J. Brooke., 1964