Ebenezer MacKintosh: The Unsung Agitator of the American Revolution

Ebenezer MacKintosh (c. 1737–1816) was a prominent figure during the American Revolutionary period, known for his role as a radical leader and agitator in pre-revolutionary Boston. MacKintosh was a shoemaker by trade, but he gained notoriety for his involvement in the protests against British colonial policies.

MacKintosh was an influential leader of the Sons of Liberty, a secret organization that opposed the British government’s taxation and control over the American colonies. He was particularly active in the protests against the Stamp Act of 1765, which taxed various printed materials in the colonies. MacKintosh led a mob that burned effigies of British officials and destroyed the homes of those who supported the Stamp Act.

In 1766, MacKintosh organized the public celebration of the Stamp Act’s repeal, complete with parades and bonfires. In addition to his opposition to the Stamp Act, he was involved in the protests against the Townshend Acts, which imposed new taxes on the colonies and expanded British control over the American colonies. MacKintosh and his fellow Sons of Liberty continued to fight against British oppression, playing a significant role in the events leading up to the American Revolution.

Although MacKintosh’s contributions to the American Revolutionary cause are not as well-known as those of other founding figures, his actions as a leader and agitator were instrumental in shaping the revolutionary movement in Boston and the broader colonies.

There is limited information about Ebenezer MacKintosh’s life in Haverhill, New Hampshire. After the American Revolution, many veterans moved to New Hampshire, including MacKintosh. He settled in Haverhill, a town located along the Connecticut River in Grafton County, New Hampshire.

In Haverhill, MacKintosh continued to work as a shoemaker, living a quieter life than his earlier years as a prominent agitator and leader of the Sons of Liberty in Boston. He eventually passed away in Haverhill in 1816.

Ebenezer MacKintosh’s life in Haverhill represents a typical narrative for many revolutionary war veterans who sought a fresh start in new communities following the war. While his later life was less turbulent than his earlier activism, his contributions to the American Revolutionary cause remain essential to the nation’s history. He is buried in the Horse Meadow Cemetery