Tankard, Elias Pelletreau (1726–1810)

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Date

1750-76

Description

Silver. On the eve of the American Revolution, Southampton silversmith, Elias Pelletreau, signed the Articles of Association, an agreement adopted by the First Continental Congress in October of 1774. It formalized a boycott on British goods in response to a series of laws, or “Coercive Acts,” Parliament passed as punishment for the rebellious Boston Tea Party. Although targeted at Massachusetts, these laws were viewed as threats to the liberties of all thirteen colonies. Shortly after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the fifty-year-old Pelletreau led a military company of senior citizens in Southampton. The patriot silversmith probably made this tankard sometime before having to flee to Connecticut following the Battle of Long Island, the first major contest of the Revolutionary War and a crushing American defeat that resulted in Long Island’s occupation by British soldiers. If you look closely, you’ll notice Pelletreau’s “EP” mark stamped on either side of the handle. This item was features in the Voices and Votes: Democracy in America Exhibition.

Type

Artifact

Region

Long Island

Era

Revolution and New Nation

Topic

American Revolution, Industry

Repository

Preservation Long Island

Identifier

957.608

Source

Preservation Long Island

Rights

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