So when is a Loyalist not a Loyalist? When you are a Sandemanian. Yup, it's a real word and one I had to research to understand the story of Hopestill Capen. At first glance the Sandemanians seem to be pacifists but further exploration reveals that while they did not believe in taking up arms in rebellion, they did not discourage taking up arms to defend a government. While Hopestill Capen made it clear that he disagreed with British policies and favored a new government, he would not take up arms in the Patriot cause. Many Sandemanians, like other Loyalists, left the country when the British were driven out of Boston. Hopestill refused to go and wanted to ride out the war remaining neutral. His silk & dry-goods shop is now the Union Oyster House - called the oldest continuously operating restaurant in America.
His own words: "But as to the charge of my being an enemy to my country, no accusation can be more unjust...had I not been check'd by the command of God...to be subject to the Higher Powers...I should have been one of the foremost in opposing the measure of the British Parliament...neither do I think myself in any way bound in conscience to become an informer against my country...but to be subject to all the laws that are made that are not contrary to the laws of my Maker." And "...whenever it shall appear to my conscience that a change in government has taken place, and is so established that the power is of God, I shall know myself to be as tenaciously bound to adhere to God's law respecting being subject to that power, and to what I am from its support with cheerfulness" (Casey). In plain terms, I will be happy to support the Patriots at the point where they are clearly in charge of the government.
In October 1776 Capen's wife, Patience (Stoddard), petitioned for his release. She expressed that she and her children had suffered greatly because of Hopestill's confinement. More than 80 citizens of Boston signed the appeal and attested to the fact that he was an honest and peaceable man. The sheriff complained that this petition and a second appeal from Hopestill in December was insulting and asked for protection from Mr. Capen's insults. The petitions did not change things for Hopestill and ..."was summarily denied, as the Patriots tended to look upon even the vaguest hints of neutrality or loyalism as a threat to their authority. Capen's persecutors were concerned he and all the other Sandemanians were no different. He was held for over two years and finally released in October 1778, when he decided that emigration to Nova Scotia would be the only option if he wished to live in peace" (Smith 143). It is ironic that he was denied the basic right of habeas corpus espoused by the founding fathers. He never got a chance to defend his position in front of a judge or jury.
Hopestill's appeal to his jailer, Mr. Wm. GreenleafIt is unclear to me when or if Hopestill returned from Nova Scotia but he and his wife have headstones in Copps Burying Ground in Boston. His headstone reads "memorial" which leads me to believe he may have been buried elsewhere. These photos are from findagrave.com.
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| Patience Capen |
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| Hopestill Capen |
Sources & further reading on Sandemanians and Hopestill Capen
- http://boston1775.blogspot.com/search/label/Hopestill%20Capen
- The Stone-Campbell movement: an international religious tradition. Edited by Michael W. Casey, Douglas Allen Foster. University of Tennessee Press 2002
- The perfect rule of the Christian religion: a history of Sandemanianism in the eighteenth century. John Howard Smith. SUNY Press. 2008 p. 143
- Biographical Sketches of Loyalists of the American Revolution, With an Historical Essay, Volume 1 by Lorenzo Sabine. Little, Brown & Company. 1864. pg 293
- http://www.williamreesecompany.com/catalogs/cat270.pdf
John Capen (1612-1692) - my 9th great-grandfather
Bernard Capen (1650-1691) - brother of James Capen - my 8th great-grandfather
John Capen (1685-1733) - cousin of James Capen 2nd - my 7th great-grandfather
Hopestill Capen (abt 1731-1807) - 2nd cousin of James Capen 3rd - my 6th great-grandfather
The rest of my Capen line:
Thomas Capen (1739- ) - 5th great-grandfather
Thomas Capen (1762-1808) - 4th great-grandfather
Timothy Capen (1793- ) - 3rd great-grandfather
Edward Abbott Capen (1838-1936) 2nd great-grandfather
Fannie May Capen (1878-1961) great-grandmother
T. Richard Carter (1914-2005) grandfather
Hello - we are 10th cousins once removed. Bernard Capen is my 11th great grandfather. I am descended from his daughter Susan, who married William Rockwell. I'm sure if you have other New England ancestry, we're likely related on other lines.
ReplyDeleteHi Cousin, Almost all my lines go back to 17th century New England so I'm sure we have other connections. Finding new cousins interested in genealogy is one of the best benefits of blogging!
DeleteHello My Name is Bryan Joseph Capen I, D.C. I have been fond of this part of American Revolutionary History for quite some time.
ReplyDeleteI would hope to see more of our family in the History books...Yet all but ignored in standard American History Texts Books.
While Hopestill was a Pacifist he was not a loyalist...he likely remained loyal to England as he feared a rebuttal from the British Royal Family. Some Evidence to Support he was a Pinnacle Revolutionary Player...
Isiah Thomas he Author of "The Massachusetts Spy" printed the Revolutionary Periodical From Hopestill's secret Double Agent second Floor. While the second floor was not "Secret" what took place there was.
Not only did they print the Massachusetts Spy but John Hancock Signed the First Checks for the First Continental Army on this same second Floor.
In addition to the above aforementioned...The Second Floor was constantly stitching and seeming Continental Army Uniforms among the constant Chatter that was of the New Government that would or could be.
The women on the second floor would always keep A Union Jack near the Place that they would hang it up...if they felt that there was a British Red Coat that might come upstairs for inspection. It was a tense Time, and the British were mostly concerned with the Maintenance of their Loyal...as such, it was a dangerous Time for Patience and Hope.Still Capen. (Pronunciation, Proper French= Cap.En, Like Cap.Et.)
I imagine on the way to America when everybody on board Bernard's Ship kept calling him Cap'n...that the Captain Got upset and demanded he was Captain and the Bernard was K.Pin.
If you notice, there is a Capens France. In French this is Cap-en, Like Cap-et and Based off of Cape-(tia)-n.
As well there is a Capena Estrusca...is pronounced Cap-En-A (With an Pre_italian Flare) As estrucans were before the Roman Empire.
Hmm...not directly on topic, but an interesting thought, No?
So it would seem that although Hopestill was not a Fighter, that he and his family were key figures in the Unknown History of the American Revolutionary War.
Other Secrets...like providing Political Asylum For The King of France...Louis Phillipe in his attempts to maintain the French Throne. I am guessing that is not taught in American History Books either.
Any-Rant...What would you have done? Your not sure that The New American Experiment is going to work and England and all of its representatives believed you to be Loyalist??? I believe that to be the reason that he Penned that Letter...to remain in appearance of Loyalty to The British while Obviously serving as a Double Agent.
Why would you have so many secrets on your second floor...that all were dealing with Revolution??? If you were truly Loyal? Just my Two Cents. Cheers. TD