This letter, written in May of 1782, guarantees “unmolested passage” to young William Stoddard Williams. He was traveling between the Massachusetts towns of Deerfield, where he lived with his family, and West Stockbridge, where he was studying medicine with Erastus Sergeant. Massachusetts and the other 12 colonies were at war with Great Britain and a member of the Williams family, many of whom were nominal loyalists, ran the risk of being detained by patriots. The war was over but there had been no peace treaty yet and divided loyalties were still evident.
Selectmen of Deerfield. Letter from Deerfield Selectmen re: travel of William Stoddard Williams. May 15, 1782. Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, American Centuries. https://americancenturies.org/collection/l99-027/. Accessed on October 16, 2024.
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