Patriots and Loyalists: Revolutionary Dissension in a Cheshire County Town

Join Senior Historian Alan Rumrill to examine the drama of a small town's response to the American Revolution. Oliver Parker was one of the first settlers and the undisputed political leader of Stoddard, New Hampshire in the mid-1770s. When the Revolutionary War began, Parker spoke out against the Patriot cause. He quickly lost favor in the town and was branded as a disreputable Loyalist. Was it only Parker’s Loyalist views that damaged his reputation, or were other factors in play? Learn about the Patriots of Stoddard, their contentious disputes with the town’s outspoken Loyalist, and how the upheaval of war can inflame personal disagreements. This program is gernerously sponsored by The Putnam Foundation and Fenton Family Dealerships.