Plaque Honoring Levi Pease In Shrewsbury, MA
BLANDFORD HISTORICAL SOCIETY PRESENTS…
DID YOU KNOW?
LEVI PEASE (1739–1824)
Hilltown history is filled with familiar family names, and few are more recognizable than Pease.
What many people don't realize is that one member of that family, Levi Pease, spent six years operating a tavern in the center of Blandford while quietly participating in some of the most important events of the American Revolution—and later, building a new nation.
The story begins with Levi's father, Nathaniel Pease, who moved to Blandford from Enfield, Connecticut, in 1759 and purchased the corner tavern beside today's Old Burying Ground, across from the Blandford Historical Society.
In 1770, Nathaniel sold the tavern to Levi, who operated it until 1776, serving travelers by day while carrying military dispatches for the Revolutionary cause. A later newspaper account reported that Pease also commanded a company of minute men and "drilled them in secret places."
A Legend
Pease's reputation for courage, discretion, and honesty became legendary.
He served as a trusted courier for General John Thomas, commander of the Northern Army and one of George Washington's most respected officers. Thomas commanded the forces that seized Dorchester Heights in March 1776, forcing the British evacuation of Boston. Pease was reportedly at Thomas's bedside when he succumbed to smallpox months later in Montreal.
Not a single dispatch entrusted to him was known to have been lost.
One military officer later remarked that Pease could be trusted with a saddlebag full of money for army provisions without even requiring a receipt.
After General Thomas’ death, Pease sold the tavern to his brother and devoted himself fully to the Revolutionary cause. He helped coordinate the movement of horses, supplies, and equipment for the Continental Army, supporting operations that culminated in the American victory at Yorktown in 1781.
Chief Innovator
After the war, Pease turned his knowledge of roads, logistics, and communication toward connecting the young nation.
He established one of America's earliest stagecoach lines, linking Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Hartford, and New York. He later expanded into mail delivery, dramatically reducing travel times between Boston and New York to about 36 hours.
Later, Pease successfully petitioned the Massachusetts legislature to charter one of the state's first turnpikes, earning the titles Father of the Stagecoach and Father of the Turnpike.
A Hub of Revolutionary Activity
Pease’s story also intersects with other famous names from local history. Were they in subterfuge cahoots? We can't say for certain. But the circles of trusted patriots in Revolutionary New England were legendary.
For example, records show Pease conducted business in town with Samuel Sloper, who participated in the Boston Tea Party in 1773 before settling in Blandford.
Additionally, the cannons Knox hauled from Fort Ticonderoga were later placed under General Thomas's command—the very officer for whom Pease carried secret dispatches at the time.
No official records confirm it, but Pease's Tavern was perfectly situated along the colonial highway, making it an ideal rest stop for Knox and some of his men who stayed for a couple of days while figuring out how to navigate the Devil’s Staircase.
Today, visitors standing beside the Old Burying Ground may not realize that one of the Revolution's most trusted dispatchers once worked just a few feet away, helping move information, supplies, and countless secrets through a nation fighting for its independence.
It's another reminder that Blandford is a small town with a big history—one that reaches far beyond its borders.
DID YOU KNOW?
LEVI PEASE (1739–1824)
Hilltown history is filled with familiar family names, and few are more recognizable than Pease.
What many people don't realize is that one member of that family, Levi Pease, spent six years operating a tavern in the center of Blandford while quietly participating in some of the most important events of the American Revolution—and later, building a new nation.
The story begins with Levi's father, Nathaniel Pease, who moved to Blandford from Enfield, Connecticut, in 1759 and purchased the corner tavern beside today's Old Burying Ground, across from the Blandford Historical Society.
In 1770, Nathaniel sold the tavern to Levi, who operated it until 1776, serving travelers by day while carrying military dispatches for the Revolutionary cause. A later newspaper account reported that Pease also commanded a company of minute men and "drilled them in secret places."
A Legend
Pease's reputation for courage, discretion, and honesty became legendary.
He served as a trusted courier for General John Thomas, commander of the Northern Army and one of George Washington's most respected officers. Thomas commanded the forces that seized Dorchester Heights in March 1776, forcing the British evacuation of Boston. Pease was reportedly at Thomas's bedside when he succumbed to smallpox months later in Montreal.
Not a single dispatch entrusted to him was known to have been lost.
One military officer later remarked that Pease could be trusted with a saddlebag full of money for army provisions without even requiring a receipt.
After General Thomas’ death, Pease sold the tavern to his brother and devoted himself fully to the Revolutionary cause. He helped coordinate the movement of horses, supplies, and equipment for the Continental Army, supporting operations that culminated in the American victory at Yorktown in 1781.
Chief Innovator
After the war, Pease turned his knowledge of roads, logistics, and communication toward connecting the young nation.
He established one of America's earliest stagecoach lines, linking Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Hartford, and New York. He later expanded into mail delivery, dramatically reducing travel times between Boston and New York to about 36 hours.
Later, Pease successfully petitioned the Massachusetts legislature to charter one of the state's first turnpikes, earning the titles Father of the Stagecoach and Father of the Turnpike.
A Hub of Revolutionary Activity
Pease’s story also intersects with other famous names from local history. Were they in subterfuge cahoots? We can't say for certain. But the circles of trusted patriots in Revolutionary New England were legendary.
For example, records show Pease conducted business in town with Samuel Sloper, who participated in the Boston Tea Party in 1773 before settling in Blandford.
Additionally, the cannons Knox hauled from Fort Ticonderoga were later placed under General Thomas's command—the very officer for whom Pease carried secret dispatches at the time.
No official records confirm it, but Pease's Tavern was perfectly situated along the colonial highway, making it an ideal rest stop for Knox and some of his men who stayed for a couple of days while figuring out how to navigate the Devil’s Staircase.
Today, visitors standing beside the Old Burying Ground may not realize that one of the Revolution's most trusted dispatchers once worked just a few feet away, helping move information, supplies, and countless secrets through a nation fighting for its independence.
It's another reminder that Blandford is a small town with a big history—one that reaches far beyond its borders.
Pease Tavern Bordered
The Old Burying Ground |
Plaque In Memory Of
Gen. John Thomas |
Stage Coach
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Blandford 'Did You Know?' researched and written by Jane Rohman