Daniel Malcolm was an American patriot, merchant, and sea-captain.
Background
Daniel Malcolm was descended from the Scottish Clan Malcolm. He was born on November 29, 1725, in Georgetown, Maine, and was the son of Michael and Sarah Malcolm, who came to America a few years before Daniel's birth.
His father was one of the selectmen of Georgetown for many years. Two other sons were Allen Malcolm, who fought on the patriot side in the Revolution, and Capt. John Malcolm, a customs officer under the Crown, who was twice tarred and feathered.
Career
Daniel became a sea-captain and owned several vessels. He bought two houses in Boston and was a warden of Christ Church. A leader of the Sons of Liberty, he was associated with Otis, Hancock, Revere, and Adams. Believing that the Revenue Acts were unjust, he became the most active antagonist of the customs authorities. On September 24, 1766, the comptroller of customs, having information that a number of casks of uncustomed wine were concealed in Malcolm's cellar, went to his house armed with a writ of assistance, which was presumed by the superior court to give the right to enter and search.
Malcolm refused to unlock an inner cellar. He "solemnly swore it should not be opened and if any Man attempted it, he would blow his Brains out . .. and took a Pistol in his hand and soon after another and then put on a sword. . .. He said . .. he knew the Laws and that no Body had a right to Come into his House". The defeated officers returned in the afternoon with the high sheriff to find Malcolm's gate locked.
They besieged him in his house until sunset, but to no avail. Then fearing for their lives from the crowd which had gathered, they abandoned the siege. "I only wanted for the good of the Country to know whether they would break open Houses, " said Malcolm. When this case was referred to England, the attorney-general ruled that the courts in America had no right to issue writs of assistance.
In February 1768, a schooner of Malcolm's laden with sixty pipes of wines came into Boston harbor. He ordered her to anchor among the islands five miles out, landed the cargo in the night, and had it carried in drays to safety, each load being guarded by men with clubs. A few days later he called and presided at a meeting of the merchants of Boston, at which they entered into an agreement not to import any goods from Great Britain for a year and a half.
Of this event Gov. Francis Bernard wrote to London: "This may be said to be the first movement of the merchants against the Acts of Parliament. " On June 10, 1768, John Hancock's sloop Liberty was seized by the customs officers because her cargo of Madeira wine had been unloaded at night. Malcolm raised a mob at the wharf and attempted to prevent the seizure which was being made by marines from the Romney. Thus he led the patriots in the first clash with the armed forces of England.
He died October 23, 1769, at the age of forty-four. His gravestone on Copp's Hill, Boston, records his services: "a true Son of Liberty, a Friend to the Publick, an Enemy to oppression, and one of the foremost in opposing the Revenue Acts on America. " This stone still shows the marks of bullets fired at it by British soldiers.
Achievements
Connections
Malcolm married Ann Fudge, by whom he had several children.