1
Jun
1775
Loyalist Exodus from Plymouth
Plymouth, MA· year date
The Story
As the Revolution solidified, Plymouth's Loyalist families faced increasing pressure. Those who openly supported the Crown had their property confiscated, their businesses boycotted, and their social standing destroyed. Some, like the Watson family, eventually fled to British-held territory or to Nova Scotia.
The Loyalist crisis revealed the Revolution's human cost at the local level. Neighbors became enemies. Families split. Commercial relationships built over generations were severed. Plymouth, like every Massachusetts town, had residents who believed independence was a mistake — and paid for that belief.
People Involved
Colonel William Watson
Militia Colonel
Plymouth militia colonel who organized the county's military response after Lexington and served on the local Committee of Safety. He coordinated supply lines to Continental forces throughout the war.
George Watson
Merchant
Prominent Plymouth merchant who remained loyal to the Crown and suffered confiscation of his property. His experience illustrates the cost of choosing the losing side in a revolution.