In 1799, some German citizens objected to paying a window tax levied by Congress during President John Adams’ administration. Perhaps due to a language difficulty, they interpreted it as a tax on window glass.
It was fear of a war with France that caused Congress to assess the tax, based on the number of windows in a house.
Leading the rebellion was John Fries, an auctioneer who lived in Trumbauersville, then Charlestown, between Quakertown and Sumneytown. Fries, the father of 10 children had quite a following in Bucks, Berks, Lehigh and Northampton counties. His co-leaders were Frederick Haney and John Getman, both residents of this area.
When taxpayers refused to pay, assessors were sent into the countryside to warn the residents that they were breaking a federal law.
Fries, Haney, Getman and others banded together on March 3, 1799 and tried to capture three of the federal agents in an inn near Trumbauersville, but they escaped and rode away. The next day Fries led a band of about 100 men, armed with guns and clubs, into Quakertown.
There, two of the assessors rode boldly into the rebel gang which had gathered in front of the Red Lion Inn in Quakertown, warning them that they were violating a federal law. Fries and his men captured the assessors, but later released them, telling them to leave and not to return.
The rebellion was given the name “Hot Water War” when housewives poured hot water from upstairs windows on the assessors who knocked on their doors to collect the taxes.
Matters became so bad in the collection of taxes in Easton that a federal marshall issued warrants for the arrest of the troublemakers. A number of them were arrested and jailed in Bethlehem.
Hearing of this, Fries and a band of 140 rebels marched into Northampton County to rescue their sympathizers. Fries approached the colonel and demanded the release of the prisoners, but the marshall refused. The gang then began battering the bolted doors of the jail. Wishing to avoid bloodshed, the deputies pleaded with the marshall to release the prisoners.
This was finally done, and Fries and his triumphant “army” marched off with their rescued friends.
News of the spreading insurrection reached Washington. President John Adams issued a proclamation on March 12 warning all citizens against taking part in such actions. The War Department ordered out 1,000 militia members from southeastern Pennsylvania.
They assembled at Springhouse and began their march up the Bethlehem Pike.
At Sellersville, they learned Fries was crying a sale near Quakertown and troops were dispatched to take him into custody. It is said that Fries was auctioning off a fire shovel when one of his henchmen saw the soldiers and warned him.
Fries ran from the sale and disappeared into the woods. The troops followed him to Bunker Hill, now Rich Hill, where he was captured. Fries, hiding in the underbrush, might have escaped, if his faithful dog “Whiskey” had not barked at one of the horsemen.
Fries was placed under arrest and taken to Philadelphia for trial. Their leader in jail, Haney and Getman soon gave up and were taken to jail. The three were found guilty and, on May 13, sentenced to be hanged for treason.
The day of execution was set, and the gallows were erected at the Red Lion Inn on South Main Street in Quakertown. Three nooses were suspended from the gallows, and everything was in readiness for a big day in the Quaker village. On the eve of the execution, President Adams pardoned the three and they were released to go home.
Despite his rebellious nature, Fries was not such a bad fellow after all. Prior to the tax fracas, Fries was a member of the militia and took part in squelching the Whiskey Insurrection in western Pennsylvania where people refused to pay a whiskey tax.
He also led a group of neighbors against a British party that had stolen cows from farms in the Quakertown area. Fries and his men caught up with them at Flourtown and rescued the stolen cows.
Thus, a one-time patriot turned rebel about a window tax that amounted to only about $1 per house, made a name for himself in national and local history.
Quakertown Historical Society is working with Lower Macungie Township to create a Fries Rebellion Film. For more information, or to make a donation, go to FriesMovie.com.
Christina Landis is president of the Quakertown Historical Society.
“Heralding Our History” is a weekly feature. Each month, the Herald delves into the history of one of its towns.
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