Businessman statesman

March 28, 1706 (age 67)

Andrew Oliver’s second wife was the sister of the wife of Gov. Thomas Hutchinson, and thus during most of his active life Oliver was in close family relations, as well as political sympathy, with Hutchinson and his party. For some years Oliver represented Boston in the General Court and in 1748 served as a commissioner, with Hutchinson, at the meeting in Albany for the purpose of negotiating with the Six Nations. Meanwhile he had been elected to the Provincial Council in 1746 and continued to be elected annually to and including 1765. In December 1756 Josiah Willard, who had served as secretary of the province for more than a generation, died, and on the 13th Acting-Governor Phips appointed Oliver to the vacant post until the King's pleasure might be known. Oliver continued in the office until March 11, 1771, being twice commissioned by the King, March 2, 1758, and April 10, 1761. After the passage of the Stamp Act, Oliver accepted an appointment as stamp-officer. This proved to be an extremely unpopular and even dangerous step. In 1765 he was reelected to the Council, for the last time, by a majority of only three or four votes . In August 14 he was hanged in effigy on the Liberty Tree. In the evening the mob razed a building said to have been intended for the stamp office and then attacked Oliver's house. The marauders broke windows, smashed down the doors, destroyed much of the fine furnishing, and greatly terrified the family. On the next day Oliver resigned his post but the mob was not satisfied and attacked the houses of Oliver's brother, the chief-justice, and of Hutchinson. After some months an unfounded rumor was spread abroad that Oliver intended after all to act as stamp officer. He received two threatening anonymous letters, and having already suffered enough from the mob, he agreed to appear again on December 17 at the Liberty Tree and make oath before a justice of the peace that he would never act in that capacity. On October 19, 1770, he was commissioned by the King as lieutenant-governor and sworn into office March 14, 1771, serving until his death. Oliver had always retained his interest in Harvard and in 1772 he fostered medical instruction there by gifts of anatomical preparations imported from London. In 1773 he was again a storm center of popular rage. In the late sixties he, as well as Bernard, Hutchinson, and others, had written to England certain letters describing the unsettled conditions in the colonies and advising remedies. Benjamin Franklin, while in England, obtained these private letters and forwarded copies to the popular party in Boston. They were made public in 1773 and, although the incident reflects little credit upon Franklin and his Boston correspondents, the popular rage broke over Oliver. In addition, Arthur Lee, in England, concealing his identity under a pseudonym, accused Oliver of perjury in the public press. "Scarce any man, " as Hutchinson wrote, "ever had a more scrupulous and sacred regard to truth, " and after an examination of evidence Oliver was completely exonerated, but his unpopularity and the threatenings of the mob had accented certain physical disorders and his health gave way. He sank slowly and died on March 3, 1774. The petty vindictiveness of the popular party followed him to his grave. As lieutenant-governor, according to the custom of the day, he was accorded a public funeral but as a result of a childish dispute over a trifling matter of precedence between members of the two houses of the legislature, the lower house refused to attend. In addition, John Hancock, as commander of the "Cadets, " insisted that they should form part of the procession as an honor due the office of lieutenant-governor if not the man. Samuel Adams made furious opposition. The feeling was so violent that Chief-Justice Oliver was afraid to attend his brother's burial. Indecent attacks were made upon the cortège, and in the presence of the family the Sons of Liberty cheered as the coffin was lowered into the grave.