Even as a teenager and young man, Woburn’s own Benjamin Thompson was intelligent, ambitious, and full of trouble. This talk tracks the future count through his failed apprenticeships (he blew himself up only once) to his youthful marriage, dealings with royal governors, and first known affair. The outbreak of war in Massachusetts presented young Thompson with bigger dangers—and opportunities.

This talk is being presented by J. L. Bell. J. L. Bell is the author of The Road to Concord: How Four Stolen Cannon Ignited the Revolutionary War (Westholme, 2016). He maintains the Boston1775.net website, dedicated to history, analysis, and unabashed gossip about the start of the American Revolution in New England. His other historical writing includes Gen. George Washington’s Home and Headquarters—Cambridge, Massachusetts, a comprehensive study for the National Park Service, and contributions to Todd Andrlik’s Reporting the Revolutionary War (Sourcebooks, 2012), James Marten’s Children in Colonial America (New York University Press, 2007), and many journals and magazines. He has been elected a Fellow of the Massachusetts Historical Society, a Fellow of the American Antiquarian Society, and a Member of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts.

DATE: Tuesday, May 12

TIME: 6:30 – 8 PM

LOCATION: Woburn Public Library, 45 Pleasant Street, Woburn, MA 01801

ACCESS: Venus is accessible.

This program is offered by Woburn Public Library as part of the Hidden Treasures Festival of Nature, Culture & History, an annual month-long celebration showcasing events and activities hosted by local partners celebrating the unique places, objects, and stories of the Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area. Hidden Treasures programs are free and open to the public. Click to discover more Hidden Treasures!