The Dorr Rebellion and Newport County Collection utilizes a previously unexplored set of letters at the Newport Historical Society (George Turner Collection, Box 38, Folder 6) to illustrate some of the key moments connected to Thomas Wilson Dorr's attempt to alter Rhode Island's sitting government (1841-842). Readers will explore Thomas Dorr's close relationship with Newport attorneys Dutee Pearce and George Turner and learn about Newport County's significant role in the constitutional crisis that gripped the state in the spring of 1842. In addition to the events connected to the Dorr Rebellion, readers will learn about Thomas Dorr's efforts to manage the appeal of his 1844 treason conviction, along with the trespass case of Luther v. Borden, which was eventually decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1849. Teachers will want to pair these letters with previously posted collections, especially the Road Not Taken.
To learn more about the role of Newport County and the Dorr Rebellion, read this contextual essay by Dr. Erik Chaput and Russell DeSimone.