Thomas Spear - Quarantine as Family Affair

Thomas Spear was the seventh Rainsford Hospital Island Keeper taking office September 14, 1796. At 43 years of age he was one of the oldest Island Keepers to assume command of Rainsford Island. However, this fact did not appear to affect his ability to accomplish his work. He had the advantage of age and was a good administrator, using family and hired hands to help with the task of managing the quarantine island. Indeed, Thomas Spear had a large family with five children less than 16 years of age and one son over 16.[1] He, his wife and children took up residence on the island in the fall of 1796 and provided nursing, shelter, and other agricultural services to those requiring quarantine due to smallpox or yellow fever.

During his tenure, his family provided nursing care as needed but this support was eventually frowned upon by the new Boston Board of Health, concerned with the possible transmission of disease to innocent children. The Boston Board of Health assumed responsibility for quarantine affairs and for the activities of the Island Keeper in February 1799. During the next few years, Mr. Spear’s activities began to get more scrutiny than those of any previous Island Keeper. The 12 members of the Board of Health had more time to devote to health issues and this meant that Spear’s routine affairs were closely monitored. Because of the increasing concern with yellow fever outbreaks along the eastern seaboard, in the spring of 1802 the Board of Health allowed Mr. Spears an extra $200 to cover the expense of having an extra nurse and man working on the island.

Apparently the Board was not satisfied with the rigor with which Mr. Spear handled quarantine and disinfection practices on the island. In 1803 the Board required Mr. Spear to handle all disinfections of vessels in person, apparently not happy with the work of subordinated that were delegated such duties by Spear. The reprimand may not have been grievous punishment since he did not lose his job. Nevertheless, the Board imposed a $5 fine if a similar offence were to reoccur. [2] After working for more than three years without any direct oversight by the Selectmen, direct supervision by the Board of Health was not easy for him to adjust to. Not content with their oversight he complained about the conduct of the Board and as luck would have it the Board learned of his complaints and took him to task for his insubordination.[3]

Mr. Spear died in the line of service on April 5, 1812. His death left the Board of Health with a challenge: the forced removal of a large family from Rainsford Island. Instead of doing that the Board of Health chose to select his son Henry to continue on as the Island Keeper since he had spent many years helping his father with the routine chores of managing the hospital, caring for the sick, navigating Boston Harbor and tending to farming activities on the island. The Board found this a fitting means of resolving their administrative responsibilities with the least impact to the merchant class of Boston. During this transition period, the Board assigned Captain Jonathan Loring along with Joshua Ellis and Isaac Vose as a quarantine committee to assist Henry Spear with the challenges of managing the hospital. Loring served for a number of years as a superintendent providing oversight and support to the Island Keeper.[4] Henry Spear died May 1, 1817 leaving the Board of Health without an Island Keeper. No one in the Spear family was willing to take on this challenge so the Board of Health chose Moses Hobart for this assignment.


[1] U.S. Bureau of the Census, Heads of the families at the first census of the United States taken in the year 1790, Massachusetts. Access December 31, 2009. Web link: http://www.usgwcensus.org/states/massachusetts/ma1790.htm
Thomas Spear grew up in a large family himself.. According to church records Thomas Spear Senior’s children were Sarah (born 1769), Susanna (born 1751), Thankful (born 1756), Thomas Jr. (born 1753), Nathaniel (born 1753), Mary (born 1761) and John (born 1749).
[2] Minutes of the Boston Board of Health, April 13, 1803, p. 234.
[3] Minutes of the Boston Board of Health, July 6, 1803, p. 243.
[4] Minutes of the Boston Board of Health, April 4, 1812 and June 11, 1814.