John Roulstone of Boston, MA.

Unfortunately, very little is currently known about John Roulstone. Most of what is known is taken from a few advertisements he placed in the Boston Newspapers. He is recorded as being born on February 12, 1740. His parents were John Roulstone (1712-1776) and Ruth Everden. Who trained him as a clockmaker is currently not known. It is thought he began on his own in about 1761 and worked for the Boston Jeweler Jonathan Trott. He is recorded as first working in Boston in 1763. On March 27, 1768, he married Mary Greenleaf. They had two daughters. (Mary b. January 13, 1769, and Elizabeth b. October 14, 1770.) In April, he purchased a dwelling house and buildings on Newbury Street from his inlaws. He had maintained a relationship with Trott since he witnessed the deed. The first advertisement for his business was placed in the Boston New-Letter on May 12, 1768. It reads: “Clock and WatchMaker, Takes this opportunity to inform those Gentlemen who favor him with their Custom:-that he has removed the Shop he lately improv'd to a Shop three doors Southward of that, and the third Door Northward of the White Horse Tavern; Where he does all sorts of Clock and Watch-Work as usual,-has all sort'd of Watch-Chains, Strings, Seals, and Keyes, &c. &c.-.”  In July of 1775, John Roulstone and his family were granted a pass to travel out of Boston. This would have been during the siege of Boston. He reported to Abigal Adams, John Adams's wife and the daughter of Reverend Smith and Elizabeth Quincy, that he had gotten passage on a fishing schooner. He reported that the city had been locked down, and the British were in control. This anecdote is gleaned from a letter written by Richard Cranch to John Adams in July 1775. In 1789, John was listed in the Boston City Directory as a watchmaker working at 18 Newbury Street. This would have been just a few doors down from fellow clockmakers Joseph and his brother Robert Pope. In 1800, John was listed at 16 Newbury Street in the same directory. It is recorded that Roulstone died on January 5, 1803.
 

An 18th-century watch that retains an engraved paper is known. This watch paper is formatted with an equation of the solar timetable and is engraved "John Roulstone / clock / and Watch Maker Next / Door to the Lamb / Boston." This important engraving is now in the Old York Historical Society collection. A second very fine tall clock made by Roulstone is currently in the collection of The Massachusetts Historical Society.