 When anything of more importance is to be determined, as opening the custom-house on any matter of trade, these are under the direction of a committee of the merchants, Mr. Rowe at their head, then Molyneaux, Solomon Davies, et&,…this is proper for a general meeting of the inhabitants of Boston, where Otis, with his mob-high of eloquence, prevails in every motion… and it would be a very extraordinary resolve indeed that is not carried into execution".During the era of the American Revolution, Rowe avoided commitment to either side, and instead looked out after his business interests.Rowe was the owner of one of the tea ships, the "Eleanor", involved in the Boston Tea Party.