While more can be added, the answer by u/LordKettering does discuss how common the practice was, and gives some sources that may be helpful. https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1bmqcj/how_common_was_tarring_and_feathering_in_the/
The answer /u/LordKettering gave is absolutely spot on, however, I wanted to perhaps add one detail to add some context.
I'd like to also confirm that tarring and feathering was not an every day action, nor was it one that was publicly supported by the majority of the gentry. However, some people, like wealthy merchant John Hancock of Boston who made a fortune off of smuggling and were now facing issues due to the British enforcing mercantilism and vice admiralty courts, were suspected of having worked with influence Bostonians to have some people harmed.
I've found that many people believe, for one reason or another, that apart from the battles, the American Revolution was a profoundly non-violent affair. This is not entirely accurate. Yes, the American Revolution was not nearly as violent towards the elite or ruling class as the French Revolution, but there was still its fair share of violence that was perpetrated mostly by the masses. A slang term used for this in parts of the 13 colonies, and also abroad in England during this time is 'Rough Music,' which was the 17th and 18th century term used by mobs against people who offended them. One of the ways that they acted against people who offended them, was indeed tarring and feathering people -- but this was not the only show of force against these people. Tarring and feathering was not intended to be fatal and all sources I've ever come across indicates that it was non-fatal, but caused excruciating pain. The goal was also to create a massive amount of social embarrassment since people were traditionally stripped naked before this action took place. It's also worth noting that it typically happened after it appeared that non-violent forms of protest failed, or the person in question was deemed to despicable to allow them to suffer other consequences. As historian Alan Taylor explained:
When social pressure failed, Patriots resorted to violence. At night, they fired into the homes of dissidents, toppled fences, and smashed windows. Sometimes, they broke in to drag out a man for tarring and feathering before forcing him to ride atop a sharp rail as a fifer and drummer played the rogue’s march for his parade through a mocking community. In Virginia in 1775, a teacher noted, “‘Tar and Feathers with their necessary Appendages, Scoff and Shame, are popular Terrors, and of great Influence.” In Georgia, Thomas Brown refused to sign the Continental Association. Patriots knocked him unconscious with the butt end of a musket, tied him to a tree, tarred his legs, and set them on fire, which cost him two toes. After partially scalping Brown, they carted him through the streets for public ridicule. By abusing and shaming Loyalists as despised outsiders, rituals of intimidation helped draw wavering neighbors into the Patriot rank. (1)
Taylor's point is that while it was non-fatal, the Patriot movements absolutely did not shirk away from using violence if it would fit their cause. There are hundreds of incidents similar to these where people or their property were harmed. While tarring and feathering was not an every day occurrence during the prelude to the American Revolution, it absolutely happened, it was a form of mob violence, and it was intended to embarrass the victims and terrify dissenters watching on the sidelines.