HISTORY ( )F rovidence (Bounty, RHODE ISLAND Edited by RICHARD iVL. BAYLES Assisted by a corps of writers. Ii) hwo volumes Illustrated. VOU IME I. New York: W. W . PRESTON & CO. 1891. •01 PREFACE. Rhode Island history is peculiar. It occupies a place in the annals of America quite distinct from that of any other civil organization. To the founders of this state, and particularly to Roger Williams, be- longs the honor of having realized for the first time the grand idea of a civil government, securing to its citizens a full liberty in religious matters — a liberty which implied an emancipation of reason from the thralldom of arbitrary authoritv, and the full freedom of inquiry in all matters of speculative faith. Here that great idea which con- stituted the very soul of' that religious movement which for many long years agitated all Europe, first took an organic form, crystalized into a living reality, and expressed itself in a social compact, binding the signers " in active and passive obedience to all such orders or agree- ments as shall be made for public good of the body * * ' :: " only in civil things." A free and absolute charter of incorporation for the Providence Plantations was brought by Roger Williams from England, in 1644; but owing to the claims of Massachusetts, or other obstructions, it did not go into effect until May, 1647. This charter granted the most ample power to the inhabitants to establish such a form of civil gov- ernment as the greater part of them should deem most suitable to their estates and conditions; and to that end to make such civil laws and .to inflict such punishment for their violation, as they or the greater part of them should bv free consent agree to. In the earlv days of this unique commonwealth, the whole people formed the General Assembly, and met annually, for the enactment of general laws, and for the choice of general officers, which consisted of a president, a general recorder, and an " assistant " from each town, nominated by the town. A general code of laws, which concerned all men, was first approved by the towns, but before it could go into ef- fect it was ratified by the whole people. All legislative power was ultimately in the whole people in General Assembly convened. Towns had the liberty to propose laws, and the approval of a General Court of Commissioners might give them a temporary force; but it was only the action of the General Assembly that could make them general and permanent for all persons in the Colony. Each town. however, had its local laws, and also had its town courts, which had exelusive original jurisdiction over all causes between its own citi- zens. The president and assistants composed the general court of trials. They had jurisdiction over all aggravated offenses, as well as in all matters that might be submitted to them by the town courts as too weighty for the lower court to decide. They also had jurisdiction over all disputes between different towns, as well as between citizens of different towns and strangers. IV I' R E FA C E . From the beginning which we have just reviewed in briefest out- line the spirit of this commonwealth has gone steadily forward, pro- pelled as it were by unseen forces and guided by an unseen hand, de- veloping amid the sunshine and the tempests of political vicissitude, the most perfect model of human government as well as the most noble types of social conditions to be found among the civilized peo- ples of the earth. Least powerful of all the colonies of America in physical forces, it remained for Rhode Island to be the exponent of the moral forces which should yet predominate the nation. Who can doubt that the impulse that moved Roger Williams to give the name he did to his primitive settlement was an inspiration, prophetic in very fact of the unseen forces and the guiding hand, which like the ancient pillar of cloud and fire, should go with the enterprise through the coming centuries. Surely no intelligence less than a Divine Providence could develop a plan so grand in conception, so unique in design, so faithful m execution, and so bountiful in results. We can but commend the pride which fills the bosom of those who have in- herited nativity in the lap of such a scheme. And it is no matter of wonder to the editor of this work that he should have found some traces of prejudice against him in his work of reviewing the history of this locality on account of his not being identified with it by native or residuary interests. The fact that he has found so little of this prejudice, is to him but additional evidence of the liberality of sentiment which has grown up from the planting of Roger Williams. It has been said that the true soul of Providence history could not be faithfully portrayed by a historian not identified with it by personal ties. We believe the candid mind will recognize in this volume the refutation of such an assertion. We do not mean that our work is without defects. We only claim that it is a no less faithful representation than could have been expected even from a of the soil. In common with all historic efforts it has its defects, all of which we freely submit to the gracious consideration of the candid critic. We cannot, however, close the volume without making grateful mention of the fact that we have been assisted by the labors or kind offices of many Providence county men. among whom it gives us pleas- ure to mention: Honorable Amos Perry and Mr. Smith, of the Histori- cal Society Cabinet; Reuben A. Guild, LL.D.,of the University Library; the librarian of the Public Library; Honorable Thomas Ik Stock v mmissioner of Public Schools; Reverend T. Edwin Brown, D.I)., of the First Baptist church; A. D. Xiekerson and Charles A. Lee, of Pawtueket; the officials of the various State and City Departments; Messrs. J. A. & R. A. Reid. Snow & Parnum, Sidney S. Rider, and the publishers of the Daily Journal. 15 TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. GENERAL DESCRIPTION. PJ Political Geography.-Watercourses.-Manufacturing Industries. -Agriculture >.- Railroads-Population and Growth. -Schools of the County.-Geology of the County, Rocks. Soils, Minerals. Timber, etc CHAPTER II. DEVELOPMENT OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Roger Williams, the Founder of the Settlement. -His Experiences in New England. -Purchases from tl.e Indians and Transfers to his Associates.-H.s Character. -His Burial Place.-Rev. William Blackstone. -Other Purchases of the Natives. -Enlargement of the Borders of the Town.-Fixing the Boundary Lines.- Division of the Town— Formation and Annexation of other Towns.-< nanges in Town Boundaries.-County ( )rganization. -Subsequent changes CHAPTER 111. THE BENCH AND BAR. Establishment of Courts-Successive Court Houses— Practitioners in the early Courts— Earlv Bar Compact.-Prominent Lawyers of a Half Century a*o. Their Location ami Habits.-Some Woonsocket Lawyers-Prominent Men oi the last Generation.— Lawyers of the Present Time ( HAPTER IV. THE PROFESSION "I S1EDICINE. Early Practitioners. -First Licensed l»,uto, of Medicine.-Medical Societies formed. -The Rhode Island Medical Society.-The Providence Medical Association.- The Rhode Island Homeopathic Society.-The Hahnemann Society oi Rhode Island -The Providence Clinical Club. -The Rhode Island Dental Society - Physicians of Providence Fifty Years Ago— Some Physicians oi an Earner Period.-Former Physicians of Scituate.-Old-time Physicians of Woonsocket. -The Thompsonian Interest-Introduction of Homeopathy.— Later Physicians ^ of Providence County CHAPTER V. TOWN OF PROVIDENCE— SETTLEMENT AND EARLY HISTORY. Thesiteof Providence selected bj Williams and his Companions.-The title secured. -The Settlement hegun.-Building and Planting—The Settlement named— Williams ami the Indians— Signing the Civil Compact— The Town Govern- ment—Plot of the Settlement— Brief notice of the Settlers individually— Divisions of the Land— Establishing the Bounds— Delegating Town Powers— The Town Constitution.— Organization of Government under the Charter- Appointing Delegates— The " Towne Streete. "-Condition of the Early Settlers. vi TAB] I I i] CONTENTS. PAGE —Internal Improvements. Military Officers chosen.— Fort on "Stamper's Hill." —Discord in the Settlement.— Proprietors Distinct from Inhabitants.— New Charterin 1663. Changes Under it. A double Town Meeting.— Discord in the Town.— King Philip's War.— Burning of the Town. — Indians taken Prisoners and sold as Slaves. Under Edmond Andros. — A Prison built.— Training Ground. — Weybosset Bridge.— The Small-pox.— Growth of the Town.— Bridges, Lotter- ies. Fire Apparatus.- Alarm by the French and Indians.— Market House built. — Lotteries, Printing Office, Theatrical Exhibitions 134 CHAPTER VI. THE TOWN <)F PROVIDENCE DURING THE REVOLUTION. Meeting the Stamp Act. -Arguments against the Action of Parliament.— The first Town to assert the Rights of the Colonists.— Repeal of the Stamp Act. — Popular Rejoicing at the News. Second Attempt of Parliament to Impose a Tax. — Dedication <>r the "Tree of Liberty." — Non-importation Agreements and Action. — Concessions of Parliament. — Burning of the "Gaspee." — Town Action con- cerning Tea. Bold Declaration of Rights.— Steps toward Convening a Conti- nental Congress. S\ tnpathy with Boston. — Efforts to Maintain Public Order. — Committee of Inspection. — Abstinence from the Use of Tea.— Military Com- panies Organized.- Erecting Fortifications. — Washington and his Army pass through. — Declaration of Independence. — Troops Centered Here. — Capture of the Pigot.— General Sullivan is Succeeded by Gates.— Visit of Washington. — Barton's Capture of Prescott. — Close of the War. — Protection of Commerce. — Adoption of the Constitution. — Commercial Importance of Providence. — Last Visit of Washington 171 CHAPTER VII. GROWTH OP PROVIDENCE Town AND CITY. Business Enterprises and Prosperity. — Yellow Fever. — Presidential Visit. — War of 1812.— Great Storm of 1815. Visit of President Monroe. —Providence in 1S20. — Temperance Movements. — Riots of September, 1830. — The City Charter and Government under it. The Town Dissolved and the City Established. — Review of the new City. Streets. -Finances. — The Dorr War. — Adopting the State Constitution.— A long Period of Prosperous ( S-rowth 192 CHAPTER VIII. PROVIDED E CITY DURING THE REBELLION. Opening of the Rebellion. Recruiting.— Establishment of Camps. —First Regiment R. I Detached Militia. General Burnside. — Second R. [. Volunteers. — Fourth P. I. Volunteer,. Ninth R. 1. Volunteers.— Tenth R. I. Volunteers. -Seventh R. [. Volunteers. Eleventh R. 1. Volunteers.— Twelfth R.I. Volunteers.— Hos- pital Guards. Firsi R. I. Cavalry.— Seventh Squadron R. I. Cavalry.— Second R. I. Cavalry.— Third P. I. Cavalry.— Third R. 1. Heavy Artillery.— Fifth R. I. Ile.iw Artillery. Fourteenth R. I. Heavy Artillery. First Light Battery R. I. Volunteers.— Tenth Lighl Batten R. I. Volunteers. First R. I. Light Artillery. Batteries A, P. < !, I >. E, F, c and II. —Close of the War. The City Prosper- •Return of the Soldiers. Soldiers and Sailors' Monument.— Dedication Mr- Whitman's Hymn 209 CHAPTEB IX. PR( iVIIU •. , \H COMMERCE. Favorable Sit< f< mmerce. Early Commercial Importance. Growth and Declineof Foreign « I tnerce.- Prominent < Jommercial Houses.— Statistics and Reminiscent n Voyages. Providence Pusiness Establishments in 1814.- Shipping Statistics after the War of 1812.- Merchants of that Time.— TABLE OF CONTENTS. ' Vll- PAGE Shipbuilding.— Early Bank Directors.— Packet Lines.— To Coastwise Cities.— To Points on the Bay.— Whale Fishing Enterprises.— Fish Barges.— Decline of the Shipping Interests.— First Steps toward Railroad Building.— Boston and l'rovi- aence.—New York, Providence and Boston.— Providence and Worcester.— Hartford, Providence and Fishkill.— Providence and Bristol.— Seekonk Branch. —Providence and Springfield.— Union Horse Railroad 264 CHAPTFK X. PROVIDENCE CITY— PARKS, CEMETERIES. OLD BUILDINGS TAVERNS AND HOTELS. Roger Williams Park.-The Cove Park.-Blackstone Park.-Tock wotteu Park.— Washington Park.— Roger Williams Square.— Hay ward Park.— Franklin Square. —Prospect Terrace.— Abbott Park.-The Heater Piece.— Dexter Training Ground.— Field's Point Farm.— Arnold Square.— Elm wood Avenue Park.- Cemeteries.— North Burial Ground.— Grace Church Cemetery.— Swan Point Cemeter v.— Locust Grove Cemetery.— Hebrew Cemetery.— St. Patrick's Ceme- tery.— St. John's Churchyard.— West Burial Ground.— Historic Buildings.— Old Business Houses.— Antique Churches.— Ancienl Dwellings and Bomesteads.— Old Public Buildings.— Old Buildings now Unknown.— Old Inns and Taverns.— Hotels of the Present Time ~ , °° CHAPTER XI. PROVIDENCE CITY — STATISTICS \M> OFFICIAL LISTS. Statistics.— Growth in Property Valuation.— Taxation,— Population.— Division of the Citv into Wards.— Later Wards Created or Annexed.— Present Ward Boun- daries.— List of Aldermen.— The Common Council.— Successive Mayors.— Clerks of Town and City.— Presidents of Boards of Aldermen and Common Council.— Treasurers of Town and City.— City Marshals and ( 'hiefs of Police.— Supervision of Public Works.— Judges and Clerks of Municipal and Police Courts.— Other City Officers.— Representatives in General Assembly from 1648 to 1889.— Senators from the Citv 313 CHAPTER XII. PROVIDENCE CITY— POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND MILITARY ORGANIZATIONS. The Police Department. -Early Constables.-A Night Watch Established. -Various Orders and Regulations Governing Them.-Special Watchmen Authorized.— Regulations Concerning Late Hours. -Volunteer Watch Established.-Marme Watch Established.-Smoking Segars in the Streets at Night Prohibited. -The Force Increased. -The Watch at the Organization of the City.-Incendiarism Prevailing Calls for Increase of Watch. — First Appointment of Day Police Force in 1851.— Police Stations Established.— Present Police System ( >rganized. —Uniforms First Provided in I860.— Present Composition and Condition.— Beginnings of the Fire Department. -Early Fire Engines. -Firewards and Volunteer Firemen.— Fire Engine Companies Organized. -A Paul Department Organized.-Tests of Capacity and Power.-New Companies Orgamzed.- Steam Fire Engines Introduced. -Manual Force Reduced. -Fire Alarm Tele- graph.-Introduction of Pawtuxet Water. - Hose Companies Organized.- Chemical Engines Introduced. -The Present Department. -Buildings Occupied bv It-Important Fires. -Military History of Providence. -Early Trainings. -The United Train of Artillery.-The Light Dragoons.-The First Light Infantry.-The Infantry Armory.-The Marine Corps.-Veteran Associations. —The Mechanics' Rifles.— Slocum Light Guards.-Providence Horse Guards.— First Battalion of Cavalry .-Burnside National Guards.-The Meagher Guards. —The Wolfe Tone Guards.— The Emmet Guards Vlii TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER XIII. PROVIDENCE CITY— A GENERAL RETROSPECT. PAGE Growth as Shown bj Directories. -Some Old Residents.- Pers il Reminiscences of FormerOld Residents. The General Appearance of the Town a Century Ago. — Customs of thai Time. Roads and Mails.— Early Stages.— Packet Lines.— Cold Winter of 1779-80.— The -Dark Day" of 1780.— Town Action Forbidding Smoking in the Streets. Streel improvement. — Origin of Streel Names.— Part of the City Site Reclaimed from the Water. — Comparative View of the Citj in 1846. Growth during the last Quarter Century.— Streets and Bridges.— Salu- brity of Site. -City Expenses. — The Brook Street District. — Vita) Statistics. — Building Progress Streel Lighting 383 CHAPTER XIV. PROVIDENCE CITY— PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND WATER WORKS. The Old State House.— Providence County Court House.— The City Hall.— The Old Market House. TheCustom House. -The Old Stale Prison. -The Old Arsenal. -Public Waterworks. Sockanosset Reservoir.— Pettaconse! Pumping Station. -Hope Reservoir and Pumping Station. — The High Service. — Fruit Hill Reser- voir.- -The Sewerage System 406 CHAPTER XV. PROVIDENCE CITY— BENEVOLENT AND REMEDIAL [NSTITUTIONS. The Dexter Donation.— Dexter Asylum. — Butler Hospital for the Insane. — The Rhode Island Hospital.- Home for Aged Women. — Home for Aged Men.— The Chil- dren's Friend Society.- St. Aloysius Orphan Asylum. — Association for the Bene- fit of Colored Children. — Various Benevolent Societies. — The Homeopathic I lospital.— Women's ( Christian Association.— The Little Sisters of the Poor. — St. Vincent de Paul Society.- St. Elizabeth's Home. — Public Charities in t lie Past.. 419 CHAPTER XVI. CHURCHES OP PROVIDENCE CITY. Religious Matters in the Settlement. Firs! Baptist Church. — Friends' Societj and Meeting House. First Congregational Church. St. John's Episcopal Church.— Beneficent Congregational Church. Richmond Street Congregational Church. High street Congregational Church. — Pilgrim Congregational Church.— Beginnings of Methodism in Providence.— The Fine Street or Central Baptist Church. Thud Baptisl Church.- Brown street Baptist Church.— Union Baptist church. Fourth Baptist Church.— First Universalis! Society. -Church of Sts. Peter and Paul. Westminster ( iongregational Society. < >lney Street ( Jongrega- tional Church. Grace Church. Roger Williams Free Baptisl Church. -Paw- tuxel Street Christian Society. Meeting Streel Baptist Church. -Congdon Street ptisl Church. Hope Streel M. F. Church. New Jerusalem Church.- St. |)hen*s Episcopal Church. -Fifth, South and Friendship Street Baptist Churches. Wesleyan Society. St. Patrick's Church. Seamen's Bethel.— Church of the Mediator. Second Free will Baptist. Zion M. E. Church.— Bethel Methodist. Jefferson Streel Baptist. Stewart Street Baptist. Free Evangelical Congregational, church of the Yahveh. All Saints' Memorial Church.— M.ithexvson street M. E. Church. Fn-t United Presbyterian. Broadway Metho- disl Episcopal. Central Congregational. Park Streel Free Baptisl Church.— St. Mary's R. ( '. Church.- St. Joseph's R. C. Church.— Church of the Messiah, Episcopal.— Trinity M. F. Church. Church of the Immaculate Conception. - Jewish Congregation. Church of the Redeemer. Christ Church.— Church of the Epiphany. Sain! Paul's Episcopal Church.— Greenwich Street FreeBaptist. - st. Michael's R. C. Church of the Saviour.— Sea and Land .Mission.— North Congregational C'mrch. St. James' Episcopal Church.— Broadway Baptis! TABLE OF CONTENTS. IX PAGE Church.— South Baptist,— Elm wood Congregational. — African Union Metho- dist.— Asbury Methodist Episcopal.— Mt. Zion M. E. Church.— St. Paul's M. E. Church.— Cranston Streel Baptist.— St. Charles', French. R. C, Church.— Union Congregational. — Academy Avenue Congregational Church.— Advent Christian Church.— Plymouth Congregational.— Church of the Assumption, R. C— First Presbyterian.— Roger Williams Baptist.— St. Edward's, R. C. Arling- ton Free Baptist. St. Thomas', Episcopal.— Allen Mission. Free Religious Society.— Latter Day Saints.— Union Am. M. E. Church.— Mount Pleasanl Bap- tist.— Branch Avenue Baptist,— St. John's R. C. Church.— St. Theresa's R. C. Church.— Church of the Holy Name.— Our Lady of the Rosary.— Cranston Street M. E. Church. — Harris Avenue M. E. Church. — Ebenezer Baptist - Swedish Mission.— Church of the Blessed Sacrament.— Ballon Ohiversalisl 433 CHAPTER XVII. EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS OF PROVIDENCE CITY. Early Action in Regard to Schools.— First Schoolmaster.— Early Schools.— The Town Votes to Build School Houses.— Efforts to Establish Free Schools.— School Law Passed by Assembly.— Free Schools Established in Providence.— Regulations Concerning Them.— More School Houses Built.— The System Re- organized.— Statistics up to 1840.— The High School Established.— The Public Schools of the Present.— School Buildings.— Evening Schools.— Statistics Con- cerning the Schools.— Brown University.— Friends' Yearly Meeting School.— State Normal School.— Rhode Island School for the Deaf.— The School of De- sign.— The Berkeley School.— Private Classical and Business Schools.— Provi- dence Reform School.— St. Xavier's Academy.— Other Schools 495 CHAPTER XVIII. PROVIDENCE CITY— LITERARY AND KINDRED INSTITUTIONS. First Public Library.— The Athenaeum.— The Franklin Lyceum.— Providence Frank- lin Society.— Rhode Island Historical Society.- Soldiers and Sailors" Historical Society.— Providence Public Library.— Union for Christian Work.— Young Men's Christian Association.— Secular Newspapers.— Religious and Moral Peri- odicals.— Literary Papers.— Almanacs and Directories.— First Theater in Provi- dence.— Law Against Theatrical Representations.— The Law Repealed.— Later Theaters.— Theaters and Public Halls of the Present 527 CHAPTER XIX. HANKS AND INSURANCE COMPANIES OF PROVIDENCE CITY. Banking Facilities.— Board of Trade.— First Banking Institutions.— The Providence Bank.— Exchange Bank.— Roger Williams Bank.— Union Bank.— Merchants' Bank.— Eagle Bank.— Manufacturers' Bank.— Mechanics' Bank.- Mechanics and Manufacturers' (5th National! Bank. High Street Bank.— Arcade (R. I. National) Bank. Weybo$se1 Bank. Blackstone Canal Bank.— Globe Bank.— National (Old) Bank.— City Bank. American Bank.— Commercial Bank- Bank of North America. Phenix Bank.— Traders' Bank. -Pawtuxet Bank.— Lime Rock Bank.— State Bank.— Bank of Commerce. What Cheer Bank.— Continental (4th National) Bank.— Bank of America.— Atlantic Bank.— Grocers and Producers' Bank.— Butchers and Drovers' Bank.— Liberty Bank.— Atlas Bank. — Westminster Bank.— Mercantile (1st National) Bank.— Jackson Bank.— Marine (3d National) Bank.— Northern Bank.— Second National Bank— Other Banks.— Providence Institution for Savings. Peoples' Savings Bank.— Me- chanics' Savings Bank.— City Savings Bank.— R. I. Hospital Trust Company. Jackson Institution for Savings.— Citizens' Savings Bank. -Merchants' Savings Bank.— Franklin Institution for Savings.— Other Savings Institutions.— Begin- ning of the Insurance Business.— The Providence Washington.— The Providence X TABLE OF CONTENTS. PAGE Mutual.— The American.— The Manufacturers' Mutual.— The R. I. Mutual.— The RogerWilliams.— The Merchants'.— The Atlantic Fire & Marine.— The Com- mercial Mutual. --Tli.' Franklin Mutual.— The Firemen's Mutual.— The State Mutual.— The Equitable Fire & Marine.— The Slater Mutual.— The Butler Mutu- al.— The Gaspee Fire & Marine.— The Tridenl Mutual.— The National Mutual.— The Hope.— The Providence Fire & Marine.— The City Fire & Marine.— The Narragansett Fire & Marine.— The Union Mutual.— The Blackstone Mutual.— The Newport Fire & Marine.— The Mechanics' Mutual.— The What Cheer Mutu- al.— The Enterprise Mutual.— The Merchants" Mutual.— The American Mutual Steam Boiler Insurance ( !ompany. — Other Insurance Companies 550 CHAPTER XX. MANUFACTURING IN PROVIDENCE. Early History of Manufacturing, statistics Soon After the Revolution.— Beginnings of the Jewelry Manufacture.— Hat Making.— Card Making.— Saddlery.— Be- ginnings of Various Other Manufactures. — Leather and Paper Making. — Manu- factures in 1824.— Progress of a Quarter Century Succeeding 1820. — Establish- ments in Operation About 1840.— Progress of Manufactures. 1855, 1875, 1880. — Providence Association of Mechanics and Manufacturers. —Men Who Were Promi- nent in Its History 581 CHAPTER XXI. PROMINENT MANUFACTURING CONCERNS OF PROVIDENCE (ITY. The Allen Fire Department Supply Co. — American Enamel Co. — American Electrical Works. American Multiple Fabric Co. — American Screw Co. — American Ring Traveler Co. American ship Windlass Co.— American Supply Co. — American Tubing & Manufacturing Co. -Atlantic Mills. — Atlantic Manufacturing Co. — W. F. Barrett & Co. Barstow Stove Co. -R. Berry & Co. R. B. Bannister.— N. C. Briggs. -Henrj Blundell & Co. — Brown & Sharpe Manufacturing Co. — Build- ers' Iron Foundry. Corliss Safe Manufacturing Co. Corliss Steam Engine Co. — Chatterton's File Work.. City Machine Co.— H. J. & H. F. Campbell.— Geo. E. Cole & Co. -George M. Cruikshank. — Davol Rubber Co.— Perry Davis & Son. — Davenport Arms Co. Diamond Machine Co.— J. C. Dodge & Son. — George C. Douglass. Elmwood Mills. Henrj W. Ellis.- The Elizabeth Mill. — Elm wood Paper Box Co. — Wm, H. Fenner & Co.— Fletcher Manufacturing Co.— Wm. A. Harris Steam Engine Co. \. J. I larris.— Franklin Machine Co. — Fuller Iron Work.. Granger Foundry & Machine Co. — John Gillington. -G. F. Glauner. — The Gorham Manufacturing Co.— J. A. Gowdey & Son. John Heathcote. — Hea- ton Mutton Fastener Co. Hicks Boiler Works. — A. & C \V. Holbrook.— John Hope.- Hope Webbing i o. George Hawes & Sons. L. F. Joslin & Son. -Kend- rick I u Harness Co. King & Richards. — Reliance Flour and drain Mills. — Macnair& Burlingame.— Martin & Norris. Thomas Mabbett. Manton steam Steerer Work-. Miller Iron Co. Dutcher & Eai 3.- Volnej W. Mason.— McWilliams Manufacturing i 'o. Miles Uarm-till Manufacturing ( !o. Moulton & Ingraham. New England Coffee and Spice Mills.— National Tubing Co. Nation- al Worsted Mills. Nayatl Brick Co.— N. E. Butt Co.— Nicholson File Co.— Nott- ham Mills. Thos. Phillips & Co.— Phenix Iron Foundry.— Presbrey & Myrick. Providence Machine Co. Providence Steam Engine Co. — Household Sewing Maehin, Co. Providence Worsted Mills.— E. R. Randall.— R. I. Bleach & Dye Works. R. I. Braiding and Macl ^ Co.— R. I. Concrete Co. R. 1. Coupling 1 '"• R- I- Loco ti\e Work,, i;. [, Macliinery Agency. -R. 1. Malleable Iron Works. William B. Rider. Royce, Allen & Co. slater Mill and Power Co.— Spicersbadiah 688 Budlong, John (' 88b Burges, Walter S 52 Calef, George C 812 Campbell, John P 6!>2 Clark, Henry C 094 Cooper. Robert W 802 Corliss. William 612 Davis, Perry 614 Day, Daniel E 558 Fletcher, Charles 624 Hall. Robert 88d Hall. William If 774 1 [arris, William A 616 Bayward, William S 708 Hill, Thomas J ■ 626 Hopkins, William H 710 Johnson, Oliver 714 Kenyon, < reorge II 88f Knight, Benjamin B 720 Knight, Robert 724 La. 1.1. Berber! W 728 Lippitt, Henrv 732 Pond. I >aniel"B 46 Potter, tsaac M 734 Rice, Fitz James 635 Robbins, Gilbert F 736 Rockwell. Elisha II 738 Sprague, Samuel S (>33 Tali. Roval 553 Tucker. Henrv (i 782 Van SI vck. Nicholas 56 Wellman, I [arvey E 560 Westcott, AmasaS 50 W I it -a ton. James 1 130 Wheeler, Jonathan M 784 Winship, I [enry !'. (i7<; VIEWS. Etc. Map of Providence Count} 1 Residei of Wm. H. Hopkins 711 MAP OF Providence County, r. I. W. W. PRESTON & CO., HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. CHAPTER I. GENERAL DESCRIPTION. Political Geography.— Watercourses. — Manufacturing Industries. — Agriculture. — Rail- roads. — Population and Growth. — Schools of the County. — Geology of the Count}-, Rocks, Soils, Minerals, Timber, etc. PROVIDENCE COUNTY occupies the entire northern part of the state of Rhode Island. It is bounded on the north by Worces- ter and Norfolk counties, in Massachusetts; on the east by Nor- folk and Bristol counties, of Massachusetts; on the south by Bristol and Kent counties, of Rhode Island; and on the west by Windham county, Connecticut. In shape it is nearly square, its greatest meas- urement being from east to west, near the south side, where it reaches a distance of 24 miles. The length for the most part, however, has an average of about 22 miles, while its width from north to south is twenty miles throughout most of its length, the distance being some- what less in the eastern part. The county has an area of 380 square miles. It has an uneven surface, which, however, nowhere reaches any considerable elevation. Its soil generally is fertile. The county is drained by the Blackstone river, which runs partly along its eastern border, and by the Pawtuxet river, which forms a part of its southern boundary. These rivers and their numerous branches afford water power for a great number of manufactories, which industry is the chief interest of the county. Of these tributa- ries one of the chief ones is the Chepachet, which waters the north- western part, through its branch, called the Clear river, furnishing power at Pascoag, and after their union giving power at Slatersville and other factory villages, and flowing into the Blackstone at Water- ford on the northern boundary of the county. Blackstone river below Pawtucket takes the name of Seekonk, and below the city of Provi- dence is known as Providence river. The Moshassuck rises in the town of Lincoln, and flows nearly parallel with the Blackstone and about two miles from it, on the west, and empties into Providence river at the Cove, where it meets the larger stream, the Woonasqua- l 2 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. tucket, the latter stream rising in the northern central part of the county and driving numerous mills on its way. The Pawtuxet river drains almost the entire southern half of the county. It has numer- ous branches: in the town of Foster, Shippe and Killy's brooks, Pona- ganset river, Hemlock brook, and Westeonnaug reservoir; in Scitu- ate, Hunting House brook, and Moswansicut pond and stream; and in Johnston and Cranston numerous brooks which unite to make the important tributary known as the Pochasset. On the east the Black- si. me receives the waters of Seven Mile river and Ten Mile river. The southwestern corner of the county is drained by the Moosup river, which flows southwest into the Quinnebaug, in Connecticut. The last mentioned stream also receives waters from the western border of this county through the Chestnut Hill brook in the vicinity of East Killingly. All these streams are copious in their flow, and for the most part rapid in their descent, affording a great amount of available water power. The county contains some three or four hundred factories and mills, outside of the cities, and most of these are located on sr.d supplied with water power from some of these streams. Including those of all kinds in the cities, this county has some 1,700 establish- ments engaged in some kind of manufacturing. These establish- ments have invested an aggregate capital of some sixty million dol- lars, and give employment to about 50,000 operatives. The greatest single industry in this class is the manufacture of cotton goods. There are about 80 establishments in the county engaged in this manufacture. The capital invested would reach about $15,000,000. The amount of power utilized from the streams noticed, used in this manufacture alone, is about 12,000 horse power. In these factories there are employed about one and a quarter million spindles, and eighteen thousand looms. There are thus manufactured annually, about 60,000,000 yards of print cloths, 70,000,000 yards of sheetings, shirtings and twills, 5,000,000 pounds of cotton yarn, and a great variety of other goods in smaller quantities, consuming a grand total of 25,000 tons of cotton, and producing annually gocds to the value of si i'.. i mm 1,000. The woolen manufacturing of the county is, carried on in about 40 establishments, employing a capital of about six million dol- lars, 3,000 horse power of water wheels, 1,500 looms and about 8,000 operatives. These mills consume about 15,000,000 pounds of wool, and manufacture some 10, 000,000 yards of woolen cloths and 1,000,< 00 pounds of yarn, all the products being worth in the aggregate about S14,ooo,000. The iron manufactures of this county are also important, the bulk of them, however, being confined to Providence city. There are in the county some $10,000,000 capital invested in this branch of manufacturing. Over 6,000 hands are employed in it, and over 2,000 tons of iron and steel are annually used, making products valued at about $1 1. 01 h 1,000. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. S The agricultural productions of this county in 1880 were: 2,S71 bushels of barley, 867 bushels of buckwheat, 96,402 bushels of corn, 7,484 bushels of oats, 4,861 bushels of rye, 124 bushels of wheat, $28,- 670 worth of orchard products, 34,408 tons of hay, 256,094 bushels of Irish potatoes, 439 bushels of sweet potatoes, 785 pounds of tobacco, 3,846 pounds of wool, 2,734,774 gallons of milk, 327,697 pounds of but- ter, and 24,029 pounds of cheese. The county is intersected by several railroads, centering at Provi- dence. These are mainly in the eastern part of the county, while the western half is almost without railroad communication, the towns of Foster and Glocester being entirely destitute. The Providence Divi- sion of the New York & New England railroad crosses the southeast- ern part; the Providence & Springfield railroad runs up the valley of the Woonasquatucket, to Pascoag in the northwest part, and the Providence & Worcester railroad runs up the valley of the Black- stone, through the eastern part and leaving the county on its north- ern border. The Providence & Warren railroad runs southerly from the city, on the east side of the river, and the Boston & Providence runs out of the eastern side of the county, running northeasterly from the city. The population of the county is shown by the following figures, which are given for the years preceding the numbers: 1708, 1,446; 1730, 3,916; 1748, 7,142; 1755, 10,947; 1774, 19,233; 1776, 18,479; 1782, 17,540; 1790, 24,391; 1800, 25,854; 1810, 30,869; 1820, 35,736; 1830, 47,- 020; 1840, 58,073; 1850, 87,526; 1860, 107,799; 1865, 122,022; 1870, 149,- 190; 1875, 184,924; 1880, 197,874; 1885, 220,606; 1890, 255,066. Of the total population in 1880, there were 94,921 males, and 102,953 females. Of that population 139,052 were natives of the United States, 100,298 having been born in Rhode Island, while of the 58,822 foreign born population, 13,979 were natives of British America; 10,271 of England and Wales; 29,047 of Ireland; 2,237 of Scotland; 1,542 of the German Empire; 216 of France; and 402 of Sweden and Norway. The state of Rhode Island looks with just pride upon her school system. In some mat:ers pertaining to public education she can -claim to have been a pioneer. The office of city superintendent was first introduced in Providence in 1839, that city being the first in the Union to employ the services of such an official. In many other re- spects the people of the state and especially of Providence county have shown themselves in the fore-front of the army of educational progress. In the original polity of Rhode Island, however, there was no provision for education. Like religion it seems to have been con- sidered not the concern of the public, but matter for individual con- science and parental duty. The first movement toward the introduc- tion of a different policy was made by the Providence Association of Mechanics and Manufacturers. In October, 1798, a committee of that body was appointed to inquire into the most desirable method for the 4 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. establishment of free schools. Upon their report application was made to the general assembly in February, 1799, and that body took steps at once to further the progressive ideas set forth by their peti- tioners. As a result an act passed both houses and became a law in February, 18(H). This " Act to Establish Free Schools " was intro- duced by the following preamble: " Whereas, the unexampled prosperity, unanimity and liberty, for the enjoyment of which this nation is eminently distinguished among the nations of the earth, are to be ascribed, next to the blessing of God, to the general diffusion of knowledge and information among the people, whereby they have been enabled to discern their true interests, to distinguish truth from error, to place their confidence in the true friends of the country, and to detect the falsehoods and mis- representations of factions and crafty pretenders to patriotism: and this General Assembly being desirous to secure the continuance of the blessings aforesaid, and moreover to contribute to the greater equality of the people, by the common and joint instruction and edu- cation of the whole: — ■' SECTION 1. Be it enacted &c; — That each and every town in the State shall annually cause to be established and kept, at the expense of such town, one or more free schools, for the instruction of all the white inhabitants of said town, between the ages of six and twenty years, in reading, writing, and common arithmetic, who may stand in need of such instruction and apply therefor." The schools were by this act placed in charge of the town council in each town. The cities were required to keep their schools for eight months in the year, some of the towns for six months, and others for four months. Twenty per cent, of the state taxes of the previous year were to be distributed from the general treasury to encourage the project, provided such sum should not in any year exceed $6,000. The passage of this law met with great opposition, and it was re- pealed in February, 1803, Providence being the only town in the state that carried the act into effect'. Again, at the June session of 1821, a committee was appointed by the general assembly, to inquire into the state of education in the several towns, but no report of their work appears to have been made. In 1827 the subject was again brought before the assembly, and at the January session in 1828 an act was passed "To Establish Public Schools." This act provided that cer- tain monies accruing to the state should be set apart for public school purposes, and that each town should be empowered to raise money to double the amount of its apportionment from such public funds. This act was the basis upon which the present school system, modified from time t<> time as the need appeared, has been built. At the same session the town of Providence was authorized to raise any amount for free schools, notwithstanding the limitations of the law. In 1831 the school age was limited to 15 instead of 16 years, HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 5 as had been the case previously. In 1832 the provisions of public education were extended to colored children under the age of 10 years, together with five-fourteenths of such population between the ages of 10 and 24 years. In October, 1834. the several school districts of the town of Cumberland were authorized to assess and collect taxes to build and repair school houses. The same authority was granted to Burrillville in January, 1836; to North Providence in October of the same year, and again in May, 1838; to Smithfield in January, 1838; and to the Fourth district of Cumberland in October of the same year. In January, 1839, a thorough revision of all the legislation of the state since 1828, was made. ''An Act Relating to Public Schools," being a further revision of the school laws, was passed at the June session of the general assembly in 1845. According to the census of 1840 there were in Providence county then, 7,359 children under 5 years of age; 19,593 under 15 years; be- sides 468 colored children under 15 years of age. There were then in the county 8,448 men engaged in agriculture; 1,042 in commerce; 14,302 in manufactures and trades; 484 in navigation; and 269 in the learned professions and as engineers. Out of a total population of 58,073, there were 1,059 white persons over 20 years of age who could not read or write. The aggregate of real and personal property was valued at $8,505,652. In 1822 the estimate of real and personal prop- erty had been made at $5,080,000. In 1855 there were attending the public schools of the county 16,101 scholars. The total amount of money paid for instruction in schools was $80,688. There were then employed 367 teachers, in 214 .schools, kept in the 179 districts of the county. In 188S there were attending the public schools of the county 38,044 scholars. The total amount paid for instruction in schools was $378,891. There were then employed 857 different teach- ers, the average being 750 employed for the whole time taught. There were then 684 schools in the county. In the following description of the geology of this county we have mainly followed the report of Charles T. Jackson, M.D., who under a resolve of the legislature in 1839, made a very particular and minute study of the subject. Providence is based upon conglomerated rocks, alternating with carboniferous clay slate, or shale; latter rocks occu- pying the lowest position in the series. In this formation are found occasional remains or impressions of vegetables, chiefly of the fern tribe of plants, and a few beds of anthracite of an unknown extent. The coarse conglomerate composes the upper or overlying stratum. This consists of various rounded or oval shaped pebbles of the pri- mary rocks cemented together by an argillaceous paste, derived from the decomposition and attrition of similar materials, the whole being compactly indurated, doubtless by heat of the underlying rocks and by the pressure of a formerly superincumbent ocean. The coarse conglomerate graduates into a very fine and compact reck, composed 6 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. of the fine particles of the same materials, which are so clcsely com- pacted as to give it sufficient firmness for the construction of build- ings and stone walls of great durability. The same rocks continue to form the sub-stratum until we reach Cumberland, and in that town give place to huge masses of granite, quartz, hornblende, and other rocks of an unstratified nature, which have been thrown up in an incandescent state by subterranean power, producing various chemical and mechanical changes in the stratified rocks resting upon them. At Pawtucket, the conglomerate or grau- wacke alternating with clay slate, occurs abundantly in regular strata, which run north and south, and dip 80 degrees to the east- ward. The slate is glazed with carbonaceous matter, similar to indu- rated plumbago. On the exposed surface of this ledge, where the soil has been recently removed, diluvial furrows or scratches are quite distinctly seen, running in a course north 10° east, or south 10° west. Between Pawtucket and Valley Falls there occurs a red slate, which derives its color from the presence of peroxide of iron, and which alternates with the fine grauwacke rocks. The strata at Valley Falls run northeast and southwest, and dip 80 degrees to the southeast. The superincumbent soil is light and sandy, bearing a natural growth of pitch pines. On the borders of the Blackstone near the latter place the grauwacke rocks also occur, and there are seen to run northeast and southwest, with a dip of 80 degrees to the southeast. Between the latter point and Cumberland the strata of rock runs north 10° east, and dips to the northward 45 to 50 degrees. Anthra- cite coal beds have been explored here, but have never been worked to any great extent. Some years ago a shaft was sunk to the depth of G7 feet. The soil here was found to be 28 feet thick. In the north- eastern part of Cumberland Diamond hill is an abruptly precipitous mountain of quartz rock, agatized in some places, and interrupted with fragments of jasper and other accidental minerals, such as druses of quartz crystals, phosphate of lime, and veins of red hematite iron ore. The iron ore occurs on the southern slope of the hill, about half way from its base to its summit. The veins are about six inches wide, and their cavities often contain beautiful botryoidal and stalactical groups of the ore, forming interesting specimens. This hill has been much visited by mineralogists for the sake of the beautiful specimens of agate chalcedony and quartz crystals, which abound in it. The former minerals constitute the principal mass of the hill, and are espe- cially beautiful at its summit, where they can be easily broken off from the huge detached masses of rock. The country around is level, presenting intervales of much fertility. Iron Mine hill is a mountain mass of porphyritic magnetic iron ore, 462 feet in length, 132 feet m width, and 104 feet in height above the adjoining meadow. From these measurements it will appear that there are more than six million cubic feet of iron ore above natural HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 7 drainage. The weight of this mass to the cubic foot is 240-J pounds. On the northern side of the hill the rocks are gneiss and sienite. and on its southern side granite and hornblende. The rock contains 27 per cent, peroxide of iron, 12 per cent, protoxide of iron, 23 per cent, silicic acid, 15 per cent, titanic acid, and 13 per cent, alumina. This ore is remarkable both on account of its geological situation and its mineralogical and chemical composition. It appears to have been protruded through the granite and gneiss at the same epoch with the elevation of numerous serpentine veins which occur in this vicinity. This will appear the more probable origin of this mass when we consider its chemical composition in comparison with the iron ore thrown up with the serpentine on the estate of Mr. Whipple, and the fact that the ore of Iron Mine hill is accompanied by serj z n- tine mixed with its mass in every fart, still further strengthens this belief. On the summit of this hill are a few spots covered with a thin soil, and the trees are generally small oaks. On the southern decliv- ity the soil is sandy and the trees borne by it are pines. Limestone beds also occur at Cumberland hill. These run north 25° west, and dip to the northeast 35 degrees, their width being from six to ten feet. They slope in such a manner that it is supposed to be overlaid in part by the granite rocks which have been protruded through its strata. They run over the hill in a direction north 20 west. In this limestone occur numerous particles of copper pyrites, scattered through its mass. Tremolite, asbestos, actinolite, and a number of curious minerals common to such limestones, also occur. Near " Sneech pond " an ancient mine was apparently sunk for the purpose of extracting ores of copper, which are found there mixed with veins of granular magnetic iron ore. The shaft, when measured some years ago, was twenty to thirty feet wide, but it had been for a long time filled with water, so that its depth could not be ascertained. Near the pond occurs a very thick bed of a remarkable ore of manga- nese, which is peculiar in its composition, but most nearly resembles the Knebelite of Beudant. The bed is about 40 feet thick. Its com- position is about 27 per cent, silicic acid, 36 per cent, protoxide of iron, and 30 per cent, protoxide of manganese. Associated with this mineral occur crystals of green quartz, and veins of quartz penetrated by delicate green crystals of actinolite, forming a kind of ornamental stone. Sulphuret of molybdena also occurs in the manganese ore. and the yenite formerly discovered near this place is said to have been found in the accompanying quartz veins. Ligneous actinolite abounds in veins with the quartz above mentioned. Several excavations of considerable extent have been made in this vicinity, and were probably prompted by the discovery of masses of yellow copper pyrites, which was doubtless mistaken for gold, as it generally is by persons unacquainted with mineralogy. No less than 50 different mine holes have been counted in this hill, and it was esti- Ill HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. ated years ago that more than half a million dollars had been ex- pended in these fruitless searches for the precious metals. It was evidently intended in these searches to send the ere to England, and one of the casks in which it was packed was years afterward found on the spot, partly filled with the illusive ore, which contained nearly equal parts of copper, iron and sulphur. Beacon Pole hill, in Cumberland, is composed of a variety of gran- ite, having hornblende substituted in the place of mica, constituting a rock called sienitic granite. This stone is a beautiful material for building, splits well, and is free from pyrites or other injurious sub- stances. The elevation of this hill is estimated on the basis of the barometer at 200 feet above Cumberland hill, and 556 feet above the sea level. During the war of the revolution a light was placed upen its summit whenever it became necessary to call out the minute men fr< .in the surrounding country, the*light here being visible for a great distance around. The elevation of Woonsocket hill has, however, been proved, both by barometrical and trigonometrical measurements, to be still greater. Taking- another route northward from Providence the strata of grauwacke, belonging to the anthracite coal formation, are found pre- vailing for a distance of four miles. They uniformly dip to the northeastward. A large granite vein is also found in close associa- tion with the latter. Just beyond the North Providence line is found a hill composed of metamorphic or altered grauwacke rocks, of fine texture and compact in structure. Porphyritic granite is then found, which is intersected by a narrow dyke of greenstone trap rock. In Smithfield and vicinity quite extensive beds of limestone have been found. Some of this is found included immediately in greenstone or hornblende rock of a dark brownish green color, compact in structure and exceedingly hard. The hornblende rock itself is imbedded in granite, and has probably exerted a powerful chemical influence upon the limestone, whether we consider it as a rock of igneous injection :ke the limestone, a metamorphic stratified rock, altered by the igneous power of the subjacent granite. The hornblende is supposed to have been protruded from below the granite. Its occasional slaty structure is accounted for by the supposition that it retained those particles from its union with rocks of sedimentary origin, such as the clay slates. The limestone has strata marks more or less contorted, showing that it was originally an aqueous deposition but has since undergone partial fusion. The Harris lime rock was considered the best for working. About ten feet from the hornblende rock the lime- stone graduates into pure granular carbonate of lime, occasionally colored with plumbaginous matter, oxides of manganese, and iron. The bed runs west-northwest, and dips to the north-northeast about To degrees. Lime kilns were established for burning these rocks into commercial lime, more than half a century ago. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 9 The rocks in Woonsocket and its vicinity are chiefly micaceous and talcose slates, and an important deposit of granular quartz, passing into talcose slate, occurs, forming a mass of considerable elevation. Northwest of the city, as we approach the state line, the talcose slate is seen running north 35° east, and dipping east-northeast 12 degrees. A boulder of granite was at some time brought from the north by the diluvial current of ice and water, and placed here upon a ledge of mica slate. The micaceous slate has for a long time been extensively wrought for the manufacture of scythe stones, in numerous places in this vicinity. Those beds that have been most wrought are gener- ally of a brownish, or of a silvery grey color, having a basis of very fine granular quartz, which is bound together by fine scales of mica and talc. Half a century ago the manufacture of whetstones was car- ried on here to the extent of 17,000 dozen annually at times. At Woonsocket Falls the rocks are stratified, consisting of blue mica slate, and the strata run northeast, dipping to the southeast 60 degrees. Woonsocket hill, one of the highest points in the state, is composed of granular quartz, mica and talc, the quartz greatly pre- dominating. It is stratified, and the strata run northwest, the dip beino- to the northeast 20 degrees. This rock is one of the most re- fractory substances, and is extensively wrought for hearthstones to furnaces. The rock extends to the northwest until it reaches the town of Uxbridge, where it crops out near the old Douglas turnpike. It appears to belong to the group of stratified rocks which are classed as belonging to the primary series, and is geologically a part of the mica slate formation. The summit of Woonsocket hill is 340 feet above its own base, and 570 feet above high water mark at Provi- dence. On Pascoag river, a little north of the village, gneiss and mica slate occur, dipping to the northeast. In Chepachet, near the turn- pike, a variety of compact, thick bedded gneiss is quarried and is known by the name of the Pine Orchard grit. It occurs two miles west of the village. Eastward from this place a large bed of black mica was found, associated with a little granular quartz. It presents itself on the roadside, included in gneiss, and is cut through by a granite vein. In Greenville the rocks are entirely of the primary class, consist- ing of gneiss, mica slate and granite. The soil is generally good, especially in the meadow lands. The same rocks continue through Glocester,and the soil originated entirely from granite diluvium, and frequently contains large quantities of granite boulders. The soil-of the intervales is of good quality, containing a considerable quantity of vegetable matter. Aeain startingf from Providence, and striking westward, tertiary and diluvial banks of gravel and sand are found in the immediate vicinity of Providence. Next are seen argillaceous slates, belonging 10 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. to the coal formation, of the grauwacke series; and then gneiss ap- pears. The slate rocks run north and south, and dip to the east, while the gneiss dips to the northeast, and runs northwest and south- east. The soil generally is good, consisting principally of dark black- ish gray loam, especially in Johnston and Scituate. Peat is found in most of the low lands. Thick beds of granite gneiss are found in Scituate, dipping to the northeast 30 degrees, and numerous boulders of the same rocks are also found in the soil. In Foster, gneiss is the predominant rock, and is here and there cut through by granitic veins. A considerable bed of bog iron ore was found in the southwest part of the town, which was estimated to contain 26,000 cubic feet of bog iron, containing 34 per cent, of metal. In a swamp in the same locality another bed, of a pulverulent' kind' of iron ore, was found upon the estate of Mr. Hopkins. Another bed of bog iron in the vicinity was estimated to contain 47,600 cubic feet. The native forest growth over this part of the county consists of maple, elm, birch, chestnut and hornbeam. In the southern part of Scituate, near Rockland, there occurs a beautiful variety of porphy- ritic granite gneiss. It has a flesh-red colored felspar for its basis, and contains black mica and a little quartz. A hill a hundred feet high is composed of this rock, much of which is suitable for building purposes. The gneiss runs north 10° east, and dips west 55 degrees. In Crans- ton appears hornblende rock, obscurely stratified, and dipping to the northwest. On Neutaconkanut hill may be found mica slate, alter- nating with hornblende rock. The conglomerate of the grauwacke series prevail. Durfee's ledge, in Johnston, is composed of grau- wacke slate and clay slate, which dip to the southeast, and run nearly north and south. In Cranston the grauwacke terminates, and is seen resting upon the mica slate and gneiss. In South .Scituate the rocks are entirely primary, and there gneiss has been largely quarried, this being known as Xipmuck granite. The rock splits in natural seams, and is quite easily wrought. Slabs are obtained from five to eight feet square and eight inches in thick- ness. The strata here dip to the northwest 15 degrees, running northeasterly. A little oxide of iron in the seams appears to have resulted from the decomposition of mica containing pyrites. Farther west the strata of this rock have a thickness of one to three feet, and dip to the northwest 10 degrees. A few veins of smoky quartz and i >arse granite cut through the strata, and quartz crystals are found in the veins. ( )n the east side of Seekonk river the ledges are composed of very fine and compact grauwacke, indistinctly stratified and dipping to the southeast 60 or 70 degrees. Diluvial scratches abound on the re- cently uncovered surface of the ledges, and run north 5° east. The rock is very hard and compact, and splits into blocks of a cubic foim, and is thus quite readily utilized for building purposes and stone walls. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 11 Neutaconkanut hill is a remarkable eminence, in Johnston, and commands a fine view of the surrounding country. The rocks on this eminence are alternate strata of micaceous and hornblende slate, the former being very much contorted. On the south side of the hill Doctor Jackson reports a huge boulder of hornblende rock, poised upon the mica slate. He says: " This rock must have originated else- where; and it now rests in an accidental position, as will be evident to any one who examines the situation in which it is placed. Since hornblende rocks do occur at the northward, and not to the south- ward of the place where this block is now found, we feel confident that this immense rock has been removed southwardly from its parent ledge and deposited on the rocky strata where we now find it. So frequent do examples of similar displacements occur, that every ob- serving man must have noted them in all parts of New England." Another example of the movement of geological matter in the past ages and by agencies now unknown, is given in the following paragraph quoted from Doctor Jackson's description of rocks in War- wick Neck: "We noticed a number of boulders of magnetic iron ore in the soil, and they are evidently a portion of the diluvial detritus srd de- tached fragments brought by ancient currents from the iron hill in Cumberland. Some of the boulders are two feet in diameter, and are rolled and polished on their surfaces as if from long continued action of water. Thus we see that the diluvial blocks which were derived from Cumberland Hill are scattered along the shores on both sides of the bay, and in a mean direction south of their parent ledge." The following paragraphs relating to the geological conditions in Cranston are quoted from the same author: •' I examined the estate of Air. Joseph Harris, on Sockanosset Hill, in Cranston, where some imperfect explorations have been made for coal, to the depth of seven or eight feet. Around these openings I found numerous fragments of slate, graphite and impure anthracite; but the pits were generally filled with loose stones and soil, so that I could not discover the rocks in place below, but I have no doubt that they belong to the coal formation. "At the homestead of Mr. Harris I examined a remarkable spring of water, which was in one of his fields, and gives rise to a little rill running through the meadows. Along the banks of this rivulet, and around the spring, clover grows spontaneously, and is very luxuriant, while it is wanting in other parts of the field. "The water I have since analyzed, and find it to contain a great abundance of crenic acid, both in a free state and in combination with peroxide of iron, alumina and lime. The water also contains a small proportion of the sulphate of lime. A deposit of the percrenate and apocrenate of iron is found in the bottom of the spring and along its course." 12 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Soils composed of disintegrated hornblende rock are found in the towns of Cumberland, Smithfield and Johnston. These are the only tracts of the kind found in the state. Hornblende rock soils are formed by the decomposition of a dark green or black rock, composed chiefly of the minerals hornblende and compact felspar, with variable proportions of protoxide of iron and oxide of manganese. Soils of this class are generally of a dark red brown color, and are of fine texture, possessing a slightly adhesive feel when pressed together in the hand, but are not clayey. They are very warm and retentive in their nature, and are among the best soils of the state, though quite scanty, as we have already intimated. This kind of soil is particu- larly adapted to the growth of orchards. It is remarkable for the large proportions of oxide of iron, manganese and magnesia, which it contains. In Smithfield there are soils of granular magnesian limestones mixed somewhat with argillaceous matter, making a good kind of soil. There is also in that town a mixture of the detritus of horn- blende rock and limestone, making a very luxuriant soil, on which spring up spontaneously, white and red clover, with other sweet grass- es such as are common on limed soils. In the vicinity of Providence there are numerous instances where sectional cuts have been made through cliffs of sand and gravel, arranged in nearly parallel zones. Rarely is the clay found to be of sufficient purity for pottery or for the manufacture of good bricks. On Seekonk river, upon the shore, may be observed a bed of plastic blue clay, that crops out from beneath Seekonk Plain, where it is about 20 feet below the bed of pebbles that exists immediately be- neath the top soil. Generally the clayey bands in the tertiary cliffs near Providence, are too much mixed with fine sand to become plas- tic. There are beds of a very fine variety of this clay and sand, that are frequently mistaken for calcareous marl, but they are not charged with a sufficiency of lime to deserve such a name. The tertiary soils of this region are generally poor and light, and are wanting in veget- able matter and lime. They are, however, of easy tillage, and may be much improved by the application of the proper fertilizing ele- ments. Some explanation of certain geological phenomena, applicable to this section, is contained in the following quotations from the opin- ions expressed by Doctor Jackson, after careful and extended study of the subject. He says: — "By the last great geological deluge, which took place after the elevation and consolidation of all the rocks, and subsequent to the deposition of the tertiary clays, much of the loose detritus on the sur- face of the earth was removed southwardly from its original localities. Not only were soils removed to great distances by this current, but even large blocks of stone and masses of iron ore were swept far to HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 13 the south of their parent beds, and in their transit over the ledges they cut grooves and scratches which still remain to indicate the course of the waters, such marks being found very frequently where exposure to the weather has not effaced them. Thus when a ledge is uncovered of its top soil, the scratches may generally be found in great abundance. "Such appearances prove that the boulders were not freely floated on icebergs, but were driven over the surface of the rocks by the force of the current. Nor can we allow that any glaciers could have produced them by their loads of sliding rocks, for in that case they should radiate from the mountains instead of following a uniform course along hillsides and through valleys. It will also be observed that such marks are common on table land where there are no moun- tains from which glaciers could extend. There are abundant proofs that a diluvial current swept the whole surface of the New England states and all the northern portions of Europe, and it is probable that the phenomena proving such a cataclysm will be found in every por- tion of the northern hemisphere. "By diluvial causes soils were also removed, commingled, and de- posited far to the southward of their native locations, so that we rarely find any large deposits of soil excepting such as have under- gone diluvial transportation. A few instances of soils truly indige- nous to the rock on which they rest have already been noted, and it is probable, since they are very thin, that they are of post-diluvian origin. "Recent alluvions consist of the fine particles washed down from more elevated land by the action of running water; rain, rivulets, and larger streams being continually engaged in such operations. When a river overflows its banks, the channel being thus widened, its velocity is diminished, and alluvial matters are deposited on the low land overflowed. - " " " :f * Alluvial soils are not always remarkably fertile, much depending upon the nature of the materials, and on the bottom upon which it is deposited. If this is porous, then alluvium, unless clayey, will want retentive properties, and will soon run out." Near the village of Chepachet, in Glocester, the soil is of a light yellow color, and originated from the decomposition of granite, gneiss, and mica slate rocks, boulders of which are abundantly scat- tered over its surface. The top soil is generally light and loose in texture, but it is underlaid by beds of clay which are from five to twenty feet below the surface. There are also hills of diluvial sand and clay in regular layers, sloping in curved lines to the northeast. The soils generally, in this town, when not too rocky, are of easy tillage, and if properly fertilized produce good crops. In the southwest part of Smithfield, about the village of Green- ville, the soil is decidedly good. That of the uplands is of a yellow 14 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. color, and owes its origin to the decay of granite rocks. The inter- vales are charged with considerable quantities of black, peaty matter, making rich bottom for the growth of luxuriant grass, or good re- turns of cultivated crops. In the central part of the town the soil is somewhat charged with lime. The native forest trees here are oak, chestnut, black and white birch, and pines, the chestnut prevailing. Peat abounds in the vicinity. In some places the top soil is of a blackish color, and is about eight inches deep, and rests upon a sub- soil of a yellow color, derived from granitic rocks. In Johnston there are some excellent farms, situated on horn- blende rock, and they have a dark colored soil, mixed' with peaty matter. The meadows contain layers of peat, and the soil generally is well charged with vegetable matter. The soils of Scituate are formed of the detritus of the primary rocks, and where well cultivated they yield ample returns. Foster has also a soil derived from the decay of primary rocks. There are considerable forests in the town, and some deposits of bog iron have been found. The prevailing trees are chestnut, birch, maple, elm and hornbeam. In East Providence the soil originated chiefly from the detritus of grauwacke rocks, and is light and of easy tillage. It is similar to many soils in Rhode Island. CHAPTER II. DEVELOPMENT OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Roger Williams, the Founder of the Settlement. — His experiences in New England. — Purchases from the Indians and Transfers to his Associates. — His Character. — His Burial Place. — Rev. William Blackstone. — Other Purchases of the Natives. — Enlarge- ment of the Borders of the Town. — Fixing the Boundary Lines. — Division of the Town. — Formation and Annexation of other Towns. — Changes in Town Boundaries. — County Organization. — Subsequent changes. THE most conspicuous figure in the early history of this whole section of Rhode Island, known as the Providence Plantations, was Roger Williams. And two and a half centuries have served to intensify the prominence of his standing. A history of Providence county may fittingly begin with a review of the life of him whose name is from its very beginning so inseparably connected with it. Roger Williams was born in Wales, jn 1598, where his early years were spent. After being educated at the University of Oxford he was admitted to orders in the Church of England, and for some time officiated as a clergyman of that church. He afterward rendered him- self obnoxious to the laws against non-conformists, having embraced the doctrines of the Puritans, and embarked for America. Here he arrived on the 5th of February, 1631, his wife, Mary, accompanying him. About two months later he was employed as teaching elder in the church of Salem, under Reverend Mr. Skelton, who was then its pastor. The governor and assistants of Massachusetts Bay did not approve this arrangement, and he soon removed to Plymouth, where he was engaged as assistant to Mr. Ralph Smith, the pastor of the church at that place. His views of religious toleration here gave of- fense to some of his hearers, and he returned again to Salem, where, after Mr. Skelton's death, in 1634, he was settled as preacher. Both in England and in these churches he acquired the reputation of "a godly man and a zealous preacher." But his preaching was not in ac- cord with the government of that colony. He publicly opposed the right of the king to grant a patent for lands which belonged to the natives, consequently denying the right of the patent under which the colony held its lands. He reprobated "the calling of natural men to the exercise of those holy ordinances of prayers, oaths, &c," and other customs of the people. He insisted that the magistrate had 16 HIS TORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. no right to deal in matters of conscience and religion. His outspoken conduct in expressing these and other views not in harmony with the popular sentiment, at last incurred the displeasure of the author- ities to such an extent that in the autumn of 1635, an edict of banish- ment was pronounced, and he was ordered to depart the jurisdiction in six weeks. This order was afterward modified, however, so far as to permit him to remain until spring, on condition that he should not attempt to promulgate his opinions or induce others to embrace them. But this action of the authorities probably served to arouse sympathy for Williams and itself influenced others to adopt his opinions. It is said the people were "much taken with the apprehension of his god- liness." The governor and assistants, seeing that Williams' offensive opinions were gaining ground among the people, sent an officer to apprehend him and carry him on board a vessel then lying at Nan- tasket, bound to England. Williams being apprised of this fled in time to escape the offi'cer. The determination referred to was reached by the general court of Massachusetts on the 11th of January, and the officers sent to execute it, when they arrived at Salem found that Williams had left three days before. In mid-winter he thus fled into the wilderness and wandered for fourteen weeks from place to place, doubtless existing much of the time by the hospitality of friendly Indians with whom he came in contact. In his own graphic words he was "sorely tossed, for fourteen weeks, in a bitter winter season." As the mild weather of spring began to approach he found himself at Seekonk, later known as Rehoboth, and there he began to build and plant. But he had not pursued this work far when he received word from Governor Wins- low of Plymouth, that this land was in his jurisdiction, and although he was a friend of Williams, yet he was also a friend of the governor of Massachusetts, and feared his displeasure if he allowed Williams to settle within his own jurisdiction after having been banished from that of Massachusetts. In compliance with his request, Williams accordingly moved forward. During his stay at Seekonk a few friends joined him in the attempt at making a settlement. When he moved thence five companions were with him in the canoe in which they floated down the river. Paddling toward the western shore they landed and exchanged greet- ings with the Indians, whose exclamation as they approached, "What Cheer, Netop," has become a familiar word in all the locality. The names of these five companions were William Harris, John Smith, Joshua Verin, Thomas Angell and Francis Wickes. From this preliminary landing they re-embarked, and passing around the southerly point of land at the junction of the rivers, now known as India and Fox Points, they proceeded up the Providence river and disembarked at a place where they found a spring of water gushing from the hillside. This spot they selected for the site of their pro- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 17 posed settlement, and in grateful remembrance of God's merciful kindness to him in distress, Roger Williams named the future town Providence. The time of this removal and the planting of the settlement here, is uncertain, but is supposed to have been in the summer, as it was too late for regular spring planting, that having been done at the aban- doned spot on the Seekonk. Negotiations had no doubt been al- ready made with the chief sachems of Narragahsett, for land and a peaceable settlement. Roger Williams had early imbibed the spirit of a missionary, in relation to the Indians. "My soul's desire," said he, "was to do them good." He regarded a knowledge of their language as essential to enable him to conciliate their affections and preach to them with effect. For several years he gave much time to the study of their language. While he lived in Plymouth and Salem, he says, "God was pleased to give him a painful, patient spirit to lodge with them in their filthy, smoky holes, to gain their tongue." A knowledge of their language, a just notion of their rights, and the means which he employed to gain the affections of the natives, enabled him to pro- cure from Canonicus and Miantinomo, the chief sachems of the Nar- ragansetts, the land which first constituted the realm of the Prov- idence colony. The natives were shy and jealous, and money alone would hardly tempt them to sell their lands, but by the persuasions which he was able to bring to bear upon them, by means of the ad- vantages just noticed, he succeeded in obtaining from them valid title to the land upon which the settlement was to be made. To en- able him to adjust the financial part of the transaction, he mortgaged his house in Salem, "worth some hundreds." The agreement was made with the chiefs before mentioned, but the writing was not done until March 24th, 1G3S, new style, some two years after the transac- tion. This deed covered the vaguely described "lands and meadows upon the two fresh rivers, called Moshassuck and Wanasquatucket," "from the river and fields of Pawtucket, the great hill of Notaquon- canot, on the northwest, and the town of Mashapaug, on the west." By this deed they also confirmed to Roger Williams "all that land from those rivers reaching to Pawtuxet river; as also the grass and meadows upon the said Pawtuxet river." The rights thus acquired were transferred by Roger Williams to his twelve associates in consideration of 30 pounds in money. This deed was executed in October, 1638, and conveyed the equal owner- ship with himself to his twelve associates and "such others as the major part of us shall admit into the same fellowship of vote with us." Another instrument executed on the same day contained the agreement that the Pawtuxet lands should be divided equally be- tween them, and that each should pay an equal proportion of 20 pounds, a failure to do which would forfeit the right to the company. 2 18 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. This agreement contains the acknowledgment by Roger Williams, dated December 3d, 1638, that he had received of "the neighbors above said, the full sum of £18, Us. 3d.," being twelve-thirteenths of the 20 pounds, the other thirteenth being his own share. Thus the Pawtuxet lands became the property of the original thirteen, while other lands were held in common and divided among the settlers, the new comers being required to pay 30 shillings each on joining the company, the payment of which entitled them to the common pro- prietary rights of the company. Out of the general fund thus arising Roger Williams was paid the expense which he had incurred in the original purchase of the Indians. Some question afterward arising in regard to the title, Roger Williams gave another deed reciting and confirming the facts contained in those already mentioned, the last mentioned deed bearing date December 22d, 1666. As further details in regard to the settlement and the settlers will be found in connection with the history of the town and city of Prov- idence, in another chapter of this work, we will leave that branch of the subject now to follow more intimately the life of the illustrious founder and leader of the colony. A short time after his settlement here we find Roger Williams embracing some of the leading opinions of the Baptists. In March, 1639, he was baptized by immersion, at Providence, by Ezekiel Holliman, whom he afterward baptized. He formed a society of this order, and continued preaching to them for several months, and then separated from them, doubting, it is said, the validity of all baptism because a direct succession could not be traced from the Apostles to the officiating ministers. In 1643 Williams went to England as agent for the colonies at Providence, Rhode Island and Warwick, to solicit a charter of incor- poration, which he finally procured, signed by the Earl of Warwick, then governor and admiral of the English plantations, and by his council, bearing date March 14th. 1G44. Returning from England he landed at Boston, September 17th, 1644, bringing a letter of recom- mendation to the governor and assistants of the Massachussetts Bay, from some of the most influential members of the Long Parliament. This saved him from the penalty incurred in entering their bounds, which he had avoided on his departure by taking ship at New York. In 1651, serious difficulties having arisen by Coddington's procur- ing a charter which gave him almost unlimited authority over the islands of Narragansett bay, Williams and Clarke were dispatched as agents of the colony to procure its revocation. This they effected in October, L652. Williams returned in 1654, but Clarke remained in England, and afterward procured the second charter of 160;]. While in England on the mission referred to, Williams resided most of the time at Belleau,a seat of Sir Henry Wane, in Lincolnshire; and on his return, brought a letter from him, inviting the planters to a closer union, one with another. This letter maybe found among the rec- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 19 ords of Providence. Through its means, urged by the perseverance of Williams, peace and union were finally restored to the colony, which, during his absence had been rent by many divisions. He was sev- eral times, both before and after this period, elected to the office of president or governor of the colony. Very few incidents in his life are to be collected from the writings of Williams, and the prejudices of contemporary and even later his- torians who have mentioned him, render it difficult to form a true es- timate of his character. Enough, however, has been shown to pro\'e him to have been a man of unblemished moral character, and of ar- dent piety, unyielding in opinions which he conceived to be right, and not to be diverted from what he believed to be duty, by either threats or flattery. In proof of his Christian temper we may point to the fact that after he was banished, though he conceived himself to be an injured, persecuted man, no purpose of revenge seems ever to have been harbored by him. For he had abundant oportunities for giving exercise to any such feelings, had he been so disposed. In- stead of that, the next year after his banishment, he gave to his per- secutors information of the Indian plot which would have destroyed their whole settlement. He concluded treaties for them, which in- sured their peace and prosperity, "employing himself continually in acts of kindness to his persecutors, affording relief to the distressed, offering an asylum to the persecuted." In his political transactions, self interest does not appear to have had any influence in opposition to the public good. After acquiring the title to the land, which vested in himself exclusively, one of his first acts was to divide the land among his "loving neighbors," reserving to himself only a right as one of them. In the charter procured by him no office of trust or honor or profit was conferred on him. The history of the settlement of our country presents but few such instances of devotion to the common weal to the utter exclusion of personal interests, in the con- duct of those who led the settlements and controlled their affairs. Calender, the historian, has with some show of reason called him "the most disinterested man that ever lived." In literary acquirements Roger Williams gained considerable dis- tinction among the men of his time, though his publications were not numerous. The public services in which he was engaged, and the personal difficulties which he encountered occupied his attention to the exclusion perhaps, of work in that direction which might have been his choice had he been at liberty to follow it. His "Key to the Language of America" was written about 1643, and printed in Lon- don very soon after its completion. It presented the character of the natives in a new and favorable light, and appears to have been ad- mirably calculated to facilitate that intercourse with them which the safety of the settlers and the interests of both settlers and natives urgently demanded. His next published work was the "Bloody 20 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Tenent," an answer to Cotton's argument in favor of the regulation of church doctrines by the civil magistrate. Cotton's reply to this was followed by the publication by Williams of "The Bloody Tenent yet more bloody, by Cotton's endeavor to Wash it White." These were published in London, in 1652. About 20 years afterward Wil- liams had a controversy with the Quakers. He maintained a public dispute with them at Newport, on the 9th, 10th, and 12th of August, L672, and at Providence on the 17th of the same month. He after- ward published a work entitled "George Fox digged out of his Bur- rows," in answer to a work of Fox. Xo description of the person of Williams has reached us, but Rhode Islanders will always remember his name and his deeds, and revere him as the father of their state, and the world will ever regard him as one of the earliest and boldest champions of the right of all men "fully to have and enjoy their own judgments and consciences in matters of religious concernments." He died at Providence, in April, 1GS3, and was buried under arms, in his family burying ground, with every testimony of respect that the colony could manifest. He was the father of six children — Mary, Freeborn, Providence, Mercy, Daniel, and Joseph — the descendants of whom at this time maybe numbered by thousands, and are scattered far and wide over this broad continent. But with all the respect which Rhode Island has for the name of its pioneer, and with all the cause for family pride which his numer- ous descendants had, the founder of a state and the bold exponent of religious freedom rested in his grave until the ruthless hand of neglect had well nigh obliterated the last traces of anything by which the lo- cation of his sepulture could be identified. The greensward had set- tled to a level over his bones, the stones which had been placed to mark his grave had been the sport of thoughtless boys until they were broken down, and it was only with considerable antiquarian skill and research that the identity of his bones could be established. This was accomplished about 30 years since, Stephen Randall, one of Wil- liams' descendants, being a leader in the enterprise. Touching the subject of the discovery and exploration of the grave of Roger Wil- liams we venture to insert here the following extracts from a descrip- tion given by Mr. Zachariah Allen in an address in 1860. "After the lapse of 177 years of obvious neglect, the researches for the identification of the grave were finally commenced on the 22d day <>f March, 1860, in the presence of several gentlemen, who were in- vited to witness the processes of the disinterment. •■ * * * * * After the removal of the turf and loam, down to the hard surface of the subsoil, the outlines of seven graves became manifest, the three uppermost on the hillside being those of children, and the four lower ones, those of adults." HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 21 "The utmost care was taken in scraping- away the earth from the bottom of the grave of Roger Williams. Not a vestige of any bone was discoverable, nor even of the lime dust which usually remains after the gelatinous part of the bone is decomposed. So completely had disappeared all the earthly remains of the Founder of the State of Rhode Island, in the commingling mass of black, crumbled slate stone and shale, that they did not 'leave a wreck behind." ' "By the side of the grave of Roger Williams was another, which was supposed to be that of his wife; for wonderfully preserved there- in was found a lock of braided hair, being the sole remaining human relic. All else had disappeared in the lapse of more than 170 years, during which this tress of hair had survived every other portion of the body equally exposed to the wet earth. "The reason for which this location had been so soon abandoned as a burial spot became evident in the almost impenetrable hardness of the soil, composed of shale, which rendered necessary the use of steel pointed bars and picks to penetrate it. So near the surface of ground is the sub-stratum of shale rock, which constitutes nearly the whole mass of Prospect Hill, that water was found percolating the soil at the bottom of one of the excavations which were made. "It appears that in this vicinity, on the gravelly soil a few hun- dred feet below on the hillside, the Indians once had a cemetery. At the foot of Bowen street, skeletons with the remains of Indian im- plements, and a copper kettle, were found. Many of the early set- tlers of Providence were there buried. "Alono- the whole range of Benefit street were a succession of or- chards planted on the hill-side, above the garden lots. In these or- chards were the burial lots of the families which occupied the homes below on the east side of North and South Main streets, commencing with the burial lot of the family of Whipple, at the junction of Con- stitution hill with Benefit street; next was that of Roger Williams' family— of Olney, Waterman, Crawford, Tillinghast, Cooke, Ashton, and others. In the course of modern improvements most of these remains have been removed to the North Burial Ground. Near Bowen street, whilst cultivating a garden, Nicholas Esten pulled up the fragments of a human skull, attached to the roots of a cabbage." "On looking down into the pit whilst the sextons were clearing it of earth, the root of an adjacent apple tree was discovered. This tree had pushed downwards one of its main roots in a sloping direction and nearly straight course towards the precise spot that had been occupied by the skull of Roger Williams. There making a turn con- forming with its circumference, the root followed the direction of the backbone to the hips, and thence divided into two branches, each one following a leg bone to the heel, where they both turned upwards to the extremities of the toes of the skeleton. One of the roots formed a slight crook at the part occupied by the knee joint, thus producing 22 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. an increased resemblance to the outlines of the skeleton of Roger Williams, as if indeed, moulded thereto by the powers of vegetable life. This singularly formed root has been carefully preserved, as constituting a very impresive exemplification of the mode in which the contents of the grave had been entirely absorbed. Apparently not sated with banqueting on the remains found in one grave, the same roots extended themselves into the next adjoining one, pervad- ing every part of it with a network of voracious fibres in their thor- ough search for every particle of nutritious matter in the form of phosphate of lime and other organic elements constituting the bones. At the time the apple tree was planted, all the fleshy parts of the body had doubtless been decomposed and dispersed in gaseous forms; and there was then left only enough of the principal bones to serve for the roots to follow along from one extremity of the skeleton to the other in a continuous course, to glean up the scanty remains. Had there been other organic matter present in quantity, there would have been found divergent branches of roots to envelop and absorb it. This may serve to explain the singular formation of the roots into the shape of the principal bones of the human skeleton." Leaving now the illustrious founder of the settlement out of which grew the county as well as the town, let us notice briefly the outlines of progress from the primitive condition to the present status and ar- rangement. In passing, however, it will be appropriate to notice a contemporary attempt at settlement which by subsequent events be- came associated with that of Roger Williams and his associates. About the same time that Williams came to Providence, Reverend Wil- liam Blackstone settled in Cumberland, near the river which bears his name, about three miles above Pawtucket. He was a man of learning, and had received Episcopal ordination in England. He ap- pears to have left his native country on account of his nonconformity, and he sought an asylum for the enjoyment of religious freedom in the wilds of New England. The precise time of his arrival in this country is unknown, though he appears to have been here as early as L628, devoting himself to agriculture. When the first planters of .Massachusetts arrived, in the year 1030, they found him already quietly seated on the peninsula of Shawmut, now the site of Boston. His cottage was near a spring, on the south end of the peninsula, where he had planted an orchard of apple trees. Having escaped the power of the Lords Bishop in England, he declared that he did not want to fall into the power of the "Lords Brethren" here, so he sold his lands on the peninsula, in the year 1635, and made a removal about the year 1636, his new location being about six miles north of that chosen by Mr. Williams. Here his house was situated near the bank of the river which perpetuates his name, a few rods east- ward of a knoll, which he called "Study hill." It was surrounded by a park, which was his favorite walk. Llis house he named "Study HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 23 Hall." Here again he planted an orchard, the first that ever bore apples in Rhode Island, as tradition avers. Many of the trees were "still pretty thrifty fruit-bearing trees," 130 years afterward, when' Governor Hopkins wrote the assertion just quoted in part. Mr. Blackstone used frequently to preach in Providence and other neigh- boring places. He was a man of talent, and though somewhat eccen- tric, sustained the character of an exemplary Christian. He died May 26th, 1675, having lived in New England about 50 years, and was buried about two rods east of his favorite "Study hill," and his family in America long since became extinct. His death occurred a few weeks before the commencement of Philip"s war. At that time his estate was desolated, and his house and library laid in ashes by the ruthless natives. The settlement of Williams continued to grow. The deeds by which title to lands was acquired have already been spoken of. The number of proprietors soon reached the limit of 54. The whole num- ber shared in the divisions of land in the Providence purchase, while only thirteen held shares in the Pawtuxet purchase. The latter was the cause of long and angry contention in the subsequent history of the colony. Although the purchase of the land from the Narragansett sachems was considered as complete, yet the settlers were careful to conciliate the Indians residing within their limits and as far as possible to maintain their good will. Those who had built wigwams or tilled the soil, received gratuities in addition to what had been paid to the sachems, and even the claim to sovereignty over a part of the land, which was asserted by Massasoit, sachem of the Wampanoags, sev- eral years after the purchase, though unfounded, was virtually ad- mitted, and compensation made him by the colonists. This claim embraced portions later included in Smithfield, though it is doubtful whether the rights of the Wampanoags ever extended west of the Seekonk. Many years elapsed before the last Indian titles were ex- tinguished. Confirmatory deeds from the successors of the first grantors were taken, every new deed requiring some further gratuity. The transfer of land from one inhabitant to another was subject to the approval of the town, and when that was obtained the record was made, simply giving bounds and reciting the fact in connection with the names of the parties. The population of the colony rapidly increased; a natural effect of the broad system of religious freedom established by its founder, which made it the refuge of many who differed from the state creed of its neighbors. About 1646 there were in Providence and its vicin- ity 101 men fit to bear arms. This corresponds precisely to the whole number of proprietors of house lots in the last division of the lands made 73 years later. But besides the original purchasers, and those who were admitted by them to an equal share in the franchise, many 24 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. avc re received as townsmen who had no interest in the lands, and others were admitted as 25-acre or quarter-right purchasers, who in all subdivisions of land received one-quarter as much as a full proprietor. The terms of admission to the propriety varied very much at differ- ent times. The latest agreement upon the records is signed by 28 quarter-right proprietors, who having received a free grant of 25 acres each, and a proportionate right of common, promise to obey the laws, and not to claim any right to the purchase, nor any privilege of vote, until they shall be received as freemen of the town. The extent of the first purchase of the Indians was exceedingly indefinite. At first there was some show of definite limits, the "river and fields of Pawtucket," the "great hill of Neotaconkanitt," and the "town of Mashapaug," having some fairly well understood locations. But then the conveyance drifts into ambiguity by granting "all that land from those rivers reaching to Pawtuxet river," "those rivers" meaning the Moshassuck and Wanasquatucket. The vague- ness is still further increased by the confirmation of Miantonomi in 1639, when he "acknowledged this his act and hand up the streams of Pawtucket and Pawtuxet, without limits, we might have for our use of cattle." The deed was understood to convey little more than the right of jurisdiction over the land it described. The general right that the sachem possessed in the soil passed under it, but such Indians as had built wigwams or planted upon it were also to be satisfied. In some instances individuals among the purchasers bought off the natives residing on their lands, and in others the whole body of purchasers joined, and from their common stock paid the claims of the natives. It was not uncommon for a succession of such claimants to demand and receive satisfaction. The sums paid to these individuals generally far exceeded the amounts paid to the sachems. Several such deeds and confirmations of different Indian claimants for certain portions of the wide expanse of territory in- cluded in the ownership of Providence men have been preserved, and many others have been lost. The descriptions contained in these instruments are so lengthy, mystical and abounding in names and points of definition now unrecognizable that we deem it unadvisable to copy them here. In May, 1661, the town borrowed 20 pounds to pay for clearing off certain Indian titles. These appear to cover lands later in Smithfield, Burrillville and Scituate. Among the largest tracts purchased from the natives by individuals was the Westquanoid purchase, which lay between the north branch of the Pawtuxet river and the dividing line between the present counties of Providence and Kent. The purchasers of this tract belonged principally to Rhode Island. It is now covered by the southern part of the towns of Foster and Scituate. In accordance with the extent of land covered by the various deeds which had been obtained up to that time, the town in March, HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 25 1660, agreed that their western bounds should be set 20 miles west of Fox's hill. The deeds which had then been obtained doubtless cov- ered the principal part of the territory now embraced within the county of Providence, except lands east of the Seekonk river which have since been annexed from Massachusetts. The line between the Providence purchase and the Pawtuxet purchase was for many years in dispute, and from 1600 onward for several years, committees were frequently appointed by the town to run it out to the 20 mile limits westward. The line remained in dispute for man} T years, litigation following, and an appeal to the king of England being twice made on behalf of the Pawtuxet proprietors, who claimed that they were being deprived by the town proprietors of the use of their lands. A jury of commissioners from Plymouth, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island, appointed by direction of the king, heard the case and gave a verdict, which failed to make a satisfactory ending of the complication, as did a second appeal to the king, and his order to the magistrates to cause the judgment to be carried into effect. The execution of the judgment was obstructed by the different interpre- tations insisted upon by the opposing parties in regard to the lan- guage of the judgment itself. William Harris, the attorney of the Pawtuxet purchasers, started in January, 1680, on a third voyage to England to again petition the king. He was taken a prisioner on the way, by a Barbary corsair, and carried to Algiers, where he remained more than a year. Being finally ransomed he reached London, but died a few days after his arrival there. It does not appear that any steps were taken after the death of Mr. Harris in relation to the set- tlement of this controversy until 16S2. Commissioners were in that year appointed to "end the difference" with Pawtuxet. Obstacles, however, continued to impede the progress of the business, so that it was not actually done until 1712, when an agreement was arrived at, and in May the line was run out as agreed upon, and bounds were set up, and the controversy was ended. In this settlement, however, the limits of the purchase were greatly reduced from those which had been conceded in former attempts at settlement of the line. In- stead of the tract running 20 miles westward it now ran only to the seven-mile line, to a point on that line half way between the south bounds of the purchase and the crossing of the Wanasquatucket by the line referred to. The dividing line between Providence and Warwick, as far as ju- risdiction was concerned, was settled by the general assembly, in Oc- tober, 1696. As fixed by that bod}- this line followed the north side of Pawtuxet river, from the junction of its northern and southern branches, to its mouth. In 1707, a question arose between the Providence proprietors and the Westquanoid Company, in regard to title to lands, the latter com- pany claiming what the Providence men considered as within the 26 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. liberal and vague limits of their purchase. The Westquanoid Company claimed as far north as the north branch of the Pawtuxet, under a deed from the natives. An agreement was reached in October, 1708, that a line should be run due south from the center of Punhangan- sett pond to the Warwick line, and that a line crossing this at right angles and half way from one end to the other should be the dividing line between the two companies. This controversy, like that with Pawtuxet, had reference only to ownership. The jurisdiction of Providence was never questioned in either case. The right of juris- diction over all the land lying between Warwick on the south, Con- necticut on the west, Massachusetts on the north, and Pawtucket or Seekonk river on the east, was always admitted to be in Providence, and was called the township of Providence. Jurisdiction was also claimed over the land which constitutes the present town of Cumber- land, but this was denied, at first by Plymouth and afterward by Massachusetts, and was a matter of contention between the colonies until 1746, when it was settled by the king in council, and the juris- diction given to the colony of Rhode Island. Thus it will be seen that the present county of Providence is, with a few changes on the eastern border, the same as the original township of Providence. Previous to the year 1718 the records of the town and of the pro- prietors of Providence were kept together and the distinction be- tween the two bodies was not sharply drawn. But the progress of the settlement then demanded more definite lines, and in the begin- ning of 1718 the proprietors chose a clerk of their own, and kept dis- tinct records of their own transactions separate from the town. This course was pursued from that time forward. The records of the pro- prietors are divided into two sets, one relating to land on the east, and the other to land on the west of a line called the "seven-mile line." This line was first established in 1G60, when part of the proprietors held that their rights extended only thus far, while another part claimed, under various Indian titles and confirmations to the 20 mile limits. The "seven-mile line" ran due north and south seven miles westward of Fox's hill, now called Fox's point. It still remains, and is the dividing line between the towns of Smithfield, North Smith- field, Cranston and Johnston, on the east of it, and Burrillville, Glo- cester and Scituate on the west of it. It formed the western bound- ary of the early divisions of lands among the individual settlers. The first division of the town of Providence into smaller juris- dictions was made in 1731. the people having petitioned the assem- bly, and that body having appointed committees to investigate and report. Three aditional towns were created, the act of incorporation describing them in language as follows. "Be it therefore enacted by this General Assembly, and by the authority thereof it is enacted, that from Warwick township, eight miles and a half be measured on the seven-mile line (so called), in HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 27 said Providence, and a boundary there fixed; and from the said boundary, a line be drawn to Pawtucket river, to the place called the Ware, about half a mile northerly of Pawtucket Falls; and that for the time to come, the town of Providence extend no farther west and north than the aforesaid lines." The description of Smithfield was as follows: — "all the rest of the aforesaid outlands, to the eastward of the aforesaid seven-mile line, and to the northward of the bounds of the town of Providence." The bounds of Scituate were "to begin at the northwest bounds of the town of Providence, at the bounds and monument there made and erected on the aforesaid seven-mile line; and from thence, to extend west six degrees and thirty minutes north, to Connecticut colony, and all the lands to the westward of the said town of Providence, and to the southward of the said dividing line, and to the northward of the town of Warwick, up to the colony line." "And it is further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that the rest and residue of the aforesaid out-lands that lie to the westward of the aforesaid seven-mile line, and to the northward of the west line, drawn from the northwest corner of the town of Providence, and bounded north on the Province of the Massachusetts Bay, and west on the colony of Connecticut, be, and they are hereby erected and in- corporated a town, and called by the name of Glocester." The act authorized the justices of the peace to call the inhabitants of each of the three new towns together to elect officers, and to ap- point the times and places of their town meetings. Each of the towns was also entitled to representation by two deputies in the gen- eral assembly. The town of Cranston was formed from a part of Providence, in 1754. The petition for such a division of the territory recites that the town then had about 600 freeholders, and that the business was mostly done at the compact part of the town, which caused great in- convenience to those living in the remote parts. Hence the need of division. The new town comprised all that part of the former town of Providence "lying to the southward of a line beginning at the head of the cove, called and known by the name of Hawkins's Cove; from thence a straight line to the bent of Pochasset River, a little to the northward of Charles Dyer's; and so to continue up said river, until it comes to the road that leads from the town of Providence to Plain- field; and thence westerly, up said road, until it comes to the vSeven Mile line, that is the dividing line between the town of Providence and Scituate." On other sides Cranston was bounded, west by Scitu- ate, south by Warwick, and east by the Providence river. The town took its name from Samuel Cranston, who for many years was gover- nor of the colony. A few years later a petition was presented to the general assem- bly, setting: forth that there were within the limits of Providence 28 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. "•upwards of four hundred freemen, great part of whom live near ten miles from the place where the town meetings are usually holden and the prudential affairs of said town transacted." The petition set forth that business was hindered by crowding in the meetings, and asked that they be set off in a new town. The assembly thereupon established the town of Johnston, the line dividing it from Provi- dence being described as beginning on the southern bank of Wan- asquatucket river, whence it was to run "due north from the eastern- most part of a certain hill, called Solitary Hill; and extend due south from the said easternmost part of this said hill, unto the northern line of the town of Cranston." It was thus bounded on the south by Cranston, on the west by Scituate, on the north by Smithfleld and on the east by Providence. On the north it followed the Smithfleld line to the intersection of the Wanasquatucket river, "and thence east- wardly with the said river until it comes to the first mentioned bound." The town was named in honor of Augustus Johnston, who was at that time attorney general of the colony. In 1765, 115 of the inhabitants living m the northern part of Prov- idence, petitioned to be set off into a town by the name of Wenscutt. Some opposition appeared to this project, and the matter was de- layed from the February session of the general assembly until June. The petition set forth that there were "upwards of four hundred free- men" in the town of Providence; that those living in the compact part were mostly merchants and tradesmen, and that those living in the remote part of the town were mostly farmers, and had interests not in common with those of the compact part. The new town was then established by act of the general assembly, but its name was North Providence instead of Wenscutt. This was the northern part of the town, and its bounds were to "begin at the new bridge, near to the hill called Solitary Hill; thence bounding on Wanasquatucket River, until it comes to the northwest corner of the town's land, at the east end of a place called Forestack Meadow; thence easterly on a straight line to the middle of the mill bridge; thence on a due east line until it comes to Scaconck River, so called; thence northerly, bounding on said Scaconck River until it comes to Smithfleld line; thence bounding by Smithfleld line until it comes to Johnston line; and thence, bounding westerly by Johnston line until it comes to the aforesaid Solitary Hill." The bounds of the town were not satisfac- tory to some of the people living near the compact part of the former town, and in June, 17H7, in compliance with their petition the assem- bly passed an act by which a part of the new town was annexed again to Providence. This part was bounded "by a straight line, beginning at the southerly end of the meadow called Four Stack Meadow, to the northwest eorner of the burying land; and then easterly and south- erly by said burying ground, as by the plat thereof, until it ccmes to tin- lane called Herrington's Lane; then easterly by the north side of HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 29 said lane till it meets with the southwest corner of the land of Joseph Olney; then crossing said lane, due south, until it comes to the south side of said lane, then extending easterly, as said lane runs, bounding northerly by said lane until it comes to the dividing line between the lands of William Brown and Phineas Brown; and then by said line easterly to Seaconck River." The next town in order of time was Foster. This town was formed of the western part of Scituate, in August, 1781. The act of incorporation directed that the dividing line between the proposed town of Foster and Scituate should begin at the middle of the line between Scituate and Coventry, and run thence northerly in a course parallel with the Seven Mile line to the north line of the old town of « Scituate, thus dividing it in two nearly equal parts. The assembly appointed a committee to fix definitely the boundary of Foster. The committee completed their work on the 18th of September, describ- ing the southeast corner of Foster, "a rock split in two parts, with a heap of stones on it, which is about sixteen poles east upon the abovesaid line from the northwest corner of Ephraim Westcot's home- stead farm in Coventry, and bears north fourteen degrees west from the middle of the chimney of the said Ephraim Westcot's small dwel- ling house about twenty-five poles." The north end of the line was a point "four rods and twenty links east on Glocester line, from a small, sharpish rock at the point of the upland." The name of the new town is supposed to have been given in honor of Theodore Foster, who was one of the senators of Rhode Island in congress. The name of the old town was given in memory of the town in Massachusetts, whence some of the settlers here had come. In 1806 the town of Glocester, which had been named from the Duke of Glocester, was divided by aline from east to west through the middle of the town. The northern half was incorporated as the town of Burrillville, October 29th, 1806. The name was given out of re- spect to Hon. James Burrill, who had been attorney general, and was afterward chief justice of the state, and senator in congress. The first authorized meeting of the town was November 17th, 1806. The town of Cumberland was annexed to Rhode Island by the de- cision of the king in council, January 27th, 1747, new style. At that time four other towns were annexed to the colony, from Massachu- setts, viz: Little Compton, Tiverton, Warren and Bristol. Previous to this time Cumberland had been known as Attleboro' Gore. It was named in honor of William, Duke of Cumberland. A part of its territory w T as incorporated as the town of Woonsocket, January 31st, 1867. The town of Pawtucket, originally a part of Seekonk, in Massa- chusetts, was incorporated March 1st, 1828. In the settlement of the boundary question between the two states, this town, with the excep- tion of a small part lying east of Seven Mile river, was annexed to Rhode Island, March 1st, 1862. At the same date the westerly part 30 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. of Seekonk was annexed to Rhode Island and incorporated as the town of East Providence, and on the other hand Fall River, not in this county, was annexed to Massachusetts. We have now noticed the acquirement of all the territory of Prov- idence county, as well as the division of the principal part into towns as they exist at the present time. Some later divisions and altera- tions in town boundaries have been made, which we will briefly no- tice. March 8th, 1871, the town of Smithfield was divided into four parts. A small part at the northeastern corner was annexed to Wnonsocket; the northwestern part was incorporated as the town of Slater, which on the 24th was changed to North Smithfield; the east- ern part was incorporated as the town of Lincoln, in honor of the martyr president; while the southwest part retained the name of the old town. A small part of North Providence was re-united to Prov- idence, June 29th, 1767, and again another part March 28th, 1873. Still another part was annexed to the city of Providence, making the Tenth ward, May 1st, 1874. At the same time the eastern part of the town was annexed to Pawtucket, leaving but a small part in the old town. Parts of the town of Cranston have been added to the city of Providence June 10th, 1868, and March 28th, 1873. For many years after the settlement of the colony, no county or- ganizations were made. At the June session of the general assembty in 1729, the colony was divided into three counties, respectively named Newport, Providence and King's. The county of Providence included the towns of Providence, Warwick and East Greenwich. Previous to this some regard to county jurisdiction had been obtained by common consent, tw r o counties only being recognized, which grew out of the governments included in the colony. The insular portion was called the county of Rhode Island, and the mainland section was called the county of Providence. Existing records show that this division was recognized as early as 1703. In that year the assembly ordered that the courts of common pleas in the latter county should rotate between Providence, Warwick, Kingstown and Westerly. On the annexation of the five towns previously spoken of, January 27th, 17 17, Cumberland was included in Providence county. By an act of the general assembly passed in June, 17f)(>, the southern part of the county was organized into a separate county by the name of Kent, having the same towns within it as it does at the present time. In the year 176."), an act was passed dividing the state into five counties. This act was merely a re-enactment or confirmation of the acts al- ready passed at different times, and made no changes in the organiza- tion of the different counties. From that time to the present no changes have been made in the territorial limits of Providence county, except the addition of East Providence and Pawtucket in 1862, men- tion of which has already been made. The progressive history of the county is but the history of the several towns which compose it, details of which will be given in subsequent chapters. CHAPTER III. THE BENCH AND BAR. Establishment of Courts. — Successive Court Houses. — Practitioners in the early Courts. — Early Bar Compact. — Prominent Lawyers of a Half Century ago. — Their Loca- tion and Habits. — Some Woonsocket Lawyers. — Prominent Men of the last Genera- tion. — Lawyers of the Present Time. THE first establishment of any organized court was under the charter of 1644. This was called the general court of trials. It had jurisdiction over the whole colony, as the counties had not then been organized. This court was composed of the president and assistants. They had jurisdiction over all aggravated offenses, and in such matters as should be by the town courts referred to them as too weighty for themselves to determine, and also of all disputes between different towns, or between citizens of different towns and strangers. They had two sessions in each year. All questions of fact were determined by a jury of twelve men. The town courts had exclusive original jurisdiction over all causes between their own citi- zens. The president was the conservator of the peace throughout the colony, and the assistants were charged with the same duties in their respective towns. Under the revised charter of 1663 the courts were appointed to be held annually, one at Providence in September, and one at Warwick in March. In these courts of trials at least three assistants and a jury of twelve men, selected equally from each town, should be pres- ent. An appeal could be taken from these to the general courts. Special courts might also be called at the request and expense of any person, with the sanction of the governor or deputy governor. In the apportionment of grand and petty jurors, Newport was to furnish five of each, Portsmouth three, and Providence and Warwick two each. In the apportionment of state magistrates, that is the gov- ernor, deputy governor and ten assistants, five were to be inhabitants of Newport, three of Providence, and two each of Portsmouth and Warwick. In 1703 the colony appears to have been divided into two coun- ties. These were Providence Plantations and Rhode Island. The first embraced all the towns on the mainland and the second the island towns. Inferior courts were established at the same time, to be holden in each countv. That within the county of Providence 32 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Plantations was held twice each year, at Providence, Warwick, Kings- town and Westerly by turns. In 1729 the county of Providence was divided and what is now Washington county set off; and again, in 1750, it was still further reduced in size by the formation of the pres- ent county of Kent. In 1729 a court house was ordered to be erected in each of the counties. The court house for this county was built on land formerly belonging to William Page, on Meeting street. It was completed in L731, at a cost of £G6o. It was destroyed by fire, on the evening of December 24th, 1758. A new court house was soon afterward begun, and was completed about 1762. This still stands, having been used as court house and state house, in which latter use it is still em- ployed. The present elegant court house was completed in 1877, being dedicated on the 18th of December of that year. Of the lives of those who were prominent in the history of the early courts we know but little. Diligent enquiry and research has indeed failed to bring to light but few facts. Whatever was brilliant or splendid in the scenes in which they took part passed off with the occasion that produced it. If they were eminent in their profession, others have since existed, who to observers were probably as emi- nent, if not more so. Speeches were not then reported, and but few are now preserved. Natural geniuses doubtless existed then, as well as now, but like brilliant meteors, they dazzled, delighted their audi- ences for a time, and then faded away. Perhaps more native talent went into the profession at an early period than now, in proportion to numbers, for native strength and intellect were then more neces- sary to sustain the advocate. He was not assisted by other sciences, nor could he be supported or helped along by reports and authorities, as lawyers are at the present time. Their labor of thinking, and of mental origination, was not diminished by the rich productions ema- nating from learned brethren, emulous of fame, as is the case with members of the profession at the present time. The most eminent and successful then relied more upon intense mental application than upon books and precedents. They habituated themselves to the most rigid study, and thought intensely upon the cases before them. Those who were gifted with strong native intellects, and with nerve and constitution enough to bear up under such labor, succeeded, while those who were deficient in these sturdy attributes flagged in their course. The mode of arguing causes then partook much more of the narrative character than at the present day. The advocate before the jury gave minutely the history of the case, and the character of the parties, and freely used familiar anecdote and popular illustration. '>eals to the passions of jurors were the most powerful engines of success. When satire or anger was kindled against an adversary it was a consuming fire. If a client had been unfortunate or oppressed, the chord of sympathy was touched to tears. The principal business HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 33 of the court was to see fair play, and the judge, who sat to listen rather than to direct, was fortunate if by his silence he escaped un- wounded in the conflict of the legal gladiators. But at the same time the lawyers of that day, except when circumstances called out such sturdy efforts, were highly dignified and courteous in their manners at the bar. In later years the pungent severity of the ancient prac- tice has undergone a commendable relaxation. One of the earliest evidences of the association of lawyers at the bar of this state exists in the Bar Compact of 1745, which we copy below: "We the subscribers, considering that the law has made no dis- tinction in fees between common, uncontroverted cases and those that are difficult in managing; do for that end, and for regulating our practice in the law, and rendering the same sufficient for our support and subsistence, agree to the following rules, to be strictly kept up by us, upon honor. " I. No cause at any inferior court, where an answer is filed, shall be undertaken under forty shillings for a fee, or more. " II. No answer shall be filed under a forty shilling fee, besides payment of the charge of copies, &c. " III. No case to be pleaded at any Superior Court under a three pound fee. " IV. No writ of review to be brought under a four pound fee; and the same if for the defendant. " V. In the foregoing cases no man to be trusted without his note, saving a standing: client, for whom considerable business is done. " VI. No Attorney to sign blank writs and disperse them about the colony, which practice, it is conceived, would make the law cheap, and hurt the business without profiting any one whatever. " VII. No Attorney shall take up any suit whatever against a prac- titioner who sues for his fees, except three or more brethren shall determine the demand unreasonable; and then if he will not do jus- tice the whole fraternity shall rise up against him. "VIII. If any dispute should arise among the brethren about en- dorsement of writs for securing costs, it shall not be deemed a breach of unity, if one Attorney takes out a writ against another for his costs. And in case any Attorney shall become bail he is to expect no favor. " IX. No Attorney to advance money to pay entry and jury in cases disputed, except for a standing, responsible client, that happens to be out of the way. "At September Term, 1745." One of the prominent early lawyers of this county was Oliver Arnold. He was the son of Israel, and the grandson of John Arnold, a descendant of Richard Arnold, who was one of the council of Sir 3 34 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Edmond Andros, in 1685, and a near relative of Benedict Arnold, president of the colony of Rhode Island prior to the appointment of Coddington as the first governor. Oliver Arnold was born in Gloces- ter, in 1720. In boyhood he evinced a strong propensity for study, and to gratify this, his father, who was a wealthy landholder and much engaged in public business, placed him under the instruction and direction of Doctor Webb, of Uxbridge, Mass., a Presbyterian clergyman of reputation and talent. Here young Oliver increased those habits of study and application which were so eminently serv- iceable to him in after life. But little further is known of the time or manner of his preparation. But that he early made his mark at the bar is shown by the following anecdote related by Mr. Levi Lin- coln, a practitioner of that time, which has been preserved in his own language. Lincoln said: " When at the bar a cause of considerable interest was entrusted to me; and on retainer I was informed by my client that I should be opposed only by a young man by the name of Arnold, from Glocester, R. I. Not expecting much display of talent from any one in that region, I was slovenly prepared for arguing the case; nor was my caution increased by the appearance of my antagonist — a tall, green looking youth, who awkwardly seating himself at the bar, impressed me that I had nothing but a stripling to contend with. I made my speech with very little expectation of being answered; and conducted my argument throughout with less skill and arrangement than usual, and awaited the reply of my youthful opponent. But. what was my amazement to see him rise with the most perfect self-possession, and state his defence, and argue his cause with an ability that would have done honor to Temple bar. He went on calmly, leading the reason of the jury and audience captive, and leaving myself in the back- ground as far as I confidently expected to have left him." This trial spread the reputation of Mr. Arnold far and wide, and he soon rose to distinction as a faithful and popular lawyer. In 1754 he married Elizabeth, daughter of Daniel Brown, of Sandisfield, Mass., and sister of Colonel John Brown, who commanded a regiment under General Benedict Arnold at the siege of Quebec. In 1762 Mr. Arnold moved from Glocester to Providence, and purchased an estate on North Main street, and here he continued in the practice of his pro- fession. In May, 1766, he was elected attorney general of the colony, and continued in that office, by successive re-elections, until his death. In the discharge of his official duties he appears to have been actu- ated by a firm regard for duty and an undeviating resolution to follow its directions, however unpleasant that course might be to himself, and his civil duties were performed with marked ability. His career was short, though flattering in its promises. He died October 9th, 1770, in the 35th year of his age. A contemporary sums up his character in this sentence: " His genius was lively and active, his ideas exten- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 35 sive and beautifully arranged, his conceptions were quick, clear, and radiant, his judgment sound." John Cole was the son of Elisha Cole, of North Kingstown, who was for many years a member of the state senate, and one of the largest landholders in Washington county. John obtained a reputa- ble education in the English branches, and was well instructed in the Latin and Greek under a foreign tutor. He studied law in the office of Daniel Updike, Esq., then attorney general of the colony, married his daughter Mary, and commenced practice in law under the patron- age of Mr. Updike, in Providence. Here he soon obtained a good share of business, both in this county and elsewhere on the circuits. In 1763 he was elected an associate justice of the supreme court of the colony; and at the January session of the general assembly in 1764, he was promoted to the chair of chief justice, in the place of John Bannister, who had resigned. At the annual election in the follow- ing May, he was re-elected to the same honorable office. In the period of the severe stamp act agitations Mr. Cole resigned the office of chief justice, and was elected a representative from Providence in the general assembly, his decided whig principles bringing him into great popularity. He was also elected to represent the town in that body through the stormy period of 1766, and at the May session of 1767 was promoted to the chair of speaker of the house. Upon the establishment in February, 1775, of a vice-admiralty court for the state, Mr. Cole was appointed advocate general in that court, which office he held during the remainder of his life. He was also for many years president of the town council of Providence. He was an advo- cate of respectable talents, a handsome speaker, a sound lawyer, and sustained a fair and honorable character. He was a corpulent and large framed man, with a gouty temperament. In advanced age he entered a small pox hospital for inoculation, but the conditions proved unfavorable and he died of the disease in October, 1777. From the " Reminiscences of the Rhode Island Bar," by Abraham Payne, we glean some points in regard to the profession as repre- sented by the men of a generation now past, which facts are embod- ied in the succeeding paragraphs. A half century ago General Thomas F. Carpenter practiced law in an office at the junction of Westminster and Weybosset streets. The furniture of the office, though appropriate to the time, wculd be con- sidered very meagre in these days. A plain' book-case with a few books in it, an old fashioned desk, a limited supply of pigeon holes, a large table covered with green baize cloth, an old-fashioned cylinder stove, a small safe, a few common chairs, a long wooden settee and a coal bin constituted the main features of the outfit. Law students were then expected to sweep the office and make the fires, as part of their duties. This indeed was a valuable preparation for the practi- cal matters of life, and those who could perform these duties well 36 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. were doubtless better prepared to take hold, with the hand of a mas- ter, of the more intricate and technical matters of their profession. General Carpenter was in the habit of daily reading a chapter of the Bible in the Greek language. He also gave it as his advice and opin- ion that a lawyer should be familiar with the Bible. His manners were dignified and affable. He was of middle height, had a very large head, and uniformly wore a blue coat with brass buttons, black pantaloons, black satin vest, ruffled shirt and black cravat. He was courteous and dignified in his bearing, kind in his disposition, and very apt to advise clients to avoid an appeal to the courts as far as possible, unless their case was an unusually strong and clear one. His manner and methods of conducting cases in court are said to have very much resembled those of Scarlett, the great English advo- cate. The prominent lawyers practicing in this county half a century ago were Samuel Y. Atwell, Thomas F. Carpenter, Samuel Ames, Al- bert C. Greene, William H. Potter, Samuel Currey, John P. Knowles, George Rivers, Edward H. Hazard, Christopher Robinson, Judge Daniels, Jonah Titus, John H. Weeden, John Whipple, Richard Ward Greene, Charles S. Bradley and Thomas A. Jenckes. Of George Rivers, who began practice about the time of which we are writing, Payne has the following remarks: " Outside of his pro- fession he was widely known as a man whose brilliant wit served only to conceal the more solid qualities of his mind. As a lawyer, he had quick perceptions and powers of close reasoning, not surpassed by any of his contemporaries. No man ever tried a case with more skill and ability than George Rivers." Fifty years ago only one lawyer in Providence had ventured to take an office on the third floor of a building, and this was Richard Ward Greene, whose standing was such that his clients would follow him wherever he might go. When General Carpenter added a small consultation room to his office, and covered its floor with an ingrain carpet, the extravagance excited some comment. But when the law firm of Hazard & Jenckes fitted up their office with a Brussels carpet and expensive furniture it was visited for some time as a curiosity. The headquarters of the profession were in the old wooden building at the corner of College and South Main streets. In Whipple's build- ing on College street there were John Whipple, Edward H. Hazard, Thomas A. Jenckes, Henry L. Bowen, Charles Holden, Walter S. Bur- ges, John B. Snow, George F. Mann, Samuel W. Peckham and Wil- liam J. Pabodie. On the same floor of the adjoining building were the offices of Albert C. Greene, William H. Potter, Peter Pratt and Edward D. Pearce. In the little building next above, on the same side of the street, which for many years had been occupied by Thomas Burgess, was John M. Mackie, who soon after left the law and moved to Great Barrington, Mass., where he devoted himself to agriculture HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 37 and literature. On the corner of South Main street and Market Square were Levi C. Eaton, Peres Simmons, Gamaliel L. Dwight and Levi Salisbury. In the Mallett building, on South Main street, were Richard Ward Greene and James M. Clarke. In the old building which occupied the site of the present Merchants' Bank were Charles F. Tillinghast and Charles S. Bradley. Mr. Atwell, Samuel Ashley and Samuel Currey also had offices in the city, and perhaps others, but their locations are not recalled. Previous to that time the custom had prevailed for the lawyers of the city to have a supper together at the house of some one of their number, once or twice in the year. Justice courts had considerable of business in those days, and some of the decisions rendered were curious to review, and show that a not very high standard of judicial soundness was maintained. On one occasion a justice had been indulging in stimulants, perhaps to quicken his perceptions of justice, when a case was brought before him, in which the defendant had an unusually strong defense, but the justice gave his decision for the plaintiff. The defendant's at- torney called upon him to give his reasons for such a decision, when after a moment's reflection he said: "Well, then I will give judg- ment for the defendant." LTnder the ''single justice system" as it was called, a single justice of the peace had a limited jurisdiction to hear and determine civil and criminal causes. The abuses under this system were frequent and annoying. The plaintiff could select his court, and was almost certain of a judgment in his favor. John Whipple was then leader of the bar in this state. He had gained the position in contest with such men as Nathaniel Searle, Tristam Buries, and Daniel Webster, both in the courts of this state and in the supreme court of the United States. By some he was pro- nounced the equal of Webster, where they appeared in contest, and Webster himself is reputed to have said that John Whipple and Jere- miah Mason were the two ablest opponents he had ever met at the bar. Xo description of Mr. Whipple as a lawyer can do him full jus- tice. He had faculties not required in the ordinary work of his pro- fession, and these reserve forces were at his command whenever any great occasion required them. He was a student of history, a pro- found thinker on all social, moral and political questions. He be- longed to the school of Hamilton, and had no confidence in that of Jefferson. In a retrospect of the Providence County bar, and the prominent figures acting in it half a century ago, Hon. Thomas Durfee, chief justice of the supreme court of the state, says: — "The leaders of the bar then made it a point to be in court constantly when the court was in session. Lovers of intellectual and emotional excitement visited it in crowds. The most intelligent citizens were frequent spectators of its proceedings. The result can be easily imagined. Trials were conducted under the ordeal of professional criticism and under the en- 38 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 'couragement of popular appreciation. Advocacy acquired the per- fection of a fine art. The trial of a great cause gave delight like a drama, and by reason of its reality, had an even more absorbing inter- est. The fame of the leading lawyers of that day is still a treasured tradition of the bar." "There was James Burrill, with his practical and persuasive sagac- ity, cultivated mind and sterling character; Nathaniel Searle, with his unerring and lightning-like perception of the pivotal points of a case; Tristam Burges, with his brilliant but caustic oratory and au- dacious antagonisms. * * * * I myself can well remember the stalwart and colossal form of Samuel Y. Atwell, towering like a Titan, as with rich and sonorous voice he poured out the full volume of his spontaneous and powerful eloquence, captivating even when it did not convince. And still better can I remember the manly port and presence of John Whipple and his athletic action, as with dis- tinct and resonant articulation, the words dropping from his mouth like coins from a mint, he developed the serried strength of his ar- guments and reinforced them with his glowing and impetuous decla- mation." "There was Richard W. Greene, the safe counsellor, loving the light of ancient precedent, learned in the common law and greatly versed in equity jurisprudence before any court of the state had as yet any considerable equity jurisdiction; not a moving orator, but a consummate master of analysis, preeminent for his power of perspic- uous statement. There was Albert C. Greene, a gentleman in the truest sense, full of genial kindness and urbanity, dear to the bar and dear to the popular heart, an excellent lawyer, a favorite advocate, whose prepossessing fairness and never-failing good sense were more invincible often than the finest oratory. He was unrivaled as an ex- aminer of witnesses. The friendly witness, no matter how embar- rassed, was instantly put at ease by his gentle manipulation. But his forte was the cross examination of the hostile or secretive witness. It was the angler playing with his victim. Far from seeking to in- timidate, he humored him to the top of his bent, putting him off his guard and getting his good-will by degrees, while he pleasantly un- masked his prevarications or concealments, and kept him all the time complacently unconscious of the operation. There was Thomas F. Carpenter, with his Ulyssean mind and amazing art of winning ver- dicts in desperate cases. I have often heard him. He was exceed- ingly plausible and ingenious, a sort of magician of the forum. In his hands the flimsiest supposition or conjecture quickly got to look- ing like a solid fact. He was an actor as well as an advocate. He managed every case with imposing seriousness, as if he felt its justice and importance too deeply to trifle with it. * * * He was a man of extraordinary powers, as well as of extraordinary idiosyncrasies, and whoever crossed weapons with him in any cause was sure to en- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 39 counter a formidable antagonist. There was Samuel Ames, not a lawyer merely, but a jurist, cultivating jurisprudence as a science or a philosophy. His capacious mind was not only stored, but impreg- nated and fertilized with the principles and precepts of the law as with so many living and procreant germs. His juridical fullness and fertility were apparent, not only in his forensic efforts, often too ex- haustive for the occasion, but even in his common conversation, which moreover was as vivacious as it was instructive. As chief justice he has left in the Rhode Island Reports many a permanent proof of his powers, but nothing which duly represents the brimming exuberance and facility of his intellect. No Rhode Island lawyer ever exhibited so full and so supple a mastery of the complex and enormous system of English jurisprudence. "Among the lawyers just named, the two who are most familiar to us are Richard W. Greene and Samuel Ames. They were neither of them splendid orators, like Whipple or Burges. They were effect- ive speakers; but for us their chief distinction is that they were mas- ters of the modern method, and so can teach us more than their more eloquent contemporaries or predecessors. Another master of that method, known to all of us, was the late Thomas A. Jenckes. He had the intellectual weight and momentum and the large utterance, but not the magical manner and self-enkindling enthusiasm of the orator. The track of his career lies shining along the steeps and among the summits of his profession. It indicates the path of success for our day. What is that path, — the modern method, as I have denominated it? It is not a path for lazy genius dreaming of unearned renown. It is not a showy method in which sham can serve for substance. It is the method of prudent business, seeking valuable ends through means appropriate to them. It is the method of indefatigable study, of disciplinary practice, of varied and accurate acquirement. It is the method which demands for particular cases the mastership of par- ticular preparation. It is the true method for all earnest aspirants to juridical distinction. Profit may be reaped on the lower levels;. but honor and fame grow aloft, where they cannot be reached without climbing for them. Let the brave student gird himself for the ascent. It is difficult, but full of exhilaration." Returning to the reminiscences of Mr. Payne we learn that Jona Titus was a large man, and his very large head, fringed with auburn hair, and his shrewd and genial face, suggested perpetual sunshine, and a close acquaintance with the man revealed the sunshine of his nature. He had a well balanced mind, estimated men and things at their true value, courted no man's favor, and feared no man's opposi- tion. He went through the world standing on his own feet, undis- turbed by the sham and nonsense which prevailed around him. As a lawyer he had sound judgment, sufficient learning, and absolute fidelity to his clients. While in the full vigor of manhood he acquired 40 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. a fortune ample for his moderate wants. During his active profes- sional life he lived in Scituate; but for many years before his death his home was in Providence. Judge David Daniels had his home and office in Woonsocket. He discharged the duties of a lawyer in full practice, with ability and fidelity, but they never seemed to occupy much of his thought. He was one of those men whose lives seem to run in a strong, deep cur- rent, quite undisturbed by their ordinary avocations, however promi- nent, pressing or useful. When engaged in the trial of a cause, he gave it all necessary attention, but without any fuss or pretense of more zeal than he really felt. His life covered a period which reached from the Dorr times, when he was nominated for the office of attor- ney general, under the people's constitution, down to the civil war, during which he was interested in some speculations in cotton. He died suddenly at a hotel in Providence. His son, Francis A. Daniels, was a member of the Providence County bar, and early gave proof that he had the ability and the generous qualities of his father. His early death was much lamented by a large circle of friends. John H. Weeden, a lawyer practicing in Pawtucket, was of the old school, industrious, honest and faithful; always courteous, but hold- ing his opinions on all subjects with a confidence indicating that they had been formed after careful study and reflection. He was at one time a member of the general assembly, where on one occasion he gained considerable reputation as the author of a report from a com- mittee of which he was chairman. For many years before his death he was prevented by ill health from active participation in the' duties of professional life, but on the occasion of his death Judge Potter ad- journed the court which was then in session, to allow his associates at the bar an opportunity to attend his funeral. Samuel Ames was born September 6th, 1806, and died December 20th, L865. He was for nine years chief justice of the supreme court of this state, beginning with 1856. Besides his practice here he had for a few years practiced in Boston. Payne, who was several years associated with him and knew him well, said of him: "A more hon- orable man I have never known. A more learned lawyer I have neither known nor read about. A judge more anxious to do his whole duty never adorned any bench." Laying aside for a moment the notice of individual members of the bar we wish to present the following beautiful passage in regard to the prospects and duties of the bar in general, which concludes the address of Hon. Thomas Durfee at the dedication of the new county court house in 1877: ,l This house is designed to endure for ages. To-day it is barren of all forensic associations. It has no history. A century hence, and what a multitude of memories and traditions will cluster about it. What revelations of human character and destiny will have been made HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 41 within it. Add yet another century, and no many-chaptered chroni- cle of Eld were more multifariously curious and instructive than these dumb walls, if then they could but report their past. In creating their history, the bar and the bench will necessarily play a principal part. Upon them will depend whether the history shall bring honor or discredit. Let us then, my brothers of the bar and bench, realiz- ing this, elevate ourselves above all mean and all merely mercenary views to a high and iust conception of our vocation; and now, while we dedicate this temple of justice, let us also dedicate ourselves, as ministers of justice, to an upright, pure and honorable service within its consecrated precincts." The following biographical notice of Hon. Charles S. Bradley, one of the most conspicuous figures which the Rhode Island bench and bar has ever known, was prepared for this work by his contemporary and friend, Mr. Edward H. Hazard, in whose words we give it. "Many emigrants have come from Massachusetts to Rhode Island since Roger Williams landed on the banks of the Seekonk, 254 years ago, but none have proved themselves better citizens, or deserved higher praise than the subject of this sketch. It was no mercenary motive that brought him to our little state. "Charles Smith Bradley was born in Newburyport, Mass., July 19th, 1819, and was the son of Charles and Sarah (Smith) Bradley. His father, a native of Andover, became a merchant in Boston, and afterward a manufacturer, residing in Portland, Maine. His mother was a granddaughter of the Reverend Hezekiah Smith, a famous chaplain from Massachusetts in the army of the revolution, and, for more than 40 years one of the most active and efficient mem- bers of the Board of Fellows of Brown University. Mr. Bradley enjoyed excellent advantages in his early youth, and was prepared for college at the Boston Latin School, where he won a reputation unusual for a boy of fifteen. He was attracted to Brown Univer- sity by his reverence for his maternal ancestor. He entered the college in 1834 and graduated in 1838, with the highest honors in a class noted for its unusual number of brilliant and able men. It is praise enough that at the age of 19 he bore off the valedictory from such contestants as Ezekiel G. Robinson (who afterward became president of the university), Thomas A. Jenckes, afterward the Nes- tor of the Rhode Island bar, and George Van Ness Lothrop, our min- ister plenipotentiary to Russia. The following paragraph published by a contemporary, is a vivid picture of the estimation in which he was held by his fellow students. '"In the class of 1838 was Mr. Justice Bradley of Rhode Island— the first scholar, I think, of his year, of whom we did predict great things. There is something pleasant in the loyal way in which lads in college recognize an associate of superior ability and special promise; so we all talked of Bradley. When he was to speak in the 42 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. chapel after evening prayers, how irreverently eager we were for the devotions to be over, that we might listen to our favorite. He hand- led all topics, philosophical, political and literary, with such force and ease, that we held the matter hardly second to the manner, though the manner was as nearly perfect as any elocution could be.' "On his graduation he was appointed tutor and held the place for two years. He received the degree of A.M. in due course, and in 1866 the university conferred upon him the honorary degree of LL.D. and also elected him a member of the Board of Fellows. He contin- ued, as long as he lived, a loyal and devoted son to his Alma Mater. Quite late in life, as chairman of the committee of the corporation for the renovation of University Hall, he raised nearly $50,000 for that purpose. He studied law in the Harvard Law School, and at Providence, in the office of Charles F. Tillinghast, 'whose partner he became, on his admission to the bar in 1841. He soon rose to the front rank of his profession — a position which he maintained to the day of his death. "The best proof of the high place which he occupied, as a lawyer in his adopted state, is the fact that in February, 1866, a republican legislature elected him— a pronounced and influential democrat — chief justice of the supreme court of the state; and that too, as the successor of that most eminent and distinguished jurist, Samuel Ames. He administered that office with marked ability for two years, and then resigned on account of the pressure of his private affairs. On his retirement from the bench, the Providence Journal, then the lead- ing republican newspaper of the state, paid him the following tribute: — 'He has discharged the duties belonging to that high position with a success, and, we may add, a judicial distinction in which the people of the state feel both a satisfaction and pride; and which they had hoped he would long continue to illustrate in a sphere so honorable and important.' "Soon after his retirement from the judgeship he became one of the lecturers in the Harvard Law School, in which position he contin- ued for several years. In 1876 he succeeded the Hon. Emory Wash- burn as the 'Bussey' Professor in that institution, and held that posi- tion for three years. On his retirement the board of overseers, through their chairman, Judge Lavell, said: 'We have suffered a great loss in the resignation of the Hon. Charles S. Bradley, whose lucid teaching was highly appreciated by the students, and whose national reputation added to the renown of the school. We had hoped that some incidental advantage of quiet and freedom from care might be found to outweigh other considerations, and that the Professorship was permanently filled.' •Mr. Bradley's scholarship was of a very high order, and he de- serves to be ranked with the men of the best culture in our land." He read much, and reflected much: but it was 'fejre multum nan multa! ■ > 'OK. cCt±/ HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 43 He traveled extensively, not. only in the United States, but in foreign countries. One of the most pleasant memories of my life is that of a journey I made with him the year he was admitted to the bar. It was during the extra sesion of congress, under President Tyler's ad- ministration, in 1841. Neither of us had ever been further from home than New York. Our first stopping place was at old Indepen- dence Hall in Philadelphia, and you should have seen and heard us there, recalling the scenes attendant upon the adoption of the decla- ration of independence in 1776. At Washington my intimate ac- quaintance with our four members of congress made us as much at home as we were in Providence. We saw all the 'giants' — Webster, then secretary of state, Calhoun, and others. Then we took steamer to Acquia Creek — thence by stage coach all through Virginia, stop- ping at Charlottesville and Monticello. Then crossing the Blue Ridge to Weirs Cave — the Natural Bridge, White Sulphur Springs, through the Shenandoah Valley, across Pennsylvania to Lake Erie,, then to Niagara Falls and so on home. The famous line of Horace — i Coeluni, no)i animuni, mutant, qui transmare current,' could not be applied to him. He always returned from every jour- ney well stored with fresh treasures of knowledge, and often with works of high art, sculpture and paintings, which he enjoyed and appreciated exceedingly, and to which he devoted many leisure hours. His beautiful home, in the environs of Providence, was a treasury of works of great masters, both in literature, and in sculpture and paint- ing, and bore the highest evidence of the scholarly and refined tastes of its owner, and of the mental atmosphere in which he lived. "As an orator, it would be too much to claim for Mr. Bradley a place with the most gifted — such as Mr. W T ebster and others we might mention — but he has left behind him, in his published discourses, ample evidence that he deserves a very high rank in this department. I will mention his oration before the alumni of Brown University in 1855; his oration on the 250th anniversary of the landing of the pil- grims, at Plymouth; his oration before the Phi Beta Kappa Society at Harvard in 1879; and his oration on ' The Profession of the Law as an element of Civil Society,' delivered in 1881, at the University of Virginia. " Perhaps the reader will get a more just appreciation of Mr. Brad- ley as an orator, if I quote a portion of what the Boston Advertiser said of his oration at Harvard in 1879: ' If there were any need for the justification of the custom of annual addresses before the college so- cieties, such an address as that of Judge Bradley yesterday, gave that justification completely. It is remarkable to have so much good sense — so many important suggestions; nay, so many of the funda- mental truths upon which civil society rests, crowded into an hour. The power of the speaker upon his audience, the hold which he com- 44 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. pelled, their fascinated attention, were again and again referred to through the afternoon.' "He was tall, erect, manly, and of commanding presence and fig- ure. He was always dignified, and commanded the respect of others wherever he moved. He was, withal, in truest sense of the word, a Christian gentleman. He was very fond of his friends, and of wel- coming them to his hospitable home. One of the most pleasant little meetings of my life was a breakfast given by him to his classmate, the Hon. George Van Ness Lothrop, then on his way to St. Peters- burgh as our minister to Russia. But alas! How many of that little party are gone in this brief period — our host, Abraham Payne, James H. Coggeshall and others ! " Mr. Bradley was thrice married: first to Sarah, daughter of Joseph and Mary Manton, of Providence, who bore him three sons, of whom Charles and George L. Bradley are now living. In 1858 he married Charlotte Augusta Saunders, of Charlottesville, Va., by whom he had one son, now deceased. He married in May, 1866, Emma Pendleton Chambers, of Philadelphia, who died in 1875. Mr. Bradley died in the city of New York on the 29th day of April, A. D., 1888, while on a visit there for the benefit of his health." John Hull Weeden, of whom mention has already been made, was born at Portsmouth, R. I., February 10th, 1801, and died at Pawtucket, October 27th, 1870. He was educated at Kingston Academy, and at Brown University, where he graduated as valedictorian of his class, in 1827. He studied law in New York with one Mr. Lee, and was ad- mitted to the bar in Rhode Island in 1832. From that time he prac- ticed in Pawtucket, and was one of the foremost lawyers of the town. He was a member of the Rhode Island legislature for many years, either as representative or senator. He was married September 29th, L832, to Sarah Bowen, daughter of Nathan Sweetland. His surviving children arc: Eliza Freeborn; Caroline Soule. wife of J. Ernest Clar- ner; Ella Hull; Adelaide G., wife of Commodore Jeffres Mawry; Delia Dyer, wife of Reverend Emery H. Porter; and Jane Estes, wife of Fred. Sherman. Esq. Mr. Weeden for many years held the offices of town clerk, judge of probate, and other local offices in Pawtucket. Daniel B. Poxd.— The Ponds are known to have come to this country from Groton, England, at an early date, as, from a letter of Governor Winthrop, it is known that two of that name came over with him in 1630. That they were neighbors and acquaintances of his is shown by his letter to his son prior to sailing for America, and his subsequent message to their father, after arrival here, as to their good health and fidelity to their " duty." Other letters and memoranda of the Winthrops show a neighborly acquaintance between the fami- lies running back to 1596. In L637 we find Robert Pond, probably one of the brothers who came over with the governor, settled at Dorchester. Daniel Pond, HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 45 who, according to Savage's Genealogical History was a son of Robert, was settled in Dedham, and, by the records, became a proprietor of land in that town in 1652. He was one of the selectmen of the town in 1660. In addition to his real estate purchases in Dedham. he im- mediately became an owner of real estate in Wrentham upon the division of that town from Dedham in 1661. He was present at the meeting of the proprietors of the new town January 15th. 1671, and took part in the proceedings. He was a lieutenant of the militia, and took the freeman's oath in 1690. He died February 4th, 1697-8, at Dedham. Daniel B. Pond, the subject of this sketch, traces his ancestry back in a direct line to Daniel Pond, the " Dedham settler." Without going into details it may be truthfully said that the fam- ily name comprises in its list men who have been prominent in vari- ous walks of life. It can also be affirmed that the race has been an industrious, upright and honorable one, and that the name has rarely been dishonored by any of those who had the right to bear it. A special characteristic of the race has been their love of freedom and patriotic impulses. " In the struggle for national independence, they rose almost to a man in defence of their rights, and Revolutionary records bear ample evidence of their alacrity and zeal. Among the first to spring to arms at the receipt of the Lexington alarm, on the morning of the memorable 19th of April, 1775, there were those of the name who did not sheath the sword, until, long years afterward, peace had been declared through the length and breadth of the land, and the country for which they sacrificed so much, no longer needed their services." Some of the immediate family of Daniel Pond went from Dedham to Wrentham, among them his son Robert Ppnd, who " became the possessor of a very considerable estate in that locality." In deeds he is styled " Captain." His son Ichabod in 1722 received from his father by conveyance, " his new house and lands, together with all the cattle, farming implements and personal property." He died at Franklin, May 2d, 1785. It was here that one of his sons, Eli Pond, the great-grandfather of Daniel B., finally settled, after having lived in Medway, Holliston and Bellingham, in each of which towns he seems to have become the owner of real estate. He was very active in the militia. He was a drummer in a company of minute men un- der Captain John Boyd, which marched from Wrentham, April 19th, 1775; was sergeant in Captain Josiah Fuller's company, Colonel Wheelock, which marched December 8th, 1776, from Medway to War- wick, R. I.; was lieutenant in Captain Amos Ellis's company, Colonel Benjamin Hawes, on service in Rhode Island from September 25th to October 31st, 1777; was lieutenant in a company commanded by Lieu- tenant Hezekiah Ware, on service in Rhode Island from June 20th to July 14th, 1778. 46 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. He married Huldah Hill, of Medway, by whom he had quite a large family. He died May 20th, 1802, and administration on his es- tate was granted to his son Eli. His sons were rather remarkable for their enterprise and business ability. One of them became largely interested in the lumber trade in Maine, another was sheriff of Han- cock county in that state, and a third was Of the firm of Peters & Pond, respected and thriving merchants of Boston. During the war of 1812 he lost a vessel and cargo by French spoliation. Eli Pond, grandfather of Daniel B., in addition to the name of his father, became possessor of his estate in Franklin, where he passed his days following the occupation of a farmer. The old homestead and other portions of his estate are still in the possession of his grand- children. He was a man of sterling good sense and probity, well known and influential in his neighborhood. He married for his first wife Hannah, daughter of Daniel and Mary Daniels of Holliston, by whom he had two children — Miranda and Eli Pond. Miranda mar- ried Cushman Thayer, of Mendon, and was the mother of Hon. Eli Thayer, of Worcester, at one time member of congress for that dis- trict, the founder of Oread Institute, and the author and promoter of organized immigration into Kansas, in the early history of that state, and by which it was doubtless made a free state. For a second wife he married Mrs. Ruth Wiswall Bullard, widow of Doctor Daniel Bill- iard, of Holliston. She had a daughter, Maria Bullard, who subse- quently became the wife of the son Eli, father of Daniel B. Pond. Maria Bullard's uncle, on her mother's side, was a graduate of Brown University, and her father, Doctor Bullard, was prepared for Brown, but was persuaded to remain at home with his father, by whom he was presented with the sum of $1,000 as a just remuneration for his disappointment. Eli Pond and Maria, his wife, came to Woonsocket, then a small village, in 1827, soon after their marriage. Mr. Pond had previously pushed out from the parental roof, and served an apprenticeship to the trade of a painter. He immediately took up his calling, and was soon a contractor and employer of men. He early purchased land on Main street, where he built a residence and stores, and afterward built what is known as Pond's block, which he continues to own, he being one of the very few " old residents " now living in the city. {His age is 86.) He successfully conducted, for many years, a whole- sale and retail trade in paints, oils and manufacturers' supplies. He was also at one time engaged in the manufacture of " muslin de laines," being an original manufacturer of that class of goods in Rhode Island; and was subsequently engaged in cotton manufactur- ing. In his earlier days he was an active supporter of all the village interests, and especially interested in the fire department. The records show him to have been " first warden " for eleven years. Both he and his wife were active members of the Episcopal church, and //^- BhiRSTAUT, N, V, HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 4? did much to promote its interests. In 1840 he purchased the Jona- than Russell farm in Mendon, Mass., where he moved his family" who continued to reside there until after his wife's death, which occurred May 7th, 1864. The children of this union were: Eli (deceased), Dan- iel B., Oliver (deceased), Hannah D. and Alex. V. G. Pond. Daniel B. Pond was born in the town of Smithfield October 21st, 1830. He attended the common schools until the age of ten, when his parents moved to Mendon, Massachusetts. Here he continued at school until fifteen, subsequently becoming a pupil of Prof. James Bushee's school at the "Old Bank Village," and later of the Manual Labor School at Worcester, Massachusetts. Afterward he entered Phillips Academy at Andover, Mass., to fit for college, in which insti- tution he continued for two years, and then finished his preparatory course at a private institution in Concord, Mass., remaining there one year, during which time he made the acquaintance of Emerson, Haw- thorne and Thoreau. He next entered Brown University for a clas- sical course, Francis Wayland being then president. He graduated in 1857 with the degree of A.B., the celebrated Barnes Sears being president. He next entered the law school at Albany, N. Y., from which he graduated with the degree of LL. B., and was shortly after- ward admitted to the bar of the supreme court of New York. About this time he was engaged as attorney for the township corporation of Ceredo, Va., where he remained for a brief period, and then came east and entered into law partnership with P. P. Todd, Esq., in Black- stone. In 1859 he was admitted to the bar of the supreme court of Massachusetts. About this time a law and collection office for the United States was opened by the law firm of which he was a partner on State street, Boston, having full charge for one year. He then re- moved to New York, where headquarters were established in Wall street with seven clerks employed, and where claims against South- erners aggregating $1,000,000 were entered for collection. This was in 1860. The following year the war began and destroyed the busi- ness. He in 1862 came to Woonsocket and began the manufacture of cotton warps in what was known as Harris's No. 1 mill, afterward building what is known as Pond's mill on Bernon street, where he was engaged in manufacturing for several years. He was the first cotton and woolen manufacturer in the state to shorten the hours of labor. Mr. Pond was from the beginning successful, making $100,000 in a few years, but the failures of debtors caused a suspension of busi- ness, and he then divided his last dollar with creditors. This was in 1873, and he then resumed the practice of his profession, at the same time taking an active part in politics on the side of the laboring class against corporations. His political history embraces an election on several occasions to the council, an election for the years 1864 and 1866 to the lower house of the general assembly, for the years 1867, 1868 and 1869 to the sen- 48 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. ate, which office he resigned January 6th, 1870. While in the house he formulated the enactments for the division of Woonsocket from the town of Cumberland, and was the first senator elected from the new town. He was also town solicitor for 1879-80 when there were claims against the town for damages amounting to $60,000, not one cent of which was ever recovered. He was chairman of the board of trustees of the Consolidated district, and chairman of the board of trustees of the fire corporation, as well as one of the original engin- eers of the fire corporation, which he was instrumental in establish- ing. He was appointed chairman of the committee to draw up a new charter for the fire corporation and obtained the necessary leg- islation by which it was effected in 1869. He served on several com- mittees, was chairman of the board when the transfer of the fire corporation property was made to the town in 1884, and served on the committee for the erection of the town asylum. Mr. Pond represented his party and delivered an address on the occasion of the Garfield memorial services in Woonsocket Sep- tember 26th, 1881. He was also on the committee to locate the soldiers' monument, commissioner in the laying out of various highways, and chairman of the committee appointed to superintend the construction of the Summer Street school building. Mr. Pond was the candidate of his party for the office of general treasurer of the state in 1880. He was re-elected first councilman and president of the board in June, 1887, but resigned the office to accept that of high sheriff of Providence county, to which he was elected by the general assembly in grand committee at the May session in Newport. He was a member of the board of assessors of taxes for 1886, 1887 and 1888. Mr. Pond drew up the original charter for the city of Woon- socket and secured its introduction to the general assembly at the January session of 1888, from which it was continued to the May ses- sion and passed with slight changes. He was the candidate for state senator in April, 1889, and elected the first senator from the new city of Woonsocket by 226 majority. In the fall of 1889 he was elected mayor of Woonsocket by 442 majority. In politics the subject of this biography was a republican from the organization of the party until 1872, since which time he has acted with the democrats. He has labored hard to keep the party one of respectability and purity. He has been chairman of the democratic state central committee, chair- man of its executive committee, and was chairman of the democratic town committee until he declined further service. Daniel B. Pond married Isadore Verry, only child of James Verry, Esq., and Nancy (Nolen) Verry. Mr. Verry was an expert and suc- cessful woolen manufacturer, for many years associated with Mr. Ed- ward Harris. He severed his connection with Mr. Harris in 1863, and became largely interested, as a stockholder, in the Merchants' Woolen Company at Dedham, Mass., where he was under a contract HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 49 for a term of years, at a salary of $10,000 per year, to take charge of the works. After a two years' residence at Dedham, he obtained a release from his contract, as manager, that he might devote more of his time to his home and to his private interests. The loss of his two grandchildren about this time, to whom he was devotedly attached, was a great shock to him, and had an apparent effect upon his health. He died in 1867, after a brief illness, comparatively a young man. His widow survived him for some years. The children of Daniel B. and Isadore V. Pond were Verry Nolen and Clarence Eli, unusually bright and interesting boys, both of whom died young, the shadow of whose loss has never been entirely removed: also three daughters— Isadore Maud, Nannie May and Grace Verena Pond. Of these daughters one is attending an art school, one is at Wellesley College, and the other attends the high school in this city. Benjamin T. Eames, son of James and Sarah I Mumford) Eames, was born in Dedham, Mass., June 4th, 1818. He removed with his parents to Providence in 1820, they residing here during the remain- der of their lives. In early life Mr. Eames had the advantages of the schools in Providence and in some of the leading academies of Massa- chusetts and Connecticut. At the age of sixteen he was placed in the counting room of a prominent auctioneer, and then as book-keeper was employed in a wholesale dry goods house. vSubsequently he was in the employ of the manufacturers' agents of the Blackstone Manu- facturing Company and other mills, and the American Paint Works and other manufacturing establishments of Fall River. In the fall of 1838 he began a preparatory course under Professor S. S. Greene. and in the following fall entered Yale College. He graduated in 1843, and immediately associated himself as a law student, with the late Chief Justice Ames, and engaged also as teacher in the academy at North Attleborough. In the spring of 1844 he went to Cincinnati, and entered the law office of Judge Bellamy Storer, where he remained until the following winter, when he was admitted to practice in the courts of Kentucky. Upon his return to Rhode Island, he was in L845 admitted to practice in the courts of this state, and since then, except when in public service, has been engaged in his profession. From 1845 to 1850 he served as reading and recording clerk of the house of representatives in Rhode Island, and during a part of that time was the reporter of the proceedings in the general assembly for the Provi- dence Journal. He was elected state senator from Providence in 1854. '55, '56, '59 and '63. He was a representative in assembly in 1859, 1868 and 1869, during the last year serving as speaker of the house. He was one of the commissioners on the revision of the public laws of the state in 1857. and also a delegate to the Chicago convention in 1860, which nominated Abraham Lincoln for the presidency. He was elected, in 1870, a representative to the Forty-second congress from the First district of Rhode Island, and was reelected to the Forty- 4 50 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. third, Forty-fourth and Forty-fifth congresses. In these successive terms he served on important committees. Mr. Eames became iden- tified with the republican party at its first organization, and has ever since been a firm supporter of its principles and policy. In the fall L878 he declined to be a candidate for reelection to congress, and upon his return to Providence he resumed the practice of his profes- sion. Mr. Fames was married in Warwick, R. I., May 9th, 1849, to Laura S. Chapin, daughter of Josiah and Asenath (Capron) Chapin. His wife died October 1st, 1872. Two children are living— a son Waldo, and a daughter, Laura. Honorable Amasa Smith Westcott, who for years has been judge of the municipal court of Providence, is a native of North Scituate, R. I., and was born September 21st, 1818. His first American ancestor, Stukley Westcott, who with Roger Williams was expelled from the church of Salem, became one of the distinguished founders of the Rhode Island colony. Judge Westcott's grandfather served in the revolutionary war, and received an honorable discharge. His father, John, united in marriage with Cecilia Owen, and thus was brought into the world the subject of this sketch, a man of marked ability; one who, though of modest disposition, will ever be before the public. His early years were spent in Scituate, where he pursued the ordinary studies of the public schools. Having, however, a desire to obtain the benefits of a college education, he attended the academies at Brooklyn and Plainfield, Conn. His preparatory studies were completed under the direction of the late Judge Bosworth, of Warren, R. I., and in 1838 he entered Brown University, from which he graduated in 1842. He studied law with Judge Bosworth, was admitted to the bar in 1844, and for one year thereafter remained in the office of his preceptor. In 184.") lie removed to Providence, where he engaged in the prac- tice of his profession until 1852. In that year he was elected clerk of tlie court of common pleas of Providence county, and held the po- sition uninterruptedly until 1867. He was then elected judge of the municipal court, being ex-officio judge of probate, and held that office until his retirement from public life in 1884. In the discharge of his official duties, Judge Westcott has secured a well earned reputation for judicial ability, geniality of disposition and urbanity. In 1854 he was elected a member of the common council of Provi- ce from the first ward, and was chairman of the committee in is?.") which erected the county court house. In politics he is a repub- lican, and prior to the organization of that party was a whig. Judge Westcott married. April 7th, 1845, Susan C, daughter of 1 >aniel Bosworth, of Warren, and sister of the late Judge Bosworth. They have had three children, all of whom died in infancy. Apollas Cushmaii, of Pawtucket, for many years a leading mem- ber of the bar of Bristol county, Mass., with a large practice in the /// tZsJ^t HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 51 courts of Rhode Island, was the son of Zebedee and Sarah (Paddel- ford) Cushman, and was the seventh in lineal descent from Robert Cushman, the pilgrim. Born in Middleboro, Mass.. August 9th, L782, graduating at Brown University in 1802, studying law with Judge Paddelford, of Taunton, he was admitted to the bar in 1806. He be- gan practice in Attleborough, but about 1815 he removed to Seekonk, now Pawtucket. Meanwhile he had married Anna Maria, daughter of General William Barton, of Revolutionary fame as the capturer of Prescott among other illustrious services to his country. Learned in the law, brilliant, and at the same time solid in intellect, gifted with unusual eloquence, he at once took high rank as a lawyer and coun- sellor. A man of great power before a jury, he devoted himself chiefly to the civil side of his profession. At Pawtucket he had neither rival nor peer, and after the death of Moses Sandford and Collins Darling, Mr. Cushman had an exclusive field. His reputation extended far, and clients came from neighboring counties to consult with him. After the troubles of 182'.), when the Slaters, Wilkinsons, Greens, Tylers and others were his clients, his standing as a lawyer was assured. He ranked among the foremost men at the bar, and it is hardly too much to say that in later years he stood at the head of his profession. Mr. Cushman defeated all attempts to draw him into political life, but he had no less a large influence upon the affairs of the town. When the town of Pawtucket was formed out of Seekonk, it was he who visited the "Great and General Court," as the attorney for the town, and it was his eloquence that carried the day. When the town meeting had before it some difficult point, he was sent for to advocate it. When at Draper's store, a sort of local exchange, the In- grahams, Starkweathers, Tylers and others discussed public affairs, no voice was so potent as Mr. Cushman's, and referring to those times, he seemed to be the "power behind the throne." When, in the Don- war, a man was shot down at Pawtucket bridge, with one impulse the mob went to Mr. Cushman's house, to know what should be done, and when he told them to go home and thank God they were not them- selves killed, as they might lawfully have been, they looked upon the matter as settled. After a long life of distinguished service to his fel- low men, he died September 17th, 1804. Rhode Island mourned in him one of her worthiest sons. Of his seven children two survive— Mr. Henry B. Cushman, who occupies the homestead at Pawtucket, and the Reverend George F. Cushman, D.D., author and journalist, of New York. Walter Snow Burges, ex-associate justice of the supreme court of Rhode Island, was born September 10th, 1808, in Rochester, Plymouth county, Mass., where his father, Abraham Burges, and grandfather, John Burges, had lived for many years, following agricultural pur- suits. His mother, nee Rhoda Caswell, was the daughter of Elijah Caswell, and a native of the same county. Judge Burges attended 52 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. the public schools of Rochester, until the age of 17 years, when he en- tered the old academy, at Sandwich, then under the charge of Profes- sor Luther Lincoln. Here he prepared himself for college, and entered Brown University, in 1827. graduating in 1831. He immedi- ately accepted charge of Thaxter Academy, at Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard, and taught there for three consecutive years. In the mean- time he engaged more or less in legal studies, which he completed later, under the direction of Judge Thomas Burgess at Providence. In 1835 he was admitted to the ranks of the legal profession, by the supreme court, and discharged the duties pertaining to its practice un- til his elevation to the judicial bench in 1868, where he continued un- til [une, 1881, when his health compelled him to resign the position he had so long and successfully filled. "The political affiliations of Judge Burges continued from early manhood to the year 1840 in harmony with the federal, national re- publican and whig designations of party politics. In that and the fol- lowing year, complaints had become louder, more general and persis- tent, against the government under the charter of Charles II., in 1063, and rapidly assumed organized forms of proceeding. What was wanted was a written constitution, notably providing for an extension of the elective franchise, not limited, as before, to freeholders and their oldest sons, and an equalization of the legislature among the various towns, and setting aside the arbitrary apportionment of the charter, now come to be enormously disproportioned and unjust. The old legislature, of course, would extend no countenance, assent, or authority to any movements of this kind. The constitutional or suf- frage party, as then called, claimed the right to act without their con- sent, preserving all the forms of proceeding, as nearly as possible, to which they had been accustomed. They called a state convention. They framed and submitted to the people a written constitution. It was in due time voted on, and soon after, by proclamation, declared to have been adopted by a large majority of the people qualified to vote under it. At an election soon after held the usual state officers and a legislature were duly voted into place, according to the provis- ions of the new constitution. Then followed an attempt to establish and enforce the constitution by a military demonstration. The at- tempt wholly failed, and was effectually suppressed by the strong re- sistance it encountered from the state, assisted by the general govern- ment. Another constitution, however, was adopted at about this time, promoted by the old legislature itself, and far more liberal in regard to the elective franchise and the equalization of representa- tion. This constitution now remains, with its subsequent amend- ments, as the highest law of the state. With these proceedings and reforms sought to be realized from them, the judge, though always expressing a warm sympathizing interest, yet never took much active and decisive part.*' ^/ HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 53 " In 1845 he was appointed United States district attorney, under the administration of President Polk, and was removed by his succes- sor four years later. He served the state occasionally in one or the other branch of the legislature, and was elected attorney-general in 1851, and reelected in 1852,1853 and L854, and again in 1860,1861, 1862 and 1863." June 1st, 1836, Judge Burges married Eleanor, daughter of Honor- able James Burrill, of Providence. Airs. Burges died in Providence May 1st, 1865. They had three children: Cornelia A., now Mrs. Ar- nold Green; Sarah Elizabeth, now Mrs. Charles Morris Smith, and Theodora F., who is at present living with her father. Philip Capron Scott was born in Manville, in the town of Smith- field, November 22d, 1817. The first six months of his life were spent there, he then removing with his parents to the city of Providence. His father was Elisha, son of Samuel Scott, of Billingham, Norfolk county, Mass. His mother was Nancy, daughter of Philip Capron, of the town of Cumberland, in this county. The latter was from early manhood to the end of his life a magistrate of his town, and was well read in the law, of sound mind and excellent judgment. About two years after the birth of Philip, his father purchased a farm in Cum- berland and moved his family thither. Spending the early years of his boyhood as a farmer boy, he had few opportunities for recreation or amusement, and but limited means of acquiring an early education. By dint of stratagem and the assistance of a friend, young Philip suc- ceeded in getting command of his own affairs at the age of 16, and by diligence and earnest perseverance he secured advancement in studies, meanwhile teaching in the common schools, so that when 23 years of age he was prepared to enter Brown University a year in advance. He pursued the course in part, but on account of ill health abandoned the idea of graduating. He then taught school two years, and then determined upon a mercantile life. The death of his father occurring about that time he invested his patrimony in the mercan- tile business, but after pursuing it about two years he gave it up at a loss of nearly all that he had risked in it. In the spring of 1845, hav- ing then a wife and child to provide for and little means to work with, he entered the office of Abraham Payne, as a student of law. As Mr. Payne and Chief Justice Ames soon after formed a partner- ship, Mr. Scott became the student of both, and at the spring term of the supreme court in 184S, was admitted to the bar. He continued to practice for 30 years, when the increasing severity of neuralgia, which had fastened itself upon him, compelled him to give up foren- sic practice, and confine himself to simple office business, and making no effort to enlarge his practice in that direction, but meeting the work that follows him. He has been twice married: the first time to Catherine H. Holbrook, of Grafton, Mass., April 4th, 1841, she dying in 1864; again, he was married to Mrs. Mary E. Sherman, of Woon- 54 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. socket, February 19th, L870. By the first wife he had three children: Catherine, Philip and Martha, of whom the first named survives, the other two dying in infancy. At the bar Mr. Scott had the reputation of a first class jury advocate, and a safe and reliable counsellor. Po- litically he is a democrat, in religion a Methodist, on the " living issue " favorably inclined to prohibition. William II. Greene was born in Hopkinton, R. I., September 5th, L826. His father, Benjamin Greene, born in the same town, March 15th, 1786, died in May, 1880, was a descendant of John Greene, of Kingstown, who about 1639 came to Narragansett and lived there with Richard Smith, the first white settler of that locality. The mother of William H. Greene was Sarah Ann, daughter of Jeremiah Baker, of Scituate, R. I. Mr. Greene was never married. Up to the age of 14 years he worked on the farm and attended the district school at Hopkinton City (so called). Pie then attended the Paw- catuck Academy at Westerly, for several years, teaching some winters meanwhile, in the district schools of Hopkinton. He then taught schools in Portsmouth three years, after which he attended the academy at Alfred Centre, N. Y., for about a year and half. He then went to vShiloh, X. J., where he taught in Shiloh Academy for about 18 months. In November, 1850, he began traveling on an agency through most of the Southern states, in which he continued about five years, with the exception of the summer and fall of 1853, when he was attending the Law School at Ballston Spa, N. Y. In October, L855, he commenced reading law in the office of Benjamin F. Thurs- ton, in Providence. From that time until his admission to the bar, in July, L858, he acted as librarian of the Franklin Lyceum. He was also for several years treasurer of that corporation, and is still a life member of it. On his admission to the bar he opened a law office in Jones's Building, 20 Westminster street, where he remained until July. 1873. At the latter date he entered into a partnership with Wil- lard Sayles, which continued six years. He was admitted to the U. S. circuit court bar about 1862, and to the U. S. supreme court bar in 1887. He was one of the justices of the court of magistrates of Providence, for L865 6, and one of the police justices of the city for 1867-8. He continues to practice law at the corner of South Main and College streets. Claudius 1'.. Farnsworth, now of the firm of C. B. & C. J. Farns- worth, who occupy an office in Cole's Block, Pawtucket, was born January 8th, L815, of Massachusetts parentage, his ancestry having lived at Groton since L661. Ho graduated at Harvard University in L841, and after studying law in Harvard Law School, and with 1. G. Coffin, of New Bedford, was admitted to the bar in Massachusetts, in March, L844. He soon after settled in Pawtucket, and is now prac- ticing law there. From L859 to L881 he was engaged in calico printing. James G. Markland was born at Manchester, England, January 23d, 1829. lie was educated in the city of his birth, and about 1841 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 55 entered the office of an attorney and solicitor in Manchester, arid after spending about two years there, was duly articled for the term of five years, with the view to admission to practice as an attorney and coun- sellor in the English courts. After serving the specified term he acted for about three years as managing clerk in the same office. He came to this country in the summer of 1854, and settled at Philadel- phia, where he remained about two years, and removed to Providence in the spring of 1857. Here he has resided ever since, lie was ad- mitted to practice, in the supreme court of Rhode Island, September 80th, 1858; in the circuit court of the United States, January '25th. 18G9. He married at Manchester, Eng., about L849, Hannah Bullen, who died in August. 1863. He afterward married, at Providence, June 30th, 1864, Elizabeth Clayton Read (Bradley), widow. He has never had any children. Nicholas Van Slyck, one of Rhode Island's representative lawyers, was born at Pine Plains, near Kinderhook, N. Y., July 28th, 1829. His father, a " Knickerbocker," was a native of Kinderhook, where his ancestors had resided since the early settlement of the country. His mother's maiden name was Orminta Matilda Pulver. Young Van Slyck, after completing his elementary studies in the public schools, attended the academy at Kinderhook. and there under the direction of Silas Metcalf, his principal and teacher, prepared him- self for a collegiate education. He entered Williams College, Wil- liamstown, Mass., in 1846, and graduated therefrom in 1849. Besides himself there were many others among his classmates who have since distinguished themselves in literary and professional pursuits. Soon after graduating Mr. Van Slyck commenced the study of his profession, and passing an examination at Albany, was admitted to the New York bar, December 3d, 1850. He then removed to New York city, where he practiced law for five years, at the end of which time he removed to Providence, R. I., and formed a partnership with George H. Browne, a graduate of Brown University. This partnership commenced in July, 1856, and continued until the death of Colonel Browne in 1885, when Cyrus M. Van Slyck. his eldest son, joined him, and has since practiced with him. Mr. Van Slyck's character and ability were early made manifest, which led to his being called upon to fill various positions of trust. From 1877 to April, 1890, he was president of the school. committee, and for many years previous rendered efficient service as a member. In 1870 he was elected a member of the city common council, from the Fifth Ward, and of this popular branch of city government he has for years been a prominent and active member. He was twice elected president of that body. From 1861 to 1864 Mr. Van Slyck served in the general assembly of Rhode Island, and in his position upon the judiciary committee of the house of representatives, was of great service to the legislation of the state. In 1874 he was chosen 56 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. city solicitor, an office he filled with such acceptance that he has been regularly elected and still holds that position. During the late war of the rebellion he served in the 1st Regiment of Rhode Island Volun- teers, commanding Company B, at the battle of Bull Run. He after- ward went out as lieutenant colonel, and having aided in the organi- zation of the 9th Regiment he resigned his commission and returned home. Previous to this, in 1858, he was colonel of the Providence Artillery, now the United Train of Artillery. Mr. Van Slyck has been especially interested in Masonic work, as the following list of officers and positions held by him will show. October Hth. 1857, he was initiated an entered apprentice in What Cheer Lodge, No. 21, passed to the degree of Fellow Craft the 20th and raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason November 24th, 1857; being the first person to receive the degrees in that Lodge. He was elected junior warden 1859, senior warden 1800, and master 18G1. In L864 he was elected deputy grand master and again in 1872. In 1873 he was elected grand master, and reelected three times, refusing to serve the fifth term. He was made a Royal Arch Mason in Providence Chapter. No. 1, in 1861. In 1882 he was elected deputy grand high priest, reelected in 1883, and in 1884 grand high priest, positively refusing an election in 1885. In 1862 he was made a Knight Templar in Calvary Commandery and served as junior warden and generalis- simo. In 1871, he was elected commander but was not installed, as he had been elected R. E. grand commander of the Grand Commandery of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. In 1869 he was elected general- issimo of the Grand Commandery of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and in 1871 grand commander. To this position he was reelected in 1S72, but the following year declined to accept a third term. At the last triennial conclave of the Grand Encampment of the United States he was elected junior grand warden, which position he still holds. In the A. & A. Rite he has attained the 33d degree. Mr. Van Slyck married November 1st, 1854, Elizabeth P., daughter of Captain Cyrus 11. Manchester, of Providence. They have had born to them several children. The eldest, Cyrus M., a graduate of Brown University and heretofore spoken of, is commanding officer of the United Train of Artillery, and is also prominent in several Masonic bodies. A brief idea of Mr. Van Slyck's sterling qualities maybe gained from the words of a friend which we quote as follows: " As a lawyer he holds a most enviable position in the Rhode Island bar for his ability, integrity and courtesy. The regard in which he is held by his fellow citizens is only partially shown by the many public positions of honor and trust to which he has been called. In his Masonic relations he not only possesses the confidence and esteem of his brethren, both at home and abroad, but he has won the admiration of all with whom he lias i>een brought in contact, and the love of all who have been admitted to his friendship. Constant and true to his HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 57 friends, generous and courteous to his opponents, there is no one who is more highly esteemed in the community where the better portion of his life has been spent than the subject of this sketch. Daniel R. Ballou is the eldest son of Arnold and Roxa Ballou, and was born in Slatersville, in the old town of Smithfield, August 6th, 1837. He is a descendant of Maturin Ballou. who settled in Provi- dence soon after its settlement by Roger Williams. Daniel grew up in the experiences of farm life, and enjoyed the ordinary privileges of the public schools until he was about 17 years of age. when his father sent him to a boarding school. This awakened his ambition to acquire an education. He taught during the winter months, and attended school during the remainder of the year. He completed the preparation for college at the University Grammar School in Provi- dence, and entered Brown University in 1859. After graduating there he read law, and was admitted to the bar in 18(54. He then opened an office for the practice of his profession in Greenville, in the town of Smithfield. In August, 1802, he enlisted in the 12th Regiment R. I. Volunteers, and soon after reaching the front was commissioned a lieutenant. He resigned in the spring of L863, and on returning home was commissioned as colonel of a militia regiment then being organized for expected actual service. In 1865, after being admitted to the bar, he was elected to represent Smithfield in the state legisla- ture, and was returned for three successive years. In 1867 he was elected clerk of the court of common pleas, which position he filled for eight successive years. In the spring of 1875 he declined a reelec- tion, and returned to the practice of law in the city of Providence, where he has remained ever since. In 1882 he was elected to the legislature, and was returned the following year. He was again elected in 1885, but resigned after the May session was over. Since then he has devoted his attention to his professional duties. Among the lawyers of Woonsocket Aaron White is remembered as one of the first men permanently located in that locality. His home was on the line of the P. & W T . railroad, and when the depot was built, in 1847, his house was removed to make room for the latter structure. He was a man of considerable learning, and was able in the counsels of the law. He was accorded the honorary title of •• Squire White." He was accustomed to attend court at Providence, going and returning on foot, with his books under his arms. Later in life he moved to Thompson, Conn., where he married and settled. Honorable Christopher Robinson has for many years been the vet- eran member of the legal fraternity practicing in Woonsocket. He has also served to some extent in public life. His three sons, Charles Pitt, Henry H. and Albert Greene, were also educated as attorneys. The last mentioned died at Woonsocket, in July, 1870, but the other two removed to Providence. Among others of the past, Bailey E. Borden and Sullivan Ballou were attorneys in Woonsocket since 1850. 58 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. The latter entered the army early in the war, and was killed at the battle of Bull Run. He was a man of brilliant promise, and had al- ready attained distinction in public life. Leland D. Jenckes was another lawyer of this town whose promise of life was cut short in its fulfillment. He died in 1872, at the age of 38 years, having been in practice about eight years. Other members of the bar from Woon- socket, who have been conspicuous in former years, have been Mar- quis D. L. Moury, Richard Hearn, P. S. Gleason, Ferdinand Belcourt, Richard K. Randolph and Francello G. Jillson. Frank H. Jackson was born July 11th, 1843, at Nobleboro, Maine, being the son of Joseph and Arietta G. (Flagg) Jackson. His parents removed to Jefferson, Maine, when he was about one year of age. His education in the common schools was supplemented by a course in Lincoln Academy at New Castle, Maine. He read law one year in the office of Henrv Farrington at Waldoboro, and then entered the law office of Honorable Lorenzo Clay at Gardiner. He was admitted to the Kennebec bar at Augusta, Maine, in November, 18G7. Sep- tember 19th, 1869, he opened a law office at Hallovvell, where he en- joyed a successful practice for a number of years, being elected city solicitor for 1870 to 1875, and 1877 to 1878. He removed to Provi- dence, January 1st, 1879, where after being admitted to the Rhode Island bar, he entered into a partnership with Colonel Daniel R. Bal- lon, under the firm name of Ballon & Jackson. Mr. Jackson was a candidate on the democratic ticket for attorney general of Rhode Island, in 1885. He was married to Ella H. Owen, of Waltham, Mass., January 27th, 1875. They have two children: Frank H., Jr., and Walter N. Edwin Aldrich was born in Woonsocket, October 14th, 1836. He was the son of Captain Joseph C. and Aseneth Aldrich, both of whom died when he was a boy. His boyhood days were passed upon the farm and in the common schools. In the Woonsocket High School he was prepared for college. He entered Tufts College and passed the first year there, but at the beginning of the second vear he en- tered Brown University. Here he remained until the end of the junior year, when failing health compelled him to give up the course there. He afterward studied law in the office of Honorable Wingate Hayes, of Providence, graduated and received the degree of LL.B. from the Department of Law in the University of Albany. He was admitted to the bar in L863, and commenced the practice of law in Neenah, Wis., the same year. A few months later he entered a part- nership with Moses Hooper, at Oshkosh, Wis., where a lucrative prac- tice opened before them. In 18(54 he returned to Providence, opened an office and began to build up a successful and lucrative practice. From 1868 to L872 he was associated with Leland P. Jenckes, under the firm name of Aldrich & Jenckes. Since the death of Mr. Jenckes, which occurred in L872, Mr. Aldrich has been alone in business. He HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 59 represented the city in the assembly in 1807, L868 and 1S69. Politi- cally he has been always a republican. He is a Free Mason, and for two years was eminent commander of Woonsocket Commandery of Knights Templar. He was married to Augusta C. Carter, of Nauga- tuck, Conn., on the 17th of June, 1870. Their five children now liv- ing and their ages are: Florence Augusta, 19; Alice May, 17; Paul Edwin, 14; Lotta Helen, 12, and K. Pauline, 10 years of age. George Eldridge Webster, son of Clement and Catherine Packer (Littlefield) Webster, was born in Lowell, Mass., in 1848. His father was the original editor of the Providence Post, continuing in that posi- tion until his death in 1804, and through that connection George Eld- ridge became in his boyhood quite an adept in the printing business. He was educated in the public schools of Providence, finishing his course in the Providence High School, after which he was employed as a job printer in the office of the Post. In 1804 he was engaged by Senator William Sprague as private secretary, and went with him to Washington. There he was appointed clerk of the committee on manufactures of the U. S. Senate, and in that capacity served through the session, and through the special session immediately following. He was connected with the pension office from March, 1805, till his resignation in October, 1871. During that time he had occupied the positions of chief clerk, special service agent, chief of the branch office, secret service agent and pension agent at Fort Gibson, in the Indian Territory. In the last mentioned position he held a commis- sion under General Grant, then president, and was sent there to inves- tigate the " Wright Indian Frauds." While in Washington he gradu- ated with honors at the Law Department of Columbian Law College, and was admitted to the bar of the District of Columbia. In the fall of 1871 he went to Chicago, where he intended to establish himself in the practice of law, but three days after his arrival there the great conflagration took place which laid a great part of that city in ruins. He then returned to Providence, and edited the Providence Herald, the paper which succeeded the old Post, for a year or two. At the May session of 1875, he was elected clerk of the court of common pleas of Providence county, and has held the position to the present, with the exception of a single year being unanimously elected. He was mar- ried in 1804, to Mary Josephine Gale, of Providence, and has one sur- viving daughter, Grace Gale Webster, born in Washington in 1808, having lost another in 1870. In 1878 Mr. Webster took up his abode in East Providence, and since then has represented the town as com- missioner of the fire district, which introduced water into the town, and on the construction of the Seekonk River bridge and the town hall. Amasa M. Eaton is the son of Levi C. Eaton, of Framingham, Mass., and Sarah Brown (Mason) Eaton. He was born in Providence, in a part of the present city then included in North Providence, May 60 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 31st, 1841. He was married September 15th, 1873, to Alice Maude Mary Dunnell, daughter of Jacob Dunnell and Amy (Brown) Dun- nell, of Pawtucket, R. I. He was graduated at Brown University, with the degree of A. M., in 1861, after three years' study in Europe, and at Harvard Law School in 1878, with the degree of LL.B. He was a member of the First Rhode Island Regiment under Burnside as colonel, during the first three months of the civil war. From 1862 to 1867 he was engaged in business. Mr. Eaton frequently represented his native town in the general assembly, and after the annexation of that portion of the town to the city of Providence he served as a member of the common council and as alderman from the Tenth ward. Since 1878 he has practiced law in Providence. The names of his children, with dates of their birth, are as follows: Amasa Mason, born September 24th, 1874; William Dunnell, February 26th, 1877; Sarah Brown, June 30th, 1878; Charles Curtis. January 16th, 1880; Lewis Diman, September 13th, 1881; Amey Brown, January 1st, 1885. John F. Lonsdale was born in Providence, December 28th, 1844. His parents were John H. and and Sophia (Stowe) Lonsdale. He was educated in Providence, and graduated at Brown University, in 1867. After being admitted to the bar in 1870, he began the practice of law, and still continues in that profession, having an office at 28 North Main street. He was elected a representative from Providence in the state legislatures of 1889 to 1891. He was married at Providence, August 18th, 1874, to Anna C. Bucklin. They have no children. Walter B. Vincent was born at Mystic, Conn., August 6th, 1845. His father was Ezra Vincent, of the town of Stonmgton, Conn.; and his mother was Ann Maria Denison, of Mystic, Conn. The first years of his life were passed in the village of Westerly, R. I., his mother dying when he was but three years of age, and his father but two years later. From that time until he was 14 years of age he lived with his father's relatives upon the ancestral farm at Stonington, and attended meanwhile the district school during his earlier years, and afterward a select classical school in Westerly. He afterward received a classical and military education at the Paulding Military Institute at Tarrytown, and the Peekskill Military Academy at Peekskill, both in the state of New York. He came to Providence in 1864, and en- tered upon the study of law in the office of Thurston & Ripley, and in May, L866, received the degree of LL.B. from the University of Albany, being then admitted to the bar in the state of New York. lie was admitted to the bar of Rhode Island in March, 1867. He was clerk of the senate of Rhode Island for four years from 1871, and was subsequently a member of the house of representatives for three suc- cessive terms. He also held the position of judge advocate of the ond Brigade, Rhode Island Militia, in the staff of General Fred- erick Miller, for three years from 1874. Mr. Vincent was married in Providence, December H'.th, 1869, to Mary E. Wingate; and they have HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 61 one daughter, Edith, born September 30th, 1872. With the exceptions already noticed, he has devoted himself exclusively to the general practice of his profession. He is the Providence counsel for the Old Colony Railroad Company, and has recently edited a revised and en- larged edition of the " Rhode Island Book of Forms," for the use of lawyers and state and town officers. C. P. Robinson, now practicing law at 55 Westminster street, is the son of Christopher Robinson and Louisa (Aldrich) Robinson, and was born at Woonsocket, October 28th, 1841. He was educated in the public schools of his native town up to 1858, then at Lyon's private school in Providence, fitted for college. He graduated from Brown University in 1863; from Harvard Law School in 1800; and was in that year admitted to the bar in Providence. He afterward attended law lectures at Heidelberg, Germany, and at Paris in 1866, 1867 and 1868. On his return from Germany he settled in Providence, and was clerk of the house of representatives of the state in 1800 and 1870, also a member of the city council in 1876-78, during two vears of which he was president of that body. He has been practicing law since 1868. He married Annie C. Greene, December 7th, 1871. She was a daughter of Rufus Greene. They have had four children- Constance, iVnnette, Margant and Helen. Dexter B. Potter was born in Scituate, R. I., August 23d, 1840, his father being Jeremiah Potter, and his mother's maiden name Mary A. Salisbury. Mr. Potter was born and reared on a farm belonging to his father, that had been in the family nearly or quite a hundred years. His ancestors have been in Rhode Island since 1636. He was educated at the common schools and at the River Point Classical Seminary, and at the East Greenwich Academy. He then read law for three years and was admitted to the bar December 8th, 1808. He immediately began practicing law, and has continued to the present time, his place of business during the time being the city of Provi- dence, though his political residence was in the town of Coventry from 1860 till 1883. He represented that town in the assembly for five years, during two years of the time being speaker of the house. He also represented the same town as senator for two years. He was married July 24th, 1883, to Emily H. Allen of Cranston. They have no children. Francis L. O'Reilly of Woonsocket, was born in the province of Ulster, County Cavan, Ireland, June 24th, 1844. He is a descendant of a long line of Irish patriots, who for many centuries fought against British rule, for their liberties and their homes in their native land. He is distinctively Celtic, both by his father and mother, and no man feels more proud of his ancestry than he does. His father was Philip O'Reilly, his mother's maiden name was McEntee, and his grand- mother's name McMahon. Francis L. was educated under private tutorship until he was 17 years of age, when his father died and he 62 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. soon after came to this country, locating for a short time in Provi- dence. He went to Cincinnati and engaged in the dramatic profes- sion for a period of four years. In deference to the wishes of his mother he abandoned that calling, entered the field as a lecturer, and continued lecturing for eight months, but was obliged to discontinue public speaking, owing to bronchial trouble produced by too great strain upon his vocal organs, and he then commenced the study of law. After three years thus spent, he was admitted to the Rhode Is- land bar in 1870, being the first Irish-American ever admitted to the bar of this state. He immediately commenced practice, in Woon- socket, in which city he still remains in active and successful practice. He was admitted an attorney and counsellor of the supreme court of the United States, at Washington, in 1882. In politics he is a demo- crat, and while not personally ambitious of political preferment, he is an active worker in the political field in his own state. He represented his town in the state legislature in 1879 and 1880. In both civic and military circles he has been very active and prominent for the past 2() years, and for several years he commanded one of the military companies in his town. In 1874 he was commissioned lieutenant colonel of the Rhode Island Guards. He was married January 1st, 1878, to Alary C, daughter of M. Butler, Esq., of Newport, and has two children, a boy and a girl. His wife, a beautiful and accomplished young woman, died July 25th, after a brief illness. Cornelius C. Plummer, attorney and counsellor at law, of the city of Providence, was born at New London, Pa., March 26th, 1S49. His parents were Charles H. and Anna Britton Plummer. He was edu- cated in the public schools, and at Brown University. Previous to his admission to the bar he taught school and engaged in journalistic matters on local and others papers for a time. His office location is at :>l Market square. Edward Church Dubois, the son of Edward Church and Emma I Davison) Dubois, was born in London, England, January 12th, 1848. His paternal grandfather was Edward Church, of Kentucky, who while on his travels in France married Marie Dubois. His son Ed- ward Church was born at St. Germain, France, December 9th, 1806. The elder was afterward consul at L'Orient, France, from 1817 to L832, and afterward returned to America. Edward, -the father of our subject, came to America about 1844, and published the same year a grammar, called "Church's French Spoken." In 1S47 he went to London, and remained there several years. He returned to America about L854. About L857 he, being about to publish another French grammar, concluded that a French name would prove more attractive and successful, adopted and used the family name of his mother— Dubois. This name he continued to use until his death, in 188f), and his family adopted and still continue to use the same name. Grow- ing up under average circumstances Edward, the subject of this no- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 62a tice, was educated at the high school of Pawtucket, and the Friends' Academy of New Bedford, Massachusetts. He was clerk of the police court of Haverhill, Mass., from 1872 to 1877, and during the latter year removed to Providence, and in May, 1878, thence to East Provi- dence, where he has remained ever since. He was senator from that town in the general assembly of 188:! 1 and in 1884-."). He also held the office of town solicitor about ten years. He was married to Jen- nie Roberts, February 24th, 1872. Three children have been born to them, two of whom died in infancy. The only surviving one is Desiree J. Dubois, born in Haverhill, Mass., April 5th, 1877. In poli- tics he is a liberal republican. Charles Edmund Gorman, born in Boston, July 26th, 1844, is a son of Charles Gorman, born in Ireland, and Sarah ]. Woodbury, a de- scendant of John Woodbury, one of the original settlers of Cape Ann, Mass., in 1623. Charles Edmund removed to Providence in 1848, and was educated in the public schools until he reached the age of 12 years. He was a newsboy from the tender age of five until he reached 15. In 1862 he entered the office of Richard Ward Greene and com- menced the study of law. He was admitted to the bar December 12th, L865, and at once enjoyed a large and varied practice. He was a mem- ber of the school committee and trustee of schools from 1868 to 187:!. He w T as a member of the general assembly in 187(>. 1885 and 1887. be- ing elected speaker of the house in the latter year. Fie was elected a member of the common council of Providence in 1874, and alderman in 1878, 1879, 1880 and 1880. Mr. Gorman has been the democratic candidate at different times for the offices of secretary of state, at- torney general, and mayor of Providence. From his early manhood he began agitating and working for " equal rights " in Rhode Island, which meant the removal of the real estate requirement imposed upon naturalized citizens to admit to suffrage. After 25 years, during which he spent a great deal of time and money in advocating the cause, the reform was accomplished by an amendment to the constitu- tion. Upon the adoption of this amendment the citizens of the state presented Mr. Gorman with a solid silver tea service " in recognition of 25 years' service in behalf of equal rights." He was married to Josephine C. Dietrich, July 8th, 1874. Their children are: Charles Woodbury, Edmund Joseph and Clement Dietrich. Mr. Gorman has been one of the prominent democratic speakers, having spoken in every presidential campaign since 1864. Nathan Whitman Littlefield was born May 21st, 184(5, at East Bridgewater, Mass. His father, Rufus Ames Littlefield, was for many years a teacher in the East Bridgewater Academy and other schools in that and neighboring towns. His mother, Abigail Russcl i Whitman > Littlefield, was born in Boston, Mass., and educated at the Charlestown Female Seminary. Both his father and mother arc lin- eal descendants of the pilgrims. Through them the subject of this 62b HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. sketch is related by blood to John Alden and Miles Standish. His early education was received at home and in the public schools of his native town. Aided by the advancement given him by his father, who was an accomplished mathematician, he at the age of 14 surveyed and platted land in his native town. He prepared for college at the East Bridgewater High School, and at Bridgewater and Phillips (An- over) Academies, graduating from the latter institution in 1865. The same year he entered Dartmouth College, where he was graduated in 1869 with the highest honors. He was soon after employed as sub- master of the Charlestown, Mass., High School; then master of the Newport, R. I., High School; and then master of high school and superintendent of schools at Westerly, R. I. In 1874 he began the study of law. His course was pursued at the Boston University Law School, graduating in 1876. He was admitted to the bar at Boston, in May of the same year. A few weeks later he located at Providence, where he has since practiced law. Avoiding all political entangle- ments, he has devoted all his energies to the practice of law, and has achieved that success which usually attends earnest, honest and per- sistent labor in that profession. Early in 1889 he formed a partner- ship with Warren Goddard, Jr., and has since practiced under the style of Littlefield & Goddard. He was married August 13th, 1873, to Arietta V. Redman, of Ellsworth, Maine. She died October 18th, 1878, leaving a son, Nathan W. Littlefield, Jr., born April 20th, 1878. He was married a second time, December 1st, 1886, to Mary Wheaton Ellis, of Pawtucket, and on December 19th, 1889, a son, Alden Llewel- lyn Littlefield, was born to them. George Tilden Brown, born in West Greenwich, R. I., June 29th, ISIS, is a son of Peter Tilden Brown and Roxalana Potter. The parents had ten children, and the father died when George was four or five years of age. The family was left with a small, encumbered farm, and hard work and close economy on the part of the mother were necessary. George attended the East Greenwich Seminary about eight or ten months, working during the vacation on the farm and in winter teaching country schools to defray expenses. He afterward attended Newport High School, where he was grad- uated in June, 1869, and entered Brown University in September of the same year, graduating in June, 1873. He studied law one year in Providence, then spent one year in the Albany Law School, grad- uating m May. 1875. He was then admitted to the bar in Albany, and to the bar in Rhode Island in October following. He was ad- mitted to the bar of the United States courts in 1879. He has prac- ticed law in Providence since October, 1875. He represented his native town in the general assembly in 1877, and the city of Provi- dence in the same body in 1887. He was elected a delegate to the democratic national convention at St. Louis in 1888, and was elected to represent Providence in the state senate in 1889. He is chairman HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 63 of the democratic city committee, having held that position in 1884 and 18S5,and being again chosen to it in 1888 and 1889. He was mar- ried in Providence, August 29th, 1876, to Ida Rebecca Williams. They have two children'— Gertrude Tilden Brown, born May 17th, 1877; and Bertha Brown, born April 10th, 1884. Air. J. E. Goldsworthy, now practicing law at Central Falls, was born in Kenosha county, Wis., December 9th, 1843. His father was Stephen S. Goldsworthy, and his mother's maiden name was Lavinia Eustis. His early life was spent on a farm, where he attended the district school, and later the high school at Racine, Wisconsin. He was educated further at Wisconsin University at Madison, and stud- ied law in the office of O. S. & F. H. Head, at Kenosha, and later took a course at Albany (N. Y.) Law School. He then went to Missouri to practice, and remained there six years. He was afterward engaged in journalism, publishing and printing with E. L. Freeman & Co. for twelve years. He resumed the practice of law in 1888. Mr. Golds- worthy was married to Sarah L. Stafford, at Central Falls, R. I., in 1872. They have four children. George Lewis Gower was born November 6th, 1S49, at New Sharon. Maine. His father, Tanison Bartlett Gower, was a Baptist clergy- man, and died in 1859, leaving his wife, Maria Susan (Dix), a widow, with three boys, aged respectively nine, seven and five. George, the eldest of the three, was educated in Abbott's School in Farmington, Maine, in grammar and high school in Providence, R. I., and Brown University, in the class of 1871. He studied law with Samuel Currey of Providence four years, and was admitted to the bar there in Decem- ber, 1871. He was clerk of the Rhode Island house of representatives from 1876 to 18S6 and judge advocate general of the state from 1883 to 1888. He has been associated with his brother, Fred. A. Gower, in telephone affairs from 1878. He was never extensively engaged in legal practice, but was connected with Providence newspapers from 1867 to 1880, and has acquired interests in telephone affairs and other business connections in Rhode Island and in Washington state, and is largely interested in the growth and development of the city of Tacoma, in the latter state. He was married in January, 1873, at Providence, to Frances, daughter of Hon. J. M. Blake, of Bristol, R. I. They have two children— Hope, born in 1875, and George Lewis, jr., born in 1876. Edmund S. Hopkins, son of Israel Hopkins, was born at Laurel Ridge, Burrillville, in this county, August 21st, 1849. His mother was Louise M., daughter of Dr. Jervis J. Smith. The father of Ed- mund was a woolen manufacturer, and lived in Burrillville until 1859, when the family removed to Providence, and Edmund entered the public schools of that city. After spending several years in them he entered the private school of Mowry & Goff, to prepare for college. He then spent a year in the law office of Samuel Currey, Esq., and an- 64 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. other year in the office of William W. Blodgett, Esq., at Pawtucket. He then attended lectures at the Albany Law School, and on gradu- ating was admitted to the bar of New York state, February 14th, 1870. One month later he opened an office in Binghamton, N. Y., and in September of the same year he removed to Corning, where he formed a partnership with Hon. Henry Sherwood. He remained there until December, 1872, when he returned to Providence, and on March 14th, 1873, opened an office in that city, where he has since remained in the practice of law. He was elected a member of the city council in 1877, representing the Eighth ward, and served four years; also a repre- sentative in the general assembly in ]S76 and 1877. He was elected assistant attorney general of the state, and held that office for two years. He was married at Providence, and has one son, Albert S. Hopkins, now a student at law. Charles F. Ballou, son of Henry G. and Sarah L. (Fales) Ballou, was born in Woonsocket in 1847. His parents moved to Bristol when he was 13 years old. He was educated in the public schools of Bris- tol, and from the high school of that town he went to Brown Univer- sity, where he graduated in the class of 1869. He then studied in the law office of Charles H. Parkhurst, in Providence, and began the prac- tice of law in Woonsocket, He was president of the town council two years, and was elected to the general assembly, where he served for successive years. He was appointed trial justice to succeed Judge Wilbur, when the latter was elected to the supreme court bench. He was trial justice until the district court act went into effect, and since then has held the office of district court judge. He was also elected by the city council probate judge, on the formation of the city gov- ernment. Warren Goddard, Jr., attorney and counsellor at law, of the firm of Littlefield & Goddard, was born in the town of North Bridgewater, now the city of Brockton, Mass., October 10th, 1849. His father was Rev. Warren Goddard, who had been settled over the Brockton church of the New Jerusalem, in 1839. It is worthy of remark here that the Reverend Warren Goddard remained in that pastorate over 50 years, and the 50th anniversary of his settlement was celebrated in his old church, in the fall of 1889, the city generally participating in the cele- bration. The mother of our subject was Sarah Eldridge, a sister of the brothers, John, Oliver and Asa Eldridge, well known names among seafaring men. Among the brothers of Warren, Jr., are Rev- erend John Goddard, a distinguished clergyman of Cincinnati, Ohio; Reverend H. E. Goddard, pastor of the Brockton church of the New Jerusalem; Asa E. Goddard, teacher in the St. Louis University; and James F. Goddard, vice-president of the A., T. & S. F. railroad sys- tem. Warren Goddard, Jr., followed his father's profession for 15 years, and was the pastor of the New Jerusalem church in Brookline, Mass., and afterward of a society of the same faith in Providence. His HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 65 preparation for this work had been made at the Brockton High School, Dartmouth College (class of 1871) and the New Church Philological School now located in Cambridge, Mass. He was always fond of the law, and used to spend his Mondays in court, hearing prominent law- yers discuss law points and matters of evidence. At last he began the study of law in earnest, with a view to making it a profession. January 1st, 1887, he entered the offices of Van Slyck & Van Slyck. city solicitors of Providence, as a student. By giving attention to it he covered the usual ground in his reading with greater rapidity than is usual, and passed the examination with ease. He also prepared an elaborate and accurate index or digest of the Rhode Island Law Re- ports, which is pronounced by those who have examined it as the most complete thing of its kind in the state. After being admitted to the bar he entered into partnership with Nathan W. Littlefield.and since April, 1889, has laid aside all ministerial duties, and devoted himself exclusively to the law. On October 9th, 1874, he married Alice Clark Wellington, of Brookline, Mass., by whom he has had seven children: Langdon, Margaret, Edith, Warren, Alice W.. Mary E. and Arthur E., the eldest cf whom died January 11th, 1887. William Howard Sweetland was born in Pawtucket, R. I., Decem- ber 19th, 1857. His parents were William and Nancy Greene (How- ard) Sweetland. He was educated in the schools of Providence, and at Brown University, receiving the degree of A.B. in 1878, and of A. M. in 1881. He was admitted to the Rhode Island bar in the latter year, and settled in Providence, where he has since continued the practice of law. He was a member of the Providence school commit- tee in 1887; clerk of the Rhode Island house of representatives in 1888- 89; and was elected clerk of the district court of the Sixth judicial district in 1889. He was married, June 11th, 1889, to Florence Gar- diner Reynolds, and has a son, Reynolds Sweetland. John T. Blodgett was born in Belmont, Mass., May 16th, 1859. He was educated in the public schools of that town and of Watertown, Mass., graduating from Watertown High School in the class of 1875, from Worcester Academy in 1876, and from Brown University, with the degree of A. B., in the class of 1880. He received from the same institution the degree of A.M. in 1883. On graduating he entered the law office of Benjamin N. Lapham. Esq., of Providence, and was admitted to the bar by the supreme court of Rhode Island in 1883. and by the U. S. circuit court in 1885. He is actively associated with the prohibition movement in this state, and has been placed in nomina- tion for many of the important offices— representative to general assembly, mayor of city, and attorney general of state. Augustus S. Miller was born in Plainfield, Conn., August 13th, 1847. He is the descendant of Robert Miller, who settled there some 200 years ago. He prepared for college at Mowry &Goff's Eng- lish and Classical School in Providence, and graduated from Brown 5 66 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. University in the class of 1871. He is engaged in the practice of law in Providence, and is also president of the American Enamel Com- pany. In politics he is a democrat, having held the position of chair- man of the democratic city committee in 1SS1 and 1882, and was one of the organizers of the Young Men's Democratic Club of Providence, and its first president in 1882 and 1883. He was a representative to the general assembly in 1884-5, a member of Providence city council in 1885, 1886 and 1887, being its president in 1887, and representative to assembly in 1889 and 1890, also speaker of the house during both those terms. He was married February 17th, 1881, to Elizabeth Le Moine Davis, daughter of Hon. William D. Davis of Providence. They have had two children: Mary E. D., born February 8th, 1883, died April 1st, 1S86; and William Davis, born November 5th, 1887. Cyrus M. Van Slyck, son of Nicholas and Lizzie P. (Manchester) Van Slyck, was born in Providence, January 9th, 1856. He was edu- cated in the public schools of the city, graduating from the high school in 1872. He then attended Brown University, graduating thence with the degree of A.B. in 1876. He next took a course in the Law School of Harvard University, receiving there the degree of LL. B. on graduating in 1878. He was admitted to the bar July 3d, 1878, and began practicing in Providence, where he has ever since continued. He held the office of city solicitor from June. 1888, to the present time; entered the militia service of the state in 1875, and after hold- ing various offices therein, became colonel of the United Train of Artillery of Providence, in 1884, and still retains that position. He was married in 1887, to Annie P. Crocker, of Fitchburg, Mass., and they have one child. Samuel Norris, Jr., was born July 23d, 1862, in Bristol, R. I., in the home of his parents and grandparents. In 1865 he went abroad with his family, and remained until 1879, living meanwhile chiefly in Paris and London. He had an English tutor, and passed the matriculation examination of the London University in 1879, in the First Division. < >n returning to this country in the same year he entered Harvard in the fall, and was graduated in 1883. He then attended Harvard Law School for two years, and was admitted to the Rhode Island bar in 1885. Since then he has continued to live in Bristol, having an office there and another in Providence. Edward F. Lovejoy was born in East Corinth, Maine, December 1st, 1861. He is the son of Azael and Zintha S. Lovejoy. He was graduated from Brown University in the class of 1885, and from the Boston Law School in the class of 1887. He has since practiced in Providence, being now connected with the firm of Stone & Lovejoy, whose offices are in Butler Exchange. The other member of the firm is Mr. Samuel S. Stone. Erwin J. France was born in Burrillville, R. I., March 1st, 1856, being the son of James E. and Susan (Phillips) France. He was edu- HIS TORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 67 cated at Brown University, graduating in the class of 1876, and in the law department of Boston University, in the class of 1881. He has practiced law since that time in Woonsocket, and has been state sen- ator from that town, also a member of the school board. He is now a member of the law firm of France & Ballou, their office being at 239 Main street, Woonsocket. George Newman Bliss, of East Providence, was born in Tiverton, July 22d, 1837. He graduated from Union College, Schenectady, X. Y., in the class of 1860. He enlisted as a private in the First Rhode Island Cavalry, in September, 1861, and was mustered out as a captain. May 15th, I860. Wounded and captured at Waynesborough, Va., vSeptember 28th, 1864, he was confined as a hostage at Libby Prison for a confederate soldier who had been sentenced to be hanged. He was exchanged for hostage February 5th, 1865. Since the war he has practiced law, having an office in the city of Providence. He was a representative from East Providence in the assembly, from 1868 to 1873, and senator in 1882-3, and again in 1885. He was assistant com- missioner of shell fisheries, 1869 to 1879; major commanding First Battalion Cavalry, R. I. Militia. 1879 to 1883; trial justice, 1872 to 1886; justice of the Seventh judicial district since July, 1886; and member of the school committee since 1873. In politics he is a republican. Stephen A. Cooke, Jr., is a lawyer by profession, and a republican in politics. He is located in the practice of law in offices at 37 Wey- bosset street, Providence. Fie served as a representative from the city of Providence in the general assembly from 1871 to 1874, and as senator from 1885 to 1887. John P. Gregory, of Lincoln, was born in Central Falls, then a part of the town of Smithfield, March 3d, 1840. He was educated in the public schools and at the State Normal School, and was a teacher in the publ;c schools for several years. He was admitted to the bar February 17th, 1866, and has since practiced law. He was one of the justices of the court of magistrates of Pawtucket from 1865 to 1871, and in 1886 he was town solicitor of Lincoln. He was representative from that town from 1878 to 18S4, and senator from 1884 to 1886. In politics he is a republican. Thomas P. Barnefield, of Pawtucket, was born in Boston, Mass., March 25th, 1844. He was educated in the public schools of Massa- chusetts, and has practiced law at Pawtucket since 1880. He has held the offices of judge of probate and city solicitor of Pawtucket; assist- ant judge advocate general of the state; representative, 1884-5, and 1886-7. During the civil war he enlisted as a private in the 35th Massachusetts Volunteers, in 1862, and was mustered out as a first lieutenant, in 1864. James W. Blackwood was a lawyer who practiced in Providence until recently. He was trial justice of Providence from 1876 to 1886, and was justice of the Sixth judicial district frcm July 1st, 1886. for 6S HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. a time. He was a representative in 1876-7, and again in 1885-7. In politics he was a republican. William Winthrop Blodgett, of Pawtucket, was born in Randolph, Vermont, July 8th, 1824. He was graduated from the University of Vermont in the class of 1847. He was a member of the Massachusetts house of representatives from 185'Sto 1860; in the Rhode Island senate, in March, 1862, being the first senator from the newly organized town of Pawtucket; a representative in general assembly 1863-65, 1869-71, 1882-85 and 1886-88. He was for 20 years judge of probate, in Paw- tucket; and was also commissioner of insolvency of Massachusetts, and Rhode Island bank commissioner. Albert R. Greene was born in Apponaug, town of Warwick, March 3d, 1844. He was educated in Brown University in the years 1865- 66, and graduated from Cornell University in the class of 1870. He then studied law in the Michigan University Law School, and gradu- ated in 1871 . He was admitted to the bar in 1872, and has since prac- ticed law. During the civil war he served in the 11 th R. I. Volunteers and 78th N. Y. Volunteers, from September, 1862, to August, 1864, participating in the battles of Wauhatchie, Lookout Mountain and other engagements attending the capture of Atlanta, Ga. He has held the office of moderator of the town of Warwick almost continu- ously since 1872; was a member and president of the town council three years; served as trial justice and coroner, and was a representa- tive in general assembly some two or three years. He practices law in Providence, having an office at 37 Weybosset street. James Harris, of Smithfield, was born in Burrillville, September 16th, 1860. He was educated in the public schools and in the private school of Merrick and Emory Lyon, at Providence. He has been a member of the school committee of his town since 1883. He was a representative from Smithfield several years, beginning with 1883. He also held the office of justice of the Ninth judicial district several years. He is a lawyer by profession, and a republican in politics. Francello G. Jillson was born in Woonsocket, in the then town of Cumberland, September 22d, 1841, and was educated at the Woon- socket High School and New London, N. H., Academy. During the civil war he served as corporal in the First Rhode Island Volunteers, and first lieutenant in the Ninth Rhode Island Volunteers. He was town clerk from 1865 to 1874, inclusive; senator from the town of Woonsocket L870 71; member and president of the town council two years; and representative from that town for several years, beginning with I SSI. 1 1c was speaker of the house from January 30th, 1883, to May. 1885. He has for many years been practicing law in Woon- socket. Francis W. Miner, of Providence, was born in Fall River, Mass., December 10th, L831. He graduated from Brown University, and was admitted to the bar in 1859. He was a representative from Cranston HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 69 from 1861 to 1864, and again from 1868 to 1875, and was speaker of the house in 1862-3. He was a representative from'JProvidence in 1886-7. During the civil war he was major of artillery, performing important staff duty. He was a member of the Providence common council in 1886. In politics he is a republican. John Carter Brown Woods was born in Providence June 12th, 1851. He was graduated from Brown University in the class of 1872, and from Harvard Law School in the class of 1874. He was admitted to the bar in December, 1874, and has since practiced the profession of law. He was a member of the common council of Providence from February 1st, 1877, to January, 1885, and was president 6f that body from 1881 to 1885. He was a representative five or six years, begin- ning November 22d, 1881. In politics he is a republican. Christopher Marble Lee was born in Newport, October 18th, 1854. His father was Thomas J., and his mother Mary Lee. His education began in the public schools of Newport, and he graduated from there in July, 1873. In the fall of the same year he entered Brown Uni- versity, and graduated from there in 1877. In the fall of that year he entered the office of Francis B. Peckham, city solicitor of Newport, and remained there two years. Being admitted to the bar in Septem- ber, 1879, he began practicing law in Newport, and continued there until 1885. In that year he removed to Providence, and has contin- ued in practice there ever since. He was married June 1st, 1881, to Laura C. Gardiner, youngest daughter of Aldridge B. Gardiner, of Providence. They have no children. William C. Baker was born in the village of Wickford, R. I., March 15th, 1858. His parents were David S. and Mary C. Baker. He at- tended the public schools during his boyhood, and prepared for col- lege at East Greenwich Academy; then entering Brown University, he graduated thence in 1881. He taught languages in De Yeaux Col- lege, at Suspension Bridge, N.Y., two years. He was admitted to the bar of Rhode Island July 19th, 1884. He was superintendent of pub- lic schools in North Kingstown, R. I., from 1884 to 1S88. In the latter year he was nominated for congress by the democrats, but was defeated in the election. He married Sophia, daughter of Jesse Metcalf, of Providence, May 24th, 1888. Charles F. Baldwin, now practicing law at 19 College street, Prov- idence, was born in Plainfield, ^. H., November 11th, 1852, being the son of Cyrus and Hannah Baldwin. He received the principal part of his education at Kimball Union Academy, N. H. He studied law in Providence, and was admitted to the bar in 1878. Pie was married in 1882, to Clara, daughter of John Howland of Jamestown, R. I. Since his admission to the bar he has practiced in Providence. Samuel Slater Durfee was born in Providence, September 23d, 1858. His father is Thomas Durfee and his mother Sarah J. (Slater) Durfee. He was educated at the private school of Reverend Charles 70 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. II. Wheeler,in Providence, and at Brown University, graduating from that institution in the class of 1880. He studied law in the office of Thomas C. Greene, in Providence, and at the Law School of Boston University, after which he was admitted to the Rhode Island bar Jan- uary 29th, 1884. vSince then he has practiced law in Providence. He is still unmarried. Stephen G. Edwards was born at Glen, Nova Scotia, January 22d, 1855. His parents were William H. and Eleanor S. (Mount) Ed- wards. Until 17 years of age he lived on a farm with his father, receiving his early education in the public schools of Glen. At the age of 17 he taught school one winter, and then took a college preparatory course at Amsterdam Academy, and at Hungerford Col- legiate Institute, of Adams, New York state. Entering Brown Uni- versity in 1875, he graduated thence in 1879, after which he taught three years in Providence High School. During the last year and a half he was second teacher in the classical department. He studied law in the office of Bradley & Metcalf, and took the course at Boston University Law School, being admitted to the bar in 1884. Since then he has practiced law in Providence. In 1886-7 he was instructor in mathematics and logic at Brown University, but continued his law practice meanwhile. In 1889-90 he was a member of the Providence school committee; in 189D was clerk of the house of representatives in the state legislature. He was married in 1887 to Ellen A. Chace, and they have two children, Walter A. and Helen C. John Doran was born November 8th, 1858, in the town of Barring- ton, Bristol county, R. I. His parents were James and Catherine (Nolan) Doran. His early life was spent in Barrington, where he attended the district school, and afterward prepared for college in the private academy of Isaac F. Cady, at Barrington Centre. He entered Mt. St. Mary's College, at Emmitsburg, Md., in September, L875, and graduated in June, 1879. In the spring of 1880 he com- menced to study law with James Tillinghast, Esq., of Providence, and was admitted to the bar in July, 1882. He has practiced in Providence ever since. In July, 1887, he formed a partnership with Mr. E. I ). Mc( luinness, which he still continues. He was married July 10th, 1889. to Jane F. Ward, daughter of Patrick and Mary Ward, of Warren, R. I. Ambrose Fealy, a lawyer of Olneyville, with residence in Woon- socket, was born in the latter place, September 2d, 1859. He re- ceived his education in the Jesuitical College of Worcester, Mass., graduating there, with the degree of A.B., in 1880. He then began the study of law, at first in the Boston Law School, and afterward in the office of F. L. O'Reilly, in Woonsocket, and was admitted to the bar in January, 18S4. For two years he was in partnership with Mr. Charles E. Gorman, but since that he has been alone, practic- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 71 ing law in Providence. Mr. Fealy is a democrat, and was elected to the assembly in 1SS7, and again in 1889. Franklin P. Owen, of Scitnate, was born in that town December 27th, 1853, and is a lawyer by profession. He was educated at the Lapham Institute and Amherst College, class of 1874. He is a demo- crat in politics and has served as state senator. vSamuel P. Colt was born January 10th, L852, at Patterson. N. J., being the son of Christopher and Theodora G. (De Wolf) Colt. His school days were passed at Hartford and New Hartford, Conn. At the age of 14 he came with the family to Bristol, R. L, where they settled upon the homestead estate of General George De Wolf, his grandfather on the maternal side. He was educated at Anthon's Grammar School, in New York, for two years, and at the. Massachu- setts Institute of Technology three years. He then passed a year in Europe, and then spent two years in Columbia Law School. He was admitted to the bar in New York in May, 1875, after which he studied law in the office of Thurston & Ripley, in Providence, and was admit- ted to the Rhode Island bar January 1st, 1876. He practiced law in Rhode Island, and was a member of the general assembly from 1876 to 1879. In the year 1879 he was elected assistant attorney general, and served in that position till he was elected attorney general, in 1882. In the latter position he served four years. He founded the Industrial Trust Company, of Providence, and has been its president from the start. He is also president of the National India Rubber Company, of Bristol, R. I., having re-organized the old National Rub- ber Company with $500, 000 new capital. He was married in 1881, to Elizabeth M., daughter of Judge J. R. Bullock, of the U. S. court. They have three children— Samuel P., Jr., eight years; Russell G., seven years, and an infant in its first year. Charles Staples, son of ex-Chief Justice William R. Staples of Providence, was born in Providence, May 29th, 1859. His mother was Evelina Eaton Staples, of Framingham, Mass. He was educated at Lyons and at Brown University, and then studied law with Win- gate Hayes, Esq., and his own father, Judge Staples. He was deputy secretary of state for three years under John R. Bartlett, and private secretary to Governor Ambrose E. Burnside during his term of office. After practicing law eight years in the city of Providence he studied medicine under Doctors W. O. Brown and George R. Kenyon. He was the first hospital steward appointed in the Rhode Island militia, and served in that capacity nine years, being attached to the First Light Infantry Regiment. He has been ward clerk of Second ward three years, secretary of the R. I. Society for the Encouragement of Domestic Industry, of the Providence Franklin Society, of the Zeta Psi Society, and of Company B, First Light Infantry Regiment. He is now in the United States employ, in the census department, and is also notary and justice of the peace. 72 HISTORY OE PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Thomas W. Robinson was born at Pawtucket, March 23d, 1856, being the son of Thomas and Mary Robinson. He was born and brought up on a farm and was educated in the public schools, Bryant & Strat- ton Business College and also the Boston University Law School, graduating thence in the class of 1877. He was admitted to the bar of this state in 1888, and has had an office and practiced law in Paw- tucket ever since. He was a member of the town council in 1886, and a representative to general assembly in 1887 and 1889. He was mar- ried to Mary E. Tetlow, at Providence, November 3d, 1881. Two daughters have come to them— Lillian, six years, and Mary, four years of age. Thomas Z. Lee was born September 26th, 1866, in Woonsocket. He is the son of Thomas and Helen M. Lee, and was educated in Woonsocket. He was admitted to the Rhode Island bar in 1888, and began practice m Woonsocket, after reading law with Messrs. Browne & Van Slyck, in Providence. He was for a time connected with the Woonsocket Evening Reporter, and was clerk of the house of repre- sentatives in 1888 and 1889. On the 4th of November, 1889, he formed a partnership with Hon. Livingston Scott, in the practice of law. He is prominent in secret societies, and is well known in social and politi- cal circles throughout the state. Clarke Howard Johnson was born at Moosup Valley in the town of Foster, November 18th, 1851. His father, Elisha Johnson, was an influential citizen of the town, and held many positions of public trust, among others that of president of the town council, state sen- ator, and colonel of the 13th Regiment in the old militia. The mother of our subject was Matilda Howard, daughter of Clark Howard, of Foster. He was brought up on the old Johnson homestead, which has been in the Johnson family since 1784, and in the possession of his ancestors of another family since about the year 1700. He worked on the farm summers, and attended the district school win- ters, until about 18 years of age. After that he prepared for college at Lapham Institute, in North Scituate, and entered Brown Uni- versity in 1873, graduating thence in 1877. He studied law in Prov- idence, and was admitted to the bar in 1879, and has been in prac- tice there ever since. He was elected to a seat in the state house of representatives in 1879, and again in 1880. In 1881 he was elected to the state senate. From 1881 to 1886 he was clerk of the house of representatives. In 1886 he was elected justice of the district court for the Eighth judicial district, which position he holds at the present time, having been re-elected in 1889. Charles H. McFee was born in Haverhill, Mass., January 1st, 1861. His parents were Hamden and Sarah C. (Sealy) McFee. He was educated at the high school in Haverhill, and at Harvard Uni- versity, in the class of 1882. He taught school, as principal of Washington Academy, at Wickford, R. I., one term, and as princi- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 73 pal of the Consolidated Grammar Schools from September, 1882. to September, 1885. In the latter year he began the study of law in Woonsoeket. He was a member of the town council in 1886 and 18S7, being its president in the latter year. In 1887 he was elected a representative to the general assembly, where he was placed at the head of the committee on education. In 1886 he was elected a member of the school committee, and in 1887 was chosen clerk of that board. He was married April 18th, 1888, to Carrie V. Cook, at Woonsoeket, and they have one son, Raymond F. McFee. Mr. McFee was admitted to the bar in October, 1887, and has been prac- ticing in Woonsoeket ever since. • Charles C. Mumford was born at Medford, Mass., November 11th, 1860. His parents were Benjamin G. and Jane D. Mumford. His father died when Charles was about seven years old, and the family removed then to Providence. He was educated in the public schools of that city and at Brown University, where he graduated in 1SS1. He studied law with Messrs. Brow^ne & Van Slyck, and was admit- ted to the bar in 1883. July 1st of that year he was appointed assistant clerk of the court of common pleas, and held that position until he was elected as clerk of the municipal court in June, 1884. In June, 1885, he exchanged that position for that of assistant attor- ney general of the state, which he held until May, 1886. Since that time he has devoted himself to the practice of his profession in the city of Providence, except about ten months spent in Buffalo, N. Y. He has held various positions in the Masonic fraternity, the Narragansett Boat Club, and other organizations. He was married to Miss Emma Van Slyck in April, 1887, and they have one child, Marion. Eugene F. Warner was born in Coventry, R. I., October 9th, 1853. He was educated at Allen's School, West Newton, Mass., and at Brown University, where he graduated in 1875. He studied law with I. H. Parsons and J. E. Spink, and was admitted to the bar in 1877. He opened an office in Providence soon after, and still main- tains it. He was a member of the Rhode Island house of representa- tives in 1876, and was elected clerk of the Rhode Island senate in 1877, and by successive elections has retained the position till the present time. He was a delegate to the Chicago republican conven- tion of 1884, and secretary of the R. I. state central committee from 1884 to 1888. He was elected judge of the Fourth district court of R. I., in 1886, and in 1889 for another term of three years. He has never been married. Albert A. Baker was born September 26th, 1862, in Providence, the home of his parents. Albert O. and Anna M. (Stone) Baker. He was graduated from Brown University in the class of 1884, and became the assistant editor of the Attleborough Chronicle in 1884-5. He after- ward studied law with Colwell & Barnev, in Providence, and was 74 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. • admitted to the Rhode Island bar in August, 1888. He has an office at 4 Westminster street; was clerk of the judiciary committee in the R. I. house of representatives, 1887-8; secretary of the joint special committee of the state legislature on revenue of the state; and is a member of the republican city committee from the Ninth ward. Harmon Seeley Babcock was born April 11th, 1849, at Lebanon Springs, Columbia county, N. Y. His parents were George H. and Sarah G. (Merrills) Babcock. He removed with the family to Lee, Mass., in 1853, and remained there until 1861, when they removed to Lenox, Mass., and again returning to Lee, in 1870. He passed through the various degrees of boyhood and youth with that assurance of future success which generally characterizes the American boy, and after thorough preparation at Brookside Seminary, Stockbridge, and at the Lenox High School, under Augustus Linfield, he entered Brown University and was graduated therefrom in 1874, with the highest honors, delivering the valedictory address and receiving the degree of A.B. In 1877 he was further honored by being made an A.M. After graduation he taught for two years as assistant in the University Grammar School of Providence, prosecuting legal studies in the meantime. He w r as admitted to the bar in 1877. He taught also in the evening schools for a number of years as principal, and also as an instructor in logic in Brown University, for a short time in 1883. Since 1877 he has been practicing law continuously in the city of Providence. He filled the office of superintendent of public schools in East Providence from 1879 to 1882, and was solicitor for that town from 1882 to 1886. His literary abilities were recognized early in life, and the fact that he wrote the poem for the centennial celebra- tion of the town of Lee, Mass., in September, 1887, is evidence of his reputation in that direction. The R. I. Horticultural Society chose him for secretary in 1878, and about that time he was treasurer of Franklin Lyceum for three years. He has taken a prominent part in poultry affairs, having been president of the R. I. Poultry Associa- tion in 1888. and at different times written much on the subject. Among his many literary works of excellence was the poem delivered at the annual convention of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity at Cincin- nati, Ohio, in 1883, and also the poem delivered before the alumni of Brown University in 1888. He was married June 11th, 1879, at Lenox, Mass., to Eva S. Helden. Two children have been born of this mar- riage, the elder and survivor being a son, Samuel Belden Babcock, born June 9th, L880. Benjamin W. Smith was born in Warwick, R. I.. June 21st, 1856, being the son of Charles \V. and Elizabeth R. (Le Valley) Smith. He was educated in the public schools of Rhode Island and Iowa; pre- pared for college in Providence High School; entered Brown Lmiver- sity and was graduated in the class of L876. He studied law in the office of Tillinghast & Ely, in Providence, and was admitted to the HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 75 bar in Rhode Island in 1878, and to practice in the U. S. circuit court in 1881. He has practiced law in Providence since his admission. He is still unmarried. Rathbone Gardner was born in Providence, February 18th. 1856. His parents were Henry W. and Mary R. (Rathbone) Gardner. His education was pursued in Mowry & Goff's School, in Providence, and Brown University, where he was graduated in the class of 1877. His legal education was pursued in the office of Browne & Van Slyck, and at the Boston Law School. He was admitted to the bar July 19th, 1879, and has ever since practiced in Providence. He was elected to the city council in 1884, and was president of that body in 1885 and 1880. He was appointed U. S. attorney for the R. I. District, by President Harrison, February 19th, 1889, and still holds that office. He was married to Sophie L., daughter of the late John A. Gardner, in Providence, January 1st, 1880, and has two children — Henry W. and Marianna Gardner. James Wilmarth Williams was born in Providence, August 23d, 1859. He was the son of James F. and Phebe A. (Wilmarth) Wil- liams. He attended the public schools and the high school of the city of his nativity, and Columbia College, where he was gradu- ated from the law school in 1882. He then studied law with Hon. Dexter B. Potter, of Providence, taught school for a brief period, and was admitted to the R. I. bar July 19th, 1884. m He was mar- ried March 25th, 1886, to Flora B. Tillinghast, of Providence. They have one child, Hope Tillinghast Williams. Mr. Williams is promi- nently identified with the prohibition movement in Rhode Island, and is a member of the national prohibition committee for Rhode Island. He took a prominent part in framing the laws enacted under the pro- hibition amendment of 1886-1889, and was for a time counsel for the chief of police of the state during that period. He is a direct de- scendant of Roger Williams, one of the few descendants bearing the family name of the original founder. He was a speaker at the re- union of descendants in June, 1880, on the occasion of the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the settlement. Benjamin L. Dennis was born in Providence, February 6th, 1853. His parents were Benjamin C. and Lydia A. Dennis. He was edu- cated, in the public schools of the city until 12 years of age, when his parents removed to Webster, Mass., and he there received in part a grammar and high school education. At the age of 15 he entered Woodstock Academy, at Woodstock, Conn., and remained two years. At the age of 17 he commenced teaching school at West Woodstock, and during the next three years taught winter terms in different dis- tricts of Connecticut. In 1873, being then 20 years of age, he entered the R. I. State Normal School, and was graduated in June, 1875. He then taught school in North Smithfield until 1878, when he com- menced the study of law. He was admitted to the bar in 1881, and 76 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. has since practiced in Providence. Mr. Dennis may be classed among the self-made men of our time, having worked his way up to his pres- ent position by his own efforts, almost unaided. He was married December 22d, 1885, to Alice J. Arnold, who had been a teacher in the public schools of Providence. They have one son, Robert L. Dennis. Mr. Dennis resides at Valley Falls, six miles from Providence, but has an office in Butler Exchange in the city- Frederick Rueckert was born in Providence, November 21st, 1855, being the son of Christian and Theresa Rueckert. He received his early education in the public schools of Providence, graduating from the High School in 1873. Entering Brown University in the fall of that year, he was graduated in 1877, and studied law for two years following. He was admitted to the bar of the state in February, 1880, and has since then been admitted to practice in the U.S. circuit court here. His practice is mainly confined to civil cases. He was married November 21st, 188(5, to Ella L. Senft, of Providence. Christopher E. Champlin was born in New Shoreham, Newport county, R. I., September 24th, 1860, being the son of John P. and Lydia M. Champlin. He spent his early years in his native town, and taught school there two years, in 1879 and 1880. His advanced edu- cation was received at East Greenwich Academy and Brown Univer- sity, after which he pursued legal studies at the Boston Law School, and was graduated in 1884. He was admitted to the bar of Suffolk county, .Mass.. July 8th, 1884, and to the Rhode Island bar in Febru- ary following. He has since practiced law in Providence. He was a representative from New Shoreham to the general assembly from L8S7 to 1889. He was secretary of the democratic state central com- mittee, for Grover Cleveland, during the campaign of 1888. He is yet unmarried. His two brothers living are John C. and William R. Champlin. Walter Hammond Barney, of Providence, was born in Providence September 20th, 1855, and was graduated from Brown University in L876. I [e was elected representative to the general assembly in 1888. Edwin C. Pierce was born in Providence in 1853, and was edu- cated in the public schools. He has been a member of the school committee and was elected representative to the general assembly in L888 CHAPTER IV. THE PROFESSION OF MEDICINE. Early practitioners. — First Licensed Doctor of Medicine. — Medical Societies formed. — The Rhode Island Medical Society. — The Providence Medical Association. — The Rhode Island Homeopathic Society. — The Hahnemann Society of Rhode Island. — The Providence Clinical Club. — The Rhode Island Dental Society. — Physicians of Providence Fifty Years ago. — Some Physicians of an Earlier Period. — Former Physicians of Scituate. — Old-time Physicians of Woonsocket. — The Thompsonian Interest. — Introduction of Homeopathy. — Later physicians of Providence County. THE practice of medicine as a distinct profession was hardly to be looked for in the chaotic years of society in the new colony of Providence Plantations. But at an early date the legislative authorities imposed such restrictions upon it as they thought neces- sary for the protection of the people against irresponsible quacks. The general assembly granted occasionally, to such as were consid- ered competent, the privilege to practice medicine in the colony. One of the earliest of such licenses is the following, which we give in the language of the record. It was passed at the sitting of the general assembly at Newport, March 1st, 1664, new style. " Wheras the Court have taken notice of the great blessing of God on the good endevers of Captayne John Cranston of Newport, both in phissicke and chirurgery, to the great comfort of such as have had occation to improve his skill and practice, &c. The Court doe therefore unanimously enacte and declare that the said Captayne John Cranston is lycenced and commistioned to adminester phissicke, and practice chirurgery throughout this whole Collony, and is by this Court styled and recorded Doctor of phissick and chirrurgery, by the athority of this the Geuerall Assembly of this Collony." Going still further back we are told that the first regular medical practitioner in Providence county was John Greene, who remained here but a short time, and in 1641 removed to Warwick. In cases of emergency the people here had recourse to him there. Leading men in the early colony doubtless kept on hand small supplies of a few important drugs, and physicians in the neighboring colonies were in extreme cases called to attend patients. The first settled physician in Providence of whom we have later notice was Doctor John Jones, who was here in the early part of the 18th century. Doctor Jabez Bowen also came here and settled soon after. His descendants 78 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. formed a line of physicians for several generations. In the middle of the last century Doctors Vandelight and Gibbs were conspicuous for their abilities and services rendered to their townsmen. In the revo- lutionary period Doctor Stephen Randall and Doctor Hewes were conspicuous members of the profession. Several medical societies have been formed, with Providence for their center or field of operations. The oldest of these is the Rhode Island Medical Society, which was organized in 1812, and has its place of meeting at 54 North Main street. Here it maintains a library of some 6,000 volumes and 2,000 pamphlets. The society has received into its membership since its organization about 500 members. Its present membership numbers about 200. Its annual meeting is held in Providence, in June, and quarterly meetings are held in Septem- ber, December and March. The society possesses a valuable fund established by the late Doctor Caleb Fiske, one of its former presi- dents. The fund was founded in 1834, and by it the trustees are en- abled to offer two premiums annually, of $100 each, for dissertations on medical subjects. By this means a large number of essays have been printed and distributed among the medical fraternity and the principal public libraries. The society has been active in procuring important legislation in matters pertaining to public health. The law regulating the regis- tration of births, marriages and deaths, was secured in 1852, by the efforts of a committee of this society, and the annual registration re- ports for the first 25 years were prepared under its supervision. The original movement for the examination and registration of druggists, out of which grew the State Board of Pharmacy; the successful peti- tion for a law awarding suitable compensation for expert testimony in the courts of this state; the recent reform in the coroner system; and the effort to increase the efficiency of the state board of health, are achievements of this society. Among those who have been promoted to the office of president or of vice-president of this society from this county during the last half century have been: Doctors Joseph Mauran, David King, S. Au- gustus Arnold, Hiram Allen, William A. Shaw, Ariel Ballou, Hiram Cleveland, Sylvanus Clapp, Charles W. Parsons, Isaac Ray, Jarvis J. Smith, J. W. ('. Ely, George C. Collins. Lloyd Morton, Fenner H. Peckham, George W. J enckes, Edwin M. Snow, Charles H. Fisher, Edward T. Caswell. George P. Baker, Charles O'Leary, Job Kenyon, ( ). C. Wiggin, II. G. Miller, J. W. Sawyer, Albert Potter, J. W. Mitchell and W. II. Palmer. The officers at the present time are: Al- bert Potter, president; J.W.Mitchell and W. H. Palmer, vice-presi- dents; W. R. White, recording secretary; George L. Collins, treas- urer. The Providence Medical Association was instituted in 1848. It holds meetings on the first Monday in each month, and an annual HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 79 meeting in March, its headquarters being at 54 North Main street. Its membership numbers about 80. The following physicians have been presidents of the association at some time since its starting: J. W. C. Ely, Hervey Armington, George L. Collins, C. W. Fabyan, Richard Brownell, George P. Baker, F. H. Peckham, W. O. Brown, George Capron. Edwin M. Snow, George A. Pierce, H.W. King, John W. Sawyer, Clarence T. Gardner, H. G. Miller, S. S. Keene, W. E. Anthony, O. C. Wiggin, E. M. Harris, Albert E. Ham, William J. Burge, Edward T. Caswell, C. H. Leonard, John W. Mitchell and Robert F. Noyes. The present officers are: C. H. Leonard, president; R. F. Noyes, vice-president; S. A. Welch, secretary; Herbert Terry, treasurer. The Rhode Island Homeopathic Society was organized about 1849. It was incorporated May 15th, 1850. Among its founders were: A. H. Okie, G. S. Stevens, Henry C. Preston, Ira Barrows, J. J. De Wolf, D. H. Green, C. G. McKnight, Washington Hoppin, and others. Regular meetings are held on the second Friday in January, April, July and October. The society numbers about 50 members. The following have been among the incumbents of presidential positions since its organization: A. H. Okie, H. C. Preston, Charles G. McKnight, Charles P. Manchester, John J. De Wolf, Peleg Clarke, George Bar- rows, Elijah U. Jones, Grenville S. Stevens, James L. Wheaton, Wil- liam Von Gottschalck, I. W. Sawin, George D. Wilcox, J. C. Budlong, Robert Hall, George B. Peck, E. B. Knight, Charles A. Barnard and Charles Hayes. Its present officers are: Charles Hayes, president; Charles A. Barnard, vice-president; W. H. Stone, secretary; H. A. Whitmarsh, treasurer; and Charles L. Greene, Robert Hall and George B. Peck, Jr., censors. The Hahnemann Society of Rhode Island was organized about 1857. It existed for about 20 years. During that time Doctors Charles G. McKnight, A. P. King, Washington Hoppin and Ira Bar- rows were among its leading members, and successively occupied the position of president. With the revival of the Homeopathic Society about 1876, this fell into obscurity, k The Providence Clinical Club was organized in 1884, and holds fortnightly meetings at the houses of its members, from October to June, for the discussion of professional subjects. Its prominent mem- bers are F. P. Capron, R. H. Carver, C. V. Chapin, F. B. Fuller, C. M. Godding, G. D. Hersey, G. F. Keene, W. J. McCaw, R. F. Noyes, H. J. Pomroy, G. W. Porter, G. T. Swarts, H. Terry, W. R. White and B. Whitford. The Rhode Island Dental Society was organized in July, 1878, and now has about 35 members. Its annual meeting is held on the first Tuesday in July, and a semi-annual meeting on the first Tuesday in January. It has a fine library, containing several hundred volumes. The following practitioners have served it as president: C A. Brack- 80 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. ett, 1880; William Barker, 1881; W. P. Church, 1882: W.H.Thornton, L883; S. E. Greene, 1884; J. W. Smith, 1885; F. G. Eddy, 1886-87; A. \V. Buckland, 1888; J. F. Lennon, 1889. It may be interesting to the reader to know that the following physicians were practicing in Providence in 1841, their locations being also given: William H. Allen, 155 North Main: Hervey Armington, 16 Wickenden; Augustus S. Arnold, 125£ Westminster; Lloyd B. Bray ton, 69 North Main; Richmond Brownell, 8 & 10 Westminster; George Capron, 3 President; Thomas Cleveland, warden of state prison; Francis Colwell, 93 High; Jeremiah Cole, Olneyville; Thomas L. H. Creighton, Prospect; E. Darling, 113 Friendship; George Fa- byan, 46 Broad; Charles W. Fabyan, 77 South Main; Joseph Fearing, 135 & 137 Broad; P. W. Ferris, 60 George; Joseph B. F. Fuller, 07 Broad; L. Girardin, 132 North Main (Franklin House); William Gros- venor, 56 Westminster; Isaac Hartshorn, City Hotel; C. F. Manches- ter, 105 and 114 Westminster; Joseph Mauran, 48 South Main; J. Leland Miller, 181 North Main; Lewis L. Miller, 49 Broad; Lewis P. Parlin, 12 Carpenter; Usher Parsons, President; Joseph Pettes, East street, opposite Tockwotton House; John W. Richmond, 92 South Main; H. W. Rivers, Eye and Ear Infirmary, 135 North Main; Josiah W. Robinson, cor. Westminster and Pleasant; David B. Slack, 124 North Main; George H. Tillinghast, 91 Westminster; Samuel Boyd Tobey, 32 South Main; John A. Wadsworth, 45 North Main; Levi Wheaton, 73 Benefit; Hercules Whitney, Paw- tuxet; Leander Utley, 25 Richmond. The following were botanic phy- sicians: John A. Brown, 57 & 59 South Main; John C. Davis, 71 Wey- bosset; A. Farwell, 57 & 59 South Main; John Richards, 90 Pine; Elias Smith. 27 Washington; Samuel Stowe, Atwell's Avenue. The follow- ing dentists were then practicing here: N. Augustus Fisher, 38 West- minster; T. F. B. Flagg, President; A. C. Hawes, 91 Westminster; Mar- shall B. Mead, 9 Westminster; T. J. Prescott, 191 High; Samuel Trow- bridge, 90 Westminster (medical electrician); Nathaniel P. Tyler, 38 Westminster; J. F. Young, 109 Westminster. We turn now to notice some of the individual members of the pro- fession. In Providence in generations past Stephen Randall was a physician of prominence, living in the early part of the present cen- tury. He owned property and lived near the junction of North Main and Randall streets, and the name was given to the latter street in his honor. Doctor Williams Thayer was an active and prominent citizen of Providence about the time of the last war with Great Brit- ain. His name was given to Thayer street. Doctor Amos Throop about three quarters of a century ago occupied the mansion house afterward owned by Zachariah Allen, at 97 North Main street. He gave name to Throop alley. Doctor Throop was a descendant of the old Throop family, one of honorable distinction, of Bristol, Mass. He was born in 1735. His father, Amos, was a minister of Woodstock, HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 81 Conn., having been elected to take charge of the town church in De- cember, 1726, and died in 1735. Doctor Amos was born at Woodstock, the same year. He spent his childhood and youth with Doctor Jabcz Bovven, of Providence. He afterward studied with Doctor Bowen and Doctor Gibbs, having previously spent some time in study at Bristol. He succeeded to the practice of his two instructors at Prov- idence about 1770, and was the first male accoucher in the Planta- tions. He was married, November 13th, 1768, to Mary Bernon Craw- ford, a granddaughter of Gabriel Bernon, a French refugee from religious persecution and who had been a resident of Newport and Providence. Doctor Throop was prominent in town affairs. He was in the state legislature in 1788, where he used his influence in favor of the adoption of the constitution of the United States. Politically he was a federalist. He was one of the incorporators of the Benefi- cent Congregational church, but later became a member of St. John's Episcopal church. He was a member of the state legislatures of 1805, 1806 and 1807. In medical circles he was prominent and active. He was also prominent in social and financial circles, being the first pres- ident of the Exchange Bank, holding that position from the start until his death, some 13 years. He died, universally respected, April 13th, 1814, leaving no descendants. His portrait was painted by Ralph Earl, and is a good representation of him at about 60 years of age. Doctor Benjamin Dyer was a man of great enterprise and public spirit, who practiced here in the early years of the present century. He projected and successfully accomplished the filling out of what was then called the new land, embracing about 27 acres, from Eddy's point to Weybosset street. The work was commenced in 1815 and completed in 1817. Dyer street was named in respect to his memory. A writer of half a century ago in speaking of a former period said: "Doctors Joseph Hewes, Ephraim Bowen, and Jonathan Arnold, all at the same time, were our most eminent physicians. Arnold, at the commencement of the revolutionary war, took charge of the hospital, and there continued until the peace in 1783. He afterward went as a member of congress. He finally made a settlement in Vermont, and there died." Doctor Ephraim Bowen, of Providence, used to ride extensively in the surrounding towns before the conflict of the revolution. He died about 60 years ago, at an advanced age, being past 90 years. Contemporary with him was Doctor Benjamin Slack, who lived in the extreme northeast part of Scituate. He came from Massachusetts about 1750. The oldest record of him in Scituate is the birth of his daughter Mary, September 28th, 1753. His first wife, Phebe, died July 8th, 1762. Doctor Slack was much esteemed, and his practice was extensive in Glocester, Smithfield, Scituate and other towns. He' also owned a large farm, of good land. His second wife was Miss 82 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Hannah Harris, of Johnston, whom he married March 5th, 1767. Doctor John Barden lived in the northwest part of Scituate three or four miles west of Doctor Slack, during and after the war of the revo- lution. He had considerable reputation as a doctor, and used to take lone rides into Massachusetts, where he had many friends and much practice. Doctor John Wilkinson, a medical practitioner of high estimation in Scituate, was also a distinguished surgeon in the revo- lutionary war. Doctor Caleb Fiske was a man of much distinction in Scituate, living on Bald hill, at the southeast part of the town. He was the son of John and Elizabeth Fiske, early settlers in the place, and was born February 24th, 1753. He was president of the Rhode Island Medical Society, acquired much property, and left to the soci- ety $2,000, and most of the balance of his property to his grandson, Caleb F. Rea. Doctor Owen Battey was in medical practice for many years, but retired in later life. He was president of the Exchange Bank at Greenville in Smithfield, and held the office of postmaster in South Scituate for a long time, through many party changes. He was a gentleman of the old school, and was highly esteemed. He was the son of Joshua Battey, and the grandson, through his mother, of Oliver Arnold. His great-grandfather, Owen Arnold, was a British officer who came to this country and engaged in the French war, and died July 24th, 1762, in his 90th year. Doctor Jeremiah Cole, who studied medicine with Doctor Anthony, of Foster, resided about a mile and a half west of North Scituate vil- lage. Near the close of his life he removed to Olneyville, where he died suddenly, May 7th, 1843, in his 73d year. He was a man very much esteemed in his practice. Doctor Cyril Carpenter lived in the latter part of the last century in that part of Scituate now included in Foster. Two generations in the healing art have descended from him. These are his son Thomas and grandson Thomas O. Carpen- ter. The latter was a skillful doctor of great promise, who died at an early period in life. Doctor John H. Anthony practiced medicine for many years, residing in North Scituate. His health failing, he removed to Providence, gave up his practice here, and died in the city. Doctor T. K. Newhall, after practicing about 17 years in Scitu- ate, removed to Providence. Doctors James E. Roberts, Charles N. Fisher and William II. Bowen, later physicians of Scituate, long en- joyed the respect and confidence of the citizens of that town. In the town of Woonsocket, Doctor Jonathan Arnold was a physi- cian of repute, who lived near Woonsocket Hill before the revolution. He took an active part in the scenes and discussions of the time. In 1787 he removed to Vermont. Doctor William Arnold was a practi- tioner in the same locality at a later day, and is said to have been one of the most learned men of his time. His love for study and scien- tific pursuits gave him the name of the " Philosopher." It is said that he was the first man in America to discover an explanation of longi- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 83 tude, in compliance with a call from the British government, offering a reward of £10, 000 for the first satisfactory solution of the question. He failed to secure the reward, however, being anticipated by an English astronomer who secured the prize by being a few days in advance. Doctor Arnold died about 1820, at the age of 70 years, highly esteemed by all who knew him. Endowed with many charac- teristics of quite a different nature was Doctor Ezekiel Comstock, of the same locality. He was skillful but erratic, and had a genius for adapting himself to all conditions at all times. Doctor Hiram Allen was one of the first physicians located at Woonsocket. He was born at Franklin, Mass., in 1803, and began practice in 1825. For 30 years he was professionally engaged, but in the latter part of his life devoted himself to other affairs. He died March 14th, 1864. One of his students was the present well known Doctor George W. Jenckes, who rode with him six months in 1853, and who since 1854, the year of his graduation from Harvard Medical College, has been actively engaged at Woonsocket, now ranking as the oldest regular physician in practice in the city. Contemporary with the foregoing was Doctor Ariel Ballou, who was born in Cum- berland, October 25th, 1805, and died July 15th, 1887. In 1830 he be- came a practitioner at Woonsocket, and lived there until 1882, when he removed to Providence. He was not only prominent in his pro- fession, but was also active in every affair of the town which had in view the advancement of society. A distinguished fellow physician of the same period was Doctor Ezekiel Fowler, who died July 20th, 1863, aged 77 years. He was prosperous in his affairs, and provided for the perpetuation of his name in a very commendable way by set- ting aside a fund for the establishment of a hospital at Woonsocket. Doctor Horatio Stockbridge died here in 1864, aged nearly 76 years. After practicing in Maine he came to Woonsocket in 1833 ; and opened an apothecary shop, which he continued until 1851, after which he engaged in other business. Doctor Peletiah Metcalf came to Woon- socket in 1834, and remained until his death, October 26th, 1866, at the age of 87 years. Doctor James Helme located in Woonsocket after 1840, and for more than 20 years was engaged in the drug busi- ness. He was a lineal descendant of Gabriel Bernon, the founder of the Huguenot colony at Oxford. His death occurred in December, 1883, while in the 78th year of his age. In this period Doctor Tyler Briggs was in practice at Union Village, and died there in I860. Doctor Joseph Warren was in active practice from about 1840, in the southern part of the town. In 1862 Doctor Rodney Moore located at Woonsocket, and prac- ticed medicine there until his death in 1880. Doctor A. M. Paine has been actively engaged in Woonsocket since 1864, ranking now as one of the oldest allopathic physicians here. Doctor Gideon Archambault came to Woonsocket in 1869, and has been in practice since that time. 84 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. The first French physician to locate here was a Doctor La Ferriere, who removed to Woonsocket before 1868. Doctor Joseph Hils has been in practice since 1872; and other French physicians have been Doctors Joseph A. Gagnon, P. E. Gervais, E. A. La Ferriere and Jo- seph C. Maranda. Contemporaneous allopathic physicians were Daniel M. Edwards, John J. Baxter, Peter H. Madden, William C. Monroe, Henry W.Stillman, George R.Smith and Frank H. Jenckes. Among those who have been in practice but have removed to other fields are remembered Doctors William T. Thurston, Charles A. Bur- ton and Fisher Bosworth. The first regular lady physician to prac- tice in the city of Woonsocket is Miss Mary L. Farnum, daughter of John B. Farnum, an old resident of this place. She was born here April 23d, 1863. After being a student at the Friends' School at Providence, she graduated from the Woman's Medical College at Philadelphia, in March, 1886. After spending a year an4 a half in the New York Infant Asylum, she studied one year at Vienna, Berlin and Stockholm, and then located for regular practice at W T oonsocket in October, 1888. In the period that she has been here she has estab- lished a successful practice, fully demonstrating the capacity of women for this line of work. In the year 1842 great interest was manifested in the Thompso- nian system of medicine, and several practitioners of that school set- tled at Woonsocket. Among them was Doctor J. M. Aldrich, who also opened an herbarium or medicine store. This was located on Main street, near the Baptist church, and there he also furnished vapor baths. Doctor G. W. Davis was also located here at the same time, and later conducted a Thompsonian Infirmary in the town. Besides being a physician he was a writer of ability, and helped to edit one of the papers of that period. Doctor Thomas' Wilbur be- longed to the same school, which lost favor in the course of a few years. In September, 1849, Doctor A. S. Wetherel, a disciple of the eclectic school, located in Woonsocket, and has since been in practice. For less periods of time Doctors Edwin Boulster and John M. Taber have been practicing there, and others have removed after a short residence. A Doctor Gage was one of the first homeopathic physicians, living at Woonsocket prior to 1849, and removing thence to Medway. Doc- tor R. G. Belt came awhile later and remained a few years. In June, L858, Doctor Richard Carique, a graduate from the Hahnemann Med- ical College of Philadelphia, began practicing at Woonsocket, con- tinuing there until his death, in December, 1866. Contemporary with him was Doctor ( ). D. Cargill, who gave up his practice here in July, 1867, removing to Boston. Doctor Jerome Harris became his suc- cessor. ■ He came from Norwich, Conn. About the same time Doctor J. S» Nichols was here in practice, and he was reputed to be an excel- lent physician. Doctor Thomas H. Mann came later, and was sue- f HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 85 ceeded in 1885 by the present Doctor E. N. Kingsbury, who has for a contemporary in this school of medicine, Doctor Robert G. Reed. The latter has been in practice a number of years, locating in Woon- socket when Doctor W. R. McLaren was also a homeopathic physi- cian. One of the first permanent practitioners of dentistry in Woon- socket was Doctor Ambrose Horton, who was for 30 years engaged in that profession, prior to his death in 1859. Before the last mentioned date Doctors S. B. Bartholemew and M. W. Small were also dentists in that town. Soon after Doctor Amos A. Pevey came, and continued more than 20 years. Since the war Doctors A. W. Buckland and Fred. L. Cleveland have been leading dentists. Matthias Abel, M.D., was born in Bethlehem, N. J., January 1st, 1836. He was the son of Enoch and Nancy (Smith) Abel. He began the study of medicine with John Blane, M.D., of Perryville,N. J., and afterward graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York, in the class of 1857. He joined the Dis. Med. Society of Hunterdon county and the New Jersey State Medical Society the same year, and was licensed to practice medicine* and surgery by the latter. He was one of the censors of the state medical society in 1862-4. He filled numerous positions of responsibility in medical, social and educational circles in New Jersey, where he was first located for medical practice at Quakertown, and after a period of about 25 years' practice he sold out, and removed to Providence in 18S3. Here he has since been located. He was married to Miss Ellen M. Hires, daughter of Reverend W. D. Hires, a Baptist clergyman, at Quakertown in March, 1864. They have one daughter. Alice M., now the wife of C. J. Parrott of Scranton, Pa. Thomas E. Allen, M.D., was born at London, Middlesex county, Ontario, March 7th, 1845. He was a graduate of Bailey's Grammar School and Arts College, in 1863, also of the Homeopathic Hospital College of Cleveland, in 1867, and of the College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1869. He was married to Emma E. Row, of Billeville, Hastings county, Ontario, January 24th, 1881. As yet they have no children. The parentage of Doctor Allen is from Vermont on the paternal side, and from Sutton, Quebec, on the maternal side. Their names were Hugh and Martha Allen. He is an active and enterpris- ing man and a conscientious physician, and having made the study of chronic diseases a specialty, he has recently established a sanita- rium for their treatment at a point just south of the city of Provi- dence, and at the head of Narragansett bay. The locality is conven- ient of access by horse cars, electric cars and other means, and offers a very desirable retreat for invalids who wish quiet and restful sur- roundings. Oliver H. Arnold, A.M., M.D., was born in Coventry, R. I., June 23d, 1841, his father being of the Arnold family of Warwick, and his 1 8(3 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. mother Elizabeth M. Greene, of the celebrated family whose ancestry came to America in 1636. Through this line Doctor Arnold is the eighth generation in America. His great-grandfather, Jacob Greene, was a brother of General Nathaniel Greene, of revolutionary fame. Another brother of the general was Doctor Jabez Greene, a physician, who received his education in England. On the breaking out of the war for independence these three Greene brothers carried on at their farm the forging of anchors. The remains of the forge were well known to Doctor Arnold in the days of his boyhood. During the revolution a part of the ancestral homestead was used as a hospital, and some of the soldiers were buried on the farm and have since been removed to the family burying ground. Doctor Arnold was born at the homestead, where his mother is still living, she also having been born there. He attended Pierce Academy, Middleborough, Mass., and Lapham Institute at Scituate, R. I., and afterward spent about three years at the University Grammar School in Providence. He afterward passed through Brown University, and graduated with the degree of A.B., in 1865. He pursued medical studies at Harvard Uni- versity, and received the degree of M.D. there in 1867. He began the practice of medicine at Pawtucket, with Doctor Charles F. Manches- ter, with whom he remained about four years, having also been a student of Doctor A. H. Okie, of Providence. He continued the prac- tice of his profession from that time to 1883 alone. In the summer of 1883 he went to Europe, and remained there two years, travelling, and studying in the hospitals of London, Glasgow, Paris and Vienna, most of the time in the last mentioned place. On his return in 1885 he located in Providence, where he still continues. He was married in 186S, to Emma Josephine Ayer, of Providence. He has had a large and successful practice as a physician. Walter Eugene Anthony, M.D., was born in Providence, Decem- ber 12th, 1847. His father was Lorenzo D., and his mother Mary S. Anthony. His early education was in the public schools of Provi- dence and at Highland Military Academy, of Worcester, Mass. He graduated from Brown University in 1864, and began the study of medicine with Doctor George Capron, in 1863. He also attended lectures at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York, at the University of Vermont, at Harvard Medical College, and at the University of New York, where he graduated in March, 1867. He began practice in Providence in April of the same year. He has been physician to the Children's Nursery, the Home for Aged Women and the Dispensary, also secretary of Rhode Island Medical Society from 1874 to 1880, and president of Providence Medical Association in 1879 and 1880. He was surgeon of the First Light Infantry, 1868 to 1873; assistant surgeon general of Rhode Island, 1873 to 1878; member of American Medical Association, since 1876; one of the incorporators, and the first treasurer of Rhode Island Pharmaceutive Association; HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 87 one of the founders and the first librarian of the Rhode Island Medical Society Library, and a charter member of Rising Sun Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons. Me was married to Marie Louise Knowles of the city of Providence, and their adopted daughter is now the wife of Frederick Potter Eddy, of that city. Joseph H. Akers, M.D., was born on the 11th of November, L856, at Granbv, Mass. His parents were Joseph W. and Lucy A. Akers. After attending the schools of his native town and graduating from the high school at the age of 17, he taught schools, worked in stores at different trades and at farming, saving his earnings with the view of studying medicine. The inspiration to this course had come to him through his intercourse with a physician with whom he lived while attending the high school. One year before entering the medical college he studied in the office of Doctor H. S. Bell, of Granbv, Mass. He attended Dartmouth Medical College, graduating in the class of 1884, and for one year previous to graduating was assistant physician in Doctor Ira Russell's " Family Home,*' at Winchendon, Mass., a private retreat for the treatment of nervous and mental diseases and the alcohol and opium habits. He first located at Fiskdale, Mass., where he remained one year, after which he took a post graduate course at the Polyclinic School in the city of New York. He then spent another year at Fiskdale. In 1885 he was married to Miss A. L. Sholes of the city of Providence, and in the following year moved to that city and began practice there, where he still continues. Doctor Akers has succeeded in establishing a lucrative practice and bids fair to attain prominence in his chosen profession. Mowry Paine Arnold, M. D., of Foster Centre, was born in Smith- field (now Lincoln) September 30th, 1801, being the son of Israel and Anna (Chace) Arnold. He was a lineal descendant, in the sixth gen- eration, of William Arnold, one of the 13 original proprietors of Prov- idence. Doctor Arnold was educated in Belchertown, Mass., and at Amherst College, where he acquired Latin and Greek. He studied medicine with Doctors Cutler Gridley, of Amherst, and Potter Allen, of Glocester, R. I., and graduated at Berkshire Medical School in Pittsfield, Mass., in 1827, taking the highest honors of his class. In 1828 he moved to Foster, where he resided, in the practice of medi- cine, till his death. He was thrice married: first to Dorcas Peckham, April 10th, 1828; second to Electa Randall, in 1841; third to Asenath Place, in January, 1847. He has now living three sons and two daugh- ters. The sons, Barnard and Henry, are practicing physicians, and Mowry P. is a well-to-do farmer. He has held various offices in the town. Doctor Arnold was the first superintendent of the first wSab- bath school in Foster Centre, in 1828, and long served as librarian of the Manton Library of Foster. For some years he was postmaster at Foster Centre. In 1848 he was elected state senator, and declined a 88 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. reelection the following term. He was town treasurer since I860, and was connected with the schools of the town for more than 50 years, and most of this time was chairman of the committee. In 1832 he united with the Christian Baptist church in Foster, of which he was for some time secretary. He died April 26th, 1890, in the 89th year of his age. Barnard Arnold, M. D., of Scituate, was born August 9th, 1852, in Fos- ter. R.I. His parents were Doctor Mowry P. Arnold and Asenath (Place) Arnold. Doctor Arnold was given a superior public school education, so that when he reached his twentieth year he had taught three terms of public school. In June, 1876, he graduated at East Greenwich Academy, having pursued and successfully completed other branches of study besides those in the college preparatory course proper. He published an original poem showing some merit, in the New England Journal of Education, March 4th, 1876, and wrote some prose articles that were printed while at school. Thomas W. Bicknell, formerly commissioner of education of the Rhode Island schools, published the Journal at this time. In March. 187S, he graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, with the degree of M. D. He had studied medi- cine under his father for three years, and had gathered the experience arising from attendance upon the cases brought into the college clinics and the New York hospitals. He began to practice at Foster, R. I., with his father, but tried other fields, at Brooklyn, X. Y., and at Wau- regan, Conn., until 1882, when he located at Chopmist, in Scituate, where he has built up a large and increasing practice. His practice of medicine extends over a large territory, including the villages of Rockland, Ponaganset, Richmond, Clayville, South Scituate and throughout the town into surrounding towns. He has performed many of the most difficult operations in surgery, and the publication of some of them, in newspapers and by other means, has given him considerable reputation. In 1885 he was appointed by the town coun- cil president of the board of vaccination, consisting of the town phy- sicians, to furnish vaccination gratuitously to school children. Since the year 1886 he has been town physician of Scituate, and is a well known correspondent of the state board of health, having been the foremost of his section to report the famous influenza or " la grippe " of 1889 '.)'). and treated between one hundred and two hundred cases without a single death. He was elected superintendent of public schools for Scituate in 1886, and held that office three years, and he did much to bring the schools up to a higher standard. In L890 he was elected a member of the Rhode Island State Medical Society, his name being proposed by Doctors Charles 11. Fisher and N. B. Kenyon. aAsvzaAct URTOTYPE, E. BIERSTADT, HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 88a Doctor Arnold was married November 23d, 1881, to Charlotte Elizabeth Cooke, daughter of Amos W. and Elizabeth I Tourtellot) Cooke, the marriage taking- place at the home of the bride in Scituate, Reverend J. M. Brewster of Providence officiating as clergyman. Doctor Arnold's excellent success is largely due to his talented and accomplished wife. She obtained a superior education at the Rhode Island State Normal School, always taking first rank in her classes and is now one of the best teachers in Scituate. Mrs. Arnold is a member of the Rhode Island Woman's Suffrage Association and is a gifted writer for the newspaper press. Since her marriage she has pursued the study of medicine and is now prepared to enter medical college. They have one child, Earle Bernon Arnold, born October 27th, 1886, and named from Gabriel Bernon, a Huguenot ancestor on his mother's side. Doctor Arnold and wife are members of the Free Baptist church at Chopmist. He is a public spirited citizen and to- gether with his wife has done much for the upbuilding of the church and society in the place where they reside. John L. Ashton, M. D.. of Pawtucket, was born in that place May 3d. 1856. He was the youngest son of John and Hannah (Worsley) Ashton. He graduated at the high school in his native city, and dur- ing the seven years following he was connected with the drug busi- ness there and in Brooklyn, X. Y. He also spent two years as pre- scription clerk in the Rhode Island Hospital. He then studied medicine with Doctor Sylvanus Clapp, in Pawtucket, and in the fall of 1877 he attended a course of lectures at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York. He then attended Dartmouth Medical College and graduated from that institution in 1879. Within the same year he began the practice of his profession in Pawtucket, and has continued there ever since. He enjoys a lucrative practice, and is highly esteemed by his professional associates and the community at large. Frederick W. Bradbury, M. D., of Auburn, town of Cranston, R. I., is a graduate of Brown University, class of 1878. He pursued his medical studies at the New York Homeopathic College, graduating from that institution in the class of 1875. He came to the village of Auburn in 1883, where he is engaged in the practice of his profession and also in the drug trade. Doctor Bradbury is town physician of Cranston and superintendent of health. He enjoys a lucrative busi- ness and is highly respected in the community. John Clarke Budlong, surgeon general of Rhode Island, was born in Cranston, R. I., August 28th, 1836. According to a genealogical table prepared by Joseph A. Budlong, of Providenee, he is a lineal descendant of Francis Budlong, the first settler of the name in Rhode Island. The ancient record of his marriage reads thus: " Francis 88b HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Budlong and Rebecca Howard, widow of Joseph Howard, were mar- ried on Friday March 19, 1068-9, in her father's house John Lippitt's." Francis Budlong, his wife and all his family except an infant son, were massacred by the Narragansetts in November, 1675, near the outbreak of King- Philip's war. This child, John, was carried away a captive, but was rescued four years later by a maternal relative. He prospered, owning- in 109-2, 25 acres of land which rapidly increased to several hundred. Such enterprise could not fail of appropriate rec- ompense, and accordingly we find his son, Moses, and his grandson, Samuel, contracting such favorable alliances that in the next genera- tion, Samuel 2d, and still more completely in Samuel 3d, flowed har- moniously commingled, not only the blood of Roger Williams and the Watermans, but of the oldest and best families of the state. The last named, Samuel 3d, enjoyed the life companionship of Rachel Martin, a lineal descendant of Christopher Martin, who came over in the " Mayflower." To them was born the subject of this sketch. At an early age he attended the public schools of his native town, and later entered the Fruit Flill Classical Institute, where he carried off the first honors of his class. At Smithville Seminary, now Lap- ham Institute, he spent a year or more pursuing special branches pre- paratory to studying medicine. In 1850 he placed himself under the tuition of his brother-in-law, Isaac W. Sawin, of Centredale, R. I. The next year he entered upon his first course of lectures at the Home- opathic Medical College of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia, but his second course was deferred until the fall of 1862, that he might secure the wherewithal by teaching school in North Providence. He re- ceived his diploma March 3d, 1863, and opened an office at No. 134 North Twelfth street, which he maintained as long as he remained in the Ouaker City. During the time he was attending the customary clini- cal courses at Pennsylvania and Blockley Hospitals, he studied sur- gical anatomy and operative surgery, under Doctor D. Hayes Agnew,. who furnished him with a diploma certifying to his proficiency in those branches. At the beginning of the civil war Doctor Budlong tendered his services to Governor Sprague for the medical staff of volunteers. How- ever, not receiving orders to appear before the examining board until he was advanced in his final lecture course, permission was granted to complete his studies. In July, 1863, he enlisted in the Third Regi- ment of Rhode Island Cavalry, and was immediately appointed assist- ant surgeon of that regiment. November 16th, 1863, he was promoted to the rank of surgeon, and a month later, with the First Battalion, sailed for New ( )rleans, where they reported to General Banks, January I Itli. L864. During the famous Red River Campaign they were as- signed t<» the Fifth Brigade Cavalry Division, Department of the Gulf, HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 88c Colonel Gooding-, U. S. A., commanding, and thus participated in the battles of Sabine Cross Roads, Pleasant Hill, Marksville Plain, Kane River, Yellow Bayou, and numerous lesser affrays. Doctor Budlong remained with the army until November 29th. 186f), when he was mustered out. Once more a free man, he returned to his native state, and entered into partnership with his late preceptor, Doctor Sawin, at Centredale. In 1868 the senior member of the firm removed to Providence, leaving the entire field to his associate, who succeeded in building up a large practice. Finding his duties were beginning to impair his health, Doctor Budlong attempted to secure a competent and worthy associate, and was rewarded in associating with Charles A. Barnard, M. D. In 1883 he transferred to Doctor Barnard his business at Centredale and removed to Providence, where he has since resided and practiced his profession. On June 7th, 1866, Doctor Budlong manned Martha Alexander, daughter of the late Doctor and Professor Walter and Matilda (Massey) Williamson of Philadelphia. To them have been born seven sons and one daughter. Doctor Budlong was baptized into the fellowship of the Allendale (R. I.) Baptist church by the Reverend Francis Smith in 1857, but in 1863 he united with Grace (P. E.) church of Philadelphia. He subse- quently served as vestryman in the parish of St. Thomas, at Green- ville, R. I., and St. Peter's at Manton. Despite the fundamental an- tagonism of the respective creeds of these denominations, we find a gentleman professing successively the tenets of both, without im- periling in the least his Christian reputation, while not a few belong- ing to one only, find the utmost difficulty in maintaining even the pretense of piety. On July 16th. 1863, Doctor Budlong was commissioned surgeon of the Pawtucket Light Guard Battalion; May 11th, 1874, brigade surgeon of the Second Brigade of the Rhode Island Militia, and March 8th, 1875, by vote of the general assembly, over all competitors, surgeon general of the state, to fill a vacancy caused by the death of Howard King, M. D. He was reelected to the position without formal oppo- sition in 1879, 1884 and 1889, when but one vote was thrown against him in the entire Grand Committee. Doctor Budlong represented the Rhode Island Homeopathic Soci- ety at the World's Convention, held in 1876, and. about that time en- rolled himself in the American Institute of Homeopathy, of which or- ganization he is still a prominent member. In 1880 he was elected treasurer of the Rhode Island Homeopathic Medical Society, and the following year was chosen president of the same. He has been fur- ther complimented by election as honorary member of the New York 88d HISTORY OF PROYIDEISXE COUNTY. State Homeopathic Medical Society in 1881, and of the Massachusetts? Society in 1886. The New Jersey Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Company made him medical examiner in 1867, and the Hahnemann in 1861). He has also examined for the Phoenix Life. Worcester Mutual Life, the Prov- ident of New York, and others. The Rhode Island Homeopathic Hospital has profited by his services as visiting- surgeon since its opening in March, 1886. Recently he has been placed on its board of trustees. Among other positions he has held the office of chair- man of the school committee. Doctor Budlong is also interested in Masonic affairs, being a member of What Cheer Lodge, the Calvary Commandery, and of the Rhode Island Sovereign Consistory 32 Scottish Rite, all of Providence. Moreover, he is enrolled in Prescott Post, No. 1, G. A. R., in the Rhode Island Soldiers and Sailors' His- torical Society, and in the Massachusetts Commandery of the Mili- tary Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States. Briefly, Doctor Budlong is of commanding presence, dignified bear- ing, modest and retiring, as well as forbearing disposition, kind man- ner and genial companionship; in harmonious relations not only with every member of the state society, but with the entire state profession as well; esteemed by all who know him, most by those who know him best. Robert Hall, M. I)., of Providence city, is distinctively a profes- sional man, and one who has but little time for other than strictly professional work. As a physician, he belongs to a class who lead the profession, and to whom the world is indebted, especially during these latter years, for the great progress made in the science of the healing- art. I )octor Hall was born in the town of West Greenwich, R. L, May L8th, L830. His parents, Robert and Zilpha (Weaver) Hall, gave their son the work allotted to all farmers' boys, and such educational advantages as the country district school afforded. When 17 years "f age, he went to the academy at Worcester, Mass., and subse- quently attended the seminary at East Greenwich. R. I. When 20 years of age he began teaching school, and the year after commenced his medical studies under Doctor George D. Wilcox, now of Provi- dence. In the spring of 1856 he received his degree of M. D., from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York city, and in L857 located, in the practice of his profession, at Centreville, R. I., where he remained 14 years. August 20th, 1861, he was married to Susan Wood Randall, daugh- ter of Stephen and Adaline Randall of Warwick, R.I. Her father was a manufacturer. I le was also the inventor of a machine for cot- tonizitig flax, which was in general use for several years. After the war, he went South, and was engaged for some time in the erection of cotton mills. In L87] Doctor Hall removed to Providence and HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 88e formed a partnership with Doctor A. B. Foster, with whom he re- mained 11 years. In 1883 he purchased the handsome home where he now resides. Doctor Hall practices homeopathy, although a grad- uate of the old school, being convinced that the system of home- opathy is superior to that of allopathy. After his graduation in medi- cine, he attended other hospitals and colleges that he might the more thoroughly prepare himself for his chosen field of labor. He attended lectures at the Bellevue Hospital, at the Bellevue Hospital Medical College, and at Blackwell's Island Hospitals, and afterward completed his post-graduate course by spending five months in the hospital at Vienna, Austria. He is a member of the Rhode Island Homeopathic Society, and of the American Institute of Homeopathy. Doctor Hall's practice is general in its character, but he has had marked suc- cess in gynecology, and in the treatment of fever. During the epi- demic commencing in the fall of 1883 and ending in the spring of 1884 he treated 65 cases of typhoid fever without losing a case. Dur- ing the epidemic influenza, of the winter of 1881) 90,he treated a large number of cases — over seven hundred in two months' time — without the loss of a single patient. He is decidedly a successful practitioner of medicine, and has had a very extensive business for many years. Among the physicians of the town of Glocester of former times the following may be mentioned. Doctor Samuel Mowry, who prac- ticed in Chepachet for over 40 years, was educated at Dudley and Amherst academies, and attended medical lectures in Boston in 1825 and 1826. He was admitted a member of the Rhode Island Medical Society in 1838. He died at Providence. Doctor Reuben Mason practiced for a great many years in Glocester. He was a surgeon in General William West's brigade in the revolution. Doctor Allen Potter settled in the western part of Glocester in 1825 and practiced medicine there until overcome by the infirmities of age. He studied medicine with his father in Massachusetts three years, and two years with Doctor Hubbard in Pomfret, Conn. Doctor Jervis J. Smith was the son of Rufus Smith of Burrillville. He studied medicine with his uncle, W. Smith, M. D., and was admitted a member of the Rhode Island Medical Society in 1833. He settled in Chepachet and had a large practice in the vicinity. He was a prominent Mason. He died in 1864, and was buried at Swan Point Cemetery, Providence. George Henry Kenyon, A. M., M. D., was born in the city of Providence on the first day of April, 1845. He is the eldest son of George Amos and Isabella Greene (Brown) Kenyon. His ancestors on his father's side came from England, and were among the early settlers of that portion of Rhode Island known as the "South County. - ' locating somewhere in either North or South Kingstown. His mater- nal ancestors came originally from Wales, and located in the vicinity of Wickford. R. I. The place first occupied by the first of the family. 88f HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Beriah Brown, has ever since been, and is now occupied by his descend- ants. He came in the year 1640 and 20 years later built the house which now stands there and which is still occupied by his direct de- scendants. Doctor Kenyon received his early education in the public schools of the state, and then spent two and a half years in study at the Friends' Boarding' School in Providence. There he prepared for col- lege and entered Brown University, where he graduated, receiving the degree of A. B. Subsequently the degree of A. M. was conferred upon him by the same institution. Early in life he had acquired a strong desire to study medicine and during the last two years in col- lege devoted much of his time to that end, taking a course in practical chemistry in the laboratory at Brown. He entered the office of Doc- tors Capron & Perry as a student, and from there went to the medical department of the University of Vermont, where he graduated as Doctor of Medicine in June, 1866. Returning to Providence, he joined the Rhode Island Medical Society at the annual meeting in June, 1866, and commenced at once upon the practice of his chosen profession. vSoon after he became a member of the Providence Medical Associa- tion, which association he has served both as secretary and president. He was also for a time the treasurer of the Rhode Island Medical Society. He is also a member of the American Medical Associa- tion. During an active and busy life he has also found time to pay some attention to matters other than medicine. In 1862 he enlisted as a private in the Tenth Regiment of Rhode Island Volunteers, serving in the Army of the Potomac during the term of enlistment. Some years later he became a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, joining Prescott Post, No. 1, of Providence, in which he held the posi- tion of post surgeon for two or three years, and is at present the medical director of the Department of Rhode Island, G. A. R. Uniting with the militia of the state he was for a number of years surgeon of the United Train of Artillery, which position he resigned in 1883 to accept the appointment on the governor's staff of assistant surgeon general of the state, which position he still occupies. He has given some attention as well to fraternal societies, more particularly to Freemasonry. He is a member of Rising Sun Lodge, X". 30, A. ]■'. & A. M., having passed through the various offices in that body. Calvary Commandery, K. T., the Rhode Island Sovereign Con- sistory Scottish Rite, and has also held various offices in the Grand Lodge and is at this time serving his second year as grand master of Masons in Rhode Island. To this order he has devoted much time and attention, making steady progress in advancement, until crowned with the 33d degree. Stanistas A. Bouvier, M. 1 ).. was born in St. Marcel, in the province of Quebec, May 5th, 1864. He attended St. Aime Academv, and HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 89 graduated from Victoria College, Montreal, in 1888. He then joined his family at Marlboro, Mass., and soon after commenced the practice of medicine at Manville, where he has continued until the present time. Hiram Bucklin, M.D., was born in Seekonk, Mass. (now East Providence, R. I.), in 1803. He studied medicine under Doctor Artemus W. Johnson, and graduated from Brown University. He prac- ticed medicine at Valley Falls for 20 years, and died there, April 17th, 1845. Frank George Burnett, M.D., was born in Dudley, Mass., May 30th, 1860. He was fitted for college at Nicholas Academy, in that place, and after taking a course of lectures at the University of Burlington, Vt., and at the Long Island Hospital, Brooklyn, N. Y., he received the degree of M.D. from the University of New York, in 1885. He commenced practice in Windsor, Conn., in the same year, but in the winter of 1888 he removed to Pawtucket, where he now practices. He is a member of the Hartford County Medical Association, and of the Connecticut and Rhode Island medical societies. John J. Baxter, M.D., son of Charles and Elizabeth (McOueeney > Baxter, was educated at Christian Brothers' High School in Provi- dence, and graduated at the University Medical College of New York, in 1885. During the same year he began the practice of medicine in Woonsocket, where he still continues. He married Jennie C, daugh- ter of Thomas Furlong, of Providence, in 1886. He is a member of the hospital staff, and also a member of the Rhode Island Medical Society. Doctor Charles A. Barnard, of Graniteville, is a native of Macon, Ga., where he was born August 16th, 1843. When he was quite young his father removed to Providence, where he received a liberal educa- tion. He afterward graduated at the New York Medical College, in 1878. He studied medicine, preparatory to his lecture course, under Doctors Wilcox and Barrows of Providence. Doctor Barnard is health officer for the town of Johnston, and is also medical examiner for the district. Doctor Sanford S. Burton, son of John and Harriet T. Burton, na- tives of England, was born at Providence, August 4th, 1862. He was educated in the city schools, and in the medical department of the University of Vermont, and in the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Baltimore, graduating thence in 1883. He was a student of Doc- tor Timothy Newell of Providence. Upon his graduating he imme- diately began the practice of his profession in Providence. He was surgical externe of the Rhode Island Hospital from 1883 to 1886, and physician of the Providence Dispensary in 1883 and 1884. He was also medical examiner for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in 1884 and 1885. He was married April 21st, 1886, to Antoinette W., daughter of Orrin T. and Mary J. Angell, of North Providence. They 90 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. have two children: Maud A., born August 26th, 1886, and Sanford S., Jr., born October 30th, 1887. Doctor Israel Bowen, born January 27th, 1812, in Coventry, R. I. r was a son of John and Sally Bowen. He attended the common schools of his native town, and the Castleton Seminary of Vermont. He studied medicine with Doctor Carpenter of Foster, and afterward graduated at the Vermont Medical School in 1837. He came the same year and commenced the practice of medicine in Johnston. He was married in 1839, to Ruth M. Waterman of Coventry, daughter of Stephen and Eliza Waterman. He practiced until his death, which occurred May 27th, 1879. He left three children: John E., Abbie M. and Annie S. William James Burge, M.D., was born April 12th, 1831, being the son of Reverend Lemuel Burge, whose wife was Elizabeth Ellery Shaw, daughter of William Gorham Shaw. Doctor Burge was edu- cated at home, at the Washington Academy in Wickford (his native place), at the Greenwich Academy, and under the tuition of Reverend Doctor Crane, by whom he was fitted to enter as a sophomore at col- lege. At this point, however, he changed his course, and commenced at once the study of medicine, under the care of Doctor James H. Eldredge, of East Greenwich. He was graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York City, March 11th, 1853. He located for six months in New York, and occupied a chair at the Cen- tral Dispensary, and filled the office of an attache of the New York Lying-in Asylum. He removed to Salisbury, Conn., where he prac- ticed for a year, and then associated himself with his brother, Doctor J. H. H. Burge, in Brooklyn, N. Y. After three years spent there he spent three years in Taunton, Mass., when the war broke out, and he entered the navv as a surgeon and served four years. At the close of the war he located in Atchison, Kansas, where he practiced for eight years. He then returned to Rhode Island, and since then has practiced here, being located at Pawtuxet, in the town of Cranston. He has been twice married; first to a step-daughter of Bishop Vail of Kansas, by whom two daughters are living — Mrs. Jeter of Bethlehem, and Miss Bessie Vail Burge; and second to Mrs. M. D. Arnold, daugh- ter of Hon. James R. Doolittle, of Racine, Wis., by whom he has two daughters— Dorotha Brenton and Sara Doolittle. Elwood Adfer Ballon, M.D., was born in the town of Burrillville, on the 24th of September, 1858. There he resided until 1864, when li is mother died and he was placed under the care of a farmer in Smithfield, Mr. T. E. Phetteplaee, with whom he lived about20years. He attended the common schools during the early years, afterward the State Normal School and Mt. Pleasant Academy. In 1884 he en- tered the office of Doctor E. B. Smith, in Providence, and studied medicine with him one year. He then attended lectures at the Uni- versity Medical College m New York, and at Dartmouth Medical Col- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 91 lege, where he graduated November 23d, 1887. He commenced the practice of medicine at Greenville the next year, and has remained there to the present time. He was married March 1st, 1882, to Harriet M. Conant, at Northbridge, Mass., and they have a son, Thurston P., six years of age, and a daughter, Elnora E., four years of age. Albert F. Barry was born in Nashua, N. H., in the year 1866. His boyhood was spent under favorable circumstances, he attending the public schools, and later receiving the instruction of a private tutor and a college course, graduating at the University of New York City. He began practice in that city, but came to Providence in February, 1889. George Leonard Barnes, M.D., son of George L. and Eliza G. Barnes, was born in Smithfield, March 9th, 1839. He was brought up in that town, where he received his early education. After taking a partial course at Brown University he attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated in 1865. He then opened an office in New York city, in the fall of that year. In May, 1866, he estab- lished himself in practice at Hudson, N. Y., and after remaining there two years he settled in Providence, where he was very successful in his practice. He was married to Nettie Carr, April 3d, 1866. Four children have been born to them: Frederick A., Bradbury J., Carrie L. and Bradbury L. The first and last are living, the other two died young. About the beginning of 1884 his mind began to fail, and he gradually became incapacitated for his work. The disease grew upon him, and December 29th, 1885, he was taken to Butler Hospital, and is still an inmate of that institution. He was one of the founders of the Homeopathic Dispensary and the Homeopathic Hospital, both of Providence, and was a prominent member of the Rhode Island Homeopathic Society. His father had been a successful lawyer in Providence, and at his wish the son had adopted the profession of medicine. On the death of the father a large property had fallen to the son, and the subsequent loss of this was the occasion, if not the cause, of the development of the mental disease which retired him from active duties at an early age. R. Frank Cooke Browne, M.D., was born at Warren, R. I., October 6th, 1855. He was the son of S. Carter Browne, D.D, and his wife, Maria Russell Browne. He was educated privately until able to com- plete his studies at grammar and high school. He then entered the employ of Albert L. Calder, in the drug business, and in 1873 he be- came a student with E. T. Caswell, M.D., then surgeon to the Rhode Island Hospital. In May, 1874, he entered the medical department of Boston University, remaining there until the spring of 1876. In September of that year he entered the office of Doctors Schneider & Boynton, of Cleveland, Ohio, where he could have unusual advant- ages in the study of surgery in the hospital practice of his instruc- tors. He was anions: the surgeons on the relief train from Cleveland 92 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. to the scene of the terrible disaster at Ashtabula in the winter of 1876-77. He completed his studies at the Cleveland Medical College in the spring of 1877, but remained in the employ of Doctors Schnei- der & Boynton till the following July. In September he was married to May Logan, daughter of William Logan, of Cleveland, and soon after removed to Warren, R. L, where he commenced practice, and soon saw a very prosperous business accumulating on his hands. In the midst of it, in November, 1882, he was prostrated by a stroke of paralysis, having already been prostrated by one stroke while at Cleveland. On September 20th, 1883, his wife died, and he now de- termined to abandon his practice for the time being. He spent the winter in study in the hospitals of New York city, and sailed for Europe in the spring of 1884. After visiting the hospitals of London, Paris and Vienna, he returned to Rhode Island, resuming practice in the city of Providence. He soon after formed a partnership with William Caldwell, M.D., but failing health obliged him to retire from the excessive work of a city practice, and he located at Riverside, in East Providence, where he still resides, practicing his profession, and contributing to professional and general publications of the time. He is actively interested in the political affairs of the state, and gives his allegiance to the democratic party. In religious matters he is a churchman, having been a vestryman of St. Mark's church, and is a member of several of the secret societies of the state. Asa W. Brown, M.D., is of Puritan stock, being- of the ninth gen- eration from the " Mayflower," and was born in Sterling, Conn., Sep- tember 28th, 1813. His father was Daniel Brown, a farmer in moderate circumstances. The family lived in Sterling until our subject was three years old, when they removed to Killingly. Our subject attended the common schools of the time, and at the age of 18 began teaching school, and after his 21st year received an academ- ical education, for which he paid out of the small earnings of his school teaching. Having a fixed desire to enter the medical profes- sion he labored against unfavorable circumstances for many years, but finally graduated from the Homeopathic College of Cleveland, Ohio, in the spring of 1853. He soon after commenced practice in Centreville, R. I., but his health being poor he removed to Mystic Bridge, in the hope that the change might benefit him. There he re- mained until 1872, when he was obliged to give himself rest for a time on account of his health. In 1874 he located in Providence and soon had a large practice, and is still engaged in that field, enjoying good health and actively attending to business, at the age of 76 years. He has been three times married; first, at the age of 24, to Lucy M. Pray, by whom he had one daughter; second, to Maria Kies, by whom he had one son; third to Mrs. Lucy A. Brigs, when he was 69 years old. She is still living. Mr. Brown tried several other pursuits in early life, previous to entering the medical profession, but in none HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 93 found his congenial or successful calling until he found it in this, but here he has been uniformly successful. Miss Lucy H. A. Brown, M.D., daughter of Doctor Asa W. Brown by his first wife, was born in Killingly, Conn., June 8th, 1841. Her mother died when Lucy was but two months old, but just before her death she had given her babe to her sister, who afterward proved to be a kind mother to her infant charge. On reaching years of help- fulness to herself Miss Brown learned telegraphy, and followed the art for two years, and afterward engaged as book-keeper and as cashier in business houses in Providence. In 1877, at the suggestion of a phrenologist, and in the face of discouragement of her friends, she determined to study medicine. After studying with Doctor Jewell, of Catskill, N. Y., for one year, she entered the Homeopathic Hospital College of Cleveland, Ohio, in the fall of 1880, and gradu- ated from that institution with an honorable record of standing (over 90 per cent.), March 8th, 1882. She then came to Providence, and May 9th opened an office on Chestnut street. With health somewhat depleted by close application to her studies, the work of her practice soon began to wear upon her health, and after two years she was so far broken down that a change was necessary. She left this field and located at Normal Park, 111., where she procured a license and prac- ticed. In about two years her health was restored, and she returned to Providence, at first occupying the office with her father. Her practice soon grew so large that she opened an office by herself, at 336 Willard avenue, where she is now located, in the enjoyment of a good practice. L. H. Beaudry, M.D., was born December 23d, 1842, in St. Damase, St. Hyacinthe county, Quebec; being the son of Francis X. and Euse- bie (Hebert) Beaudry. His father was a farmer, and is still living in Canada, at the age of 89 years. Our subject went to the parish school from 1850 to 1855, and from the latter date to 1861 attended St. Hya- cinthe College. After leaving college he was for a time engaged in farming, with his father. He was married about that time, to Marie P. Lucier of his native town. They have had twelve children, of whom six died in infancy. Those living are: Marie Louise, now the wife of Doctor L. P. de Prandpie of Fall River, Mass.; Louis Philippe; Rodrigue D.; Victorine H.; Edgar and Bertha. From 1866 to 1868 young Beaudry engaged as a teacher at St. Pie, Bagot county, Quebec, and in the latter year he began to study medicine at McGill Univer- sity, Montreal. After graduating there with honors, in 1871, he practiced medicine 15 years at St. Cesaire, Rouville county, Quebec. While there he held the office of councilman for two years, post- master two years, and inspector of licenses under the federal liquor law, two years. From that place he removed to Pawtucket, where he has practiced since May 1st, 1886, being well patronized. 94 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. George A. Brug, M.D., the son of Philip and Marguerita Brug, was born in New York city, May 29th, 1853. He was educated in the pub- lic schools of Providence, R. I., and after graduating from the clas- sical department of the liigh school, entered Brown University. After remaining there two years he took two courses of medical lectures at Bowdoin College, and one course at Detroit Medical School. He graduated with honors at Bowdoin in June, 1875. In September fol- lowing he went to Europe, where he visited the principal hospitals in London, and after visiting other countries, spent eight months in hospital work in Vienna and six weeks in Paris, and four months in Strasburg in study. Returning to Providence he opened an office at 212 Broad street, and afterward moved to 137 Washington street. He has been engaged in practice in Providence for the past 11 years. He is a member of the Rhode Island Medical Society, the Providence Medical Association, and is connected with a number of charitable and beneficial orders, a surgeon in different organizations of militia, and has served as medical externe at the Rhode Island Hospital. He was married to Miss Eliza Campbell, at Norfolk, Mass., January 1st, 1879, and has three children: Philip G., Eden M. and Grace E. Edwin Boulster, M. D., was born in North Smithfield, July 4th, 1843, his parents being Warren and Samantha M. Boulster. His edu- cation was confined to the common school until he was old enough to earn the means with which to pursue it further. He learned the trade of a brass moulder, and by working at that and other kinds of work he was able to pay his way at higher schools. He spent several terms in Lapham Institute, North Scituate,and afterward learned the trade of a carpenter and joiner, working in that line for several years. In 1872 and 1873 he took his first course in Bowdoin College, and in 1874 entered the Eclectic University of Philadelphia. Graduating there in March, 1875, he went to Burrillville and began practice. A tier eight years spent there he entered a partnership with Doctor A. S. Wetherel at Woonsocket, but retained his office in Burrillville. He is still practicing in both places, mostly in Woonsocket. He was married in 1887, to Eudora E. Burlingame. Rufus Herbert Carver, M.D., son of Charles H. and Sarah Carver, was born at Taunton, Mass., January 22d, 1849. He attended the common schools, graduating from the high school in 1866, and from Harvard Medical School in 1870. He began practice in Providence in May of that year. In February, 1872, he removed to Pascoag, and took the practice of Doctor Samuel O. Griffin, who was sick, and in March, 1873, he returned to Providence and became associated with Doctors Capron and Perry. This partnership was dissolved in Octo- ber, 1877, since which time he has been practicing at 12 Aborn street. He has been visiting physician to the Providence Lying-in Hospital since its foundation, and admitting physician for the last two years. He is a member of the medical societies of state and city and is un- married. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 95 Charles K. Clark, M.D., was born in Scituate, in 1851. He is a son of Daniel A. Clark, Sr., whose wife was Mary E. Harrington. His paternal ancestors for three generations back were of the same name. Charles K. was educated at Lapham Institute and Bellevue Hospital Medical College, New York. He graduated from the latter institu- tion in 1874, and in 1875 located at Fiskville, in the Pawtuxet valley, where he has since been engaged in the practice of his profession. He has held the offices of assessor of taxes and school committee. He was married in 1876, to Miss Lizzie Manta, daughter of Reverend Zebulon Manta, of Maine, and they have had two children, a son and a daughter, of which only the former is now living. William Caldwell, M.D., was born in Boston, Mass., August 17th. 1844. His parents were Samuel R. and Harriet Caldwell. In his youthful years he became a drug clerk and followed that business ten 3 r ears. He commenced practicing medicine as a physician in 1867, and settled in Providence, his present location, in 1873. He was a member of the school committee from 1882 to 1889, and has been sur- geon to the United Train of Artillery, and examining physician for several benefit societies. He married Ella M. Tibbets of Portland, Me., in 1870, and has two children— Eva May and Edith Maude. Doctor Hector Canfield, son of Pearl and Lydia Canfield, was born in Stanstead, Province of Quebec, February 8th, 1834, where he shared the experience in general of the average country lad of half a century ago. He attended the district school three months in winter and did general farm work in summer, until 14 years of age, when he assumed the function of the " printer's devil " in the office of the local paper, the Stanstead Journal. There he remained about six years, and then went to Manchester, N. H., and thence to St. Johnsbury, Vt., to fill the position of foreman of the Caledonian office, where he superin- tended the introduction of steam power presses into that office. At that place he graduated from the printing office to the Christian min- istry, in 1861, and from that time forward he held the pastoral rela- tion successively in Cabot and Waterbury, Vt.; Pittsfield and Barn- stead, N. H.; Boston, North Attleboro and Newburyport, Mass.; and Providence, R. I. He was married in his native town, in 1854, to Laura L. Stone. Their children were: George C, Lillie E., Henry H. (deceased), Florence L. and Minnie E. Having pursued a somewhat systematic course of reading on the subject of medicine, under the direction and by the advice of different physicians he commenced the practice of medicine in 1868, in Pittsfield, N. H., and in his suc- cessive fields, at North Attleboro, Newburyport and Providence he has practiced, meeting with very encouraging recognition, and a good degree of success. George Wheaton Carr was born in Warwick, R. I., January 31st, 1834. He was the son of John and Maria Brayton Carr. After a full preliminary academic education he entered Brown University, and 96 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. graduated as A.M. in 1857. He then studied medicine in the office of Doctor J. W. C. Ely, of Providence, and in the medical department of Columbian College, at Washington, D. C, and subsequently in the University of Pennsylvania, graduating thence in 1860. In that year he was appointed assistant surgeon general of the state of Rhode Island, on the staff of Governor William Sprague. In 1861 he was commissioned assistant surgeon of the 1st R. I. D. Militia, on the staff of Colonel A. E. Burnside, who then commanded that regiment. He served with the regiment at Camp Sprague, Washington, and at the first battle of Bull Run. On the muster out of that regiment (being a three months regiment) in August, 1861, he was commissioned assist- ant surgeon, and soon after surgeon, of the 2dR. I. Vols., commanded by Colonel Frank Wheaton, afterward general. He was with the regiment at Camp Brightwood, Washington, and in all the battles and marches of the army of the Potomac, acting also as brigade surgeon and field operating surgeon, in which capacity he served at the battles of York- town, Mechanicsville, Hanover Junction, Gaines' Mill, Seven Pines, Chickahominy Swamp, the seven days battle before Richmond, Mal- vern Hill, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Spottsylvania, Brandy Station, Mine Run and Gettysburg. He was mustered out with the regiment in 1864, and was soon after commissioned brigade surgeon of the Second Brigade of R. I. Militia. In 1868 he was appointed examin- ing surgeon of pensions; in 1869, medical director of the R. I. wState Militia; in 1878, consulting surgeon of the R. I. Hospital; in 1877 consulting physician of the Butler Hospital, all of which positions he now holds. He served as surgeon of the R. I. Hospital from the opening of that institution till 1888, when he resigned, after 20 years service. Warren Cooke, M.D., of Lincoln, was at the time of his death one of the oldest and most prominent physicians in the town. He was the son of Jesse and Lydia (Thayer) Cooke, and was born in Uxbridge, Massachusetts, August 10th, 1809. He studied medicine with Doctor Hiram Cleveland of Pawtucket, and subsequently took a course of lec- tures in the Columbian Medical College, Washington, D. C, taking his degree of M.D. from that institution, then under the presidency of Doctor Stephen Chapen, in the year 1834. He practiced his profes- sion first in the state of Maryland. In 1836. under the advice of Doc- tor Cleveland he came to this place and for 30 years thereafter was located at Lonsdale, where he pursued a large and lucrative practice. He was always in feeble health, yet with few interruptions from sickness he labored faithfully until 1867, when his health became so much impaired that he was compelled to give up the greater part of his active business. About this time he moved a short distance from Lonsdale to what is known as the Smith place, one of the oldest landmarks in the country. It was his object in moving here to re- tire to a more quiet life, but he kept actively engaged in his profes- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 97 sional pursuits until the day of his decease in 1878, when he dropped dead from heart disease while in conversation with a youthful friend then on a visit to the family. He was very attentive to the wants and needs of others in his profession, but was quiet, reserved and much opposed to ostentation or great show. While in Lonsdale he filled several positions of trust, honor and responsibility. He was selected at one time by his fellow townsmen for representative to the state legislature, but he felt the duties of his profession were such that he should not accept. He always took a deep interest in the affairs of the village. He delivered lectures before the Young Men's Lyceum. He was elected vestryman in Christ's church, October 23d, 1835. He' declined but was elected again April 18th, 1830, and continued to serve until 1848, when he was elected treasurer. He was sent to the Diocesan Convention several times. He was one of the school committee for eight or ten years. In all the various duties in life he acted conscientiously and from a high sense of integrity. " In the sick chamber he was kind and gentle," says a leading publication, " never precipitate or rash. In cases of doubt or perplexity he sought counsel. For double dealing and quackery he had the utmost contempt. Principle was always paramount to self interest. He died May loth, 1873." In November, 1845, he married Elizabeth Arnold of Smithfjeld, R. I. One daughter, Mrs. Harriet Elizabeth Thornton, survives him. Mrs. Cooke was the daughter of Jonathan and Abigail Arnold. Her mother was the daughter of John Randall of North Providence, of one of the oldest representative families in the county. Benoni Carpenter, M.D., of Pawtucket, was a native of Rehoboth. Mass.. being the eldest son of Caleb Carpenter. He studied medicine with Doctor Usher Parsons, and entered Brown L T niversity, graduat- ing in 1829. He then attended Jefferson Medical College, of Phila- delphia, from which institution he received his diploma in 1832. He commenced the practice of medicine in his native town, and subse- quently removed to Seekonk Center, and still later came to Pawtucket. After practicing there until 1856. he removed to North Attleboro, Mass., but returned to Pawtucket in 1860. During the war he was connected with the army in his professional capacity. He died in November. 1877. His wife was Adeline Everett, of Wrentham, Mass., and their children were: Everett A., a lawyer of Sag Harbor, Long Island; W. B. Carpenter, a lawyer practicing in New York city; Ade- line E., widow of J. Stone, now resides in Hyde Park. Mass.; Frank H., engaged in mercantile business in New York city; Fred. B., a physician of East Providence; and Sally S.,wife of Frank B.Webster, of Hyde Park. Fred. B. Carpenter, M.D., was born in Pawtucket, June 8th, 1845. After attending the high school of that town he entered Brown Uni- versity in 1864. He then studied medicine with Doctor Lloyd Mor- 7 OS HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. ton, of Pawtucket, and in 1868 received his degree of M.D. from Harvard Medical College. In that year he began to practice medicine in East Providence, where he still remains. George Edward Carpenter, M.D., was born August 23d, 1849, in that part of the town of Seekonk, Mass., which on March 1st, 1862, became East Providence, R. I. His parents were George Otis and Amanda i Armington) Carpenter. His early life was passed on his father's farm and in attendance at the district schools of the town. In the fall of 1865 he entered the English and classical school of Messrs. Mowry & GofT, in Providence, from the classical department of which he graduated in 1868. He then entered Brown University, from which he was graduated with the degree of A.B., in 1873, having been absent from college one year in 1870-71, during which time he studied medicine. He received the degree of A.M. from Brown in 1878. After graduation he studied medicine with Doctor Sylvanus Clapp, of Pawtucket, R. I., and attended lectures at the Long Island College Hospital, at Brooklyn, N. Y., and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York city, and from the latter institution he received the degree of M.D., March 1st, 1875. He joined the Rhode Island Medical Society in March, 1875, and in the following autumn commenced practice in the village of Sand Bank, Oswego county, N. Y., where he remained until April, 1878. On July 1st, 1878, he com- menced practice in East Providence, where he has since remained. He has held the offices of school committee, town superintendent of schools, and health officer, in East Providence. He was married November 9th, 1875, to Eliza K., daughter of Perry Barney, of East Providence, and their five children have been: Edna R., John B., George ( ). (deceased), Ida M. and Mary A. Lee Wheaton Clapp, M.D., was born January 3d, 1849, in Paw-* tucket, and graduated from Harvard Medical College in 1873. During the same year he commenced the practice of medicine in Pawtucket, and still continues in that field. Sylvanus Clapp, M.D., was born in West Hampton, Mass., Novem- ber 22d, 1815. After taking a course of lectures at Harvard College, he graduated from Dartmouth College in 1836. He practiced medi- cine five years in Massachusetts, and then came to Pawtucket, in 1S41. At the latter place he continued in practice till his death, June 15th, 1879. Hiram Cleveland, M.D., late of Pawtucket, was born in Plainfield, Conn., January 8th, 1799. He graduated from Woodstock, Vermont, Medical College, and for a time practiced in Coventry, R. I. In 1823 he came to Pawtucket, where he continued to reside and practice medicine till his death, in 1858. He joined the state medical society in 1824. Doctor Cleveland married Miss Esther Robinson, and be- came the father of three sons, all of whom grew to manhood, but are now dead. Their names were Henry A., George Clinton and Charles HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 99 Carroll. The second was a physician of Rehoboth and Cumberland Hill. Doctor Cleveland was one of 34 who formed the first temper- ance society in Rhode Island. He was deeply interested in educa- tional matters, and assisted a number of young persons to obtain an education. Mrs. Mary, wife of Henry Jenks, was an adopted daugh- ter of Doctor Cleveland, and now resides on the old homestead. Doctor I. S. Cook, a graduate of Harvard, and of Tufts College, of Massachusetts, came to this county soon after the death of Doctor Nutting. He had been principal of Perkins Academy two years. He graduated from Harvard in 1886, and came here in 1887. He is still practicing at Georgiaville. Doctor James Henry Davenport, now practicing at 5 Harrison street, Providence, was born in Fall River, Mass., March 17th, 1862. His parents were William and Julia S. (Gifford) Davenport. He was educated in the public schools of Fall River, Brown University (class of 1883), medical department of the University of Vermont (class of 1885), and medical department of Harvard University (class of 1887). He was interne at Rhode Island Hospital from September 1st, 188f), to November 1st, 1886; and resident physician at Boston Lying-in Hospital from January 1st to May 1st, 1887. He has been in private practice in Providence since September, 1887. He is a member of several medical societies, and is assistant surgeon in the department of Gynaecology at the Rhode Island Hospital. Francois X. Dion is located at Central Falls in the practice of medicine as a certified pharmacist, not having attained to the full degree of an M.D. He has, however, practiced his profession with success for many years. He is the father of nine children. Addington Davenport, M.D.,was born at Boylston, Mass., May 7th, 1785. He married Eliza Kennedy, and practiced medicine in Paw- tucket many years. He died there, September 21st, 1822, leaving two sons, Addington and George. The former was born in Rehoboth, now Pawtucket, February 8th, 1808. He studied medicine with Doctor Ira Barrows, and graduated from Brown University. He practiced medicine in Pawtucket, Newport and Providence, and died in Pawtucket August 1st, 1864. His wife was Elizabeth Mumford, and they had four children, only one of whom, Horace W., is now living. Raymond P. Eddy, M.D., of Greenville, was born in Smithfield. August 17th, 1823. His early years were spent working on the farm and in the mill, and for a time he was engaged in the jewelry busi- ness. His health failing he turned his attention to the study of medi- cine. In 1860 he received the degree of M.D. from the Medical Insti- tute of Cincinnati, Ohio, and since that time has practiced in the town of Smithfield. He was married November 27th, 1846, to Eliza, daughter of Harry Smith. Their children were: Albert Fulton, Elmer Bertley and Raymond Perry. Mrs. Eddy died April 6th, L.ofC. 100 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 1842; and Doctor Eddy married his second wife, Miss Ella M. Haw- kins, and by this marriage is the father of one daughter, Ruth Pearl Eddy. Elmer Bertley Eddy, son of the last noticed, was born in Smith- field, January 8th, 1850. After his graduation from the Lapham In- stitute, in 1870, he began the study of medicine under his father. He graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York, in 1873, and practiced with his father a short time afterward. He is now practicing in Olneyville. Elmer S. Fiske, M.D., was born in Manchester, N. H., April 19th, 1861. His parents were Jeremiah and Sarah A. (Davis) Fiske. He attended the public schools in Manchester until May, 1877. when he removed with his parents to North Scituate, R. I. He attended Lap- ham Institute in the winter of 1879-80, and taught district school in the winter of 1880-81, in the town of Johnston, pursuing the study of medicine meanwhile under the instruction of Doctor Walter J. Smith of North Scituate. He also taught school in Scituate one year, be- ginning April 1st, 1881. In the fall of 1882 he entered the medical department of the University of the City of New York, from which he graduated in March, 1884. He immediately settled at Clayville, taking the practice of Doctor Jefferson Howard, who had recently died. He removed to Olneyville in September, 1884, and has prac- ticed there to the present time. He has held the office of member and secretary of the board of health, and town physician, and is a member of the State Medical Association. John T. Farrell, M.D., was born in Webster, Mass., September 11th, 1858, and is the eldest of five sons of Thomas and Catherine (Thompson) Farrell. He received a high school education in his native town, and then entered the leading dry goods house as a clerk. In early boyhood industry and power of application were in- culcated in him by his parents, and his school-boy days were marked by evidence of ambition, energy and executive ability. During sum- mer vacations he published a local paper, which yielded some finan- cial returns. Later in the dry goods store he rose in four years from tlic rank of chore boy to that of confidential clerk. Love of physio- logical study, however, awakened in his high school course, devel- oped as he maintained manhood, and bore fruit in a determination to relinquish glowing mercantile opportunities, and with this ambi- tion inspiring him he entered Jefferson Medical College of Philadel- phia, and pursuing its course, graduated in April, 1886. A few weeks later he opened an office for the practice of medicine at 1033 High street, Providence, where he has by earnest application built up a large and lucrative practice in the Olneyville section of the city and vicinity. Frank Lyman Forsyth, M.D.. was born in Hampton, N. H., Febru- ary loth, 1854. 1 1 is father was Francis Flint Forsyth, M.D., born in HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 101 Deering, N. H., and his mother in her maidenhood was Sarah Jane Dickerman, a native of Easton, Mass. Our subject lived in South Abington, Mass., from 1855 to 1862, and then moved to Weymouth, Mass. He was educated at the Public Latin School of Boston, and at the North Weymouth High School; matriculated at the Medical School of Harvard University in June, 1873, and received the degree of M.D,in June, 1876. He practiced a few months in Weymouth, then served one year as medical and surgical interne at the Rhode Island Hospital, and was connected with the out-patient department of that hospital for two or three years. Since 1877 he has been in practice in Providence, his present residence and office being at 133 Broadway, corner of America street. He joined the Massachu- setts Medical Society in 1876, and Rhode Island Medical Society and Providence Medical Association in March, 1877. He held the com- mission as first lieutenant in Company E, Slocum Light Guards, R. I. Militia, for six years, resigning it in 1887. He is prominent in many secret beneficial societies, including Masons and Odd Fellows. He was married June 11th, 1873, to Bertha Y. Stevens, of New Haven, Conn. The progenitor of his family in America was Deacon Mather Forsyth, a native of Scotland, born about 1700, and settled in Ches- ter, N. H., in 1730. Frank Boutelle Fuller, M. D., is the eldest son of Ruel V. B. and Harriet A. (Houghton) Fuller, and was born in Wilton, Maine, August 28th, 1856. He attended Maine Wesleyan Seminary, at Read- field, and Bates College, at Lewiston, Maine. He was graduated from Harvard Medical College in the spring of 1878. He was house surgeon of Rhode Island Hospital at Providence, in 1879; house sur- geon for the Boston Lying-in Hospital, in 1880; and in the fall of that year came to Pawtucket, where he has from that time continued in the practice of his profession. He is medical examiner for the towns of Pawtucket and Lincoln, and a member of the medical socie- ties of Rhode Island and Providence, and of the Medico-Legal Society. Abraham Z. Falcom, M.D., was born in the province of Quebec, March 16th, 1S57. After taking a classical course at Montreal Classical College, he entered Victoria College, at Montreal, from which he re- ceived the degree of M.D. in 1879. During that year he established himself in the practice of medicine in Central Falls, where he still remains. He is a member of the medical societies and a registered pharmacist. Charles Henry French, M.D., is a native of Waterbury, Conn., where he was born January 29th, 1858. He was the only son of Henry W. French. After attending the local schools he took an academic course at North Wilbraham, Mass., and subsequently entered Yale College, where he graduated. He then took a course of lectures at Bellevue Hospital, New York, receiving the degree of 1(,2 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. M.D. in 1880. He was a surgeon in the charity hospital, Blackwell's Island, from 1880 to 1882; began practice at Waterbury, Conn., in 1882; and came to Pawtucket in 1887, where he still resides and practices his profession. He has held membership in many profes- sional and social societies wherever he has been located. He mar- ried Florence Wells, of Waterbury, and has one son, Horace. Doctor Charles Harris Fisher, son of George Clinton and Harriet (Cady) Fisher, was born in Killingly, Conn., June 30th, 1822. His early educational advantages were very limited, but later he acquired a fair classical and scientific education, the expenses of which, with those of his subsequent medical studies, were defrayed solely by his personal labor. He pursued the study of medicine with Doctor Jus- tin Hammond, of Connecticut, and Prof. Alfred C. Post, M.D., LL.D., of New York. He was connected as student and assistant with the New York City Hospital, and received his medical education at that institution and at the University of the City of New York, and at Dartmouth Medical College, where he was graduated in 1847; and afterward attended lectures at the medical department of Har- vard University. Immediately after this he settled in Scituate, R.I., where he engaged in general practice, but gave special attention to uterine diseases and to the surgical branch of his profession, perform- ing nearly all the surgical operations that were called for within a considerable extent of 'surrounding country, where he was for some years principal consulting physician. He has been prominent in the Rhode Island Medical Society since joining it in 1850, and repre- sented it at the meeting of the American Association in 1858. He has served the state society for many years as censor, vice-president and president. Outside of professional lines he has held various offices: superintendent of schools and various town offices; state sen- ator at different times, during which service he was a member of the judiciary committee and other prominent committees; member of the state board of education from 1870 to 1880, when he declined further re-election; trustee of State Normal School ten years; chairman of state fish commission; presidential elector in 1876; president of Citi- zens' Union Bank; president of Scituate National Bank, 1865 to 1876; secretary of state board of health, 1878 to 1890; and as presiding officer of many social, literary and benevolent associations of the county and state. He took an active part in the establishment of the State Normal School, the work of stocking the waters of the state with fish, and promoting the construction of the Providence & Springfield railroad. In 1862 he was appointed a member of the surgical board of exemption from draft, and from 1862 to 1865 was an inspector of recruits for the army, being denied service in the field because of physical disability. In L880 he removed to Providence, and was that year elected commissioner of public health and state registrar of vital statistics, both of which offices he still holds. He has done much HISTORY OF PROVIDENC] COUNTY. 103 literary work, in various lines: contributed to the public press and to medical periodicals; prepared eleven annual reports on the registra- tion of births, marriages and deaths in Rhode Island, amounting to about 2,200, and twelve annual reports of the state board of health, comprising about 4,250 pages; edited the Monthly Bulletin of the state board of health (a periodical of 20 octavo pages) from the commence- ment in 1888; and drafted numerous acts for legislative approval, many of which are now embodied in the public statutes and laws of the state. He has been a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science; the American Social Science Associa- tion; the American Public Health Association, of which he is one of the advisory council; the American Medical Association; the Inter- national Medical Congress of 1887, held at Washington, D. C, and of the Congress of 1890, held in Berlin, Germany. He was married February 22d, 1849, to Sophia R. Smith, of Scituate, and has four children: George R., a graduate of Brown University and a practicing physician; Mary S., wife of Franklin P. Owen, a lawyer by profes- sion; Ruth M., wife of Walter J. Smith, a practicing physician; and Lizzie H., wife of Albert W. Chapman, in the office of W. A. Chap- man & Co., contractors; all of Providence. Lucius F. C. Garvin, of Cumberland, was born in Knoxville, Tenn., November 13th, 1841. His parents were James A. and Sarah A. (Gunn) Garvin. When our subject was eight years of age his mother removed to Greensboro, N. C, his father, who was a professor in East Tennessee University, having died a year or two before. He was fitted for college in part at a private school in Greensboro, and later at New Garden (now Guilford College), a Friends' boarding school, six miles from his home. At 16 years of age he entered Amherst College, and was graduated from that institution in the class of 1862, and from Harvard Medical School in 1867. Meanwhile he served in the war, enlisting as a private in Company E, 51st Mass. Vols., under General Foster, in North Carolina. He taught school at different times, before and after the war. In the spring of 1867 he began the practice of his profession at Lonsdale, where he still resides. He is medical examiner for District No. 7 (town of Cumberland), and has held the office of moderator of the town of Cumberland for two years, and representative from that town from March 6th, 1883, to May, 1884, and again in 1885 to 1887. In 1880 he entered upon an active propaganda of the extension of suffrage in the state, and in the spring of 1888 had the gratification of witnessing the adoption of an amend- ment to the constitution granting a free suffrage to all adult male citizens in the election of all civil officers excepting members of city councils. In 1889-90 he represented his town in the state legislature as senator. He was married at Middletown, Conn., December 23d, 1869, to Lucy W. Southmayd, and they have three children — Ethel, Norma and Florence. L04 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. William F. Gleason was born January 1st, 1861, at Milford, Mass., being the son of John and Anne Gleason. He graduated at the gram- mar and high schools of his native town, Exeter Academy and Har- vard Medical School, and settled in Hopkinton, Mass, in the practice of medicine in October, 1885. Thence he removed to Providence in February, 1887, and there continues to practice. He is still un- married. Mrs. Susan M. Grimwood, M.D., was Miss Susan M. Cooley, a native of Ossipee, N. H. (Stafford county). She commenced her education at Dover, N. H., and finished at Boston, where she married Doctor Fred. Clarke, an English allopathic doctor. After his death she studied medicine a year with Doctor Harrington, and then came to Providence, where she read a year with Doctor Capron, now deceased. This was just before the late war, and when that broke out she be- came interested in hospital work under Doctor Weeden at Ports- mouth Grove and at other hospitals. She married Daniel C. Grimwood in February, 1864. He was in the recruiting service at the beginning of the war, and later was in the quartermaster's department. He died in February, 1889. Her grandfather, John Cooley, came from Holland, and served in the war of the revolution. Her father, Thomas, was the youngest of his five sons. Her mother's maiden name was Williams. Mrs. Grimwood has practiced medicine in Provi- dence now some 35 years. She has two children: Vertine E. Grim- wood, now the wife of N. Hammond of Boston, and a son, F. S. Grim- wood. John R. Goodale, M.D., was born February 3d, 1837, at West Boylston, Mass., his parents being Norman H. Goodale, a native of Vermont, and Olive Read, daughter of Captain John Read, of West Boylston, where they lived on the farm until the end of their lives. Our subject worked on the farm and studied in Professor May's private school for several years, afterward a high school. He then studied medicine with Doctor Kelleyof Worcester, Mass., and later with Wal- ter Burnham of Lowell, Mass. From 1855 to 1858 he studied in the Worcester Medical Institution, and in 1858 began practice at West Boylston. In the following year he removed to Pawtucket, where he lias been practicing ever since. In 1871 he attended lectures at the New York Eclectic College of Medicine, and received his degree from that institution. He became a member of the National Eclectic Medical Association in 1871, and served as a delegate to represent this state m that body for J 4 years. He was married in 1859, to Addie, eldest daughter of Doctor Davis. Their two children are Addie, now married and living at Oakland, Cal.; and Lillie, now the wife of Frank Perkins and living in Pawtucket. William Gottschalk, M.D., is the son of Doctor William Von Gotts- chalk, the " Von " now being dropped from the name. The elder was a C.erman exile, and came to this country in 1848, after the revolu- HISTORY <>F PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 105 tion in that country. He practiced medicine in Providence 35 years. The younger is a graduate of the medical department of Boston Uni- versity, and has practiced medicine at Central Falls since 1877. William Alpheus Gaylord, M.D., of Pawtucket. was born in West- field, Mass., June 17th, 1826. He took a classical course at Washing- ton Academy, now Trinity College, Hartford, Conn., and afterward attended Harvard Medical College, where he graduated in 1848. Doctor Gaylord commenced the practice of medicine at Henniker, * N. H., during the year of his graduation. In the winter of 1849 he settled in Valley Falls, where he remained until 1856, when he re- moved to Pawtucket, and has since that time practiced there. Johnson Gardner, M.D., in his time a noted physician of Paw- tucket, was born at Rehoboth, Mass., November 22d, 1799, and was the youngest son of James and Susan Gardner. In his early life he taught school in his native town. He commenced the study of medi- cine w T ith Doctor Usher Parsons, of Providence, and graduated from the medical department of Brown University in 1824, after which he commenced the practice of medicine in Pawtucket, during the same year. From that time to 1842 he was one of the most prominent physicians in that town. In the year mentioned he removed to See- konk, now East Providence, where he remained until the winter of 1853-4, when he returned to Pawtucket. In the fall of 1861, having been appointed by President Lincoln and Governor James Y. Smith, medical examiner of the state volunteers of Rhode Island, he opened an office on Benefit street, Providence. He was prominently con- cerned with political affairs, having been a member of the Massachu- setts house of representatives three or four terms, state senator, and member of the governor's council during the administration of Governor Boutwell of Massachusetts. He was appointed by Governor Briggs of Massachusetts as one of three commissioners to settle the boundary line between that state and Rhode Island, and his report was given the preference. He was an honored member of the state and local medical societies wherever he was located. He died at Pawtucket, December 12th, 1869, and left the following family: John A., who was district attorney of the state under President Grant's administration, and died at Providence in the 48th year of his age; Ellen, w r ife of Joseph A. Bourn, of Providence; Josephine, wife of Lyman B. Frieze, of Providence; Walter S., a resident of Pawtucket; Lenora S., wife of Richard Grinnell, of Providence, and Clarence T., a physician, of the same city. Edgar Chapman Gates, M.D., was born in Providence, September 18th, 1858. His parents were Elam Horatio, and Elizabeth (Chap- man) Gates. After attending the public schools, at the age of 15 he entered the University Grammar School, and after graduating there entered Brown University in 1877. He commenced the study of medicine in the offices of Doctors Barrow, Wilcox and Green, and 106 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. pursued the study in the University Medical College of the City of New York, graduating therefrom in March, 1881. After being asso- ciated with Doctor Edward Sanford for three months, he opened an office of his own in July, 1881. This was in Attleboro, Mass., where he remained five years, having a fair amount of practice. A favora- ble opening presenting" itself he removed to Providence in 1886, and there continues in practice. He is a member of many fraternal socie- ties, and holds honorable or professional positions in most of them. Simeon Hunt, son of William D. and Lydia (Chase) Hunt, was born in Seekonk, Mass., in 1837. He was educated in part at the Friends' school, at Providence, and entered Dartmouth College in L858. Graduating from the latter institution in 1862, he studied medi- cine, and graduated from that department in 1864. He was appointed by President Lincoln assistant surgeon of the 69th U. S. Colored In- fantry, in October, 1864. In the spring of 1865 he began the practice of medicine in Corry, Penn., remaining there about three months. He afterward practiced in Springfield, Erie county, Penn., and in the spring of 1868 located in East Providence, where he has since prac- ticed. He was health officer for a number of years, and for a number of years was on the school committee. In July, 1884, he was appoint- ed state medical examiner. He is a member of the local, state and national medical societies, and of several social organizations. His wife was Anna M., daughter of Samuel W. Balch, of Lyme, N. H. Joseph Hils, M.D., of Woonsocket, was born at St. Grigvire-Le- Grand, Iberville county, Quebec. He graduated at McGill Universi- ty. Montreal, in 1873, and immediately began the practice of medi- cine in Woonsocket. He is a member of the Hospital Staff, and also of the Rhode Island Medical Society, and was for several years presi- dent of the St. John Society. John R. Harrington, M.D., of Valley Falls, is the eldest son of Pat- rick and Ann Harrington, and was born in Fall River, Mass., Decem- ber 10th, 1849. After attending the local schools he became a stud- ent at the Bryant & Stratton Business College, in Providence. Later he pursued the study of medicine, and in 1877 graduated from Har- vard Medical College. In the same year he commenced the practice of medicine in Pawtucket, and remained there until 1879, when he moved to Central Falls. Thence he moved to Valley Falls in 1883, and there he has since continued to practice. His wife was Jennie Quigley, and their two children are John Edward, and Jennie G. 1 larrington. "ev B. Haines. M.D.. of Valley falls, was born in Northfield, N"- H., May 31st, 1843, and was the eldest son of Benjamin and Martha (Kenison) Haines. After attending the local schools he en- tered the New Hampshire Conference Seminary, at Tilton, after which he studied medicine with C. B. Willis, M.D., of Tilton, and with Doctors John II. Clark and Thomas Ililard, of the U. S. Navy. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 107 From 1S65 to 1872 he was in the employ of the U. S. Government, being stationed at Portsmouth, N. H., on board the receiving ships " Vandalia " and "Sabine." In 1870 he graduated from Dartmouth College, where he received his diploma. He commenced the prac- tice of medicine at Valley Falls in 1872, and there he still continues to practice. He is a member of the Rhode Island Medical Society. George A. Harris, M.D., of Chepachet, is a native of Scituate, where he was born May 19th, 1856. He graduated from the Lapham Institute in the class of 1873, and in 1876 began the study of medi- cine under Doctor Albert Potter, of Chepachet. He graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of the City of New York, in the class of 1879. He then commenced practice in the village of Greenville, but in 1880 came to Chepachet, his present field of prac- tice. He married Ella L., daughter of Edward B. Smith, of Scituate. John Frederick Haller, M.D., was born in Smaland, Sweden, October 16th, 1862. His father was a music teacher as well as a teacher of other branches, in the high school. Our subject received a common school education, and afterward college tuition with a view toward the study of medicine, but he graduated from the com- mercial department and became a bookkeeper and office clerk for several years. He emigrated to the United States at the age of 19, and became organist in the First Lutheran church of Jamestown, N. Y., being at the same time bookkeeper for a wholesale firm. He worked for some time in a piano manufactory at Jamestown, as tuner and regulator. He took a lively interest in politics and held minor ward positions, and bought a Swedish newspaper in 1884 and published it until 188S. In the meantime he was studying medicine at the Uni- versity of Buffalo, graduating from that institution in 1888. He then sold his newspaper, and removed to Providence, R. I., and began practice, making specialties of diseases of throat and air passages and bowels and liver. In November, 1888, he started the first Swedish newspaper in Rhode Island, The Tiden, and he is also a writer for newspapers and periodicals and a frequent speaker at public meet- ings on temperance, church matters and political questions. He is a member of many social and medical societies. He was married to Adelaide Luther, of Providence, June 11th, 1889. Doctor Edmund Abbott was born March 12th, 1857, at Winter- port, Maine. He received the degree of Bachelor of Science at the State College of Maine, in 1876, and the degree of M.D. from the medical department of the University of New York City, in 1879. He was in successful practice of medicine at Winterport, Me., from 1879 to 1887, and held the office of president of the Waldo County Medical Association in 1885, and of the Penobscot Medical Associa- tion in 1886. He removed to Providence in 1887, where he has be- come a member of the state and city medical societies. His father was Doctor Charles Abbott, who practiced surgery in Maine for 25 I (IS HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. years; grandfather, Doctor Edmund Abbott, practiced 52 years; and great-grandfather was Doctor Ware, of Dighton, Mass. Sayer Hasbrouck, M.D., was born at Middletown, Orange county, X. V.. June 3d, 18(H). His father was John W. Hasbrouck, and his 111 >ther Lydia Sayer Hasbrouck. The circumstances of his boyhood were in every way comfortable, and after the usual discipline in the public schools of Middletown he pursued a four years Latin scientific course at Cook Academy, Havana, N. Y., graduating there in 1879. In the following fall he began the study of medicine at Boston Uni- versity wSchool of Medicine, and graduated with the degree of M.D. in June, 1882. While in Boston he was house surgeon of the city dispensary for one year. He spent the next two years abroad, and while there received the degree of " L. M." — Licentiate of Midwifery — from the Rotunda Hospital at Dublin, Ireland. In the same city he was also connected with St. Mark's Eye and Ear Hospital as house surgeon, for nearly a year. He was also clinical assistant, and acting- assistant surgeon to Moorfield Ophthalmic House, London, and clini- cal assistant at the Gray's Inn Throat and Ear Hospital of London. After spending some time in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Paris, he re- turned home and located in Providence in July, 1884, devoting him- self specially to diseases of the eye, ear and throat. He was married in Providence, September 25th, 1889, to Mary Owen Fiske, daughter of John T. Fiske, of Chepachet. He has been connected as ophthal- mic surgeon with the Rhode Island Homeopathic Hospital since its organization, and as consulting ophthalmic surgeon to the Providence Homeopathic Dispensary. He was one of the active organizers of the Rhode Island Yacht Club, was for three years its president and is at present its commodore. He is a member of the Rhode Island and New York state medical societies and of the American Institute of Homeopathy. Besides being a mem- ber of various social and charitable organizations, and a contribu- tor to American literature, he is a member of the Holland Society of New York, a society of Dutch Knickerbockers whose ancestry came to this country previous to the year 1675. Doctor J. Philip Hcnriques was born in New London, Conn., July 23d, 1856. His parents were John A. Henriques, a captain in the U. S. Marine service, and Ellen Stoddard. Pie attended the common schools until 12 years of age, then took the trip to San Francisco, around Cape Horn. At 14 he entered the high school at New Britain, Conn., and completing the four years' course, entered Yale College at 20. lie left the regular course at 23, and entered the Medical School of Yale, where he graduated as valedictorian at the age of 26. He then entered the New Haven General Hospital as surgeon, and graduated and remained two years, after which he en- gaged in private practice in New Haven for two years. In 1881 he went to Yienna, Austria, where he spent three years in the hospital, HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 109 returning in 1884. He then entered private practice in Providence, where he has been ever since. Artemus Johnson, M.D., was among the first physicians of Paw- tucket. He was born in Sherborn, Mass., in 1780. He married the widow of Doctor Addington Davenport, and had one son, Samuel, who died young. Doctor Johnson was one of the most noted physi- cians of his day, his practice extending throughout all the adjoining- towns. He died December 29th, 1827. His residence, an old fash- ioned house, is still standing on the corner of Summit and Vernon streets, in Pawtucket. Francis Johnson, M. D., of Pawtucket, is a native of Ireland, and was born August 16th, 1835. He came to America in 1847, and studied medicine with Doctor Sylvanus Clapp, after which he attended a course of lectures at Harvard Medical College, and still later gradu- ated from the medical department of the University of Vermont, in 1865. He practiced medicine in Providence and Woonsocket, and in Pawtucket since 1872. George W. Jenckes, M.D., was born in that part of Cumberland now Woonsocket, August 17th, 1829. His parents were George and Abigail Jenckes. His father was one of the earliest cotton manufac- turers in the town, and continued the business for about 40 years. Our subject enjoyed the usual facilities of life and education in his youthful years previous to 1845, when he entered an academy at Worcester, and prepared for college, entering Brown University in 1847. Thence he graduated in 1851, receiving the degree of A.B. He immediately began the study of medicine, and graduated as an M.D. at Harvard University in 1854. He settled at once in practice at Woonsocket, securing a good patronage, and has continued there until the present time. He is chief of staff of the Woonsocket Hos- pital, in the erection of which he was actively interested, and is in active service there. He has always been largely interested in edu- cational matters, and for more than 20 years was an active member of the school committee. Political offices he has declined to hold, with the exception of member of town council, of which board he has been president two years. He has been associated in the manage- ment of several business enterprises, and at one time was president of the Bailey Wringing Machine Company, one of the largest of its kind in the country. In 1859 he married Martha A. Hunt, of Black- stone, Mass., by whom he has had four children, all of whom are liv- ing. They are Frank H. Jenckes, M.D. , practicing in Franklin, Mass.; Waldo W. jenckes, treasurer of Milford Shoe Company; Clara H. and Earle Jenckes. By appointment of International Congress of Physi- cians in Philadelphia in 1876, he was one of a committee to secure the creation of a state board of health in Rhode Island, of which he was a member for many years. He has held the position of health officer in his native town and city for many years, and is actively interested lid HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. in sanitarv matters, having written several articles on the subject, and is often consulted in regard thereto. Michael W. Kelliher, M.D., was born in Palmer, Mass., February 20th, 1861. After graduating from the high school in that town he attended the University of Vermont, and afterward pursued a medical course in the University of the City of New York. Graduating from that institution in March, 1886, he studied at the New York Polyclinic and Post Graduate School till July 1st of the same year, and then located in Pawtucket, where he is still practicing. He is a member of state and Providence medical societies, and of the Pawtucket school board from November 5th, 1889, for a term of three years. Edward N. Kingsbury, M.D.,of Woonsocket, was born at Frances- town, N. H., September 7th, 1858. His parents were John L. and Abigail (Hyde) Kingsbury. He was educated in the district school, at Francestown Academy, and New London Literary and Scientific Institute, and graduated at Amherst College and Hahnemann Medi- cal College of Philadelphia. He began practice in 1880, at Spencer, Mass., and came to Woonsocket in 1885. He was married in 1881, to Clara A. Coffin of Newton Centre, Mass., and they have three child- ren — Newell C, Mabel and Mary B. Albert Mason Knapp, M.D., was born in Lyman, N. H., October 14th, 1842. He was' educated in the public schools of Racine, Wiscon- sin, was a member of the Normal school of that state, and taught school for two years. A considerable part of his boyhood was passed in the state of Maine, much of it at Kendall's Mills. He graduated from the University of Michigan, taking the degree of M.D., with the class of 1865. After graduating he practiced in Racine, and then in Chicago, up to the time of the conflagration of 1871, when his office and much other property being destroyed by the fire, he availed him- self of an offer to associate with a physician in Lowell, Mass. He soon left that field and practiced for two years in Manchester, N. H. He located in Providence about 16 years ago, and has remained in practice there ever since. He is a member of the medical societies, and professionally represents several benevolent organizations. He was married in 1865, to Kittie A., daughter of Thomas W. Crane, an old resident of Chicago. The marriage was performed in Dubuque, Iowa. They have two children — Kittie Mabel and George H. The father of Doctor Knapp, Doctor Horace Knapp, was born in King- field, Me., was a school teacher in early life, afterward a L T niversalist minister, and finally a physician and lecturer on medical and other subjects. His wife, the mother of Doctor A. M. Knapp, was Lucretia I Mckenson, daughter of a New Hampshire farmer. Eugene Pride King, physician and surgeon, of Providence, was born November 5th, 1854, at Apponaug, R. I., son of Absalom Pride King. He was educated in the Providence public schools, the Episcopal Academy of Connecticut, at Cheshire, in the class HISTORY OF PROVIDED E COl \TY. Ill of 1872, at Brown University in the class of 1870. at the medi- cal department of the University of Vermont, and at Jefferson Medical College, from which he graduated in March, 1880. He im- mediately began practice in Providence. His father, Absalom P. King, was the son of Dan and Cynthia King, whose maiden name was Pride. Absalom was born in Preston, Conn.. May 1st, 1820. From the Berkshire Medical Institution he was licensed to practice by the censors of the Massachusetts Medical Society, in November, 1845. He married Celia Ann Hendrick, on Christmas day, 1845. He practiced first at Woonsocket, then at Providence, where he died October 10th. 1868. His children and the dates of their births are as follows: Ase- nath Caroline, September 19th, 1846 (died November 20th, 1850); Wil- liam Henry Herbert, November 8th. 1850 (died May 31st, 1853); Eugene Pride, November 5th, 1854; and Virginia May, April 28th, 1859 (died October 11th, 1861). The children of Dan'and Cynthia King were: John, merchant; Absalom, physician; Thomas Knight, lawyer; Howard Williams, physician; Jane Knight, married Alex- ander Williams; Henry Clay, physician; Charles Phillips, merchant; Huldah Maria, wife of James Winsor; George Augustus, lawyer; Wil- liam Brewster; and Mary Stanton, wife of James Pitts. John Henry Kingman. M.D., of Pawtucket, was born in New Bed- ford, Mass., May 13th, 1860. After attending the local schools of his native city he entered Yale College in 1878, and graduated from there in 1882. He then commenced the study of medicine with Doctor A. Martin Pierce, of New Bedford, Mass.. and in 1885 received the degree of M.D. from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York City. For a year and a half he was on the staff of Bellevue Hospital, part of that time being house physician. He commenced the private practice of medicine in 1876, at New Bedford, of which place he was city surgeon for two years. He removed to Pawtucket in 1889. Joseph Lariviere, M.D., was born in St. Alexander, Province of Quebec, Canada, October 16th, 1849. He attended St. Mary's Acad- emy, also Victoria College, of Montreal, and graduated from the American Medical College, at Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1879. He com- menced the practice of medicine in Manville, in 1874, and is still located there. Doctor Byron J. Lillibridge was born in East Greenwich, R. I., Wednesday, October 3d, 1860. His father was Jesse R., and his mother Mary C. Lillibridge. The family moved to Warwick in 1863, and for the 18 years following lived upon a farm. Young Byron meanwhile attended the public school of the district until he reached the age of 14, when he entered Greenwich Academy, where he was a regular attendant for the six years following, taking first the English course, then the commercial, and finally the Latin scientific, which he completed and received a diploma in 1880. During the last year of his course he entered the office of Doctor James H. Eldredge, and 112 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. began the study of medicine. He matriculated at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, in the fall of 1880, and received his degree from that college in March, 1883. He returned to Rhode Island and for a few months attended some of his preceptor's night practice. In the summer he located at Pascoag and remained there six months. He then removed to Providence, succeeding to the practice of the late Uriah H. Holbrook, M.D., at No. 716 North Main street, where he has ever since remained. He was made a member of the city and state medical societies in 1884, and was elected physician to the out- patient department of the Rhode Island Hospital in 1886, occupying that position still. He was married December 25th, 1885, in Scituate, Mass., to Gertrude Vinal, and they have two children — Ethel V.,born October 18th, 1886; and Marjorie V., born May 26th, 1889. Augustine A. Mann, M.D., was born October 15th, 1837, at Ran- dolph, Mass. He was admitted at Harvard and Jefferson Medical Col- lege, and graduated from the latter March 12th, 1860. He then settled in Valley Falls, R. I., May 10th, 1860. He was appointed assistant surgeon in the First R. I. Cavalry, June 7th, 1862, and dis- charged November 18th, 1864. In the meantime he was a prisoner in Libby Prison, from June 17th, 1863, to November 18th, 1863, hav- ing been captured at Middlebury, Va., on the date first mentioned. He settled in Central Falls, December 3d, 1864, where he has re- mained to the present time. He was married to Sarah T. Bucklin, June 6th, 1865, and has four children, two boys and two girls. Doctor Joseph C. Maranda was born November 27th, 1846, at St. .Simon, Bagot county, Quebec. His parents were Charles and Sera- phine Duhaime Maranda. He was educated at St. Plyacinthe, and graduated in Quebec Laval University, in 1875. He practiced at .St. Norbcrt and .St. Christophe, Arthabaska county, Quebec, and in Woonsocket from 1879 to the present time. He was married to Cleophee Amanda Cadieux, September 27th, 1875. Martha H. Mowry, M.D.. was born in Providence, June 7th, 1818. She was the daughter of Thomas Mowry, a merchant, and Martha Harris Mowry. I ler mother died when she was eight weeks old, but her father lived to the good old age of 86. Miss Martha in her infant years was an attendant at the girls' schools of two excellent teachers Miss Sterry and Miss Chace. When nearly seven years of age she was sent to an academy in care of a Methodist minister's widow, Mrs. Walker, and in the spring before she was nine years old she was sent to the Friends' Yearly Meeting Boarding School in Providence, where she remained four or five years. She then attended boarding schools for voting ladies kept by Latham and Winsor. While at the latter school she was prostrated by fright and over exertion, being pursued by strange men so that she and two other girls were obliged to run a distance of a mile and a quarter to reach the school. Heart debility, aggravated by this, retarded her progress four years. Later she was HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 113 a student in the Green Street Select School when Margaret Fuller, afterward "Countess Ossili," was a prominent teacher. She pursued her studies after leaving school and while engaged in overseeing the domestic work of the household composed of her father and herself. In 1844, chiefly heeding suggestions of physicians who at different times had noticed her manifest interest in anatomy and physiology and cognate branches, she began to study in these directions, with a purpose. At this time no woman was admitted into medical colleges, and a strong current of professional prejudice opposed the admission of the sex into practice. Against this tide Miss Mowry and the few women who dared to face it were obliged to press their way. But even at the time of which we speak she had not formed the intention of publicly practicing medicine. She improved such opportunities as were within her reach, having access to the libraries of practicing physicians, and reviewing with them, at different times with Doctors Briggs, Fabyan, Fowler and Mauran, until they told her that she only needed opportunities for dissection beyond what skeleton or manakin could show. She then studied under the direction of Doctor De Bonne- ville and his wife, who were professors in magnetism, and he in homeopathy, and when, in 1849, they removed from the city they gave her a testimonial expressing their confidence in her ability to treat diseases. About 1850 she spent six months in close study in Boston, under the supervision of Doctor Cornell, a physician of good standing there. About that time Doctor Paige came to Provi- dence as a lecturer and instructor in electropathy, and formed a class for instruction. She joined that class, also took private lessons, and in due time received a diploma for faithful study and attainment. By special requests of friends she subsequently gave many lectures before physiological societies and in different villages. In recogni- tion of such services and their appreciation she received, in 1851, a silver cup from the Providence Physiological Society, and later me- mentoes from other societies. Her superior attainments thus be- came known and her reputation extended throughout a wider sphere than she knew. In 1853 she was visited by a committee from Phila- delphia Female Medical College, then an institution of three or four years growth, and without making known their purpose to her, in the course of an informal interview with her, investigated her knowledge of kindred subjects until the}'' were abundantly satisfied of her attain- ments, and on their return she received from the college a diploma conferring upon her the degree of M.D., with signatures of the col- lege faculty, which was of the allopathic school. This was followed, a week later, by an appointment to a professorship of obstetrics and diseases of women and children in the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania. With great reluctance her father consented that she should go to Philadelphia to occupy the position offered, and she did so, in 1853-4, but returned to Providence at the wish of her 8 114 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. father. She then began regular practice here. Her father presented her with a horse and chaise, and since then, for nearly 40 years, she has constantly kept one or two horses in use in her rounds of prac- tice. In 1880 she partially retired from practice, but the demands upon her seemed so pressing that she consented in 1882 to resume work under limitations absolving her from going out nights except in extreme cases. She is still doing all the professional work it is well for one of her age to do, and is especially interested in educat- ing mothers to a knowledge of the laws of life, physical, mental and spiritual. Charles F. Marston, M.D., son of John L. and Hannah F. Marston, was born in Lawrence, Kansas, in 1863. In his early years his parents moved to Manchester, N. H., where he lived three years, and then removed to Rhode Island. His early business years were spent in a grocery. He was educated in Baltimore (Md.) College, and graduated in medicine March 15th, 1888, and on the first of the following No- vember he opened an office for practice in Providence, and has thus far been very successful. Elmer E. Moore, M.D., was born in Hartford, Vermont, October 10th. 1861. His parents were Doctor David Comstock Moore and his wife, Hannah A. When our subject was about ten months old he removed with his parents to South Royalton, Vermont, where his father practiced medicine, and during part of the time was interested in the drug business in the place. The elder served during part of the war as a volunteer surgeon, located most of the time at Point Lookout, Maryland, and at the close of the war returned to South Royalton, remaining there till 1872, removing then to Charlestown, X. II., carrying on the apothecary business there awhile, and return- ing to South Royalton, where he died October 9th, 1876. After his death the family, consisting of the widow and two sons, James S. and Elmer E., removed to Boston. Here the subject of this sketch was educated in the public schools, and after passing the high school spent two years in the famous Eliot School at Jamaica Plain. After leav- ing school he spent nearly five years in the drug business in Vermont and later in Boston. At the latter place he attended the Massachu- setts College of Pharmacy. In 1883 he began the study of medicine, in 1885 entered the medical department of the University of Vermont at Burlington, and from there went to the medical department of Dartmouth College, where he graduated in June, 1886. In the fol- lowing September he located at East Providence Centre, where he has met with considerable success, being surrounded in domestic affairs by his mother and brother James. Le Roy Albert Merrill, M.I)., was born in Roxbury, Vt., May 23d, 1855. He was the eldest son of Albert and Adelina (Young) Merrill. After attending the district schools he was sent to Barre Academy (Vt.), and afterward took a classical course at the Universitv of Ver- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 11.") mont. He studied medicine with Doctor Le Roy Bingham, of Bur- lington, Yt., and graduated, after a full course of lectures, in 1882, from the medical department of the University of Vermont. He commenced the practice of medicine at St. Albans, Yt., in 1882, and came to Lonsdale in 1884, where he still practices. Dennis McCaffrey was born in the county of Tyrone, Ireland, in April, 1844. He came to America when he was ten months old with his parents, Owen and Catherine McCaffrey. After attending school at YVoonsocket eight years he moved to Martinsburgh, Pike county, 111., in April, 1865. He finished his preliminary education at Illinois College, Jacksonville, in 1867; taught school in Pike county. 111., four years; studied medicine with Doctor John A. Thomas, of Pleasant Hill, and Doctor Joseph H. Ledlie, of Pittsfield, three years; entered St. Louis Medical College, Mo., in September, 1871, and graduated from that institution in 1874. He came to North Smithfield in Decem- ber, 1S74, and has since resided and practiced medicine in that place. He was married to Catherine J. Rowan, September 5th, 1877, in St. Paul's Catholic church, Blackstone, Mass. They have six children: Charles W., John F., Hugo E., Yeronica, Thomas a'Kempis and Mary Catherine; the last one being born December 22d, 1880. Napoleon Malo, M.D., was born in St. Marc, Province of Ouebec, Canada, September 29th, 1857. His father was Claus Malo, a well-to- do farmer of the place, who has served four years in Parliament, as a member of the general assembly representing the county of Yer- cheres. His mother was Elionore Supierre. Attending in his youth a school kept by his uncle in the vicinity of his home, he was prepared at the age of nine to follow a classical course at St. Hyacinthe College, to which he was sent. There he continued until about the middle of the fifth year, while in the class of belles-lettres, his course was ar- rested by order of the physician, who saw gathering symptoms of pulmonary difficulty in the young student. He then went into the employ and at the same time under the instruction of his uncle, Joseph Caderre, a merchant in the parish of St. Antoine, where he worked in the store, and took lessons of his uncle, who was a highly educated man, having passed a full nine years' course in St. Hyacinthe College and studied for the priesthood two years and a half . He also had the help of the curate of the parish toward completing his classical course. He studied and received his degree of M.D. at the Yictoria Medical College of Montreal in the spfing of 1879. He has been practicing for some time in Pawtucket and is about changing his residence to Central Falls. He married MissOdelie Bernier of Providence, in the fall of 1881. Miles Manchester, M.D., was born in tne town of Cranston. ( Icto- ber 4th, 1777, and died in Pawtucket, June 15th, 1848. He was the son of Job Manchester. Commencing the study of medicine with Doctor Benjamin Dyer, in 1793, after three years spent with him he 116 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. continued the study with Doctor Caleb Fiske of Scituate until the year 1800, when he returned to his father's home in Cranston and commenced the practice of medicine. In 1802 he removed to Johns- ton, where he married Phebe, daughter of Pardon Fenner. In August, 1800, he removed to Pawtucket, where he continued the practice of medicine till his death. He was a charter member of the Rhode Island Medical Society. At his death he left three children, none of whom are now living. Charles F. Manchester, M.D., was born in Pawtucket, February 7th, 1805, being the son of Doctor Miles and Phebe Fenner Manches- ter. After attending the local schools he entered the Episcopal Acad- emy at Cheshire, Conn., and graduated from Brown University in September, 1825. He received his degree of M. D., from Harvard Medical College, in August, 1828 After practicing according to the allopathic system for eleven years he embraced the principles of homeopathy in 1840, and was one of the founders of the American Institution of Homeopathy. He began his labors as a physician in Pawtucket, afterward practiced in Providence and in New York city, but returned to Pawtucket in 1842, and practiced there until his death, April 5th, 1878. He was twice married: first to Amelia Ames, of Providence, by whom he had three children — Susan A., wife of Latham H. Clarke, of Brooklyn; Charles Miles, now of New York; and Maria L., wife of A. Boyd Shedan, of Brooklyn; and second to Kate E. Le Valley, of Pawtucket, by whom he had no children. Doc- tor Manchester became a member of the Rhode Island Medical Society in 1838, and was surgeon of the Pawtucket Life Guard. He was the first president of the First National Bank of Pawtucket. Thomas Henry McNally, M.D., was born in Cranston, March 7th, L855. After leaving the public schools he attended La Salle Acad- emy, at Providence, and then studied medicine with Doctors T. G. and W. W. Potter, of that city. He then took two courses of lectures at Detroit, Mich., Medical College, and two more at the University of Burlington, Vt., graduating in 1880. He began the practice of medi- cine at Central Falls in 1887. Joseph E. Y. Mathieu, M.D., of Central Falls, was born in St. Bar- nabe, Province of Quebec, August 8th, 1856. He took a classical course at St. Hyacinthe, and in 1876 entered Victoria Medical College, Montreal, where he graduated in 1879. In the spring of the same year he began the practice of medicine in Central Falls, where he now resides, lie is a member of the Rhode Island Medical Society. WilliP.fi! C. Monroe, M.D.,was born in Woonsocketin 1850. He was educated atWoonsocket tligh School, at the Friends' School, of Prov- idence, and at Bellevue Hospital Medical College in New York city, where he graduated in L876. He began the practice of medicine in Woonsocket the same year. He was for a number of years connected with the school board Kind is now a member of the hospital staff. He V- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 117 married Carrie M., daughter of William W. Remington, of Phenix, in 1876. Doctor Thomas Nutting, of Georgiaville, was a prominent mem- ber of his profession in the town of Smithfield for many years. He was a self-made man, and possessed a great deal of energy. He was a prominent supporter of the Universalist church at the place men- tioned. After having practiced medicine at Georgiaville about 40 years he died there in the spring of 1886, at the ripe age of 76 years. Asa Harden Nickerson, the only child of Captain Asa W. and Ruth A.. Nickerson, was born July 1st, 1854, in South Dennis, Barn- stable county, Mass. He was the eighth generation from William Nickerson of Norwich, Norfolk county, England, who was born 1604, arrived in Boston June 20th, 1637, and is supposed to have settled on Cape Cod in 1639. From the original in this country down to out- subject the genealogical line of descent is as follows: William, Nicho- las, John, John, John, Harden, Asa W., Asa Harden. The boyhood of Asa Harden was spent attending the district school of the village until 16 years of age. He graduated from the New Hampton Liter- ary and Biblical Institution, of New Hampton, N. H., July 2d, 1873, and the next year taught a grammar school in the town of Harwich, Mass. He moved to Providence in 1875, afterward took a special course of instruction, worked in a drug store at odd times, studied in the office of the late Doctors Capron & Perry, and graduated from Harvard Medical School June 28th, 1882. He settled in Central Falls in the fall of the same year. He is a prominent member of several social benefit societies. He was married to Carrie Evelyn Bunker, daughter of Cyrus E. Bunker, at Bethlehem, N. H., October 12th, 1887. Doctor Robert Fanning Noyes was born in South Kingstown, R. L, February 8th, 1850. He was the oldest son of Thomas W. and Julia Elma Noyes. His mother's maiden name was Julia Elma Allen, daughter of Reverend Joseph W. Allen, of North Kingstown, R. I. Born and reared on a farm, he attended the country schools of Kings- town, was a private pupil of Reverend J. Hogadorn Wells, attended Providence Conference Seminary of East Greenwich, the Literary In- stitution of Suffield, Conn., and Friends' School of Providence. At the age of 19 he began the study of medicine with Job Kenyon,M.D., of Providence; in 1870-71 attended lectures at Harvard Medical Col- lege; in 1871-73 attended lectures at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York city, and graduated thence in February, 1873. He began the practice of medicine in Providence in December of the same year, and has been in continuous practice there ever since, hav- ing served as physician fo the department of out-patients of the Rhode Island Hospital for a number of years, and from 1882 to the present time as visiting physician to the same institution. May 15th, 1888, he married Miss Katharine H. Gifford, of Providence. He is 118 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. vice-president of the Providence Medical Association, and 2d vice- president of the Rhode Island Medical Society. Clement D. O'Leary, M.D.,son of Charles and Louise O'Leary, was born in New Haven in 1864. He pursued the course in Brown Uni- versity, receiving' the degrees of A.B. and A.M., the latter in 1884. He was afterward educated in the professional direction at the Col- lege of Physicians and Surgeons of New York, where he received the degree of M.D. in 1887. He was house surgeon to the Rhode Island Hospital in 1887-8, and is now in private practice at corner of Plane and Public streets, Providence. John A. O'Keefe, M.D., was born in Grafton, Worcester county, Mass., March 17th, 1863, and was named after the great war governor of Massachusetts, John Andrews. His parents were Thomas and Elizabeth O'Keefe. He spent his first 15 years on a farm, attending the district school in the winters meanwhile. At the age of 13 he entered the grammar school of Grafton, four miles distant from home, walking the distance daily. When he was 15 years of age the family moved to Worcester, and he entered the high school there, remaining until within one year of graduation, when he left it to learn a trade. He soon after abandoned that and took up the study of medicine, with Doctor James Sullivan as preceptor. He afterward entered the Long Island College Hospital, of Brooklyn, N. Y., from which he graduated in June, 1884. During the summer of that year he prac- ticed at Norwich, Conn., but left there in October, to take a course in foreign hospitals. He spent eight months abroad, visiting the prin- cipal hospitals in Great Britain and on the continent, being in Italy during the cholera epidemic of 1884 and 1885. Returning to New York he was appointed one of the house and ambulance surgeons at the Eastern District Hospital, which position he held until he re- signed to engage in practice at Providence. He is now practicing in Providence, and is a member of numerous medical, literary and social societies. Emma A. Phillips, M.D., of Pawtucket, was born at Medfield, Mass., August 25th, 1844. She was the daughter of Reverend Daniel \V. Phillips, D.D., a Baptist minister, a native of Carmarthen county, Wales; and her mother was Elizabeth Cross, of Beverly, Mass. She ( Emma) was educated in the public schools of Wakefield, and at home, during her girlhood and youth, after which she taught school in the city of Nashville, Tenn., in county schools, and for eight years was. a teacher of music and some other branches in Roger Williams University, Nashville, Tenn. Her medical education was obtained at the Boston University School of Medicine, and she settled in prac- tice first at Taunton, Mass., from July, 1881, to June, 1883, and since that time has been practicing in Pawtucket. She removed to Nash- ville, Tenn., with her parents in 1865, and returned to New England for medical education in October, 1878, after having studied for two years under Doctor J. P. Dake of Nashville. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 119 George B. Peck, M.D., eldest son of George B. and Ann Power vSmith Peck, was born in Providence, August 12th, 1843. Manifest- ing an unusual fondness for books at an early age, his parents deter- mined that his inheritance should be a good education. Pie was kept at school from an age so young that he was excused daily at eleven o'clock for a morning nap, until he was graduated in letters (with a civil engineer's diploma additional) at Brown University in 1864. During his university days the war was raging, and though it was not convenient for him to go to the front he joined the noted Provi- dence Marine Corps of Artillery in the early part of 18G3, and in subsequent years became an active and prominent member of it. He also had a record in the field during the latter part of the war. Availing himself of the first opportunity after the completion of his college course he was mustered, December 13th, 1864, as second lieutenant of Company G, 2d Regiment R. I. Vols., conditionally on raising a company to refill it. March 13th, he sailed with the com- pany to City Point. A few weeks later he received a bullet wound through his left side, on the field of Sailor's Creek, which termi- nated his active campaigning. He rejoined the regiment at Wash- ington in a weak condition and poor health, but soon after resigned and received an honorable discharge July 5th, 1865. He soon after entered the office of Peck & Salsbury, as a bookkeeper in their coal and wood business. During the season of 1869-70 he attended lectures at the Hahnemann Medical College of Philadelphia, both the winter and summer courses, and followed that by a similar double course at the Medical School of Yale College, where he received his diploma in June, 1871. He spent the next year in the laboratory of the Sheffield Scientific School, devoting himself chiefly to chemistry. From August, 1872, to June, 1874, he served as assistant chemist at the United States Naval Torpedo Station at Newport, R. I., and during the fall of 1874 had charge of the chemi- cal department of the University of Vermont at Burlington, during an illness of the professor, Peter Collier, Ph.D. June 1st, 1875, he opened an office in Providence as a general practitioner of medi- cine, and this occupation he still pursues in the very place where his maternal grandfather kept store for some 40 years, and in which his mother was born. His residence is the house built by his paternal grandfather, and in which his father and himself alike were born. He is a member of the Rhode Island Homeopathic Society, of the Western Massachusetts Homeopathic Medical Society, and an hon- orary member of the Homeopathic Society of the State of New York. He has filled many important professional positions, and served en the school committee for the last nine years, is a prominent member of the Baptist church, and has devoted himself considerably to liter- ary work, which has commanded a very favorable reception. 120 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Ara Marshall Paine, son of Ara and Lydia M. Paine, was born Oc- tober 31st, 1836, in Burrillville, R. I. His boyhood was spent upon his father's farm, where he attended the district school. He after- ward attended the Providence Conference Seminary of East Green- wich, for several years. After teaching school for a short time in his native town, he engaged in mercantile business, previous to com- mencing the study of medicine. He attended lectures at Albany Medical College, of New York state, and Harvard Medical College, where he was graduated March 6th, 1861. In the following winterhe began the practice of medicine in Providence. Beginning with Sep- tember, 1862, he served three years as acting assistant surgeon at the Lovel General Hospital at Portsmouth Grove, R. I. At the close of the war he settled in Woonsocket, where he has ever since practiced medicine with encouraging success. He has served the town as member of the town council, and of the school committee, and as health officer. He was married in Blackstone, Mass., August 17th, 1861, to Henrietta, youngest daughter of Rufus and Susan Jefferds. They have two daughters: Evelyn W. and Alice J., the latter being married August 22d, 1888, to George W. Green, of Woonsocket. Albert Potter, M.D., of Chepachet, is a descendant of the seventh generation from Robert Potter, and through the maternal lines, a descendant cf Roger Williams, of the eighth generation. The line of descent, as far as we have learned, was as follows: 1, Roger Wil- liams; 2, his daughter Mercy, who married Samuel Winsor; 3, their son, Samuel Winsor, whose wife was Mercy Harding; 4, their daugh- ter Mary, who married Fisher Potter; 5 and 6, we have not learned; 7, John Waterman Potter; 8, his son, Doctor Albert Potter, the sub- ject of this sketch. He was born in Sturbridge, Mass., February 28th, is:! |. He graduated at Harvard in 1855. In 1861 he joined the 5th R. I. Regiment, as assistant surgeon, and in 1863 was promoted to be surgeon of the regiment, serving till the following year. In 1865 he settled in Chepachet, where he is still in practice. He recently held the office'of president of the Rhode Island Medical Society. In 1855 he married Urania T., daughter of Daniel and Mary Harris. Albert Orlando Robbins, M.D., was born in Providence, March 25th, 1840. He was the second child of Horace and Julia Emily (Hop- kins) Robbins. Horace Robbins carried on the tin and sheet iron business, in connection with a retail grocery, and at the time of his death, in August, 1844, was in fair circumstances. The mother took care of the children and administered the property after the death of the father, our subject being then but about four years old. He was given a liberal education in the public schools of the city, including the high school, and an academic course at the New Hampton Insti- tute, of Fairfax, Vt. This was followed by a medical training under the instruction and direction of Doctors Usher and Charles H. Par- sons, and at the medical school and medical department of Harvard \ HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 121 University, from which he graduated in 1866. He then located in the town of Harwich, Mass., where he married Zulette, daughter' of Thomas and Hope D. Eldridge, returning to Providence in 1870. Here he remained until the death of his wife, in 1873, when he removed to the town of Sutton, and practiced there until 1878. He then returned to his old home, and there has remained until the present time. In 1861 he enlisted in the First R. I. Cavalry, and remained with them until November 19th, 1863, when he was commissioned an assistant surgeon of the Second R. I. Infantry, and shortly afterward resigned and went home. Doctor Robbins is a lineal descendant on the mater- nal side, in the fourth generation, from Stephen Hopkins, signer of the declaration of independence. On the paternal side he is related to Asher Robbins, and later, Winfield Scott was own cousin to Horace Robbins. Edgar W. Remington, M.D., son of Horatio A. and Martha A. Remington, was born in Warwick, August 27th, 1862. He entered Mo wry & Goff's Classical School, and graduated in 1881. He entered Brown University the same year, and graduated in 1885, with the degree of A.B. In the fall of that year he entered Bellevue Hos- pital Medical College, and taking there a three years' course, gradu- ated in the spring of 1888. He began practice in Providence in April, 1888, and there continues, He married Miss Dilla Ralph, of Phenix, April 16th, 1888, and they have one son, Edgar Demarest Remington. James M. Ryder, M.D., was a native of Pawtucket, and was a grad- uate of Woodstock (Vt.) Medical College. He began the practice of medicine at Woonsocket, but during the gold mania of 1849, went to California. After a residence of a few years there he returned to New York state, and finally died in London, England, in 1886. Samuel Starkweather, M. D., was a practitioner of medicine in Pawtucket for a short time between the years 1830 and 1840. He re- moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where he became mayor of the city and one of the associate judges of that state. George Henry Stanley, M.D., is a graduate of Harvard Medical College, and has practiced medicine with flattering success in Paw- tucket since 1870. Waldo Hodges Stone, M.D., was born July 8th, 1855, at Olean, N. Y. His father was Samuel Hollis Stone, and his mother Betsy Cope- land vStone. In 1860 his parents moved into southwest Missouri, where in 1861 they were driven from their home by the rebels, find- ing refuge in western Illinois. There they remained, and amid the rugged surroundings of that life our subject passed his boyhood until 1873, working on the farm summers and attending school in the old log school house winters whenever there was no work to do to pre- vent. So the little hamlet of Hamburg became the scene of his child- hood. In 1873 he came East and entered Bridge water (Mass.) Acad- emy, where he spent two years, and then took a two years' course in 122 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. the Bridgewater Normal School. After that he taught school two years, a part of which time he was superintendent of the public schools in the town of West Bridgewater, where he taught. In 1879 he entered Boston University, where he graduated in 1882, with the degree of M.D. In the fall of 1882, by invitation of J. W. Hay ward, M.D., of Taunton, Mass., he settled there as his assistant, a position which he continued to fill until January, 1886, when he moved to his present field in Providence. He was married June 13th, 1882, to Miss Mary E. Goss, of Danvers, Mass. They have two children— George B. and Samuel H. Stone. Doctor Stone recently took into his office as an associate in medical practice, Doctor C. H. Hadley, who occu- pies the field with him. Samuel Fuller Stowe, M.D., was born in the town of Providence, October 6th, 1814. His father was Samuel Stowe, a native of Stonington, Conn., and his mother's maiden name was Catharine Ham, a native of Providence. Doctor Stowe left Providence in L829, and attended a school in Worcester county, Mass., return- ing to Providence in October, 1837. At that time he turned his attention to physiology, and later took up chemistry. He located in New Bedford in December, 1844, and continued a general and successful practice in medicine, in New Bedford, Dartmouth, Fair Haven and Westport. In February, 1859, he sold out his botanic store and returned to Providence, where he practiced medicine until the spring of 1866. He then went to Boston and engaged in other business. Returning again to Providence in 1S74, he commenced business in the line of his former botanical practice at No. 555 High street, where he remains. He was never married. Grenville Smith Stevens, M.D., of Providence, was born in Rayn- ham, Mass., July 10th, 1829. He was sent to school at an early age, and at that time manifested that eagerness for knowledge which has been a marked characteristic with him through life. In 1845 he attained a remarkable degree of proficiency in the common English branches and entered upon an academic course preparatory for college, having then the medical profession in view. After three years thus spent he entered Brown University in 1848, and graduated therefrom in 1852. During his college vacations he pur- sued his preliminary medical studies in the office of Doctors Bar- rows & Graves of Taunton, Mass. In the fall after his graduation he entered the office of Doctor Okie, in Providence. In 1853 he attended his first course of medical lectures, in Pittsfield, Mass. He afterward attended the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York city, where in 1854 he graduated. In July of the same year, during the prevalence of the great cholera epidemic, he went to Chicago, but being taken ill after a brief residence he returned to the East, and in August, 1854, he opened an office and com- menced practice in Providence. He soon gained a good reputation HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 123 for professional skill, and had the confidence and ejsteem of his friends. After some 13 years of close application to the calls of his practice, he found his health failing, and retired to his farm for the space of two years. In I860, his health having been re- stored, he again entered the field of practice in Providence, and has since continued in a successful and prosperous career of practice. He has been twice married: first, to Hannah Wheaton Smith of Warren, R. I., February 3d, 1859; and second, to Lydia Browning White of Providence, March 18th, 1869. Esek P. Sumner, M.D., was born in Eastford, Windham county, Conn., January 29th, 1821, being the son of Samuel and Sally Cla.pp Sumner, whose maiden surname was Preston. He worked on his father's farm and attended the district school until 15 years old, learned to make shoes and followed that a year or two, and then learned to manufacture carriages, and worked at that business a year or two. Then he studied at Plainfield Academy for a year, and then taught school for a while, meanwhile taking up the study of medicine. He attended medical lectures at Pittsfield, Mass., and Woodstock, Vermont, graduating at the latter college in 1847. He commenced the practice of medicine in September, 1847. and con- tinued in the adjoining towns of Seekonk, Rehoboth and Swansea, Mass., and Barrington, R. I., till 1859. He then settled himself in the business of pharmacy and office practice at 381 High street, Providence, where he has remained to the present time, with a fair measure of success. He has from boyhood been a keen lover and student of history, general literature and the Greek and Latin and English classics. He has been president of the Rhode Island Phar- maceutical Association and has filled some minor political and educational positions. He was married November 24th, 1853, to Cor- nelia Hall Munroe. They have one. daughter, now married, Minnie Preston Moulton, and her five year old son is named, in perpetuation of the family names involved, Preston Sumner Moulton. Henry W. Stillman, M.D., was born in Hopkinton, R.I., in 1824. He was the son of Ezra and Charlotte (Wells) Stillman. He was educated at the public schools of Jewett City, Conn. He began the course in medical study in the medical department of Yale College, and graduated at Berkshire Medical College, Pittsfield, Mass., in 1845, being then 21 years of age. He began practice in Pawtucket, and afterward practiced in Lime Rock, in the town of Smithfield, for 11 years. In 1858 he removed to Cumberland Hill, and practiced there 27 years, and in 1883 removed to Woonsocket. He was one of the first members of the hospital staff, and is a member of the state medical society. He was married in 1847, to Harriet N., daughter of Roswell Downing, of Lisbon, Conn. She died in 1849. He was married again, in 1852, to Clara, daughter of Benjamin Lindsey, of Smithfield, and she died in 1882. 124 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. ■ Walter J. Smith, M.D., of Scituate, was born in Berkley, Mass., in 1857. He was educated at Bridgewater High School, and graduated at Yale College Medical School, taking his degree of M.D. in the class of 1878. He came to North Scituate in the same year, and has been there ever since. His father, John D. Smith, was a surgeon in the navy during the war, and his grandfather, Prof. Nathan Smith, be- longed to the faculty of Yale College in the medical department. His wife was a daughter of Doctor Charles Fisher, of Providence. Thomas J. Smith, M.D., of Valley Falls, was born at Adams, Mass., April 18th, 1859, and is the second son of Michael and Bridget. He has been a student at the West Farnum Academy, at the St. Patrick Institution of Granby, and at the Ottawa University, all located in the province of Quebec, Canada. He also attended La Salle Acad- emy, of Providence, and studied medicine with Doctor L. F. C. Gar- vin. He then took a course of lectures at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Baltimore, Md., graduating in 1884. He commenced the practice of medicine in Cumberland in the same year, and still continues in that town, being a resident of Valley Falls. He is a mem- ber of the state medical society. Doctor George R. Smith, son of George A. and Caroline A. (Salis- bury) Smith, was born in Greenville, R. I., December 26th, 185G. After a preliminary education in the village academy he studied two years at the Coddington School, in Newport. After this he spent three years at the State Normal School, and subsequently taught school for three years. He then entered the office of Doctor J. W. Mitchell, of Providence, where he remained as a medical student nearly two years. He then entered the medical department of Bowdoin College, spending two years there. He then spent one year at the medical department of the University of Vermont, graduating in the class of 1882. He immediately commenced practicing with his preceptor, Doctor Mitchell, but after six months removed to Woonsocket, where he has ever since remained. He became a member of the state med- ical society in 1883, and the same year was appointed medical exam- iner for the Fifth district of Rhode Island, also elected a member of the school committee. George A. Smith, father of our subject, was a soldier in the war of the rebellion, and served with General Banks in the Red River expedition. The house now in possession of the Smith family is one of the oldest in Rhode Island, having been in the hands of the Smith and Mowry families over 200 years. Doctor Stephen Slater was born in Foster, R. I., in 1817. His father, also named Stephen, was born in 1779. Doctor Slater in early life worked at the business of a cabinet maker. While a youth he moved with his parents to Slatersville, in 1825. He attended the Medical Institute of Cincinnati, Ohio, for about two years, but his health forbade his pursuing the course quite to its completion. He began to practice medicine in 1858. He married Sally B. Caroll, November 28th, 1839, and lias two children— James S. and Emma L. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 125 Dennis Jerome Sullivan, A.B., M.D., was born in Providence, in 1850. He was the son of Daniel and Alicia Sullivan. He entered St. Charles College, Ellicott City, Md., in 1865, and graduated with honors at Holy Cross College, Worcester, Mass., in the class of 1870. He studied medicine under George E. Mason for two years, and gradu- ated from Bellevue Hospital Medical College in 1876. From that time to the present he has practiced medicine in Providence. Charles A. Stearns, M.D., was born in West Medway, Mass., in 1858. His ancestors on both sides came to America in 1630, or just previous to that date, and settled in Massachusetts. His father, An- drew J.Stearns, was a merchant, and his mother was Mary M.Stearns. Doctor Stearns was educated in the public schools of Worcester, whither the family had moved, and after graduating from the high school in 1877, entered Amherst College in the fall of that year, and graduated in 1881. In the fall of that year he entered the medical department of Harvard University, graduating thence in 1884. He was then serving in the out-patient department of Boston City Hos- pital. He began the practice of medicine in Shrewsbury, Mass., in 1884, but in the fall of that year changed to Providence. In 1885 he removed to Pawtucket, where he has since been settled. He was married to Miss Anna E. Greene, October 22d, 1889, at Pawtucket, and is a member of several social and beneficial societies. Doctor William H. Sturtevant, of Pawtuxet, was born at Centre- ville, Mass., April 10th, 1823. His parents' names were Josiah and Lucy Sturtevant. His father was a clergyman settled in Centreville at the time. Pie was left fatherless at an early age, and removed with his mother and his six brothers and sisters to Plymouth, Mass. The names of the family in the order of their ages were: James, Thomas, Josiah, George, Lucy, Eunice and William. At the age of 12 years our subject left home barefooted and with 50 cents in his pocket, de- termined to make his own way in the world. He secured employ- ment in a grocery store in Nantucket, Mass., and remained there two years. His employer failed and he was again out of a position. He found his way to New Bedford, and there learned the trade of a painter, being seven years employed in it. At the age of 21 he com- menced business for himself. His health failed. By advice of his pastor he undertook to study for the ministry. He was, after some preparation, licensed to preach. After preaching in the suburbs of the city for ten years he received a call to the Congregational church of Vineyard Haven, Mass., where he was ordained and installed as pastor. After four years spent there he was called to the Congregational church in South Dennis, Mass., where he remained four years more. H,e was then called to the Congregational church at West Tisbury, Mass., where he remained 18 years. In 1863 and 1864 he was a representa- tive to the state legislature, and at the close of the war was appointed on the committee to revise the valuation of property in the state. He 126 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. also served on other important commissions in behalf of the town of West Tisbnry. During that time he also turned his attention to the study of medicine under private tutorship, having become a disciple of Hahnemann, and there being no physician of that school within 36 miles of his home. He gradually fell into the practice of answering calls from neighboring families in addition to the treatment of his own family, which was his original design in the study of medicine. His next pastoral field was Tiverton Four Corners, R. L, where, after spending four years, he removed to Pawtuxet and gave his attention to the practice of homeopathy. There he has remained for the last five or six years. He married Sarah Hilliard, of North Charlestown, X. H., January 1st, 1845, and they have four children, the two oldest of whom are married — Louise B. Potter, Olive C. White, Sarah E. Sturtevant and Alfred G. Sturtevant. Thomas H. Shipman, M.D., was born in New London, Conn., September 9th, 1851, being the son of Joseph A. and Abbey J. Ship- man. His parents were hard working people, his father being a blacksmith, having a family of seven children. He attended the public schools of his native city until 13 years of age, and then went to live with his great-uncle, Leander Kenny, in New York city. After spending four years in the grammar schools of New York, on the death of his uncle he returned to New London. Two years after- ward he became a drug clerk in Colchester, Conn., and then he de- cided to study medicine. He pursued preliminary studies under tutorship of Doctor S. E. Swift,. while in the drug store, where he remained three years. He entered the Homeopathic Medical Col- lege of New York, in October, 1874, and graduated in the spring of 1876. In October of the same year he married Addie C. Chapman, of Colchester, and immediately settled in Bristol, R. I., where he prac- ticed 12 years. In March, 1888, he located in Providence, where he is now practicing. In December of 1888 he was called to suffer the loss of his beloved wife, leaving one child, Ethel C, now three years of age. Another child, Thomas H., died when but one day old. Doctor Shipman was the first homeopathic physician ever appointed on the state board of health in Rhode Island, being appointed to that position in 1878. He is a member of the Rhode Island Homeopathic Medical Society. Alzamat] .Sawyer, M.D., was born in Worcester county, Mass., January 5th, 1828, being the son of James and Naomi Sawyer. He received his early education in the country schools, and at the age of 2o commenced the study of medicine. In 1850 he entered the office of Doctors Poor& Mitchell, of Saratoga. At the end of that season he went to New York, and continued the study of medicine under the direction of Doctor A. Upham, giving his attention particularly to diseases of the eye. In 1852, he located in Newark as an occulist. In 1855 he removed to Syracuse, N. Y., continuing the practice of his HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 127 specialty and pursuing studies of medicine and surgery under in- structions of Doctors Foote and Van Slyke. He afterward spent two years at the Philadelphia University of Medicine and Surgery, re- ceiving there his diploma. Successive fields of practice, mainly as an occulist and aurist, after leaving Syracuse have been, to Dixon. 111., in 1857; to New Bedford, Mass., in 1860; to Providence in 1808, where he remains in practice. Henry Arthur Sherman, M.D., was born in Stafford Springs, Conn., in the year I860. He was the son of Charles W. and Virtue Sher- man, being next to the youngest of a family of five children. After the civil war the family removed to Putnam, Conn., the father having been shot during the war. Our subject grew up in the public schools of Putnam, receiving additional instruction in French, German and Latin, and studied medicine and surgery with Doctor F. A. Bos- worth, of Webster, Mass., for two years. At the age of 23 he entered Jeffefson Medical College, and after being there two years entered the medical department of the University of Vermont for one year. Returning again to Jefferson Medical College he graduated there. He received his diploma April 9th, 1888, and located in Providence, for practice, on the first of June following. Here he has been to the present time. John Baptiste Antony Tanguay, M.D.. was born at St. Rosalie, Province of Quebec, Canada, in 1845. He was educated at St. Hya- cinthe College, Montreal. His professional education was pursued at McGill University, and later at Victoria College, Montreal, where he was graduated in 1869. He practiced at St. Hyacinthe until 1881, and since that time has practiced in Providence. He was married in 1875, to Miss Vitaline Glautier, from which marriage five children have been born: Joseph Antony Edgar, now 13 years old; Maria Alma Eva, died at the age of seven weeks; John Baptiste Prosper Raphael, now nine years old; Mary Antoinette Blanche, now seven years old; and Mary Carinne, now three years old. Herbert Terry, M.D., was born at Fair Haven, Mass., December 8th. 1854. His parents were Isaac Terry and his wife, whose maiden name was Jane S. Ingraham. He was educated at the Friends' Acade- my, at New Bedford, Mass.; at Cornell University, 1876; and at Har- vard, graduating as M.D. in 1880. Since that time he has practiced in Providence. He has held numerous positions of professional re- sponsibility, and is connected with several social and other societies. Hugh Ernest Trapnell, M.D., was born in Havre de Grace, New- foundland, and is of English descent. He received the degree of B.A. from McGill University, of Montreal, and also his medical di- ploma in 1887. He commenced the practice of medicine in Provi- dence in that year, but in 1888 located for practice in Valley Falls, having also engaged in the drug business at that place. In 1889 he he removed to Putnam, Conn., where he is engaged m the drug business and the practice of medicine. 128 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Doctor James E. Tobey, of Central Fall c , was born in Greenville, R. I., October 18th, 1848. After graduating from Lapham Academy, in Scituate, he commenced the study of medicine with Doctor Syl- vanus Clapp, of Pawtucket, and in 1872 graduated from Harvard Medical College. From May, 1871, he was house surgeon for one year at the Massachusetts General Hospital. In July, 1872, he began practicing medicine in Central Falls, where he still remains. He is a member of the state medical society. Herbert Osgood True, M.D., was born in New London, N.H.,May 30th, 1859, being the youngest son of Mark and Mary Crocker True. He took an academic course at Phillips, Exeter, N. H., and entered Brown University in 1880. In 1882 he entered Harvard Medical Col- lege, where he received his degree of M.D., in 1885. He was home physician of the City Hospital of Worcester, Mass., for a time, and in the spring of 1887 commenced the practice of medicine at Pawtucket. He is a visiting physician of the Pawtucket dispensary, and a mem- ber of both state and Providence medical societies. Emily Metcalf Thurber, M.D., was born of American parents, in Providence, May 19th, 1837. Her father was Jesse Metcalf, and the maiden name of her mother was Eunice Dench Houghton. She was educated in the public schools of Providence, graduating from the high school in 1853. She was married, in Providence, to Isaac Brown Thurber, June 14th, 1858. Her four children, all of whom are now living, are: John Houghton, Edward Metcalf, Walter and Amey. Mrs. Thurber entered the Boston University School of Medicine in the fall of 1876, and graduated in 1878. Since that time she has been practicing in Providence. She is a member of the Rhode Island Homeopathic Medical Society, and has been attending physician to the Children's Friends' Society for eight years. Stephen A. Welch, M.D., of 243 High street, Providence, is a native of this city, having been born here December 16th, 1857. His parents were George and Lydia A. J. (Gladding) Welch. He attended the public schools, graduating from the high school in 1875, and from Brown University in the class of 1879, and from Harvard Medical School in 1884, and at the Boston City Hospital in the same year. He practiced medicine in Brooklyn, N. Y., in 1884 and 1885, and in Prov- idence from 1885 to the present time. He is a member of several medical and other societies. Doctor Henry A. Whitmarsh, of Providence, was born September 29th, L854, in Providence. His parents were Edwin B. and Harriet Barden Whitmarsh. He was educated at Mowry & Goff's school in Providence, at Brown University, at Columbia Medical College, at the New York Homeopathic Medical College, at Chambers street (N. Y. i Hospital, at the New York Polyclinic, and at the General Hospital of Vienna, Austria. He was the first homeopath to locate in East Providence, where he practiced from 1879 to 1SS8. Pie was married HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 129 to Martha M. Gent, of Brooklyn, June 16th, 1881. She died May 8th, 18SS, leaving no children. In June, 1880, Brown University conferred upon him the degree of A.M. He removed to Providence, his present field, in the spring of 1888. and is now surgeon to the Rhode Island Homeopathic Hospital. Dvvight S. Whittemore, M.I)., was born in Union, Conn., May 14th, 1864. His father was Dwight T. Whittemore. His mother's maiden name was Sarah A. Crawford. The father died when our subject was but one month old. He was brought up under the instruction of his mother until over seven years old, after which he attended the dis- trict school for a few years, and later the academy at East Green wieh, where he graduated in the college preparatory course in 1882. He taught school one year, then attended the Boston University of Lib- eral Arts for a year, and after some preliminary study under private tutors entered Boston University School of Medicine, completing the three years' course and receiving the degree of M.D., in June, 1887. He settled in Providence soon after graduation, and has been prac- ticing there ever since. He was married July 26th. 1887, to Mary M. Williams of Providence. He has been one of the attending physi- cians at the Providence Homeopathic Dispensary since coming to the city, and in October, 1888, was appointed out-patient physician to that institution. He is a member of the Rhode Island Homeopathic Med- ical Society, and of several social orders. Frank L. Wyman, M.D., son of Ambrose H. and Nancy Wyman, is a native of Whitfield, Lincoln county, Maine. He worked on his father's farm until he reached the age of 14, attending meanwhile the common schools and a few terms in- an academy. He then at- tended a commercial college at Augusta, Me., about three years, com- pleting the course, also studying special branches. Previous to 1880 he was engaged in various pursuits at which he was able to earn money with which to pay his way in further studies. He took his first course in Columbus Medical College, next attended the Univer- sity at Burlington, Vermont, and graduated from Toledo (Ohio) Med- ical College in 1884. He immediately commenced practice in Olney- ville, and was successfully engaged until 1888, when he was disabled by an accident which has retired him from active work to the present time. P. Francis Walker. M.D., son of Nehemiah and Emily A. (Bliss) Walker, was born in Dighton, Mass., July 30th, 1858. He was edu- cated at the public schools of Dighton and Taunton, Mass., at Bristol Academy, and at Boston University, where he graduated from the school of medicine in the class of 1881. He located at Providence in the fall of that year, and has remained in practice there ever since. Doctor George Galen Wheeler was born in East Orrington, Maine, in 1856. He was the son of William H. Wheeler, of that place, a car- penter by trade. He received his preliminary education at the East 9 130 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Maine Conference Seminary at Bucksport, Maine, then read medicine with Doctor Galen M. Woodcock, of Bangor, Maine, for about two years. He attended lectures at the Medical College of the University of New York, where he graduated in March, 18S2. He settled at once in practice at Providence, where he is still employed. He was married in May, 1883, to Miss Mary Mary J. Osier of the city. In 1884, thinking it would be beneficial to his failing health, he built and moved his residence to the suburban village of Auburn, still re- taining his office in the city. James One Whitney, M.D.. was born in North Attleboro, Mass., March 2d, 1823. He was the second son of Martin and Nancy (Orne) Whitney. After attending the district schools of his town he became a student of Perkins Academy, at North Attleboro. He attended a course of lectures at Woodstock (Vt.) Medical College, and afterward at Berkshire Medical College at Pittsfield, Mass., where he graduated November 20th, 1845. He commenced practice at Central Falls, Au- gust 8th, 1846. He removed to Pawtucket in June, 1863, and is still in active practice there. He became a member of the Rhode Island Medical Society in 1848, and of the Massachusetts Medical Society in 1849. He was married April 24th, 1850, to Elizabeth S., daughter of Josiah Miller, and has three daughters: Anna R., Mary, wife of Doc- tor Charles C. Carter, of Rock Island, 111.; and Sylvie, wife of Win- throp C. Durfee, of Boston. James L. Wheaton, M.D., of Pawtucket, was born in Seekonk, Massachusetts, in 1823 and is a descendant of Robert W T heaton, an associate of Roger Williams. Robert Wheaton's son Ephraim was a clergyman, and inherited a farm in Rehoboth, which has always been owned by some member of the family. James Wheaton, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born in 1794, on the old home- stead. In the early part of the present century he removed to what is now a part of Pawtucket, being then a portion of Seekonk, but prior to 1812 embraced in Rehoboth. In that part of Seekonk cut off in 1828 and made an independent town in Massachusetts, under the name of Pawtucket. was where Doctor Wheaton spent his boyhood. Having a predilection for the medical profession, he availed himself of favorable opportunities to prepare for college, but failing health compelled him to forego a collegiate education. His health finally improved, however, and when he was about 20 years of age, he began his medical studies under the guidance of Doctors Barrows and Man- chester, and subsequently attended the several courses of lectures at Berkshire, Harvard. Boston, and Woodstock, Vermont, receivino- the degree of doctor of medicine from Berkshire Medical College, Pitts- field, Massachusetts, in the spring of 1847. In June of that year he entered upon his professional career in Pawtucket. where he has since continued in active practice, his residence, however, being changed to North Providence, directly opposite Pawtucket, in 1842. ' ^ /Art^ct^C HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 131 In early life he took an active part in politics, and for two years (185? and 1858) represented the town of North Providence, in the Rhode Island general assembly. While a member of that body he served as chairman of the committee on education, in which position he com- menced an agitation for reform in the policy then adhered to, of excluding colored children from the public schools in Providence, Newport, and Bristol; separate schools being provided for them and the privilege of attending the high school being denied them. The reports Doctor Wheaton made to the general assembly, although of the minority of the committee, have since borne fruit. Doctor Wheaton was president of the Homeopathic Society for the years 1876, 1877 and 1878. In 1881, he was appointed on the medical and surgical visiting staff of the Rhode Island Homeopathic Hospital, and was chairman of that staff, which position he has held to the present time. For the first seven years of his professional life he was associated with Doctor Manchester, who at the end of that time retired, on account of the infirmities of age. In 1871, he asso- ciated with him his son-in-law, Doctor J. A. Chase, who continued with him to 1883. Doctor Wheaton has been a successful physician and a useful citizen. He possesses vigorous health, and a constitu- tion sufficiently robust to stand the demands of his large practice. In 1850 he married Anna M. Jencks, of Grafton, Massachusetts, daugher of Charles B. Jencks, manufacturer. They have had four children, three of whom are living. Martha Jencks, his eldest daugh- ter, has been twice married; first to Doctor William P. White, who died in 1870, three months after marriage, and second to Doctor J. A. Chase, a prominent physician of Pawtucket. His second daughter, Fannie, was married in 1872 to S. Frank Dexter, manager and assistant treasurer of the Dexter Yarn Company. James Lucas is the name of his youngest child, a student at Brown University, at present at Ham- burg, Germany, preparatory to his medical studies. Doctor Robert Wilcox, of Pascoag, physician and coroner, was born in Burrillville, in 1854, being the son of William and Ann (Tabb) Wilcox. He studied medicine with Doctor Joslin, of Mohegan, and took two courses at the State University of Michican, at Ann Arbor, and then went to New York, where he graduated at the Long Island College Hospital, in 1878. He soon after settled in practice at Burrillville, and has continued there ever since. He held the office of superintendent of public schools for two years, and was elected coroner in 1885. He married Fanny C, daughter of Edwin B. Brewer, of Wilbraham, Mass.. in 1879. Doctor Stephen A. Wilcox, born in Foster, R. I., in 1808, was a son of Doctor Jeremiah Wilcox. He was educated in the common schools, studied medicine with Doctor Harris of Canterbury, Conn., came to Johnston in 1827 and commenced the practice of medicine there. He was an old school physician, and practiced in Johnston 132 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. until his death, which occurred February 15th, 1838. He married in 1832, Phebe Knight, daughter of Jacob and Freelove Knight, and they had two sons, Israel K., and Henry M. Wilcox. Doctor Wilcox was a member of the Masonic fraternity, and enjoyed a large practice. Doctor Thomas Wilbur was born in Glocester, March 10th, 1802. His parents were poor but respectable people. He spent most of his life in Rhode Island, but passed one year in Connecticut, and one year in Ohio. His father died when he was but 12 years of age, and he at that age was required to earn his living at work in a cotton fac- tory. His mind, however, was in youth inclined toward the study of medicine, and at the age of 18 he began the study, and having pur- chased books, placed himself under the private instruction of Doctor .Spencer Pratt for one year. Another year was passed under Doctor Charles Gardner, of Newport, and this was followed by a course of lectures with Doctor Kidder of Philadelphia. He was in 1846 asso- ciated with others in starting a medical college in Worcester, Mass., and was one of the founders of the first Odd Fellows Lodge in Woon- socket, in 1846. He was at onetime president of the Medical Reform Society. In politics he has been a democrat. He has practiced medi- cine in the vicinity of North Scituate about 40 years. His father, Thomas Wilbur, was born in Newport, R. I., and his grandfather, Joseph Wilbur, was born in Little Compton, R. I. Phebe, the wife of the last named, was a native of Somerset, Mass. Doctor Wilbur married Sarah C, daughter of John Whitford, February 5th, 1827, and they had four children, two sons and two daughters: Daniel, the eldest, married Mercy Matthewson; Mary married George M. Adams; Abby married William Bellows; Edward married Elizabeth Austin, and has since died. Doctor Charles Wilson, manager of a private sanitarium at 105 Atwell's avenue, Providence, makes a specialty of rheumatism in all its forms, nervous diseases and disorganized joints, his method con- sisting of medicated hydraulic bath and massage treatment, aided by remedies of his own discovery after careful research. He belongs to the class of independent thinkers to whom the world owes about all it can boast of progress — men who are not bound by the prejudices or formulas of any conventional school, but strike boldly out into new fields and carve their own reputation and success, standing alone on the merits of their own genius or achievements, and not upon the prestige of any diploma or testimonial of an institution whose methods they have learned to imitate. Doctor Wilson was born at Ashford, now Eastford, Conn., in 1840. His parents were Jesse C. and Lucy (Pearce) Wilson. He was in early life 20 years employed in the rub- ber business with Studley Brothers of Providence. After having spent several years in the same line previously, he took up his present practice about six years ago. He has occupied several positions of honor among his fellow citizens, as member of school board, chair- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 133 man of city conventions, and democratic candidate for city council. He married Sally Tobey Stowe, daughter of Doctor Samuel Stowe, of Providence, in 1874, and they have two children: Florence Cutler, aged 24, and Samuel Fuller, aged 22. Doctor Wilson's patients come from many different states, and many board in his institution while under his treatment. William R. White, M.D., was born in Cavendish, Windsor county, Vermont, October 31st, 1849. His parents were Joseph A. and Ellen L. (Proctor) White. From the district schools at home he went to Black River Academy, at Ludlow, Vt., and then to Kimball Union Academy, at Meriden, N. H., graduating there in 1870. Entering Dartmouth College, he graduated there with "the degree of A.B., in 1874. During his college course he taught six months in Cavendish, Vt., and then three months in West Acton, Mass. In December, 1875, he entered the Dartmouth Medical School, where he remained a year and a half. He then attended Harvard Medical School, and gradu- ated in 1877. He followed up this preparation by a service for 18 months as interne at the Rhode Island Hospital of Providence. He began private practice in the same city in December, 1879, locating then at 52 Jackson street, from which he moved to his present loca- tion at 7 Green street, in April, 1881. He was married December 10th, 1879, to Miss Helen G. Farmer, of Providence. They have four children: Howard Joseph, William Edward, Donald Proctor and Mar- garet Helen. Doctor White has been eight years a visiting physi- cian to the Rhode Island Hospital, and is a member of state and city medical societies. CHAPTER V. TOWN OF PROVIDENCE— SETTLEMENT AND EARLY HISTORY. The site of Providence selected by Williams and his Companions. — The title secured. — The Settlement begun. — Building and Planting. — The Settlement named. — Williams and the Indians. — Signing the Civil Compact. — The Town Government. — Plot of the Settlement. — Brief notice of the Settlers individually. — Divisions of the Land. — Establishing the Bounds. — Delegating Town Powers. — The Town Constitution. — Organization of Government under the Charter. — Appointing Delegates. — The "Towne Streete." — Condition of the Eai'ly Settlers. — Internal Improvements. — Military Officers chosen. — Fort on " Stamper's Hill." — Discord in the Settlement. — Proprietors distinct from Inhabitants. — New Charter in 1663. — Changes under it. — A double Town Meeting. — Discord in the Town. — King Philip's War. — Burning of the Town. — Indians taken Prisoners and sold as Slaves. — Under Edmond Andros. — A Prison built. — Training Ground. — Weybosset Bridge.— The Small-pox.— Growth of the Town. — Bridges, Lotteries, Fire Apparatus. — Alarm by the French and In- dians. — Market House built. — Lotteries, Printing Office. Theatrical Exhibitions. THE history of the life and adventures of Roger Williams, the founder of Providence, and the detailed events connected with the first settlement here, are subjects which concern the whole county, hence are treated with more detail in another section of this work. In that section we have already seen that Roger Williams in the latter part of the year 1635 fled from Salem to evade the edict of banishment which had been pronounced upon him, and after a so- journ of privation and exposure in the wilderness during the wild months of winter, having spent much of the time on the east side of the Seekonk, in the spring of the following year crossed the river and began the settlement which has grown to be one of the great cities of the Atlantic seaboard. The time and the scene is thus graphically described by a native historian, Mr. Henry C. Dorr: " During Williams' sojourn on the east side of the Seekonk he had not been inattentive to the resources of the unclaimed region on the opposite shore. He must have known the spring toward which he directed his canoe and where he made his first landing. When he had built his wigwam and refreshed himself by the waters, he climbed with Harris and Olney, the first surveyors of our primitive wilderness, to the summit of the eastern hillside, directly above his dwelling place, for a wider view of their new home. From an emi- nence of nearly 200 feet they looked westward, through the openings of the oak woods, over an estate which, to an unbiased observer, must have seemed more picturesque than promising. 'The Great Salt HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 135 River' flowed far below, broad and unconfined. On the east it was bordered by ancient forest trees, and on the west by deep marshes, studded with islands overgrown with coarse grass and nearly covered by every spring tide. At the head of the bay the channel widened into a cove, with a broad, gravelly beach on the east and north, and a border of salt marshes on the west. It received on its northern side two small and sluggish rivers, each with its own environment of swamp and woodland. One of these, the Meshassuek, gave its name to the adjoining region. Still further westward, low sandhills scant- ily covered with pines rose above the marsh. Beyond these, unprom- ising ridges of rock and gravel stretched along the western horizon and shut in the view. On its western side, the hill upon which our explorers stood ascended abruptly from the very margin of the ' Salt River,' but sloped with an easy descent to the Seekonk nearly a mile away in the east. Both its eastern and western hillsides were thickly wooded with ' eminent trees ' of oak and cedar. Both declivities were well watered, but the rains of centuries had well nigh washed away whatever fertilizing principles the soil of the western hillside once possessed, and it promised only a scanty return to the labors of the settlers. But when our eager observers turned their steps northward toward the streams which poured their turbid waters into the Cove, and enjoyed their first view of the natural meadows, ' upstreams with- out limits for the use of cattle,' and thence looked southward over the Pawtuxet valley, ready to be converted into corn lands and pastures, a sense of relief came over them as to the prospects of the new plan- tation. Descending among the rocks and through the pine weeds, for a closer inspection of the shore, the hearts of the exiles were made glad by the discovery of great beds of clams, bordering the east side of the 'Salt River' and of the Cove, and of oysters whose flavor took away any lingering regret for the shell-fish of Massachusetts. Still further observation showed ample supplies of pigeons and other wild birds, and of fish, some varieties of which were unknown to the waters of Massachusetts bay. Yet more cheering prospects were afforded by the salmon ascending the river, and by glimpses of deer in the uplands. The settlers took heart. Banishment from the society of Puritan elders and magistrates was not without its alleviation. With cheerful courage they laid the foundation of a town — without capital, without aid, with little good will or assistance from England, and with none whatever from their neighbors." The documentary evidences of the processes by which title was secured from the Indians and transferred to the individuals who joined in the settlement, are incomplete, as are also the plans and record of progress of the settlement. It is uncertain whether any complete record of the proceedings of the first settlers was kept or not. It is evident, however, from existing records that others were kept which are not now to be found. They are supposed to have 136 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. been destroyed when the town was sacked and burned by the Indians in 1676. It appears that on some occasion previous to his memorable landing on the west side of the Seekonk, Williams had engaged in negotiations with the Indians who held jurisdiction, in regard to the purchase of a tract of their land. To what extent these negotiations were previously carried we do not know, but the understanding be- tween the parties appears to have been harmonious and satisfactory. The settlement proceeded, and in March, 1637, the following deed was given: " At Nanhiggansick, the 24th of the first month, commonly called March, in ye second yeare of our Plantation or planting at Moos- hausick or Providence. " Memorandum, that we Cannaunicus and Miantunomi, the two chief sachems of Nanhiggansick, having two yeares since sold vnto Roger Williams, ye lands and meadowes vpon the two fresh rivers, called Mooshausick and Wanasqutucket, doe now by these presents, establish and confirme ye bounds of those lands, from ye river and fields at Pautuckqut, ye great hill of Notquonckanet, on ye north- west, and the town of Maushapogue on ye west. " As also, in consideration of the many kindnesses and services he hath continually done for us, both with our friends at Massa- chusetts, as also at Quinickicutt and Apaum or Plymouth, we doe freely give unto him all that land from those rivers reaching to Pawtuxet river; as also the grass and meadowes upon ye said Paw- tuxet river. " In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands. Ye mark of + Cannonnicus. Ye mark of + Miantunnomi. " In ye presence of The mark of + Sottaash. The mark of -f Assotemeweit. " 1639. Memorandum 3 mo. 9th day. This was all again con- firmed by Miantounomi; he acknowledged this his act and hand, up the streams of Pautuckqut and Pawtuxet without limits, we might have for use of cattle. " Witness hereof, Roger Williams, Benedict Arnold." This deed is the earliest document the purport and effect of which is to convey lands, in the records of Providence. It is in the hand- writing of Williams, and the memorandum appended to it and signed by him and Arnold is in the handwriting of Thomas James. The first conveyance, to which this has reference, and of which it appears to be a confirmation, is supposed to have been only a verbal one. The land thus acquired was at first the property of Mr. Williams, but he soon made it over to his associates, for the sum of ^30. These asso- ciates, who joined him in the settlement, were Stukely Westcott, HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 137 William Arnold, Thomas James, Robert Cole, John Greene, John Throckmorton, William Harris, William Carpenter, Thomas Olney, Francis Weston, Richard Waterman and Ezekiel Holyman. The transfer of title from Williams to them was made about the year 1638, but its exact date is unknown and uncertain. A record of it was made at the time, but it bore no date, and was further unintelligible in names therein referred to, and some 28 years afterward a dupli- cate was given in which the names were expressed in full and an approximate date given. But the settlers did not stop to secure a written confirmation of their title to the land before going to subdue the wilderness and plant the seeds of civilization in this virgin soil. We are told that Williams had five companions with him in the canoe on that spring morning when he left Seekonk, and paddled around Fox point and up the Providence river to find the new landing place, concerning which he had doubtless already had interviews with the Indian sachems. They are supposed to have been William Harris, John Smith, Joshua Verin, Thomas Angell and Francis Wickes. After calling to exchange friendly salutations with the natives at the rock which ever since has been hallowed by historic remembrance of the occasion, they passed on to a final landing place near a spring of sparkling water, a little south of the present site of St. John's church. This spring, in remembrance of the event, has ever since borne the name of Williams's spring. They now began to plant and build. Williams gave the place its name, as he himself declares, from a sense of God's merciful provi- dence to him in his distress. He also desired that it might be for " a shelter for persons distressed of conscience." He recognized the rights of the Indians to their lands, and obtained those lands of them without doubt by their free consent, which seems to have been a matter entirely of good will, as no consideration is mentioned and it does not appear that any price was paid. Having obtained this con- sent of the Indians that they might build and occupy some of their lands, Williams lost no time in making known to his "loving friends" who were selected from among his "distressed countrymen," the favorable opening which Providence had made for him and them, and he was soon joined by the twelve whose names we have already given. We can perhaps give no more faithful representation of Roger Williams' position m the land transaction than to quote his own words: — "And whereas, by God's merciful assistance, I was the pro- curer of the purchase, not by monies nor payment, the natives being so shy and jealous, that monies could not do it; but by that language, acquaintance, and favour with the natives and other advantages which it pleased God to give me, and also bore the charges and ven- ture of all the gratuetyes which I gave to the great sachems, and 138 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. other sachems and natives round and about us, and lay ingaged for a loving and peaceable neighborhood with them all to my great charge and travell. It was, therefore, thought by some loveing ffriends. that I should receive some loving consideration and gratuitye; and it was agreed between us, that every person that should be ad- mitted into the fellowship of injoying landes and disposing of the purchase, should pay thirtye shillings into the public stock; and ffirst about thirtye pounds should be paid unto myself by thirty shillings a person, as they were admitted." Further light on the relations of Williams with the Indians, as the means by which he was able to secure the lands upon which the set- tlement was made, is best given also in his own words. Speaking of his first appearance here he says: "coming into the Narragansett country I found a great contest between three sachems, two (to wit, Cononicus and Miantonomy) were against Ousamaquin on Plymouth side, I was forced to travel between them three, to pacify, to satisfy all their and their dependents' spirits of my honest intentions to live peaceably them. I testify that it was the general and constant dec- laration that Cannonicus his father hhad three sons, whereof Cannoni- cus was the heire, and his youngest brother's son Miantonomy (be- cause of his youth) was Marshal and Executioner, and did nothing without his unkle Cannonicus' consent. And therefore I declare to posterity that were it not for the favor that God gave me with Can- nonicus, none of these parts, no, not Rhode-Island had been purchased or obtained, fori never got any thing out of Cannonicus but by gift. I also profess that being inquisitive of what root the title or denomi- nation Nahiganset should come, I heard that Nahiganset was so named from a little Island between Puttisquomscut and Musquoma- cuk on the sea and fresh water side. I went on purpose to see it, and about the place called Sugar-Loaf Hill, I saw it and was within a pole of it, but could not learn why it was called Nahiganset. I had learnt that the Massachusetts was so called from the Blue Hills, a little Is- land thereabout: and Cannonicus' father and anchestors living in those southern parts, transferred and brought their authority and name into those northern parts all along by the sea side, as appears by the great destruction of wood all along near the sea side: and I desire posterity to see the gracious hand of the Most High, (in whose hands is all hearts,) that when the hearts of my countrymen and friends and brethren failed me, his infinite wisdom and merits stirred up the barbarous heart of Cannonicus to love me as his son to his last gasp, by which means I had not only Miantonomy and all the Cow- esit sachems my friends, but Ousamaquin also, who, because of my great friendship with him at Plymouth and the authority of Cannoni- cus, consented freely (being also well gratified by me) to the Governor Winthrop's and my enjoyment of Prudence, yea of Providence itself, and all the other lands I procured of Cannonicus which were upon HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 139 the point, and in effect whatsoever I desired of him. And I never denyed him nor Miantonomy whatever they desired of me as to goods or gifts, or use of my boats or pinnace and the travels of my own person day and night, which though men know not, nor care to know, yet the all-seeing eye hath seen it and his all-powerful hand hath helped me." Returning to our notice of the movements of Williams and his company of loving friends in the early summer of 1636, we find that they entered into a compact soon after settling themselves, and be- gan the exercise of town functions. The compact ran as follows: " We whose names are hereunder, desirous to inhabit in the town of Providence, do promise to subject ourselves in active and passive obedience to all such orders or agreements as shall be made for pub- lic good of the body in an orderly way, by the major consent of the present inhabitants, masters of families— incorporated together in a Town fellowship, and others whom they shall admit unto them only in civil things." This is dated August 20th and the names appended to it are sup- posed to be those of a subsequent addition to the company who began with Williams in the spring. This second or additional company thus subscribing to the compact in August were as follows: Richard Scott, William Reynolds, Chad Brown, John Warner, John Field, George Rickard, Edward Cope, Thomas Angell, Thomas Harris, Francis Wickes, Benedict Arnold, Joshua Winsor and William Wickenden. The corporate business of the settlers was conducted in frequent meetings of their number, called together as occasion required to act upon any question that came up. It does not appear that the matters of this town were managed by any materially different scheme from that generally followed by the New England towns -of that period, except that there was here no dabbling with or attempt to regulate ecclesiastical matters. The town assumed jurisdiction only over civil affairs. One of the first corporation orders that has been preserved to the present time, is one requiring a fine of one shilling and sixpence from every delinquent who should delay his appearance at the time and place of a duly warned town meeting for more than a quarter of an hour. The same fine was repeated at a subsequent meeting. Fines were also imposed on some members for neglecting to improve their ground by preparing to fence, build and plant. As in other towns it was deemed necessary to appoint com- missioners to have charge of the timber on the common lands, and to prevent a wholesale appropriation of public property to private uses. Settlement by individual members was at first made conformably to the taste and desire of each, as far as they could be accommodated. The cornfields which had been cleared by the Indians were doubtless utilized. But circumstances soon developed the necessity for a more 140 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. systematic division of lands and settlement of the people. The "Town Streete " was laid out along the east bank of the river, and this has been substantially preserved to the present time as Main street, now divided into two sections distinguished respectively as North and South Main. The land east of the street and running up the slope and over the ridge was divided by lines running east and west into lots of about five acres each. The rear of these lots bordered on "the highway," which ran along the valley nearly identical with the present Hope street. This division began at the north end near the spot where Williams and his companions landed, now nearly the site of Olney street, and extended about to the present site of Wickenden street, where it takes its east and west course. Beginning at the north end, according to the plot which has been restored by that careful and laborious student of the subject, Mr. Charles W. Hopkins, whose researches have thrown much light upon it, the home lots of the settlers lay in order proceeding south- ward as follows:— Gregory Dexter, Matthew Waller, Thomas Paintor, Edward Manton, John Greene, Jr., Benedict Arnold, Francis Wickes, William Arnold, Thomas James, John Greene, Sr., John Smith, Widow Reeve, Joshua Verin, Roger Williams, John Throckmorton, William Harris, Alice Daniels, John Sweet, William Carpenter, Rob- ert Cole, Thomas Olney, Thomas Angell, Francis Weston, Richard Waterman, Ezekiel Holyman, Stukely Westcott, W T illiam Reynolds, Daniel Abbott, Chad Brown, John Warner, George Rickard, Richard Scott, William Field, John Field, Joshua Winsor, Thomas Harris, Adam Goodwin, William Burrows, William Mann, William Wicken- den, Nicholas Power, Widow Joan Tiler, Widow Jane Sears. Thomas Hopkins, Edward Hart, Matthew Weston, John Lippitt,Hugh Bewitt, Robert West, William Hawkins, Christopher Unthank and Robert Williams. Tims it will be seen the ground selected for the initial town plat was that now embraced by Main street on the west, Hope street on the east, Olney street on the north and Wickenden street on the south. In the north part of the plat the lots were laid out about 122 feet wide. Nineteen of them averaged about that width, and they covered the ground as far down as the present Meeting street, which perpetuates an old highway separating the home lots of William Carpenter and Robert Cole. These lots contained about 5£ acres. The 21 lots which lay between Meeting street and Power street were somewhat longer and consequently not as wide. They had an aver- age width of about 107 feet, and contained a little more than five acres each. The 12 remaining lots at the south end were shorter than those in the middle section, had an average width of about 120 feet and contained about 4\ acres. The present Halsey sreet runs nearly between the lots of Edward Manton and John Greene, Jr. Jenckes street runs through what was the lot of William Arnold. St. John's HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 141 church stands on the lot of Widow Reeve, and Church street runs between that and the lot of Joshua Verin, while Allen's lane is upon Roger Williams' lot, which lay next south. Bowen street runs nearly between the lots of Roger Williams and John Throckmorton. Cady street is about the middle of the lot of William Harris. The state house stands on the lot of John Sweet, and North and South Court streets are substantially on the same lot. Meeting street runs along the north side of Robert Cole's lot. Arsenal lane is upon the lot of Thomas Olney, while Thomas street and Angell court are upon the lot of Thomas Angell. The First Baptist church stands on the lot of Francis Weston, and Angell street is upon the same lot. Water- man street leaves North Main nearly on the lot of Richard Water- man, after which it veers away southwardly across the lot of Ezekiel Holy man and then resumes its easterly course on the lot of Stukely Westcott. Jackson court is upon the same lot. The State Normal school is on the lot of Richard Waterman. Brown University occu- pies the width of several lots, being upon those of William Reynolds, Daniel Abbott, Chad Brown, John Warner and George Rickard. Col- lege street is substantially between the lots of Daniel Abbott and Chad Brown. George street is in part upon the lot of Richard Scott. Benevolent street is between the lots of John Field and Joshua Win- sor. Charles Field street crosses the line from the lot of Adam Goodwin to that of William Burrows. Power street runs between the lots of William Wickenden and Nicholas Power. Arnold street is on the lot of John Lippitt, while the Tillinghast burying ground is upon the lot of Hugh Bewitt. Transit street is on the lot of Robert West and Sheldon street is on the lot of Christopher Unthank. A brief notice of the settlers who occupied these lots may not be out of place here. Gregory Dexter, a native of London, a printer by trade, came to Providence about 1644, and a few years later, having joined the Baptist church, became its pastor. He was also an active man in civil affairs, was town clerk a number of years, a commis- sioner to represent the town in general assembly, and served as presi- dent of Providence and Warwick in 1653-4. He was a man of admira- ble and accomplished parts. Of Matthew Waller we know but little. His name appears on the compact of 1640. His home lot was after- ward in the possession of Gregory Dexter. Thomas Painter appears to have been but a transient resident. His home lot soon reverted to the town and was granted to Pardon Tillinghast. Of Edward Man- ton we know but little beyond the fact that his name appears on the compact of 1640, and he received a home lot in this plat. A school house belonging to the city now stands upon the west end of his lot. John Greene, Jr., was a transient resident here, and soon became a resident of Warwick, where he served in several public positions of trust. Benedict Arnold was scarcely identified with Providence. His home was soon changed to Pawtuxet, and shortly afterward to New- 142 HISTORY OK PROVIDENCE COUNTY. port. He had the reputation of being the second wealthiest man in the colony, Roger Williams being the first. Francis Wickes, one of the five who came hither with Roger Wil- liams on his first landing, remained here but a short time, his home lot in 1663 being the property of John Whipple. On this lot the old " Whipple Tavern " was located, which was at 369 North Main street. William Arnold came from England to Hingham, Mass., in 1635, and the following year removed to Providence. In 1638 he removed to Pawtuxet, and his home lot became the property of John Whipple. Thomas James was an ordained minister, and received a grant of land here in 1637. He sold his home lot to William Field, in 1639, he becoming a purchaser at Pawtuxet. John Greene, Sr., was an edu- cated surgeon, and came with his family from Hampton, England, in 1635. He was one of the thirteen original proprietors of Providence. His second wife was Alice Daniels, a widow who had received a home lot here. His lot was soon after cast at Warwick, where he became prominent in affairs. He sold his interest in Providence to his son John, in September, 1644. John Smith, a miller, was banished from Massachusetts (Dorches- ter i and came hither with Roger Williams in 1636. He was allowed a grant of land in the valley, where he first built a house, on condi- tion that he would set up a mill for grinding corn, which he appears to have done, though the exact site of that mill is not at present known. He died about the year 1648, and about half a century later his home lot appears in the possession of the heirs of Major John Dexter, deceased. Widow Reeve removed from Salem to Providence and received a home lot. This lot afterward fell into the hands of Richard Scott, by what means we are not informed, and by subse- quent sales came into the possession of Nathaniel Brown, by whom the western part of it was, with the lot originally belonging to Joshua Verin, lying next south of it, given to the "Church of England," in the early part of the eighteenth century. St. John's church was erected upon it. Joshua Verin was one of the five who came in the traditional canoe with Roger Williams on the first recorded voyage. He received a home lot in this division and settled here, but soon became involved in a development of the liberty of conscience idea which has coupled his name with history in a way to preserve it to future ages. It ap- pears that religious meetings were held with such frequency, and in such manner that Yerin, who may not have been a religious man, objected to having his wife attend them, and even forbade and re- strained her from doing so. The town considered him a proper sub- ject for censure, but in his defense it was urged that he had acted on the promptings of his conscience, which taught him that a wife should be obedient to her husband, and that she ought not to frequent meet- ings called by men under cover of religion, the good design or effect HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 143 of which he questioned. The popular sentiment, however, was against Verin, and the following record appears under date of May 21st, 1637: "It was agreed that Joshua Verin, upon the breach of a covenant, for restraining of the liberty of conscience, shall be withheld from the libertie of voting till he shall declare the contrarie." It does not appear that Verin declared to " the contrarie," but it does appear that he left the settlement and removed to Salem. In 1650 he addressed a letter to the town of Providence setting forth his claim to his share in the lands of the town as one of the six original explorers and purchasers. His prayer for their serious consideration and his own reasonable satisfaction was answered by the reply that if he should come into court and prove his right they would do him justice. He appears to have proved his claim and lands were allowed him on it. He afterward sold his home lotto Richard Scott. In 1674 he was represented here by John Whipple, Jr., who held a power of attorney from Verin, he having gone to Barbadoes to reside. In the year mentioned 94 acres of land were laid out to him as " part of his purchase right in ye first division," the other part of his right being the home lot already alluded to and a share of salt meadow which he also had sold to Richard Scott. Of Roger Williams we need not speak here, since a more extended notice of his career is given in another part of this work. John Throckmorton came from England with Williams in 1630, having been engaged somewhat in the practice of law. He resided awhile at Salem, and became one of the first settlers at Providence, as well as one of the original members of the church here. He served as a deputy for this town in 1664, 1665 and 1666, and became one of the earliest converts to the preaching of George Fox. William Harris came to Salem in 1635, and removed to Providence in the following- year, being among the original proprietors. He was one of the four arbiters appointed to prepare a plan of government in 1640, a magis- trate of Providence in 1655, and served as a commissioner of the town in 1657-8, and 1662-3. He was a surveyor, and had also studied law to some extent. He was an assistant in 1667, from which office he was deposed for calling a meeting of the assembly without sufficient cause. A fine of ,£50 was also pronounced upon him, but this was remitted. His position in regard to the proprietorship of lands brought him into pronounced opposition to Roger Williams. In 1679 he sailed for England, and died in London in 1680. Alice Daniels received a grant of land the second year of the plan- tation. She married John Greene, Sr., and her home lot was sold to Valentine Whitman. John Sweet received a home lot in the first division, but after a few years' residence here he removed to War- wick, and his home lot became the property of Edward Manton. Wil- 144 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. liam Carpenter was the son of Richard, of Amesbury, Wiltshire, England, and came to Providence in 1636. He served as commis- sioner from 1658 to 1663, and as assistant for several years. Robert Cole is supposed to have come to this country with the first settlers of Massachusetts. He appears there as early as 1630, and was among the early proprietors here in 1637. He was one of the arbiters on a form of government in 1640, and afterward became one of the original proprietors of Pawtuxet, and an inhabitant of Shawomet, and died about 1655. Thomas Olney came from Hertford, England, in 1635. After residing awhile at Salem he removed to Providence about 1638. He was the first town treasurer, also served as commissioner and as assistant for several years. Thomas Angell, one of the companions of Williams on his first landing, was a native of London. There are indications that he was a member of Williams' family, before coming hither. Besides his own home lot he afterward acquired possession of that of Francis Weston, which lay next on the south. Francis Weston was admitted as a freeman in Massachusetts in 1633. In the following year he was a deputy from Salem to the general court. He was not long a resi- dent of Providence. Joining in the purchase of Warwick, he was with others seized by the Massachusetts soldiers in theirdescentupon that colony, whom they regarded as trespassers. Subjected to labor in the prison at Dorchester, and exposed to privations and inclement weather, he fell a victim to consumption, and about or before 1645 died from the effects. Richard Waterman became a resident of Salem in 1629. He re- moved to Providence about 1638. He was one of the town council in 1651, and was a commissioner in 1650, 1652, 1655 and 1656. He also acquired possession of the lot of Ezekiel Holyman, next south of his own, and upon this lot his remains were buried after his death, which occurred in 1673. Although concerned in the purchase of Shawomet, he did not remove thither but retained his residence here. He also resided at Newport for a time. Ezekiel Holyman or Holliman,as the name is variously spelled, was a native of Hertford county, England, came to this country about 1634, became a resident of Salem in 1637, and about 1638 removed to Providence. Here, on the formation of the First Baptist church, he became* the assistant pastor. About 1642 he removed to Warwick, where he held for successive years different offices of responsibility. Stukely Westcott removed from Salem to Providence in April, 1638, and received a home lot, which he soon after sold to Samuel Bennett, himself removing to Warwick, where he died in 1677. William Reynolds, in the second year of the plan- tation, received a home lot, which a few years later he sold to Robert Williams, a schoolmaster of Newport. Daniel Abbott held for a time the position of town clerk. In 1679 he urged the building of a town house, but without avail. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 145 Chad Brown, born in England about the year 1600, came to Amer- ica in 1638 and settled in Providence soon after his arrival. He was a surveyor, and also had the honor of being the first elder of the Bap- tist church in Providence. He was ordained pastor of the church here in 1642. and performed the duties of the office until his death, which occurred about 1663. He was at various times entrusted with the performance of important public commissions. Roger Williams spoke of him as " that wise and Godly soul." lie was the ancestor of Nicholas Brown, the liberal patron of the University. John Warner appears to have been a man of clerical aptitude, and his talents were sought for the benefit of the embryo settlement. But the charms of Warwick drew him away from here and he sold his home lot to Wil- liam Field. Besides holding various offices in the local government he was clerk of the general court of Providence Plantations in K'AS. He probably removed from Providence about the year 184;"). George Rickard purchased of William Field the home lot formerly belonging to John Warner. His residence here was but a few years, as he died previous to 1663. Richard Scott, a brother-in-law of Mrs. Anne Hutchinson, removed with her from Massachusetts, became a Quaker, and was one of the early settlers of Providence. His name appears among the freemen of this town in 1655, and he served as a deputy in 1666. He became the owner of the home lots of Widow Reeve and Joshua Verin. William Field was a man of prominence in his day. He was an assistant in 1650 and from 1658 to 1665. and commissioner from this town 1656 to 1663. His family were among the chief landholders of the town, and one of them is honored in giving the name to Field's point. The house of William Field stood a little east of where the Providence Bank now stands, and during King Philip's war was used as a garrison house. It was one of the largest houses of that time, and when the citizens set about fortifying themselves this was, among others of the strongest houses, strengthened with iron gratings at the windows. By that means this part of the town was saved from the conflagration of 1676. The house mentioned stood 40 or 50 feet from the street and there remained until 1772. John Field removed from Bridgewater to Providence soon after its settlement, received a home lot and became one of the early inhabitants. Joshua Wmsor came from Windsor, England. He had one son, Samuel, by whom his home lot was, in 1691, sold to Gideon Crawford. Five descend- ants of his surname were settled Baptist ministers in the state. Thomas Harris, a brother of William Harris, was a commissioner from Providence for a number of years. He appears to have been here as early as 1637, and in 1665 was one of the committee appointed to run the "seven-mile line." He died about 1686. Adam Goodwin was among the early settlers of Providence. He received a home lot, which he sold to Richard Osborne in 1(148. 10 146 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. William Burrows was an early inhabitant and received a home lot, but he was unsuccessful in financial matters, and had to reeeiYe pub- lic help. His home lot has become historic ground on account of being the site of the house in which the capture of the "Gaspee" was planned. That house stood on the corner of South Main and Planet streets. William Mann was an early settler of whom but lit- tle is known. William Wickenden removed hither from Salem, be- -coming a purchaser here previous to August 20th, 1637. He filled the offices of town councilman, commissioner, committeeman to form a plan of government in 1647, and to run the boundary line in 1661. He also filled the pastoral office at different times, being for a time colleague with Chad Brown in the Baptist church of Providence. He died February 23d, 1670. Nicholas Power received a home lot at an early date, which he retained until his death in 1657, after which it became the property of his widow, Jane. Joan Tiler received a home lot among the early inhabitants, which in 1663 was in the hands of William Hawkins, having successively passed through the hands of her subsequent husband, Nathaniel Dickens, and Ralph Earl and John Sayles. Jane Sears was another woman who received a home lot in the early distribution of lands in Providence. By some means now unknown to us, her lot came into possession of Daniel Williams, a son of Roger Williams. Thomas Hopkins, a native of England, received a home lot and was a member of the church here. He was a commissioner for several years and a member of the town council in 1667 and 1672. He died at Oyster Bay, Long Island, in 1684. Of Edward Hart we have no information, beyond the few facts connected with his receiving a home lot, and that the lot was, previ- ous to 1679, in the possession of Robert West. From this we infer that Edward Hart, like so many others of the first settlers, did not long remain a resident of Providence. Mathew Weston was another transient resident. He received a home lot in 1643, on condition of occupying it. He evidently occupied it a short time, but abandoned it previous to 1650. John Lippitt was among the early inhabitants, and served on the committee to draft a plan of government in 1647. In 165-2 lie sold his real estate here to Arthur Fenner, excepting his home lot. He afterward removed to Warwick, where his name ap- pears on the roll of freemen in 1655. Hugh Bewitt was a resident of Massachusetts, whence he was banished in December, 1640, on a charge of heresy. He was by that decree pronounced dangerous in his person and errors and threatened with death by hanging, should he refuse to obey the decree of banishment. He came to Providence, where he was received into the church and the civil compact, and given some land. He, however, did not remain here many years. By sales in 1644 and L650 he appears to have disposed of all his rights here. William Hawkins was one of the early settlers. He is represent- ed as being faithful in his place during the troublous times of King HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 147 Philip's war. In recognition of his firmness at that time the assem- bly, in 1677, gave him with others a grant of land in Narragansett. Christopher Unthank was a weaver who joined the settlers at an early date and received land. Abont the year 1658 he appears to have moved to Warwick, and sold his house and home lot in Provi- dence to Thomas Roberts. Robert Williams is supposed to have been a brother of Roger Williams. He was one of the first commissioners from Providence, being appointed in 1758. He also held the same office in 1651 and 1652, was a member of the town council in 1655, justice of the peace in 1664, and general solicitor in 1673 and 1674. About 1665 he appears to have removed to Newport, where he was engaged in the occupation of a schoolmaster, and sold his house and lot in Providence to John Scott. After accepting the initial deed, on October 7th, 1638, the thirteen proprietors at that time made a division in their extensive purchase, and subjected the different parts to different rules of subsequent sub- division. The two parts are known in the records as the " grand pur- chase of Providence," and the " Pawtuxet purchase." The division of the home lots in the former tract we have already noticed at considera- ble length, and its historic importance was much in advance of any other tract. Besides this division there were also the " JSix-acre Lots." Each individual settler had one of these allotted to him in addition to his " Home Lot." Of the " Six-acre lots," that of Roger Williams adjoined " What-cheer," on Seekonk river. Seven other lots were located to the south of his, on the same river, extending to Mile End cove. This cove was at the south end of the town, between Fox point and Wickenden street, but has long since disappeared. Other six- acre lots were located, according to the desires of individuals, in other parts of the purchase, as " on the North side of the Wanasqua- tucket," and "by the west river." In 1718 the proprietors made another division of home or house lots. Lands on the southerly and easterly side of Weybosset street, on the west side of North Main street, north Canal market, and on the south side of Olney street, were divided into 101 house lots, and dis- tributed one to each proprietor at that time. The land on the west side of Main street and north of Mile End cove, was subsequently plotted" and divided into warehouse lots, and in most cases sold by the proprie- tors to the owners of the house lots opposite them. Other lands in the common propriety were generally disposed of by town vote to particular persons, or a division of a specified number of acres to each proprietary right was voted, and the location of each was left to the choice of the individuals interested. The proprietors' surveyor was charged with the duty of laying out such lands, generally under the direction of a committee appointed for the purpose by the proprie- tors, and the transaction was duly recorded by the town clerk. Up to the year 1718 the land affairs were managed by the people of the 14S HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. town, and the records were kept, as we have said, by the town clerk, but after that time the proprietors were recognized as a distinct body from the town, and land records were kept by a clerk of their own. It may be of interest to mention in passing, that the home lot of Roger Williams was near the historic spring where he first landed here. The northwesterly corner of the lot is now occupied by the corner of North Main and Howland streets, and the spring was on the opposite side of Main street, which then passed along the shore, the tide flowing almost up to the spring. During the first years of the town it does not appear that any of its political powers were exercised by or delegated to any portion of its members. The town was a pure democracy, the original pur- chasers and such as they saw fit to admit to the fellowship of their number meeting in town meeting monthly, or when stress of busi- ness demanded it, and transacting all the business pertaining to their little commonwealth. Though the records of their proceedings are very meagre, yet it must have been that they adopted some general rules for their government beyond the simple compact which we have already quoted. The cardinal principle upon which the government of the town was established was the idea of perfect religious liberty as interpreted and contended for by Roger Williams both at Salem and at Plymouth. " No man should be molested for his conscience." The first remove made from a pure democracy was in ]640. The people had, no doubt, experienced the difficulties attendant on this form of civil government. Matters in dispute in regard to land claims and boundaries were entrusted to a committee in 1640, the commit- tee whose decision the town agreed to accept as final, being composed of Robert Cole, Chad Brown, William Harris and John Warner. By the award of this committee a line was drawn between the particular propriety in Pawtuxet lands, which some of the inhabitants had, and the common proprietorship of Providence lands. This line was de- scribed as " a straight line from a fresh spring, being in the gully at the head of the cove running by that point of- land called Saxefrax, into the town of Mashapang, to an oak tree standing near unto the cornfield, being at this time the nearest cornfield unto Pawtuxet, the oak tree having four marks with an axe, till some other land-mark be set for a certain bound. Also, we agree, that if any meadow ground lying and joining to that meadow that borders upon the river of Pawtuxet, come within the aforesaid line, which will not come within a straight line from long cove to the marked tree, then, for that meadow to belong to Pawtuxet, and so beyond the town of Masha- pang from the oak tree between the two fresh rivers Pawtuxet and Wanasquatucket of an even distance." Five men were thenceforward to be chosen for the purpose of dis- posing of the common lands and allotting the same to individuals, HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 149 and to have charge of the town's stock and the interests of the town in general. These men were also to consider the qualifications and application of any who might propose to join the settlement, and not to admit any one without first giving six days' notice to all the towns- men, that any one having an}- objection to the candidate might have a chance to show cause why he should not be admitted. Further, no one was to be admitted to a residence in the town without first sub- scribing to the compact and regulations which had been adopted for its government. An appeal might be taken from the decision of the " disposers," to the general town meeting, by any aggrieved party. The office of town clerk was at this time constituted. The liberty of conscience was reiterated. The settlement of personal disputes was recommended to arbitra- tion, but in the event of any party in a case refusing to submit to such a settlement, and refusing to choose arbitrators, the five dis- posers had power to compel the refractory party to choose arbitrators, or to choose for him, and to enforce the award of the arbitrators so appointed and to require the party found in fault to pay the arbitra- tors for their time. If the arbitrators (two for each of the disputing parties) failed to agree on a case, the disposers should appoint three men to decide upon it, the vote of the major part of the five disposers only being necessary to choose the arbitrators, and the vote of the major part of them only being required to give a final decision. Ar- bitrators when hearing a case should give it their attention to the exclusion of any other business or employment until a decision was reached, unless by consent of all parties interested. In case a de- fendant should in the beginning of a case offer a reasonable condition of settlement and the plaintiff should refuse it, then at the close of the arbitration the cost thereof should be exacted of the plaintiff, not- withstanding the verdict should be in his favor. Theft and slander were to be prosecuted by the disposers at the request of any citizen, even though the party against whom the wrong was committed should neglect to brino- an action. The entire community was pledged to assist any man in attaching and obtaining justice of a delinquent party, but if any plaintiff should obtain the help and efforts of others under false pretense, having no just cause, he should be required to pay for such help and efforts of others as he had secured. In case a dispute arose between any man and one of the disposers that could not be deferred till the next general town meeting, the clerk was authorized to call a special town meeting to try the case. The five disposers were authorized to give every man a deed for such lands as were or should be allotted to him. The dis- posers were to hold regular meetings once a month, and were to hold office for a term of three months, regular town meetings being held • quarterly. The term of office of the clerk was for one year. He was entitled to fees of four pence for every cause that came to the town for L50 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. «. trial, and twelve pence for making each deed. The price of a share in the common proprietorship of the town was then fixed at 30 shil- lings, and all who had not already paid in that amount were required to make it up. Whilst no specific regulation to that effect appears, the rule seems to have been carried out in practice that no proprie- tor should receive from the town more than one share in the common interests in the land. The estates of some individuals were, however, increased by purchase of the lands of others. This town constitution, as it may quite properly be called, has only been preserved in a legible copy made in 1662. Only 39 names are appended to this copy. Whether the original was signed by others or not we have no means of knowing. It seems quite probable that those present at the time of its adoption or soon after signed it, and that the matter of signing it fell into neglect through official paucity. The names appended to the copy spoken of were Chad Brown, Rob- ert Cole, William Harris, John Throckmorton, Stukely Westcott, Benedict Arnold, William Carpenter, Richard Scott, Thomas Harris, Francis Wickes, Thomas Angell, Adam Goodwin, William Burrows, Roger Williams, Robert West, Joshua Winsor, Robert Williams, Mat- thew Waller, Gregory Dexter, John Lippitt, John Warner, John Field, William Arnold, William Field, Edward Cope, Edward Man- ton, William Man, Nicholas Power, William Reynolds, Thomas Olney, Richard Waterman, William Wickenden, Edward Hart, Hugh Bewii t, Thomas Hopkins, Joan Tiler, Jane Sears, Christopher Unthank and William Hawkins. So far as the records show, the constitution went into immediate effect and became the foundation of town government for several years. Though but a small remove from the pure democracy of the first years, it marks an epoch in the history of the town and indicates the growth of the colony and the increase of a population that re- quired a more energetic and less onerous form of government than the simple one that had preceded it. The new form, however, pre- serves the same love of equality and liberty, and the same regard to the rights of individuals that was manifest in the former. Tli is government, however, was not satisfactory, and did not long- answer the desires of the people. It was found that some govern- ment based upon authority more dignified than the simple subscrip- tion to a few simple articles of confederation was necessary to pre- serve the peace and prosperity of the little colony. Massachusetts refused to help them to carry out their own laws unless they would submit themselves to the authority of that colony. To do this would be to repudiate the principles for which they had already sacrificed most. A few. however, were ready to do even this. William Arnold, William Carpenter, Robert Cole and Benedict Arnold, all of whom were at the time residing at Pawtuxet,in 1642 accepted the authority of Massachusetts and submitted themselves and their lands to the HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 151 jurisdiction of that colony. This action introduced a new series of complications and involved the people in additional perplexities. Now surely some authority must be invoked which was equal to or greater than that of Massachusetts. A bold stroke of diplomacy was determined upon, and an appeal directly to the Crown was made. Mr. Williams himself most appropriately championed the cause, and personally went to England to present the cause of his people at the throne. Without repeating the details, which have been given more fully elsewhere in this work, this movement resulted in the colonial charter of 1644, which embraced the towns of Providence, Portsmouth and Newport. The government under this charter was not organized until May, 1647. During this time Providence had grown slowly. The site of the present city did not seem to be a general favorite. It must have been observed that a great majority of the first settlers soon sold out their home lots and removed to more desirable localities southward, some to Pawtuxet, some to Warwick and others to Newport or some other place. The town in 1645 numbered 101 men capable of bearing arms, which number doubtless included the residents of Pawtuxet and Warwick. On the 16th of May, 1647, the town meeting in Provi- dence was held to appoint delegates to the meeting at Portsmouth two days later to organize a government under the charter. Roger Williams was moderator of this town meeting, and the following delegates, or committee, were appointed to represent this town in the coming convention: Gregory Dexter, William Wickenden, Thomas Olney, Robert Williams, Richard Waterman, Roger Williams, William Field, John Green, John Smith and John Lippitt. A somewhat lengthy code of instructions was given the committee whereby they might be guided in their action so as most effectually to carry out the desires of their constituents. The substance of these in- structions was as follows: The committee were to act as a unit or indi- vidually. No basis of representation having been previously given, the committee might reduce its number by its own choice, should the town be found not to be entitled to so large a number of representa- tives. The town desired a copy of the charter to be kept in its juris- diction, and agreed to accept any form of government agreeable to the charter that the general court should decide upon. The town also declared its willingness " to receive and be governed by the laws of England, together with the wav of administration of them, so far as the nature and constitution of this place will admit." The town desired to have full liberty in the selection of its own town officers, transacting- all its home affairs and the trial of all its own cases, and executions of the same " excepting such cases and execu- tions as the colony shall be pleased to reserve to general trials and executions." It desired "no intermixture of general and particular officers, but that all may know their bounds and limits."' A plan by 152 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. which appeals might be taken to the general court was desired. Be- yond these the town authorized its committee to act in any question not included in the instructions, always reserving, however, an equal voice in the general court. The instructions concluded with the fol- lowing benediction: •• Thus betrusting you with the premises, we commit you unto the protection and direction of the Almighty, wishing you a com- fortable voyage, a happy success, and a safe return unto us again." Though the town was thus represented by a committee, it is sup- posed that a majority of the men of the plantation were at the scene of the convention at Portsmouth. The proceedings of that conven- tion are given elsewhere. The first record, of a town election in Providence, under the charter which the general assembly (which name was thus early applied to the general court) gave the town March 14th, 1648, was held on the first Monday in June, 1651. At that time the following officers were elected: Gregory Dexter, town clerk; Robert Williams and Thomas Olney, deputies; Thomas Harris, William Wickenden, Richard Wa- terman, and the assistant and two deputies altogether made the town council; Hugh Bewitt, town sergeant; Thomas Harris, treasurer. In reference' 1 to the material improvements of the town in those early years, we are told that the first one of a public nature was the " Towne Streete," running along the foot of the hill and along the shore of the great " Salt River." This we have already spoken of, and it has in modern times received the appropriate name of Main street. A straggling village of some two score houses was set upon the east side of this street, extending along a tract about two miles in length. This was the nucleus of the great and busy city of Provi- dence of to-day. It followed the curves of the shore at a proper dis- tance to secure solid ground. The ascent of the hill was abrupt. From the southern end of the settlement by Fox hill the road lay by the water side until it approached the falls of the Moshassuck. There leaving the shore it ascended in a long diagonal slope, by the side of a steep ravine, to the high ground later known as Constitutional hill. Thence forward at an elevation of some SO feet above the stream, it went on to the utmost limits of the clearing. As we have before said, the home lots extended eastward over the mound and down the other side to a road that ran up the valley. This road had no dis- tinctive name, but for IfiO years it was called " the Highway." After the " Upper Ferry " was established in 1678, at the site of the modern " Red Bridge," the road spoken of was popularly known as the "Ferry Fane" for more than a century, and in 1806 the town council gave it the name of Hope street, which it still bears. A highway three rods wide extending from the Towne street to the water-side, was opened January 2d, 1681, to facilitate the approach and use of a wharf, which was then being prospectively considered. This is now Market Square. HISTORY OK PROVIDEN< 1 COl NTY. 153 For a long time the highways mentioned were connected by only three narrow lanes. These were Power's lane, near the south end: a lane at first nameless, but afterward known as Jail lane, King street, and later as Meeting street; and the lane at the north end, called Dex- ter's lane, then Olney's lane. Most of the houses built upon the Town street during the first generation here were a single story, or a story and a half in height, with a large, rough stone chimney at one end. The earliest houses had but two rooms, called the " lower room " and the " chamber." To economize space a ladder was often the only provision for reaching the "chamber." This humble style of dwelling was almost universal until the last decade of the 17th century. Subsequently the popular model was enlarged to a house with four apartments, having a chim- ney in the middle of the house. At a later period a two-story model was adopted, with a lean-to and a steep roof. In these primitive houses chairs were an unusual luxury and cooking utensils were few and simple. The light of pine knots, as they sputtered and flashed and blazed and rolled out great wreaths of black, tarry smoke, afforded all the means of artificial light, and by such uncertain illumination the good cheer and home comfort of the settlers during the long win- ter evenings were enjoyed. Think of it ye modern Dives, luxuriating in the dazzling glow of your electric light ! but think not that happi- ness was a stranger to the hearthstone of the hardy settlers, whose blazing pitch-knots revealed the faces of loved ones gathered around the great open fireplace, upon whose crumbling stones perhaps your own lordly mansion is built. The wells of the settlers were usually dug in the street, and were free to the public. It was, of course, un- necessary that every householder should' have one on his own prem- ises. A single one -was sufficient for a number of families. In their property the settlers slowly gathered about them such personal belongings and other possessions of a movable character as opportunity came to them. But little stock could be obtained, but after a few herds of cattle had been secured the care of the planters rapidly increased the number. Goats and swine are thought by some to have been the first specimens of live stock brought hither. But there is no doubt that the ambition of the settlers rested with nothing less than herds of beef cattle. The common pasture plains on the west side of the river, then known as Weybosset, afforded an excel- lent field in which the settlers in common turned their cattle for pas- turage. An old Indian trail led down at the north of the present Steeple street, over a shell bank which made a fording place to a neck of the island reaching to where Washington Row now is, across the island and over a ford on the west side to the Weybosset meadows. Over this trail the cattle were driven back and forth to pasture. It is thought the first o-rist mill in the town was established under the patronage of the town in 1G46, by John Smith " the miller," who 154 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. came with Roger Williams at an earlier date, but for some reason seems to have delayed the needed improvement of setting up a grist mill for several years. Perhaps a lack of capital, or want of confi- dence in the stability of the settlement deterred him from sooner entering upon the enterprise. This mill was located at the lower fall of the Moshassuck. Here the land and water privilege necessary were granted him by the town, with the monopoly of the business, on condition that he would erect the mill and keep it in order, and be prepared to grind corn for the people of the town on the second and fifth davs of each week, taking toll of one-sixteenth for grinding. The plan of the mill is said to have been a pounding process, imitat- ing the mortar and pestle which it superseded. The erection of this mill created a center for the scattering village, and in its vicinity other business efforts followed, a new street being laid out to afford an approach to the mill from the Town street. The first bridge across the river was built just north of the mill. Near it were also located in due time, a tavern, a tannery, a cattle pound and a jail. In November, 1654, an election of military officers appears for the first time on the records. The town then chose a lieutenant, an ensign, and a sergeant. A further sign of progress is shown in the order the same year, that the laws of the town should be written in a book. The growth of the town was slow. It was at that time but little larger in numbers than Warwick, which was much smaller than either Portsmouth or Newport. The little town of Providence then did not look like becoming a greater body than all its sisters put to- gether many fold. The freemen of this town in 1655 were 42 in number, as follows: William Arnold, Thomas Angell, James Ash- ton, John Browne, Samuel Bennett, William Burrowes, Henrie Browne, Hugh Buwitt, Thomas Clement, Nathaniel Dickens, Gregorie Dexter, William Carpenter, John Feild, William Feild, Arthur Fen- ner, William Harris, Thomas Harris, William Hawkins, Thomas Hopkins, Edward Jermon, John Joanes, Roger Mowrie, Edward Manton, Thomas Olney, Sen'r, Thomas Olney, Jun'r, Nicholas Power, Henrie Redick, Thomas Roberts, John Sailes, Thomas Suck- linge, Christopher vSmith, Richard Scott, Thomas Slowe, John Throg- morton, Roger Williams, Robert Williams, Robert West, Richard Waterman. William Wickenden, Thomas Walline. Josua Winser and Mathew Waller. ' )f internal improvements bridges were among the necessities which became apparent and pressing at an early date. About the year 1650, or perhaps a year or two later, there was at least one bridge being kept in order at the expense of the town. What bridge it was does not appear plain. The records show that the town treasurer paid about the time mentioned, three pounds, for " mending the bridge, highways beyond the bridge, mile-end cove, fence at Dickens and the pound these several years." At what time Wevbosset bridge HISTORY OF PROVIDEN( I COl NTY. 155 was first established is not known. It may Have been built about the year 1660. The records show that in that year the town had expend- ed .£160 in the erection of a bridge at some point not specified. Staples inclines to the probability that it was Weybosset bridge. It appears to have been in existence as early as 1663 at least for in April of that year one George Sheppard made a gift of lands for the support of this bridge. The town could poorly afford to keep in order a bridge, and if any other means could be devised of meeting such an expense to the relief of the public treasury it was gladly ac- cepted. Roger Williams was allowed to assume control of this bridge and exact tolls from all who crossed it, provided he would keep it in order without any expense to the town. This continued from 1667 to 1672, after which it was taken under the patronage of the general assembly and that body made grants for the expense of its maintenance. At this period the precious metals were scarce and taxes as well as all private debts, were paid in wheat, peas, pork, horses and cattle, at stated values. The population of the town steadily increased, but its increase was slow, and it was doubtless a serious and uncertain question in the minds of many of the settlers whether the plantation of Providence would gain a permanent foot-hold or after a few years be abandoned. Progress was slow under the discouraging circum- stances which beset them. These dangers threatened from neigh- boring colonies, with whom they were not in favor; from the Indians whose vengeful passions were being continually aroused by those neighboring colonies; and from the many rash opinionists, holding different and inharmonious views, whom the peculiarly liberal con- stitution of the town had allowed to enter its society. Certainly it required a strong faith to enable the freemen of this town to risk their lives and fortunes on the ultimate triumph of the little town. Various discordant questions also arose between this town and its neighboring towns of the colony. The charter of 1643 was not satis- factory in its results. To add to the perplexities of the people the apparent efforts of William Coddington of Newport to gain some ruling advantage in the colony broke like a thunderbolt on the sus- picions of the people, and the citizens of this town could not be in- different to the general excitement. In January, 10o6, the town gave permission to such as pleased to do so to erect a fort on " Stampers' Hill." Tradition has preserved the statement that soon after the settlement was commenced, a body of Indians approached the town in a hostile manner. Some of the townsmen, by running and stamping on this hill led the Indi- ans to believe that a large force of men was stationed there to oppose them, and so they gave up the designed attack and retired. From this circumstance the hill has always been called Stampers' hill. Stampers' street passes along the brow of this hill. Other acts of 156 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. the same town meeting' were one establishing a new town court hav- ing jurisdiction over disputes not exceeding 40 shillings in amount, Roger Williams, Thomas Olney and Thomas Harris being first elec- ted judges of the court; and another declaring all the inhabitants, though not admitted as freemen, liable to be elected to office, and liable to fine for refusing to serve when so elected. In 1657 a grave charge of high treason was preferred by Roger Williams against William Harris, at a general court held at Newport in Maw Proceedings were postponed to a subsequent court meeting, when the following decision was given. •• Concerning William Harris his book and speeches upon it, was found therein delivered, as for doctrine, having much bowed the scriptures to maintain it, that he that can say it is his conscience, ought not to yield subjection to any human order amongst men. Whereas the said Harris has been charged for the said book and words with high treason, and inasmuch as we being so remote from England cannot be so well acquainted in the laws thereof in that behalf provided, as the state now stands, though we cannot but con- clude his behaviour therein to be both contentious and seditious, we thought best therefore, to send over his writing, with the charge and his reply to Mr. John Clark, desiring him to commend the matter, in our and the Commonwealth's behalf, for further judg- ment as he shall see the cause require, and in the meantime to bind the said Harris in good bonds to the good behaviour until their sentence be known." A bond of ^"500 was required. What termination the case ever reached we are not informed, but as he appears for many years afterward to have been a prominent repre- sentative in the councils of the colony we presume that he was not found guilty of the charge. The number of freemen required to make a town meeting was at one time ten, but in 1658 the number was reduced to seven. As early as L662 the proprietors of common lands began to be recognized as a distinct body, and to hold meetings by themselves, independent of the town meeting, but they still had the same clerk and their pro- iings were recorded in the town record book. In April of this year they made Mr. John Clark a member of their body, and granted him full rights with themselves as a proprietor. This appears to have been done in recognition or return for his services in their be- half as agent of the colony in England. Among the diversity of character and manners which no doubt showed itself in this primitive community, Mr. George Sheppard, whom we have already spoken of as the donor of lands for the bene- fit of Weybosset bridge, is worthy of notice. He was evidently a very retiring man, refusing to take part in town meetings, and de- claring his cheerful acquiescence in the vote of the town disfranchis- ing him, on account of his thus absenting himself. In a letter to the townsmen explaining his position, he says: HISTORY OF PROVIDED I COUNTY. 157 " For what land you were pleased to bestow upon me, I am bound to thank you for your free love therein, but be pleased to know, that it was not for land that I came hither, but the enjoying of my eon- science, therefore, if any be offended at the quantity of that gift and also of my acceptation, being advised thereto by friends. 1 do most willingly surrender it unto you again, desiring that you would be pleased, if it might be inoffensive, to bestow upon me a smaller quantity, according to your custom, for the which 1 shall aeknowledge myself much engaged unto you; otherwise you will expose me to think upon a removal where I may enjoy my freedom: but I hope you will take my condition into your serious consideration, that I may partake of that liberty, which, out of your tender care to consciences, you do hold forth, provided, as I desire not to be in anything a dis- turber of your civil peace or order but a well wisher and submitter thereto." The leaders of the people in all the towns of Rhode Island were at work pressing the necessary action to secure a more satisfactory charter. This was accomplished in 1663, Roger Williams of Provi- dence being prominently instrumental in the enterprise. The new charter was signed by the king July 8th, 1663, and officially received and accepted by the people amid appropriate and solemn ceremonies at Newport on the 24th of November of the same year. In prepara- tion for this event Benedict Arnold, then president of the colony, gave notice on the 16th of the month to the officers of the town of Providence to require all the freemen of the town to accompany the commissioners, in their arms, " on the 24th day of November instant, being Tuesday, or as many as can come, to Newport, there to solemn- ize the receipt of the charter, according to advice of the colony's agent to the council." A town meeting was immediately held, and William Field, Roger Williams, William Carpenter, Zachary Rhodes, William Harris and Stephen Arnold were chosen commissioners and authorized to repre- sent the town at the coming celebration. They appear to have all gone except Williams and Arnold, whose places were filled by the commissioners themselves, according to custom, by the election of Richard Tew and Joseph Torrey. The town declined to send any soldiers to take part in the parade. There was gathered a very great assembly of people, and in the presence of them all "the box in which the king's gracious letters were enclosed was opened, and the letters, with the broad seal thereto affixed, were taken forth and read by Captain George Baxter, in the audience and view of all the people; and the said letters, with his majesty's royal stamp and the broad seal, with much beseeming gravity, were held up on high and presented to the perfect view of the people, and so returned into the box. and locked up by the governor in order to the safe keeping." The most humble thanks of the colony were directed to be returned to his 158 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. majesty " for the high and inestimable, yea incomparable grace and favor." Under the new charter a few changes were made in the election of officers and other regulations. The apportionment of assistants to the different towns at this time was as follows: Newport, five; Provi- dence, three; and Portsmouth and Warwick, two each. The town council, composed of six persons, was to be composed of the assist- ants of the town and the remaining number to be elected by the peo- ple. The assistants were chosen by the assembly, or the state at large, so the town of Providence had only the power to choose three of its council. This was not altogether satisfactory. Some idea of the comparative importance of Providence may be gained from the figures of a tax of £600 laid by the general assembly in 1664. Of this tax Newport paid £285; Providence, £100; Ports- mouth, £80; Warwick. £80; Pettiquamscutt, £20; and Block Island, £15. In December a town tax of £130 was ordered, and this was made payable in wheat at 4s.,6d.a bushel; peas at 3s , 6d.; and pork at £3, 10s. a barrel. On the regular annual election day of June, 1667, one of those un- fortunate misunderstandings arose, which are not infrequent sources of trouble in an unsettled condition of government by the people. And indeed the peace of old established local governments has some- times been sadly disturbed by similar breaches. A misunderstand- ing arose between the assistants, whose place it w r as according to law to call town meetings. The details of the misunderstanding are not known, but it appears that two different calls were issued by different assistants, one by Arthur Fenner. and the other probably by William Harris. Thus, two meetings were held, and two sets of deputies to the general assembly were chosen. A special session of that body was called in July, by Mr. Harris, to oppose the action of the Fenner party. But the assembly decided adversely and admitted the depu- ties chosen at the meeting called by Fenner to their seats. Harris then preferred an indictment against Fenner and his delegates for illegal and disorderly proceedings, but they were acquitted, and on the other hand the assembly imposed a fine of £50 on Harris for call- ing the assembly together without sufficient cause. He was deposed from his office, and another assistant chosen in his stead, but the fine was afterward remitted. The Fenner party, in the name of the town, had sent communica- tions to the other three towns of the state, setting forth in severe par- tisan language their interpretation of the division and the action of Harris in the matter. They gave him the name of a "Firebrand," and among other charges they declared that he had on the town meet- ing day, by the help of " his partner, William Carpenter, deprived a great number of freemen of liberty to vote for officers. Some of them had been townsmen twenty-six years, all above eighteen years of age, HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 159 and landed men, and had given their engagement of fidelity to his majesty, according as is provided in the colony. The objection why they should not vote was, they had not given their engagements be- fore the town; then one steps forth and desireth to give his engage- ment, then, that, also they refused. Another objection, their names were not returned to the clerk, then the assistant tendered a list of those names to be recorded, that had given their engagements; that was also refused, so, that this man, with his partner, would neither accept them that were engaged, nor let him engage that offered him- self, before them; what they would have we now begin to see. The people beholding their liberties and privileges by these men endeav- ored to be violated and destroyed, being about two parts out of three resolved not to endure it; but moved Mr. Fenner, Assistant, to stand with them to help maintain their privilege, and to work they went, to the business of the day. to choose their moderator in the same room, the town clerk and constable: and when they were engaged, de- manded the town books to be delivered to the town clerk, chosen by the major part of the freemen of the town. This man with his asso- ciates, having got the table, denied the books. The said Arthur Fenner, moderator, in the name of the town demanded them three distinct times, and one of them dared the company to touch the books. But we dared to do it, only we did know it would but add fuel to the firebrand, which would do no good, neither to colony nor town; re- membering that our [liberty] is watched for roundabout us, and chose at present another way, procured paper, recorded our act and officers, completing the business of the day (as in respect to the election) and chose four men to draw this remonstrance to the three towns, that, if be possible this firebrand may be quenched. Moreover, this man, whilst we were peaceably acting, his associates having left the room, came again and commanded the said moderator of the town, about ten times, in his majesty's name, to depart that house from the rout; so that with us the case lieth thus-, that when we meet together in peace to agree about our occasions, not warned by this man or his partner, we are called by him a rout, and when warned by them and do not as this man would have us, we are then also termed a rout. What other firey work this man will make, we watch to see, that we may quench it if it be possible." This communication may have had some weight in procuring the summary treatment of Mr. Harris of which we have spoken, but it did not "quench the fire-brand" by any means. The favor which Harris had acquired in the colony called for a petition to the general assembly from the town in August, 1668, remonstrating against his being appointed to any office or employment in the colon)-. In this remonstrance, which is officially given over the signature of Shad- rach Manton, town clerk, it is declared that Harris was disfranchised in 1644 and cast out of town meeting "for assaulting- a neighbor and 160 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. blood shedding in the King's highway." He was charged with being an intrud, era usurper, a dweller "in the woods," with publishing treason- able expressions and being an element of disorder generally. All the invectives that rampant party spirit could suggest seem to have been used in describing his character, but for all that the assembly and the colony were not ready to remand him to the shades of obscurity. In 1068 the colony again elected him to the office of assistant, and the same honor was conferred upon him in 1669. His side of the controversy is not represented by any explana- tion now existing, but the facts mentioned show that by some means he secured a party of friends strong enough to sustain him in the positions mentioned. It appears probable that his party was strong enough in the town to carry on so much opposition as to obstruct the harmonious action of the town. A double town meeting and election of two sets of delegates appears to have been held in 1668, and a similar condition of things existed in the following year. In 1669 two certificates from two town clerks appear to have been issued, in one of which it is stated that no deputies were elected, and in the other that a certain specified list of deputies was elected. The general assembly ex- pressed its sympathy for the "grevious symptoms that appear of the dangerous contests, distractions and divisions" by which they declare the town of Providence was incapable of transacting their own affairs in any measure of satisfactory order, and so unable to send deputies to assist in the transaction of business for the whole colony. A com- mittee was accordingly chosen, to repair to Providence "and endeavor to persuade them to a loving composure of their differences," and to call a meeting for the election of town officers and deputies. No satisfactory result was reached. In March. 1670, the assembly again took the matter in hand, and after reciting the facts "that there have been great distractions amongst the inhabitants of the towm of Providence, there being two parties accusing each other, that they have obstructed legal proceed- ings and that they have acted illegally," appointed John Easton and Joshua Coggeshall to go to Providence and hold a town meeting and see that those possessing the legal qualifications, and only such, weie allowed to vote. By this means a town meeting was held, an election of officers was secured, Mr. Harris and his party seemed to fall into obscurity, and the local machinery of government began to move more freely. Despite all the discouraging and distracting influences of which we have spoken, the population of Providence continued slowly to increase until the period of that serious commotion known as King- Philip's war. At the beginning of that period the population is esti- mated to have been about 1,000 souls. The results of the Indian hostilities at this time greatly changed the population as well as HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 1 ( *. 1 other material appearances of the place. A brief notice of the de- tails of this trying time is called for at this point. In the earlier history of settlement, Massasoit, sachem of the Wampanoags, submitted himself and his lands to the Erglif-h, ; i d concluded a treaty with them. This treaty assured the AVampanoags of the protection of the English against the Narragansetts, of whose power and enmity the former tribe stood in great fear. The treaty was kept inviolate during the life of Massasoit. After his death his eldest son, Alexander, succeeded him, renewing, together with his brother Philip, the treaty with Plymouth, under whose fos'- tering wing the Wampanoags had grown stronger. Alexander had increased his power also, by marrying Weetamo, squaw sachem of the Pocassets, who was described as a princess not exceeded in power by any of her regal associates. It was suspected that Alexander was plotting with neighboring Indians for an onslaught upon the English. He was summoned to meet the court at Plymouth, but failed to do so, excusing himself by saying that he was waiting to see Captain Wil- lett who was then absent. This excuse was not accepted, and an armed force was sent after him, bringing him as a prisoner before the magistrates of Plymouth. He was soon released, but a few days after returning home he was taken sick of a fever and died. Indian suspicion at once declared that he was poisoned by the English. Philip, the brother of Alexander, now became sachem of the tribe. He doubtless believed in the suspicion of poisoning, and true to the Indian character, smothered his revenge for a more opportune time to give it vent. He laid his plans first to secure the alliance of all the neighboring tribes and then to strike one simultaneous and de- cisive blow against all the English settlements. Concealing his designs and movements, while he offered gifts and matured his plans with the Indians, he renewed treaties of peace and amity with the English, and finally set the time when the mask of friendship should be thrown off and the plan which had been for years maturing should be consummated by the war-whoop, the scalping knife and the fire-brand. Circumstances compelled an exposure of his hostile attitude, and in the summer of 1075 the villages of Plymouth colony were destroyed. In preparation for the commencement of hostilities the Wampanoags sent their women and children to the Narragan- setts for safe keeping. Canonchet, the chief sachem of the Narra- gansetts, was required to give them up to the English, but he reso- lutely refused to do so. Thus, the neighboring tribes of Indians were aroused to participation with the Wampanoags, and on the other hand the whole power of the United Colonics was called into action to suppress them. Rhode Island, not being included in that union of colonies, was in a very dangerous position, but might hope as its only chance, to maintain a neutral position and thus escape'the vengeance of the Indian. At the close of 1675 Philip took up his tt 162 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. winter quarters with the Narragansetts, where they had fortified themselves at South Kingstown. There they were attacked on De- cember 19th and taken, after a bloody engagement, in which a large number of the Indian warriors were killed. The survivors secreted themselves in the swamps and subsisted as best they could while they planned new projects of revenge. On their march into the Narragansett country the troops of the United Colonies had passed through Providence, and perhaps some volunteers joined them from this town. Up to about this time no depredation had been committed by the Indians upon Rhode Island ground, but now they burnt Bull's garrison house at South Kingstown. The towns of the mainland were now thoroughly filled with alarm, and petitioned the assembly for help, but with little good result. The assembly could do little to help them. But Newport and Ports- mouth generously invited the people of Providence and Warwick to come to the Island and make their homes temporarily. A large pro- portion of the inhabitants of Providence availed themselves of this offer and removed with their families to the Island. The natural advantages of situation secured the island towns to a considerable extent against a sudden attack of the Indians. Of those who were brave enough to remain at Providence the following list is preserved in the records of the town. These are they, in the language of the record, " that stayed and went not away:" Roger Williams, Nathan- iel Waterman, Thomas Fenner, Henry Ashton, John Morey, Daniel Abbott, James Olney, Valentine Whitman, John Whipple, Sen., John Angell, James Angell, Thomas Arnold, Richard Pray, John Pray, Ephraim Pray, Abraham Man, Joseph Woodward, Thomas Field, Zachariah Field, Edward Bennett, Thomas Clemen ce, William Dan- caster, William Hopkins, William Hawkins, John Rhodes, Samuel Windsor and Thomas Waller. It is also supposed that Arthur Fen- ner remained, though his name does not appear on the list. The absence of so large a number from Providence made it all the more likely to be attacked by the Indians. On the 10th of March, 1676, they made a descent upon the town and burned 30 houses. What houses these were, or in what part of the town they were situ- ated cannot be definitely told, but it is supposed that they were situ- ated in the northern part of the town. The location of only one of them is known, and that was the house of John Smith, the miller. This stood on the west side of Moshassuck river, near the later site of the first stone lock on the Blackstone canal. Mr. Smith was at that time town clerk, and consequently had the records of the town in his keeping. While the house was burning the records were thrown in the mill pond to preserve them from the flames. Thus they were preserved and have been handed down to the present generation. Being rescued from the mill pond they were carried to Newport, and there retained in safety until the war was over. In the experience HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 163 of war which they had, about 85 leaves were lost from the two books. After the burning of the town the resident inhabitants again pe- titioned the governor for assistance, and received the cffer of the support of ten men until the meeting of the general assembly. In May, 1676, a garrison of seven men under Captain Arthur Fenner, was placed here by the government, and this was called the " King's garrison." Roger Williams, acting as captain of the train band of the town, had previously fortified the house of William Field, as a place of protection for women and children. It stood on the later site of the Providence Bank, and the remains of it were standing within the remembrance of persons who were living in 1836. Canonchet, the Narragansett sachem, was taken "prisoner by the English April 4th, 1676, and condemned to be shot. Philip endeavored to rally his followers, and to induce other tribes to engage with him in warfare on the whites, but finally retreating to his stronghold in Mount Hope, he was shot by a treacherous member of his own tribe. August 12th, 1676. This ended the war, and peace was restored before the end of the year. Several Indians had been taken prisoners, and were in custody in the town. At a town meeting held on the 14th of August, 1676, a committee was appointed to dispose of the prisoners by sale as slaves for certain specified terms of service. The place for holding town meetings at that time was under a sycamore tree which stood by the water side, in front of Thomas Field's house. This house stood next to the garrison house before spoken of, and was cut down by the offi- cials of the corporation about 1822. The Indians were to be held for terms as follows: "All under five years to serve till thirty, above five and under ten, till twenty-eight, above ten to fifteen, till twenty- seven, above fifteen to twenty, till twenty-six, from twenty to thirty shall serve eight years, all above thirty, seven years." An account of sales of Indian slaves about this time contains the following average items among a long list, the items given being sufficient to give an idea of the valuations: — " To Anthony Low, five Indians, great and small, £8. " To James Rogers, two, for twenty two bushels of Indian corn. "To Philip Smith, two, in silver, £A, 10. "To Daniel Allen, one, in silver, £2, 10. " To Caleb Carr, one. twelve bushels of Indian corn. " To Elisha Smith, one, in wool, 100 lbs. " To Elisha Smith, one, for three fat sheep." The Indians referred to as being sold by the town in August, 1676, were probably all sold to parties outside of the town, as we are told that they were sent away on the 29th of the same month, by a sloop belonging to Providence Williams, son of Roger. The refugees to Newport and Portsmouth were now returning, and in the follow- 164 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. ing spring the work of the colonists went forward without apprehen- sion or disturbance. The status of Providence as compared with other towns at this time is shown by the apportionment of a colony' tax of ,£300 laid in 1678, as follows: Providence, ,£10 (one-thirtieth of the whole colony); Newport, £"136; Portsmouth, £6&; Warwick, £"8; Westerly, £2; New Shoreham, £"29; Kingstown, ,£16; East Green- wich, ,£2; Jamestown, ,£29. During the reign of Sir Edmund Andros as governor under King James, the Rhode Island charter was surrendered, and this colony at the mercy of the tyrannical ruler. But perhaps its very weakness and small importance was the greatest means of security to the colony. But little light on the progress of events in Providence can be gleaned from its records during that period. Elections of some town officers appear to have been held in 1687 and 1688, but none in 1689. Small taxes were also laid from time to time. In 1695 the general assembly ordered a prison to be built in Provi- dence. A town meeting at first decided to locate it " near the water's side, next Gideon Crawford's warehouse." The size of it was to be ten feet by twelve. An attempt to change the site in the following April resulted in an uproarious breaking up of the meeting. The building was finished by January, 1700, at a cost of ,£21, 17s., exclu- sive of the cost of locks. This building was destroyed by fire some four or five years afterward. For reasons which do not appear in the record, Joseph Latham and John Scott were required by the general assembly to build a jail, as good as that which was burned, or pay the sum of £"33. This seems to have been the effect of some obligation into which the par- ties named had entered — perhaps something of the nature of an in- surance obligation. It appears to have been left optional with the assembly as to which of the obligations should be required of the men named. The decision of the assembly was given February 14th, 170.1, as follows: " And therefore it is enacted, That the said Latham and Scott shall not build said jail, but pay the thirty three pounds into the Generall Treasury; thirty pounds thereof shall be improved on the Collony's behalf for the building her Majesty's jail at Providence, and the other three pounds to pay the officers of said town's charge of transporta- tion to Newport." The new jail is supposed to have been located on the site of the first one, and that was probably the " prison lot" which is marked on the plat of that part of the town which was made in 1718. This lot was on Benefit street, and the jail was abandoned by the state in 1733. A third prison was erected about that time, on a lot purchased of William Page, on the north side of the road leading to the ferry at " Narrow Passage." This gave to that road the name of "Jail Lane." Its later and official name is Meeting street. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 165 In June, 1700, the lot lying "between Archibald Walker's south- ward to the brook that cometh out of Samuel Whipple's land, east- ward with the highway, and westward and northwestward w r ith Moshassuck river," was voted by the town to remain common," for a training field, burying ground and other public uses." These bounds included not only what is now enclosed and known as the North Burial Ground, but a large tract lying to the southward and westward of that, and which has later been improved by different individuals. Previous to the date mentioned most of the old families had private burying grounds of their own, located in some corner of the ancestral home lot or farm. And many of these family burial grounds were maintained many years af^er the establishment of this common ground. Most of them, however, have long since been abandoned and the mouldering remains of their tenants have been removed to more enduring plots of sacred sepulture. In 1705 Weybosset bridge seems to have required rebuilding. A committee w T as appointed to circulate a subscription paper for that purpose. The highest single subscription was for £6, by Gideon Crawford, and the whole amount raised was only £21. Doubtless the circulation of the paper was not faithfully attended to. The bridge was on an important thoroughfare, and the assistance of the whole state was sought. In 1711 the general assembly granted £200 out of the general treasury toward building bridges at Pawtucket, Weybos- set and Pawtuxet. These bridges were on the main road laid out by the general assembly through the colony from Pawtucket to Pawca- tuck, and the most of the travel from Massachusetts to New York passed over it. The assembly subsequently made appropriations of various amounts for repairs on these and other bridges. In 1740 an appropriation from this source was made, of £25, for erecting Muddy Bridge dock, and again for the same purpose an appropriation of £50 was made in 1752. This bridge was located in Weybosset street, near the north end of Dorrance street. It is said that tides formerly flowed across from Dorrance street into the cove. In 1710 the colony agreed to raise 200 men to go in the expedition to Port Royal. Of this number the quota for Providence was 40 white men and eight Indians. In 1711 the colony had to raise 179 men for the Canada expedition . The quota for Providence in th is was 35 men . In 1716 the town was visited by small-pox, but to what extent it raged, beyond the fact that some official and public notice was given to it, we have no means of knowing. The town about this time gave its vigorous protest against the issue of paper money, which financial scheme was then being projected by authority of the general assem- bly. The protest of Providence, however, was unheeded. This infla- tion of the circulating medium may have had something to do with the increased amount which the town had to raise, though increased expenses in laying out of highways and support of the poor were 166 HIS TORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. factors in that swelling of aggregate taxation. A town debt was ac- cumulating. The town tax had rarely exceeded 60 pounds a year, but in 1717 the amount of 150 pounds was ordered to be raised by tax. The same amount was ordered again in 1720. Bounties for wild ani- mals were offered by the town. In 1716 the bounty on wolves was 20 shillings each, and on grey squirrels two-pence each. The numbers of the latter animals must have been great, since in 1720 the town owed £16 in bounties on them. The bounty was repealed in July, 1723, but renewed in October of the same year, and raised to three- pence. In the following year an equal bounty was offered for the destruction of rats. The bounty on wild cats was five shillings, which was doubled in 1729. The growth of the town is shown by the fact that in 1730 the total population of Providence was 3,916. In its race with Newport it was more nearly even with its rival than ever before, that town showing a total population of 4,640. These two towns then contained about one-half the population of the colony, the total population of which at that time amounted to 16,935. Of the population of Providence there were 128 negroes and 81 Indians, a small proportion as compared with the proportion of those races in many other districts, even in this colony. There were then five companies of militia in this town. The only means of crossing the Seekonk river, previous to the year 1739, appears to have been a bridge at Pawtucket and a ferry at Narrow Passage. A private ferry had also been kept for awhile near where Washington bridge now stands. A petition was presented to the general assembly by Josiah Fuller and ElishaTillinghast,to estab- lish a public ferry at this place. The project was delayed by another petition subsequently presented by Daniel Abbott to have a ferry established at a different place, presumably further down the river. Subsequently a ferry was established at the place suggested in the first petition. The lottery system, by which so much business was done during many years of the latter part of the last century and the first part of the present one. had its beginning in Providence in 1744. The first grant of a lottery by the general assembly was at the October session of that year, and was intended to encourage the laudable enterprise of building Weybosset bridge. The amount of the scheme was £15,000, out of which £3,000 was to be used in building the bridge. To encourage the enterprise, the town as a corporation purchased 400 tickets in the lottery. Some obstacle or misunderstanding seems to have arisen, on account of which the town in 1745 ordered the build- ing committee to proceed no further without further orders. In the following February the general assembly, at the request of the town, directed the £3. (too to be lodged in the town treasury and to be laid out under the direction of the town. The bridge to be built was eighteen feet wide. A stone pillar supported the middle of it. While HISTORY OF PR0VIDENC1 COUNTY. L67 it was building - , a ferry was maintained, Amaziah Wateiman on the east side, and Job Sweeting on the west side, acting, by choice of the people, as ferrymen. The bridge had been carried away by a freshet many years before, and in 1719 had been rebuilt. The population of the town in 1748 was 4,128, of which 225 were negroes, and 50 Indians. About this time there were in the town 30 licensed taverns. The highest sums paid for licenses were by Joseph Angell, William Pearce and Jonathan Olney, who paid £8 each. The town debt and expenses were so great that a tax of £1,600 was ordered in 1749. No measures for protection against fire appear to have been taken by the town previous to the year 1754. The general assembly passed a law requiring each housekeeper to be provided with two fire buckets, and authority having been obtained, the town laid a tax upon the inhabitants in the compact part of the settlement, to pur- chase a "large water engine." The enterprise moved slowly, how- ever, until the destruction of the court house by fire, in 1758, again aroused attention to the matter. The assembly gave the town power to appoint fire wards in 1759, and the rate for the engine appears to have been collected in April of that year, though the engine is sup- posed to have been purchased some time before. The purchase of another engine was authorized in December, 1760, and engine men were first appointed by the town in 1763. The town tax in 1 75? reached £3,000. The tavern keepers numbered from 20 to 30 about that time, and the price of licenses reached as high as £12 in seme instances. The town council generally met at the house of some one of these licensed tavern keepers, and dined there at the expense of the town. They appear to have had no other compensation than their "dinners and liquor," accounts of which are still extant among the manuscript records of the ancient town. For example, April Sd, 1757, six dinners are charged at £5, 8s.; punch £2. May 28th, seven dinners, £6, 6s.; punch £2. The war with the French in America, which engrossed so much attention of the people of the colonies during the decade which we are reviewing, excited the lively interest of the people of this tewn. On receiving the news of the capture of Fort William Henry, and the invasion of the northern frontier by the French, the imagination of the people framed highly colored pictures of devastation and death following in the train of the French armies penetrating to all parts of the colonies, and answered promptly and energetically the calls for assistance which came from the quarters most exposed. August 15th, 1757, a large number of the patriots of this town sub- scribed to a declaration of which we quote in part as follows: "Thinking it our duty to do every thing in our power for the de- fence of our liberties, families and properties, are willing and have agreed to enter voluntarily into the service of our country, and go in 168 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. a warlike manner against the common enemy, and hereby call upon and invite all our neighbors who have families and properties to de- fend, to join with us in this undertaking, promising to march, as soon as we are two hundred and fifty in number, recommending ourselves and our cause to the favorable protection of Almighty God." The following men signed this agreement: Stephen Hopkins, Obadiah Brown, Nicholas Cooke, Barzillai Richmond, Joseph Buck- lin, John Randall, John Cole, Gideon Manchester, Ephraim Bowen, surgeon, John Waterman, Joseph Arnold, John Bass, chaplain, John Thomas, Jr., Allen Brown, Benoni Pearce, Barnard Eddy, Benjamin Doubleday, Nicholas Brown, Joseph Brown, William Wheaton, Wil- liam Smith, Jonathan Clark, Jonathan Ballou, James Thurber, Amos Kinnicut, Nathaniel Olney, Joseph Lawrence, Theophilus Williams, John Power, Benjamin Olney, George Hopkins, Edward Smith, Joseph Winsor, Joseph Cole. These, we are told, together with many others had made themselves ready, and were intending to march on the next day, whilst the militia, under Colonel John An- drews, had already started. The movements were brought to a stand-still by the arrival of an express stating that the French and Indian armies had gone back. The volunteers consequently did not start, but the militia had gone as far as the Widow Resolved Water- man's, in Smithfield, when the message, carried by Moses Brown from Providence, overtook them and called them back. Another incident of the French war was the fact that in March and April, 1758, nearly 2,000 of the king's troops were quartered in Providence, for a short time while en route for a crusade against the French possessions in America. Also about that time a numbering of the people was made, which possibly might have been suggested by the consideration of immediately prospective needs in defending the colony against French invasion. This numbering was com- pleted by December 24th, 1755. There were, by its showing, in Providence then 747 men, 741 women, 655 boys, 754 girls, 262 negroes, 275 men able to bear arms, 406 enlisted soldiers, 349 small arms, 181 swords, 56 pistols, 762 pounds of powder, and 3,871 balls. An attempt to establish a market house on a lot at the east end of Weybosset bridge was begun in 1758, but from various causes it was not carried into successful effect until 1773, when, the necessary pre- liminaries of discussion, various town votes, grants, and a lottery scheme, having been gone through, the first stone of the structure was laid by Nicholas Brown on the 11th day of June. The building was of brick, 40 feet wide, 80 feet long, and two stories high. The lower story was used as a market, while the second story was divided into offices and occupied in part by the various officers of the town and in part by private tenants. In 1797 the town granted liberty to St. John's Lodge of Free Masons to erect a third story upon it for HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COl NTY. 169 their own use as a lodge room. The town reserved the right to pur- chase it of the Masons whenever it should be deemed that public uses required it. The building, with slight alterations on its eastern end, still stands on the east side of Market Square, being now occu- pied by the Board of Trade. The lottery mania seems to have raged with much heat about this time. From 1761 to 1763 many grants for such schemes were made by the assembly. Several were made to the town to raise ,£21,300 for paving streets, one was made to the Church of England to repair their church and build a steeple, and one to the Congrega- tional society to purchase a parsonage. Many others were granted for various other laudable purposes. No objection on moral grounds appears to have been entertained by popular sentiment at that time. A notable gale of wind occurred in October, 1761, which "brought the highest tide into the harbor of Providence that hath been known in the memory of man, and carried away the Great or Weybosset bridge." The assembly granted £1,000, old tenor, from the general treasury for rebuilding it. The whole cost, however, amounted to £4,357, 10s., Id., to raise which sum a lottery scheme was instituted under a grant from the assembly. The bridge was then built with a draw in it. Considerable ship-building was then carried on above this bridge and full loaded vessels passed up as far as the foot of Bowen street. The town was now assuming an importance sufficient to warrant the establishment of a printing office. William Goddard has the honor of being the pioneer in that industry here. He set up his printing office in 1762, perhaps in the month of June. The first speci- mens from his press are said to have been a broadside or hand-bill entitled "Moro Castle Taken by Storm," and a theatrical playbill. On the 20th of October of the same year the first number of a weekly newspaper, The Providence Gazette and Country Journal, was issued by him. Its subscription price was seven shillings per annum. The printing office was located in a building ' : opposite the court house." The refined tastes of society for entertainment are also shown at this •period in the establishment of the theatre. David Douglass, with his company, who are said to have been the first of their art who ever per- formed in New England, played in Providence in 1762. The play-house was on Meeting street, east of Benefit street. For some reason the plays were not popular with a certain party — perhaps there were politi- cal colorings or infringements upon some other phase of decided opin- ions, which incurred the opposition of a popular sentiment against them which was strong enough to secure the passage of an act by the general assembly prohibiting them. The law remained in force for some time. After its repeal theatrical exhibitions continued at inter- vals in different parts of the town. Plays became popular, so much so 170 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. that at one time they were exhibited in the court house. About 1794 a building in the rear of the " old coffee house," between North Main street and the Cove, near Weybosset bridge, was used for this purpose. In 1795 a theatre at the corner of Westminster and Mathew- son streets was erected by a company, and was subsequently so occu- pied until 1832, when it was sold to an Episcopal church, and the site is now occupied by Grace church. CHAPTER VI. THE TOWN OF PROVIDENCE DURING THE REVOLUTION. Meeting the Stamp Act. — Arguments against the Action of Parliament. — The first Town to assert the Rights of the Colonists — Repeal of the Stamp Act. — Popular Rejoicing at the News. — Second Attempt of Parliament to Impose a Tax. — Dedication of the " Tree of Liberty." — Non-importation Agreements and Action. — Concessions of Parliament. — Burning of the "Gaspee." — Town Action concerning Tea.— Bold Declaration of Rights. — Steps toward Convening a Continental Congress. — Sympa- thy with Boston. — Efforts to Maintain Public Order. — Committee of Inspection. — Abstinence from the Use of Tea. — Military Companies Organized. — Erecting Forti- fications. — Washington and his Army pass through. — Declaration of Independence. — Troops Centered Here. — Capture of the Pigot. — General Sullivan is Succeeded by Gates. — Visit of Washington. — Barton's Capture of Prescott. — Close of the War. — Protection of Commerce. — Adoption of the Constitution. — Commercial Importance of Providence. — Last visit of Washington. THE Revolutionary period, as might naturally be expected in a community drawn together and built tip on the basis of human freedom, more emphatically than any other community in the colonies of America, developed in Providence the strongest patriot- ism and most determined opposition to any encroachments on the liberties of the people. In anticipation of the arrival of stamped paper a special town meeting was convened on the 7th of August, 1 ?(',,*>, to consider what steps were necessary to betaken. A com- mittee appointed at that time reported on the 13th instructions to their representatives in the general assembly, which were unani- mously adopted. These instructions opened with the following pre- amble: " As a full and free enjoyment of British liberty and of our own particular rights, as colonists, long since precisely known and ascer- tained by uninterrupted practice and usage from the first settlement of this country down to this time, is of unspeakable value, and stren- uously to be contended for, by the dutiful subjects of the best frame of government in the world, any attempts to deprive them thereof must be very alarming and ought to be opposed, although in a decent manner, yet with, the utmost firmness. "We conceive that some late resolutions of the Parliament of Great Britain, for taxing us without our consent, have a tendency to divest us of our most valuable privileges as Englishmen; and that the measures adopted by the ministry and the Parliament in this behalf, 172 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. if carried into execution, will be a manifest infraction of our inherent rio-hts as members of the British government and unspeakably in- jurious in the present distressedand involved state of the colony." The instructions then proceeded to deny that the colonies were represented in parliament by British members; and to declare that the refusal of that body to hear petitions against the stamp act, the enlargement of the admiralty jurisdiction and the burdening of trade, were great grievances to the people here, and directly against their rights as subjects. The enlargement of the powers of the court of admiralty was declared to be in equal proportion a diminishing of their own natural rights. The deputies of the town in general assem- bly were then recommended to use their utmost endeavors to procure the appointment of commissioners by the assembly to meet with commissioners of the other colonies at New York in October follow- ing, to unite in a petition to the king for relief from the stamp act and other grievances. They were also to use their efforts toward postponing the introduction of the stamp act until the colonies could be heard in self-defense; and to procure the assertion by general as- sembly of the following facts in argument of their cause: I. That the first settlers of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations were Eng- lish subjects and brought with them to this country and transmitted to posterity all their rights as such, and all such rights and privileges had descended to the petitioners. II. That by the charter of Charles the vSecond it was declared and granted that the heirs and successors of those to whom it was granted should have and enjoy all the liberties and immunities of free and natural subjects the same as though they were born within the realm of England. III. That this colony had heretofore enjoyed the liberty of controlling its own matters of taxes and internal police, and had never in any way forfeited or yielded up that right. IV. That the right to lay taxes upon the inhabitants of this colony lay in the general assembly, and any attempt to vest such right in any other person or persons was unconstitutional, and its tendency would manifestly be to destroy British as well as American liberty. V. That the inhabitants of this colony were not bound to yield obedience to any law or ordinance designed to impose internal taxation of any kind upon them other than by authority of the gen- eral assembly. The deputies were further urged to advocate the passage of an act declaring that the courts of common law only, and not any court of admiralty rightfully have jurisdiction in all cases growing out of levying or collecting any internal taxes or in any way relating to that subject, and that all such cases should proceed as it had been customary for them to proceed in the past, and that no de- cree of any court of admiralty in such matters should be executed in this colony. The sentiments of the town of Providence, thus expressed, found response in the assembly and were in substance passed by that body, HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 173 and in most respects similar resolutions were soon passed by others of the American colonies. Providence may claim the proud honor of standing in the front ranks of the patriot towns of America, if not a little in advance of others in asserting the rights of the colonists. The repeal of the stamp act followed in March, 1766. This was the signal for a general expression of rejoicing in the colonics. Provi- dence was not behind her sisters in such jubilant demonstrations. The birthday of the king was chosen as the occasion of public ex- pression of rejoicing. The day was ushered in by the ringing of bells and firing of cannon on the Parade. The court house was beau- tifully ornamented with flags, and at a given signal the shipping in the harbor flung their colors to the breeze. A general mass meeting convened on the Parade at eleven o'clock, whence they marched m order with drums beating and trumpets blowing and flags waving, to the Presbyterian meeting house, where appropriate religious services were conducted, including a prayer of thanksgiving and a discourse by Reverend Mr. Rowland, from the words, "The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad." After the hearty render- ing of an appropriate anthem the line of march was taken up on the return to the Parade, where his majesty's health was drank by many hundreds under a royal salute of twenty-one cannon. At four o'clock in the afternoon the people reassembled and drank 32 of the most loyal, patriotic and constitutional toasts, amidst the firing of cannon, the blare of trumpets and drums, and the loud huzzas of the people. A grand pyrotechnic display followed in the evening, which included 108 sky-rockets, a "bee-hive " containing 106 "serpants," and other kinds of fire-works. At nine o'clock a boiled collation (modernly called a "chowder") was served, and feasting continued until 11 o'clock, when the company retired. A grand ball took place on the night following, at which a narrator at the time declares " there was the most brilliant appearance of ladies this town ever saw." The anniversary of this jubilee day was celebrated in a similar manner for several years thereafter. It occurred on the 18th of March. In answer to the attempt of parliament to lay import duties on certain articles of common use, in 1767, a town meeting was held in Providence on the-25th of November, at which it was determined to ask the people to subscribe to an agreement not to import or use cer- tain specified articles, upon which the duty had been laid, after the first day of the following January, and to discountenance the exces- sive use of certain other articles which could be manufactured in America, and to encourage home manufactures and the raising of wool and flax. The signing of these articles of agreement was almost, if not quite, unanimous. In July, 1768, the "Sons of Liberty " were called upon to attend the dedication of the "tree of liberty." Almost every town then had either its liberty tree or its liberty pole. The liberty tree of Provi- 174 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. dence was a little north of the north side of Olney street, in front of a public house kept there by Captain Joseph Olnev. The house was a large, old-fashioned, low studded house with a wing- giving it an L shape. In the large front yard stood one of the largest elm trees ever seen hereabout, and up into this elm, about 20 feet from the ground, a perch and seat large enough to accommodate ten or twelve persons was adjusted upon four branches which put out from that part of the trunk. The seat was reached by a flight of wooden steps. The tree was appropriately dedicated on July 25th, 1768, an oration on the occasion being delivered by Silas Downer. After the oration the following dedicatory words were pronounced by the speaker, the people on the elevated perch meanwhile laying hands upon the tree: " We do, in the name and behalf of all the true sons of liberty in America, Great Britain, Ireland, Corsica, or wheresoever they may be dispersed throughout the world, dedicate and solemnly de- vote this tree to be a tree of liberty. May all our councils and deliberations, under its venerable branches, be guided by wisdom and directed for the support and maintenance of that liberty which our renowned forefathers sought out and found under trees and in the wilderness. May it long flourish, and may the sons of liberty often repair hither, to confirm and strengthen each other; when they look toward this sacred elm, may they be penetrated with a sense of their duty to themselves and their posterity; and may they, like the house of David, grow stronger and stronger, while their enemies, like the house of Saul, shall grow weaker and weaker. Amen." Meetings were held from time to time, by the Sons of Liberty as well as by the town, to consider means for more effectually carrying out the popular sentiment against importing goods upon which the obnoxious duty was laid. In October, 1769, a town meeting was held to consider action in regard to an expected arrival of forbidden goods. It would appear that several merchants of the town, notwith- standing they had subscribed to the non-importation agreements, were now expecting such goods by a vessel soon to arrive from Eng- land. What arguments or means of persuasion were used we are not told, but these merchants, it is said, cheerfully agreed to deliver up to a committee of three men appointed by the town meeting, all the expected dutiable goods, for those men to hold in safe keeping until the duty tax should be removed. Seeing the determined opposition of the colonists to the duty on imports, Parliament repealed the obnoxious acts in part. This en- couraged those whose greed of personal gain was greater than their patriotism to engage in the importation and traffic in all the goods which had been under the ban of refusal. By the popular prejudice against these importations such articles had become somewhat scarce, and among those whose respect for the principles at stake was small there was a demand, to supply which was a tempting bait to the HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 175 cupidity of mercenary dealers. So the charges of breaking the non- importation agreements were frequently made against the merchants of this and other cities of the colonies. The promulgation, discus- sion and investigation of these charges kept the patriotic spirit alive with frequent agitations. The non-importation agreements were re- vised to meet the conditions of the new modification of the act <>t parliament. Thus matters continued for several years. The burning of the schooner " Gaspee" was one of the events of national importance, which have ever stood in bold relief among the historic remains of that eventful and interesting period. In attempt- ing to put a stop to the illicit trade, which had long been carried on in the different ports of this country, armed vessels had been placed in Narragansett bay, as well as in other waters adjacent to the ocean. The vigilance of the customs officers in this work had resulted in serious riots. Vessels suspected of being engaged in illicit trade had been seized by the customs officers and confiscated with their cargoes. The scene of the marine operations was mostly in the lower part of the bay. In 1764 the schooner "St. John" was sta- tioned in the bay for the purpose mentioned. In 1769 the sloop " Liberty" was commissioned in these waters for the .same purpose. The acts of the British commanders of these vessels were exact- ing, oppressive, and very obnoxious to the people who fell under their tyrannical surveillance. Their acts called forth decided outbursts of indignation, which arose sometimes to actual demonstrations of vio- lence, and indeed were ominous as to the possibilities of what con- tinued acts of the kind might bring about. In the early part of 1772, his majesty's schooner, the "Gaspee," carrying eight guns, and com- manded by Lieutenant Dudingston, was stationed in Narragansett bay, on a similar mission. He stopped all vessels, even including small market boats, without showing his authority for doing so; and even sent the property which he thus illegally seized to Boston for trial. Complaints became so numerous from those who had suffered from his acts, in which he even went beyond and in violation of his powers as limited by certain acts of parliament, that Governor Ses- sions obtained from Chief Justice Hopkins the opinion, "that no commander of any vessel has a right to use any authority in the body of the colony, without previously applying to the Governor, and showing his authority for so doing: and also being sworn to a due exercise of his office." Protests were made to the commander, and this correspondence was submitted to his superior officers, but, even while he seems to have been in doubt as to the legality of his acts, he still pursued his course. On the 9th of June, 1772, Captain Benjamin Lindsey left Newport for Providence in his packet, about the middle of the day. The " Gaspee " started in pursuit. Following until they had reached Namquit point, about seven miles below Providence, the " Gaspee " 176 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. drawing more water than the other, ran aground upon a shoal and there remained. On his arrival in Providence Lindsey spread the news of the position of the " Gaspee," and immediately eight of the largest long-boats in the harbor were provided with five oars each, the same being well muffled, and placed in readiness at Fenner's wharf. Soon after sunset the boats were manned by ship-masters and merchants of Providence, men of respectability and standing in society, and proceeded in the evening down the river. The men had gathered at the house of James vSabin, on the northeast corner of South Main and Planet streets, and at about 10 o'clock started on their uncertain and perilous undertaking. On approaching the "Gaspee " they were discovered, however, and as the commander was hailing the party a shot from one of the boats gave him a wound which dis- abled him, and the party boarded the vessel without opposition, de- manding her surrender. The crew were directed to gather up their effects, and were then put ashore at Pawtuxet. The vessel was then set on fire and burned to the water's edge. Governor Wanton, on the 12th, issued a proclamation command- ing all officers in the colony to use the utmost vigilance in appre- hending the perpetrators of this outrage, and offering a reward of .£100 sterling for the conviction of the guilty party or parties.. The British Government offered a further reward of ££()() for the discov- ery of any person engaged in the affair, and £5()() in addition for the discovery of the leader of the party who did the work of destruction. A special court of investigation was afterward held, but neither re- wards nor judicial investigation ever led to any discovery of the guilty parties. But now that long years have passed, and the rewards for their discovery are no longer offered, we may without any offense or injury to them expose their names. And this the more especially since for many decades their names have been all the more honored and respected because of their connection with this affair. The lead- ers in the enterprise were John Brown, then the leading merchant in the colony, a prominent citizen, and one of the founders of Brown University; Abraham Whipple, a captain of a merchantman engaged in the West India trade, formerly commanding an active privateer during the French war, and afterward a commander in the American navy during the revolution; John Mawney, a man of literary inclina- tions, who had been educated in medicine, but never practiced to any great extent, his estate, where he closed his long life, being that part of the present city now known as Elmwood; John B. Hopkins, a son of Commodore Esek Hopkins and member of the family represented by Governor Stephen Hopkins, signer of the declaration of inde- pendence, and himself afterward commander of the ship 'Cabot" in the revolution; Benjamin Page, a prominent ship-master and for many years commander of a ship in the East India trade; Joseph Bucklin, a restaurant keeper in South Main street; Turpin Smith, a HISTl )RY i »I PR( IVIDENC1 l i 'I N "TV. 1 ?? young man who afterward became a prominent and successful ship- master, and Ephraim Bowen, afterward a colonel in the revolution, and the last survivor of the party, he living until the year L840. The commander of the party was Abraham Whipple. Thus it may be claimed, with the facts recited, that the war began in Rhode Island, and that the first gun of the revolution was tired by a Providence man, and the first bloodshed was scarcely beyond the limits of the present city. So Providence may boast of early and important revolutionary honors. Events followed in thickening succession, ripening the sentiment which in due time was to break forth in the great struggle for Ameri- can independence. No occasion offered itself to demonstrate the readiness with which the people of Providence would have followed the example of Boston in relation to the importation of tea, but the following expressions, passed by a vote of the town at a town meet- ing for the purpose held at the court house on the 19th of January, 1774, Jabez Brown, moderator, present a good picture of the senti- ments entertained at the time: "Inasmuch as the British Parliament have undertaken to raise a revenue in the American colonies, by a duty upon tea: we, the free- men of the town of Providence, legally assembled in meeting, cannot be silent on so interesting and alarming an occasion. Should we, in this case, omit to assert and express the firmest resolutions to vindi- cate our rights, it might be construed as a cession of them into the hands of those who have wantonly invaded them in this instance. "We do therefore, in justice to ourselves, our posterity, and the sister colonies, openly and publicly make the following declarations, hoping that by a vigorous exertion, in conformity thereto, we may in some measure contribute towards escaping the dreadful train of evils which must be the consequence of a tame submission to any inva- sions of American freedom. "We lament any seeming acquiescence which hath at any time heretofore been made in these colonies, under parliamentary usurpa- tions of our liberties; but as any such tacit concessions were made through fear, inattention, or without a due consideration of our rights, we strongly protest against any precedent being made thereby, to our disadvantage. "When we consider that many of our ancestors removed from Britain and planted themselves line; that the religion, language and customs of the two countries are mostly similar, and that there hath been a long intercourse of trade and commerce between them, we are willing, and even desirous of a continuance of connexion between the colonies and Britain, if it may be on terms in any measure equal. "Upon full consideration of the matter upon which we have met, we do resolve, — 12 178 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. "I. That the disposal of their own property is the inherent right of freemen; that there ean be no property in that, which another can, of right, take from us without our consent; that the claim of Parliament to tax America, is in other words, a claim of right to levy contributions on us at pleasure. "II. That the duty imposed by Parliament upon tea, landed in America, is a tax on the Americans, or levying contributions on them without their consent. "III. That the express purpose for which the tax is levied on the Americans, namely; for the support of government, administration of justice, and defence of His Majesty's dominions in America, has a direct tendency to render Assemblies useless, and to introduce arbi- trary government and slavery. "IV. That a virtuous and steady opposition to this ministerial plan of governing America, is absolutely necessary, to preserve even the shadow of liberty; and is a duty which ever}' freeman in America owes to his country, to himself, and to his posterity. "V. That the resolution lately entered into by the East India Company to send out their tea to America, subject to the payment of duties on its being landed here, is an open attempt to enfore this ministerial plan, and a violent attack upon the liberties of America. "VI. That it is the duty of every American to oppose this attempt. "VII. That whoever shall, directly or indirectly, countenance this attempt, or in any wise aid or abet in unloading, receiving, or vending the tea sent, or to be sent out by the East India Company, while it remains subject to the payment of a duty here, is an enemy to his country. "Y1II. That no tea belonging to the East India Company, or any other persons, subject to a duty, or dutied tea, shall be unladed here, or brought to land. "IX. That this town will co-operate with the other towns in this colony , and with all the other colonies, in a resolute stand, as well against every other unconstitutional measure, calculated to ensla\e America, as the tea act in particular. "X. That Samuel Nightengale, Escp, Jabez Bowen, Esq., and Messrs. John Brown, John Updike, John Jenckes, John Mathewson, and Daniel Cahoon, or the major part of them, be a committee to correspond with the towns in this and the neighboring governments, on all such matters as shall be thought to affect the liberties of America. "Voted, Tint this town highly approve of the proceedingsof their brethren of Boston, Philadelphia and New York, in their spirited and resolute opposition made to the introduction of tea, while sub- ject to a duty laid by Parliament; and that our thanks be given them for the same. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. L79 "Voted, That the committee wait on all the importers of English goods in this town, and inform them of the resolutions which the town have entered into respecting- tea, while subject to a duty; and if any of them have ordered any tea to come next spring, that they be desired to send counter orders immediately. "Voted, That the foregoing proceedings be published in the next Providence Gazette." The committee found on investigation, that only one chest of tea had been ordered by the merchants of Providence, and that order had been promptly recalled before the town meeting. Only nine chests on which a duty had been paid had been imported here since the non-importation agreement was rescinded. In the general sympathy with Boston which was manifested throughout the colonies Provi- dence led the van, being first to pass a resolution expressive of that sympathy. At a town meeting held here May 17th, 1774, resolutions were passed declaring that this' town would join with the other colo- nies in such measures as should generally be agreed upon for protect- ing and securing their natural rights and privileges and transmitting them to posterity. The deputies were called upon to use their influ- ence in general assembly in favor of calling a congress of the colonies. The opinion was put forth that a suspension of all trade with Great Britain and its dependencies would be the best expedient for securing the speedy reinstatement of Boston to its former privileges. The general assembly acted in accordance with the desires of the people, and in June appointed Stephen Hopkins and Samuel Ward delegates from this colony to a continental congress. At the town meeting last referred to this town also passed a resolution directing their deputies to endeavor to secure the passage of an act in assembly prohibiting the importation of negro slaves into this colony and also making negroes born here in slavery free after attaining a certain age. In 1774 the town of Providence contained 4,321 inhabitants, who were grouped in 655 families, and domiciled in 421 houses. In August of that year the town instructed its deputies to en- deavor to procure the passage of an act making a grant for the assist- ance of Boston. The instructions declare, " Their cause is our cause, and unless aid and succor be afforded them, they may be discouraged into a hurtful submission, and ministerial vengeance may.be next directed against this colony, and in the end alight upon all." The patriotism of the people of this town at that time was no burst of spread-eagle enthusiasm, to flash and soar with the parade of a holi- day. It was a deep, pervading sentiment, founded in principle and taking root in the hearts and lives of the people, prompting them to lay hold of the situation with an earnest grasp that meant to stay to the bitter end, whatever that end might be. Many of the people from Boston, when the port was closed and business thus made stag- nant there, removed to other places. Among those who came to 180 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Providence was one John Simpson, a hardware merchant, who made himself obnoxious by espousing the cause of despotism. On the mominsf of the 21st of August, he found his doors and window shut- ters tarred and feathered. He accepted the ominous threat implied, and returned to Boston. A tin-plate worker arrived here a few days afterward, but the inhabitants being apprised that he was a sympa- thizer with the oppressive royal government, intimated to him that he could not continue here in safety, and on the following day he re- turned to Boston. On the 30th of August, in view of the facts which we have noticed and others of their kind, the people in town meeting- expressed themselves as follows: " It is resolved by this meeting, that this town ought not to be made the asylum of any person or persons, of whatever town, place or city, within the British dominions, whose principles and practices, being inimical to the liberties of our country and its happy constitu- tion, have rendered or shall render them obnoxious'to the inhabitants of such place or places from which they may emigrate; and that all such ought to be discouraged, by every prudent and legal measure; and the honorable town council are hereby requested to exert them- selves, for the removal and ejection of all such persons, so far as by law they may be warranted; as their being admitted amongst us may tend greatly to endanger the peace, order and tranquility of the town, which has been manifested by recent instances." It appears that riots and tumultuous outbreaks of the passions of men were occasionally known here, which, in view of the highly ex- cited condition of the popular feeling, is not at all to be wondered at. The people, however, put in operation all the safeguards and regula- tions at their command to prevent such occurrences, and as far as we can now see, their efforts were reasonably successful. In November the committee of correspondence was authorized to transmit £125 as a donation to Boston from the treasury of this town. That commit- tee strongly urged the preservation of all the sheep in the colony that were not actually needed, and urged both by proclamation and personal appeal the withholding of all sheep from export to the West Indies, which at that time was a considerable line of trade. The recommendations of the committee seem to have been almost entirelv acquiesced in. as well as the resolutions of the town. The readiness and unanimity with which the people accepted and acted upon meas- ures for the public good, even when their own personal interests for the time being were injuriously affected thereby, is a remarkable evidence of the depth of the patriotic principle by which they were actuated. Hen. William R. Staples, the local historian of Providence, has well said: " When any people are so virtuous as to yield implicit obedience to the simple recommendations of their rulers, upon the ground that the well being of the community depends on them, they may be annihilated, but not subjugated." HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 181 In pursuance of the recommendation of the continental congress a "committee of inspection" was appointed by this town on Decem- ber 17th, which consisted of the following men: William EarLNicho- las Cooke, Benjamin Man, Zephaniah Andrews, Arthur Fenner, Jr., Ambrose Page, Nicholas Power, George Corlis, Paul Allen, David Lawrence, Joseph Russell, Job Sweeting, Joseph Bucklin, Jonathan Arnold, Bernard Eddy. Aaron Mason, Joseph Brown and Nathaniel Wheaton . The committee was vigilant in carrying out the purposes for which they were appointed. In accord with the recommendation of congress they urged the entire abstinence from the use of East India tea after March 1st, 1775. To this the people most heartily agreed, and to make their determination the more positive a public demon- stration was made on March 2d, the account of which runs as follows: The town crier at noon ran through the town, giving notice that a quantity of India tea would be burnt at 5 o'clock that afternoon in the market place. All true friends of their country were invited to manifest their good dispositions by coming and casting upon the fire what they might bring of " a needless herb, which for a long time hath been highly tetrimental to our liberty, interest and health." A great number of people assembled at the time and place appointed, bringing together about 300 pounds of tea, which was publicly burned. There was also east upon the bon-fire a tar barrel, Lord North's speech, Rivington's and Mills and Hicks' newspapers, and other things. Meanwhile the bells of the town were tolled, and one of the Sons of Liberty went along the streets with a brush and black paint and covered the word " tea " on all the shop signs where it was found. The committee of inspection found many duties to perform, and so well did they attend to those duties that with the exception of George Corlis, they were in June, all re-appointed, and the number enlarged by the addition of Samuel Nightengale, Jr., Jabez Bowen, John Brown, John Updike, John Jenckes, John Mathewson, David Cahoone, James Angell and James Black. Among their duties they sought to preserve the uniform prices of the necessaries of life, to prevent the cupidity of merchants or dealers taking advantage of the limited supply of any article to raise by force the price thereof. They also forbade the killing and bringing into market any lamb or mutton between July 22d and September 1st, under penalty of for- feiture. ■ Besides such measures of internal polity, which were doubtless enforced with comparatively little effort because of the strong public sentiment behind them, the townspeople were not behind their neighbors in making preparations for war. Independent companies, so-called, were organized from volunteers from the militia, having the right to choose their own officers and certain other privileges granted them by the assembly. They \ ^re not attached to any regi- 182 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. ment, but were subject to orders immediately from the governor as captain general. An artillery company had been organized in 1774, which in June of that year assumed the name of the Cadet Company. A light infantry company was incorporated the same month, a gren- adier company was soon after formed, and in Deeember the Provi- dence Fusileers, a company of horse, and another of artillery were chartered. The Fusileers and Artillery were a few months later united into one, as the United Train of Artillery. Military drill was a daily occupation, and the tactics of war were being thoroughly studied by determined patriots, who knew not what day they might be called upon to exercise all their skill and powers of endurance in the defense of their principles, their homes and their lives. In April. a general muster of the militia took place, when there were about 2,000 men under arms in the county of Providence, besides the troop of horse. As early as January, 1775, Stephen Jenckes, of North Providence, had supplied some of the independent companies with muskets of his own manufacture. Other persons in the colony were extensively engaged in making small arms at the same time. Providence received news of the battle of Lexington on the 19th of April, at evening. Preparations were immediately begun, and as fast as they could get ready companies of militia and independent companies were in line of march for Boston. By the morning of the 21st about a thousand men had marched or were in readiness to do so. Receiving word that their assistance was not immediately need- ed, they were dismissed. Besides these general preparations for meeting an enemy in the field it now seemed necessary for some preparations for defense in the British should make an armed attack upon this town. Sev- eral vessels of war were in the bay, and might at any time appear in hostile attitude in the very midst of the town. To prevent this a breastwork and entrenchment were thrown up between Field and Sassafras points, and a battery was planted on Fox point, armed with six 18-pounders. At a town meeting August 29th, Esek Hopkins was appointed to command this battery, with Samuel Warner as lieutenant, and Christopher Sheldon, gunner. A floating battery was also soon begun, and in October a line of obstructions consisting of a line of scows, filled with combustible materials, and a boom and chain across the channel. The works thus begun by this town wore completed under direction and patronage of the colony. In order to give notice of an attack upon the town, in case one should be made, a beacon was erected on the east hill, near the junc- tion of Meeting and Prospect streets. As an experiment to test its action it was lighted one night and its light could be seen in New- port, New London. Norwich, Pomfret and Cambridge. < )n the morning of August 22d, three British war ships were seen coming up the bay. and with'n ten miles of Providence. The alarm HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 183 was given, the batteries and entrenchments were manned, and the military companies of the town and vicinity were called out, and every preparation made to meet the approaching" ileet in a manner appropriate to the sentiment of the time. But the ships returned down the bay at evening, without manifesting any hostile intentions. The population of the town then numbered 4,355, of which 2 ,678 were on the east side of the river, and 1,677 on the west side. The total population was divided among 741 families. The defensive force is hinted at by the fact that there were 726 men, and they were provided with 497 stand of arms. When the American army was set in motion across the country from Boston to New York, after the evacuation of the former by the British, General Washington made a call in this town, and was well entertained by the people, who were filled with admiration of his skillful and successful campaign against the British at Boston. Here he was a welcome and honored guest. He arrived on the 5th of April, 1776, and was escorted into the town by the Cadet and Light Infantry Companies and two regiments of continental troops. • The independence sentiment was growing here with great rapid- ity. Providence was doubtless in full accord with the act of the gen- eral assembly which was passed in May, repealing a former "Act for the more effectual securing to his Majesty the Allegiance of his sub- jects in this his Colony and dominion." This act provided, besides the repealing clause, that whenever the name and authority of the king was made use of, in all commissions of officers, civil and mili- tary, and in all writs and processes in law, the words recognizing the authority of the king should be omitted, and the words, " The Gov- ernor and Company of the English Colony of Rhode Island and Prov- idence Plantations," should be substituted therefor. The courts of law were no longer to be considered as the king's courts, and no in- strument in writing, either public or private, should mention in its date the year of the king's reign. The climax of this independence spirit was reached in the declara- tion of July 4th, 1770. This was followed by resolutions by the gen- eral assembly in July, " That if any person within this state shall, under pretence of preaching or praying, or in any other way and manner whatever, acknowledge or declare the said King to be our rightful Lord and Sovereign, or shall pray for the success of his arms, or that he may vanquish and overcome all his enemies, shall be guilty of a high misdemeanor, and shall therefor be presented bv the Grand Jury of the County where the offence shall be committed, to the Su- perior Court of the same County; and upon conviction thereof shall forfeit and pay, as a fine, to and for the use of this State, the sum of £100 lawful money, and pay all costs of prosecution, and shall stand committed to jail until the same be satisfied." This act was directed to be printed in the newspapers of Newport and Providence. 1S4 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. The ratification of the declaration of independence was duly cele- brated in Providence on the 25th of the month. The governor and such members of the assembly as were in town, were escorted by the Cadet and Light Infantry companies to the court house, where the declaration was read to the public. A salute of thirteen guns was fired from the artillery and the continental ships in the harbor. A public dinner was provided, and appropriate toasts given. In the evening the king's arms were taken down from the public offices and burned, and the keeper of the " Crown Coffee House " threw his own sign upon the fire. Warlike preparations were making on land and sea. The lower bay was infested with a gathering fleet of British war ships and soon the island of Rhode Island fell into the possession of the British, re- maining so until October, 1779. The presence of the war ships in the bay kept the people here in a state of continual alarm. Large num- bers of troops were centered here for some time, to prevent a sup- posed design of the British to land troops here and march them to Boston. The town had somewhat the appearance of a camp. The college building was first used as quarters for the artillery, and the grounds around it for a parade, and afterward as a hospital for the sick soldiers. Ordinary business in the town was suspended. Many of the inhabitants removed into the interior to find places of greater safety. Martial movements were daily the interest and excitement of the people. Expeditions were prepared here to go down to drive out the British from the island. One of the notable exploits of the war was the capture of the "Pigot" by Major Talbut, of Providence. The " Pigot " was a British galley carrying eight 12-pounders and 45 men. She was stationed at the entrance of Seconet river, on the east of the island, where she acted as an obstruction to navigation up and down from Providence and Mount Hope bay. On the 25th of October, 1778, Major Silas Tal- but left Providence in the sloop " Hawk," with two lieutenants and 50 men who had volunteered for the expedition from Sullivan's army. They sailed down the river and bay, and on the night of the 28th passed the British battery on Rhode Island, opposite Fogland point. At about one o'clock in the morning of the 29th they boarded the " Pigot," having approached with such caution that the crew were surprised, and surrendered without being able to make any decided resistance. The prize was taken to New London and afterward brought to Providence. In recognition of this daring exploit Major Talbut received the thanks of the general assembly, accompanied by a sword, and congress promoted him to the rank of lieutenant colonel. General Sullivan left the command here in March, 1779, being suc- ceeded by Major General Gates. During the time in which he had been in command of the post here he had become greatly attached to and respected by the people, and on the 19th of March a town meet- HISTORY « IF PROVIDENCE ( 01 \TY. 185 ing expressed their complimentary and appreciative sentiments and good wishes in a brief written address, to which General Sullivan re- sponded in an open letter, expressing his cordial acknowledgements and reciprocal regard for the people. General Gates arrived on the 3d of April and took command of the forces here, remaining in com- mand until November 8th, when he left to join the main army. The British people had now left the island and the people there were returning to claim and take possession of their property. June 16th, 1780, Major General Heath was invested with the com- mand of this department and arrived here, an expected engage- ment in the vicinity creating some alarm. The militia of the state were called out, and troops from Massachusetts and Connecticut were gathered here. The alarm continued but a few days, and the militia were dismissed on the 7th of August, the enemy having re- turned to New York. In the spring of 1781 General Washington visited Newport, and on his return through this town he was made the center of a popular demonstration of welcome and flattering expression of devoted regard. He was greeted by the firing of cannon, a popular parade, grand illu- mination in the evening, dinner at the state house on the day follow- ing and a ball in the evening. From the address presented to him on that occasion by the prominent citizens of Providence we quote the following paragraphs as specimens of its general tone: " We beg leave to assure your excellency, that we will manifest our attachment to your excellency, and the great cause in which we are engaged, by exerting the utmost of our abilities in enlisting and supporting such a force, as with the aid of our generous allies, will be sufficient to bring the war to a happy issue. " That your excellency may be the glorious instrument of effecting this most desirable event, which will deliver your name to posterity with a fame equal to that of the most celebrated heroes of antiquity; and that you may long enjoy the honors that will be paid you, is the sincere prayer of your excellency's most obedient and most humble servants." To the address General Washington made a very appropriate reply. During the early part of 1781, the French troops from the camp at Newport, which had been broken up, marched through Providence on their way to join the army of General Washington. A part of them encamped for a short time on the plain near the burial ground of the Benevolent ConQ-resjational Societv. The second division of this army spent the winter in an encampment in North Providence, on the rising ground to the east of the Pawtucket turnpike, a little south of the old site of the turnpike gate. Among the memorable events of the war which stirred the enthu- siasm and excitement of this town perhaps none were more powerful 186 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. for the time than the capture of Prescott. We need not here recount the story of how the brave and cautious Colonel William Barton, with a band of daring men crossed from Warwick Neck at night in boats with muffled oars, and surrounded the house in which General Pres- cott, the British officer in command of the island, was quartered, and took him prisoner, and without giving him time to dress hurried him to the boats and across to the mainland, where he was soon taken m a coach to Providence, amid the enthusiastic expressions and under the gaze of thousands of spectators. Remaining in Providence but a day or two, he was removed on the third day to Connecticut, and later to New York, the object of his capture being to exchange him for General Lee, who was then a prisoner in the hands of the British, and detained on ship-board lying off the capes of Virginia. In connection with this affair the following episode is so full of practical suggestion in regard to the times that we must be pardoned for narrating it. We give it in the words of Mrs. Williams. "At the time so many distressed families were seeking to get away from Rhode Island, some very considerable difficulty was experienced in procuring passports to get away. Mrs. Read was among the num- ber, and finding all indirect application useless, she at length applied herself. He [Prescott] at first refused, frankly avowing that he 'meant to keep her there to catch her husband.' But at length some of the under officers joining in the request, he relented and ordered the passport made out. Upon presenting it he said, in his usual pompous manner, — 'If you go to Providence to get out of my way, Mrs. Read, you will lose your labor, as I shall get there about as soon as yon will.' "Mrs. Read was now settled in a comfortable residence, a house on Weybosset street belonging to Mr. Butler (still standing near the Arcade), when on the morning of the 10th of July, Captain William Brown, a connexion of her family, called to tell her that her old tor- mentor, Prescott, was coming past in the course of they day. 'And now Mary,' said he, 'if you will stand in the front door and welcome him as he passes, and say Why, General, you said you should be here, but I did not think you would come so soon; scarce as money is, I will give you fifty dollars.' 'It is a bargain,' said the lady. Accord- ingly when the carriage came past she threw open the front door and presented her majestic figure. She was a woman of singular appear- ance, take her all in all, and very handsome; being somewhat above the common height, having a very piercing pair of black eyes, and when excited there was something startling in her Icok. The Gen- eral, though riding bareheaded in an open carriage, subject to the gaze of the multitude, endeavored to carry himself with composure, and from time to time would turn to make some remark to his captor, who sat by his side, strove in vain to retain his equanimity, when he observed Mrs. Read. ( >winer to the crowd which surrounded the car- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. IS? riage, it moved very slowly through the streets, and as she threw open the door, his eyes chanced to turn full upon her. He changed countenance, dropped his eyes instantly, and a transient flush passed over his features; and it was observed, that from that moment his composure vanished. As to the lady, though a woman of uncommon firmness and fearlessness, she was quite unmoved by this unlooked for agitation." The events of the revolution were now drawing to a close. The long period of war was a severe strain upon the patriots of this town, but they bore it nobly, and with unfaltering devotion to the cause in which their sympathies were enlisted. vSoon after the surrender of Cornwallis hopes of an immediate peace were borne on every breeze across the Atlantic. At last the preliminary articles were signed at Versailles in January, 1783, and a proclamation declaring a cessation of hostilities was issued by Congress on the 11th of April following. The celebration of this joyful event in Providence took place on the 22d of the same month. The morning was welcomed by a discharge of cannon and the ringing of bells. The continental frigate "Al- liance," then in the harbor, and the rest of the shipping were decked with colors, and fired salutes in honor of the occasion. A civic pro- cession, escorted by the artillery, marched from the house of Deputy Governor Bowen to the Baptist meetinghouse. The Reverend Enos Hitchcock, pastor of the First Congregational Society, preached a sermon from the text, "Not unto us, O Lord, but unto Thy name, give Glory." This was followed by an oration by the Hon. Asher Robbins. then a tutor in the college here. The procession then moved to the court house, where the proclamation of Congress was read from the balcony, and this was followed by a discharge of 13 cannon from the state house parade and a battery on the east hill near the beacon. After dinner 13" toasts were drank, each under a discharge of 13 cannon. In the evening the state house and market house were illuminated, and a display of fireworks closed the festivi- ties of the day. The artillery company paraded under Colonel Daniel Tillinghast, who had commanded it during the whole war. The colony of Rhode Island at the commencement of the war was largely interested in commerce. This fact led the state at an early period to take measures for the protection of this business. In June, 1775, the assembly directed the committee of safety to charter two vessels for this purpose. Abraham Whipple, of Providence, was placed in command of them both, with the title of commodore. The assembly urged congress to provide for building a sufficient number of vessels to protect the merchant service of the colonies. Accord- ingly it provided in 1775 for fitting out three war vessels, and Esek Hopkins, of North Providence, then a brigadier general of this state, received the appointment of commander in chief of the infant navy. It was afterward increased. The first expedition with this fleet was 188 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. made by Commodore Hopkins early in 1776. The fleet consisted of the ships "Alfred" and -'Columbus," the brigs " Andrew Doria" and "Cabot," and the sloops -'Providence." "Fly," "Hornet" and "Wasp." Leaving- the capes of the Delaware on the 17th of February they sailed to the Bermudas, where they captured a large quantity of munitions of war, and returned to New London on the 8th of April, and subsequently came up to Providence. In the plan for building 18 vessels, which congress decided upon, two were to be built in Rhode Island, their names being the "Warren" and the "Provi- dence." The former was 111 feet keel, 34% feet beam and 11 feet hold, while the latter was 102 feet in length of keel, 34 feet beam, and 10 feet, 8 inches depth of hold. A committee of Providence men was appointed to superintend their building. During the war Providence abounded in privateers. They were generally successful in eluding the British cruisers which infested the waters along our coasts, and they made prizes of merchantmen, transports and small vessels of war. It was engaged in by manv whose name stood high in the social and moral scale, as the moral scale was graduated to the circumstances of the times. Most of the merchandise introduced into the country from abroad was brought in by these privateers, and their spoils furnished valuable resources of the army and navy. Thus by touching the pockets of British mer- chants these privateers did much toward influencing the British gov- ernment to recognize the independence of the colonies. News of the final treaty of peace between the United States and Great Britain arrived in Providence on the second day of December, \1>'.',. The population of this town at that time numbered 4,306, of which 201 were negroes, mulattoes and Indians. The war being ended, and the independence of the colonies being recognized by Great Britain, the questicns of peace new ccme to the surface for adjustment. They presented some phases even more I" rplexing than the questions of war had been. The conditions upon which the colonies were to be united as states, so as to secure the imperative necessities of union and at the same time preserve the independence of each, was a question that puzzled the leaders of this state to a hazardous extreme. In the general sentiment in op- position to accepting the constitution of a government which most of the other states quite readily accepted, the town of Providencedid not sympathize. ( >n the contrary the prevailing sentiment here, as expressed in repeated public demonstrations and instructions to their deputies .and other action of the town, was decidedly in favor of adopting the constitution of the United States. The opposition in other parts of the state, however, was for a long time in the ascend- ency. The people of Providence expressed their sentiments of ap- proval by demonstrations of public rejoicing whenever the news ar- rived of the acceptance of the constitution by any of the sister states. HISTORY OP' PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 1S9 On such occasions the schools were dismissed for the day, the church bells rung nearly all day and cannon fired at different hours of the day. The 4th of July, 1788, was determined upon as the occasion of a great festive day, commemorative both of the adoption of the con- stitution by the nine states necessary to its going into effect, and the signing of the declaration of independence. A sumptuous pro- gramme had been prepared, including among its details the roasting of an ox entire. A table a thousand feet long was prepared under an awning. The scene of the jubilee and feast was at Federal Plain, on the land of Job Smith, at the head of the cove. Here it was esti- mated some five or six thousand people assembled and took part in the ceremonies.' But there was an element of opposition in the sur- rounding country that, hearing of the proposed demonstrations of rejoicing, determined to interfere with it. To carry out their design about one thousand armed men assembled in the adjoining woods during the previous night, and sent a delegation on the morning of the celebration to forbid any demonstrations of rejoicing on account of the adoption of the constitution by other states. With a very com- mendable desire to preserve peace at this juncture of their history the people consented that the festivities inform should have refer- ence only to the celebration of the declaration of independence, and that no formal declaration of approval of the constitution and its adoption by other states as the object of rejoicing by the assemblage should be made. Upon this the men in arms remained quiet during the day, some of them perhaps taking part in the festivities as a patriotic celebration of the 4th of July or Independence Day. But the spirit of sympathy with the adoption of the constitution was alive on the following day, when the news arrived that Virginia had fallen into line. Bells w^ere rung, cannon fired, and about a thousand men paraded the principal streets. Again on the 29th of the same month, when the news that New York had adopted the constitution arrived, the popular rejoicing found vent in a similar outburst of demonstrative enthusiasm. On this occasion the south side of Weybosset bridge was decorated with eleven flags, to repre- sent the eleven states which had then adopted the constitution, while on the north side of the bridge stood two poles, one of which repre- sented North Carolina, inclined about 30 degrees from perpendicular, and bearing the motto. " It will rise:" while the other represented this state, being inclined at an angle of about 45 degrees, and bear- ing the motto " Rhode Island in hopes." Early in L789, on the in- auguration of the new government of the United States, we find the people of Providence instructing and urging their deputies in general assembly to advocate a convention to consider the adoption of the constitution. In spite, however, of all the efforts the representatives of Providence could make nothing could be done, so strong was the 1avis, the two last to follow, to a field in front of the camp, where, with their hands tied behind them, their eyes blinded, and without semblance of law, or form of trial, they were shot by two squads of men detailed from the Louisiana regiment. Davis fell killed. Smith was shot through the legs, and was afterward despatched by the re- volvers of the adjutant and sergeant in charge. Lieutenant Colonel Robinson then addressed the Rhode Island Cavalry in threatening terms, after which they marched back to camp filled with horror and HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 239 indignation by the butchery thev had witnessed. No candid person will say that the exigencies of the service authorized this severity, and the deed will live in history to shadow the memory of the officer by whose authority it was done. No good could be hoped from a union formed under the circum- stances here described, and Governor Smith fully appreciating the feelings of the men, early interested himself to relieve them from their unpleasant connection. He communicated with the war depart- ment on the subject, protesting against the change, and claiming if the regiment must be broken up, that it should be transferred to the- 3d Rhode Island Cavalry. Assurances were received from the war department that they should be thus transferred on the arrival of that regiment at New Orleans; and pursuant to an order this was done by General Banks, January 14th, 1864. The organization of the 3d Regiment Rhode Island Volunteer Cavalry was commenced July 1st, 1863, by Colonel Willard Sayles (appointed to its command by the governor) under the authority of the secretary of war. A camp was established for the recruits at Mashapaug. August 18th the men collected there, 150 in number. were transferred to "Camp Meade." in Jamestown, on Conanicut island, to which all subsequent recruits were sent. The 1st Battalion, Major Davis, with full rank, embarked on board the "Western Metropolis " for New Orleans, December 31st, 1803, and was reported to Major General Banks, commanding Department of the Gulf, Jan- uary 14th, 1864. The battalion received February 2d, an addition of two companies from the 1st Louisiana Cavalry, formerly the -id Rhode Island Cavalry, but transferred to this regiment January 14th, 1864, by order of General Banks. The regiment crossed the Mississippi river March 3d, 1864, and began the march that was con- tinued almost without cessation through the state of Louisiana for the term of three months, and was known as the Red River Expedi- tion. The course lay through Franklin. Alexandria and Natchito- ches, to Pleasant Hill and Mansfield, on the Shreveport road, where the 1st, 3d and 4th Brigades of cavalry, with a large force of artillery, were thrown into confusion in a dense forest, where, encumbered by two brigade trains, little resistance could be offered. The regiment arrived at Alexandria, April 25th, where it found Lieutenant Colonel Charles H. Parkhurst, with Companies E, F and L. In obedience to orders from General Reynolds, these companies embarked on board the steamer " Superior," Tuesday night, April 20th, and sailed the next morning. Nothing of particular interest occurred until they reached Tunica Bend, some 30 miles below the mouth of the Red river, when they were fired upon by the rebels from the easterly bank of the Mississippi, who had a six pounder well supported by infantry. Three shell and shot passed through 240 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. the cabin, and Corporal Logue, of Company F, received a severe gun shot wound in the right arm, badly shattering the bones. While at Alexandria, the regiment served as the advance picket on the south side of the town, and was almost daily engaged with the enemy. May 1st, in a skirmish near Governor Moore's plantation, one man was killed and five were wounded. From Alexandria to Simmesport, the regiment served as rear guard nearly all the time. It took part in the battles of Marksville Plain and Yellow Bayou, suffering a small loss in wounded and prisoners. Passing through Morganzia, Plaquemine and Donaldsonville, it reached Fort Banks just above and opposite New Orleans, on the 3d of June, 1S64. Another detachment composed of Companies G and H reported for duty in the field, May 8th, and was joined by the regiment at Greenville, June 10th, 1864. The year 1865 opened as the preceding one had closed, and the weather continued cold with frequent rain storms through the entire month of January. On the 3d of June, the entire regiment had con- centrated at Napoleonville in expectation of joining the expedition under General Sheridan to Texas, but the order was rescinded, and after remaining together for a short time employed in drilling and other duties, it was again scattered and was constantly engaged in scouting for guerrillas and bushwackers, or in picket duty protecting plantations, until mustered out of service at New Orleans, La., November 29th, 1865. The field of duty occupied by the regiment was the entire state of Louisiana. Frequent and rapid marches, the swampy nature of much of the country passed over, short rations when on expeditions longer than had been provided for, and exposure to a malarious climate, told severely on both men and horses. On the 12th of August, 1861, Governor Sprague issued an order for organizing a third regiment of infantry. General Charles T. Robbins was appointed acting colonel, and Colonel Christopher Blanding acting lieutenant colonel. On the afternoon of the 7th of September the regiment, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Bland- ing, left Camp Ames, on the Old Warwick road, proceeded to Provi- dence, and embarked on board the steamer "Commodore" for the camp on Long Island, which was under command of General W. T. Sherman. Colonel Eddy was succeeded in command by Colonel Nathaniel W. Brown, who continued the daily drills until the em- barkation of the regiment for Fortress Monroe, October 12th, where it arrived on the 14th, and encamped about one mile beyond toward Hampton. On the 23d of ( )ctober, the regiment embarked with the expedition under General Sherman and Admiral Dupont, destined to Port Royal, S. C. After a boisterous passage, the fleet arrived off that place November 4th. The regiment was present at the naval action at Port Royal November 7th, landed two companies the same day. and the remainder the next, and was assigned to the charge of HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 241 Fort Welles. Subsequently Fort Seward at Bay Point, the entrench- ments at Hilton Head, the entrenchments at Beaufort, and Fort Mitchell, on Snell Creek, were garrisoned by detachments f re m it. December 17th, 1861, Lieutenant Colonel Blanding, then not in service, was commissioned Major of the 3d Rhode Island Volunteers, and for some time superintended recruiting for the regiment. On the 19th of February, 1862, he proceeded with 225 men to Hilton Head, where he arrived March 23d, having experienced a severe gale on the passage from New York. Immediately on his arrival, he was assigned to important and laborious duties. February 17th, 1862, by general order, the name of the regiment was changed to "3d Rhode Island Heavy Artillery," with authority to increase it to 12 companies of 150 men each. In the bombardment of Fort Pulaski. April 10th and 11th, companies B, F and H assisted, and after the capture of the fort Company G formed a part of its garrison. In the movement on Charleston in June, 1862, by way of John and James islands, companies B, E, F, H, I, K and one section of C (mounted) were included. On the 16th of June the battle of Seces- sionville, on James island, took place, in which five companies, B, E, F, H and K, commanded by Major Edwin Metcalf, participated. Leading the brigade, companies B, F and K were employed as skir- mishers, under the command of Major Sisson. The fire of the enemy was very severe, and the Union loss was 7 killed, 30 wounded, and 8 missing. In October, 1862, the battle of Pocotaligo Bridge was fought. Company M assisted in transporting and working two boat howitzers. Companies E, K and L formed a part of the force, but were not en- gaged. In this action Lieutenant Jabez B. Balding was badly wounded in the left arm. April 2d, 1863, companies B, D, F, I, K. L and M, sailed for Stone Inlet, to take part in the second movement on Charleston, but returned to Hilton Head on the 12th. In an ex- pedition up the Combahee June 1st, a section of Battery C, under Captain Brayton, participated, and did the enemy great damage. Companies B, C, D, H, I and M accompanied General Gillmore, in the siege of Charleston, and were assigned to batteries of 20, 30, 100 and 200-pounder Parrott guns on Morris island. On the 30th of October, 1862, the regiment was called to mourn the death of its commander, Colonel Nathaniel W. Brown. He was a thorough disciplinarian, prompt and decided in action, and ever watchful of the interests of his men. He possessed to perfection one virtue of a soldier — strict temperance; and what he practiced he en- couraged in others. He had a high sense of the value of religion and religious observances, and was much interested in the establishment of religious worship near headquarters at the Post, and was a regular attendant until his sickness. Lieutenant Walter B. Manton, acting quartermaster of the regiment, a valuable and highly esteemed lfi 242 • HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. officer, died of the same disease, October 25th. January 27th, 1863, the remains of Colonel Brown and Lieutenant Manton were brought to Providence, and after funeral services were interred, the former in the North Burial Ground and the latter in Swan Point Cemetery. Colonel Edwin Metcalf, of the 11th Rhode Island, nine months' volunteers, succeeded Colonel Brown in command of the regiment. His successor was Lieutenant Colonel Charles R. Bray ton, who was commissioned colonel March 24th, 1864. He continued in command until the expiration of his term of service, October 5th, 1F64. In losses by sickness and death from disease, the 3d Rhode Island shared an experience common to all other troops in the field. The number of men who re-enlisted as veterans was 303. The return of the regiment from the scenes of war was in squads, at different times. On the 24th of August, 1864, three officers and 117 men arrived in Providence, and were mustered out of service on the 31st. They w r ere under the command of Captains Peter J. Turner and Charles G. Strahan. September 30th another detachment, numbering 256, offi- cers and men, under Colonel Charles R. Bray ton, arrived by w T ay of Xew York in the steamer " Electra." June 12th, 1865, Company C, Captain Martin S. James, numbering four officers and 92 enlisted men, arrived home, having been mustered out of service at Rich- mond. August 1st, Company A, Captain William H. Hamner, com- prising five officers and 83 men, arrived at Providence in the steamer " Oceanus." Companies B and D, being all of the regiment not pre- viously discharged, arrived in Providence Monday, September 11th, 1865, under Colonel Ames, having been mustered out of service at Hilton Head August 2d. They came from New York in the steamer " Galatea," numbering nine officers and 170 enlisted men. November 4th, 1865, Major General Q. A. Gillmore, in accordance with the re- quirements of the war department, ordered that the names of the fol- lowing battles should be inscribed on the colors of the regiment, viz.: — Fort Pulaski, Ga.; Honey Hill, S. C; Petersburg, Va.; Morris Island, S. C; Fort Sumter (siege); Pocotaligo, S. C; Fort Wagner, S. C.; Laurel Hill, Va.; Fort Burnham, Va.; Olustee, Fla.; Deveaux Neck, S. C; Drury's Bluff, Va.; Secessionvillc, S. C. The 5th Rhode Island Volunteers was organized at " Camp Greene" in ( )ctober, 1861, from which it was transferred to "Camp Slocum," on the Dexter Training Ground, in Providence. In about seven weeks five companies were filled, and on the 27th of December, after being reviewed by Governor Sprague, the battalion departed for Annapolis. Md., to join the expedition to North Carolina. On Thursday, January 9th, 1862, the regiment embarked on board the transport " Kitty Simpson " for Fortress Monroe, and there joined the fleet destined to Hatteras Inlet. On the 7th of February a land- ing was effected and the battle of Roanoke island w r as fought. In this battle the regiment was brought under a heavy fire, but for- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. . 243 tunately suffered no casualty. In the battle of Newbern, March 14th following, it took a conspicuous and gallant part, losing four men killed and seven wounded. In the bombardment of Fort Macon, April 26th, the Fifth took part, and on the surrender was assigned the honor of taking possession. In May, after the fall of Fort Macon, the camp of the Fifth was on Bogue Banks, near by, where it remained until General Burnside was called to the aid of General McClellan on the Peninsula, when it went to Beaufort, where Major Wright, who resigned July 25th, became military commandant, and Lieutenant William W. Douglas was appointed provost marshal of the district. The battalion having attained the proportions of a regi- ment. Colonel Henry T. Sisson, promoted from major of the 3d Rhode Island Heavy Artillery, arrived at Beaufort and took com- mand January Oth, 1863. Among the military adventures of the Fifth, the raising of the siege of Little Washington, N. C., must ever occupy the most promi- nent place as a hazardous and brilliant achievement. Immediately after the capture of Newbern it was occupied by national forces. Early in April, 1S63, information reached Newburn that Major Gen- eral Foster, commanding this department, who had gone to Little Washington to inspect the garrison and defenses there, was closely besieged by the enemy. Colonel Sisson, on Friday, 10th of April, received orders from Brigadier General Palmer to proceed with his command to Little Washington by water. Accordingly, about 1 o'clock p. m., the regiment embarked on board the steamer " Escort," Captain Wall, and started from Newbern, and the next morning ar- rived in Pamlico river and anchored a short distance from Manly Point, ten miles below the city of Little Washington. A blockade which had been erected by the rebels consisted of a triple row of piles extending across the river, with the exception of a passage 100 feet wide and 400 feet from the shore, directly under the guns of the battery. To increase the difficulty in finding the crooked channel, the enemy had removed all the buoys in the river. On Sunday morn- ing, in accordance with orders from General Palmer, the expedition got under way, and slowly approached the opening in the blockade and the Hill's Point battery. A fog had arisen about daybreak, and soon became so dense as to prevent further progress, and the steamer was ordered to return to its anchorage. When the fog lifted the gunboats commenced bombarding the battery at long range, but with no visible effect. Monday morning 50 volunteers from the regiment were sent on shore, under command of Captain William W. Douglas and Lieutenant Dutee Johnson. Their landing was covered by the gunboat " Valley City," and was effected a short distance below Blunt's creek. The reconnoissance was conducted with success and credit to the commanding officers and the men who were engaged in it. They discovered three batteries on the west bank of the creek, 244 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. commanding its passage and preventing approach to Little Washing- ton by land. At 8 o'clock, on Monday, the " Escort " again weighed anchor and started for Little Washington. The officers and men on duty were placed below by peremptory orders, so as to insure their safety as far as possible. Lieutenant Colonel Tew and Major Jameson re- mained on deck with Colonel Sisson. together with the officers of the day, Captain Henry B. Landers, the officer of the guard, Lieutenant Thomas Allen, and a company of sharpshooters who volunteered for that purpose under command of Captain J. M. Potter. The pilot steered safely through the passage in the blockade, grazing only once on the piles. Just as he had cleared the obstruc- tions, the battery opened upon the " Escort " a terrible fire from a distance of about 400 yards. The progress was very slow, owing to the shallowness of the water and the extreme crookedness of the channel. The gunboats engaged the battery and distracted their attention somewhat, but did not pass above the blockade. The shots from the enemy, as had been anticipated, were thrown very much at random on account of the darkness, and the " Escort" passed by un- hurt. The enemy at Fort Rodman were prepared to greet the " Escort " warmly, as the previous firing below had warned them of her approach. The channel lay close to the bank, and their guns opened on her at about 300 yards distance. Although they were bet- ter aimed than before, the shots passed harmlessly over, only a few striking the boat and lodging in the hay. The shore was lined with sharpshooters, who fired upon the steamer with no effect except to provoke a few answering shots. Another mile passed at full speed brought the " Escort " to the wharf at Little Washington without in- jury to any one on board. The passage of the blockade with a large unarmed steamer convinced the enemy of its inefficiency; and despair- ing of their attempt to starve out the garrison, they evacuated their works Tuesday night, 14th of April, and left General Foster in undis- puted possession of the post. Almost immediately on landing at Little Washington, the regiment was assigned positions in the trenches and forts on the right of the line of defense, where it remained until the enemy abandoned the siege as hopeless. April 16th, Lieutenant Colonel Tew, with Compa- nies I), E, (i, H and I, was detailed to take possession of Rodman's Point, and on the 22d the residue of the regiment returned to New- bern, followed on the 24th by companies left behind. During several months in the early part of 1864, Company A had been stationed at Croatan, N. C. About 1\ o'clock on the morning of the .^th instant, the enemy approached in considerable force, hav- ing effected the crossing of Boyce's creek at a point above our pick- ets. Arriving at the station, they immediately surrounded the force stationed there in preparation for an attack, and to prevent the possi- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 245 bility of any escaping. In the meantime Captain Aigan collected his men, and threw his entire command into the fort at that place, which had one small gun, a six-pounder howitzer, and opened a vigorous fire on the enemy. A desperate fight ensued, lasting one hour and a half, when, at 12 o'clock M., the enemy demanded an unconditional surrender. This was refused by Captain Aigan. Subsequently, how- ever, seeing he could maintain his position but a short time, and the ammunition for the field piece being exhausted, he agreed at 3 o'clock p.m. to a conditional surrender. The force brought against Captain Aigan, as stated to him by the rebel General Dearing, was at least 1,600 men. During the fight 184 rounds were fired from the single cannon with which the fort was defended, and the rifles of the men became so hot that they had to be held by the slings. Fortunately not one of Captain Aigan's command was killed and but one wounded. The rebels violated the terms of capitulation in every particular but one, and that was, that the garrison should march out with the hon- ors of war. The men and officers were afterward shamefully robbed of their private property. The treatment of the prisoners on the march, and in the prisons at Kingston, Macon and Andersonville, was inhuman in the extreme. Of the 51 captured, 32 died in prison, seven died elsewhere, and one was shot in attempting to escape. After the return of the regiment, it re-occupied its old camp (Camp Anthony). One company (F) having for some two or three months garrisoned Fort Rowan, resumed its duties at that fort. General Foster, pleased with the manner in which Fort Rowan was garri- soned, ordered, toward the latter part of May, that Colonel Sisson should garrison, in addition to Fort Rowan, Fort Totten, the largest fort about Newbern, and not wholly completed at that time. Soon after, Colonel Sisson's command was extended to the forts on the south side of the Trent, all of which the 5th Regiment contributed largely to put in a state of defense. At the siege of Newbern, in February, 1864, Colonel Sisson's command, with the Fifth astheprin- cipal part of it, constituted the right center division of the defense. On the 3d of February, at midnight, the rebels succeeded in cutting out and sinking a gunboat lying in the Neuse river between Forts Stephenson and Anderson. Among the prisoners were Acting As- sistant Paymaster Edward H. Sears, and Henry Earle, paymaster's clerk, both of Providence. May 1st, Company C, Captain Douglas, and Company E, Captain Hopkins, who had been stationed at Little Washington with the force under General Harlan, withdrew from that place, leaving it in flames, and returning to Newbern. The regi- ment did constant duty of the most varied kind. It was a matter of remark that if a detail was to be made for any difficult work, the Fifth was sure to be called upon. On the departure of Colonel Sisson, Colonel Tew took command of the regiment. The regiment was now succeeded at Forts Totten and Rowan bv the 2d Massachusetts Heavy 246 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Artillery. The Fifth was assigned to Forts Spinola, Gaston and Amory on the south side of the Trent, and Forts Anderson and Chase on the north side of the Neuse, the whole under command of Colonel Tew. The regiment was mustered out of service at Newbern, June 20th r 1865, and set out immediately for home, under the command of Colo- nel George W. Tew. It arrived in the steamer " Nansit," between eleven and twelve o'clock on the morning of July 4th, amid the joy- ous demonstrations of the national holiday. Into the idea of raising a regiment of colored men, Governor Smith early entered. He communicated with the authorities at Washington on the subject, and on the 17th of June, 1863, was granted permission to enlist a colored company of heavy artillery. This was so spiritedly done that on the 4th of August the permit was extended to a battalion, and on the 3d of September was again ex- tended to a full regiment. This was called the 14th Regiment R. I. Heavy Artillery. "Camp Smith" was established on the Dexter Training Ground, in Providence, and on the 28th of August the first company was mustered in. In the course of a few weeks a battalion of four companies was enlisted. In September three companies were transferred to Dutch island. The encampment on the Dexter Train- ing Ground was still used to complete company organizations. November 19th, the governor, accompanied by the legislature and many other invited guests, visited Dutch island, reviewed the troops, and presented to the regiment a stand of colors. On the 7th of December, the First battalion left the island under Major Joseph J. Comstock, Jr., and went into camp at " Camp Smith," in Providence, preparatory to proceeding to New Orleans to join General Banks, commanding the Department of the Gulf. December 19th the battalion left Providence and sailed from Newport on board the transport " Cahawba " for New Orleans, where it arrived Decem- ber 30th. Without debarking it proceeded to Passe Cavallo, Texas, where it arrived January 8th, 1864, and was assigned to garrison duty in Fort Esperanza, Matagorda island. ( )n the 8th of January, 1S64, the 2d Battalion under the command of Captain Nelson Kenyon, sailed in the transport" Daniel Webster" for New ( )rleans, where it arrived February 3d. The battalion was ordered into camp at English Turn, where, March 7th, Major Rich- ard G. Shaw assumed the command. From English Turn the bat- talion removed to Plaquemine, 160 miles above New Orleans, where Major Shaw became post commander, and Captain Kenyon resumed the immediate command of the battalion. Here it was engaged in putting the fort in a state of defense, and in guarding the town by a long line of pickets. This line of pickets extended as far as Indian Village, twelve miles back. Frequent skirmishes occurred between the battalion and the guerrillas under the notorious Captain Scott of HISTORY <>i- PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 247 Plaquemine Parish. At one time they dashed upcn the outposts and captured four or five men. whom they murdered as they retreated through Indian Village. The whole regiment being now in the Department of the Gulf, its designation was changed by general order April 19th, to the 11th U. S. Heavy Artillery {Colored). On the 19th of May Major Comstock received orders to evacuate Fort Esperanza, first destroying what he could not take away, and return to New Orleans. He accordingly dismantled the works, shipped the heavy ordnance, and embarking his men on board the transport steamer "Clinton," reached New Or- leans May 23d. Early in January, 1865, the allotment commissioner. Major Amsbury, visited the Second battalion at Plaquemine, and paid up the troops to August 1st, preceding the first payment received by the men since their enlistment. Up to the opening of the new year, little had occurred at the post to vary the usual routine of garrison duty. February 16th, the entire regiment numbered 1,452 men. The effects of climate had seriously diminished its ranks. Up to the date last named, upward of 300 men had died of disease. From July 1st previ- ous, 70 men had died at Fort Jackson. Experience proved that while black men made good and faithful soldiers, their power of endurance was not equal to that of the whites. In April the station of the First battalion was transferred from Fort Jackson to Brashear City. The duties of the regiment at the several posts possessed few of the charms that give attraction and excitement to the movements of the field. It was mustered out at New Orleans, October 2d, 1865. On the 7th, it embarked on board the steamship " North Star" for New York, where it arrived on the 15th. On landing, the regiment marched up Broadway preceded by a brass band and drum corps organized from its ranks, presenting one of the most imposing scenes that had been witnessed by the citizens of New York since the com- mencement of the return of soldiers from the field of war. Leaving New York in the propeller " Doris," the regiment reached Ports- mouth Grove at eight and a half o'clock a. .m., October 18th, and was received with a national salute fired by a detachment of the Newport Artillery under Colonel John Hare Powell. Saturday morning Octo- ber 21st, the regiment made a visit to Providence. A few days after, the men were scattered to their homes, having by their general gccd conduct as soldiers honored the state whose name they bore upon their regimental colors, and paying in this manner a gratifying tribute to the untiring energy of the chief executive by whom they were called into service. The assault upon Fort Sumter April 12th, 1861, sent a thrill of patriotic indignation through all the loyal states. In no one was this more visible than in Rhode Island, and when Governor Sprague tendered to the general government the services of 1,CC0 infantry 248 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. and a batten' of artillery, he but expressed the spirit of the people. It was under this state of feeling that the Marine Artillery was organized for three months' active service by Captain Charles H. Tompkins, who was appointed to the command and commissioned April 18th. Hon. Samuel G. Arnold, lieutenant governor elect, hav- ing tendered his services to Governor Sprague, was appointed upon his staff, with the rank of colonel, and took the general command of the battery until after it reached Washington. On the afternoon of April 18th, the battery embarked at Providence on board the steamer " Empire State " for Jersey City, taking with it over 100 horses, six field pieces, caissons, battery wagon and forge. From thence the battery proceeded to,. Easton, Pa., and encamped on the fair grounds. While at Easton, the battery exchanged its smooth-bore guns for the James rifled cannon, the first ever used in the service of the United States, and after devoting several days to drill, proceeded to Washington. It left Easton April 27th, and arrived in Philadelphia on Sunday morning, where it was hospitably entertained. April 30th, it started again for Washington, via Perry ville, touching at Annapolis. Fears were entertained of being fired into in passing- Alexandria, which was then in the hands of secessionists. To avoid provoking an attack, the men of the battery and all appliances of war were concealed from view, and a few persons in citizen's dress, among them Mrs. Samuel G. Arnold, who joined her husband at Philadelphia, courageously promenaded the upper deck of the steamer, giving it the appearance of a mere passenger boat. The apprehended point of danger was passed without molestation. May 2d, the battery landed at the arsenal in Washington, and passeel in review before the president at the executive mansion. It quartered for a few days at the patent office. June 9th, the battery started one day in advance of the regiment, and proceeded by way of Baltimore, Harrisburg, Chambersburg, and Greencastle to Williamsport, Md., arriving there June loth. Resting a few days, the first and second sections of the battery under Captain Tompkins crossed the Potomac and went into camp at Falling Waters. On the following day it was ordered back to Washington, arriving there on the 20th. July 1st the battery started on its route by rail, and reached I [agerstown in 37 hours. After resting a short time, it advanced to Williamsport and encamped for the night. Passing over the Potc- mac with a body of infantry to operate against the rebels, it marched to Martinsburg, Va., and encamped near the 12th and 28th New York Volunteers. Soon after sunrise July 15th, General Patterson's grand column moved out of Martinsburg, with the battery on the right, and marched to Hunker Hill. Va. When within nearly two miles of that place, about 700 rebel cavalry appeared approaching, but on discov- ering the Union forces turned at once and retreated. The battery HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 249 fired a number of rounds, shelling the woods, freeing them from any lingering party of the enemy, and mortally wounding one officer and two privates, and slightly injuring a sergeant. The battery took possession of the vacated rebel camp, the fires of which were still burning. On the third day, at 3 o'clock a. m., General Patterson's column commenced moving toward Charlestown. From there the battery marched, to Harper's Ferry, arriving the same evening. From Harper's Ferry the battery proceeded to Sandy Hook, where it was relieved after the battle of Bull Run by Battery A, Cap- tain William H. Reynolds commanding. The term of service having expired, the battery, under the command of Lieutenant Remington (Captain Tompkins being detained in Washington), set out for home. It reached Providence July 31st, and the next morning was provided with a sumptuous breakfast at Railroad Hall. August 6th the battery was mustered out of service. The 10th Light Battery, for three months' service, was raised simultaneously with the 9th and 10th regiments of three months' volunteers, and was recruited under the supervision of Captain Edwin C. Gallup. In May it left Providence for Washington in three detachments, the first under Lieutenant Samuel A. Pearce, Jr., the second under Lieutenants Frank A. Rhodes and Amos D. Smith, Jr., and the third under Captain Gallup and Quartermaster Sergeant Asa Lyman. On reaching Washington they proceeded to Tenallytown, and concentrated at Camp Frieze. The battery lay here improving in its drill until June 23d, when, in obedience to order, it moved for- ward to re-enforce General Banks. It was mustered out of service August 30th, 1862. During its absence it made a proficiency in artil- lery movements that excited the surprise and received the strong approbation of military visitants from Washington. Battery A, of the 1st Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, was enlisted and organized simultaneously with the 2d Regiment Rhode Island Infantry, and with that regiment had its encampment on the Dexter Training Ground in Providence. It was mustered into service June 6th, 1861, and under the command of Captain William H. Rey- nolds embarked on board the transport steamer " Kill von Kull " for Washington June 19th. On arriving there it was attached to Bum- side's brigade, Hunter's division, McDowell's army corps. It remained at Camp Sprague until the movement of the army to Bull Run. There it opened the attack on the right. In August, in accordance with instructions from the secretary of war. a battalion of light artillery was organized, consisting of Lat- teries A, B and C, under command of Major Charles H. Tompkins, and in September following was constituted a regiment, Major Tompkins being appointed its colonel. The battery wintered at Poolesville, Md., and in March, 1862, after the operations against Win- chester, shared the fortunes of the army of the Potomac on the Pen- 250 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. insula. It was engaged before Yorktown, at Fair Oaks, Peach Orchard, Savage's Station, Charles City Court House and Malvern Hill, and was the last battery to leave the hill when the arm)- fell back to Harrison's Landing. The battery participated in the battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 13th, and in the battle of Marye's Heights, May 3d, 1863. At Gettysburg, Pa., on the 1st, 2d and 3d days of July following, it fought with distinguished bravery, losing five men killed and 23 wounded; 30 horses were also lost. October 14th it engaged the enemy at Bristoe Station, and aided in frustrating Lee"s attempt to get between the forces of General Meade and Wash- ington. On the 3d of May the battery commenced the grand march with the entire army toward Richmond. It was hotly engaged in several battles, known as the battles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania Court House, North Anna, etc., and lost a number of men wounded. It fought at Cold Harbor, May 30th. Here Lieutenant Peter Hunt was wounded in the foot, and was removed to the hospital at Wash- ington, where the limb was amputated. Sinking under the effects of the wound, he died June 14th. His remains were brought to Provi- dence, and on the 20th, after an impressive service in the Central Congregational church, were escorted to their last resting place by 30 men of the battery. The term of service of the original three years' men having now expired, the battery comprising that class returned home under Cap- tain Arnold, and arrived in Providence Monday morning, June 13th. On the evening of June 15th a sumptuous complimentary supper was given to the battery at the City Hotel by a number of gentlemen whose interest in its welfare had been unabated through its long and honorable career. The battery was mustered out of service June 18th. Less than 50 men of the battery remained in the field after the departure of those whose three years' term of service had expired. These were recruits and re-enlisted veterans. The command de- volved on Lieutenant Gamaliel Lyman Dwight, who reorganized it with admirable despatch. He procured men from other batteries of the corps to supply its deficiencies, and in three days announced the battery as ready for the front. On the 30th of September the battery was consolidated with Battery B, which act terminated a distinctive history marked by brilliant deeds. Battery B, 1st Regiment Rhode Island Light Artillery, left Provi- dence for Washington August 13th, 1861. On arriving there it was assigned to General Stone's command, afterward Sedgwick's corps, Army of the Potomac. October 21st, the left section, under the com- mand of Captain Vaughan, proceeded to Conrad's Ferry, to operate in the unfortunate battle of Ball's Bluff. In February, 1862, the bat- tery advanced to Winchester, Va. It moved with the army of the Potomac in the campaign of the Peninsula. It engaged the enemy HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 251 before Yorktown, was subsequently present as a support at the battle of Hanover Court House, was under fire at Fair Oaks, was in position at Peach Orchard, Savage's Station and Malvern Hill, having several men wounded at the latter place. At the battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 13th, the battery fought bravely under a hot fire, losing 16 men killed and wounded, and 12 battery horses shot. At Gettys- burg the battery again went into action and came out with a heavy loss of horses, four men killed and 23 wounded. In the subsequent movements of the army of the Potomac up to the close of 1803, the battery handsomely maintained, especially at Bristoe Station and Mine Run, a well-earned reputation. It wintered in the valley of the Rappahannock. It was now attached to the First Division (Barlow's i, Second Army Corps, and shared in all the hard fights that marked the way to Petersburg. In the battle of the Wilderness it occupied a position in an open space in front of the advance line. At Todd's Tavern, four guns were placed in the front line in woods so dense that a road was cut for each gun, and when planted the eye could not penetrate 50 yards in advance. On the afternoon of the 9th of Maj , the battery reached the Po, and a section was sent forward to shell a wagon train beyond the river. The rebels replied, killing two men of the battery. On the 10th, Barlow's division was attacked by a greatly superior force, and was ordered to re-cross the Po. The bat- tery was sent to take position on a hill overlooking the river, to cover the crossing. This was done with complete success, the heavy and well directed fire upon the pursuing rebels causing them to seek shelter in the woods in great disorder. At this time one man was killed and four were wounded by an enfilading fire from a rebel- bat- tery on the left. On the 12th, the battery was stationed all day within 500 yards of the rebel rifle-pits, where a sharp contest was carried on until after two o'clock on the morning of the 13th. On the 15th, Cor- poral McMeekin and Private Stephen Collins volunteered to run out and fasten ropes to two rebel guns that lay abandoned between the lines of sharpshooters, while a company of infantry should pull them within the Union lines. The dangerous enterprise was successfully accomplished. On the 19th the battery was severely engaged and lost one man. June 3d the battery had four men wounded at Cold Harbor, and in August five men wounded before Petersburg. Bat- teries A and B were now operated together under a single com- mander, though they were not officially consolidated until September 3<»th, when the two took the name of Battery B, as mentioned in the sketch of Battery A. In the fierce battle of Ream's Station, August 25th, the combined battery A and B was nearly annihilated. The total of killed, wounded and missing numbered 52, with a loss of all the guns and 50 horses. The men served their guns faithfully and assisted in repelling three terrific assaults, but an overpowering force finally drove them from 252 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. their posts; not, however, until some of the men had been killed at the cannon's side by the clubbed muskets of the enemy. This dis- aster reduced the battery to 72 men. The battery continued with the Second Corps in all its movements and battles until Lee's surrender. On the retreat of the rebel general from Richmond, the battery fol- lowed close upon his rear, and had its last fight at Farmsville. Thus closing its military life in the field, the battery comprising 135 en- listed men, under Lieutenant Chace, left Washington June 3d, and arrived in Providence on the 5th. The men were quartered at the Silvey barracks until mustered out of service, June 13th. By order of General Meade, March 7th, 1805, the following names of battles in which the battery had borne a meritorious part were directed to be inscribed on its colors: Ball's Bluff, Yorktown, Fair Oaks, Malvern Hill, Antietam, First Fredericksburg, Second Fred- ericksburg, Gettysburg, Bristoe Station. Reams' Station, Mine Run, Wilderness, Po River, Spottsylvania, North Anna, Tolopotomy, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Deep Bottom. Battery C was enlisted in Providence and went into camp at " Camp Ames," on the Warwick road, beyond Pawtuxet, was mus- tered into the United States service August 25th, 1861, and on the 31st of the same month took the cars at Providence for Washington. On the 10th. of March, 1862, it moved with the grand army, first toward Manassas, and afterward by transports from Alexandria to the Peninsula. Landing at Fortress Monroe March 24th, the battery took up its line of march for Yorktown by way of Hampton, Great Bethel, New Market Bridge and Harwood's Mills. On the 5th of April it had its first fighting experience m front of Fort Magruder, one of the defenses of Yorktown. In this battle, which lasted from 10 o'clock a. m. until late in the afternoon, Battery C lost one man killed. ( )n the 26th of June the great seven days' contest opened with the battle of Mechanicsville, where the battery was under fire. ( )n the 27th it fought at Gaines' Farm with a vigor and bravery that commanded admiration. But courage and skill could not withstand the superior numbers hurled against the right wing of the federal army, and after repelling repeated charges, the battery was com- pelled to retire, losing severely in men and horses. Leaving this field of honorable disaster, the battery proceeded by Charles City Cross Roads to Turkey Bend, on the James river, and July 1st engaged in the bloody battle of Malvern Hill. The total losses at Gaines' Farm and Malvern Hill were five men killed, 21 wounded, om who died while being removed, five missing, three 3-inch ordnance guns, carriages and limbers, two caissons, two caisson bodies and 50 horses with their equipments. When the army of the Potomac withdrew from the Peninsula, the battery with its corps joined General Pope and took part in the second battle of Bull Run. The casualties were one man wounded, HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 253 six horses killed, and two sets of horse equipments lost. On the ] 2th of September the battery marched with the army for the field of An- tietam, and during the battle of the 17th was in the reserve. Moving again with the army, October 30th, the battery marched to the neighborhood of Potomac Creek, Va., and took an honorable part in the attack upon Fredericksburg, December 11th, J2th and 13th. After the second attempt on Fredericksburg, December 30th, the battery remained in winter quarters. Nothing further of moment occurred until the last of April, 1863, when General Hooker put the army of the Potomac in motion to meet and measure strength with the rebel army at Chancellorsville. April 30th it crossed the Rapidan river at Ely's Ford, and reached Chancellorsville at noon of the same day. The battle of May 2d and 3d was fierce and bloody, and on both days the battery moved in various directions over the field, at one time reconnoitering, and at another taking position commanding some important point. The return march to the line of the Rappahannock commenced July 5th, was very severe on both men and horses. In the battle of Rappahannock Station, November 7th, the battery fired 160 rounds, and had two men wounded. At Mine Run, November 27th, it expended 150 rounds of percussion, fuse and shrapnell shell. The casualties were one man wounded and two horses killed. The winter of 1863-4 was passed at Hazle Run, with little inci- dent to relieve the dullness of life in close quarters. On the morning of May 4th, 1864, the battery broke camp and joined in the forward movement of the entire army toward Richmond. For the succeeding 27 days it shared the fatigues and perils that beset the way to the Chickahominy. June 3d it reported to Major General Smith, com- manding the 18th Army Corps, at Cold Harbor, and took position in breastworks within 300 yards range of the rebel works. Here one man was killed by a rebel sharpshooter and one man was wounded. The battery remained at Cold Harbor until June 12th, when it moved toward the James river, which it crossed at Brandon on a pon- toon of 108 boats, and encamped near Petersburg on the 17th. In the beginning of July General Early made a raid on Washing- ton, and the 6th Army Corps was withdrawn from before Petersburg for its protection. The battery broke camp at midnight July 9th, and on the 11th embarked at City Point on board the hospital steamer " George Leary." It reached Washington about 11 o'clock on the night of the 12th and went into camp at Fort Stevens. The prompt arrival of the 6th Corps saved the capital from the grasp of the rebel general, who, disappointed of his purpose and conscious of the danger of his situation, made a hasty retreat. Pursuit, in which the battery joined, was immediate. An early return to share in the work before Petersburg was now anticipated, but the operations of the rebels on the Upper Potomac rendered the recall of the battery 254 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. to that field necessary. For several weeks the battery was in inces- sant motion, now advancing and now retreating - , as circumstances demanded. The heat was excessive; the dust, thrown into clouds, filled the atmosphere, and the marching was severe. These com- bined, greatly exhausted men and horses. In the double battle at Cedar Creek, October 19th, which for fierceness and brilliancy has few parallels in American military history, the battery was hotly engaged, and suffered severely in men and horses. Lieutenant Reu- ben H. Rich and Sergeant George A. Perry were badly wounded. Corporal John Keating and 18 privates were also wounded. Two guns were lost, but were subsequently recovered. August 25th, preceding the above named battle, 44 men of the battery, whose three years term of service had expired, were mus- tered out near Harper's Ferry, and returned to Providence in charge of Lieutenant Rich, August 28th. A few days after they were paid off. December 23d, by order of the war department, the battery was consolidated with Battery G. By order of General Meade, the names of the following battles, in which it had borne a meritorious part, were directed to be inscribed upon its colors: Yorktown, Hanover Court House, Mechanicsville, Gaines' Mills, Malvern Hill, Second Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Rappahannock Station, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Opequan, Fisher's Hill, Cedar Creek. Battery D was enlisted in Providence, and was mustered into the service of the United States September 4th, 18(51. October 12th. it reported to General McDowell at Upton's Hill. It established there " Camp Dupont," and remained in quarters until March 9th, 1862, when it marched to Fairfax Court House, and was attached to General King's division of General McDowell's corps. Early in June it accompanied the corps in pursuit after Stonewall Jackson when on his famous raid up the Shenandoah Valley. It subsequently took part in the fights at Sulphur Springs and Groveton. It the latter battle, August 28th, several men were wounded severely and four were taken prisoners. In the battle of Bull Run, August 29th and 30th, the battery lost 18 men in killed and wounded. After this disastrous battle, the battery returned with the army within the defenses of Washington, and marched with the army of the Potomac into Maryland, attached to General Hooker's corps. It participated in the victorious battle of South Mountain, September 14th. and on the 17th fought with great steadiness and bravery at Antietem. In this battle 39 men were lost, in killed, wounded and missing. Being subsequently assigned to the 9th Army Corps, for service in the Department of the Ohio, the battery proceeded to the Peninsula, and March 19th, 1803, departed from Newport News to join General Burnside. From April 9th to May 8th, the battery marched in various directions 237 miles. July 12th HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 255 it left Camp Nelson, Ky., for Cincinnati, ()., where it was employed in picket and other duties during the alarm caused by Morgan's guerrillas until August. After completing the service assigned to it in the Department of the Ohio, the battery returned to the East to rejoin the army of the Potomac. It came to Providence on a veteran furlough of 30 days, and had a handsome reception. From April 5th to the 25th, 1864, it was successively at Stevenson's Station, Kearnstown, Middletown, Summit Point, and near Winchester, Va. May 4th, it marched from Warrenton Junction as a part of the 9th Army Corps in the advance- on Richmond, Va., and on the 0th took position near General Grant's headquarters. When General Early retreated from his raid on Washington Bat- tery D received a new armament and joined in the pursuit. .Septem- ber 19th it marched to near Winchester, Va., and went into acticn with the 19th Corps, to which it was joined. In this battle four men were wounded and six horses were killed. On the 20th, it marched to Strasburg, Va.; on the 21st shelled the enemy; on the 22d engaged in the battle of Fisher's Hill, in which the rebels were put to rout with heavy loss; and at 6 o'clock P. M. marched for Woodstock, where it arrived at daylight on the 28d. From this date to the 30th, the battery was consecutively at Edinburg, New Market, Harrisonburg. Mount Crawford, and again at Harrisonburg. October 19th, it en- gaged in the battle of Cedar Creek, in which it had six men wounded and 24 horses killed. The battery continued in the Valley of the Shenandoah perfoim- ing such duties as were required of it until July 10th, 1865, when it left Winchester, Va., and proceeded to Providence under the com- mand of Captain Corthell. The battery was mustered out of service July 17th, leaving a record honorable alike to itself and to the state. Battery E was enlisted in Providence and had its encampment at " Camp Greene," previously occupied by the 4th Regiment Rhode Is- land Volunteers. It left for Washington early in October, 1861, and remained in " Camp Sprague " until November 5th, when it passed into Virginia and established a camp near Fort Lyon, southwest of Alexandria, which was named " Camp Webb." It was busily occu- pied during the siege of Yorktown until the evacuation, when it joined in pursuit of the rebels, and after the battle of Williamsburg Captain Randolph, with a section of his battery and a section of Thompson's U. S. under him, was the first to enter the town the next day. It passed through the fiery ordeal of the memorable "seven days," in which the right wing of the army swung round to the James river. In the battle of Malvern Hill it lost one man killed and four men wounded. It left the Peninsula with the army of the Potomac to join General Pope, and fought bravely at Bristoe Station, August 27th, driving the enemy, and having- two men killed and two 256 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. wounded. In the second battle of Bull Run, Captain Randolph posted his battery on the left of the Leesburg road, and delivered an effective fire. He lost two men killed and three taken prisoners. In the battle of Chantilly, September 1st, the destructive fire of the battery did much to decide the day. At the battle of Chancellorsville, May 2d and 3d, 1863, Captain Randolph being chief of artillery, the battery was under the com- mand of Lieutenant Pardon S. Jastram, and fought with great vigor. It was subjected to a galling enfilading fire, and suffered a loss of two men killed, 16 men wounded, and 24 horses killed, wounded and missing. At the battle of Gettysburg, Captain Randolph commanded the artillery brigade in General Sickles' (Third) corps. He had five batteries of his own brigade and three from the artillery reserve, in the battle, which were finely handled. Battery E was posted on the road from Gettysburg to Emmettsburg, near the Peach Orchard that formed the angle of the Federal lines. A concentrated rebel fire upon it caused a loss of 29 men killed or wounded, and 40 horses killed and disabled. On returning to the valley of the Rappahannock, the battery was active in the various movements of the army until winter. In the advance upon the rebels November 7th, it surprised the enemy at Kelly's Ford, and drove him across the river. The loss of the bat- tery was one man killed and two wounded. In the battle of Mine Run, November 27th, the battery took an efficient part, and had two men wounded. After this action, it went into winter quarters near Brandy Station. May 4th, 1864, the battery moved with the army to share in the successive battles fought from the Wilderness to Petersburg. June 1st, the battery reached Cold Harbor in the afternoon, and immediately engaged the enemy, expending ,083 rounds of ammuni- tion. On the 17th, it arrived before Petersburg, and the next day went into position within 300 yards of the enemy's skirmish lines. Changing to a point nearer the city, it threw solid shot into Peters- burg, being the first fired into the city. Its casualties were five men wounded and three horses killed. June 29th the battery accompanied the 6th Corps to Reams' Station to reinforce General Wilson. July 1st it was in position to command the plank road from Reams' Sta- tion; the next day it marched with the corps to Williams' Farm; thence on the 9th to City Point, and on the 13th embarked for Balti- more. It arrived in Washington July 16th, and the next day was ordered back to City Point, where it arrived on the 19th. Through the residue of the year, the battery met promptly all the duties as- signed it. From the 29th of March until the morning of the 2d of April, 1865, the battery remained in position in "Fort Wadsworth," on the Wel- don railroad, where it had been since December 30th, 1864. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 257 On closing its career on the Peninsula, the battery proceeded to Washington, and June 3d set out under Captain Jacob H. Lamb for Providence. It arrived from New York on the steamer " Galatea," on Wednesday, June 7th. The returned men numbered one hundred and forty. The battery was mustered out of service June 14th. The names of the following battles in which it had borne a meritori< us part were inscribed upon its colors: Yorktown, Charles City Cross Roads, Malvern Hill, Second Bull Run, Chantilly, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold Har- bor, Petersburg. Battery F was sent to Washington early in November, 1861, and quartered at " Camp Sprague." After a few weeks it proceeded to " Camp California," near Alexandria, Va., and thence to Annapolis. Aid., where it joined the North Carolina expedition under General Burnside. October 10th, the battery marched on an expedition to Elizabeth City, N. C, and returned to Newbern on the 16th without engage- ment, marching 425 miles. It was now called from the field of its first experience to mingle in struggles with succession on the Penin- sula. On the 3d of November it marched by the way of Dismal Swamp tow path to Deep Creek, Va., a distance of 41 miles, skirmish- ing with the enemy for about ten miles. On the 4th it marched to Portsmouth, Va., and embarked for Fortress Monroe. It disem- barked there on the 5th, and arrived on the same day at Newport News. The whole distance traveled was 320 miles. December 23d it left Newport News, and proceeded on board the steamer "Con- queror" to Point Lookout, Md., where it disembarked on the 24th. January 24th, 1864, the battery embarked on board transports and proceeded to Yorktown. It left Yorktown May 3d, proceeded to Newport News, and on the 4th embarked on board transports. Sailing up the James river, it disembarked at Bermuda Hundred, marched five miles toward Petersburg, and encamped May 6th. On the 12th of May it again left camp, and engaged the enemy on the Richmond and Petersburg Pike. In this engagement one man was killed and three men were severely wounded. ( )n the J6th a conflict occurred at Drury's Bluff, where Captain Belger was taken prisoner, and the command devolved on Lieutenant Thomas Simpson. The entire casualties were three men killed, eight wounded, four missing, 26 horses, two guns and four limbers lost. It again left camp June 22d, took position in the trenches in front of Petersburg, and skir- mished continually with the enemy until the 27th. During this time five men were wounded, and four horses were killed. The battery remained in position in the trenches until July 8th, and on the after- noon of that day engaged the enemy, having one man slightly wounded. 17 258 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. April 3d, 1865, Lieutenant Simpson, who was taken prisoner Octo- ber 27th, 1804, rejoined the battery, which, on the morning- of April 7th, broke camp and marched to Richmond, where it was stationed, and June 27th was there mustered out of service. On the 1st of July it arrived in Providence direct from Richmond, coming from New York in the steamer " Galatea." Battery G left Providence for Washington, December 7th, 1861, and went into camp at " Camp Sprague," where it remained occupied in drill until January 3d, 1862, when it proceeded to Darnestown, Md. In February, the battery was at Edwards' Ferry, where it was visited by Governor Sprague. On the 15th of that month it was at Bolivar Heights, and from there it proceeded to Washington to join McClellan's advance on Richmond. March 29th it left Washington for Fortress Monroe, where it arrived April 2d. After landing, the battery proceeded up the Peninsula, and encamped seven miles from Yorktown. On the 28th, it was ordered to take position within 1,000 yards of the rebel fortifications, which it did, and at night returned to "Camp Winfield Scott." During the siege, it was constantly en- gaged in picket duty and skirmishes with the enemy. On withdraw- ing- from the Peninsula, it marched by the way of Yorktown to Hampton, where it embarked for Alexandria. On the 17th it fought at Antietam, under Captain Owen, with great bravery. On the 6th of October, it was at Bolivar Heights. It left there on the 31st and crossed the Shenandoah. On the 5th of November it was at Upperville, and moving on, was in readiness, on the 13th of Decem- ber, to join in the assault on Fredericksburg. In this battle, before crossing the river, the battery was posted on the extreme right of the artillery line. On going over, it took posi- tion in the rear of Gordon's house and by a well directed fire of can- ister and the support of the 5th Michigan Infantry, drove back the rebels who had approached to within 150 yards in an attempt to seize the position. In the second battle of Fredericksburg, May 2d and 3d, Captain Adams led his battery into the hottest of the fight. It was early sent forward to an exposed position to silence a rebel bat- ter)- about 600 yards distant, which it succeeded in doing. During the operation it was subjected to a heavy and fatal enfilading fire from a rebel battery on the right. The casualties were 24 men killed or wounded, 16 horses lost, and a gun carriage badly damaged. Ac- companying the army of the Potomac in June following, to drive the rebel forces under General Lee out of Pennsylvania, it took a gallant part in the battle of Gettysburg, July 1st, 2d and 3d. The battery returned with the army of the Potomac to the Valley of the Rappahannock. October 17th it was at Chantilly, Va., in the movement to head off General Lee in his attempt to flank General Meade, and get between his army and Washington. Later in the same month it was at Warrenton. In November it reported at HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 259 Brandy Station. It went into winter quarters near Brandy Station, where 28 men were re-enlisted, and December 26th went home on a veteran furlough of 35 days. May 12th, 1864, it was engaged in the action near Spottsylvania Court House from 7 o'clock a. M. until 4 o'clock p. M. and had one man wounded. June 2d, it participated in the battle of Cold Harbor, in which Lieutenant Charles V. Scott was wounded. It remained in position here until the 12th, when it marched to near Petersburg. In the battle of Winchester, September 19th, the battery was actively engaged; and on the 22d participated in the battle of Fisher's Hill. In the battle of Cedar Creek, October 19th, the battery was warmly engaged, and met with heavy losses. Six men were killed and 21 were wounded, including Lieutenant C. V. Scott, who subsequently died. After the battle of Cedar Creek, the battery returned to "Camp Barry," near Washington, where it received a new outfit of guns and equipments, and then proceeded to the front at Petersburg. In the spring of 1865, General Wright prepared for an assault with the 6th Corps upon the enemy's works. Captain Adams conceived the plan of scaling their defenses, getting possession of their guns, and turn- ing them upon the rebel force, or spiking and rendering them use- less, as circumstances might warrant. With the consent of General Wright he selected 17 men of his battery, and trained them carefully for the operation. On the 2d of April, the assault was made. Cap- tain Adams with his trained men advanced with the corps to the conflict, and rushing in with great impetuosity successfully accom- plished their object. The moral effect of this daring deed upon the army was inspiring, and awakened the greatest enthusiasm. In recognition of the value of this service, the war department in May, 1866, directed handsome bronze medals, struck in honor of the event, to be presented to the following named persons: Sergeants John H. Haveron and Archibald Malbone; Corporals James A. Barber and Samuel E. Lewis; Privates Warren P. Franklin, Carl Guhl, Henry Krull, H. Griffith, Charles D. Ennis, Heniy Randall, Horace B. Tan- ner, Germon W. Potter, J. A. Taft, William F. Short, James Calla- han, John Corcoran and John P. Kronke. Twelve of these men were members of Battery C previous to its consolidation with Battery G, December 23d, 1864. After the fall of Petersburg, Battery G took part in the battle of Sailor's Creek, April 6th, and closed its long and active military ser- vices by joining in firing a salute in commemoration of General Lee's surrender. After marching to Richmond it set out for home. Accompanied by Battery H, it arrived in Providence Friday morn- ing. June 16th. They came from New York on a steamer of the Nep- tune line, and were received with a national salute, and the warm greetings of waiting friends. By order of General Meade the names 260 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. of the following battles in which it had meritoriously participated were directed to be inscribed upon its colors: Yorktown, Fair Oaks, Malvern Hill, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Marye's Heights, Gettys- burg, Rappahannock Station, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, Opequan, Fisher's Hill, Cedar Creek. Battery H was enlisted under Captain Charles H. J. Hamlen, and went into camp near Mashapaugpond. It recruited in its camp, while in Rhode Island, more than four times its complement of men, but in consequence of the many requisitions from batteries in the field whose ranks had been reduced by the casualties of war, it was deemed neces- sary to furnish them with recruits from this battery, and it was only after they had been thus supplied that it was completed and permit- ted to leave the state. On proceeding to Washington, October 23d, 1862, it was assigned, ( )ctober 28th, to "Camp Barry," where it re- ceived three-inch rifled guns in place of the James pieces with which it left Rhode Island. In the spring of 1864, Battery H was transferred from the com- parative quiet of a defensive position to the more exciting scenes of aggressive war. On the 6th of May it marched to Rappahannock Station, on the 7th to the Rapidan river, on the 8th to near Chancel- lorsville, and on the 9th to near Spottsylvania Court House, where it joined the artillery reserve of the army of the Potomac. On the 11th its march was reversed to Marye's Cross Roads. It thence continued its march to Oak Hill, thence to Fredericksburg, thence to Falmouth and Belle Plain, where it joined General Abercrombie's division. Remaining here until May 24th, the battery marched to Westmore- land Plain, and the next day to Port Conway, crossing the Rappahan- nock to Port Royal. May 29th, Captain Allen shipped the battery on board the transport "St. Nicholas," on the 30th was off Port Royal, and on the 31st started for Washington in tow of the steamer "Gen- eral Hooker." June 4th he disembarked his men at the city, turned in ordnance stores, and marched to the Soldier's Rest; June 5th marched to Fort Richardson; left Fort Richardson July 10th for Fort Smith, and October Kith moved from thence to Camp Barry, where the battery was remounted. October 25th it left Camp Barry for City Point, Va., reported to the headquarters of the army of the Potomac, and October 30th was assigned to the artillery reserve. January 3d, 1865, the battery left City Point and marched to War- ren Station, and joined the artillery brigade of the 6th Army Corps. Passing over the winter life of the battery, the next prominent feat- ure of its remaining history is the part it took in the final grand as- sault upon the rebel works before Petersburg, April 2d. At 4^ o'clock a.m.. on the 2d, the battery moved forward with the division, and after crossing the rifle-pits, opened upon a section of artillery, which had a Hank fire on the federal infantry. It was soon driven off, when the battery ceased firing, moved to the left, brought up the caissons. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 261 and awaited orders. It then moved forward with the skirmish line, and engaged with a rebel battery, which soon had to leave its posi- tion. It was followed up until arriving- a t the Whitworth House, where Battery H went into position. The enemy placed a rifle bat- tery in position on the left, and obtained an enfilading fire at 1,700 yards, being beyond the extreme range of Captain Allen's guns. He was then ordered by Major Cowan to withdraw his guns, which he did, and went into park in rear of the first division headquarters for the night. In this day's action four men and ten horses were killed, and six men were wounded. The battle of Sailor's Creek, though less severe than the assault in which the 6th Corps engaged on the 2d, was nevertheless a hard fought action, and resulted in the entire rout of the cnemv. On the 7th, Battery H continued with the 6th Corps in pursuit of the flying- rebels to Farmsville, where a fight occurred, and from which place Lieutenant General Grant sent a note to General Lee suggesting that a surrender of his armies would prevent a further effusion of blood, and offering honorable terms. This proposition was held in abey- ance until April 9th, when it was accepted, and the war of the rebel- lion in Virginia practically ceased. Terminating its services in the cause of constitutional freedom in June, the battery set out for home, and arrived in Providence on the 16th of that month. The battery was mustered out of service June 28th, 1865. When the war ceased all hearts felt the relief, as of a burden rolled away, and the return of the people to the channels of peaceful occupation was as ready and as natural as the fall of an apple to the earth. The news of the surrender of Lee's army in April, 1865, awak- ened sounds of rejoicing, the excess of which were soon hushed by the sad news of the assassination of President Lincoln, and the city which was but just donning the robes of rejoicing, now assumed the habiliments of mourning, while she listened, with flags at half mast, to the tolling of her bells for the death of a nation's executive head. But even so great a cause of lamentation could not long depress the spirits which were rising in gladness at the prospect of returning peace and the return of friends who had for years been absent at the scenes of war. As one after another of the organizations came marching back again to their homes, the people met them with a shout of welcome and rejoicing. The energies which had become excited by the requirements of the war to unusual activity were not suppressed, but were turned into other channels and allowed to flow on. The city had suffered no depletion of its population or financial prosperity. From the year 1860 to 1865 it had grown in population from 50,066 to 54,595, and in assessed valuation from $58,131,800 to $80,564,300. The establishments which had been engaged in manu- facturing implements of war were now turned to the production of 262 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. implements of peace. The " swords were beaten into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks," and popular education, instead of popu- lar destruction, received the benefactions of the most liberal appro- priations from the city treasury. In order to commemorate the sacrifice of the lives of the sons of Rhode Island in the war by an enduring monument, placed in a con- spicuous position, the general assembly, in January. 1867, appointed a committee of prominent citizens of the state, headed by General A. E. Burnside, to secure a site and superintend the erection of a monument in the city of Providence to the memory of the officers and men in the army and navy of the United .States from the state of Rhode Island who fell in battle, and who died of their wounds or from sickness, in the late rebellion. The monument was designed by Randolph Rogers, of Rome, Italy. The wisdom of the committee was shown in the selection of a site in Exchange Place, near the rail- road depot, one of the most conspicuous and public situations to be found in the city. It consists of a statue of America, 10 feet high, standing upon a pedestal 32 feet from the ground. The pedestal is of granite, the statue and tablets and other mountings of bronze, which were cast in Munich. The bronze figure holds in the left hand a sword depending at her side, while in her extended right hand she offers a wreath. Below, upon projecting abutments at each corner, stand bronze statues representing the infantry, cavalry, artillery and naval services. The names of 1 ,767 officers and men are engraved upon the bronze tablets and panels distributed upon the sides of the pedestal. Between the corner projections are bas-reliefs typifying War, Victory, Peace and History. The platform of the base is reached by a flight of five steps, which are broken at each corner by pedestals bearing mortars and balls. The whole stands in a small grass plat, enclosed by a handsome fence of granite and iron. The cost of the monument was $60,000. The monument having been completed and placed in position, the ceremonies of unveiling it took place, by order of the governor of the state, Saturday, September 16th. 1871. A platform with seats to accommodate 2,300 persons was raised on three sides of the monu- ment, and tickets admitting to this were issued to the families of de- ceased soldiers and sailors and to invited guests. The annual muster of the militia was suspended by order of the governor, and all the uniformed companies in the state were required to appear in Provi- dence to take part in the proceedings of dedication. To provide for the veterans of the war and the uniformed militia of the state, the whole of Exchange Place was enclosed and guarded by a large body of policemen. A large number of military organizations and other organizations, with bands of music interspersed, took up the line of march through Broadway, Knight, High, Broad, Dorrance, Westminster, South history of providencf/couxty. 263 Main, Transit, Benefit, Meeting, North Main and Steeple streets, to Exchange Place. The whole line of streets through which it passed was alive with flags and waving handkerchiefs. Nearly 2,0C0 veter- ans were in the ranks. With the uniformed militia they formed at the east end of Exchange Place, and at a given signal the whole body, about 4,000 strong, in solid phalanx, the lines reaching clean across the open space, marched up to the monument. The solid host thus presented, with the many tattered battle flags which the veterans bore, their blue uniforms, the brilliant clothes of the citizen soldiers, the gleaming of the muskets with set bayonets, and the firm and regular marching to the music of 16 bands, was one of the grandest sights of the kind ever witnessed by 7 the city of Providence. The enthusiasm which it excited in the thousands of spectators, who occupied every available foot of standing room in the neighborhood, found expression in prolonged cheers and waving of handkerchiefs. The dedicatory ceremonies consisted of instrumental music, singing by a choir of 300 voices, introductory remarks by Governor Padel- ford, prayer by Doctor Thayer, of Newport, an oration by Reverend Augustus Woodbury, the singing of a memorial hymn, and benedic- tion by Reverend Doctor Caswell, president of Brown University. The memorial hymn, written for the occasion by Mrs. Sarah Ellen Whitman, is so rich in beautiful expression of inspiring thoughts that we cannot refrain from quoting it here. It is as follows: " Raise the proud pillar of granite on high. Graced with all honors that love can impart ; Lift its fair sculptures against the blue sky. Blazoned and crowned with the trophies of art, Crowned with the trmmphs of genius and art ! Long may its white columns soar to the sky, Like a lone lily that perfumes the mart. Lifting its coronal beauty on high. " Sons of Rhode Island, your record shall stand Graven on tablets of granite and bronze : Soldiers and sailors beloved of our land. Darlings and heroes, our brothers and sons,— Gray-bearded heroes and beautiful sons! Soldiers and sailors, the flower of our land, Deep, as on tablets of granite and bronze, Graved on our hearts shall your bright record stand. " Swell the loud psalm, let the war trumpets sound; Fling the old tlag to the wild autumn blast; High in Yalhallah our comrades are crowned. There may we meet when life's conflicts are past,- Meet in the great Hall of Heroes at last ! High in Yalhallah our comrades are crowned, Swell with hosannas the wild autumn blast ! Let the full chorus of voices resound ! " CHAPTER IX. PROVIDENCE CITY— TRADE AND COMMERCE. Favorable Site for Commerce. — Early Commercial Importance. — Growth and Decline of Foreign Commerce. — Prominent Commercial Houses. — Statistics and Reminis- cences. — Foreign Voyages. — Providence Business Establishments in 1814. — Shipping Statistics after the War of 1812. — Merchants of that Time. — Shipbuilding. — Early Bank Directors. — Packet Lines. — To Coastwise Cities. — To Points on the Bay. — Whale Fishing Enterprises. — Fish Barges.— Decline of the Shipping Interests. — First Steps toward Railroad Building. — Boston and Providence. — New York, Provi- dence and Boston. — Providence and Worcester. — Hartford, Providence and Fish- kill. — Providence and Bristol. — Seekonk Branch. — Providence and Springfield. — Union Horse Railroad. THE physical features in the situation of Providence have played a most important part in making the city what it is. Founded in a locality where the waters of rivers mingle with those of the sea, its business interests have been shaped and guided in turn by each of them. When the bay ceased to be the principal source of prosperity to the city and state, the streams were utilized for indus- trial purposes, and Providence, though its foreign commerce de- clined, grew in importance as the center of thriving manufacturing industries. Those, therefore, who are disposed to look lightly upon this city as a commercial port should notoverlook with what rapidity and wisdom its leading citizens retired from one sphere of subsist- ence to another. It was, in fact, the only thing left for the popula- tion of the state to do if it would keep in the march of business progress. Had it not done so, its fate would have been similar to tli at of many other seaport towns which have dwindled in population and importance. The commerce of Providence before the revolution, as compared with that of other cities, was large, and it was virtually a colony of sailors, seafaring men, shipbuilders and merchants. The revolutionary war, however, brougdit a serious check to the commercial prosperity of the state, and especially of Newport, the British block- ade of the coast and the occupation of the bay by the English scat- tering the population and placing a check on commercial enterprise. It is unfortunate that no official record of the early mercantile operations in Providence has been kept. A perfect record of arriv- als at this port and departures therefrom, the amount of goods bought here and where they were obtained, as well as the destination of our products, the amount of trade carried on from year to year, a record HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 265 even of bank clearings, important changes in various lines of busi- ness and industries, the amount of capital invested in ordinary busi- ness enterprises, all of this would be invaluable to the business man and all interested in the welfare of the community. In the absence of any such records, any history of the trade and commerce of Provi- dence must necessarily be in some respects imperfect. Fortunately. however, there are those still living who have taken pains to pre- serve many facts of importance relating thereto, either gleaned from personal experience or obtained from those who have long since passed away. A business man's diary kept in a very intelligent manner at the time of the war of 1812 and shortly after, a few old newspaper articles written by men who have long since passed the age of three-score years, statistical articles, historical addresses, cen- sus reports and personal interviews with those whose memory is re- markably keen, and who have taken the pains to preserve many items of interest, are the sources from which the facts given in this article have been obtained. Although the latter part of the eighteenth century saw the birth and early struggles of many manufactures, yet the greater part of the wealth of the state was invested in commerce. In 1790 the state- ment was made in the United States congress that there was a greater number of vessels belonging in Providence than in New York, and that it was a place of more navigation than any of its size in the Union. Trade was carried on with the East and West Indies, and with Europe and China. A Providence ship, the " George Wash- ington," owned by John Brown, was one of the earliest to bear the national flag of the new American Union to the ports of China, and the wharves at India point and South Water street for a long time were crowded with ships trading to European and West Indian ports. Their decline in numbers may be dated after the first decade of the present century. Not, however, until 1841 was the last arrival and last clearance of Indiamen at this port. Among the early pioneers of Providence who were carrying on an active business in the early part of this century may be mentioned the houses of Brown & Ives, Samuel Butler & Sons, Edward Carring- tori and the Nightingales and Russells. The house of Brown & Ives, which made the nucleus of its wealth by the tea and silk trade with China, carried on trade with all parts of the world. Their ships entered every commercial port, they were well known for their business enterprise and integrity, and no house in the country pos- sessed a better credit. They owned seven or eight vessels, and when Providence was a town of only eight or ten thousand inhabitants they had successfully established themselves as shipping merchants and were doing a very remunerative trade. They built the " Ann and Hope " in 1798, an account of whose fortunes and misfortunes would prove to be very interesting read- 266 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE county. ing. She was named after Ann, the wife of Nicholas Brown, and Hope, the wife of Thomas P. Ives. The dimensions of the craft were as follows: Keel 98 feet in length; beam 32 feet 1 inch; hold 13 feet; between decks 6 feet 4 inches. She registered 550 tons. She was built altogether of white oak timber, cut in the winter of 1795, and thoroughly water-seasoned. All possible pains were taken in her construction to make her durable and perfect. The total cost of the ship was over $50,000. Her first voyage was to Canton, China. She took out hard dollars packed in five iron-bound kegs and 31 boxes. A return cargo was procured and she sailed direct for Provi- dence in February, 1799, with 1,725 chests of Bohea tea and nearly 1,500 chests of various other teas^ and gun-powder; 130 boxes of china ware, dinner and tea sets; 500 bales of nankins, containing 50,000 pieces; eight boxes containing 392 pieces of assorted silks. vShe carried a crew of 56. In payment for the cargo, Mr. Samuel Snow, the supercargo, used the hard dollars and for the balance gave notes, in behalf of Brown & Ives, at 20 months, payable in Can- ton, to the security merchants, Consequa and others. The ship reached home June 15th, 1799. In her following voyages, she took out pickled and dried fur skins and kegs of hard dollars; hogsheads of West India rum, etc., tobacco, Havana sugars, barrels of flour, tons of logwood and fustic. At London she would take on board for Canton, broadcloths, long ells, Prussian blue, watches, glass ware, cutlery, porter, beer and ale. She would return with teas, sugar, cassia, silks, ribbons, fans, china ware, mats, window blinds, umbrellas and sweetmeats. Her fourth and fifth voyages were from Providence to Batavia, Cowes, Amster- dam, vSt. Petersburg and home via New York. The ship sailed from Warwick Neck, May 20th, 1802, arrived at Batavia, August 22d, after a passage of 94 days. Included in the cargo were spermaceti can- dles, Russia ducks and sheetings, camblets and cloths and crown glass. Her return cargo consisted of sugars and coffee. She came home by way of Cowes, Isle of Wight, Amsterdam, Cronstadt and New York, stopping at these places to trade and change cargoes. Her sixth and last voyage was from Providence to Batavia, via Lisbon and the Isle of France, and return via Cape of Good Hope ( 'owes, for orders, or direct to Providence. She returned with coffee, sugar and pepper. She sprung a leak and put into the Isle of France for repairs, which cost about $20,000. Just off the island she was boarded by the English man-of-war. "Tremendous." Com- modore Osborn, and detained six hours while undergoing the strictest search. Finally the commodore refused the ship liberty to enter port, but subsequently, after close examination, revoked the order and allowed her to land. After leaving the Cape of Good Hope nothing of note occurred until January 10th, when the ship struck on Block Island. As soon as the island was sighted the ship's HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 2G7 course was altered so as to pass it on the out or south side. The cap- tain, however, turned her course too quickly to pass around the island, and she ran aground. The ship beat on the rocks until she finally went ashore. The coffee bags were all broken and nearly all the coffee lost. The crew were saved except three, but the sugar was all melted and only about 60 bags of pepper were drifted on shore. Her entire cargo was worth about $300,000. The experience of this vessel is given somewhat in detail, for it shows the manner in which trade was carried on with foreign countries. The Carringtons owned ships which sailed to all countries, and their credit was also first-class. The same, indeed, may be said of the others. Some of the old-time merchants were very hazardous. Sam- uel Butler, it appears, made a fortune in revolutionary times by sail- ing his own sloop from this port to Alexandria, Va. He was en- gaged in the flour trade. His earliest business, however, was that of shoemaking. At one time he converted all the wealth that he had into French bills of exchange and invested them in Parisian broad- cloth at $4 per yard. An English fleet being all along the coast, it was a dangerous undertaking, but luckily his goods reached Boston, were carried overland to Providence, and sold for $12 a yard. Of course the war of 1812 drove Rhode Island vessels from the sea, and placed quite a serious check upon commerce. It was the cause of great activity in the manufacturing industries, however. The opening up of the fertile lands of the West, the cotton, woolen and other manufacturing interests, absorbed a good deal of Rhode Island capital. As before stated, however, it was not until 1841 that the last arrival and clearance, even of Indiamen, at this port occur- red; and in the period from about 1810 to 1850, Providence was promi- nent as a commercial port. In 1814 Providence was a town of about 12,000 inhabitants, con- taining about 1,500 houses, of which 125 were brick and stone. The public buildings were seven meeting houses, one market, one court house, one gaol, one poor house. There were 3 banks in town, 9 gold- smiths, 19 dry goods stores, 5 book stores, 6 taverns, 25 boarding houses, 20 cotton warehouses, 5 auction offices, 25 shoemakers' stores, 8 blacksmiths, 10 tailors' stores, 10 cook and oyster cellars, 100 grog shops, 12 druggists' and surgeons' offices, 10 hat stores, 20 lawyers' and constables' offices, 1 confectioner's store, 4 crockery and glass stores, 4 paint stores, 1 portrait painter, 4 printing offices, 10 milli- ners' stores, 4 insurance offices, 2 brokers' offices, 1 exchange office, 15 hairdressers, 5 hardware stores. The diary from which the fore- going information is obtained adds that " many poore men and women get their living by selling round the streets, cakes, apples, nuts, beer, oranges, pyes, &c." The importance of Providence as a commercial port may be seen from the fact that on March 4th, 1814, there were between 130 and 140 vessels in port. From the middle of February. 268 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 1815, when peace was declared between England and the United vStates, to March 3d, there were entered at the custom house 12 sloops, 2 schooners, 2 ships and 1 brig. On March 13th there were cleared 4 ships, 1 brig. "2 schooners and 3 sloops; on March 16th, 5 ships, 1 schooner and 3 sloops. Looking over a list of entries and clearances at this port it is seen that in 1S15 there were vessels plying between here and Savannah, Wilmington, Charleston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, the West Indies, Halifax. Canton, Matanzas, Amsterdam, New Orleans, Havana, Leg- horn, Alexandria, Liverpool, Copenhagen, Africa, Turk's Island, Lis- bon. Gaudalonpe, Gibraltar, St. Petersburg, Martinique, Bordeaux, East Indies, Stockholm, and many other places. From the declaration of peace, in February, up to May 16th, 1815, there had entered this port 1 barque, 38 ships, 23 brigs, 18 schooners and 111 sloops, or 191 vessels all told. The number of brick and stone buildings had then increased to 102; 67 being on the east side and 35 on the west. The increased building on the west side was then noted, and the handsomest thoroughfare was Westminster street. Two lines of wagon's were then running from this port to Boston, one arriving on Tuesdays and the other on Fridays. There was a regu- lar line of packets, twelve in number, plying between here and New York continuously: also regular lines from Philadelphia, Baltimore, Savannah, Nantucket and New Bedford. The most enterprising merchants in Providence then were Brown & Ives, who owned numerous vessels, among which may be mentioned the old ship " Ann and Hope," the ship " Isis " (which in 1S03 made a voyage around the globe), the ship "Asia," the ship " Charlotte," the ship " John Jay," the " Pilgrim," the " Hector," the " Patterson," the " Hanover," the " Hope," the " Two Catharines." the brig " Packet," the ship " Washington " and others. Mr. Edward Carrington at this time owned the ship " Nancy," the ship " Trum- bull," the brig " Viper " and others. Sailing from this to foreign ports about that time may be mentioned the ship " Mentor," the ship "Arthur," the " General Hamilton," the schooner "Farmer's De- light," the ship " Tyre," the brig "Miles Standish," the brig " Eagle," the sloop " Rising Sun," the ship " Aldebaran," the brig "Brilliant," the " Mary Ann," the ship " George and William," the sloop " Rolla," the brig "Governor Hopkins," the ship " Nancy," the brig " Grand Turk." the ship " Hanover," the ship " Mercury," the brig " Venus," the ship "Hunter," the brig "Cyclops" (which was "kettle-bot- tomed"), the brig "Horizon," the ship "John Brown," the ship '• Atlas." the brig " Argus," the brig "James," and others. Locking- over the arrivals at this time we find these ships bringing silk, teas, etc., from China to Brown & Ives, molasses and sugar from the West Indies to William Richmond & Co., cotton from New Orleans to HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 269 manufacturers, cargoes of hides from Buenos Ayres to Cyrus Butler & Co., bar iron and steel from Guttenberg to Brown & Ives. Among the different kinds of business carried on and the names of old time business men, dating from about 1800 up to 1845 and 1850, may be mentioned the following in addition to those already given: General commission merchants— Holder I nicer & Co., John B. Chace, Carlyle & Manton, Thomas Sessions, Thomas L. Halsey, Samuel Nightingale & Co.. Amasa Mason & Co., William Blodgett & Co., George S. Rathbone & Co., Martin Stoddard & Co. Several of these gentlemen did a large business as importers from foreign and domestic ports, dealing in all kinds of merchandise, such as flour, molasses, all kinds of grain and supplies, rum, gin, wines, cloths, etc. They were wealthy and responsible merchants of undoubted credit and business integrity. Among the early wholesale grocers may be named Seth Padelford & Co., Truesdale & Rhodes, Ebenezer Day & Sons, Randall H. Green & Co., Wheaton, Jackson & Anthony, Samuel and William Foster & Co. Wholesale and retail merchants in drugs, medicines, china, dye- woods and supplies for manufacturing purposes were: John H. Mason & Son, Earle P. Mason & Co., Alexander F. Adie, Manton & Hallett, Dyers & Manton, Benjamin and Charles Dyer, John A. Wordsworth, George H. Hoppin, B. & T. C. Hoppin; all of whom had more or less to do with the commercial business of Providence as im- porters from foreign and domestic ports. Wholesale and retail deal- ers in flour and grain: Seth Adams, Daniel Arnold, David Barton, George S. Rathbone & Co. (afterward Rathbone & Gardiner). Willard Joslin, Israel H. Day & Co., Jesse B. Sweet, Spellman & Metcalf, Hazard, Cook & Knight, B. B. & R. Knight. Quite a number of busi- ness men were located on Christian hill, among whom may be men- tioned Thomas Henry, I. G. Manchester & Co., Benjamin Whitman & Sons, Remington & Co. Some of these retailed grain, groceries and liquors. Wholesale and retail dealers in all kinds of lumber: Asa & Jonathan Pike, Austin Gurney & Co., John Oldrield & Co., Tyler & Ide, James Aborn. These last three firms hael their lumber yards all locateel above the Weybosset bridge, and their lumber was rafted up into the cove. The rest of these lumber dealers had their yards located at the south end, toward Fox Point, on the east side. The elealers in hardware and iron were Jonathan Congdon & Sons (whose house is still in existence on Steeple street i, Peter Grin- nell & .Sons, Olney Dyer & Co., Joseph Belcher & Co., Benjamin Allen, Aaron Man, Barker & Whitaker, Rufus Waterman & Co., Duty Evans & Co., Brown & Ives, Richmond Bullock, E. Carrington & Co. Among the cotton merchants may be named B. D. Weeden, Cook & Brown, Beckwith & Persons. Orray Taft & Co., Amos D. & James Y. Smith, Stafford & Lothrop, Hezekiah Anthony, William Viall, Daniel Howland and Thomas Aldrich, Stephen Waterman, 270 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Truesdale & Rhpdes, Shubael Hntchins & Co., William P. Robinson & Co.. Burden & Bowen, Manton & Hallett, B. & T. C. Hoppin, Sam- uel Ames. Old salt merchants: Aborn & Jackson. Commission mer- chants in coffee, wines, Santa Cruz rum, teas, etc.: Greene & Carter. The Carringtons owned the ships " Lion," the " Franklin," the " Superior." the " Panther " and the " Providence." All of these would go out in ballast, taking kegs of specie, there being no bills of exchange, would buy tea and return to Providence. The ships would measure from 300 to 500 tons. After the arrival of the tea smaller vessels, of about 200 tons burthen, would be loaded with it and sent to Europe and the Mediterranean sea, where it would be sold at an immense profit. Colonel John Andrews did a large business between here and the west coast of Africa. He owned the brigs " Romp " and " Helen." These would be loaded with hogsheads of new rum, tobacco, powder, beef, pork, flour, beans, rice, corn, meal, cases of muskets and other Yankee notions, and sent to the west coast of Africa. Among the cargo would be' 150 to 200 five-gallon kegs painted in such a way as to attract the attention of the natives. These would be filled with rum from the puncheons on arriving there, and a brisk trade carried on with the natives for gold dust and ivory. There would also be brought back, besides the gold dust and ivory, palm oil, camwood, coffee, peanuts and other products of the const. The round voyage wo'ulcl occupy from seven to nine months. These vessels would land their cargoes at the Long Wharf (now Cus- tom House street), the dock being where Almy"s and Daniels' build- ings are now. Samuel Gladding & Co. were also engaged in the trade with the west coast of Africa. This firm owned the brigs " Smithfield," " Splendid " and ,l Roderick Dhu." The)' did a very large business in the same way. Cyrus Butler did an immense busi- ness in the Russian trade. He owned the famous bark " George and William " and other vessels, which would go South and load with cotton for Russia. They would bring back linen, saltpetre, iron, hemp and canvas duck. Fifty years ago and earlier, many of the large vessels, ships and barks, owned in Providence, would go South and load with cotton for all ports in Europe, and would return with various kinds of produce, and occasionally, on their return, would stop at Pictou or Sidney, Nova Scotia, and bring coal to Providence, as coal w T as in good de- mand here at that time, not many of the soft coal mines in this country being then in operation. Brigs and large schooners would also go to southern ports and load with lumber, cotton, tar, pitch, tur- pentine, peanuts, rice and other southern products, and some corn at New Orleans, and bring them here. Those trading to the West In- dies would bring molasses, coffee, oranges, logwood, pimento, lignum- vitse, honey and other products of the islands. This trade was kept HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 271 up until lines of steamers began to be built to run to New York, whence it could be brought here cheaper. William Richmond & Co. did a large business in the West India trade. Their office was located where the custom house now is. They owned eight or ten brigs, which sailed to Cuba, among which maybe named the "Fame," "Sampson," "Busy," "Tom Cringle, " Sypax and Marcia," and others. They would send out onions raised in Bristol, potatoes, vegetables, beans, flour, corn-meal, hoop-poles, beef, pork, empty hogsheads and Yankee notions, and would return with molasses, coffee, sugar in boxes and oranges to make stowage. This molasses would often be converted into New England rum, as there were several distilleries here at that time. This would then be ship- ped to Africa and other places and exchanged for the products of the country. Several firms were extensively engaged in the West India trade, and among them may be named William Church & Co., Cady & Brown, Richmond Bullock, Pearce & Bullock, William Blodget ; t & Co., Wheaton, Jackson & Co., and Cady & Aldrich. The West India goods would be landed at the Long Wharf. Among those engaged in the East African trade were Rufus Green, Benjamin R. Arnold and William S. Arnold. Their vessels were of about 300 tons capacity, and were all owned here except the " Na- thaniel Coggeshall." Among the ships employed in this trade may be named the bark "Maryland," Captain Jell)'; the " Sea Ranger," Captain Hall; the " Parodi," Captain Jones, which was lost off Block Island; the " Montgomery," Captain Hall; the "Ariel," Captain Jelly; the brig " Hollander," Captain Lovett; and the " Nathaniel Cogges- hall," Captain Hamlin. Their cargoes out would be domestic goods in bales, bread, beans, powder, muskets, beef, pork, flour and a gen- eral assortment of Yankee notions. The return cargo would com- prise coffee, dates, palm oil in large quantities, ivory, pepper, spices, nutmegs, cloves, ginger, and the products of the country. After their arrival here they would be shipped to different ports. New York and Boston merchants being purchasers as well as others. Before leaving this portion of the subject it may be well to state that after the destruction of the first "Ann and Hope," owned by Brown & Ives, they built another ship, to which they gave the same name. She ran successfully between 1809 and 1835 in the East India and European trade. A half century ago shipbuilding was carried on very extensively here. A fine ship called the "American," of 600 tons, was built by Mr. Horse well, on Peck's wharf, now called Hopkin's pier, for S. & A.B.Arnold. This ship was sailed by Captain John T. Childs. of Warren, R. I. The ship " Eliza and Abbey," 200 tons, and the " Rhode Island," 400 tons, were built on Eddy's point, near Point street, by Edward Barstow & Son. Captain Cyrus B. Manchester commanded both of these ships. A large number were built on 272 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. India street also by Frank Allen, where White's coal yard now is. The "Haidee," which was a fast sailer, was built there. She was commanded by Captain Tillinghast, who died in Canton, China, whence the ship was brought home by Captain Treadwell. Three schooners were built for the pine wood trade, also the "A. H. Man- chester," Captain J. R. Potter, the "Wonder," Captain F. French, the " D. W. Vaughn," Captain Edwards, and the " T. J. Hill," Captain Thomas Rich. The ship yard was afterward carried on by Salisbury & McLeod. The latter built in 1850 the ship " Island Queen," 400 tons, and the "John Farnum," 200 tons, at the corner of Point and Eddy streets, the former being commanded by Captain Ruggles, and the latter by Captain Julius Baker. The steamboat "John W. Rich- mond " was built at Eddy's point, by Colonel J. S. Eddy. She was 200 feet long, 24 feet beam and 12 feet deep. She ran from India point to New York, making the distance in from 10 to 12 hours. Colonel Eddy also built the steamer "Kingston," which was sold to New York parties. He also built the brigs " Smithfield " and " Orray Taft " and the bark " Roger Williams," at the foot of Elm street. Mr. Horsewell built the " Republic," 900 tons, commanded by Cap- tain Daniel Jackson. Isaac Ellis built the bark " Isaac Ellis," 250 tons, the brig " Lackawanna," 200 tons, and the brig "Himalaya," 190 tons, on the Pawtucket river, where Smith's coal yard now is. Of course the extensive commerce carried on at this port in the first part of the century and the varied enterprises in manufac- tures called for the use of a great deal of capital. Banks were early instituted here, as has been noted before. Among the wealthiest bank directors were the following-named gentlemen: Nicholas Brown, Thomas P. Ives, Thomas L. Halsey, Benjamin Hoppin, Samuel G. Arnold, Benjamin Aborn, William Valentine, S. Nightin- gale, Daniel Arnold, Zachariah Allen, William Jenkins, Samuel Wetmore, Earl D. Pierce, Dexter Thurber, Nehemiah R. Knight, Seth Adams, Matthew Watson, Joseph Manton, Benjamin Clifford, Elisha Dyer, Amasa Mason, Alexander Jones, Charles Dyer, Stephen Waterman. Isaac Brown, Richmond Bullock, Hezekiah Anthony, Truman Beckwith, S. N. Richmond, Randolph Chandler, Carlos Mauran, George S. Rathbone, Josiah Chapin, Henry Soule, Seth Adams, Sr., Benjamin D. Weeden, Thomas Howard, Peter Grinnell, John Larcher, Joseph Howard, Benjamin C. Harris, Amasa Manton, William Blodgett. As has been noted before, there was in the early part of this cen- tury a regular line of packets running between Providence and New York and other ports on the Atlantic coast. This coastwise trade, indeed, flourished for nearly the entire first half of this century. The regular line of vessels which plied between this port and New York were all sloops under 100 tons burthen, being of that size for the pur- pose of getting rid of the dockage and pilotage to New York which HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 273 was charged for heavier vessels. In 1825 the following named ves- sels composed the line: The " Ann Marin." Captain E. C. Gardner; the "Empress," Captain Seth Thayer; the " Mary," Captain Gideon Hull; the "New York," Captain Gardner Willard; the "Venus," Captain J. Bliss; the "Providence," Captain George L. Brown; the "Amity." Captain Jeremiah Munroe; the " Almada," Captain Thomas Hull; the "James Lamphear," Captain John R. Kenney; the "Fame," Captain Folger; the " D. B. Jones," Captain West; the "Herald," Captain Whipple Brown; the " Superior," Captain S. H. Bennett; the " Splen- did," Captain John Willard; the "Ann," Captain George Childs (who. was lost in the Lexington); the "Huntress," Captain Read, Jr.; the " Gold," Captain Samuel Curry; the "Alonzo," Captain Justin. The Providence agents were S. B. Mumford, Stafford & Lothrop. The New York agents were Talcott& Lyman. Afterward Mason & Bailey were the Providence agents, and more recently William H. Bowen. The captains owned portions of the sloops, and the rest belonged mostly to Providence merchants in small interests. These sloops loaded altogether with domestic goods and articles manufactured here, cotton goods and satinets, and Smithfield lime, which they took to New York. Sometimes a great deal of foreign importations, such as teas, etc., would be reshipped from here to New York for a market. All these captains were responsible men, and afterward were placed in charge of steamboats. The return cargoes would consist of flour, cotton, iron, chemicals for manufacturing purposes and a great deal of madder. The regular line to Philadelphia consisted of small schooners of about the same size. This line comprised the " Messenger," Captain Abner Hall; the "Herald," Captain Edward Hall; the "Domestic," Captain Eldridge; the " James Barber," Captain Baxter; the " Rich- ard Rush," Captain Kelly; the " Dove," Captain Ahirah Hall; and later the schooner " Worcester," Captain E. H.Rhodes. Later the business increased so that larger vessels, of 115 to 120 tons burthen, were built, among which may be named the "Abner Hall," Captain S. O. Nickerson; the " Henry Clay," Captain Crowell. The "Abner Hall " was lost at sea with all on board. Orray Taft & Co. were the agents; afterward Captain Abner Hall assumed the agency, and later Captain Ahirah Hall. The business continued to increase to such an extent that still later the large schooners " George Fales." Captain Hardon Nickerson, and the " James Martin," Captain Joshua Hardon, were built; and also the " Harvey Payton," Captain Asa Niekerson; the " Holder Burden," Captain C. C. Baker, and the " 1 )elaware," Cap- tain Crowell. These vessels were owned by merchants here and their captains. They would take out full cargoes of domestie g< ods and return with starch, iron, flour, corn and general merchandise. The Boston line comprised schooners of about 75 or 80 tons capacity. Among these are noticed the " Sally Hope," Captain 18 274 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Small; the "Darius," Captain Baker; the " Lydia," Captain Nicker- son; the "Crown," Captain Lincoln Baker; the "Maria." Captain Cro- well. The agents were Manton & Hallett. These vessels would bring from Boston molasses, salt, iron and chemicals. The Union Line to Baltimore was established soon after 1825. Peleg Rhodes & Sons were the agents, and afterward David Barton & Co. Among these vessels may be named the " Ida," Captain Jo- seph Smith; the "Edward," Captain Robert Smith; the "Union," Captain Bangs; the "President," Captain Wood; the "Queen," Cap- tain Crowell; the brig " Mt. Hope," Captain Ed. Sheldon; the " Mary," Captain Joshua Howland. They carried out domestic goods and products, and returned mostly with corn and flour. These ves- sels were generally under 100 tons capacity. The "Mary" was lost off Montauk point, but all the crew were saved except Captain Bangs, who did not happen to have on an oil suit. This line ran until Seth Adams and Israel H. Day formed another, which was called Adams' Line, between 1835 and 1840. This line consisted of larger schoon- ers, of 180 or 200 tons burthen. They included the "White Foam," Captain Arnold Milliken; the "Israel H. Day," Captain Davis Chace, which was lost on Whale Rock with all the crew and every living thing on board except a dog, which swam ashore; the " Sarah N. Sherman," Captain Samuel N. Sherman; the "Wild Pigeon," Captain Martin Milliken; the "Sea Gull," Captain Joshua Howland; the "Joseph Turner," Captain Gardner C. Gibbs (who afterward built the schooner "Ocean Bird"); the "Anna Jenkins," Captain James R. Potter; the " Eliza Gibbs," Captain Benjamin Gibbs. Israel H. Day took the agency of this line after Mr. Adams had resigned it. These vessels ran until the railroads and steamboats took the most of their business away, between 1850 and 1860. They were then sold off. The " Wild Pigeon " went to San Francisco. There was also the Despatch Line of packets from here to Balti- more. This was started about 1830, and comprised vessels of less than 100 tons. There was considerable competition between these two lines. In the Despatch Line may be mentioned the schooner " Savannah," Captain David Oliphant; the "General Marion," Captain Leander S. Franklin; the brig "Victory." Captain Israel L. Joslin; the schooner " Eliza," Captain John Richmond; the schooner "Clar- issa," Captain Benjamin Hill. The agents were Willard Joslin and Jesse B. Sweet, whose office was at No. 3 West Water street (now I )yer street i. There was also a line started about 1825 between here and Albany. Israel 11. Day and Spellman & Metcalf were the agents. The line was eomposed of sloops, among which was the "Avon," Captain John Gibbs; the "General Battey," Captain Gardner; the " John," Captain E. S. Burrough; the " Fly," Captain Spellman; the "Hero," Captain E. S. Burrough; the "Lafayette," Captain J. E. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 275 Spellman; the "Oregon," Captain Samuel B. Joslin. These vessels carried out very little, but brought back rye, corn, barley, oats, flour, shorts, and in the fall of the year, apples. They were owned by the agents and the captains. These sloops, as well as a large number that belonged on the Connecticut river, would go to Albanv, come here and lie at the Weybosset bridge, where they would peddle out their grain to any one who wanted to buy. It would be sold by the bushel on board the craft. This line ran until the railroad companies conveyed the grain here — about 40 years ago. A line of sloops also ran to Hartford, of CO to 75 tons capacity. In this line were the "Commodore Perry," Captain Aborn; the "Rising Sun," Captain Thomas Farmer; the schooner "Two Brothers," Captain Henry Farmer; the " William H. Bunn," Captain Arnold Irons; the " Emily," Captain Alfred Smith; the " Fair Haven," Captain Sidney Smith. These vessels would bring here hay and flagging stone. In the bay there were also regular packets running to Bristol, Wickford and Newport. These were of about 30 tons capacity. The cargo from Bristol would comprise onions, which had then attained quite a reputation, potatoes, carrots, beets and all kinds of vegeta- bles. The cargo to Bristol would be groceries, molasses, sugar, coffee, tea, etc. From Wickford the cargoes would consist of wood, eggs, farmers' produce, and the cargo from here, groceries and supplies. In the Bristol line may be named the " Emeline," Captain William Miller; the schooner " Chief ," Captain Williston; the sloop "William H. Allen," Captain Allen Usher. The onions from Bristol would be sent to the West Indies, where they would be sold at an im- mense profit. In the Wickford line w r ere the "John Curtain,' 4 Cap- tain Gardner, the "Resolution," Captain Holloway. There was also the Fall River line, comprising sloops of 25 to 30 tons capacity, among which were the "Minnie Chace," Captain C. Rickerson; the "Argonaut," Captain Borden; the "Caroline," Captain Dyer. They would take from here groceries and bring back nails, scrap iron, cotton waste, etc. One or two sloops also ran to East Greenwich, from which they would bring produce and take back groceries and supplies. All of the wharves for the vessels before mentioned were above Adams' elevator, on both sides of the river, and the docks then presented busy scenes, as the sloops, schooners and ships from near and far brought in their valuable cargoes. The lumber, as before stated, would be rafted up into the Cove to the yards bordering on that sheet of water, which was then clear and pure. The unload- ing of the goods brought from abroad, and the loading of large ships which were to convey domestic products to every clime, gave em- ployment to a large number of men and boys, while citizens of every class crowded to the docks and remarked on the value of this or that 276 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. commodity, and when goods were sold off the ship, as they frequently were, were not slow to see a good bargain and make the most of it. Forty or forty-five years ago quite a whaling business was carried on here, the ships engaged therein being of 400 to 600 tons capacity. Among the whaling agents were Amos Everett, who had the ship " Envoy," Captain Clark; Pierce & Bullock, who were agents for the ship "Ocean," Captain Swift, the "Richmond" and the "Hope;" Thomas and William Fletcher, agents for the " Bowditch," Captain Sowle, and the " South America," Captain Sowle; N. F. Potter, agent for the "Cassandra," Captain Nichols; William Earle and Lloyd Bower, agents for the ship " Lion," Captain Howland; Israel L. Joslm, agent for the bark " Lexington," Captain Jayne; Walker Humphrey, agent for the " Brunswick " and the "Balance." Nearly a half million dollars was invested in these ships and the traffic was for a long time a remunerative one. A voyage would consume from two to four years. The fish trade, which is now almost wholly carried on in stores, was formerly conducted in an altogether different manner. The schooner "Caroline," which w T as built in 1832, was made into a barge in 184(>, for the sale of all kinds of fish, having been bought by Captain John P. Merriam and located on the west side, at the first wharf below r the Weybosset bridge, called Carpenter's wharf. Fish w T ould arrive in vessels from Boston, Cape Cod, Block Island and other fishing ports, and be unloaded into this barge which remained there until it be- came rotten and worm eaten, and was then taken away and broken up. After the " Caroline " was removed, a large schooner of 180 tons, called the brig "Confidence," purchased in Newport by Cap- tain Samuel Bailey, was devoted to the fish trade. She was 100 feet long, and had to be sawed in two so as to be accommodated to the length of the wharf, which was SO feet. This craft remained there until the comparatively recent improvements were made at the Craw- ford street bridge, when she was removed below the Point street bridge. She is now utilized as an oyster receiver at Bullock's point. ( )n the east side of the first wharf below the bridge was located the old brig " New England," which had made nearly 60 voyages from the isle of Cuba to Providence, bringing over 20,000 hogsheads of molasses, honey and sugar. She was occupied by John S. Parkhurst as a wholesale and retail market for beef, pork and all kinds of meat and vegetables. She remained there as long as she could float and was then replaced by another dismantled schooner, the " Aliza A. Endicott," occupied by E. A. Andrews, dealer in produce of all kinds. A large and prosperous business was done in all of these vessels. From LS49 to 1851, when the California gold fever broke out, com- merce decreased rapidly. Some of our largest and best ships, barks and brigs were fitted out for San Francisco and never returned; and when the Southern troubles came on, our ships were captured, burnt HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 277 or sunk, and many sold to British account to prevent seizure: and by this time all of our commercial capital had been transferred to manu- factures. Other causes that have operated in the decline of our com- merce have been the introduction of railroads, the sending of the products of the West to the seaboard, especially to New York and Boston, where rail connection with the rapidly developing territory of this country has been more direct and speedy. As those cities in- creased, the foreign commerce of intervening and neighboring ports necessarily decreased. The foreign commerce of the country has necessarily become concentrated at a few great ports and its early New England centers have been wholly abandoned. To-day there is not one ship that is wholly owned in Providence. Many of her cap- tains, however, did noble service elsewhere, and a number of Provi- dence vessels for a long time took part in the commerce of New York. Among these may be named the clipper ship " Comet," Captain E. C. Gardner; the "Valparaiso," Captain Benoni Lockwood; the "Can- dace," Captain Nathaniel Abbott; the ship " Haidee," Captain Joseph Tillinghast. In May, 1828, the " Board of Directors of Internal Improvements " of the commonwealth of Massachusetts applied to the general as- sembly of Rhode Island for leave to make surveys in this state for the purpose of constructing a railroad between Boston and Provi- dence, and for authority to construct such a railroad. Feimissicn to make the surveys was given, and the following month the general assembly passed an act authorizing the commonwealth of Massa- chusetts, or any corporation in that state, to lay out and construct a railroad from Boston to Providence. The following year this board made a report to the general court of Massachusetts describing the surveys made and the plan of the railroad. This was to consist of two continuous rails of granite, suimcunted by straps of iron their whole length, over which cars were to be drawn by horses. The steepest declivities were to be surmounted by inclined planes and stationary power. The commission add that on the railroads recently built and then building in England and France, "it is proposed to make use almost exclusively of locomotive engines or carriages moved by steam placed within them." This was the year that Stephenson's " Rocket" was built in England, and made its appear- ance on the Liverpool & Manchester railway, and was just before the first locomotive was put into use in this country. Nothing ever came directly of this survey, and the authority given by the Rhcde Island legislature was soon after repealed. In 1S31 the Boston & Providence Railroad Corporation was incor- porated by the general court of Massachusetts to construct a lino < t railroad beginning at or near the city of Boston to the state line in Pawtucket or Seekonk. Surveys were made by Captain William Gibbs McNeill, assisted by General William Raymond Lee, and the 278 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. work was begun under this authority in Massachusetts. It was not until 1834 that the general assembly of Rhode Island passed the act to authorize the entrance of the road into this state. The corporation was here entitled the " Boston & Providence Railroad and Trans- portation Company," to build a railroad to intersect at the state line with the road of the Boston & Providence Railroad Corporation, and extend to tide-water in the city of Providence. In the meantime the franchise of the Massachusetts corporation had been sold out at auction, in 1832, the assessments levied upon the original subscribers to furnish the money for the building of the road not being paid. The parties upon whom the task of completing the road then devolved pushed forward the work. The line entered this state by the drawbridge at India Point, the town of East Providence, then Seekonk, being at that time in the state of Massachusetts, and the terminus of the road was at India Point. In June, 1835, the line was completed, with the exception of the Canton viaduct, and the first train passed over it from Providence to Boston on the 2d of that month, being drawn as far as the viaduct by horses, on account of the non-arrival of one of the locomotives, built in Philadelphia. On the 11th of June the road w r as opened for traffic; it was the sec- ond of the New England roads completed, the Boston & Lowell being the first by about one month. Mr. T. B. Wales, of Boston, was the first president of the Boston & Providence, General William Ray- mond Lee its first superintendent. In accordance with the require- ments of the Rhode Island charter, a ferryboat was established in 1838 between the India Point station and the terminus- of the New York, Providence & Boston railroad, at Hill's wharf, on the other side of the harbor; this was maintained until the removal of the roads to the Union depot. A line of steamboats was also provided to run in connection with the Boston & Providence to New York, of which the ill-fated " Lexington " was the first. In 1848 the " branch route," entering Providence by the way of Pawtucket and over the track of the Providence & Worcester railroad, was constructed and opened for travel May 1st. The obvious advantage of this "branch" in pro- viding for an uninterrupted connection with New York, and avoiding the inconvenient ferry at India point, was immediately recognized, and all trains were run to the new passenger station, which was com- pleted during the summer of 1848. In June, 18,13, the clumsy and in- convenient organization of the company as two separate concerns was done away with by an act of the Rhode Island legislature, providing that the Providence c\: Boston Railroad and Transportation Company should be named the Boston & Providence Railroad Corporation, and that it should unite with the Massachusetts corporation, the stock- holders in one becoming stockholders in the other. In 1872 the con- trolling interest in the Providence, Warren & Bristol railroad was purchased, and the following vear in the Fall River, Warren & HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 279 Providence railroad. This latter was subsequently transferred to the ( )ld Colony railroad. The history of the Boston & Providence railroad is a record of almost unvarying prosperity. The road was first built in a very thorough manner — the last of the original iron rails, made after the design of General Lee, were not taken up till 1860 — and this excel- lence has always been kept up. Financially its record has been the purest and soundest. Its capital has been increased under authority of the two legislatures from one million dollars to four millions. An act of the general assembly of Rhode Island passed at the June session, 1832, incorporated the New York, Providence & Boston Railroad Company, with power to construct a road from the city of Providence to the Connecticut line at Westerly. The capital stock in this original act was fixed at $1,200,000 and the control of the road vested in nine directors. Messrs. Charles Dyer, Daniel Jackson, John S. Crary, Frederic A. Norton, Courtlandt Palmer, Samuel F. Denison, Charles H. Phelps, Gurdon Trumbull, and Robert N. Fos- ter were named in the charter to occupy this position for the first year. Their first meeting was held in New York in January, 1833, and books were ordered to be opened on March 4th, in Providence, for subscription to stock. John S. Crary was chosen as the first president. By an act of the Connecticut legislature in May, 1832, the New York & Stonington Railroad Company had been incorporated, to run from Stonington to the Rhode Island line. By the union of these two, as provided by both legislatures, the New York, Provi- dence & Boston railroad was thus formed to run from Providence to Stonington. This provision was accepted at a meeting of the stock- holders held in Providence, September 24th, 1833. The road was opened for travel November 10th, 1837, A. S. Matthews being the first superintendent. Its Providence terminus was situated at Hill's wharf, on the west side of the harbor, and the roadbed extended up the shore from where' the company's coal wharf is now situated, near Sassafras point. Previous to the commencement of traffic, arrangements had been made With the Boston & New York Transportation Company for a line of boats to ply between Stonington and New York, thus afford- ing continuous connection between Providence and the latter city. The charter of the Boston & Providence Railroad Ccmpany also re- quired that regular communication should be kept up between their depot, then at India point, and that of the New York, Providence & Boston railroad; and a steam ferry boat was run to furnish this con- nection. The business of the road began favorably, though the com- pany labored under more or less financial difficulty from the outset. In March, 183'.), the trustees, under the second and third mortgage s, took possession of the road in consequence of the failure to pay prin- cipal or interest on large amounts of its bonds which had fallen due. 280 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. It remained in their hands for nearly five years, during which time the embarrassments of the company continued, and the interest on the bonds could not be paid. Suits were brought and judgments ob- tained in the Connecticut courts, and at one time there was danger that the operations of the railroad might be suspended altogether. In 1843 an arrangement was made whereby new bonds were issued to the holders of the defaulted bonds and the debt reduced one-half. The directors in the same year took possession again of the road and property of the company. A few years later the question of joining with the Boston & Providence and the then unfinished Providence & Worcester roads in a union passenger station was proposed. The necessary extension of the New York, Providence & Boston from Hill's wharf was com- pleted in May, 1848, and regular trains passed over it on the first of that month, forming an uninterrupted connection with the Boston & Providence road, avoiding the transfer by ferry across the harbor. The union passenger station was not occupied till later. In January, 1858, the connections of the road were further increased by the com- pletion of the New London & Stonington railroad, and by the exten- sion of its own tracks to Groton. Thus, by means of the ferry at this point, the all-rail connection to New York was formed over the " Shore Line." In 1860 the steamboat terminus of the road was like- wise removed from Stonington to Groton. It was changed back in 1S65. In 1865, also, the line of the road was extended by the pur- chase of the railroad from Stonington to New London. In this and the following year two of the sound steamboats which had been run by the Merchants' Navigation and Transportation Company, form- ing the Stonington line to New York, were lost. This practically re- sulted in the failure of that company and the suspension of the boat line for over a year. In January, 1868, the new boats of the Stoning- ton Steamboat Company began their trips. Of this company the Mew York. Providence & Boston Railroad Company owned more* than a five-sixths interest, and thus a constant connection with the rail V' tad was insured. Ever since the compromise was made in 1843 the financial condi- tion of the railroad has been good, and its operations uninterrupted. [ts important connections have been of great service in furthering the trade and prosperity of Providence. Its capital has been in- creased by legislative authority from $1,200,000 to $3,000,000. The Providence & Worcester Railroad Company was incorporated by the general assembly of Rhode Island at its May session, 1844, with a capital of $1,000,000. The two preceding railroads had been several years completed and in successful operation, and their value thoroughly tried. The stock of the proposed road was soon taken and organization effected, Mr. Alexander Duncan being chosen first president. The first meeting of the directors was held in Providence, HISTORY 01 PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 281 May 20th, 1844. By 184? the road was far advanced toward comple- tion, and on September 27th of that year it was opened for travel as far as Millville, a distance of 20 miles. October 23d the entire line was opened. The occasion was celebrated by an excursion of the stockholders over the road on a special train and by the ringing of bells and firing of cannon all along the route. Trains were there- after run " with great regularity ."according to the directors' reports. The Worcester road was the first one to run to the center of the city at Market square, and through their initiative the Union passen- ger station was built and the other roads brought to the same point. This involved questions of filling in the Cove, enclosing it with a wall, etc., conditions which were imposed by the city council and which soon became somewhat complicated, and in regard to which there was considerable dispute. It was not till 1850 that a final agree- ment with the railroad company was arrived at and the question finally settled. In 1856, the city council authorized the Worcester road to extend its tracks down South Water street to the Boston & Providence road at India point, and an arrangement made with the Providence, Warren &. Bristol for the use of its tracks. The later history of this railroad has been an uneventful record of prosperity; it has always kept a high financial standing, and has developed a large volume of local traffic. Its capital stock has been increased from $1,000,000 to $2,500,000. No other of the railroads centering in Providence have experi- enced such vicissitudes and undergone so many transformations as has the Providence, Hartford & Fishkill road. Its charter was origi- nally granted by the Rhode Island legislature under the name of the Providence & Plainfield railroad, in June, 1S4G, with a capital of $1,000,000. The initiative in this step was taken by several promi- nent manufacturers of Providence, to afford communication with the large manufacturing interests scattered through the western portion of this state and eastern Connecticut; and likewise with a view to a junction with a road to be constructed in the latter state. Steps were taken in the Connecticut legislature looking to this end by the revival in 1847, by the legislature, of the old charter of the Manchester rail- road, granted in 1833, authorizing- the construction of a railroad to the town of Willimantic, to be called the Hartford & Providence rail- road, to unite with other railroad companies, if so desired; with special reference to a junction at Plainfield with the Providence & Plainfield road. In 1849 the Hartford & Providence road was united with the New York & Hartford railroad, with authority to construct a r<>ad to the state line, the destined terminus being Fishkill, N. Y., on the Hudson river. At this time the name was changed to that of Hartford, Providence & Fishkill. and the capital fixed at $3,000,1 00. In 1851 the union of this road with the Rhode Island portion of the line was effected, and the same name retained. William Sprague 282 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. was first president and S. Asbnrner first superintendent. The rais- ing of funds to carry on the work was found rather more difficult in the case of this railroad than of any other of those connected with Providence; and in 1850 and 1851 the cities of Hartford and -Provi- dence were authorized by the legislatures of Connecticut and Rhode Island to exchange their bonds for those of the railroad to the amount of $500,00!) each. These were secured, the Providence loan by the first mortgage on the portion of the line in Rhode Island and a second mortgage on the portion in Connecticut, and the Hartford loan by the reverse. The construction of the line proceeded, and in October. 1851, the first passenger trains were run between Providence and Hartford, and between Hartford and Waterbnry in January. 1855. During the panic which swept over the country in 1857 this inter- est, among others, was unable to meet its indebtedness, and the trus- tees under the two mortgages took possession of the property, the trustees under the Rhode Island mortgage granting their control to the Connecticut trustees to operate the road. It was conducted in this way until 1878. In August, 1862, the stockholders of the Hartford, Providence & Fishkill railroad had leased it for 99 years to the Boston, Hartford & Erie railroad. This latter company mortgaged their entire property for $20. 000, 000, which mortgage provided that any default in payment of principal or interest, the bondholders should foreclose and form a new corporation. This foreclosure was made in 1873, and the hold- ers of the Boston, Hartford & Erie mortgage bonds were organized as the New York & New England Railroad Company, and in 1878 took possession of the old Hartford, Providence & Fishkill road, which, up to that time, had been operated by the trustees of its own mortgages. In 1881 the New York & New England finally carried out the idea of the original incorporators of the Hartford, Providence & Fishkill by completing the line to Fishkill on the Hudson river, and establishing a connection by ferry with the Erie railway, open- ing a through line to the West. In January, 1884, the property was placed in the hands of a re- ceiver by order of Judge Shipman, of the U. S. circuit court of Con- necticut. Under successful management the finances of the road were put in such shape that it was restored to the stockholders in January, L886. The Providence & Bristol Railroad Company was incorporated by the general assembly of Rhode Island at the ( )ctober session, 1850, with a capital of $300,000, and in Massachusetts in \^,~)l, with a capi- tal of $2,500,000, which two years later was reduced to $750,000. A committee of citizens of Providence, Warren and Bristol was organ- ized in 1852. and were active in causing surveys and estimates for the proposed railroad to be made by George S. Greene, engineer. The estimate was favorably received, and, with the understanding that HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 283 connecting roads would be built from Warren to Fall River\,uid from Bristol to Newport, the Providence & Bristol railroad was begun; the same year, by legislative enactment, its name was changed to " Providence, Warren & Bristol." It was opened for travel in July, HVl. the first president being Thomas F. Burgess, and the first super- intendent, George S. Greene. The new road at first owned no rol- ling stock, but hired its equipments of the Boston & Providence railroad. Its trains were run to East Providence, and from there were hauled by horses up South Main and South Water streets to the Providence & Worcester depot. The company opened the pres- ent depot of their own at India point in 1857. The opportunities of the road were further increased in I860, when the Fall River, War- ren & Providence road was opened, giving a connection with Fall River and Newport. In 1872 the controlling interest in the Providence, Warren & Bristol railroad w r as purchased by the Boston & Providence railroad, and ever since it has been under their management, though the separate organization of the road has been maintained. In 1873 the Boston & Providence road also bought the Fall River, Warren & Providence road, but sold it the following year to the Old Colony railroad. A few hundred feet of the present roadbed of the Providence, Warren & Bristol railroad formerly constituted the Seekonk Branch railroad, which at the time of its erection aroused a great excitement among the railroad interests of this city. The man at the head of this enterprise was Tristam Burges. He obtained a charter in 1836 from the Massachusetts legislature— the east side of the Seekonk river being then in Massachusetts — and constructed a railroad from "Old Wharf Point," about where the Marine railway now stands, to ''some convenient point on the Boston & Providence railroad," which then ran to India point through the town of Seekonk. The intention was to establish a line of steamers to New York, with connection to Boston over the Boston & Providence road, by forcing the latter company under the law as it then existed to give the trains of the Seekonk branch road the right of way over their track. In the char- ter it was provided that no stockholder in the Boston & Providence road should ever own stock in the Seekonk branch. Completed after great opposition, the enterprise proved a failure, and in 1839 the road was sold to the Boston & Providence and was used as a siding. The general assembly passed an act at its January session, 1857, for the incorporation of the Woonasquatueket Railroad Company to join the track of the Stonington, or the Hartford road, near Olney- ville, and then to run up the valley of the Woonasquatueket river to the state line. The capital authorized was $1,000,000. The commer- cial crisis of that year and the years of war following practically put an end to the enterprise for the time being. The charter was contin- 284 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. ued by successive applications to the general assembly, until in 3811, an organization was finally effected and the building of the road be- gun'. At the January session, 1872, the general assembly changed the name to the Providence & Springfield railroad, extended the limit of time granted for locating and constructing the road, and authorized the town of Burrillville to subscribe for $50,000 of the company's stock, and the city of Providence to exchange its bonds for those of the railroad company, to the amount of $500,000, to be secured by a mortgage on the road. Both of these propositions were accepted. The construction of the railroad was pushed forward rapidly, and it was completed as far as Pascoag, its present terminus, a distance of nearly 23 miles. It was opened for traffic August 11th, 1873. In 1881, as a part of a scheme to increase the connections of the Providence & Springfield railroad and thereby enlarge its possi- bilities, an extension was planned from Pascoag to the town of Web- ster. An act was passed by the general assembly in May, 1881, pro- viding for such extension as far as the boundary line of either Connecticut or Massachusetts, and incorporating it under the name of the Providence, Webster & Springfield Railroad Company. The limit of time for the location of the road and subscription to the stock was set at May 1st, 1886. Here the enterprise rests, awaiting further action to carry it to the point aimed at by its original projectors, that of forming a through connection with the West from Providence. The president and general manager of the company is William Tinkham. The Union railroad, which performs such efficient and widely ex- tended service in the local passenger traffic of Providence, was, as its name implies, formed by the union of several earlier companies, which were originally quite independent concerns. The first of these was the Providence, Pawtucket & Central Falls Railroad Company, incorporated at the January session of the general assembly, 1861 . It provided for a railway to be operated by horse power and with passenger cars only, from some points in Smithfield and North Provi- dence to some convenient terminus in Providence. The charter was accepted at a meeting of the corporation in May, 1863, at which H. II. Thomas was elected president; and in Septemberof the same year the city council of Providence granted the requisite permissk n f« r the laying of tracks in the highways. The line as constructed ran from its present terminus at the bridge, the same as it does today, to Pawtucket. In March, 1864, it was opened for travel. At the same session of the general assembly in 1861 an act was also passed to incorporate the Broadway & Providence Railroad Com- pany to run tracks under the same provisions to Olneyville, and the road was built and put in operation under authority of an ordinance <>f the city council, passed November 28th. 1864. The Cranston road was incorporated at the May session, 1864, in which Mr. Amasa HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 285 Sprague was largely interested, on account of the desirability < f facilitating communication with the Cranston Print Works frcm the city. An ordinance of the city council, passed August 8th, J Mil, authorized the laying of tracks both on Cranston street to Cranston, and on High street to Olneyville. A " Providence and Olneyville Railroad Company " had been chartered to run ears on the latter route, but never took up its charter. The Cranston road at once began operations and ran its cars over both lines. The Elmwood, Pawtuxet and South Main Street Companies, all chartered at the May session, 1864, were empowered to begin work by ordinances of the city council, dated November 28th, 1864. The accommodations offered by the horse railroad lines were found to be a great convenience, but there were difficulties which arose from the fact that they were run independently of each other. They used each other's tracks to a large extent, and the time table inter- fered to a greater or less degree. A consolidation was so obviously to the advantage of all that a very short time was sufficient to bring it about. In January, 1865, the general assembly consolidated the Cranston, Broadway, Elmwood, South Main Street and Pawtuxet Railroad Companies into one corporation, under the name of the Union Railroad Company, with a capital of $700,000. This included all the original street railroads except the Providence, Pawtucket & Central Falls line, which continued to run independently. In 1872 the Union Railroad Company purchased this line, and it then came under its control and was run in connection with the other lines. The company, when the consolidation was effected, possessed an equipment of 35 cars and 250 horses. Fares were established the same as they have ever since remained. In 1867 the present station was erected on the Great bridge. New lines and extensions have repeatedly been opened and the rolling stock of the company corre- spondingly increased till now there are 1,320 horses, 249 cars, oper- ated by about 600 employees.' CHAPTER X. PROVIDENCE CITY— PARKS, CEMETERIES, OLD BUILDINGS, TAV- ERNS AND HOTELS. Roger Williams Park.— The Cove Park.— Blackstone Park.— Tockwotten Park.— Washington Park.— Roger Williams Square.— Hay ward Park. — Franklin Square. — Prospect Terrace.— Abbott Park.— The Heater Piece.— Dexter Training Ground.— Field's Point Farm. — Arnold Square. — Elmwood Avenue Park.— Cemeteries. — North Burial Ground.— Grace Church Cemetery. — Swan Point Cemetery. — Locust Grove Cemetery. — Hebrew Cemetery. — St. Patrick's Cemetery.— St. John's Church- yard. — West Burial Ground.— Historic Buildings.— Old Business Houses. — Antique Churches.— Ancient Dwellings and Homesteads.— Old Public Buildings.— Old Buildings now Unknown.— Old Inns and Taverns.— Hotels of the Present Time. THE city of Providence, though not remarkable for the extent or liberal improvements of its public parks, yet has several breath- ing places that are worthy of notice. The largest of these is Roger Williams Park, situated in the southern part of the city, and containing 104 acres. This beautiful park was devised to the city by the will of Betsey Williams, who died in November, 1871. It is emi- nently adapted for park purposes, being beautifully diversified with hill, dale, woods, lawns and water. A mature forest covers a large portion, while an ample meadow remains for ornamentation, contain- ing an artificial lake of some ten or twelve acres in area. The water adds greatly to the attractions of the park, furnishing excellent ac- commodations for sea fowl, and facilities for boating in summer and skating in winter. The park contains an ideal statue in bronze of Roger Williams, mounted upon an appropriate pedestal of granite, beside which stands another figure in bronze, representing History, in the act of writing upon one of the tablets of the pedestal. The monument was erected in 1877, being dedicated October 16th of that year. It stands on a plateau in front of the old Williams house. Its total height is 21\ feet and its cost was $18,500. The park is situ- ated nearly three miles from the business center of the city, yet is conveniently accessible both by steam and horse cars. The Cove Park, once an attractive and much frequented prom- enade in the heart of the city, is now almost abandoned as a pleasure resort for the people. It contains something over 300,000 square feet of area, encircling the sheet of water formed by bridging the rivet- below, and lias a promenade about 80 feet wide, provided with trees for shade and seats for resting:. The effluvia rising- from the cove at HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 287 low tide, however, together with its proximity to the railroads, are features of decided disadvantage, and the place is unpopular as a resort. Blackstone Park is a wooded ravine of much natural beauty, ex- tending from Butler avenue to the Seekonk river. A brook flows through the park, and in summer the place, though but little im- proved by art, is quite attractive. It contains about five acres, is wooded, picturesque and finely situated. It was presented to the city in 1860 by Messrs. William P. Vaughan and Moses B. Jenkins. Tockwotten Park fronts on Tockwotten street, contains an area of about two acres, and is admirably adapted for park purposes. It has an elevated position and a fine outlook upon the bay. from which it receives cooling breezes in summer. The park for many years be- longed to the city, beino^ the site of a reform school. The buildings have recently been removed and the grounds tastefully laid off for pleasure purposes. The main building of the old reform school was built by the Hon. James B. Mason, as a residence, and so occupied by him for many years. When the Boston <& Providence railroad was built the mansion was transformed into a hotel, and in 1S49 was bought by the city for a reform school, several adjoining lots being thereafter added to the hotel estate. Washington Park is bounded by Benefit, India, Traverse and Shamrock streets. It was given to the city in 1830, although it was thrown out for a public square by the Fox Point Association in 1810. It is a valuable little park of nearly an acre in extent. Roger Williams Square is supposed to be the spot where Roger Williams landed near Slate Rock, and embraces a portion of the old shore of Seekonk river. It is 200 feet square, and is situated at the lower end of Power street, between that and Williams. It was given as a public park by the heirs of Governor James Fenner. Slate Rock is the rock upon which Williams stepped when he first landed from his canoe on these shores. The rock is protected from relic hunters by an iron fence. The surroundings are not inviting, and the sandy hillsides are still a conspicuous feature. The spot, however, is one of the richest in its historical importance. Hay ward Park is an area of nearly two acres, bounded by Beacon, Friendship and Plane streets. It was formerly known as the Sixth Avenue Park, or the Proprietors' burying ground, having been used for burial purposes. The graves have been removed to other grounds, and the spot has been improved as a public park, the city council giving it the present name in honor of William S. Hay ward, a former mayor of the city. A formal opening of the park and dedi- cation of a handsome fountain, 25^- feet in height, took place on the evening of September 25th, 1889. Franklin Square is an attractive breathing place on Federal hill, fronting on Atwell's avenue, and containing an area of about half an 288 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. acre. It is of considerable sanitary and pecuniary value to th^ neigh- borhood. It was conveyed to the town in 1808, by Amos M.^Atwell and others, for public uses. Its name was given to it in July, 18f>7. Prospect Terrace is an invaluable little park on account of its ele- vated and sightly position. No better view of the city can anywhere be had than from this park, and no cooler spot can be found so near the center of the city on a summer's evening. The ground was pre- sented to the city for a public park, by several citizens, in 1869. It fronts on Congdon street 120 feet, and extends back 100 feet. Abbott Park is a small park, fronting on Broad street, near Chest- nut, and contains a beautiful fountain. It was conveyed in 1746, by Daniel Abbott, to a committee of the Congregational society for pub- lic uses, but never to be encumbered with any building. The Heater Piece is a small triangular piece of ground containing, including old Governor street, 12,000 square feet of surface, and is located on the corner of Williams and Governor streets. It has been thrown open for public use more than 70 years. Dexter Training Ground, situated in the Eighth ward, on Dexter street, is nearly oblong in shape and contains an area of about nine acres. It was given to the city by Ebenezer Knight Dexter. It is hardly a park, but a grassy common, originally intended for training of military companies, but being no longer used for that purpose, it is practically of but little use except as a place for youthful recre- ations. Field's Point Farm contains an area of about o7 acres. It was pur- chased by the town, from George Field and John H. Clark, in 1825. It contains a promontory extending far out into the river. The view on the bay from this point is unrivalled. Arnold Square is located on elevated ground on River avenue, in the Tenth ward. It was platted as a public square in 1854. Its area is a little less than an acre. Elmwood Avenue Park is a small triangular piece of ground, meas- uring 200 feet on Elmwood avenue, 109 feet on Adelaide avenue, and 227 feet on Greenwich street. It was dedicated to the town of Crans- ton by Joseph J. Cook, for a park or pleasure ground, and became the property of the city when the Ninth ward was annexed. The resting places of the dead are the conservators of history more emphatically than any other class of institutions of which this or any other city can boast, if perhaps we should except here and there an active historical society. But even those institutions must go to the cemeteries for much of their most valuable material. In the year 1700 the less than 1,500 inhabitants of the town voted to lay out grounds " for the use of military affairs, for the use of training soldiers, etc.," and also "a place to be for the use of receiv- ing the dead." It was provided in the resolution passed that the land should be taken out of the " common lands at the north part of HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 289 the town." Forty-three acres was the area of the spot. The training field was the tract of about seven acres which now lies at the south entrance to the ground, laid out as a very pleasant park. This "training ground," as it was called, was, until the appointment, in 1847, of the first superintendent of the grounds, Mr. Philip W. Mar- tin, fenced off from the burial portion. It had not at this time been used as a training field in 50 years. Perhaps the burial of the French soldiers upon it shows its usage during the revolution, but it is cer- tain that it was never of the importance its original surveyors ex- pected it to be. At first the entire expanse laid out was unfenced and little cared for. The people of the town were only obliged to select a lot in the grounds when they wished to bury, and when it was staked out it was their claim. The rules and regulations were unwritten, if there were any at all. No one had any general man- agement until Mayor Bridgham's time. The first burial was that of John Whipple, who died March 12th, 1710-11 and from that time until 1848 the interests of the burial ground were enwrapped in the lives of the families burying there. Probably about the commence- ment of this century a fence was built about it, separating it from the training ground and from the roadway upon the east. During Mayor Bridgham's administration, the lot owners were compelled to keep this fence in repairs. It was removed when the first commis- sioners of the North Burial Ground were appointed in 1848. The physical history of the cemetery until this time was very matter of fact. The number of acres increased to nearly 70. To-day they have increased to 158. The new officers straightened out the boundary lines, finding them very irregular, and laid out the interior, which was also in confusion from the old manner of obtaining lots. The new era was really commenced by Mayor Bridgham in 1833, it being one of the ideas of his public life to have an overseer appointed. In lieu of this officer, he himself was wont to see that lots were properly staked out. In 1845, commissioners to lay out roads and walks, and price lots, and draw up regulations, were appointed. They surveyed the grounds, and two years after the first superintend- ent was chosen. The control of the estate is now in the hands of the commission, which was created in 1848. It consists of three mem- bers, who are elected annually- The commissioners have complete control of things, even to the management of the grounds like a cor- poration. Up to their appointment it is estimated that 60,000 bodies were buried, but no record was kept. Since then fully 20,000 mounds have been raised. Mr. Joseph Warren Baker is now superintendent. A description of this great municipal property must commence with a word about its character as a cemetery. It is safe to say that here is memorialized all the city's past — rich and poor, high and low. There are the sections which constitute the " Potter's Field " (so far as the term should be used to-day in America), the free white and the 1!) 290 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. colored grounds, and 4,000 graves are beheld in it, most of them marked only by numbered slabs. The Colored Shelter, the Rhode Island Hospital, the Prescott Post, G. A. R., the French Memorial and the Fireman's lot show what stability is expected in the ground as a last resting place. There were a few Catholics interred here in the first days of the Catholic sect in the city. As to the appearance of the cemetery, it is now as generally artistic as good care can make it. In shape it is an irregular polygon. The stone house at the entrance was built in 1883. The superintendent's house was originally upon land added to the estate. The contour of the land is scenic, and affords an opportunity for the exercise of the finest landscape artistry. There are many noble examples of monumental art, and, on the other hand, there are noble names cut in memorials of the simplest kind. Emblems of memory apart from the relation of clay beneath a mound also are here, as the boulder dedicated to Canonicus, and standing upon its moccasin-shaped plat. Here are the graves of General Barton and Commodore Hopkins, the tomb of Tristam Burges, the grand monuments of Nicholas Brown and Presi- dent Wayland, the French Memorial, the Fireman's Monument and Ebenezer Knight Dexter's shaft, erected by the city to commemor- ate his munificence. The future of this cemetery is to be long. Perpetual cares for lots are now sold, and the sums, with donations of funds, are invested to yield a perpetual income. There is also a general improvement fund, and the North Burial Ground sinking fund affords the city an annual revenue from this estate. Probably Grace Church Cemetery is as prominent a one as any in the city. Situated in a central spot, the arched gateway and the house of the superintendent, with the triangular burying place be- yond, constitute a landmark. When first established it was imagined to be out of danger from any increase of the city's population, but it is now in a thickly inhabited center. It originally belonged to the corporation of Grace church, and was a sectarian ground. The land was purchased in 1834. Many bodies have been transferred to the more stable cemeteries within late years. There is nothing but simplicity in the layout of this ground. It was made a burial place, presumably without a thought of landscape beauty. Still it is a neat tract of land, and in later years has been very greatly improved in appearance. The ownership was in 1S40 transferred from the church society to the corporation of Grace Church Cemetery, which, however, com- prises the vestry of Grace church. These gentlemen act as directors, of the corporation and elect the superintendent. Mr. L. R. Stearns is now superintendent. Over 5,000 burials have taken place here, and since the formation of the Corporation of Grace Church Ceme- tery the burials have not been confined to the Episcopal sect. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 291 The Swan Point Cemetery is the most beautiful and ccstly in the city. It was founded in 1846, with this idea, the late Thomas C. Hartshorn being its original projector. The land had been pur- chased (60 acres) in 1845, and the Swan Point Cemetery Company was incorporated in 1847. A board of management conducted the cemetery until 1858, when " The Proprietors of Swan Point Ceme- tery " were incorported, and they now manage the grounds thu ugh directors and a superintendent. Mr. Timothy McCarthy has held the latter office since 1876. The area of Swan Point Cemetery is now about 200 acres, lying next the Seekonk river, and about equally on each side of the Swan Point road. Only the river side of the estate, however, is yet used for burials. The beauty of the place is in its landscape, aid a gieat deal is the result of artistic landscape gardening. An old ;r.d l.cw part of the grounds exist, as well as a miscellaneous portion. There are the most and finest memorials here of any ground in the city, among them that of Senator Anthony, that of the Barnaby family, and that of the Nightingale family. Hundreds of others are the equals of any work which could be produced. Some of those who slumber here are Senator Anthony, General Euinsice, Colcnel Slc- cum, Major Ballou, Commander Ames and Pierre Uonville. The preparations for the existence of this cemetery have f rem the beginning- been on the noblest scale. President Wavland delivered the address at the dedication, and Mrs. Whitman contributed a poem. The wealthy modern people of the city have placed their loved ones here. Up to 1888 $130,000 was invested for the perpetual cares of individual lots. About 11,000 graves are here, in 2,500 lots. Without including the investment funds mentioned above, the corporate property, after deducting all liabilities, amounts to $482,000. Locust Grove Cemetery, when first opened, was situated in the town of Cranston. In 1848 Amos D. Smith, James Y. Smith, William V. Daboll, Benjamin B. Adams and Rollin Mathewson, all interested in real estate in Elmwood, in the midst of which suburb of Provi- dence the ground was, obtained a charter under the name of the Locust Grove Cemetery Corporation, to conduct a public burial ground. They purchased the tract, shaped like a parallelogram, opening from Greenwich street, Elmwood. The cemetery has very little history. Its best days were lived before the population of Elm- wood was swelled by the growth of the city. It has of late afforded interments at rare intervals. The character of it is that of a rustic graveyard. It is laid out simply, is surrounded by a hedge now very high and rather gloomy in aspect, and within the shrubbery is generally of an unrestrained growth. But there are several lots in which cmite costly memorials have been raised. There is no superintendent, but the corporate n •carries on the little work needed by means of one or more workmen. 292 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Ere long this ground will doubtless yield its contents for interment in more sacred ground. Perhaps 800 graves are here. On Reservoir avenue, and formerly in the town of Cranston, is an enclosure, 15 by 150 feet, showing a few gravestones of a simple style. This is the holy ground of the Congregation of the Sons of Israel of this city. It is not so famous a spot as the Jewish Ceme- tery at Newport, but Longfellow's lines upon that, " How strange it 'seems, these Hebrews in their graves," point out to the observer here the sweet faith the Hebrew race entertains. The white marble slabs are all so placed that the sleepers will behold their promised Im- manuel when the glorious day comes and appears in the east. About 60 bodies have been buried here. The grounds were pre- sented to the Congregation of the Sons of Israel in 1856 by Solomon Prairie, who was at that time president of the congregation. They were opened the same year, shortly before the Day of Atonement. From this time until 1882 the burying went on as the deaths bef el, without any event. September 10th, 1882, a ceremony of re-dedica- tion took place. Mr. Henry Green was then president of the congre- gation, and Mr. Meyer Noot acting rabbi. More than $1,000 was spent in putting the ground in order, so that to-day it is in a very neat condition. It does not contain any graves of the distinction of those at Newport. One of the largest cemeteries in the city is the St. Patrick's, on Douglas avenue, formerly in the Tenth ward in the town of North Providence. It includes ten or more acres of ground, and was for years the one consecrated burying place of the Roman Catholics in this vicinity. In 1847 St. Peter's and St. Paul's church opened the ground, and from that time until 1871, when the St. Francis Ceme- tery, in Pawtucket, was consecrated, the burials were very numerous. It is now estimated that 40,000 Catholics have found a resting place here. The first management is by the bishop of the diocese, but de- tails are carried out by workmen without a superintendent's media- tion. The burials are neatly done, but there is no advance of ar- rangement. A few good monuments are standing. At present no new lots are sold, the great majority of the dead being interred in St. Francis Cemetery, which is fast becoming a beautiful spot. The conception of churchyards as they exist in England had one adoption in this city in St. John's Churchyard on North Main street. This was founded for the " elect " of the Episcopal persuasion when King's church, as St. John's church was first named, was planned. This was in 1722, and it can be understood that a deal of historical fact clusters here. Nathaniel Brown of Rehoboth, Mass., presented to the Episcopal communion of the city the original tract of land to be used for a church, on the 18th of September, 1722. The land measured 40 feet on "the Town Street," and extended east 71 feet. Afterward additions were made to it, until to-day the entire area is HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 293 fully an acre. When the first grave was filled in cannot be said. The church was built the same year of the donation of the land. Not till 1772 was the society incorporated. In 1794 the name of the church became St. John's. The first structure for worship has been rebuilt, and the later edifice altered and enlarged. The shape of this old cemetery is a parallelogram, and its location is hardly visible from the street. It was never labored upon for artistic landscape effects, and to-day it is deeply grown with shrubs and grass. It is upon the slope of the hill, and a few tombs are built against the rising eastern boundary line. The remaining space is interrupted by the old-fashioned, toppling, moss-grown stones, many of them having been brought to this country from England. The building of the transept and chapel of the church, in late years, has brought several graves under the nave. Amongst these is the grave of the famous French Huguenot, Gabriel Bernon. His body was re-entombed by Hon. Zachariah Allen in 1875. The presence of his grave suggests the distinguished historical character of the church. The first steeple and church bell in Providence were beside these graves. And Doctor McSparran has preached there, and, per- haps, Bishop Berkeley. Until 1755 no record of the burials was kept, but from that year until 1807 the city registrar copied every record kept by the church society. Thenceforth the church books contain the names. It is estimated that over 1,000 bodies rest here. The management has always been with the society, the grave-digger being the only workman on the grounds. The families which have committed their dead to the dust here are among the best known in the history of the town and city. But the more prosperous to-day have transferred the remains of their loved ones to other grounds. No one has been buried in the grounds in the last decade, and there may never be another. Thirty years ago there was a great cemetery in the southwestern part of this city known as the West Burial Ground. Its greatness was the result of conglomeration rather than the intention of any founders, and it has a long, if not a fruitful history. Its origin is re- lated to another quite important cemetery which was forgotten long ago by the people. "July 2d, 1722, John Hoyle, for twenty-four pounds of current money," gave to Samuel Danforth, of Taunton; David vSmith, John Greenwood and Deacon Samuel Newman, of Re- hoboth; Reverend Timoth}^ Woodbury and Reverend Samuel Whiting of Windham church, and both of Connecticut, a quit-claim deed to a tract of land near where " the two great country roads " meet, that is, lying some distance west of what is known as the new market; this land to be utilized for the erection of a Presbyterian church and parsonage and for burying purposes. Winslow place now divides the High street end into an east and west half. The land measured 170 feet on High street, 300 feet on the east side, 127 294 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. feet on Broad street and 384 feet on the west side. It is now about midway between Fenner street and the junction of High and Broad streets. But a church was not to be built here. One which had been begun was torn down by dissatisfied churchmen. The land was, however, used as a burying place. The Presbyterians in the city continued without organization until the Benevolent Congregational church was organized, in 1728. In 1743 the Beneficent Congrega- tional church was organized. Meantime the Presbyterians or Con- gregationalists buried their dead in the old churchyard, but how numerously cannot be said. If the facts are as history offers them, it appears extraordinary that there should have been any burying there at all. One theory of the facts is that the church, for which the land was sold, and to build which money was collected all over Massachusetts Bay colony, w T as in fact built; that it was used for some years, and that then a secession of the faithful took place and the Beneficent Congregational church was founded; that soon after both societies built new churches, while they retained their interests in the old property. This theory is supported by the fact that in 1785 the Benevolent, or what is now the First Congregational church and the Beneficent each owned a common half of the burying ground land. It was in this year that each society purchased of John Field two and one-half acres of land, each portion in an exact square, and com- menced the formation of the West Burial Ground. The two squares made a parallelogram, the Beneficent society's lying directly east of the Benevolent's. The ground was bounded by Plane street on the east, Point street on the south, Prince street on the west, and the north side as will be shown farther on. The price paid was for each portion " one hundred Spanish milled dollars." It can only be surmised whether the two societies removed any dead from the old ground. July 13th, 1791, John Field sold to an association of about 40 citizens the tract of land bounded by Bea- con, Friendship and Plane streets, and also by the land which com- prised the Beneficent society's cemetery. It cost the buyers 12<> Span - ish milled silver dollars, and was known as the Proprietors' Ground for Burial. They were never incorporated into a proper body for holding an estate. In 1809 Isaac Manchester laid out the large tract ol land, of a generally square shape, lying on Plane street and ap- proaching Lockwood, and this became the Manchester Burying Ground. In 1818 Thomas Sprague laid out for a burial ground a tract of land just north of the Manchester estate, at the corner of Plane and Point streets. It was known as the Sprague or Hope Ceme- tery. In 1842 Governor Seth Padelford and twelve associates were incorporated to conduct a cemetery immediately west of the Hope Cemetery on Point street. . Its shape was generally of a parallelo- gram. In 1818 Daniel Field laid out for burial purposes a triangular HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. -j".C lot of land at the corner of Friendship and Beacon streets. The apex of the triangle was at the corner of Prince and Friendship streets, and the third side was bounded by the Benevolent Congregational Ceme- tery. The area of land, comprising the Benevolent Congregational Cemetery, the Beneficent Congregational Cemetery, the Proprietors' Ground for Burial, the Manchester Burial Ground, theSprague Burial Ground or Hope Cemetery, the Field Burial Ground, and Union Cemetery, about 17 acres, was in its entire extent known as the West Burial Ground. It was in its prime about the year 1825. Even as late as 186S it was for the most part in a good condition. But there were no inter- ments after 1870. The Beneficent Congregational Cemetery estate was sold to Mr. Beriah Wall in 1877 for the sum of $50,000. The bodies had been in process of removal by friends for several years. and the last remaining were transferred to Swan Point at the expense of the society. About 1,000 dead were interred upon this ground in all. No records were kept, the conduct of the cemetery being left to the lot-owners who bought under the fee simple of the society, the lots being sub-sold for burying only. There are not as many old buildings in Providence as one might naturally look for in a city of the age and area of this. A quarter of a century ago one might find many old structures even on the prin- cipal business streets, but the ruthless hand of progress, which recog- nizes not the claims of the moss-covered roofs and leaning walls to an extended existence for the sake of " Auld Lang Syne," has swept them aside, and on their sites have been erected handsome and sub- stantial business blocks. A few of the old-time wooden buildings still remain, particularly on Westminster street, but they are insig- nificant from an historical standpoint and a constant reminder that valuable building sites are being neglected. There are some build- ings, too, which no doubt have very interesting histories, which would be read with great pleasure, but as the only tongues which could relate the facts have long since returned to dust, those histories will remain as sealed books, to be opened only when the secrets of all hearts and things are unfolded. The younger business men of to-day have no difficulty in recalling Westminster street when it was lined almost entirely with wooden structures from one end to the other; when brick buildings were rarities on that thoroughfare, and when the business done on that street was almost wholly confined between Washington row and Mathewson street, with a few small stores straggling as far as the Lyman estate, on the corner of Walker street. To these men come pleasant memories of the old First L T niversalist church, at the corner of Union street, the present site of the Boston store, where the two tall trees cast a cooling shade over the recessed sidewalk in the burn- ing summer days; of the old gambrel-roofed yellow building which 296 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. stood on the next lot below, where Paul Wright, the grey-haired caterer, and his amiable wife, with her gold-bowed spectacles that awed the little ones, carried on business with much success for man3 T vears; of the low white building which was torn away when the Eddy street continuation from Westminster to Washington street was ordered, in which O. W. Prince kept a toy shop that would have delighted Dickens, Remington & Sessions ran a grocery store and Perrin's circulating library was kept. Prince afterward bloomed out as an aeronaut, Remington & Sessions took the store opposite Grace church, and Perrin dropped down a few doors to his present location. Where the Curry and Richards building now stands there was at that time a low, one-story brown building, occupied in its last days by Corey Brothers. On the corner above, and on the same side of the street, was a row of rickety structures, occupied by Read, the paper-hanger, a tailor, and other kinds of business. On the Dorrance street side of the same building was Bennett's gun shop, where the patriotic youths loaded up for Fourth of July, and the surgeon's of- fice at one and the same time. There was also started in the Middle street corner of the building the first liquor saloon with stalls and women waiters that Providence had seen, and it was copied from the since notorious New York saloons of the " Billy McGlory " type. The place was called the "Green Mountain," and lives in the police his- tory of the city as the place where the cowardly murder of a woman was attempted by shooting. David Heaton had a jewelry store at the same time, situated at the corner of Westminster and Exchange streets, in the building which was demolished to give place to the Atlantic Block. On festive occasions the interest of the younger people was evenly divided between Paul Wright's molasses candy and an automaton in Mr. Heaton's window, which consisted of a monkey figuring as a portrait painter. The Howard and Phoenix buildings had been reared from the ashes of the great fire, a few years before the time covered by these few reminiscences, and in the one the "swell " dances were held, and in the other was the Academy of Music, the only respectable theater Providence could then boast of. In the same building with the theater was quite a large-sized hall, in which Peck held his dancing school. At the corner of Union and Westminster streets, where the Bar- naby Block now stands, was a peaked-roof building, where Patrick Power carried on the tailoring business for many years and made nearly all the first jackets and pairs of pantaloons which the present business men of the city wore. The other store was a Catholic re- p >sitory and the headquarters for emigration tickets and drafts to be used in Ireland. ( )pposite the Arcade was a large building in which Perry & Barnard had a dry goods store, Taber a watch and jewelry store, and Barstow drove a thriving carpet trade. Overhead, Man- chester carried on the furniture business. Further down, on the HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 297 same side, and where the Wheaton Building now stands, was the low structure in which Martin & Symonds conducted the dry goods busi- ness and Mead had his dental parlors. The Hoppin homestead with its high brick wall surroundings and its stately columns, then recalled the colonial epoch, for every inch of the palatial residence spoke of the old-time grandeur. Like its occupant, the late Lord Hoppin, as he was then called, the structure had an air of refinement pleasant to contemplate. It was but a few years ago that the familiar residence was torn down to make way for the present Hoppin Homestead Building. Contemporaneous with the Hoppin was the Lyman homestead, on the next corner above, which lias since been remodelled and given over to business pursuits, but which still retains some of its old features. Another old residence, and one that used to attract much attention, was the Waterman house, at the corner of Broad and Union streets. One would hardly recognize in the present structure, which is used partly for business and partly for dancing purposes, any of the details of the old build- ing. At the corner of Weybosset and Peck streets stood the old Telegraph House, a noted resort for "crooks," plug-uglies, burglars and all the noted law-breakers. " Bristol Bill," one of the greatest criminals of his day, made that hotel his headquarters, and under its roof many bold pieces of lawlessness were concocted,, in which he figured. The hotel building stood until about 1885, having been used for several years for legitimate business pursuits, and at last being demolished to make room for a large and handsome brick block. The oldest dwelling in the city is the Whipple house on the north side of Abbott street, east of North Main street. It dates back more than two centuries, and its original owner, Samuel Whipple, was born in the year 1643. When the town was burned by the Indians, March 80th, 1676, this building was spared the incendiary torch, and it is believed that the reason it was not destroyed was that the Indians, knowing that Roger Williams and his followers had worshipped there, revered the structure. Keeping pace with the times the old house has assumed several changes, until now the original plans are materially lost sight of. Samuel Whipple was the first person buried in the North Burial Ground. The Tillinghast house, on South Main street, north of Transit street, was erected by Philip Tillinghast about 1710. At that time there were but four dwelling houses in that part of Providence. The structure is of wood, two stories in height, with basements on the western end, a broad, hipped roof, dormer windows and a great chimney in its center which is five feet square at the top. St. John's Episcopal church, the oldest structure in Providence belonging to that denomination, was erected in 1722, at the corner of North Main and Church streets, and was known as King's chapel. 29S IIJSTOKV OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. The first church bell hung in the town was in the steeple of this church. In 1794 the name of the church was changed to St. John's. The Friends' meeting house at the corner of North Main and Meeting streets, was built about 1727. It is a wooden structure, de- void of any ornamentation. It was increased in size in 1784-5, and for several years the town meetings were held in the upper part of the building. The first meeting of the Friends in Providence of which there is record was held in a large barn, George Fox, the founder of the sect, being the leader. As early as 1704 the sect built a small meeting house, but it long ago went the way of all earthly things. The old brick dwelling house, No. 537 North Main street, was built in 1752-3 by Elisha Brown. It is three stories in height, has a gambrel roof, and was formerly one-third longer on its north side, a portion of the house having been demolished to make way for a modern cottage house. It is believed that the central window of the three now remaining on the north side was the center of the origi- nal structure. The state house, on Benefit street, was built in 1762, and occupies the site of the old colony house, which was destroyed by fire in 1758. The building is of brick, with stone facings, and capped by a belfry. The supreme court sat in the lower or representatives' hall as late as 1877, when the new court house was dedicated. In 1881 the general assembly caused the interior of the building to be re- modelled, so that to-day very few traces are left of the quaint finish- ings which formerly interested the spectators during dull sessions of the court or prosy arguments of wearisome legislators. The greatest curiosities in the state house to-day are the Gilbert Stuart portrait of General Washington, the " Gaspee " commission, the famous state charter issued in 1603, and in force until 1842, and the original deed of the state house lot. The old city building on Market Square was built in 1773. It was erected for a public market by means of funds raised through a lottery. In 1797 St. John's Lodge of Masons built on the third story, and for many years used that floor for society purposes. Being cen- trally located the building came into favor for city offices, and in time it became the headquarters for nearly all the municipal busi- ness, taking and holding the name of city hall until 1878, when the present city hall was occupied. The First Baptist church, on North Main street, between Water- man and Steeple streets, was erected in 1775, and has a steeple 196 feet high, that is considered to be as beautiful as any in this country. The society was founded in 1638 and was chartered in 1774, and is believed to be the oldest Baptist society in this country. The great crystal chandelier which is pendant from the center of the auditorium is remarkably handsome. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 299 The Hopkins House, No. 9 Hopkins street, was owned by Stephen Hopkins, one of the signers of the declaration of independence, for nine years the governor of this state, a chief justice of the supreme court of the state, and elected to many other offices of public trust. The old house formerly stood at the foot of Hopkins street. The side originally facing South Main street is now turned toward Hopkins street. History says that in 1775 General Washington passed a night in this old house. The Mansion House, at the corner of Benefit and South Court streets, is the oldest public house now standing in this city. In 1784 its front bore the sign of "Golden Ball Inn." Among the honored guests at the old inn in its palmy days were Presidents Washington and Monroe and General Lafayette. The interior of the old inn is dark and dingy with age, and from the busy hotel, where gay recep- tions were once held, it has drifted into an ordinary boarding house. Brown University is really the center of historic interest in Provi- dence. University Hall was built in 1770, and from December 7th, 1776, until May 27th, 1782, was occupied for barracks and a hospital by the American and French soldiers. It is of brick and 150 feet long. Hope College is also of brick, and is four stories in height. It was erected in 1822 by the Hon. Nicholas Brown, and was named for his sister, Hope Ives. Manning Hall was built in 18^4; was also the gift of the Hon. Nicholas Brown. It is of stone, covered with ce- ment, and is modelled after a Grecian temple of the Doric order. Rhode Island Hall was built in 1840 by subscription. The president's residence, at the corner of College and Prospect streets, was built in 1840. It is of wood, with an Ionic portico. All the other buildings are of recent construction. The Richmond Street Congregational church was begun in 1795 and completed in 1807. Its roof gave it the title of the " Tin Top." The society later erected a brick edifice on the opposite corner of Pine street, and the old church became the abiding place for other religious societies, until it was purchased for a brewery. Later it was used as a junk shop, and now it has been turned into a livery stable. The First Congregational church was built on Benefit street, corner of Benevolent street, in 1810, on the site of another edifice belonging to the society, which was burned down in 1814. The church is noted for its massive and elegant pulpit of mahogany. The Chestnut Street Methodist Episcopal church, at the corner of Clifford street, was erected in 1822, and is the oldest of its denomina- tion in Providence. The building originally occupied by the society was erected at the corner of Washington and Aborn streets, and was dedicated in 1816. During the gale of September, 1869, the steeple on the present building was blown down. The new market, at the junction of High and Broad streets, was built in 1827. It was not the success that had been anticipated, and is now leased for various branches of business. 300 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. One of the most prominent of the old business buildings is the Arcade. It extends through from Weybosset street on the south to Westminster on the north, being 216 feet in length and 74 feet wide fronting on either street. The building is three stories high and is lighted from a glass roof. Each floor is divided into 26 stores, which are mainly occupied by retail dealers in fancy goods, millinery and kindred lines. The building is of granite, in the Ionic style, and the portico at either end is supported by six massive granite pillars. It was erected in 1828, at a cost of about $145,000, and was then pro- nounced the handsomest building in Providence, and the most elab- orate one devoted to similar purposes in the United States. The pro- prietors were Cyrus Butler of the eastern half, and the Arcade Cor- poration of the western half. The architect was Russell Warren. The Westminster Congregational Unitarian church, on Mathew- son street, was erected in 1829. It is of stone and has a grand old portico of the Ionic type. The interior was remodelled about 1872. The building now known as Amateur Dramatic Hall, at the cor- ner of South Main and Power streets, was erected for church pur- poses in 1833, by the Power Street Methodist Episcopal society. They retained it until about 1873, when it was altered into a riding school, and in 1876 it was leased and revamped as a theater by the Amateur Dramatic Club. The Athenaeum, at the corner of Benefit and College streets, was completed in 1837. Nicholas Brown and the heirs of Thomas P.Ives gave the lot, $6,000 for the building and $4,000 for books. The char- ter for the Athenaeum was granted in 1831. The building is of gran- ite and contains 40,000 volumes. The old state prison, on Gaspee street and back of the Cove Basin, was built in 1838, at a cost of $51,500. It is of granite, and with the Providence county jail, which was built in 1839, was vacated in 1878, when the new state penal buildings at Cranston were read} 7 for occu- pancy. The old stone theater, on Dorrance street, east of Pine street, was built in 1839, but not proving a paying institution, it was soon given over to business pursuits. The Arsenal, on Benefit street, near Meeting street, was erected in 1840. It is of plastered stone, with two castellated towers. It is now used by the Marine Corps of Artillery and the Battery attached to the Brigade of Rhode Island Militia. The Bethel church on Benefit street, near the junction of Wicken- den street, was erected in 1841. The deed of the property was made by Joseph A. Chedel to George Earned, William P.Bullock, Seth Padelford, Daniel Fish. John C. Eee, Joseph W. Davis, Josiah Sim- mons, Jonathan Pike, Nathan Mason, Resolved Waterman and Daniel T. Goodhue for §1 in trust, for the purpose of holding free religious HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 301 services for the spiritual benefit of mariners. The building was used for the purposes named in the deed until October 22d, 1884, when the property was formally transferred to the Christian Mission, and by that association opened on the evening- of January 25th as the Bethel Coffee House. The Butler Hospital was completed in 1847. The original bequest was made by the Hon. Nicholas Brown, who died in 1841 and left $30,000 for the hospital. Cyrus Butler gave $40,000 in 1841, and other citizens of Providence gave another $40,000. Since then there have been many bequests establishing permanent funds for the mainte- nance of special objects for the use and benefit of the patients. The building is of brick, and the grounds, which cover 140 acres, are beau- tifully laid out and rich with luxurious growths of shrubs, flowering plants and great shade trees. The Rhode Island Historical Society building, on Waterman street, opposite Brown University, was erected in 1844. The build- ing is of stone and contains, in addition to 9,000 volumes and 20,000 pamphlets, a large collection of articles of historical value. A tran- sept in the rear was added in 1889. Grace church was consecrated in 1846. The parish was organized in 1829, and held its first services in the old Tin Top church. In 1832 the Providence Theater, at the corner of Westminster and Mathewson streets, was purchased and altered over into a church. It was moved away, and on its site the present structure was built. The Union passenger station on Exchange Place was erected in 1848. It is of brick and 625 feet in length. The " Shelter," at No. 20 Olive street, was erected in 1849, upon land donated by Mrs. Maria Jenkins. It is of wood and is managed by the Providence Association for the Benefit of Colored Children, organized in 1838. St. Francis Xavier Academy, at the corner of Broad and Claverick streets, was established in 1851, erected in part in 1854, and completed in 1865. The Mathewson Street Methodist Episcopal church was organized in 1848, as the Third Methodist Society, by members who drew away from the Power and Chestnut Street societies. The present edifice was dedicated May 28th, 1851, and prior to the erection the society worshipped in a hall on Westminster street. The Central Congregational church on Benefit street, near Col- lege street, was erected in 1852, and is of brick and freestone. The Central Baptist church was organized in 1805. The first edi- fice was erected on Pine street, in 1807, and destroyed by fire, Septem- ber 23d, 1815. A second building was erected at once, and used until the present brick structure on Broad street, near Burrill street, was built in 1857, at a cost of $65,000. In 1882 the interior was materially altered and beautified. 302 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. St. Aloysius Orphan Asylum, on Prairie avenue, in South Provi- dence, was erected in 1858. It is of brick, presents an imposing ap- pearance, is under the care of the Sisters of Mercy, and is supported by the Roman Catholic church in the diocese of Providence. Nearly 225 orphans find a home there. In addition to the foregoing old buildings is the Tockwotten House, a description of which will be found further on, the long row of mercantile buildings on South Water street, the group of old build- ings next and adjoining the old custom house on South Water street, and the rickety structure next below the post office, on Weybosset street, facetiously designated as the " Grosvenor palace." There are two or three old structures on Christian hill, which formerly belonged to the late Major Dean. It is not known when they were built, but one of them is said to have been drawn up the hill by men, from the neighborhood of Dorrance street. Some of the old mills in the sub- urbs date back about three-quarters of a century, but the date of their erection is a matter beyond the range of reasonable possibilities to find out at the present time. History tells us that Roger Williams and his followers to these shores, first dwelt in the primitive tents of the Indians, then in log- huts with clay between the logs, and that finally Providence began to grow to what it now is from a straggling village of about two score houses, which were made of oak, the frames of which were hewn from the solid trees with the axes of their owners, architects and builders. The early colonists evidently had no glass to put in their windows. The foundations of these houses, and the huge chimneys, which were built at one end of the houses, were rough and unhewn, just as they came from the hillsides. From the meagre descriptions of these houses, which may be culled from the public records of the town, it is learned that they were one and one-half stories in height, with a lower room and chamber. John Whipple's house, which was at the foot of Constitution hill, was one of the first to be built after Philip's war. Thomas Olney, Sr., could boast of better accommodations than his neighbors, for he had a parlor, kitchen and chamber. Late in the seventeenth century the houses are found to have had four apartments, with a chimney in the center of the structures. There were also a number of narrow houses, two stories in height, and with a garret. The " Gaol house," on Constitution hill, was of the latter mentioned type, as was also Nathaniel Brown's house, which stood at the corner of Church street, and was removed in 1842. Nathaniel Brown was the earliest ship- builder in the town, was a man of wealth and one of the founders of St. John's church. His house had a large stone chimney at its north end. After these came the houses of two stories, with two chambers in the attic. All of these old houses have passed away, and not a vestige of them is standing. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE CpUXTV. 303 Among the early houses in the eighteenth century, passing men- tion is made of that of Gabriel Bernon, erected in 1721, on the west side of " Towne " street, opposite St. John's church. Where Chad. Brown's homestead stood is now a portion of College street, and where Thomas street now cuts through was formerly the site of the Angell homestead. Next north of this last house was the dwelling of Thomas Olney, who succeeded Roger Williams after the disrup- tion of the religious society which he founded. At Howland street were the houses of Roger Williams and John Throckmorton, and at that point now known as Church street Joshua Verin's house stood. A little to the north and next to St. John's church lived Richard Scot, the first convert made by George Fox. Beyond Scot's house and up Constitution hill there were then no houses to speak of. At the opening of the eighteenth century Gregory Dexter resided in a house near Dexter lane, now Olney street. In the field east cf the North Burial Ground for many decades were the cellars and stone foundations of five of the old houses which formerly stood in a row and were destroyed in Philip's war. As early as 1784, and in January of that year, it is recorded that Providence experienced a severe freshet, during which many of the houses which stood near the town mill (Smith's grist mill) were swept away. In 1745 Daniel Rutenbridge erected a mill over the Wconas- quatucket river, which was the precurser of all the great manufac- turing enterprises and establishments of Rhode Island. He was a German, and died May 15th, 1754. The " County House " was voted to be built in 1729, was completed in October, 1731, and burned De- cember 24th, 1758. In 1720 Doctor Jabez Bowen's house was built on Bowen street. The first oyster house in the city was established by a colored slave named Emanuel Bernoon. It was located on Towne street, near the site of the first custom house, and proved so remun- erative a venture that when he died Bernoon left his wife a house and lot on Stampers street. The history of no single institution is connected more intimately with that of the town than the history of its hostelries. It is familiar that the judgment of the world is passed on a community by the kind of a hotel that it maintains, as much as it is by its busi- ness aspect or its educational facilities. Yet while this intimate con- nection with the town's history can be claimed for the hostelry, the nature of that connection has radically altered. Thus, while the hostelry has followed the progress of this town, in a material sense, moving in the years from its original site far out on the Pawtucket pike to the present heart of the city, and while it has followed its growth in its business and commercial aspect, at periods perhaps being "behind " or "ahead " of the town, its relationship to the com- munity has undergone a radical change. It is a change, however, that only emphasizes the fact of that relationship inasmuch as it 304 IIISTOR.Y OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. marks the change wrought in the growing community itself, in its business and social aspects. The old inns, ordinaries or taverns, as they were variously styled, were originally strictly for the town; they were an important ele- ment in the internal life of the town, in which town meetings, gen- eral assemblies, even the courts were conducted, and the social and business life as well was intimately connected with them. They were the vital centers, in a word, of the town. The hotel of to-day, on the contrary, has little in common with the private life of the community; it has become the place set apart by the community for the welcome to strangers, and thousands are ignorant of even the proprietor's name. This change in its relationship has been a natural one; though perhaps it would be difficult to strictly dis- tinguish the cause from the effect — whether the town, finding the need of larger accommodation for the gathering of its representa- tives, drifted away from the tavern room to other more formal quar- ters, and so the public house opened its doors to the outside world for its business; or the development of the connections with other places, and the increasing demand for public accommodations, had the effect of separating the freemen and their inns, it might be hard to decide. Reminiscences of the inns and taverns of the town are retained by its veteran citizens, who not only have personal recollections of the famous hostelries of the early part of the present century, but possess also the traditions of still older and no less remarkable inns that were famous, and died out in the time of their fathers and grand- fathers. Pleasant as are these reminiscences, the stories and tradi- tions of the old tavern rooms, the gay balls and the sober town meet- ings, the swinging signs and rattling stage coaches, the histories of all but a few lack accurate data, and are neither recorded nor can be offered with desirable exactness by even the oldest inhabitants. For two generations after the settlement of the town all strangers coming to Providence were received in private houses. But the Pidge Tavern is believed to have been built in 1641 near the spot where the horse car barn now is on the Pawtucket road, near the " old Toll House." This was a favorable location, as the town was then laid out. One John Foster was the possible owner, and after him came John Morey and Philip Esten (1769) and Jeremiah Sayles. From the latter the estate passed to his daughter, who was the wife of Ira Pidge, from whom the tavern seems to have derived its permanent name, although it-is also known as the Jeremiah Sayles Tavern. James S. Pidge, a son, inherited it and conducted it. The tavern is particularly famed as having been the headquarters of Lafayette in Sayles' time, being situated hard by the " French camping grounds." The building still stands on its old site, and is in the possession of the Pidge family, of this city. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 305 Benjamin Pidge kept a tavern on the north corner of Thnrber's lane and Branch avenue, just this side of the North Burial Ground. This was known as the Benjamin Pidge Tavern, to distinguish it, and it flourished in the early part of this century. The Bull's Head Tavern, or "old tavern house." as a later gener- ation came to call it, comes next in importance in date, and it had a long and honorable record. It was situated, of course, on the Paw- tucket turnpike on the east side, about a mile north of the Amasa Gray Tavern, which stands to-day at the junction of the turnpike and North Main street. Its signboard bore a bull's head that is remem- bered by not a few now living. It was built in 1072, and was used as a tavern down to 1837, after which, piece by piece, it was torn down and removed, and about 1875 the last of it disappeared. Major John Dexter, son of Gregory Dexter, owned it in the beginning of its career, and it remained in the Dexter family for more than a cen- tury. In the latter part of this period it was rented to parties out- side by Joseph and Moses, great-grandsons of Major John, who were unmarried and boarded with their tenants. At one time the old tav- ern was used as a slaughter house. Benjamin Gould was the landlord after Moses died (1825), and Ezekiel Emerson succeeded him in 1828, when the property became involved in a lawsuit; the property passed out of the hands of the family, and soon after ceased to be a tavern and suffered a gradual decline. Half way up Constitution hill stood Whipple's Tavern. It was licensed to John Whipple in 1680 and stood, one of the most con- spicuous of the old taverns, to the middle of the eighteenth century -not a long life, but a notable one. " From its staid and sober char- acter, as well as its central position, Whipple's was the favorite place of meeting of the Council and Probate Court for two generations." The Turpin House— the "Old Turpin House "—was situated in the rear of the house now No. 626 North Main street, the " town street," the site occupied by the late William G. Angell. directly opposite the Fourth Baptist church. William Turpin. who, it is recorded, was a schoolmaster, turned innkeeper, and seems to have proved himself a most agreeable and successful host. The house which bore his name was built in 1695, and it soon became the state house of the colony, where, too, the probate court, as well as the gen- eral assembly, were wont to meet. Turpin's son, also William, suc- ceeded him at his death, July 18th, 1709, until his own death in 1744; and the house seems to have gained and maintained a constantly widening influence, and became the largest in the town, and ol a political importance which only ended when the present state house was built in 1762. And it still retained its popularity until the t< v n drifted away from it and its fellows in the North End. Olney's Tavern, which shared with Whipple's and Turpin's a celebrity that endured well into the last century, stood at the corner 20 306 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. of North Main and Olney streets, and was run by Epenetus Olney. Olney street was then known as Dexter's lane. The house enjoyed a longer life and greater celebrity than either of the other two. It was near the highway from Boston, and had the best traveling patronage; the town mill was hard by, and the site was eminently the commer- cial center of these Plantations. Its neighborhood, as the most public location, was made the scene of penal discipline, and the town stocks were set up there. The property passed to the descendants of Epe- netus Olney through several generations, and saw its rivals die while it continued its successful career as a hostelry well into the last years of the last century, being still a popular resort at the time of the revolutionary war, when Joseph Olney dedicated his big elm on the green in front of it as a " liberty tree." But in 1803, when the city was drifting away from it and it had seen its best days, Colonel Jere Olney built a house on the green before it, and it was a matter of a few years only before it passed away. About the middle of the last century the numberof taverns began to increase with the growth of the town, while the establishment of the state house and the increase of travellers tended to change their character and to give them a different sort of popularity and celeb- rity. In 1757 the "Sign of the White Horse" was kept by genial Cap- tain Adams and his son, on North Main street, just opposite the First Baptist church, and it was a great resort for mariners and merchants. Here all the marine news was learned and discussed, and its popu- larity kept pace with the times. It remained a tavern until 1825 or 1830; then was used as a dwelling; a portion for a museum was later annexed to the Earl House, and finally was absorbed by the Gorham Manufacturing Company. In 1760, too, flourished the Widow Kel- ton's, a two-story house of wood, that was located just above the ■• Sign of the White Horse," next north from the corner of Haymar- ket street, on North Main. The site of this, with that of the house that stood on the corner, are now occupied by the present brick block belonging to Mrs. Gammell; but the old tavern house was not taken down until 1879. The "Widow Kelton's," as well as the "White Horse," have an enduring fame as being the places of holding the first meetings of the venerable St. John's Lodge of Masons. In the latter part of the last century a tavern, the "Two Crowns," flourished. Its name seems to have been handed down, and some- thing of its fame; also that Captain John Waterman was one of its early landlords— at which time it took the name of its host— and then Xoah Mason. But the exact location of the " Two Crowns " is in- volved in considerable obscurity. It was doubtless somewhere in the lower part of North Main street, where all the prominent inns of the period flourished; but the site of the old Providence Hotel, of the Whatcheer Building, or on Market Square itself, are variously claimed. Its name is left behind with but little of its history. The HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 307 "" Bunch of Grapes" was another inn whose picturesque name sur- vives all other reliable information of it or its location. The Montgomery Hotel stood on the triangular lot at the head of Constitution hill, where the fire alarm tower now stands, and was built in 1781 by General Simeon Thayer. (The date of building is also given as 1708 by Staples's annals, but the less ancient date is one more generally received and possibly on more reliable authority.) It was kept at one time by James Hidden, and was the headquarters of the Boston coach, which used to depart from its doors every Monday. The tavern was torn down about 1808. There are two inns now standing in the city and still adapted more or less strictly to their original function, which date back into .the eighteenth century: The Hoyle Tavern, the familiar house at' the junction of High and Cranston streets, which is believed to have been established in 1782 (the legend on a picture of the house hanging in the sitting room claims its erection in 1724), and the Mansion House, more generally cited as the oldest hotel in Providence, which was opened in 1784 under the name of the Golden Ball Inn, and which stands at the corner of Benefit and South Court streets, nearly oppo- site the state house. Its sign in the old days was adorned by a golden globe in keeping with its name. Here in the Golden Ball Inn were ■entertained Washington, Monroe and Lafayette, and it seems to have been a famous and richly honored hotel in the old days. The Hoyle 'was named after its builder, who also ran a Hoyle Hotel out in Trip- town. It was in its early days more of a dancing house and place of entertainment, that was in wide favor with the young people. Situ- ated as it was far out in the country, with no bridge to cross the river from the east side, the jovial parties of young men and women had to go far around in the country in their excursions to wind up in a dance and a good time at the Hoyle. It was the earliest tavern on the west side. Probably prior to 1800, perhaps in 1798 or 1799, the famous, later notorious, Bull Dog Tavern, was built. Its history is that of a house and locality of the highest repute that descended through the years to bear only a hard name and unenviable notoriety. Still it has left a good legacy as the fruit of its early staidness, virtue and piety in no less a form than the society and building of the Fourth Baptist •church. Bull Dog square, the name by which its location, Randall square, is known, has now only a sinister meaning. The tavern stands on the west side of Charles street and was contemporaneous in its glory with two other famous hostelries, the Manufacturers' and the Washington Hotels. Although there appears to be opportunity for discussion as to who built it, reliable authority credits Doctor Thomas Green with being its founder. The lot was originally owned by Job Smith, a landlord of later repute, and in 1797 was conveyed to Joseph Snow and then in 1800 lot and buildings were transferred to 308 HISTORY OF PROVIDENi I. COUNTY. Fenner Angell, of the Fenner Angell Tavern at the corner of Orms and Davis streets. Calvin Dean, who was a mortgagee, took possession in 1808; Richard Smith came into possession in 1820; Joseph Tierney in 1840; Mary Ann Madden, 1842; John N.Smith was another proprie- tor; and a man by the name of Godfrey ran it about I860. Doctor Green, its original owner, was a staid old gentleman described in Quaker garb,, and the Bull Dog doubtless preserved the staidness and repute of its proprietor for some years. But its chief repute, perhaps, should be connected with the period of Richard Smith's landlordship. Smith, who afterward became the popular landlord of the Franklin House and Eagle House, appears to have earned the staid inn-keeper's traits of Doctor Green to the extreme. He was from Glocester, and a young man when he took possession of the Bull Dog, and in his time the hall of the tavern was devoted, on Sundays, to religious meetings. On alternate Sundays, the Reverend Henry Tatem and the Reverend Benjamin Porter held services there with constantly increasing congregations. Baptisms were conducted in the (then) pure and undefiled Moshassuck, whose waters flowed conveniently near. The meetings in the old Bull Dog gathered many into the Christian fold, and their efforts and results formed the nucleus of the Fourth Baptist Church Society. The Fenner Angell Tavern was contemporaneous with the Bull Dog, and the old two-story gamble roofed building still stands at the corner of Orms and Davis streets. It was subsequently known as the Commodore Perry Tavern and later still as the Tinker Tavern, when Henry Tinker kept it. It has a notoriety in common with the Bull Dog for a hard character and dog fights, cock fights and prize fights are .said to be among the memories of its Sunday pastimes. It was, however, chiefly famed as the headquarters for horse racing, a sport that had a splendid field for development in that vicinity in the days of its career. To mention the Old Manufacturers' Hotel and the Washington Hotel is to call names familiar to those of even the present genera- tion whose ancestry were resident Rhode Islanders, in the period when they flourished. These contemporaneous hostelries rival each other in their enduring fame and in the wealth of reminiscences which fire the heart and bring a glow to the cheek. The Manufacturers' Hotel was originally the private residence of Deputy Governor Jabez Bowen. As a hotel it belonged to Governor Arthur Fenner, and at his death in 1805, it passed to his son James Fenner. From the platform erected in front of it were read the pub- lic proclamations of the time— in 1776 of the declaration of inde- pendence, tin- announcement of peace, and the adoption of the con- st it ution of Rhode Island. A great horse-chestnut tree stood before its entrance on the square. It was the headquarters of stage lines in all directions and was altogether a public house of eminent importance HISTORY OF PROVIDENC1 '"l NTY. 309 and preference, and reminiscences of its days are familial , numerous and inspiring. The Washington Hotel will be ever famous as the scene of the grand balls and festivities of the elite of the town and city half a cen- tury ago. It was built about the year 1800 by Esek Aldrich, who had many successors and the hotel as many proprietors. John Andrews and wife took possession about the year 1859 and held it for a period of 15 years, when it was sold to Christopher Johnson. During Andrews' proprietorship the hotel was the headquarters for George Scott's stage to Warwick and John Babcock's to South Kingstown; and during this time, although in the decade 1820-30, it reached the summit of its social glory. It was a great " society " resort, the scene of the most fashionable of the fashionable balls and grand parties, and the place of holding the far-famed "Washington Assemblies;" and the name of Hannah Andrews, the hostess, will be treasured in memory in connection with the pleasant reminiscences associated with the famous old tavern. The annual Washington ball of the First Light Infantry, which continues a leading social event, may claim to be the existing descendant from the select old "assemblies" of Mrs. Andrews' time. About 1818 or 1820 Nicholas R. Gardiner, her father, kept a tavern in the homestead where stands the Jones building on Westminster street, and his tavern in its day was a great rendezvous of the nota- bles of the state for ten or twelve years. This, the Gardiner Tavern, was kept after Mr. Gardiner died by the Messrs. Waite, who, after its removal, kept tavern in the building now occupied by the Rhode Island News Company. The Gardiner Tavern, when removed in 1837 to give place to the Jones Building, was taken to 105 Clifford street, where it now stands recuperated by a new roof and front. At the other end of the city, out on High street, from the Olney- ville district to the Hoyle Tavern, a number of inns and taverns of more or less repute flourished from the early part of the present cen- tury until recent years. Out by the old Tar bridge, now replaced by a neat iron structure, stood the Samuel Randall Tavern. The Par- don and John Angell and Fox taverns were located farther down, the latter down to Knight street. The Farmer's Home was kept by Doc- ton Gideon Spencer in 1822 and removed by Perry Davis, Esq., for the " Pain Killer " building. All of these were on the south side of the highway. On the north side were Field's, Round's and Hopkins's taverns, and at the corner of High and Battey streets stood that of Nehemiah Angell, built in 1830. Of these old inns the Fox Tavern, which stood at the corner of Knight street, on the site of the Roger Williams Free Baptist church, was built about 1820, and kept by Cap- tain Fox. It was notable as the headquarters of the farmers from the district about and from Connecticut; they came from Windham county and Killingly, as well as from Scituate and the Rhode Island 310 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. farms with their droves of cattle and produce for Providence. The tavern was removed about 1855, when the new Roger Williams church was built. On the north side of Westminster street, just above Orange street, the tavern of Andrew Williams and the large boarding house of Captain Charles Stewart are memorable houses of the period. The Muddy Dock Tavern was situated in the locality of that name, near the foot of Peck street, and was quite a notable old French tavern at that period. Of that striking edifice, the Tockwotten House, on East street, the hotel history is brief and uneventful, save as it is connected with the introduction of railroads into the town, which gives it an importance as the most eminent example of the change in the character of the demands made upon the town's hostelries by its fuller connection with the outside world. The building was the private residence of the family of James B. Mason. After the Boston & Providence rail- road came into the city in 1835, at its original terminus in the district by the mouth of theSeekonk, the railroad company bought the house and established a hotel there for its travelling patrons who were either remaining here or in transit to New York. It had a number of landlords. In 1843-4, Willard Whitcomb, who later was in charge of the City Hotel, in connection with the Franklin House, ran it: in 1845, Mrs. Mary Esten; 1846, D. V. Ross, 2d. The location was only desirable for a hotel on account of the patronage afforded it by the railroad, and when the road changed its terminus to Exchange place, the Tockwotten House was practically killed. Charles Potter, Doctor Grosvenor's father-in-law, bought the whole of the estate for a nomi- nal amount,- some $13,000, and made a boarding house of the lately thriving hotel. In 1850 the property was sold to the city, and from November of that year until the establishment of the school at Crans- ton, the Tockwotten House was used for the reform school, for which purpose it readily adapted itself with but few alterations. The Weybosset House, which stood where the Mechanics' Bank building now is on Weybosset street, was a flourishing hotel. The building was erected by Amos Atwell for his family mansion, and it was known as the Atwell House before becoming the Weybosset. It was moved back and two wings put on when transformed into a hotel, and from its wings became popularly known as the "Angels." Hezekiah Allen was its proprietor, and it was a flourishing hostelry down to about 1850 or ls.V>. The Franklin House, the familiar tall brick building, with lower story of stone, that stands at the foot of North Main street, was built in 1823, and during its career as a hostelry was honored by the best patronage in the city; indeed, a large proportion of the old business and professional men of prominence in the community to-day have occupied rooms within its walls for a greater or lesser length of time. Its old sign, " Franklin House," still hangs high up on its facade. HISTORY Of PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 311 In 1846, Robert Earl, of the City Hotel, established the Earl House, at 69 North Main street, which was absorbed by the Gorham Manu- facturing Company with the old White Horse Tavern. There are now in Providence some 25 hotels of more or less credit- able standing, aside from boarding houses of all grades. First in prominence is the Narragansett Hotel, conducted by L. H. Hum- phreys. This house needs no description to make it outwardly and by reputation, at least, familiar It is owned by the Wheaton Hotel Company, a corporation of distinguished and wealthy citizens of the state, with ex-Governor Lippitt at their head. The work of building was begun in 1874 and ended in 1878; it was formally opened April loth of that year. The first cost was about $1,000,000. William R. Walker was the architect. The hotel had its inception in the Narra- gansett Hotel Company, which was chartered in 1854, the date to which the charter of the present company was put back, and which went to pieces after a considerable investment. The building is eight stories high* on the inner court and presents seven stories to the street. Its frontages are 181 feet on Dorrance street, 134 on Broad street, and 184 on Eddy street, and it is built of Trenton pressed brick, with lower story and trimmings of iron. The grand dining- hall is 40 by 90 feet and 27 feet high, and there are 225 rooms for guests in the hotel. The Hotel Dorrance, which ranks second only to the Narragan- sett, and by a good proportion of the traveling public is an equal favorite, was built and is owned by H. T. and A. M. Beckwith, trus- tees. The old wooden building which occupied the site, and was itself the home of cafes, Dorman's, and that kept years ago by L. H. Humphreys, being familiar, was torn down, this work beginning in the fall of 1878. The hotel was opened in the spring of 1880, and the veteran host, Captain L. M. Thayer, was its proprietor. Mr. George W. Cross is its present manager. The City Hotel was originally the magnificent mansion built and occupied by Mr. Charles Dyer, whose brother, Mr. Benjamin Dyer, built " Dyer's Block," on the opposite side of Broad street. In 1831 Mr. Charles Dyer started the subscription list for what became the City Hotel Corporation, with a view to transforming his palatial resi- dence into a hotel in accordance with the following sentiments, ex- pressed in writing to those to whom the scheme was presented: " The growth and prosperity of the town of Providence, the rapid in- crease of business and the consequent extension of commercial inter- course with the principal cities of the Union, require proper accom- modations for the public convenience and the personal comfort of those whom pleasure or business may call to sojourn among us." The building was enlarged and the hotel opened a year or so later, all the stock having been subscribed by public-spirited citizens, as well as by those who thought it a good speculation. The corporation con- 312 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. tinues to control it, and one of the original members is still living and holding stock. Until the Narragansett was built the City was the leading hotel of Providence, although it saw its palmiest days in " war times." Mr. Humphreys was one of its later lessees. The Aldrich House, on Washington street, was opened January 2d, 1860. It was built and owned by Anson W. Aldrich. It was a house popular with the dramatic profession. It was destroyed by fire in February, 1888, and has not been rebuilt. Other hotels of the city are the Perrin House on Washington street, one of the newest and neatest of the hotels; the Central Hotel on Canal street, a large and popular hostelry that is notable as being of strict temperance principles; the Roger Williams and Providence, two of the very old hotel buildings; Brucker's, formerly the West- minster, a hostelry of some years standing; the Freeman, the Ameri- can, kept by Ray Greene, at 92 North Main; Baldwin and Fisher's Hotel at 314 North Main; the Hotel Bristol, by N. F. Barrows, 7 Mar- ket square; the Clarendon, by P. McGough, at 118 & 120 North Main; College Street Hotel, by C. J. Read, at 22 College street; Commercial House, by W. D. Smith, at 322 Prairie avenue; Dresden Hotel, by J. Scheninger, at 18 Snow street; the Franklin Street House, by W. F. Weeks, at 5 Franklin street; the German Oak Hotel, by William Rothfuchs, at 30 South Main; Girard House, by E. W. Tinker, 51 to 55 Eddy street; Halfway House, by F. W. Harris, on Pawtucket ave- nue; the Holly Tree Inn, by J. E. Pieczentkowsky, at 156 Westmin- ster; the Hopkins Hotel, by T. A. Cunliff, at 421 High; Hotel Bijou, by Matthew Barry, at 50 Union street; Hotel Broadway, by Mrs. W. S. Hall, at 106 Fountain; Hotel D'Alsace, by J. B. Schmidt, at 8 & 10 Potter street; Hotel Elmwood, by J. N. Manwaring, at 1093 Broad street; Hotel Glendon, by Mary J. Greene, at 96 Pond street; Hotel St. George, by T. Miller, at Washington and Matthewson streets; the Mansion House, by George R. Earl, at 159 Benefit street; Market Hotel, by J. J. Haley & Co., at 35 Dyer street; the Musee Hotel, by Joseph vS. Wheeler, at 1 Aborn street; Olneyville Hotel, Olneyville square; Rialto Hotel, by W. A. Barron, at 195 & 197 Broad street; the Rochester Hotel, by George Finck, at 138 Pine street; the Royal Oak, by Fred. Smith, at 286 Washington; the Daniel H.Sullivan House, at 168 Pine street; Sweetland's Hotel, 9 & 11 Crawford street, and the Teutonia House, by Mrs. K. L. Hock, at 174 Broad street. CHAPTER XI. PROVIDENCE CITY— STATISTICS AND OFFICIAL LISTS. Statistics. — Growth in Property Valuation. — Taxation, — Population. — Division of the City into Wards. — Later Wards Created or Annexed. — Present Ward Boundaries. — List of Aldermen.— The Common Council. — Successive Mayors. — Clerks of Town and City.— Presidents of Boards of Aldermen and Common Council. — Treasurers of Town and City.— City Marshals and Chiefs of Police.— Supervision of Public Works.— Tudges and Clerks of Municipal and Police Courts.— Other City Officers.— Representatives in General Assembly from 1648 to 1889.— Senators from the City. A GOOD idea of the growth of the city in material value may be obtained from the following- figures showing the assessed valu- ation of real and personal property in total for each year from 1832 to 1888, inclusive. It has been as follows: 1832, $12,121,200; 1833, $12,618,200; 1834, $12,944,900; 1835, $13,333,333; 1836, $14,195,583; 1837, $14,516,130; 1838, $15,384,616; 1839, $15,942,290; 1840, $17,195,- •700; 1841, $18,518,500; 1842, $18,918,919; 1843, $21,739,200; 1844, $22,- 495,500; 1845, $23,729,100; 1846, $25,593,200; 1847, $27,239,900; 1848, $28,516,000; 1849, $30,780,300; 1850, $31,959,600; 1851. $32,779,300; 1852, $33,701,300; 1853, $37,279,300; 1854, $48,928,700; 1855, $56,296,- 297; 1856, $58,064,516; 1857, $57,741,800; 1858, $55,833,200; 1859, §50. 526,200; 1860, $58,131,800; 1861, $56,863,200; 1862, $61,118,300; 1863. $66,415,800; 1864, $79,999,800; 1865, $80,564,300; 1866, $83,448,- 8(H); 1867, $85,044,400; 1868, $92,726,000; 1869, $93,088,900; 1870, $93,- 076,900; 1871, $104,561,500; 1872, $110,087,100; 1873, $112,481,400; 1874, $123,682,800; 1875, $121,954,700; 1876, $121,065,200; 1877, $117,- 874,800; 1878, $117,040,500; 1879, $115,581,700; 1880, $115,921,000; 1881, $116,201,800; 1882, $119,196,200; 1883, $121,865,400; 1884, $122,- 496,500; 1885, $124,202,000; 1880, $130,257,400: 1S87, $134,021 ,720; 1S88, $136,753,700. A considerable increase in the figures in 1868 was caused by the annexation of the Ninth ward, and in 1871 by a re-valuation of the real estate, and again in 1874 by the annexation of the Tenth ward. The personal property, valued in 1832 at $5,282,900 increased gradually, fairly keeping pace with the real estate valuation for nearly 20 years, when it began to fall behind. It maintained a proportion of about one half the amount of real estate for several years, when in the years fol- lowing 1861 it made rapid advances. The real estate assessments for several years stood nearly the same from one-year to another, until 314 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 1866, when the personal estate exceeded the real by some three millions. The scale soon turned, however, and ten years later the real estate was more than double the personal. The valuation of personal estate reached its highest figure in 1868, when it amounted to $48,618,100. From that year to 1880 it declined by a fluctuating scale, in the latter year being only $27,908,900, while the real estate valuation was more than three times as much. Since 1880 the per- sonal valuation has slowly increased, amounting in 1868 to $35,887,- 840. The amount annually raised by tax has increased, with more or less fluctuations but a general and gradual tendency upward, from $40,000 in 1832, to $2,051,305.50 in 1888. The tax rate has also grad- ually increased, as will be seen from the following figures showing the rate of tax on a thousand dollars for the years mentioned: 18S2, $3.30; 1835, $3.00; 1840, $3.78; 1845, $3.80; 1850, $5.30; 1855, $6.75; 1860, $5.60; 1865, $9.80; 1870, $13.50; 1875, $14.50; 1880, $13.50; 1885, $14.50; 1888, $15. The population of the town and city of Providence at different times, from its settlement to the present, has been as follows: 1645, about 150; 1655, about 200; 1675, about 300; 1687. about 400; 1708, 1.446; 1730, 3,916; 1748, 3,452; 1755, 3,159; 1774, 4,321; 1776, 4.355; 1782, 4,310; 1790, 6,380; 1800, 7,614; 1810, 10,071; 1820, 11,767; 1830, 16,836; 1840, 23,172; 1850, 41,513; 1860, 50,666; 1865, 54,595; 1870, 68,904; 1875, 100,675; 1878, 99,682; 1880, 104,852; 1883, 116,755; 1886,. 118,070; 1890, 132,043. The city was at first divided into six wards. In 1854 the seventh ward was created. The boundaries of the different wards in 1858 were as follows: The First ward included all that portion of the city north of a line commencing at the North Providence line on the Woonasquatucket river, and running thence through that river to the Moshassuck river, thence through the latter river to Church street;: thence, through Church street to Benefit street; thence in a straight line to the west end of Lloyd street, at its junction with Congden street: thence through Lloyd street to Hope street; thence in a straight line to the continuation of Lloyd street to the Seekonk river. The Second ward included all that portion of the city on the east side of the river south of the above line, to a line commencing at the foot of Power, on South Water street, and running thence through Power to Brown street; thence through Brown to Charles Field street; thence through that street to Hope street; thence through Hope to Benevolent street; thence through the latter to Governor street, and through that to Pitman street; thence through that street to Central bridge on Seekonk river. The Third ward included all that part of the city on the east side of the river south of the above named line. The Fourth ward included that part of the city bounded by a line commencing at Weybosset bridge and running through Westmins- ter, Weybosset, Broad and High streets, to the junction of the latter HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 315 with Westminster; thence through Jackson to Fountain street; through that to Dean; thence through Dean and Acorn streets to the Woonasquatucket river; thence down said river and through the cove to the harbor at Weybosset bridge. The Fifth ward contained all that part of the city on the west side of the river south and east of a -line commencing at Weybosset bridge and running through West- minster, Weybosset and Broad streets to Claverack street; through that to Pine and through Pine to Plane; thence through that street to the line of the town of Cranston. The Sixth ward included all that portion of the city south of High street and west of the line above described. The Seventh ward included that part of the city north of High street and west of a line commencing at the junction of High and Jackson streets and running thence through Jackson to Fountain street; thence through Fountain to Dean street, thence through Dean and Acorn streets to the Woonasquatucket river. The Eighth ward was created in 1866. It occupied the western part of the city, including parts of the Sixth and Seventh wards. It occupied the limits of the city west of a line running from the Woon- asquatucket river through Atwell's avenue, Ridge, Gesler, Almy, High, Codding, B, Central, Major, Linden. West Clifford and Dudley streets to the Cranston line. The Ninth ward was annexed to the city in 1868. It occupied the southern part, being bounded on the north by the Fifth, Sixth and Seventh wards. Its territory formerly belonged to the town of Cranston. The ward line commenced at the dividing line of the town of Johnston and the Eighth ward, thence running southerly to the westerly line of the N. Y. & Prov. railroad; thence along that line to Cranston street and Fenner avenue and along the west line of the latter to Greenwich street, thence in a straight line easterly to the southwesterly corner of Jonas Manton's farm, so called, on the east- erly side of Eddy street; thence on the southerly side of said farm to Providence river, and thence in a straight line easterly, passing through the most southerly portion of Starve Goat island, at low water mark, to the channel of the river. The Tenth ward was annexed to the city, from the town of North Providence, in 1874. Its boundaries were as follows: Commencing at the interseption of the boundary line of Ward 1, with the Woonas quatucket river, up said river to a point on the easterly bank of the pond north of the village of Manton, being a large elm tree marked; running thence northeasterly in a straight line to a chestnut tree marked, on Wilbur hill, on the easterly side of, and on the Wood- ward road, so called; thence on a straight line to and across the Smithfield turnpike near the slaughter houses, thence southerly on the easterly side of the turnpike and the Power road to the northeast corner of the railroad bridge crossing the Providence & Worcester railroad; thence easterlv on a straight line to the northwest corner 316 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. of Swan Point Cemetery, and along its northern boundary to the See- konk river; thence southerly to the boundary line of Ward 1, and so along' the line of that ward to the point of beginning. The wards of the city were re-divided and numbered m 1887. The boundaries then given, which also describe them at the present time, are as follows: First ward — Beginning at the center of the Cove, thence in a straight line to Steeple street, through Steeple, Thomas and Angell streets to the Seekonk river, thence south with the See- konk river to Providence river, and with that river to the center of the Cove. Second ward — Beginning at the center of the Cove and following the north line of the First ward to the Seekonk river, thence north with the Seekonk river to the city line; thence along the city line to Moshassuck river and down that river to the center of the Cove. Third ward — Beginning at the junction of the Moshas- suck river with the city line, thence with said river to Smith street, thence through Smith and Candace streets, Douglass avenue and Admiral street to the city line, thence on the city line to Moshassuck river. Fourth ward — Beginning at the center of the Cove, thence in a straight line to Moshassuck river, through said river to Smith street, through Smith and Holden streets to Woonasquatucket river, through that river to Acorn street, through Acorn street, Harris ave- nue, Dean, High, Summer, Broad, Beacon and Friendship streets to Providence river, up that river to the center of the Cove. Fifth ward — Beginning at Providence river on Friendship street and run- ning through Friendship, Beacon, Broad, Greenwich, West Friend- ship, Friendship and Blackstone streets to Providence river, and with said river north to Friendship street. Sixth ward — Beginning at Providence river on Blackstone street, through Blackstone, Friend- ship, West Friendship and Greenwich streets, Princeton avenue and Broad street to the city line; on said line to Providence river, thence around Starve Goat island, up said river to Blackstone street. Sev- enth ward — Beginning at the citv line on Broad street, running through Broad street, Princeton avenue, Greenwich, Bridgham and Cranston streets to the city line, then south and east on said line to Broad street. Eighth ward — Beginning at the city line on Cranston street, running through Cranston, Bridgham, Broad, Summer, High, Knight, Carpenter and Marshall streets, Broadway and High streets to the city line, thence south on the city line to Cranston street. Ninth ward Beginning at the city line on High street, through High street. Broadway, Marshall, Carpenter, Knight, High and Dean streets, Harris avenue and Acorn street to Woonasquatucket river; thence westerly through said river to the city line, and on said line to High street. Tenth ward- Beginning at the city line on Admiral street, through Admiral street. I )<>uglass avenue, Candace, Smith and Holden streets to Woonasquatucket river, ill rough said river to the city line and on said line to Admiral street. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 317 The different wards of the city have been represented in the legislative and executive councils of the municipal government by the following aldermen: First ward — Dexter Thnrber, 1832-4; Stan- ford Newell, 1833-5; Sylvanus G. Martin, 1835 ?: Thomas R. Holden, 1837-41; Edward P. Knowles, 1841-54; Isaac Thurber, 1854 6; William H. Waterman, 1856-61; Henry J. Angell. 1861 3; 1865 9, 1871 3; died in office August 21st. 1873; John H. Taylor, 1863 5; Alexander Bur- gess, 1869-70; David Ballou, 1870-71; George L. Clarke, September 3d, 1873-5; Alfred Metcalf, 1875 8, 1880 83; ElishaC. Mowry, 1878 9; William T. Nicholson, 1884; Stillman White. 1885 6; Charles D. Rogers, 1887; Henry C. Armstrong, 1888-9. Second Ward— Charles Holden, 1832-6; Joseph Cady, 1836-42; Thomas B. Fenner, 1842-5; Matthew Watson, 1845-7; Thomas Whitaker, 1847-52; Yarnum J. Bates, 1852-5; William H. Bowen, 1855 66; James H. Coggeshall, 1866-72; Lucian Sharpe, 1872-3; Addison Q. Fisher, 1873 8, 1887; George I. Chace, 1878-80; Samuel W. Peckham, 1880-82; George E. Martin, 1882-7; Charles D. Rogers, 1888-9. Third ward— John H. Ormsbee, 1832-6; Benjamin Clifford, 1836-7; William C. Barker. 1837-8; James Wheaton, 1838-42; Richmond Bullock, 1842-3; Am- herst Everett, 1843-5; Samuel W. Peckham, 1845-6; William Viall, 1846-7; Hiram Hill, 1847-51; George W. Hall, 1851-5: Billings Bar- stow, 1855-9; William Earle, 1859-62; John D. Jones, 1862-8; George B. Earle, 1868-May 25th, 1875; John B." Anthony. 1875; Benjamin N. Lapham, 1876; Benjamin W. Persons. 1877-9; John F. Tobey, 1879; S. P. Carpenter, 1880-June, 1884, died in office; Thomas B. Ross, 1885- 8; Fergus J. McOsker, 1888-9. Fourth ward— William T. Grinnell, 1832-5; Thomas C. Hoppin, 1835-48; William W. Hoppin, 1848 52; George S. Rathbone, 1852-8; Walter Paine, Jr., 1858-9; James B. Ames, 1859-61; Stephen Waterman, 1861-2; Daniel Paine, 1862-4; Philip Case, 1864-5; Samuel G. Curry, 1865-8; Henry H. Burrington. 1868-70; George T. Spicer, 1870-August 17th, 1879, died in office; Charles F. Sampson, 1880-89. Fifth ward— Henry R. Greene, 1832-3; John Dunwell, 1833-5; Hezekiah Anthony, 1835-8; Phinehas Potter, 1838-46; Bradford Hodges. 1840 8; James S. Ham, 1848-9, 1861-4; Samuel James, 1849-55: Cyrus B. Manchester, 1855-8; Charles Anthony, 1858-60; Henry A. Hidden, 1800 01; Joseph A. Barker. 1864-6; William H. Hopkins, 1866-71; William Spencer, 1871-3: Albert H. Manchester, 1873-7; William Spencer, 1877-80; John W. Briggs, 1880-88; Edward G. Burrows, 1888-9. Sixth ward— Asa Mes- ser, 1832-4; Caleb Williams, 1834-9; John F. Philips. 1839 42: Robert Knight, 1842-52; Joseph F. Gilmore, 1852-4, 1858-9; Jabez C. Knight. 1854-8; John K. Lester, 1859-62, 1804 5, 1866-S; Henry T. Grant, 1862-4; Charles T. Robbins, 1865-6; Benjamin B. Knight. 1868 71; Samuel S. Sprague, 1871-3: Nathaniel F. Potter, 1873-6; William S. Hayward, 1876-81; George H. Burnham, 1881 8; Robert E. Smith, 1888-9. Seventh ward— Zelotes W. Holden, 1854-60; Palmer Lewis. 318 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 1860 61; John B. Pierce, 1861-4, resigned in April; Thomas R. Rath- bun, from April (3th, 1864; Frederick Burgess, ] 864-6; Amos W. Snow. L866 73: John H. Joslin, 1873, died in office July 24th; Abner H. Angell, August 6th, 1873-8; Robert E. Smith, 1878-82; Gilbert F. Robbins, 1882-7; Joseph H. Fanning, 1887; Henry T. Root, 1888-9. Eighth ward — Frederick Burgess, 1866-8; Lodowick Bray ton, 1868- 7(i. 1871-2; Henry W. Gardner, 1870-71; Silas A. Sweet, 1872-5; J. Lippitt Snow. 1875; Henry C. Clark, 1876; Edwin A. Smith, 1877; Nicholas A. Fenner, 1878-80; William B. Greene, 1880-86, Franklin A. Chase, 1886; William W. Batchelder, 1887; Edwin Lowe, 1888-9. Ninth ward— George P. Tew, 1868-71; William V. Daboll, 1871-2; 1873-6; Henry T. Root. 1872-3; George P. Tew, 1876; January to June, 1883; Dutee Wilcox, 1877-80; Henry R. Barker, 1880-83; John M< Williams. June 21st, 1883-85; Henry T. Root, 1885-7; Robert E. Smith, 1887; Benjamin E. Kinsley, 1888-9. Tenth ward— Edmund W. Raynsford, 1874-5: Amasa M. Eaton, 1875; Edmund W. Rayns- ford, 1876, 187S. 1883. died in office, January 5th; Henry S. Smith, 1877; Charles E. Gorman, 1879-82; Joseph F. Brown, 1882; John M. Brennan, 1883-8; John Casey, 1888; Ambrose E. West, 1889. The following have been members of the common council from the wards indicated by figures following each name, and at the dates indicated: Benjamin B. Adams, 3, 1864-6; Charles Akerman, 5, 1847-8; Elisha M. Aldrich, 9, 1868-9; Elisha S. Aldrich, 1, 1877-9; Eseck Al- drich, 5, 1843- 5: Nelson W. Aldrich, 5, 1869-71; 6,1872-5; John B. Allen, 3, 1883-5; April 1st, 1885, to January, 1886; Mnason Allen, 6, 1833-9: 1841-November 25th, 1S43,~ died in office; Samuel Allen, 3, 1852 5; Edward C. Ames, 3, 1875-6; Samuel Ames, 3,1840-2; William Ames, 3, June, 1872, to June 29th, 1873, resigned; also in 1882; David Andrews, 5. 1836-9; William Andrews, Jr., 6, 1848-9; Daniel Angell, 1. 1838 9, 1855 9; Daniel Angell. Jr., 7,1859-61; Dexter Angell,!. is:::! -41; Henry J. Angell, 1, 1860-1; John W. Angell, 5, 1872-3, 1881- 6; January. 1886, to 1889; Charles Anthony, 5, 1854-5; November 2d, L880— February 27th, 1882, resigned; Frederick E. Anthony, 4, INT 1 .) February 26th, 1883: 1885-8; Henry Anthony, 2, 1836-41, 1848- L849, L859 62; Hezckiah Anthony, 5. 1S32-5; James G. Anthony. 4, 1836 S. 1849 54: John B. Anthony, 3, 1869-70; Lewis W. Anthony. 6, 1871 2: James Ardern, 9, February 19th, 1872— January. 1876; James H. Armington, 2, I860 71; Henry C. Armstrong, 3, 1886-8; Frank S. Arnold.'), 1884; Stephen C. Arnold, 6, 1877-9; William B. Avery, 1, L883 8; Edward M. Babbitt, 10, January, 1884— September 25th, 1885, resigned; George W. Babcock,7, 1875 0; Allen Baker, 1, 1846-9; Almon S. Baker, 7, 1857 9; George Baker, 4, 1832-4; Nathan Baker, 1 , 1882; Sterry Baker. (1, 1832 4; Joseph Baleh, Jr.. 2, 1851-2; Daniel R. Bal- lou, 7, 1887; Frederick M. Ballon, 7, 1877-80; Henry R. Barker, 9, June, 1S73 January. 1880; Joseph A. Barker. 5, 1862-3; William C. Barker, 3,1832-6; William Cyrus Barker, 5, 1878-80; Abner J. Barnaby, 4, HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 319 June, 1866-January, 1878; Jerothmul 15. Barnaby, 7, June, 1870- Jan- uary, 1879; David W. Barney, 3, 1863-5; Amos C. Barstow, 4, 1S54-6; Charles H„ Bartlett, 1, 1877-9; Burrill Bartlett, 6, 1865-8; Heniy S. Bartlett, 3, 1857-61: Edward D. Bassett, 9, 1886; William W. Batchel- •der, 8, 1885-6; 7, 1888-9; Amos N. Beckwith, 2, 1855-6, 1857-8, 1871 2; Henry T. Beckwith, 2, 1880; John Behan, 10, 1876-8; Cornelius W. B. Bennett, 5, 1857-9; William Binney, 2, June, 1857, to January 26th, 1874; William B. Blanding, 4, 1885-8; Samuel C. Blodgett, 4, 1851-4; William P. Blodgett, 2,1857-8; George W. Bowen, 1, 1836-7; Jesse Boynton, 6, June to July, 1870; Gideon Bradford, 9, June, 1869, to February 7th, 1872; Henry C. Bradford, 6, June, 1873, to January, 1876; William B. Bradford, 1, 1843-6; William W. Brayton, 9, 1878, 1880,1884; John M. Brennan, 10, 1877-9; Albert Briggs, 1, 1862-4; John W. Briggs, 5, 1875-80; Allen J. Brown, 1, June, 1871, to January, 1875: D. Russell Brown, 4, 1881-5; Isaac Brown, 2, 1832-5; James Brown, 5, 1840-1; John D. Brown, 1, 1839-42; Joseph F. Brown, 10, 1877-80; Joshua R.* Brown, 5, 1862-9, 1871-2; Richmond Brownell, 4, 1845-8; Stephen Brownell, 7, 1856-7; James C. Bucklin, 5, 1839-41, 1842-3; William P. Bullock, 2, 1841-3; ~ Frederick Burgess, 7, 1863-4, 8, 1870-1; Charles Burnett, Jr., 5, 1847-8; George H. Burnham. 6, 1876-81; Edward Burr, 7, February 15th to June, 1869; Henry H. Bur- rington, 4, 1864-8; Edward G. Burrows, 6, 1887; John R. Burrows, 6, 1837-S: Joseph Burrows, Jr., 6, 1844-6; Consider W. Burt, 1, 1856-7; David Burton, 5, 1886; Richard W. Bush, 2, 1847-55; James H. Butler, 5, 1877; James E. Butts, 6, 1837-8, 1840-4; James C. Butterworth, 3, June, 1872, to January, 1875; David Cady, 6, 1871-2; Joseph Cady, 2. 1832-6; Albert L. Calder, 4, 1862-70; Albert G. Carpenter, 9, 1884-7; Charles E. Carpenter, 5. 1857-60, 1866-9, 1878-81; Daniel E. Carpen- ter, 5, 1843-55; Earl Carpenter, 5, 1841-2; Ebenezer Carpenter, 5, 1S3S-9, 1841-2; Sturgis P. Carpenter, 3, June, 1872, to January, 1876; George M. Carr, 7, 1864-5; John A. Carty, 9, 1883, 1885, 1887; 6, 1888: Ervin T. Case, 8, 1871-3; 9,*1879; Philip Case, 4, 1849-51 ,1860-4; John Casey, 10, 1886-7; John Cassidy, 10, 1879-81, 1882; Nelson Cb ace, 1, 1859-61; Franklin A. Chase, 8, 1881-6; Zechariah Chafee, 3, 1869 70: Rhodes B. Chapman, 2, 1856-8; John Church, 3, 1832-6; George L. Clanin. 1, 1870-71, 1881-3; Henry C. Clark, 8, 1882-5; John H. Clark, 1, 1865-6, 1867-8; Pardon Clarke, 5, 1832-6; William E. Clarke, 3, 1886-7; 1, 1888; Joseph S. G. Cobb, 6, 1882 to January 4th, 1886; James H. Coggeshall, 2, 1860-6; Francis Colwell, Jr., 4, 1870-1, 1875; Wil- liam Conneely, 9, July 12th, 1883, to January, 1884: Stephen Cook, 1, 1868-70; Benoni Cook, 2, 1832-7; Joseph S. Cooke, 3, 1832-3: John P. Cooney, 1, 1875, 1876, 1878; Stephen Cornell, 4, 1854-6, 1859-60; Henry A. Cory, 5, 1863-8, 1869-72, April 1st, 1874, to January, 1876; John •Cosgrove, 10, 1887; William H. Covell, 10, 1883-8; Martin K. Cowin. 1,1837-9; Henry Cram, 5, 1886-8; Barzillai Cranston, 4, November 19th, 1838-June, 1842; Stephen Crary, 7, February 28th,lS54-5; Josiah 320 HIS TORN" OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. F. Crooker, 1, 1844-6; Josiah W. Crooker, 1,1879-81; William J. Cross, 2, L862 3; William J. Crossley, 9, February 23d, 1876, to January, 1878, 1879; Samuel G. Curry, 4, 1802-5; George Curtis, 2, 1833-8; William V. Daboll, 9, 1868-71, 1883; Albert Dailey, 2, 1860-6; George P. Dan- iels, 1, 1834-5, 1846 to March 30th, 1848— died in office: Peter Dan- iels, 1, 1832-6; George H. Darling, 5, 1888; William O. Darling, 6, 1852-3; Edwin N. Davis, 7, 1856-7; Henry F. Davis, 7, 1861-3; Thomas Davis, 2d, 1, 1848-51; Daniel Day, 2, 1856-7; Daniel E. Day, 6, 1875-80; Richard H. Deming, 7, 1889; Thomas D. Deming, 1 1883-5; Russell A. Denison, 8, 1875; Arthur W. Dennis, 7, 1887; 9, 1888-9; John J. Devenish, 10, September 23d, 1885-January, 1888; 3, January to July, 1888; Arthur F. Dexter, 3,1876-79; January to March 9th, 1885: Lewis Dexter, 3, 1870-72; Francis M. Dimond, 9, 1880; Hoffman S. Dorchester, 9, 1885-87; 6, 1889; James R. Dorrance, 3, 1857-9; Samuel T. Douglas, 1, 1887; 2, 1888-9; William W. Douglas, 2, June, 1873, to January, 1876; Thomas A. Doyle, 5, 1852-5, 1856-7; John L. Draper, 4, 1869-70; Charles Dudley, 6. 1864-6; Patrick A. Dunn, 18, 1888; Joseph Durfee, Jr., 1, 1850-51; Philip B. Durfee, 1, 1888-9; Samuel B. Durfee, 6, 1849-51, 1868-70; Sanford Durfee,!, 1864-5; Oliver F. Dutcher, 5, 1869-70; George B. Earle, 3, 1866-8; James M. Earle, 2, 1841-3; William Earle, 3, 1847-52; Amasa M. Eaton, 10, May 7th, 1874, to January, 1875; Cyrus T. Eddy, 8, 1868-9; Henry B. Eddy, 5, 1880; John Eddy, 7, 1857-9; John S. Eddy, 5, 1837-9; Lyman H. Eddy, 8, 1880-2; George C. Elliott, 6; Amherst Everett, 3, 1833-9; Willard W. Fairbanks, 3, 1840-46; Joseph H. Fanning, 7, 1882-7; Preston M. Farrington, 4, 1859-61; Nicholas A. Fenner, 8, 1875-7; Thomas B. Fenner. 4, 1832-6, 1838-42; William H. Fenner, 6, 1862-4; 4, June, lS69-January, 1875; Daniel Field, 5, L833-6; Green Burroughs Field, 7, 1862-4; Addison Q. Fisher, 2, 1871-3; Cyrus Fisher, 2, 1831-5; Alfred W. Fisk, 7, 1866-7of Thomas Fletcher, 1, 1839-41, 1844-5; William Foster, 5,1840-41; James B. Foyer, 10, L881 4; John N. Francis, 6, 1854-63; Henry B. Franklin, 4, 1878-80; Alberts. Gallup, 1868-9; Peleg W. Gardiner, 5, 1839-40; Henry W. Gardner, 8, 1869-70; Rathbone Gardner, 2, 1884-7; Edward T.George, 8, 1885; John Gibbons, 10, 1889; Joseph F. Gilmore,0, 1841-2, 1848-51; Benjamin C. Gladding, 3, 1863-9; Samuel Gladding, 4, 1845-8; William Goddard, 2, 1852 5: Christopher C. Godfrey, 3, 1836-7; James C. Goff, 3. is?? 82; Mark A Golrick, i), 1888; Daniel T. Goodhue, 4, 1838-41. IS 12 5; Jabez Gorham, 1, 1842-4; Charles E. Gorman, 10, May 7th, 1874, to January, L875; Dexter Gorton, 5, 1886-8; John Gould, 6,1833 4, 1836 ?, 1838-40; Joseph Grant, 6,1834 6; Michael Greeley, :;. ISSS 1); Allen Greene, l" L863-4, 1865-6, June 1 873 -January 1875, L880; Arnold Green, 3, March 5th, 1877-January. 1880, 1882; David C. Greene, 1. L848-9; Dutee Greene, 6, L836-7, L842-7; Edward A. Greene, 2, L855 ?; Godfrey Greene, 5, 1864-6; Luke Green, 4, 1854-7; Rufus Greene, 4, 1855-7; Russell Greene. 5, 1846-7; Simon H. Greene, HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 321 4, 1835-9; Thomas C. Greene, 3, 1861-2; William T. Grin n ell, 2, 1849-55; Ellis Grundy, 1, 1866-7; Reuben A. Guild, 1, 1857-60, 1861-4, 1872-3; Austin Gurney, 3, 1838-41; William M. Hale, 3, 1862-4; George W. Hall, 3, 1850-54; Henry J. Hall, 10, January to September 10th, 1882, resigned; James S. Ham, 5, 1860-61; William Ham, 5, 1833-7; Hugh Hamill, 10, May 7th, 1874-January. 1877, 1879-82; John H. Hamlin, 2, 1848-51; Richard Harding, 3, 1837 8; Alfred A. Harring- ton, 8, 1868-70, 1880-5; Charles N. Harrington. 4, 1861-2, 1866-7; Josiah B. Harrington, 6, 1864-5; Charles E. Harris, 8,1880-82,1887-9; Lemuel S. Harris, 7, June, 1865-January, 1875; William A. Harris, 1, 1883; Isaac Hartshorn, 5, 1845-6; Joseph C. Hartshorn, 7, L856 0: Mortimer H. Hartwell, 7, 1888-9; Watson D. Hatch, 6, 1846-9; Arnold C. Hawes, 5, 1856-7; Wingate Hayes, January 2, 1851-5; George W. Hayward, 6, 1863-4; Richard Hayward, 9, 1871-2; William S. Hay- ward, 6, June, 1872-November 9th, 1876; Henry S. Hazard, 5, 1842-3; Timothy Heffernan, 10, 1880-82; Stephen P. Henry, 8, 1866-7; James C. Hidden, 5, 1843-7, 1868-9; George Hill, 6, 1834-6; Thomas J. Hill, 5, 1848-52,1855-6, 1878; William D. Hilton, 7, 1875; Bradford Hodges, 5, 1841-3; Charles W. Holbrook, 1,1853-5; Isaac H. Holden, 6,1852-3; Thomas R. Holden, 1. 1832-5; Zelotes W. Holden, 6, 1849-51; Ed- mund S. Hopkins, 8, 1877-81; Israel M. Hopkins, 8, June, 1872-Janu- ary, 1875; James N. Hopkins, 6, 1851-2, 1853-5; William H. Hopkins, 5, 1856-64; George H. Hoppin, 4, 1847-8; William W. Hoppin, 4, 1838-42; Henry A. Howland, 5, 1849-50; John A. Howland, 3, 1861-2; Horatio G. Hudson, 6, 1837-8, 1839-41; John L. Hughes, 4, 1834-42; Charles F. Hull, 1, 1879-82; Benjamin Hunt, Jr., 8, 1870-72, June, 1873-January, 1877; David Hunt, 7, 1866-8; George Hunt, 1, 1851-4, 1861-3; Henry S. Hutchins, 5, 1861-2; Shubael Hutchins, 4, 1842-5; George W. Jackson, 2, 1835-41; Samuel Jackson, 2d, 5, 1832-3; Sam- uel James, 5, 1842-4; George H. Jencks, 3, 1866-9; Freeborn Johnson, 5, 1868-9, June, 1873-January, 1875; George A. Johnson, 9, June, 1872-January,1875; Oliver Johnson, 4, 1841-2, 1852-5, 1856-7; William 5. Johnson/7, 1875-6; John D. Jones, 3, 1841-8, 1859-62; John H. Joslin, 7, 1869-73; Leonard F. Joslin, 8, 1878-80; Frederick E. Keep, 6, 1870-72; John Kendrick, 6, 1865-8; Joseph H. Kendrick, 4, 1888-9; William F. Kenney, 3,1885; Patrick King, 10, 1888-9; Benjamin E. Kinsley, 7, 1882-7; John H. Kinyon, 7, 1861-2; Jabez C. Knight, 4, 1849-52; Edward P. Knowles, 1, 1835-41; Erastus F. Knowlton, 6, 1833-4,1836-7,1838-40; George D. Lansing. 2,1888-9; Benjamin X. Lapham, 3, 1869-70; John Larcher, 2, 1837-9; Russel M. Earned 3, 1865-6; John K. Lester, 6, 1851-2, 1853-9; James C. Lester, 6, January, 1884-August 20th, 1884, died in office; John Erastus Lester, 6, August 1st, 1870 June, 1871; Dexter B. Lewis, 1, l£51-3; 2, 1875; Thomas Lin- coln, 6, 1855-62; Peleg W. Lippitt, 9, 1881; Moses B. Lockwood,3, 1845 7; Edwin Lowe, 8, 1885-8; Merrick Lyon, 3, 1855-6; Harrison G. Ma- comber, 10, 1878; Edward J. Mallett, 3, 1839-40; Cyrus B. Manchester, 21 322 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 5, 1850-2, 1S53-4; Israel G. Manchester, 6, 1838-9, 1840-1, 1842-4; Jacob Manchester, 5, 1848-52; Silas H. Manchester, 7, 1886-8; 9, 18S8-9; Fred. I. Marcy, 6, 1879-87; Daniel Martin, 5, 1846-9; George E. Martin, 2, 1879-82; Jacob H. Martin, 4, 1848-51; Joseph Martin, 4, 1849-50; Stephen Martin, 1, 1835-6; Amasa Mason, 5, 1835-7; Nathan Mason, 3, 1837-40; Stephen G. Mason, 3, 1852-8; Allen C. Mathewson, 3, 1846-8; Joseph B. Mathewson, 4, 1861-2, 1880; Nathan F. Mathew- son, 4, 1857-9; Parley M. Mathewson, 1, 1847-51; 2, November 20th, 1871-January, 1875; Rollin Mathewson, 3, 1849-51; Frank Mauran, 2, 1863-71; John McAuslan, 9, 1882; 7, 1888; Alexander A. McCaughin, 10.1889; Charles G. McKnight, 4, 1855-6, 1861-2: James McNally, 4, 1878-88; Fergus J. McOsker, 10, 1881, 1886-8; John McWilliams, 9, 1882-June 21st, 1883; John P. Merriam, 7, 1858-9; Alfred Metcalf, 1, 1863-6, 1867-72; Jesse Metcalf, 1, 1832-5; Jesse H. Metcalf, 3, 1888-9; Joel Metcalf, 1, 1845-7; Joseph G. Metcalf, 1, 1841-4; Augustus S. Miller, 1,1885 and 1886; 9,1887; Frederick Miller, 1, 1855-66; 2,1876-8;- William Miller, 6, 1838-9; William H. Miller, 9, 1880-2; Thomas A. Millett. 3, 1865-6, January, 1875-88; Francis W. Miner, 9, 1886; James C. Monaghan, 10, January, 1884-September 23d, 1885, resigned; Jacob F. Monroe, 7, 1860-3; Edwin Montgomery, 9, 1883-6; John Morris, 10, January, 1875-January, 1878, 1879-81 , 1882-4; Ephraim B. Moulton, 6, October 2d, 1884-8; Charles C. Mowry, 2, 1844-8; Elisha C. Mowry, 1, June, 1871-January, 1877; James H. Mumford, 3, 1848-52; James T. Murray, 7, June, 1871-January, 1875; Charles A. Nichols, 1, June, 1873-January, 1875; William J. Nichols, 3, August, 1888-9; William T." Nicholson, 1, 1882; James J. Nolan, 10, May 7th, 1874- January, 1876; John L. Noyes, 3, 1856-7; Ezekiel Owen, 2, 1858- 60; Stephen T. Olney, 1, 1837-8, 1841-4; William Olney, 6, 1832-3; Dennis O'Reilly, 10, September 23d, 1885-January, 1886; Benjamin G. Pabodie, 1, 1851-4; William Pabodie, 6, 1834-6, 1844-8; Seth Padel- ford, 5, 1837-41; 2, 1851-2; Walter Paine, Jr., 4, 1850-5, 1857-8, 1865-6; William W. Paine, 4, June, 1870-January, 1876; 2, 1880; Jere- miah S. Parish, 2. 1878-80; Jonathan G. Parkhurst, 5, 1864-68; 7,1870- 1; Henry L. Parsons, 2, March 3d, 1873-January 18th, 1877; William S. Patten, 2, 1842-8; Abraham Payne, 2, 1852-5; George W. Payton,0. 1862-4; Fitz Herbert Peabody, 3, 1880-8; Samuel Pearson, 2, 1832-3; George B. Peck, 1, 1844-6; Leander R. Peck, 9, 1889; John C. Pegram, 2, February 4th, 1874-January, 1876; James Lewis Peirce, 2, 1876-80; Charles H. Perkins, 8, 1866-7, 1871-2; Stillman Perkins, 8, 1866-8; Daniel Perrin, 8, 1882-5, 1886-9; Benjamin W. Persons, 3, 1868-9, 1870-2; George H. Pettis, 9, June, 1872 January, 1876; Charles F. Phillips, 4, 1868-9, June, 1871 January, 1875; George R. Phillips, 4, 1876-7, 1880-8; John F. Phillips, 0, 1835-6; Charles H. Pierce, 7, 1862- 4; 8, 1867-8; Elisha W. Pierce, 7, 1880-2; George L. Pierce, 5, 1886-8; 4,1888-9; Asa Pike, 3, 1832-3; Charles F.Pike. 5. 1855-6; Raymond G. Place, 8, 1867 70, June. 1871 January, 1875. 1876-80; Gorham P. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. -V2'-'> Pomroy, 5, June, 1872-March 23d, 1874— resigned; Alfred Potter, 1, 1856-60, 1872-3; Alfred S. Potter, 6, 1880-7; Charles B. Potter, 9, 1887; 6, 1888-9; Christopher C. Potter, 6, 1846-51: Nathaniel F. Potter, 6, 1844-6; Nathaniel F. Potter, Jr., 6, 1870-3; Phineas Potter, 5, 1837-S; Roger Williams Potter. 3, 1833-7; William Y. Potter, 9, 1871-3, 1875- 8; Chester Pratt. 4, 1848-9; William H. Pratt, 7, 1859-61, 1864-5; John Prentice, 4, 1860-1; James Provan, 10, 1877; James Randall, 1, 1884-8; 4, 1SS8-9; Spencer P. Read, 8,1888-9; William B. Remington, 6, 1865- 8; William K. Reynolds, 6, 1887; 5, 1888-9; Edward S. Rhodes, 5, LS55-6; James T. Rhodes, 3, 1844-5; Archibald B. Rice, 6, 1859-63, 1866-7, June, 1873-January, 1877; Fitz James Rice, 6, 1868-70; Henry F. Richards, 5, April 6th, 1882-January, 1886; George A. Rickard, 9, 1878; William W. Rickard, 5, 1872-January, 1877; William B. Rider, 5, November 7th, 1854-June, 1856, 1859-62; Charles T. Robbins, 1, L855-6; 6, 1864-5; Gilbert F. Robbins, 7, 1879-82; Charles P. Robin- son, January, 1876-January, 1879; William M. Rodman, 5, 1852-3; Elisha H. Rockwell 7, 1889; Charles D. Rogers, 1,1885-7; Horatio Rogers, 3, 1866-8, February Sth, 1873-January, 1875; Henry T. Root, 9,1869-72; Thomas B. Ross' 3, 1883-5; John M. Rounds, 2, 1881; Thomas M. Rounds, 4, 1867-9, 1876; 6, 1877-S2, January 13th, 1886-8; Stephen S. Salisbury, 3, 1855-9, 1862-5; Charles F. Sampson, 4, 1S75-80; Arnold Saunders, 6, 1853-4; Josiah Seagrave, Jr., 1, 1846-7; Thomas Seekell, 6, 1832-3; Clinton D. Sellew, 3, June, 1871-February 10th, 1877, re- signed; William H. Shattuck, 9, 1876-82; Allen Shaw, 5, 1877; James Shaw, Jr., 3, 1868-70; Dennis H. Sheahan, 3, 1888-9; Thomas P. Shepard, 2, 1848-51; Hiram A. Short, 10. 1875; Eben Simmons, 5, 1852-64; Henry M. Simmons, 3, 1855-7; Isaac C. Sisson, 1,1860-63, 1864-5; June, 1866-June. 1867, died in office; George H. Sl'ade, 9, 1881-3, Obadiah Slade. 7, 1863-January 25th, 1869; Albert W. Smith. 1, 1887; Amos D. Smith, 4, 1842-7; Charles Sidney Smith, 6, 1868-71, 1872-3; 7, 1888; Edwin A. Smith, 8, June, 1872-January, 1877; Ferdi- nand Smith, 7, 1880-82; Francis M. Smith, 9, 1868-71; Henry S. Smith, 10, 1876; Robert E. Smith, 7, 1877; Samuel N. Smith, 1, 1883-5; William A. Smith, 1, 1833-4; Edwin M. Snow, 2, 1855-6; J. Lippitt Snow, 8, 1866-9, 1870-71; Joseph T. Snow, 7, 1868-70; Isaac H. South-, wick, Jr., 2, 1887-9; Christopher V. Spencer, 6, 1834-5; Jonathan L. Spencer. 8, 1869-71; William Spencer 5, 1856-62, 1869-71; August 19th, 1874-Jannary, 1877; George T. Spicer, 7, 1855-6; William A. Spicer, 7, 1882-5; Albert G. Sprague, 4, 1856-9; Samuel S. Sprague, 6, 1868-70; Thomas W. Sprague, 7, 1859-61; William R. Staples, 1, 1S32-3; Enoch Steere, 3, 1846-50; George A. Steere, 4, 1877-9; Thomas E. Steere, 2, June, 1872-February 22d, 1873, died in office; Nicholas Stillwell, 3, July 17th, 1837-June, 1838; John J. Stimson, 4, March, 1834-June, 1836; 2, 1843-8. 1858-9; Walter R. Stiness, 10, 1883; Martin C. Stokes, 7. February 28th, 1854-June, 1855; William L. Stokes, 10, 1884-5; Alfred Stone, 2, 1885-8; Charles M. Stone, 7, 1854-5, 1856-7, 324 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 1865-6; Pardon M. Stone, 6, 1851-3; 7, 1865-6; Thomas E. Studley, 3, 1879-82; Michael Sweeney, 6, 1888-9; Jesse B. Sweet, 1, 1835-7; Silas A. Sweet, 8, 1876-80; Smith S. Sweet, 1, 1864-71; Cyrus Taft, 3, 1848-9; Royal C. Taft, 2, 1855-7; William Tallman, 5, 1832-3; John H. Tay- lor, Charles L. Thomas, 7, 1864-6; William L. Thornton, 6, 1839-42; Edmund Thurber, 1, 1849-51; Isaac Thurber, 1 , 1839-44; Charles E. Tillinghast, 3, 1851-5; John W. Tillinghast, 7, 1879-86; Edmund W. Tingley, 3, 1855-7; Samuel Tingley, Jr., 2, 1843-7; John F. Tobey, 2, 1866-9; James H. Tower, 5, 1876-8, 1879-86; James K. Trask, 9, 1882-7; 6. 1888-9; Henry Trumbull, 6, 1837-8; James Tucker, Jr., 6, 1855-62; Zachariah R.Tucker, 3, 1857-60, 1870-2; Solomon Tyler,~7, 1861-2; Cassar A. Updike, 1, 1859-62; Nicholas Van Slyck, :>, June, 1870-August 10th, 1S74; William P. Vaughan. 1, 1888-9; Joseph Veazie, 1, 1841-2; William Viall, 3, 1842-<>; Eben Wade, 4, 1840-November 27th, 1843, resigned; Edward Walcott, 1848-9; Ebenezer Walker, <;, 1853-4; 7, 1859-60; James M. Warner. 4, 1832 4; James G. Warren, 8, 1889; Oliver A. Washburn, Jr., 3, 1859 63; John O. Waterman, ;>, 1847-8; Stephen Waterman, 4, 1855-60; 2. ism November 3d, 1870; William H. Waterman, 1, 1847-50; Arthur H. Watson, 2,1883-8; 1, 1888-9; Lucius Weaver, 7, February 28th to June, 1854; Henry L. Webster, 1, 1854-5; Benjamin D. Weeden,4, 1S32 July loth, 1S34, resigned; William B. Weeden, 2, 1SS2-4; Ambrose E. West, L0, 1888; Amasa S. Westcott, 1, 1854-5; Oren Westcott, 1, ls75-janu- ary, 1878; Samuel B. Wheaton, 2, ls.V.i-October 8th, L860, resigned; Bennett W. Wheeler, 3, L862-3; Edward R. Wheeler, ('», 1881 4; Joseph Whelden, 1, 1878-82; W T illiam L. Whipple, 10, 1SS4-7; William Whit- aker, 4, L862 »'•; Bainbridge A. Whitcomb, June, ls73-January, 1875; Stillman White, 1, June, lsr.C-72, January, ls75-January, 1879, 1882; James G. Whitehouse, 5, 1881-6; Pardon Wilbur, 2, 1881-3; Hezekiah Willard, 5, 1839-40, 1841-2; Caleb Williams, ti, 1832-4; Edward S. Wil- liams, 4, 1842-9; N. Bangs Williams, 6, 1867-8; William A. Williams, .'), 1852 September, 1854, died in office; Charles A. Wilson, 4, 1888- !»; Andrew Winsor, 7, t876-80; Edwin Winsor, s, 1886-9; Ira Winsor, 7, lss;, 8; 9, 1888- !»; James B. Winsor, 7, 1878; James W. Winsor, 6, 1852 :'.; 7, 1857 8; Samuel A. Winsor, 7, February 28th, lxf>4-June, 1856; William H. Wood, 4, April 5th, lxx3-January, 1885; John Carter Brown Woods, 2, February 1st, ls77 January, lss;); Allen P. Young, 1, 1881; Edward R. Young, 3, 1838- 40. The office of mayor has successively been held by the following persons, the term of office beginning in June, until 1873, when it was extended to January, and since that time the official year has begun with that month: Samuel W. Bridgham, June, 1832, to December 31st, 1840, died in office: Thomas M. Burgess, February 2d, 1841, to June, 1852; Amos C. Barstow, 1852-3; Walter R. Danforth, 1853 4; Edward P. Knowles, is.vi :>; James Y. Smith, 1855 to June 29th, 1857; William M. Rodman, June 29th, 1857 -1859; Jabez C. Knight, 1859-64; HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 325 Thomas A. Doyle, 1864-9; George L. Clarke, 1869-70; Thomas A. Doyle, 1870-January, 1881; William S. Hayward, lssi-4; Thomas A. Doyle, 1884 to June 9th, 1886, died in office; Gilbert F. Robbins, 1887-9; Henry R. Barker, 1889. The office of clerk of the town and city has successively been held by the following: Thomas Olney, Jr.. 1664-7; Shadrach Manton, 1667-70; John Whipple, 1670-2; John Smith, 1672-5; Roger Williams, 1675-6; John Whipple, 1676-?; Daniel Abbott, 1677-81; John Whip- ple, 1681-3; Thomas Olney, 1683-1715; Richard Waterman, 1715-55; Nicholas Tillinghast, 1755-8; James Angell, 1758-75; Theodore Fos- ter, 1775-87; Daniel Cooke, 1787 to November, 1793; George Tilling- hast. 1793-9; Nathan W. Jackson, 1799-1829; Richard M. Field, 1829 to December 1st, 1843— died in office; Albert Pabodie, December 7th, 1843, to January 2d, i860— died in office; Samuel W. Brown, January 5th. 1860, to January 6th, 1879; Henry V. A. Joslin, January 6th, 1879, to 1889. The office of president of the board of aldermen, which office was created February 25th, 1863, has been held successively by the fol- lowing: James S. Ham, March, 1863-June, 1864; John D. Jones, 1864- 8: Henry J. Angell, 1868-9; George P. Tew, 1869-71; Amos W. Snow, 1871-3; Addison 0. Fisher, 1873 to January, 1878; William S. Hay- ward, 1878-81; Robert E. Smith, 1881-2; Henry R. Barker, 1882-3; Gilbert F. Robbins, 1883-7; Charles F. Sampson, 1887-9. The office of president of the common council, from the beginning of the city government, has been held successively by the following: George Baker, 1832-4; George Curtis, 1834-7; George W. Jackson, 1837-9; Thomas B. Fenner, 1839-42; Stephen T. Olney, 1842-4; Wil- liam S. Patten, 1844-5; James C. Hidden, 1845-7; John J. Stimpson, 1847-8; Edward S. Williams, 1848-9; Christopher C. Potter, 1849-50; Thomas P. Shepard, 1850-1; Walter Paine, Jr., 1851-2; Wingate Hayes, 1852-4; Thomas A. Doyle, 1854-5; Charles T. Robbins, 1855-0; Stephen Waterman, 1856-60; John N. Francis, 1860-3; William Bin- ney, 1863-71; Nelson W. Aldrich, 1871-3; Nicholas Van Slyck, 1873- August 10th, 1874; Horatio Rogers, August 10th, 1874-January, 1875; Francis Colwell, Jr., 1875-6; Abner J. Barnaby, 1876-7; Charles P. Robinson, 1877-9; Henry R. Barker, 1879-80; George H. Burnham, 1880-1; J. Carter Brown Woods, 1881-5; Rathbone Gardner, 1885-7; Augustus S. Miller, 1887-8; Arthur W. Dennis, 1888-9. The treasurers of the town and city have succeeded each other as follows, the date given indicating when each left the office, and gen- erally the term of the succeeding one began the same date: Henry Brown, 1664; Zachary Rhodes, 1665; Henry Brown, 1666; Thomas Clemence, 1667; John Whipple, 1668; Thomas Olney, 1669; Arthur Fenner, 1672; Thomas Field, 1674; John Throckmorton, 1677; William Hopkins, 1682; John Whipple, 1683; Henry Brown, 1687; Pardon Tillinghast, 1707; James Dexter, 1711; James Brown, 1714; William 326 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Harris, 1717; James Brown, 1718; William Harris, 1720; Thomas Olney, 1722; William Turpin, 1737; Charles Tillinghast, 1743; William Turpin, to April, 1744; Joseph Sheldon, 1771 ; James Arnold, August, 1797; Samuel Nightengale, August, 1814; George Olney, 1818; John Howland, 1832; Stephen Tillinghast, 1840; Robert Knight, June to July, 1840; Benjamin Clifford, November 22d, 1843; Stephen Tripp. February 14th, 1849: George W. Hall, March 11th, 1850; Eseck Aldrich, June, 1855; Marinus W. Gardner, December 1st. 1802; Joseph C. Peckham, August 20th, 1808, died in office; Benjamin Tripp, from August 24th, 1808, to the present time. The office of city marshall was abolished in 1800, and the duties formerly devolving upon that official were transferred to the chief of police. Those who have held these offices successively have been as follows: Henry G. Mumford, 1S33-5; Jabez J. Potter, 1845-8; Daniel K. Chaffee, 1848-54; William H. Hudson, 1854-9; Thomas W. Hart, 1859-66; (Chiefs of Police) Nelson Viall, 1860-7; Albert San- ford, 1867-9; William Knowles, 1869-70; Thomas J. A. Gross, 1870- August 2d, 1871, died in office; John M. Knowles, August 14th, 1871- September 13th, 1877, resigned; William H. Ayer, September 30th, 1878-May 4th, 1879, died in office; Charles H. Hunt, May 22d, 1879- November 1st, 1880, resigned; Benjamin H. Child, January, 1881-9. The overseers of the poor have succeeded each other in the office as follows: Joshua Rathbun, 1832-6; William F. Greene, 1836-Oc- tober 16th, 1854; Stephen A. Phillips, October 16th, 1854-June, 1858; George W. Wightman, 1858-1889. The superintendence of public internal improvements has been in charge of offices of different title at different periods, beginning with surveyors of highways. The following persons filled that office: William T. Grinnell and Dexter Thurber, June to August 27th, 1832; Pardon Mason, for the west side, and Warren Bachellor, for the east side, August 27th, 1832, to June, 1833. The duties of the office were then entrusted to a single official, and he succeeded as follows: Henry G. Mumford, 1833-56; William Bachelder, 1856-8; Samuel B. Durfee, 1858-66; Thomas W. Hart, 1866-April 10th, 1872. At that date the office was abolished, and its powers and duties'were trans- ferred to the highway commissioners, of whom there were three, and that office was held by the following: Samuel L. Blaisdell, Feb- ruary 7th, ls72-May 26th, 1S76; Charles Anthony, February 7th. 1n7-_> May 24th, L878; Gideon Bradford, February 7th, ls72 Novem- ber 6th, 1*74, died in office; Lemuel S. Harris, January, 1875-Janu- ary, L879; Thomas W. Hart, February 5th, L877-November 5th, 1880; Obadiah Brown, May 24th, L878 -November 5th, 1880; George E. Thompson, January, 1879 November :>th, L880. The office was abol- ished April L5th, L880, and succeeded by the board of public works, which has been filled by the following: Samuel B. Swan, November 5th, L880 March, 1883; Obadiah Brown, November 5th, 1880-March, HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 327 1882; Charles Anthony, March, 1882-March, 1884; Frederick E. An- thony, March, 1883-March 24th, 1884; Clinton D. Sellew, March, 1884-February 11th, 1889; Charles E. Carpenter, May 15th, 1SS4- February 11th, 1889; Charles H.Hunt, February 15th, lss6-February 11th, 1889. At the date last mentioned the office was abolished, and its powers and duties transferred to a single commissioner of public works. John A. Coleman has held the office since that date — 1889. The board of public works, at the time of its formation, also absorbed the powers and duties of the former water commissioners. That office, created September 20th, 1869, was filled as follows: Joseph J. Cooke, September 27th, lsG!)-November 1st, 1876; Charles E. Carpen- ter, September 27th. 1869-November 1st, ls76; Moses B. Lockwood, September 27th, 1869-May 13th, 1872, died in office; William Corliss, May 23d, ls72-November 1st, 1876; Lodowick Brayton, November 1st, 1876-November 1st, 1880; Nathaniel F. Potter, Jr., November 1st, 1^7t')-November 5th, 1880; Henry L. Parsons, January 18th, 1877- November 5th, 1880. The judges of the municipal court have been: Thomas Burgess, L832-53; Francis E. Hoppin, 1853-June 14th, 1858; Albert G. Greene, June 14th, 1858-April 8th, 1867; Amasa S. Westcott, April 8th, 1867- July 3d, 1884; Joseph E. Spink, July 18th, 1884-9. Clerks of the municipal court have been: Allen O. Peck, 1832-4; Albert G. Greene, 1834-July 21st, 1857; Samuel W. Peckham, July 24th, 1857-August loth, 1857; Levi Salisbury, August loth, 1857-June, 1868; George B. Nichols, 1868-July 18th, 1884; Charles C. Mumford, July 18th, 1884-July 9th, 1885; Clifford A. Harrington, July 9th, 1885- 1889. Justices of the police court have been as follows, the date indi- cating the beginning of the term of service of each: Robert Knight, Charles F. Tillinghast, Albert G. Greene, 1832; William R. Staples, Alpheus Billings, 1833; William R. Staples, Thomas White, 1834; Robert Knight, Albert G. Greene, Henry L. Bowen, 1835; Thomas White, William P. Olney, George F. Mann, 1836; Henry L. Bowen, Walter S. Burges, 1838; Robert Knight, Henry L. Bowen, Walter S. Burges, 1839;j Henry L. Bowen, Walter S. Burges, Edward H. Haz- ard, 1840; Henry L. Bowen, Edward H. Hazard, Walter Paine, Jr., 1842; Henry L. Bowen, Charles Holden, Jr., Charles Hart, ls44; Henry L. Bowen, Samuel Brown, Joseph S. Pitman, 1845; Samuel W. Peck- ham, Henry L. Bowen, Francis E. Hoppin, 1846; Samuel W. Peckham, Francis E. Hoppin, James M. Clarke, 1847; Samuel W. Peckham, Fra-ncis E. Hoppin, Charles Hart, 1849; Samuel W. Peckham, Charles Hart, 1853; Henry L. Bowen, William Knowles, 1855; Henry L. Bowen, Samuel W. Peckham, 1857; Samuel W. Peckham, Horatio Rogers, Jr., 1861; Samuel W. Peckham, Lucius C. Ashley, 1862; Lu- cius C. Ashley, William H. Greene, 1867; Francis A. Daniels, Stephen Essex, 1S0S; Stephen Essex, Elias M. Jenckes, 1872; EliasM. Jenckes, 32S HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Lorin M. Cook, 1873; Elias M. Jenckes, Joseph S. G. Cobb, 1886; Jo- seph S. G. Gobb, 1889. Clerks of the common council have been: Thomas B. Fenner, June 4th, 1832, during organization; Allen O. Peck, June, 1832-June, 1834; Albert G. Greene, June, 1834-February 11th, 1867; Joshua M. Addeman, February 25th, 1867-Jantiary 2d, 1882; Daniel F. Hayden, January 2d, 1882-9. The office of city auditor was created August 9th, 1847. It has been filled since that time by the following: Stephen T. Olney, August 9th, 1847-June, 1850; George B. Jastram, 1850-4; John J. Paine, 1854-63; Henry A. Webb, 1863-June 8th, 1803; James M. Cross, June 8th, 1863-February 10th, 1887, died in office; Edward Field, 2d, (pro tem,) February 14th, 1887-March 24th, 1887; William D. Nisbet, March 24th, 1887-9. The office of city solicitor was created June 15th, 1853. Since that time the following persons have held it: James M. Clarke, June 22d, 1853-August 23d, 1854; Willard Sayles, January 29th, 1855- June, 1855; James M. Clarke, 1855-63; Benjamin N. Lapham, 1863-5; Francis Colwell, Jr., 1865-6; John P. Knowles, 1866-7; Charles H. Parkhurst, 1808-74; Nicholas Van Slyck, August 10th, 1874-89. The office of city sergeant has been held as follows: Edward Harwood June 1832-April 10th, 1848; James C. Sheridan, June, 1848- 61; Edward S. Rhodes, June, 16C.1-S9. The office of city messenger, created September 1st, 1854. has been held by James C. Sheridan from September 18th, 1854, to June, 1861; and Edward S. Rhodes, from June, 1861, to the present time. The office of city engineer was created May 29th, 1809. It has been held by Charles E. Paine, from June, 1869, to February 5th, 1877; and Samuel M. Gray, from February 5th, 1877 to the present time. The office of collector of taxes, was held by the following, until it was abolished and its duties transferred to the city treasurer: John Hill, from June, 1832 to June, 1837; Robert Knight, 1837-9; James Mum ford, 1839-59; Nehemiah S. Draper, 1859-October, 1868, when the office was abolished. The office of city registrar was created in July, 1855. It was held by Edwin M. Snow, from that time till December 22d, 1888, when his term was closed by death. He was succeeded by Charles V. Chapin, who still holds the office, in 1889. The office of superintendent of health was created in Jul} - , 1856. It was held by Edwin M. Snow, from that time till January, 1884. Charles V. Chapin succeeded, and still retains the office, in 1889. In the Fire Department the office of chief engineer was created July 1 1th, L853. It has since then been occupied as follows: Joseph W. Taylor, July 11th, is;,:; June, 1859; Thomas Aldrich, L859-62; Charles 11. Dunham, 1862 July loth, L865; Dexter Gorton, July 10th, L865 June, L869; Oliver E. Greene, L869 July 2d, 1884; George A. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 329 Steere, July 2d, 1884-9. The office of deputy chief was created March 10th, 1883, and has been held by George A. Steere, March 12th, 1883, to July 2d, 1884, and Holden O. Hill, March 19th, 1885, to the present time. The office of recorder of deeds, since its creation in 1866, has been held by Gustavus A. Williamson, his term beginning in June, 1866. The office of harbor master was created August 15th, 1853. The following have since held it: Nathaniel S. Mauran, August 15, 1853- June, 1854; Nathaniel Church, June, 1854-June, 1858; Daniel Joslin, June, 1858-Jamiary, 1884; Thomas W. Waterman, January, 1884-Janu- ary, 1885; James T. P. Bucklin, January, 1885-9. The office of superintendent of public buildings was created De- cember 28th, 1868. It has been filled by the following: Obadiah Slade, January 25th, 1869-October 1st, 1886, died in office; John H. Cottrell, January 3d, 1887-9. The office of superintendent of lights was created August 12th, 1864, and filled by appointment of a police constable until October 5th, 1874, when it was made elective by the city council. The follow- ing have held it: John M. Clarke, December 1st, 1864-March 12th, 1867; Joseph C. Whiting, Jr., March 12th, 1867-October, 1867; Charles M. Smith, October, 1867-April 14th. 1879; Samuel B. Swan, April 14th, 1879-89. The office of inspector of buildings has been filled, since its crea- tion, April 12th, 1878, as follows: Oliver E. Greene, April 12th, 1878 January, 1884; Spencer B. Hopkins, January, 1884-9. The office of fire marshal, created May 27th, 1880, has been held by Elias M. Jenckes, January 20th, lsSl-March 19th, 1888, and Ira Wilson, from the last mentioned date to the present time. The office of public ad- ministrator, created June 2d, 1876, has been held by Daniel Burrows, February 5th, 1877-February 6th', 1882, and Jonathan G. Parkhurst, February 16th, 1882-9. The town and city of Providence has been represented in the gen- eral assembly by her citizens as follows: 1648 — May: Thomas Olney, Thomas Harris, William Withenden, Hugh Benett, Robert Williams, Gregory Dexter. 1651 — November: Robert Williams, Thomas Harris, Hugh Bewit, William Wickenden, Thomas Olney, Gregorie Dexter. 1652 — February: William Wickenden, Gregorie Dexter, Hugh Bewit, Thomas Harris, Thomas Angell, Henry Browne. May: Rob- ert Williams, Gregorie Dexter, Richard Waterman, Thomas Harris, William Wickenden, Hugh Bewit. October: Robert Williams, Rich- ard Waterman, Gregorie Dexter, Thomas Hopkins, James Ashton, Thomas Harris. December: Thomas Angell, Henry Browne, Wil- liam Wickenden, Gregorie Dexter, Hugh Bewitt, James Ashton. 1653— May: Thomas Angell, Henry Browne, William W 7 ickenden, Gregorie Dexter, Hugh Bewitt, Thomas Harris. June: Gregorie 330 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Dexter, John Sayles, Arthur Fenner, William Wickenden, Thomas Angell, James Ashton. August: The same. 1654 — August: Thomas Harris, Gregorie Dexter, John Taylor, William Wickenden, John Browne, Henrie Browne. September: Thomas Harris, Gregorie Dexter, Henry Redick, William Wicken- den, John Browne, Henrie Browne. 1655 — May: Roger Williams, William Wickenden, Thomas Har- ris, Arthur Fenner, Richard Waterman, John Sailes. June: Roger Williams, Thomas Olney, William Feild, William Dyre, James Barker, Mathew West. 1656— March 11th: Roger Williams, Thomas Olney, William Feild, Richard Waterman, Thomas Harris, Thomas Roberts. March 17th: Same except Benedict Arnold in place of Thomas Roberts. May: Same as March 11th. October: Roger Williams, Thomas Olney, Richard Waterman, Thomas Harris, Hugh Benett, John Tripp. 1657 — May: Thomas Harris, John Sayles, Henry Bull, Thomas Walwin, Samuel Bennet, Hugh Bewitt. 1658— March: John Smyth, Thomas 01ney,William Feild, William Carpenter, James Sweete, Edward Enman. November: Roger Wil- liams, William Feild, Thomas Olney, Richard Waterman, Roger Morry, James Ashton. 1659— May: William Feild, 'Thomas Olney, John Sayles, Arthur Fenner, Thomas Hopkins, James Ashton. August: William Field, Roger Williams, William Carpenter, Zachary Rhodes, John Smyth, John Sayles. 1660 — May: William Brenton, William Feild, Benedict Arnold, Arthur Fenner, William Carpenter, Thomas Hopkins. October: William Feild, William Harris, Arthur Fenner, John Fenner, Joseph Torrey, Thomas Hopkins. 1661 — May: William Feild, William Arnold, Thomas Harris, Sr., Thomas Roberts, Zachary Rhoades, James Barker. August: Roger Williams, William Feild, Thomas Olney, Joseph Torrey, Philip Ta- bor, John Anthony. 1662— May: William Feild, Arthur Fenner, Thomas Olneye, Thomas Harris, Sen'r, William Harris, William Carpenter. May: The same. October: Same, except Zachary Roads instead of Thomas Olneye. 1663 — May: William Feild, Thomas Olneye, William Carpenter, Thomas Harris, Arthur Fenner, James Ashton. October: William Feild, William Carpenter, Zachary Roades, William Harris, Edward Thirston, Joseph Torrey. November: Same, except Richard Tew instead of Thirston. L664 — First session: Arthur Fenner, Zachary Rhodes, Thomas Harris, Sr., John Brown. May: William Carpenter, William Wick- enden, Arthur Fenner, Stephen Arnold. October: Gregory Dexter, John Throckmorton, William Carpenter, Zachary Rhodes. HISTORY OF PROVIDE^ T CE COUNTY. 331 1665 — February: William Harris, Thomas Arnold, Thomas Hop- kins, Stephen Arnold. May: William Carpenter, Zachary Rhodes, James Ashton, Henry Brown. October: Thomas Olney, Sr., John Throckmorton, Thomas Hopkins, Edward Smith. 1666— March: Richard Scott, Thomas Borden, John Smith (miller), Thomas Clemence. May: John Throckmorton, William Harris, Thomas Harris, Edward Inman. September: Same as May, except John Whipple in place of William Harris. October: Thomas Arnold, William Wickenden, Gregory Dexter, Epenetus Olney. 1667 — May: Roger Williams, Thomas Olney, John Throckmorton, Stephen Arnold. July: Two sets returned — Thomas Harris, Thomas Olney, Thomas Field, Thomas Olney, Jr.. John Throckmorton, An- thony Everden, Thomas Hopkins, Shadrach Man ton. October: John Throckmorton, Edward Inman, Lawrence Wilkinson, Resolved Wa- terman. 1668 — -John Throckmorton, Edward Inman, Samuel Bennett, Na- thaniel Waterman. October: Henry Brown, Anthony Everden, Ed- ward Smith, Shadrach Manton. 1669 — May: John Sayles, John Whipple. Jr., Andrew Harris, Shad- rach Manton. October: Not known. 1670 — May: John Throckmorton, Thomas Harris, Arthur Fenner, Andrew Harris. June: Thomas Olney, Thomas Field, Stephen Ar- nold, Thomas Roberts. June, 2d session: Thomas Arnold, John Throckmorton, John Sayles, John Whipple, Jr. October: Two ses- sions — John Sayles, Thomas Harris, Shadrach Manton, Thomas Bor- den. 1671— May: Thomas Olney, John Sayles, Shadrach Manton, Ephraim Carpenter. September: John Throckmorton, Anthony Everden, Thomas Arnold, Henry Brown. October: Stephen Arnold, John Sayles, Thomas Harris, Richard Arnold. 1672 — -March 5th: Stephen Arnold, John Throckmorton, Thomas Clemence, Thomas Roberts. March 15th: Henry Brown, Anthony Everden, Henry Fowler, John Smith (miller). April 2d: Stephen Ar- nold, Thomas Olney, Jr., Ephraim Carpenter, John Whipple. April 30th: Arthur Fenner, Thomas Arnold, Edward Inman, Thomas Hop- kins. October: William Harris, Samuel Reife, Pardon Tillinghast, Thomas Borden. 1673 — May: John Throckmorton, William Harris, Lawrence Wilk- inson, Anthony Everden. October: John Lapham, William Ashton, Thomas Harris, Toleration Harris. 1674 — John Whipple, John Sayles, Stephen Arnold, Edward Inman. October: Samuel Bennett, Samuel Winsor, William Hop- kins, Leonard Smith. 1675 — May: Toleration Harris, Edward Smith, William Ashton, Valentine Whitman. October: William Carpenter, Stephen Arnold John Throckmorton, William Ashton. 332 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 1676 — March: John Whipple, Edward Inman; Richard Arnold, John Field. May: William Carpenter, Stephen Arnold, Thomas Olney, Jr.. Edward Smith. October: John Sayles, Edward Inman, Andrew Harris, Epenetns Olney. 1677— May: Thomas Olney, Jr., William Hopkins, Stephen Ar- nold, John Whipple, Jr. October: John Sayles, Edward Inman, Samuel Bennett, William Hawkins. 1678 — May: Edward Inman, Samuel Bennett, Thomas Arnold, William Hawkins. October: Arthur Fenner, John Sayles, Nathan- iel Waterman, William Hawkins. 1679 — May: Joseph Jenckes, Arthur Fenner, William Carpenter, Richard Arnold. October: Valentine Whitman, Thomas Harris, Jr. The others illegible. 1680 — March: Thomas Olney, Jr., Joseph Jenckes, William Hop- kins, John Dexter. May: Richard Arnold, Thomas Harris, Jr., Nathaniel Waterman, Edward Smith. October: John Thornton, Pardon Tillinghast, James Mathewson, Edward Smith. 1681— May: John Whipple, Jr., Richard Arnold, Nathaniel Water- man, Thomas Harris, Jr. 1682 — May: Thomas Harris, Jr., Edward Smith, Thomas Arnold, John Whipple, Jr. September and October: Thomas Olney, William Hopkins, Nathaniel Waterman, Edward Smith. 1683 — March and May: Thomas Field, Thomas Arnold, Thomas Fenner, Alexander Balcom. August and October: Thomas Olney, Nathaniel Waterman, Joseph Williams, Edward Smith. 1684 — May: Stephen Arnold, John Whipple, Jr., Henry Brown, Epenetus Olney. October: John Whipple, Jr., Joseph Williams, John Dexter, Thomas Arnold. 1685 — May: Stephen Arnold, Thomas Field, Valentine Whitman, Thomas Harris, Jr. October: Thomas Harris, Thomas Olney, Nathaniel Waterman, Thomas Field. 1686 — May: Valentine Whitman, John Whipple, Jr., Epenetus Olney, John Angell. October: Thomas Olney, William Hopkins, Eleazer Arnold, John Dexter. 1687-88-89— None. 1690 — May: Stephen Arnold, Pardon Tillinghast, John Dexter, Gideon Crawford. October: Gideon Crawford, Thomas Olney, John Whipple, Nathaniel Waterman. 1691 — March: Thomas Harris, Samuel Whipple, Thomas Fenner, Joseph Jenckes. October: James Blackmore, Thomas Arnold, Ben- jamin Carpenter, Thomas Fenner. 1692— May: Not known. October: Thomas Olney, Arthur Fen- ner, William Crawford, Thomas Field. L693- -May: William Hopkins, Joseph Williams, Eleazer Whipple, Samuel Wilkinson. October: Not known. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 333 1694 — May: Thomas Harris, John Dexter, Gideon Crawford, James Angell. October: Pardon Tillinghast, Gideon Crawford, John Sayles, Daniel Abbott. 1695— May and October: Thomas Field, William Hopkins, Thomas Fenner, Jonathan Sprague. 1696 — May: Thomas Olney, Richard Arnold, Jonathan Sprague, John Dexter. October: Richard Arnold, Joseph Williams, John Dexter, Thomas Olney. 1697 — January: Pardon Tillinghast, John Dexter, Thomas Harris, Samuel Wilkinson. May: Nathaniel Waterman, William Hopkins, Gideon Crawford, Benjamin Carpenter. October: William Hopkins, Joseph Williams, Gideon Crawford, Thomas Fenner. 1698— January: Richard Arnold, John Dexter, Gideon Crawford, Jonathan Sprague. May: Joseph Williams, Richard Arnold, James Angell, Joseph Whipple. October: Joseph Jenckes, Samuel Wilkin- son, James Angell, Joseph Whipple. 1699 — February: Samuel Wilkinson, James Angell, Joseph Jenckes, Joseph Whipple. May: William Hopkins, Thomas Fenner, James Brown, Samuel Comstock. October: Arthur Fenner, Nathan- iel Waterman, Benjamin Carpenter, Gideon Crawford. 1700 — February: Pardon Tillinghast, John Dexter, Eleazer Arnold, Jonathan Sprague. May: Jonathan Sprague, John Wilkinson, Elisha Arnold, Peleg Rhodes. October: Arthur Fenner, Richard Arnold, John Dexter, Joseph Jenckes. 1701 — March: John Dexter, Richard Arnold, Samuel Wilkinson, Joseph Jenckes. May: Gideon Crawford, William Randall, Eleazer Whipple, Eleazer Arnold. October: John Dexter, Richard Arnold* Gideon Crawford, Joseph Jenckes. 1702 — March: John Dexter, Gideon Crawford, Joseph Whipple, Samuel Comstock. May: Nathaniel Waterman, Gideon Crawford, Joseph Whipple, Samuel Comstock. September: Jonathan Sprague, John Sheldon, Thomas Harris, James Brown. October: Richard Arnold, John Dexter, Jonathan Sprague, Joseph Jenckes. 1703 — January and May: John Dexter, Jonathan Sprague, Eleazer Arnold, Joseph Whipple. October: John Dexter, Joseph Jenckes, Gideon Crawford, William Hawkins. 1704 — January: Jonathan Sprague, Samuel Wilkinson, Gideon Crawford, Nicholas Power. May: Joseph Whipple, Jonathan Knight, James Angell, Stephen Arnold. October: John Dexter, Joseph Jenckes, Thomas Fenner, Gideon Crawford. 1705 — May: John Dexter, Joseph Jenckes, Gideon Crawford, Joseph Whipple. June: John Dexter, Richard Arnold, Thomas Fenner, Andrew Harris. August: Jonathan Sprague, Joseph Jenckes, Joseph Whipple, James Brown. October: John Dexter, Samuel Wilkinson, Joseph Jenckes, William Hawkins. 1706— March: John Wilkinson, William Hawkins, Stephen 334 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Arnold, Elisha Arnold. May: Thomas Harris, Thomas Field, Gideon Crawford. John Sayles. July: Eleazer Arnold, Jonathan Sprague, Joseph Whipple, John Wilkinson. October: Joseph Jenckes, Samuel Wilkinson, Jonathan Sprague, Thomas Olney. 1707 — February: Jonathan Sprague, Joseph Jenckes, Samuel Wilkinson, Joseph Whipple. May: Joseph Jenckes, Jonathan Sprague, Samuel Comstock, Thomas Olney. October: Richard Arnold, Samuel Wilkinson, Philip Tillinghast, Arthur Fenner. 1708 — February: Jonathan Sprague, Joseph Whipple, Thomas Harris, Nicholas Power. May: Jonathan Sprague, Joseph Jenckes, Philip Tillinghast, Samuel Comstock. October: Thomas Olney, Jonathan Sprague, Joseph Whipple, Philip Tillinghast. 1709 — May: Jonathan Sprague, Sylvanus Scott, Philip Tillinghast, James Brown. September and October: Jonathan Sprague, Philip Tillinghast, Nathaniel Jenckes, Richard Brown. 1710 — May: Jonathan Sprague, Joseph Whipple, Andrew Harris, William Hopkins. October: Nathaniel Jenckes, Philip Tillinghast, Arthur Fenner, Thomas Harris. 1711 — May: Peleg Rhodes, James Dexter, William Crawford, Jona- than Sprague. July and October: Joseph Whipple, James Brown, John Smith, Thomas Olney. November: Samuel Comstock, Eleazer Arnold, Thomas Arnold, Jr., William Wilkinson. 1712 — May: Richard Waterman, Philip Tillinghast, Richard Brown, Samuel Wilkinson. October: William Hopkins, Jonathan Sprague, William Smith, William Crawford. 1713— May: Nathaniel Jenckes, Philip Tillinghast, William Craw- ford, Daniel Abbott. October: William Hopkins, Joseph Williams, Joseph Whipple, James Dexter. 1714— May: William Hopkins, Joseph Whipple, William Harris, Jonathan Sprague. October: William Hopkins, William Smith, Jona- than vSprague, Joseph Mowry. 1715 — May: Andrew Harris, Resolved Waterman, Thomas Steere, Eleazer Arnold. October: William Hopkins, Philip Tillinghast, Eleazer Arnold, Andrew Harris. 1716 — May: John Arnold, John Burton, Edward Smith, Daniel Abbott. October: Joseph Whipple, Edward Smith, Samuel Wilkin- son. William Smith. 1717- -May: Joseph Whipple, William Crawford, Edward Smith, Daniel Abbott. October: William Harris, James Dexter, Andrew Harris, Sylvanus Scott. 1718 -May: Jonathan Sprague, Jr., Thomas Harris, Daniel Ab- bott, Joseph Brown. October: Richard Waterman, William Craw- ford, William Harris, John Jenckes. 1719 May: William Crawford, Elisha Knowlton, William Harris, Richard Waterman. October: Valentine Whitman, Stephen Arnold, Jacob Clark, Hope Angell. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 335 1720— -May: William Smith, Hope Angell, William Harris, Jona- than Sprague, Jr. October: Arthur Fenner, William Smith, William Harris, Daniel Abbott. 1721 — May: William Smith, Daniel Abbott, Ebenezer Spragne, Jonathan Sprague, Jr. October: William Smith, James Olney, Elisha Knowlton, Andrew Harris. 1722— May: Joseph Whipple, Nicholas Power, Thomas Olney, William Turpin. October: Joseph Whipple, Philip Tillinghast, Nicholas Power, Thomas Olney. 1723— May: Joseph Whipple, Philip Tillinghast, Nicholas Power, William Turpin. October: Samuel Wilkinson, Richard Brown, Thomas Arnold, Henry Harris. November: Richard Waterman, William Smith, Daniel Abbott, John Angell. 1724— May: Richard Waterman, William Smith, Daniel Abbott, Jonathan Sprague. October: Richard Waterman, Elisha Knowlton, William Smith, William Edmonds. 1725— May: Richard Waterman, Joseph Mowry, Jonathan Sprague, Jr., Thomas Olney. October: Richard Waterman, Jonathan Sprague, Jr., Thomas Olney, Joseph Whipple. 1726 — May: Richard Waterman, Jonathan Sprague, Jr., Elisha Knowlton, James Arnold. October: Richard Waterman, William Smith, Philip Tillinghast, Daniel Cooke. 1727. — May: Richard Waterman, William Smith, William Jenckes. Philip Tillinghast October: Joseph Whipple, Philip Tillinghast, William Porter, Stephen Dexter. 1728— May: Thomas Olney, William Smith, Elisha Knowlton, Daniel Abbott. October: William Smith, William Jenckes, Joseph Whipple, Ezekiel Warner. 1729— May: William Smith, Elisha Knowlton, Ezekiel Warner, Daniel Abbott. October: Ezekiel Warner, William Jenckes, Joseph Mowry, William Turpin. 1730— May: Ezekiel Warner, Daniel Abbott, Jonathan Sprague, Jr.. James Brown, Jr. October: Nicholas Power, Thomas Olney, Richard Sayles, John Potter, Jr. 1731— May: John Potter, Jr., Jabez Bowen, John Thornton, Wil- liam Rhodes. October: Philip Tillinghast, John Potter, Jr., John Angell, Richard Thornton. 1732— May: Richard Waterman, John Potter, Jr., John Thornton, Jabez Bowen. October: John Angell, Thomas Olney, Richard Waterman, James Congdon. 1733— May: Richard Waterman, Jabez Bowen, Joseph Fenner, Richard Thornton. October: Ezekiel Warner, Daniel Abbott, Robert Gibbs, Richard Fenner. 1734— May: Ezekiel Warner, Thomas Olney, Daniel Abbott, Rich- ard Fenner. October: John Thornton, Robert Gibbs, William Hop- kins, Jonathan Randall. 336 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 1735 — May: Jabez Bowen, Richard Fenner, William Rhodes, Jona- than Randall. October: Daniel Abbott, Charles Tillinghast, Richard Thornton, William Burton. 1736 — May: Jabez Bowen, Richard Fenner, William Hopkins, Robert Knight. October: Daniel Abbott, William Hopkins, Richard Thornton, Zuriel Waterman. 1737 — May: John Potter, James Brown, William Rhodes, William Hopkins. October: Daniel Abbott, Jabez Bowen, Richard -Fenner, Peter Burlingame. 1738 — May: Charles Tillinghast, John Potter, Jabez Bowen, Rich- ard Thornton. October: William Jenks, John Thornton, Wrlliam Hopkins, Charles Tillinghast. 1739 — May and July: Richard Fenner, Peter Burlingame, James Williams, Jr., Robert Gibbs. October: John Potter, Jabez Bowen, Richard Thornton, Jonathan Randall. 1740 — May: Peter Burlingame, Richard Thornton, Jonathan Ran- dall, William Hopkins. October: Daniel Abbott, Charles Tilling- hast, John Thornton, George Brown. 1741 — May: John Potter, Jabez Bowen, Jonathan Randall, Robert Gibbs. October: John Hopkins, George Brown, Nathaniel Jenckes, Richard Thornton. 1742— May: Daniel Abbott, William Burton, Jr.. Jabez Bowen, Jonathan Randall. October: Charles Tillinghast, Thomas Field, Stephen Hopkins, Henry Harris. 1743 — May: John Potter, jabez Bowen, Jonathan Randall, Chris- topher Harris. October: Robert Gibbs, Edward Arnold, George Brown, Benjamin Potter. 1744 — May: Jabez Bowen, John Burton, Jr., Stephen Hopkins, Jo- seph Borden. October: William Rhodes, George Brown, Henry Har- ris, John Potter, Jr. 1745 — May: William Smith, George Brown, Joseph Borden, Eze- kiel Warner. October: John Angell, Christopher Lippitt, Benjamin Potter, Joseph Olney. 1746 — May: George Brown, Joseph Sheldon, Stephen Hopkins, Henry Harris. October: George Brown, Stephen Hopkins, Benja- min Potter, Jr., Jonathan Randall. 1747 — May: George Brown, Stephen Hopkins, Elisha Brown, Eze- kiel Warner. October: Daniel Jenckes, William Hopkins, John Pot- ter, Jr., Peleg Williams, Jr. 1748 — May: Daniel Jenckes, John Angell, Henry Harris, John Potter, Jr. October: George Brown, Daniel Jenckes, Jonathan Randall, Stephen Hopkins. 1749 — May and October: Jonathan Randall, Stephen Hopkins, Elisha Brown, Daniel Jenckes. 1750 — May: Jonathan Randall, Elisha Brown, Christopher Harris, John Andrews. October: Jonathan Randall, Elisha Brown, Jchn Dexter, Daniel Jenckes. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 337 1751 — May: Stephen Hopkins, Elisha Brown, Joseph Wanton, Christopher Harris. October: Stephen Hopkins. Elisha Brown, Jonathan Randall, Arthur Fenner. 1752 — May: Stephen Hopkins, Elisha Brown, Jonathan Randall, George Brown. October: Stephen Hopkins, Jonathan Randall, Elisha Brown, Ephraim Bowen. 1753 — May and October: Jonathan Randall, Elisha Brown, Daniel Jenckes, George Brown. 1754 — May: Jonathan Randall, Daniel Jenckes, Thomas Olney, John Potter, Jr. October: Daniel Jenckes, Thomas Olney, Nicholas Brown, Richard Waterman. 1755 — May: Daniel Jenckes, Nicholas Brown, George Brown, Henry Harris. October: Elisha Brown, Nicholas Brown, George Brown, Daniel Jenckes. 1756 — May and October: Elisha Brown, Nicholas Brown, Henry Harris, George Brown. 1757— May: William Smith, Christopher Harris, Daniel Jenckes, James Olney. October: Stephen Hopkins, Elisha Brown, Daniel Jenckes, John Andrews. 1758— May: Obadiah Brown, Charles Olney, William Smith, Brazillai Richmond. October: Obadiah Brown, Charles Olney, Christopher Harris, Brazillai Richmond. 1759 — May: Isaiah Hawkins, Daniel Jenckes, Obadiah Brown, John Bass. October: Joseph Turpin, Daniel Jenckes, Gideon Comstock, Isaiah Hawkins. 1760 — May: Daniel Jenckes, Joseph Turpin, Isaiah Hawkins, Stephen Rawson. October: Daniel Jenckes, Abraham Smith, Isaiah Hawkins, Stephen Rawson. 1761 — May and October: Daniel Jenckes, George Jackson, Samuel Chace, Charles Olney. 1762 — May: Daniel Jenckes, Joseph Nash, Joseph Olney, Jr., George Jackson. October: Daniel Jenckes, George Jackson, James Angell, Esek Hopkins. 1763 — May: Same as October preceding. October: Daniel Jenckes, James Angell, Benjamin Man, Esek Hopkins. 1764 — May: Daniel Jenckes, Moses Brown, Jacob Whitman, Esek Hopkins. October: Daniel Jenckes, Moses Brown, Jacob Whitman, John Cole. 1765 — May: Daniel Jenckes, Moses Brown, Jacob Whitman, Charles Olney. October: Daniel Jenckes, Moses Brown, John Cole, Samuel Nightingale. 1766 — May: Daniel Jenckes, Moses Brown, John Cole, 'George Jackson. October: Daniel Jenckes, Moses Brown, John Cole. Samuel Nightingale. 1767 — May: Daniel Jenckes, Moses Brown, John Cole, Thomas 22 338 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Greene. October: Daniel Jenckes, Moses Brown, Thomas Greene, James Angell. 1768 — May: Daniel Jenckes, Moses Brown, George Jackson, Charles Keene. October: Thomas Greene, Moses Brown, George Jackson, Charles Keene. 1709 — May: Daniel Jenckes, Moses Brown, Benoni Pearce, Job Smith. October: Daniel Jenckes, Moses Brown, Benjamin Man, Job Smith. 1770 — May and October: Daniel Jenckes, Moses Brown, Benjamin Man, Stephen Hopkins. 1771 — May: same as 1770. October: Stephen Hopkins, Moses Brown, Benjamin Man, John Jenckes. 1772 — May and October: Stephen Hopkins, Thomas Greene, Ben- jamin Man, John Jenckes. 1773 — May: Stephen Hopkins, Benjamin Man, John Jenckes, John Smith. October: Stephen Hopkins, John Jenckes, John Smith, John Mathewson. 1774 — May: Same as October, 1773. October: Stephen Hopkins, John Jenckes, John Smith, John Mathewson. 1775 — May and October: Same as October, 1774. 1776 — May: Jonathan Arnold, John Brown, John Smith, Amos Atwell. October: Jonathan Arnold, John Brown, John Smith, John Mathewson. 1777 — May: Jonathan Arnold, John Brown, John Smith, William Rhodes. October: Stephen Hopkins, John Updike, Jabez Bowen, Theodore Foster. 1778 — May: John Updike, Elihu Robinson, Theodore Foster, Paul Allen. October: John Brown, Theodore Foster, Welcome Arnold, Thomas Greene. 1779 — May: John Brown, Theodore Foster, Welcome Arnold, Da- vid Howell. October: Theodore Foster, Welcome Arnold, David Howell, John I. Clarke. 1780 — May: Welcome Arnold, David Howell, Darius Sessions, Be- noni Pearce. October: Welcome Arnold, Charles Keene, Joseph Brown, Theodore Foster. 1781— May and October: Same as October, 1780. 1782— May: Welcome Arnold, John Smith, John Brown, William Barton. October: Welcome Arnold, John Smith, John Brown, Paul Allen. 1783— May: John Smith, John Brown, Paul Allen, Thomas Jen- kins. October: John Smith, John Brown, Paul Allen, Ebenezer Thompson. 1784 — May: Joseph Nightingale, Paul Allen, Ebenezer Thompson, John Jenckes. October: Joseph Nightingale, John Jenckes, Paul Allen, Charles Keene. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 339 1785 — May and October: John Jenckes, Paul Allen, Charles Keene, Jeremiah Olney. 1786 — May: John Jenckes, John Brown, Charles Keene, Thomas Truman. October: John Jenckes, John Brown, Charles Keene, Ben- jamin Bourne. 1787— May: John Brown, Welcome Arnold, Benjamin Bourne, Joseph Nightingale. October: Welcome Arnold, Benjamin Bourne, Joseph Nightingale, Nathaniel Wheaton. 1788 — May and October: John Jenckes, Jabez Bowen, William Barton, Amos Throop. 1789 — May and October: John Jenckes, Jabez Bowen, Benjamin Bourne, Amasa. Gray. 1790 — May: Jabez Bowen, Benjamin Bourne, Amasa Gray, Wel- come Arnold. October: Welcome Arnold, Amos Atwell, Robert Newell, Sylvanus Martin. 1791 — May: Welcome Arnold, Amos Atwell, Samuel Nightingale, Sylvanus Martin. October: Welcome Arnold, Amos Atwell, Robert Newell, David Howell. 1792 — May and October: Welcome Arnold, Charles Lippitt, Rob- ert Newell, Nicholas Easton. 1793 — May: Welcome Arnold, Charles Lippitt, John Whipple, Nicholas Easton. October: Welcome Arnold, Charles Lippitt, John Smith, Nicholas Easton. 1794— May and October: Same as October, 1793. 1795 — May: Same as October, 1793. October: Welcome Arnold, Charles Lippitt, John Smith, Richard Jackson, Jr. 1796 — May and October: Same as October, 1795. 1797 — May: Welcome Arnold, John Smith, Thomas P. Ives, James Burrill, Jr. October: Welcome Arnold, John Smith, Thomas P. Ives, William Rhodes. 1798— May: Welcome Arnold, John Smith, William Rhodes, Rich- ard Jackson, Jr. October: John Smith, William Rhodes, Richard Jackson, Jr., Moses Lippitt. 1799— May: John Smith, William Rhodes, Richard Jackson, Jr., Thomas P. Ives. October: John Smith, William Rhodes, Thomas P. Ives, David L. Barnes. 1800— May and October: Same as October, 1799. 1801— May: Same as October, 1799. October: Charles Lippitt, John Dorrance, Ephraim Bowen, Jr., John Carlile. 1802 — May: Same as October, 1801. October, John Dorrance, Ephraim Bowen, Jr., John Carlile, George R. Burrill. 1803— May: Same as October, 1802. October, John Dorrance, Wil- liam Larned, Benjamin Hoppin, George R. Burrill. 1804 — May: Same as October, 1803. October: Amos Throop, George R. Burrill, James B. Mason, Peter Grinnell. 1805— Mav and October: Same as October, 1804. 340 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 1806— May and October: Same as October, 1804. 1807— May: Same as October, 1804. October: William Jones, James B. Mason, Richard Jackson, Jr., Samuel W. Bridgham. 1808 — May: Same as October, 1807. October: William Jones, James B. Mason, Nicholas Brown, Samuel W. Bridgham. 1809— May and October: Same as October. 1808. 1810— May and October: Same as October, 1808. 1811— May and October: James B. Mason, Samuel W. Bridgham, Tristam Burges, Benjamin Hoppin. 1812 — May and October: James B. Mason, Samuel W. Bridgham, Benjamin Hoppin, Peter Grinnell. 1813— May: Same as October, 1812. October: James B. Mason, James Burrill, Jr., Benjamin Hoppin, William Wilkinson. 1814 — May and October: James Burrill, Jr., William Wilkinson, Nathaniel Searle, Jr., Ephraim Talbot. 1815 — May: Same as October, 1814. October: James Burrill, Jr., William Wilkinson, Nathaniel Searle, Jr., Samuel G. Arnold. 1816 — May: Same as October, 1815. October: William Wilkinson, Nathaniel Searle, Jr., Samuel G. Arnold, Stephen Waterman. 1817— May and October: Same as October, 1816. 1818 — May:. Same as October, 1816. October: Nicholas Brown, Nathaniel Searle, Jr., Samuel G. Arnold, Stephen Waterman. 1819 — May: Same as October, 1818. October: Nicholas Brown, Nathaniel Searle, Jr., Stephen Waterman, Philip Allen. 1820— May and October: Same as October, 1819. 1821 — May and October: Nicholas Brown, Nathaniel Searle, Jr., Philip Allen, Samuel Dexter. 1822 —May and October: Nicholas Brown, Nathaniel Searle, Jr., vStanford Sewell, Samuel Dexter. 1823 — May: Edward Carrington, Samuel W. Bridgham, Stanford Newell, Samuel Dexter. October: Edward Carrington, Samuel W. Bridgham, Stanford Newell, Thomas Burgess. 1824 — May: Same as October, 1823. October: Edward Carrington, Samuel W. Bridgham, Stanford Newell, Elisha Dyer. 1825— May and October: Same as October, 1824. 1826 — May: Edward Carrington, Samuel W. Bridgham, Stanford Newell, Lemuel H. Arnold. October: Caleb Earle, Joseph L. Til- linghast, Stanford Newell, Lemuel H. Arnold. 1827— May: Same as October, 1826. October: Edward Carrington, Joseph L. Tillinghast, Zachariah Allen, Lemuel H. Arnold. 1828 — May and October: Edward Carrington, Joseph L. Tilling- hast, Zachariah Allen, John Andrews. 1829 — May and October: Edward Carrington, Joseph L. Tilling- hast, Peter Pratt. Lemuel H. Arnold. 1830— May and October: Joseph L. Tillinghast, Peter Pratt, Lem- uel H. Arnold, William Church. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 34-1 1831— May: Same as 1830. October: Joseph L. Tillinghast, Peter Pratt, William Pabodie, William Church. 1832— May: Joseph L. Tillinghast, Peter Pratt, William Pabodie, George Curtis. June: The same. October: Joseph L. Tillinghast, Peter Pratt, William Pabodie, John Whipple. 1833— January: Peter Pratt, John Whipple, Josiah Whitaker, Wil- liam Sheldon. June: Whipple, Whitaker, Sheldon. October: Pratt, Tillinghast, Whitaker, Sheldon. 1834— January: Same as October last. May: Joseph L. Tilling- hast, Josiah Whitaker, Benjamin Hoppin, Thomas W. Dorr. June: The same. October: Tillinghast, Hoppin, Dorr, James M. Warner. 1835— January, May and June: The same. October: Tillinghast, Dorr, Warner, George Curtis. 1836— January: Same as October last. May: Tillinghast, Dorr, Curtis, John L. Hughes. June: The same. October: Dorr, Curtis, Hughes, John H. Clark. 1837— January: Same as October last. May: Dorr, Curtis, Clark, James M. Warner. June: The same. October: Curtis, Clark, Warner, Charles C. Mo wry. 1838— January: The same as October last. May: Curtis, Clark, Thomas J. Stead, John Whipple. June and October: The same. 1839— January: Same as last mentioned. May: Clark, Stead, Whipple, Charles Jackson. June and October: The same. 1840 — January, May, June and October: Same as last mentioned. 1841 — January: The same continued. May: Thomas J. Stead, Charles Jackson, Samuel Ames, Henry Anthony. June: The same. October: John H. Clark, Charles Jackson, Henry Anthony, Walter S. B urges. 1842 — January: The same as October last. May: John H. Clarke, John Whipple, Stephen Branch, Samuel Ames. October: Stephen Branch, Samuel Ames, Edward Carrington, Thomas J. Stead. 1843 — January and May: Branch, Ames, Carrington, Jacob T. Seagraves, Charles F. Tillinghast Isaac Thurber, Oliver E. Taber, Rufus Waterman, William Sheldon, Daniel Field, James Y. Smith, John Whipple. 1844 — (Under the constitution representatives were now elected in April, for a term of one year.) Eseck Aldrich, Samuel Ames, Stephen Branch, Jabez Gorham, Almon D. Hodges, Shubael Hutchins, James T. Rhodes, William Sheldon, James Y.Smith, Oliver E. Taber, Isaac Thurber, Rufus Waterman. 1845 — Aldrich, Rhodes, Smith, Gorham, Sheldon, Clarke, Hutchins, John O. Waterman, George B. Holmes, William S. Patten, Isaac Thurber, William G. Goddard. 1846— Aldrich, Rhodes, Smith, Sheldon, Clarke, Hutchins, Water- man, Holmes, Patten, Thurber, Thomas Whitaker, Edward P. Knowles. 342 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 1847 — Samuel Ames, Robert Angell, Ezra Bourn, James C. Hidden, Shubael Hutchins, Israel G. Manchester, George S. Rathbone, James T. Rhodes, William S. Patten, William Sheldon, Vincent Carr, Jabez Gorham. 1848 — Robert Angell, Jabez Gorham, Henry L. Bowen, William R. Watson, Samuel Ames, James T. Rhodes, Shubael Hutchins, George S. Rathbone, James C. Hidden, Edward H. Hazard, William Sheldon, Israel G. Manchester, Stephen Branch. 1849- -Robert Angell, Jabez Gorham, Henry Anthony. Tulley D. Bowen, Samuel Ames, Allen C. Mathewson, Shubael Hutchins, George S. Rathbone, James C. Hidden, Edward H. Hazard, William Sheldon, William A. Howard. 1850 — Leonard Blodget, Jabez Gorham, Henry Anthony, Tulley D. Bowen, Samuel Ames, Allen C. Mathewson, Shubael Hutchins, George S. Rathbone, James C. Hidden, Edward H. Hazard, William Sheldon, William A. Howard. 1851 — Leonard Blodget, Stephen T. Olney, William H. Potter, Henry Anthony, A. C. Mathewson, James T. Rhodes, George S. Rath- bone, Amos C. Barstow, Daniel E. Carpenter, Samuel Curry, Thomas J. Stead, Christopher C. Potter. 1852 — Leonard Blodget, Cyril Babcock, Henry Anthony, Seth Padelford, George W. Hall, Americus V. Potter, George S. Rathbone, Amos C. Barstow, Ezra Bourn, Daniel E. Carpenter, Zelotes W. Holden, Christopher C. Potter. 1853 — Edward S. Lyon, Henry J. Angell, Americus V. Potter, Samuel True, Clarke Steere, Henry J. Burroughs, Nathaniel A. Eddy, Daniel Remington, Benjamin F. Thurston, William E. Peck, Benja- min B. Knight, Thomas Pierce, Jr. 1854 — Horatio N. Slater, Josiah Seagrave, Jr., Thomas A. Jenckes, Samuel W. Peckham, Menzies Sweet, John Gorham, 2d, Joseph Car- penter, Oliver Johnson, William Tallman, Charles Ackerman, John A. Darling, Eli Aylesworth. 1855 — Josiah Seagrave, Jr., Welcome Angell, Thomas A. Jenckes, Samuel B. Wheaton, Suchet Mauran, Josiah Simmons, Albert G. Sprague, Oliver Johnson, Walter R. Danforth, Charles H. Parkhurst, Joseph F. Gilmore, Theodore D. Cook. 185G — Welcome Angell, Charles Anthony, Jesse Brown, Jr., George L. Clarke, Joseph F. Gilmore, Thomas A. Jenckes, John P. Knowles, Charles H. Parkhurst, Josiah Seagrave, Jr., Josiah Simmons, Henry B. Thurston, Samuel B. Wheaton. 1857 — Samuel B. Wheaton, Welcome Angell, Charles Anthony, Jesse Brown, George L. Clarke, Preston Bennett, Alexander Farnum, Albert C. Greene, Oliver Johnson, Ansel E. Bradley, Daniel Paine, Robert W. Potter. 1858— Dexter Thurber, Frederick Miller, Albert C. Greene, S. B. Wheaton, Wingate Hayes, William Sanford, Charles Anthony, Rob- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 343 ert W. Potter, Preston Bennett, Joseph F. Gilmore, George L. Clarke, Ansel E. Bradley. 18o9 — Edward P. Knowles, George B. Peck, Wingate Hayes, William Sanford, Philip Case, Charles F. Brownell, Henry A. Hidden, Robert Manchester, Benjamin M. Jackson, Samuel Lincoln, Benjamin T. Eames, Richard Sanders. 1S60— Daniel Angell, David S. Carr, George B. Holmes, Robert Manchester, Jr., A. C. Mathewson, William Sanford, William C. Snow, Martin C. Stokes, Orray Taft, Luther C. Warren, George F. Wilson, Caesar A. Updike. 1861— David S. Carr, John N. Francis, George B. Holmes, A. C. Mathewson, Edwin Metcalf, William C. Snow, Orray Taft, Nicholas Van Slyck, William Viall, Luther C. Warner, George F. Wilson. 1862— Lyman Pierce, Caesar A. LTpdike, James H. Parsons, Moses B. Lockwood, William Viall, George W. Hall, William Hicks, L. C. Warner, Nicholas Van Slyck, George B. Holmes, Alfred W. Fisk, David S. Carr. 1863— Thomas Durfee, C. A. Updike, George L. Clark, M. B. Lock- wood, Benjamin N. Lapham, William B. Greene, George W. Hall, Augustus Woodbury, William H. Reynolds, Josiah A. Barker, Lycur- gus Sayles, George W. Pay ton. 1864— Benjamin G. Pabodie, Charles W. Holbrook, William Bin- ney, John H. Clarke, George W. Hall, Alexander Farnum, William H. Reynolds, Ephraim S. Jackson, George W. Pay ton, Joseph F. Gil- more, Benjamin F. Thurston, William Sheldon. 1865— Joseph A. Barker, Stephen Crary, Oliver F. Dutcher, Ben- jamin B. Knight, John P. Knowles, George B. Peck, Thomas A. Richardson, Lycnrgus Sayles, Josiah Simmons, Pardon M. Stone, Henry A. Webb. 1866 — Benjamin B. Adams, James B. Ames, Eli Aylesworth, Oren A. Ballou, William Binney, George M. Carpenter, Israel H. Day, John A Gardner, Jabez C. Knight, Benjamin G. Pabodie, Richard Sanders, Nelson Viall. 1867 — Benjamin B. Adams, Eli Aylesworth, Amos C. Barstow, Francis Colwell, Jr., George M. Carpenter, Israel H. Day, Charles H. Perkins, Esek A.Jillson, George W.Hall, John A.Gardner, Benjamin G. Pabodie, Richard Sanders. 1868 — Oren A. Ballou, Benjamin T. Eames, George L. Clarke, George W. Hall, Horatio Rogers, Amos C. Barstow, Lycurgus Sayles, AVilliam H. Reynolds, George F. Spicer, Esek A. Jillson, Julius Baker, Charles H. Perkins. 1869— Jesse Metcalf, Lucius C. Ashley, George T. Spicer, George W. Lewis, Daniel E. Day, Julius Baker, Benjamin T. Eames, Robert R. Knowles, William Knowles, Charles H. Perkins, Henry T. Grant, David S. Harris. 1870— Jesse Metcalf, Benjamin F. Thurston, Lucius C. Ashley, 344 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. George T. Spicer, Amos C. Barstow, George W. Lewis, Henry C. Clark, Daniel E. Day, Julius Baker, Jonathan L. Spencer, Cyrus Harris, Frederick M. Ballou. 1871 — Edward C. Ames, Julius Baker, David Ballou, Lodowick Brayton, Stephen A. Cook, Jr., Henry T. Grant, William H. Hopkins, George W. Lewis, Daniel T. Lyman, William D. Pierce, Francis M. Smith, Stephen Waterman. 1872— Edward C.Ames, Julius Baker, Lodowick Brayton, Stephen A. Cook, Jr., Daniel E. Day, William W. Douglass, Allen Greene, William H. Hopkins, Charles A. Nichols, George H. Slade. 1873 — Hiram B. Aylesworth, Isaac S. Battey, Stephen A. Cook, Jr., Daniel E. Day, George W. Hall, William H. Hopkins, Harrison G. Macomber, Edwin Metcalf, William H. Reynolds, George H. Slade, Jonathan L. Spencer, Alexander B. Springer. 1874 — William Warner Hoppin, Horatio Rogers, John H. Stiness, Augustus Woodbury, Francis A. Daniels, Daniel E. Day, Amos W. Snow, George L. Clanin, A. B. Springer, H. G. Macomber, Isaac H. Southwick, Jonathan L. Spencer. 1S75 — George L. Clarke, Henry J. Spooner, Horatio Rogers, Isaac M. Potter, Nelson W. Aldrich, Jerothmul B. Barnaby, Edmund S. Hopkins, Thomas Davis, George H. Pettis, N. Van Slyck, Allen Greene, William H. Reynolds. 1876 — Allen Greene, Henry W.Gardner, Henry J. Spooner, James W. Blackwood, Isaac M. Potter, Henry H. Ormsbee, Gorham P. Pom- roy, Nelson W. Aldrich, Harvey E. Wellman, Edmund S. Hopkins, George H. Pettis, Joseph F. Brown. 1877 — Nicholas A. Fenner, Andrew Comstock, Edwin R. Holden, Harvey E. Wellman, John F. Tobey, Charles E. Carpenter, Charles Sidney Smith, Allen Greene, H. J. Spooner, Frederick Fuller, Joseph Brown, Charles E. Paine. 1878 — Stilhnan White, Abraham Payne, Henry J. Spooner, Charles E. Paine, James E. Chace, Charles S. Smith, Andrew Winsor, Nicholas A. Fenner, Andrew Comstock, Walter R. Stiness, Charles E. Car- penter, George H. Burnham. 1879 — Abraham Paine, Stillman White, Charles S. Smith, Benja- min T. Eames, George H. Burnham, H. J. Spooner, James E. Chace, Andrew Winsor, Amos M. Bowen, Israel B. Mason, W. R. Stiness, Walter B. Vincent. 1880 Stillman White, Royal C. Taft, John F. Tobey, Benjamin T. Eames, Charles Anthony, Gilbert F. Robbins, Amos M. Bowen, Israel B. Mason, Charles E. Giles, H. J. Spooner, W. B. Vincent, Benjamin N. Lapham. 1881 — Stillman White, Elisha Dyer, Jr., H. J. Spooner, Charles S. Smith, Charles E. Giles, Fitz James Rice, Gilbert F. Robbins, Israel B. Mason, Walter B. Vincent, Charles Anthony, John F. Tobey, Royal C. Taft. HISTORY OF TROVIDENCE COUNTY. 345 1882— John C.B.Woods, Joseph F. Brown, Daniel R. Ballon, Israel B. Mason, Charles E. Paine, Amos M. Bowen, Elisha Dyer, Jr., James H. Tower, Gilbert F. Robbins, Royal C. Taft, Stillman White, Fitz James Rice. 1883— William A. Harris, John C. B. Woods, Charles E. Paine, Frederick M. Ballon, Clifton A. Hall, I. B. Mason, James H. Tower, Daniel R. Ballou, Royal C. Taft, Dutee Wilcox, Amos M. Bowen, Obadiah Brown. 1884— Edward M. Babbitt, Augustus S. Miller, Charles E. Paine, Charles E. Gorman, Charles E. Carpenter, Isaac Hahn, Amos M. Bowen, John C. B. Woods, William A. Harris, John A. Carty, Obadiah Brown, Charles A. Hopkins. 1885 — James W. Blackwood, Obadiah Brown, William A. Harris, George J. West, Henry P. Richmond, Charles A. Hopkins, William S. Hayward, Daniel R. Ballou, David F. Thorpe, John C. B. Woods, Amos M. Bowen, William H. Wood. 1886— William S. Hayward, William A. Harris, John C. B.Woods, George J. W T est, Henry P. Richmond, William H. Wood, James W. Blackwood, John W. Tillinghast, Charles A. Hopkins, Francis W. Miner, William H. Covell, George L. Pierce. 1887— Frank A. Rhodes, Lorin M. Cook, Joseph G. Matthews, William B. Blanding, William H.Mulvey, William K.Potter, Thomas F. Pierce, George T. Brown, Clarence A.Aldrich, Charles F. Gorman, Joseph H. Banks, Thomas Davis. 1888— William H. Barney, Amos C. Barstow, Jr., John M. Buffin- ton, Albert O. Coates, J. A. Jenkins, Israel B. Mason, Charles F. Nichols, Charles H. Perkins, Benjamin W. Persons, Edwin D. Pierce, James M. Scott, Stillman White. 1889 — John M. Brennan, Lorin M. Cook, Thomas Davis, Hiram Howard, James T. Kennedy, John F. Lonsdale, William K. Potter, Jesse H. Metcalf, William H. Mulvey, Thomas F. Peirce, John E. Potter. The senators representing this city in the state legislature since the constitution took effect have been as follows: Albert C. Greene, 1843-4; Samuel Dexter, 1845-6; Richard W. Green, 1847; Stephen Branch, 1848-50; Albert C. Greene, 1851; William W. Hoppin, 1852; Thomas P. Shepard, 1853; Benjamin T. Eames, 1854-6; Thomas A. Jenckes, 1S57-S; Samuel Curry, 1859-60; Edward D. Pierce, 1861; Benjamin F. Thurston, 1862; Benjamin T. Eames, 1863; Charles Hart, 1864; Thomas Durfee, 1865; Samuel Curry, 1866-7; Benjamin F. Thurston, 1868; George L. Clarke, 1869; Charles Hart, 1870; Samuel Curry, 1871-3; Edwin Metcalf, 1874; Francis Colwell, 1875; Benjamin N. Lapham, 1876; Thomas Davis, 1877; John F. Tobey, 1878-9; Elisha C. Mowry, 1880; Thomas A.Doyle, 1881— June 13th, 1882; John F. Tobey (from June 13th), 1S82; Benjamin N. Lapham, 1883; Benjamin T. Eames, 1884; Stephen A. Cooke, Jr., 1885-6; Oscar Lapham, 1887; Charles Sydney Smith, 1888; George T. Brown, 1889. CHAPTER XII. PROVIDENCE CITY— POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND MILI- TARY ORGANIZATIONS. The Police Department. — Early Constables. — A Night Watch Established.— Various Orders and Regulations Governing Them. — Special Watchmen Authorized. — Regu- lations Concerning Late Hours. — Volunteer Watch Established. — Marine Watch Established. — Smoking Segars in the Streets at Night Prohibited. — The Force Increased. — The Watch at the Organization of the City. — Incendiarism Prevailing Calls for Increase of Watch. — First Appointment of Day Police Force in 1851. — Police Stations Established. — Present Police System Organized. — Uniforms Fiist Provided in 1866.- — Present Composition and Condition. — Beginnings of the Fire Department. — Early Fire Engines. — Firewards and Volunteer Firemen. — Fire En- gine Companies Organized. — A Paid Department Organized. — Tests of Capacity and Power. — New Companies Organized. — Steam Fire Engines Introduced. — Manual Force Reduced. — Fire Alarm Telegraph. — Introduction of Pawtuxet Water. ^Hose Companies Organized. — Chemical Engines Introduced. — The Present De- partment. — Buildings Occupied by It. — Important Fires. — Military History of Providence. — Early Trainings. — The United Train of Artillery. — The Light Dra- goons. — The First Light Infantry. — The Infantry Armory. — The Marine Corps. — Veteran Associations. — The Mechanics 1 Rifles. — Slocum Light Guards. — Providence Horse Guards. — First Battalion of Cavalry. — Burnside National Guards. — The Meagher Guards.— The Wolfe Tone Guards.— The Emmet Guards. IN the earliest history of the town a town sergeant and four con- stables were chosen yearly to preserve the peace and maintain the simple laws of the time. They were engaged in other occu- pations as a means of livelihood, and devoted only such time to their official duties as they could spare aside from the hours demanded by their calling. The constables received no salary, but were paid small fees for the serving of writs and orders of the town council and per- forming the several duties of like officers in small towns. The town sergeant received as pay for his services a tribute from each of the freemen of the town, as shown by the quaintly worded records in the middle of the 17th century: " It is voted by ye Towne yt ye ser- geant yt shall yearely be chosen in this Towne shall be payd by each freedman in ye said Towne, one shilling in merchantable pay per yeare and if any doo neglect or refuse to pay as aforesaid, ye ser- geant making his rcturne to ye towne of ye names of ye defective persons, ye Towne doo engage to cause ye said defective persons to pay ye aforesaid sumn to ye sergeant, any order to the contrary heard of notwithstanding - ." HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 347 As the town grew the need of better protection was felt, and in May, 1775, a night watch was established. It consisted of four men, who traveled each night in pairs, the pairs w r atching in rotation. The records do not give any further information concerning the watch, but it did not prove permanent. In December, 1796, another night watch was established, consisting of six men, who began their rounds at 10 o'clock each night, and patrolled until "bell ringing," or sunrise in the morning. Each man who watched w T as allowed one dollar per night. The appointment of the watch was placed under the direction of the town council, which was authorized to make such regulations as were necessary. A committee, consisting of James Arnold, Ebenezer Thompson and William Rhodes, was appointed to build a watch house, and under their supervision a structure twelve feet square and seven feet high was erected on the town's land, near the market house. At each successive town meeting the watch was continued by the citizens, but to meet the expense the town was com- pelled to borrow money. In January, 1797, a committee, consisting of J. W. Corlis, Thomas P. Ives and Amos B. At well, was appointed to consider the expediency of maintaining the night watch and to report the most eligible method of doing so. They decided that a night watch was necessary to secure the safety of the lives and prop- erty of the people, and that a direct tax on the property of the citi- zens should be levied, as a more just, equitable and certain method of obtaining a good and sufficient watch than by demanding personal service by the citizens in rotation. The report was adopted in town meeting, and in November of that year the night watch was reorganized under the direction of the towm council, which was specially authorized to establish a perma- nent watch, and to make such rules and regulations as from time to time were found necessary and expedient. The council appointed twelve men: Richard Marvin, Jonathan French, Calvin Walker, Henry Alexander, Obadiah Mason, Benjamin Peck, Jeremiah Rus- sell, Jonathan Fow T ie, Daniel Snow, Joseph Snow, Amos Warner and William Andrews. They were divided into two companies of six men, each of which comprised the watch for an entire night, and the companies took turn, each watching every other night. Richard Marvin and Jeremiah Russell were appointed captains, and it was their duty to keep an exact account of the number of nights they themselves watched and also of the men w r ho composed their re- spective watch companies. The accounts were submitted to the town council at regular intervals. The watchmen were compensated for their services at the rate of one dollar for each night that they watched. The rules and regulations established required the watch of six men to meet alternately at the watch house precisely at 9:30 o'clock :14S HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. in the evening, and at 10 o'clock they commenced patrolling- the streets and continued to do so until " bell ringing " in the morning. Each watch was divided into three companies of two men each, who travelled together. The northward watch patrolled the streets as far as Benjamin Cozzens' residence, on North Main street. The westward travelled all the streets as far as Hoyle's tavern and visited Eddy's point once during the night. The southward patrolled all the streets as far as India point. They were kept constantly abroad under the captain and were ordered to be vigilant and to carefully inspect the houses, stores and workshops they passed, in order to prevent fires gaining headway. They were to suppress all riotous conduct in the streets and to commit all refractory persons to the bridewell. All houses which contained riotous or disorderly com- pany were reported in writing to the president of the town council by the captain. The badge of the watch was a staff about six feet in length, with a hook attached to one end. It was the duty of the captain to report all person committed to the bridewell for mis- conduct to "any one or more justices of the peace on the next morn- ing," who would hear the charges and inflict the penalty of the law if the prisoner was found guilty of any misdemeanor. January 13th, 1800, the town council ordered those persons con- stituting the night watch to abstain from goinginto any of the houses for the purpose of getting spirituous liquors, and the captains were ordered to report any transgressions of the rule to the town council. March 3d, 1800, the watchmen were ordered to call on all persons appearing in the streets after 11 o'clock at night, and if they refused to give their names they were to be deemed by said watchmen as disorderly and detained in the watch house until the next morning. October 1st, 1800, a watch was established in the south part of the town by the council as follows: " Whereas request is made to this Council that a watch may be appointed and established in the south part of the town for the purpose of guarding the same and to pre- serve the property therein from being purloined or stolen by the wicked and designing, it is therefore voted and resolved that the following-named persons, to wit: Henry Alexander, Stephen Whipple, Ephriam Congdon, and Demos Bishop be and they are hereby appoint- ed a night watch for that purpose, provided that the expense of said watch be defrayed by subscription, and not considered as a town ex- pense, and that each of said watchmen be compensated for their ser- vices at and after the rate two dollars for every night they may watch, as aforesaid, and that the four said persons shall watch alter- nately, two of whom are to constitute the watch for the night, and that they may be vigilant in the performance of their duty, and that they apprehend all persons they may find in that part of the town during the night who may be strolling about, and whose conduct is suspicious, and commit them to the bridewell." Such persons were HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 349 reported in the morning to a justice of the peace for hearing. October 20th, 1806, the custom of calling out the hour of midnight whilst the watchmen were on their rounds was established. At this meeting the watch was ordered not to suffer any company to remain assembled in any tenement occupied by black people after 10 o'clook at night. If they should refuse to immediately disperse to their re- spective homes when requested to, the watch were directed to com- mit them to the bridewell. If " persons of colour " were found in the street after 10 o'clock at night the watch were ordered to commit them to the bridewell unless a good and sufficient reason were given for their being thus abroad. It was also decreed that it should be the duty of the captains to observe strictly the conduct of the other members of the watch, and to make diligent inquiry concerning the same, and if any disorderly behavior, intemperance or neglect of their duty should come to their knowledge, that the captain should report it to the town council that such disorderly, intemperate or negligent members might be removed. And it was further decreed that each of the captains for their extra services respecting the com- mitment of persons to the bridewell, reporting them to justices of the peace, and in reporting said disorderly, intemperate, and negli- gent members of the watch to the town council, and for all other services, should be allowed 17 cents over and above the usual amount of one dollar for each night of service. In May, 1808, a volunteer watch was established to assist the town watch. The members were given the same power and authority while on duty as possessed by the town watch. This watch did not remain in existence many months, but there is no record of its dis- bandment. In December, 1812, the owners of property between Wey- bosset bridge and Almy's lane, north of Steeple street, by subscrip- tion paid for the services of two additional watchmen to guard their property. They were under the control of the captain of the town watch. They patrolled alternately one each night, and continued to do so till September, 1813, when the public watch was increased to 16 men. In January, 1814, the town watch was again increased to 20 men, and at the same time their pay was advanced to $1.25 per man for each night of service. In that month some of the citizens hired four men to watch certain parts of that side of the town during the night. The town council conferred the same power and authority on them as was possessed by the town watch and gave them the privilege of using the town watch house. They were placed under the direction of the captain of the town watch. In March, 1814, the number of the town watch was reduced to twelve, the original number, and the pay was reduced to one dollar per night. , June 8th, 1814, the town council appointed a watch of six men to be stationed on board a vessel with carriage guns, to be anchored 350 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. between Kettle point and Field's point, below the town. This watch was for the purpose of giving an alarm to the town in case of the appearance of a hostile force. A guard patrolled the bay, and in case of the discovery of any threatening force they were to alarm the watch aboard the vessel by firing their muskets. When so alarmed, or by any discovery of their own, the watch on the vessel were to alarm the town by firing their carriage guns and lighting a beacon on the high land on Field's point. In August the guard and vessel were withdrawn, and at the next meeting of the council the town watch were ordered in case of an alarm of fire or of invasion from without, to immediately repair to the town clerk's office for the pur- pose of taking care of the town's property and the records of the town. In 1814 volunteer night watch associations were formed in various parts of the town and the members were granted the same power as possessed by the town watch while on duty. They were not allowed to employ substitutes, except from among their members. In October, 1824, the town watch was increased to 20 men, and their pay was again advanced to $1.25 per night. At that time they w T ere ordered to arrest all persons whom they met who persisted in smoking cigars in the streets and gangwavs of the town. In March, 1815, the town watch was again reduced to twelve men, and the town council ordered that the men draw lots to determine which ones should be dismissed. In September, 1815, the night watch for the west side of the town was increased to 16 men, divided into two watches, and served by rotation eight each night. At the same time the night watch for the east side was increased to 28 men, also divided into two watches to patrol in rotation. This proved too great a burden for the town, and in October the watch was reduced again to 12 men. In the mean- time the volunteer watch associations dropped out of existence. In November, 1816, the watch was increased to 20 men. The cap- tains were ordered to form five patrols of two men each in each watch, and to see that no two men travelled together as partners for a longer time than one week. In March of the next year the watch was again reduced to 12 men. In November the watch was ordered to meet thereafter at the Hydraulion engine house on Exchange street. In October. 1824, they commenced to patrol at 8 o'clock. In 1826 the watch was increased to 24 men, and in October. 1827, the captains of the watch were au- thorized to make such arrangements and disposition of the several watch companies as they judged most expedient. In September, 1828, the watch house in the building, which was on the si*e of the present county court house, was first occupied. In 1832, when the city was incorporated, the watch consisted of 24 men, as follows: Avery Allen, captain of the first watch; David E. Mann, HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 351 captain of the second watch; Angell Battey, Thomas Hopkins, David Jenkins, William B. Mason, Joseph Saunders, Fayette Thurber, Par- don S. Pearce, Michael Smith, John Saunders, John Holmes, James S. Hudson, Sylvester Bowers, John Wilbur, William Pearce, Edmund Sheffield, Major Tripp, Relief Thurber, Benjamin C. Warner, Edwin Tripp and Benjamin Hathaway. The pay of the captain had been fixed at $1.25 per night and that of the others at $1 per night. In June of 1833, Henry G. Mumford was elected city marshal and became the chief of the department. In the early part of 1837 attempts made to set fires caused the watch to be ordered on duty at 6:30 o'clock each evening. In October, 1837, Captain David E. Mann died in office, and Captain Avery Allen was placed in command of both watch companies. In December of that year incendiarism prevailed to such an alarming extent that it be- came necessary to appoint 16 additional watchmen who served nearly a year. During this time the city marshal and the captain of the watch were ordered to enforce especial vigilance. In November, 1S38, the number of men was reduced to 24, beside Captain Avery Allen, who was ordered not to take any route of patrol, but to per- form so much patrol duty in any and all parts of the city as would not interfere with his supervision and control of the watches. Incendiarism in the last part of 1839 made the services of 16 extra watchmen again necessary, and they patrolled from December 3d to February 17th of the next year. During this time all the watchmen were compelled to do double duty; that is, each man travelled every night. After the watch was reduced again to 24 men the pay was re- duced to 83 cents and afterward advanced to 87^ cents, and the pav of the captain was fixed at $1. In 1845 Jabez J. Potter was appointed city marshal, and remained in command till 1848, when Daniel K. Chaffee was elected marshal. In this year the first badge was adopted. It was a brass star, but the men were averse to wearing them and carried them in their pockets. Two years later they were compelled to wear them upon the lappels of their coats. In 1851 ten men were appointed by the city council in joint con- vention as a day police force. Their names were: William H. Hud- son, Jabez J. Potter, George A. Billings, Thomas W. Hart, George W. Wightman, William G. Slack, William B. Cranston, Nathan M. Briggs, William G. Merriweather and John M. Shaw. In July, 1852, the night watch was increased to 32 men and was divided into two districts. Captain Allen continued in command of the division lo- cated at the old town house. Simeon Sherman was placed in com- mand of the other division, which was provided with quarters in the old stone school building which steed on the northwest corner of Summer and Pond streets. On the 18th of May of this year at mid- night William Pullen, one of the watchmen, was murdered by 352 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Charles Reynolds on Elbow street; Reynolds fled to Europe and never returned. In November, 1853, the night patrol was increased to 46 men, and the city was divided into five districts. Previous to this time the men were engaged at trades during the day, but when this increase in the force was made all the men were ordered to travel every night, and the majority gave up their day work. The watch house at the corner of College and Benefit streets was the cen- tral station of that time, and at 9 o'clock each evening the men as- sembled there and proceeded to the other four to begin their rounds. The second was located at the corner of Mill and Charles streets; the third on Wickenden street, west of Benefit; the fourth on Summer street, at the corner of Pond; the fifth over the house of Hand Engine No. 7, at the corner of Richmond and Tippecanoe streets. Each of the stations was placed in charge of a sergeant. James W. Sanders was appointed sergeant of the first, Lewis Potter of the second, Ed- win Tripp of the third, Simeon Sherman of the fourth and Joseph W. Sanders of the fifth. The captain visited each station once every night. In March, 1854, ten men were added to the night watch. In June William H. Hudson was appointed city marshal, and served till June, 1859, when Thomas W. Hart succeeded, and held the office until it was abolished. In the latter part of 1860 the old town house was torn down, and the watch was given quarters in the wardroom in the old Water Witch fire engine station, on Benefit street. In April, 1861, the Cen- tral police station, on Canal street, was completed, and the center watch took up its quarters there. September 30th, 1864, the town watch was abolished and the pres- ent system of police was organized. The night watchmen in the old watch received $1.50 per night, and the day patrolmen received £2 per day. When the new department was organized the night and day men were granted equal power and authority, and their pay was fixed at $2. The population of the city at that time was about 54,900. The cost of maintaining the old watch in the last year of its exist- ence was $49,097.12. The new organization consisted of 99 men, and they were assigned to duty as follows: Thomas W. Hart, city mar- shal; Thomas.}. A. Gross, captain; William B. Cranston, superin- tendent of hacks; Albert A. Slocum, clerk; Warren G. Slack and Ira II. Wilson, warrant officers; John M. Clark, superintendent of lights. Sergeant Benjamin A. Newhall was placed in command of the First station, from which 38 men patrolled; 20 on night duty and 18 on day patrol. The second station was located at the corner of Mill and Bark streets, Sergeant Frederick W. Perry, 12 patrolmen; Third station, Wickenden street, Sergeant Edwin Tripp, 12 patrolmen; Fourth sta- tion, located in the Knight Street fire station, Sergeant Simeon Sher- man, 12 patrolmen; Fifth station, on Richmond street, Sergeant HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 353 James W. Sanders, 12 patrolmen. The headquarters of the depart- ment were located in the Central station on Canal street. The police in that year made 2,531 arrests, provided lodgings for 1,147 persons, and returned 115 lost children to their parents. The lost or stolen amounted to $18,946.65, of which the police recovered $12,648.75. The cost of maintaining this force for the first year amounted to $86,872.83. In 1865 seven patrolmen were added to the force, and George A. Billings and James O. Swan were appointed detectives. In 1866 the office of chief of police was created, and Nelson Yiall was appointed to that position. Previous to this time the appearance of the night watchmen was hardly calculated to invite a stranger's con- fidence. They were paid small wages and from motives of econcmy wore very rough clothing, for the reason that a smaller loss would be sustained if, in arresting a violent prisoner, their clothing should be torn or soiled. No pretense of wearing a uniform was made. In 1850 the city authorities gave each of the watchmen a heavy over- coat, hoping that the men would cast aside the old camlet cloaks which were worn by many. Neither was there any uniformity in the cut or color then given. In 1864, when the department was reorganized, a uniform was adopted, but they were not procured until the middle of 1866. It was of blue cloth, made in about the same style as at present, with let- tered, brass buttons, black belts, and caps made of the same material as the clothing. Helmets have since been adopted. At about this time the old system of travelling in pairs was abolished, and since that time they have travelled without partners. In this year the brick building for the Fifth station was erected on Richmond street. In 1867 Albert Staniford was elected chief of police, and served until June, 1870, when Thomas O. Gross was appointed chief. The force was increased to 122 men, and the several stations, except the Second, were refitted and enlarged. August 2d, 1871, Chief of Police Gross died in office, and Captain John W. Knowles was promoted to the office of chief. August 16th the Third, Fourth and Fifth stations were opened for day service, and the force was increased to 142 men. In this year telegraph connection was established between the effices of the chief of police and the mayor. In 1874 the force was increased to 186 men. The demand for so large an increase was inconsequence of the annexation of upwards of six miles of territory set off by the general assembly from the town of North Providence, and now desig- nated as the Tenth ward. In this district on Capron street was located a one-story wooden building which had been used as a police station by the tow T n of North Providence. This building was used by the city police as a sub-station for the Fourth district. Roundsman Patrick Eagan was placed in charge, and seven patrolmen were cen- tered there. Another building secured by the city when the Tenth 23 354 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. ward was annexed is the town hall, located on Branch avenue, the basement of which is used as a lock-up and contains four cells. The present police stations are located as follows: — Station No. 1, on Haymarket street; No. 2, on Martin street; No. 3, on Wickenden street; No. 4, on Knight street; No. 5, on Plain street; No. 6, on Cap- ron street, and the Wanskuck station. The furniture and various equipments, including 15 horses, are valued in the aggregate at $18,860. There are in connection with the force 206 officers of all grades, which number is fixed by city ordinance. They are as fol- lows: 1 deputy chief, 7 captains, 7 lieutenants, 8 sergeants, 1 super- intendent of hacks, 1 clerk of police, 3 detectives, 1 property clerk, 2 warrant officers, 38 day patrolmen, 4 mounted day officers, 120 night patrolmen, 6 mounted night officers, and 7 superannuated officers. The annual expense of maintaining the department is about $240,000. During the year 1888 there were 5,930 arrests made by the force, of which, 3,178 were Americans, 1,494 Irish, and the remainder scattered among other nationalities. As compared with the arrests for two years previous it is in advance. The number of arrests during those years was as follows: 1886, 5,337; 1887, 5,151. Of the number of arrests in 1888, 4,006 were for drunkenness. For the beginnings of the very excellent system of protection against accidental fires of which this city may boast we must look backward a century and more in its history. No organized measures were adopted for the extinguishment of fires previous to the year 1754. In that year the people of the compact part of the town peti- tioned the assembly for power to purchase a large "water engine." Obadiah Brown and James Angell were appointed a committee to assess a tax on the people of the compact part of the town for that object. A law was also passed by the assembly which required every housekeeper to be provided with two fire buckets. The matter ap- pears to have fallen into neglect for several years. The destiucticn of the court house by fire in 1758 awakened attention to the matter, and in February following the assembly passed an act giving the town power to appoint presidents of firewards, and firewards. The rate previously assessed for the engine was not paid until April, 1759, though the engine appears to have been purchased some time before, the means perhaps having been advanced by some enterprising and public spirited citizens. In December, 1760, another engine was thought necessary, and a meeting of the people of the compact part authorized the same committee to purchase ere in Boston. Engine men appear to have first been appointed by the town in 1763. From these small beginnings the fire department of Providence has grown. It lias kept pace with the times, and there has probably been no period in its history when it would not compare favorably with that of any city of the same class and time. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 355 The fire buckets spoken of were made of leather, painted black, with the owner's name lettered upon their sides, arid they held about two gallons each. The usual place for keeping them was in the front hallway. It was the duty of a town official to make an inspection of all the dwellings annually, to see that the requirement was complied with, and neglect on the part of a housekeeper was subject to a fine. Presidents of firewards were three in number, annually chosen, and their duty was to superintend the use of gun- powder for the purpose of blowing up buildings, when it was thought expedient to do so in order to arrest the progress of conflagration. Houses thus destroyed were to be compensated for out of the public treasury. These officers were required to repair to the scene of a fire with their emblem of office in hand, which consisted of a trum- pet painted red and white, and at the scene of action vigorously to exercise their authority. The disobedience cf orders given by them was subject to a fine imposed upon the delinquent party. Those first fire engines were rude affairs, indeed having hardly sufficient resemblance to the improved engines of the present day to suggest their use for the same purpose. They consisted of ob- long boxes, mounted on small wheels of thick, solid wood running on axle arms fastened to each corner of the box, drawn by ropes attached to the forward corners and guided by forcibly hauling the rear end around to the right or left by means of a long lever pro- jecting from the rear. The pump was furnished with two brass cylinders containing piston valves operated by levers and side bars. The pipe director stood on a raised platform over the middle of the box, and water was brought in buckets and poured into the box, to be thrown out by the pumps. Among the other duties of the "firewards" was that of forming the men present at a fire into a "lane," for supplving water to the engine. A lane was two rows of men, each extending from the source of supply to the engine for the purpose of passing buckets. Full buckets were passed along one line to the engine, and empty ones returned down the other line to the well or other source of supply. At that time the streets were not lighted, and the citizens were expected to place lights in their win- dows that overlooked the street on hearing an alarm of fire in the night. All the bells were also violently rung to give the alarm, and in point of practical result to add to the general confusion and excite- ment. In 1792 there were four engines in the town. Number 1 was housed on North Main street, opposite the First Baptist church; Number 2 at the south end of Benefit street; Number 3 at the north end of the same street, and Number 4 near what is now the corner of Weybosset and Dorrance streets. Gradually the effective force for subduing fires increased, but not perhaps in satisfactory ratio to the needs of the community. The growing want led the people to take 356 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. steps in 1822 to gain the advantage of more recent improvements and better protect themselves against the danger of fire, which with the increase of business and compact buildings was becoming more imminent. The town then appointed two of its prominent citizens, Elisha Dyer and Zachariah Allen, to obtain more efficient fire appar- atus. They contracted with a Philadelphia firm for an engine and 1,000 feet of copper riveted hose. The engine required 36 men to work it, and was a self-supplying machine, capable of drawing water from the river and discharging it on a building 1,000 feet distant, and was a great improvement over the old apparatus. This was named Hydraulion No. 1. Its efficiency was soon tested, for shortly after its arrival a fire broke out in a large stable on Westminster street, near the present location of Butler Exchange. Water was taken from the Cove, and the fire soon extinguished, greatly to the delight of the citizens and the popularity of the Hydraulion. A house for its accom- modation was erected on the north end of Exchange street, and nearly one hundred of the most respectable citizens of Providence volunteered for service in connection with it. In 183f) the department consisted of 546 men, eight hand engines, two hydraulions, eight hose carriages, fifteen stationary force pumps, two hook-and-ladder trucks, some five thousand feet of hose, and various other smaller apparatus and implements. There were then 25 firewards and six presidents of firewards. The force and equip- ment of the department was capable of delivering upon a fire in the compact part of the city 800 gallons of water per minute, in more re- mote sections 500 gallons per minute, and in the suburbs 300 gallons per minute. There was then a reservoir at Stowe'spond and another at the ravine on Federal street. To assist in conveying w T ater and delivering it upon fires in their vicinity, force pumps were stationed ready for action at different points. These were located: one at Tur- pin's brook, at the North End; one at Jenckes street; one in Congdon street; one in Magee street; one in John street; one at the corner of John and Brook streets; one at Bowen's bleaching and calendering works; one, a rotary pump, at the grist mill on Mill bridge; one on (neat bridge; one in Broad street; one at Eben Siscoe's pond; one at Providence Dyeing, Bleaching and Calendering Company's works; one at the junction of Broad and Westminster streets; one at the junction of High and Cranston streets; one in Bassett street; and one at Angell's pond. The manual force of the department was embraced in 14 compa- nies, as follows: Engine Co. No. 1, had 27 men, with John Branch as captain, and its headquarters were at the foot of Bennett's hill.Olney- ville. Engine Co. No. 2, had 26 men, with Luther Angell as captain, and was located at the junction of North Main and Stampers streets, Constitution hill. Union Engine Co. No. 3, had 41 men, Henry L. Kendall being captain, and its headquarters at the corner of Weybos- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 357 set and Dorrance streets. Gazelle Engine Co. No. 4, was composed of 22 men, with Henry D. Beckford captain. It was located on Tran- sit street, between South Main and Benefit. Phoenix Engine Co. No. 5, William L. Thornton, captain, had 34 men, its headquarters being on Summer street. Water Witch Engine Co. No. 6, of which Joseph W. Taylor was captain, had 46 men, and was located on the corner of College and Benefit streets. Engine Co. No. 7, had 24 men, with Par- don S. Pierce as captain, and was located on Fields street at Eddy's point. Hydraulion Co. No. 1, Amos D. Smith, captain, had 103 men, and was located on Hydraulion street, now Exchange street. Hy- draulion Co. No. 2, Allen Baker, captain, had 50 men, and was located by the first canal lock, where the armory of the United Train of Artil- lery now stands. The Old Engine Co. had 54 men, the captain being Philip W. Manchester. Its headquarters were at Stevens' bridge, on the present site of the American Screw Company's factory. Forcing- Pump Co. No. 1, whose duty it was to manage a certain number of the forcing pumps, had 80 men, with Albert H. Angell as captain; and they occupied a very nice house, which had a tower 27 feet high, 9x9 feet square, for drying hose, located on Middle street, near the Broad street pump. Forcing Pump Co. No. 2 had Roger W. Potter for its captain, and was composed of 54 men. Its headquarters were on the town house lot, on the corner of College and Benefit streets. Hook and Ladder Co. No. 1, had 88 men, Stanton Thurber, captain, and was also located on the corner of College and Benefit streets. Hook and Ladder Co. No. 2, Sheldon Young, captain, had 21 men, and was located on Union street. Two new companies were added to the department in 1837. These were What Cheer Engine Co. No. 8, with William Aplin, captain; and Providence Engine Co. No. 9, of which Sylvester Harris was captain. The fire department in 1842 consisted of 3 presidents of firewards, IS firewards, 600 firemen, 3 hydraulions, 9 suction engines, 2 hook and ladder carriages, 8 hose carriages, 17 forcing stationary engines, 8, 000. feet of hose, and 18 reservoirs, including large and small. In that year the city council were authorized to elect and appoint as many men to any of the different companies as they saw fit, so long as the aggregate number of 1,200 in the department was not exceeded. At the beginning of the municipal year, June 1st, 1852, the board of firewards were Joseph W. Taylor, chief, and Charles F. Robbins, William H. Sweet, AbnerH. Angell, E. J. Nightingale, Bradford C. Shaw, Samuel C. Blodgett, assistants. The department then had 12 engines, with hose carts or tenders attached to each, two hook and ladder trucks, and two stationary rotary engines. The names and location of headquarters of the companies were as follows: Eagle, No. 1, Olneyville; Niagara, No. 2, North Main street; Union, No. 3, 358 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Page street; Gazelle, No. 4, Benefit street; Fire King, No. 5, Summer street; Water Witch, No. 6, College and Benefit streets; Ocean, No. 7, Richmond street; What Cheer, No. 8, Benefit, near Transit street; Gaspee, No. 9, Carpenter street; Atlantic, No. 10, Codding street; Pioneer, No. 11, South Main street; Hydraulion, No. 1, Exchange street; Hydraulion, No. 2, old jail lot; Hook and Ladder, No. 1, Col- lege and Benefit streets; Hook and Ladder, No. 2, Richmond street; Rotary Engine Co., No. 1, steam mill, Eddy street; Rotary Engine Co., No. 2, Fletcher's mill. At this period the firewards were invested with power to suspend or disband companies, and on January 3d, 1853, they exercised that power in disbanding Hand Engine Co., No. 5, on account of a refusal of that company to do duty. The office of chief engineer was cre- ated July 11th, 1853, and Joseph W. Taylor was at that time elecced to fill the new position. October 18th, 1853, Hand Engine Co., No. 6, resigned from the department, and soon afterward Niagara En- gine Co. No. 2, was disbanded for riotous conduct. That company had engaged in a fight with Gaspee Engine Co., No. 9, at a fire on Octo- ber 11th, and to such violent action had they resorted that one Dougherty, a member of No. 9, had died from injuries received. After this a new company was formed which assumed the title Moshassuck, No. 2. Then, to avoid a duplicate of number, the de- partment changed the title of Hydraulion, No. 2, to Columbus En- gine Co., No. 12. Contentions and quarrels so frequently arose among the different companies that the city council early in 1854, in response to the earnest petitions of the department officials, authorized the organi- zation of a paid department. February 28th. 1854, the first paid company was organized. This was Hand Engine Co. No. 10, of which Abner H. Angell was foreman, and it contained 41 men. Next came Engine Co. No. 6, with 21 members and John O. Potter as foreman, organized March 1st. A nucleus of Hand Engine Co. No. 4 was formed on the same day. Also at the same time most of the old companies surrendered their keys and refused to do further vol- unteer duty. Engine Co. No. 5 was organized at once, with 31 men, and Nathaniel I. Cheney as foreman. March 2d, Engine Co. No. 12 was admitted into the service, under command of Cornelius S. Cun- liff. On the 4th Engine Co. No. 4 was organized, with 17 men and William H. Sweet as foreman. On the same day was organized Hook and Ladder Co. No. 2, with William A. Handy, foreman, and 13 men. March 6th, the department received Engine Co. No. 3, with 43 men, James C. Bradford being foreman; on the 7th Engine Co. No. 9, George F. Lawton, foreman; on the 10th Engine Co. No. 7, Bradford C. Shaw, foreman; and on the 13th Engine Go. No. 11, Thomas Philips, Jr., foreman, with 36 men. April 25th, Engine Co. No. 1, and Engine Co. No. 2, were organized, the first having 28 men, HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 359 with Thomas F. Vaughn, foreman, and the second having 38 men men with George F. Cady foreman. In 1854 a new ordinance was passed by the city council, going into effect on the first day of September. This provided that there should be a chief engineer and five assistants, and that they should constitute the Board of Engineers. The maximum number of fire- men was now reduced from 1,200 to 450. In 1850 the number actually employed was 436, and the annual expense of the department reached $44,550. A new engine for the use of Company No. 1 was purchased at a cost of $1,075. A competition trial of the different engines was held October 27th, 1856, which resulted in showing for each engine the height to which it could throw a stream, and the number of seconds in which it could play the contents of a tank holding 229 gallons of water. The records of each was as follows: No. 1,130 feet, 70 seconds; No. 2, 129 feet, 66 seconds; No. 3, 155 feet, 51 sec- onds; No. 4, 108 feet, 75 seconds; No. 5, 120 feet, 82 seconds, No. 6, 100 feet, 97 seconds; No. 7, 138 feet, but did not take the other test; No. 9, 155 feet, 44 seconds; No. 10, 160 feet, 48 seconds; No. 11, 121 feet, 52 seconds; No. 12, 135 feet, 51 seconds. In 1857 a new engine was purchased for No. 4. This was named the " John B. Chace," and it had a reputation for good service for many years. The old engine of No. 4, which had been built in 1845, was placed in reserve. A new engine was also purchased in 1857 for No. 3. In 1859 two steam fire engines were ordered, and it was decided that a permanent engineer and assistant should be employed for each of them. Steam Fire Engine Co. No. 1 was organized Sep- tember 16th, 1859, Joseph Salisbury, foreman, with Perry L. Hopkins, first engineer, and Nathaniel G. Totten, second engineer. Steam Fire Engine Co. No. 2, was organized October 1st, 1859, Henry W. Rodman, foreman, Martin V. B. Darling, first engineer, and Nathan- iel W. Kelly, second engineer. October 31st, Hand Engine Compa- nies No. 1 and No. 3 were disbanded, the engine of No. 1 being turned over to No. 6, and a new company organized for engine No. 3. November 30th, Companies 6 and 11 were disbanded and a new company was formed for Engine No. 6. March 31st, 1860, Compa- nies No. 5 and No. 12 were disbanded and their engines turned over to Companies 7 and 10. Steam Fire Engine Co. No. 3 was organized April 1st, 1860, with Oliver E. Greene, foreman. The department had thus been so much reduced in numbers that it now had employed only 278 men. The expense of maintaining it for the year was about $51,000. The apparatus consisted of three steam fire engines, seven hand engines and one hook and ladder truck. In 1860 the number of men in the force was reduced to 26S. A system of fire alarm telegraph was introduced in 1862, and in Decem- ber of that year it was extended into Olneyville. In that year the steamer No. 1 was exchanged for a new Silsby engine, at an expense 360 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. of $1,250. In July, 1863, the city council appropriated $7,000 for the purchase of a new steam fire engine, of Silsby, Wynderse & Co., of Seneca Falls, N. Y. It was placed in charge of Fire Engine Co. No. 4. Its house was on Haymarket street. A new hook and ladder truck, built by Moulton & Remington, of this city, was placed in service in the same building December 1st, 1863, in charge of Hook and Ladder Co. No. 3, of which James M. Baker was foreman. The old Hand Engine Companies No. 3 and No. 6 were disbanded Novem- ber 30th, 1863. The number in the department was now reduced to 220. In June, 1864, the old hand engine No. 9 was sold to the Wans- kuck Company, and old hand engine No. 10 to the Lonsdale Com- pany. At the beginning of 1865 Mr. Charles E. Carpenter, having obtained the right of the patentee to use the fire alarm telegraph, presented the same as a free gift to the city. In March, 1866, the city council appropriated $34,000 for new fire apparatus. Four new steam fire engines were purchased ancl four hose carts and two ladder trucks. May 28th of that year old hand engines No. 5 and 6 were sold to A. & W. Sprague. During 1866 and 1867 engine houses No. f), 6, 7 and 8 were built. Old Hand Engine Co. No. 7 was disbanded November 30th, 1866, and Steam Fire Engine Co. No. 7 was organ- ized, with Hazen B. Freeman as foreman. March 30th, 1867, Steam Fire Engine Companies No. 5, 6 and 8 were organized; Charles H. Allen, George H. Jenckes and Everett P. Osgood being appointed foremen respectively. At the same time Hook and Ladder Co. No. 2 was organized, with Obadiah Slade as foreman, and a new truck was placed in their hands. Thus a complete steam fire engine de- partment was organized, going into effect April 1st, 1867. The department now consisted of eight steam fire engines, with tenders attached, and three hook and ladder trucks, all manned by a force of 1 17 men and officers. Old hand engine No. 2 was sold soon after for $1,000. The yearly expense of maintaining the department was for several years between forty and forty-five thousand dollars. Horses at first were hired for use by the department, but about 1867 this custom was abandoned and the city purchased horses for that purpose. An incident of fatal consequences occurred Septem- ber 20th, 1870, in connection with steamer No. 6. While in service at a fire on East street, while the engine was at the corner of Benevo- lent and Cooke streets, her boiler exploded, by which the assistant engineer, John H. McLean, and a citizen named George T. Benson, received fatal injuries, and others were seriously injured. In Novem- ber, 1870, badges were adopted for members of the department, and in December of the same year the Gamewell system of fire alarm tele- graph was adopted. Two new engines were accepted March 28th, 1872, and placed in charge of Companies No. 3 and 8, on Summer and Harrison streets, HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 361 old engines No. 3 and 4 having been exchanged. Pawtuxet water was also introduced that year, a public test being made on Novem- ber 30th, 1871. Ninety-one hydrants were set, and two cisterns were built, having a capacity of about 40,000 gallons each. By the intro- duction of water with a gravity pressure less need remained for the work of the engines and fewer men were required. The force was reduced to 27 permanent and 90 call members. December 1st, 1872, Hose Co. No. 4 was organized and established on Haymarket street, George H. Bates being appointed foreman. January 1st, 1873, Hose Co. No. 9 was organized and located on Pallas street, George A. Steere being appointed foreman. Hose carts for the use of these companies were obtained from Seneca Falls, by exchange of steamer No. 8. In May, 1873, Engine Companies No. 1, 2 and 7 were dis- banded, they having been changed into hose companies. Four alarm bells and four strikers were placed in service, and the number of fire alarm boxes was increased to 65. Hose Co. No. 11, on Oakland street, was organized in 1873. The number of hydrants set had by 1874 reached 745, the number of fire alarm boxes 70, and the expense of maintaining the department a round hundred thousand dollars. Three companies were organized in 1875 — Steamer Co. No. 12, on Smith and Orms streets; Hose Co. No. 13, on Central street, and Steamer Co. No. 14 on Putnam street. The Protective Company was also placed in service February 3d, 1875. The Skinner truck was tried and accepted in the fall of 1874, and placed in charge of Hook and Ladder Co. No. 1. The number of hydrants and of fire alarm boxes, as well as the manual force of the department, was now annu- ally increasing. Hose Co. No. 15 and Hook and Ladder Co. No. 4 were organized July 1st, 1876, and located on Wickenden street. In 1880 the several engine houses were connected by telephone, and the office of fire marshal was created May 27th. The first steps were taken during this year for the formation of the Providence Veteran Firemen's As- sociation, and 75 signatures were obtained. The organization was effected January 11th, 1881, and the following officers were elected: Zachariah Allen, president; George W. Cady, George H. Jencks, Martin S. Budlong and Edward Cory, vice-presidents; Charles E. Carpenter, secretary; John P. Walker, treasurer. The association had no permanent home, but met in various places until January, 1886, when commodious quarters were fitted up at 98 Weybosset street, and dedicated on the 25th of that month. The association meets regularly on the last Tuesday evening of each month. Its presidents have been: Charles E. Carpenter, 1883, 1884; George W. Cady, 1885; George H. Jencks, 1886; Martin S. Budlong, lss7; James M. Baker, L888; Edward W. Hall, 1SS9. Two chemical engines were purchased in 1882 and placed in the service of the department; No. 1 in the house of No. 7, in Richmond 362 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. street, and No. 2 in the house of No. 6, in Benevolent street. New trucks were also purchased for Hook and Ladder Companies No. 3 and 4 and a new hose cart for Hose Co. No. 1 during the same year. The offices of deputy chief engineer and superintendent of fire alarms were created March loth, 1883. The men first elected to fill these offices were George A. Steere for the former, and Charles G. Cloudman for the latter. A casualty resulting in the loss of life oc- curred October 4th, 1883, in connection with Hook and Ladder No. 1. While the members of that company were on drill service with an apparatus known as the Skinner truck, one of the men, Alexander J. McDonald, was at the top of the ladder, a distance of 85 feet frcm the ground, when the apparatus broke, and he was precipitated to the ground, killing: him instantlv. The ill-fated truck had before capsized, and was now discarded and another purchased for the use of the company. On the 12th of March, 1885, an ordinance was approved abolishing the board of engineers and vesting the control and management of the department with the chief engineer and the joint standing com- mittee of the city government on fire department. The William H. Luther Hook and Ladder Co. No. ."> was organized April 1st, 1885, being supplied with a truck built for them by Messrs. Moulton & Son, of this city. The location of the new company was in the new station at the corner of Burnside and Public streets. The Haves Hook and Ladder Co. No. 6 was organized August 1st, 1885, receiv- ing a Hayes truck from a manufactory in Elmira, N. Y. They were assigned to quarters in the then new building at the corner of At- well's avenue and America street. On the same date Hose Co. No. !* removed from their quarters on Pallas street to the station on At- well's avenue. This company, and Hose Companies 4 and 2, were soon after supplied with the new style hose wagons built by Moulton & Son, of this city. Since 1852 the fire department has responded to more than 4,500 alarms, and has saved an incalculable amount of property from de- struction. During the year 1888 the number of fire alarms to which it responded was 385. The total loss on buildings and contents by fire during the year was $749,649.37, of which insurance reimbursed to the total amount of $398,942.01, leaving an unmitigated loss by fires amounting to $350,707.36. The losses by fires, not covered by insurance, during the seven years preceding 1 8f 8 have been as fol- lows: 1881, $72,525; 1882, $154,911; 1883, $115,253; 1884, $161,400; 1885, $56,161; 1886, $53,611; 1887, $61,567. The present composition of the fire department (1889) is as fol- lows: George A. Steere, chief engineer: Hclden O. Hill, deputy chief engineer; James M. Baker, first assistant; Leander M. Walling, second assistant; John W. Morrow, clerk. Hose Co. No. 1, James M. Curtis, Jr., foreman, has apparatus valued at $1,900. It occupies part of the HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 363 engine house fronting- on Exchange place. This building, composed of iron, was built in 1875 for the use of the fire department. The first story is occupied by Hose Co. No. 1, Hook and Ladder Co. No. 1 and Protective Co. No. 1. The second floor is occupied by the chief engineer for his headquarters and by the fire department for sleep- ing rooms and storage purposes. The cost of the building, with its furniture, was $25,000. Hook and Ladder Co. No. 1 , Elwyn A. Wood, foreman, has apparatus valued at $4,000. Protective Co. No. 1, C. H. Swan, foreman, was organized February 1st, 1875, and has horses and apparatus, including extinguishers, valued at $763. Hose Co. No. 2, Lewis A. Cutler, foreman, occupies a part of the Pioneer building on South Main street. It has a steam fire engine and apparatus valued at $4,812. The Pioneer Building is built of brick, two stories high, and stands on land leased by the city of the heirs of Harriot Brown. The building was purchased of the trustees of the Pioneer Fire Com- pany in 1854. The assessors' valuation on it is $4,000. Hose Co. No. 3, Oscar F. Millet, foreman, is located on Pond street, and has appar- atus valued at $2,000. The fire station which it occupies was built in 1874-5, at a cost of $6,500, and has an alarm bell upon it which cost $360. It is on a lot measuring 80 feet front and having an average depth of 80 feet, which was purchased of Edward S. Williams and Gardner T. Swarts in 1846, and is valued by the assessors at $8,553. Hose Co. No. 4, Henry R. Beehler, foreman, occupies a part of the fire station and ward room building oil Mill and North Main streets. It has apparatus, etc., to the value of $1,787. This building was erected in 1883, and is of brick, three stories on Mill street and two stories on North Main. The cost of the building, furnished, was $15,< 00, and that of the land $5,500. The lot was purchased of Melissa A. Lewis in 1882, and contains 3,550 square feet. This company formerly occu- pied a building at the junction of Bark and Mill streets. This build- ing is in the lower story still used by the fire department for storage purposes. The building is owned by the city, and was built upon a lot which was purchased of James Thurber and others in July, 1852. Steam Fire Engine Co. No. 5 has an engine valued at $3,000, and other apparatus, making an aggregate in value of $5,580. Its foreman is Isaac L. Blackmar, and its location is at the corner of North Main street and Doyle avenue. This building is of brick, and was built for a fire station in 1866. The lot upon which it stands was purchased in 1866, and enlarged by the changing of lines in 1883. The house has a bell upon it. Hose Co. No. 6, Thomas W. D. Reynolds, foreman, occupies a house on Benevolent street, near Brook street. It is a brick building, erect-ed in 1866, and stands upon land bought of Amos D. Smith the same year. It is surmounted by an alarm bell costing $450. The building is also occupied by Chemical Engine No. '2, the value of which is placed at $2,000. The total apparatus is valued at $4,705, and the assessed value of the building and lot is $3,827. Hose 364 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Co. No. 7, Horace P. Griswold, foreman, with Chemical Engine No. I, apparatus valued at $4,705, is located on Richmond street, in a fire station built of brick, two stcries high. The building", which is also occupied in part by the police department, was erected in 1866 on the Mumford lot, containing 5,808 square feet, which was purchased of Adnah Sackett in 1851. The assessors' valuation on this lot and building is $20,808. It has an alarm bell. Steamer Co. No. 8, Joseph H. Penno, foreman, is located on Harrison street in a two-story brick building erected in 1806, on land leased of the commissioners of the Dexter Donation. The assessors' valuation on the building is $20,000. ( )n the lot is also a wooden building formerly occupied as a chapel by the Pilgrim Congregational Society, and purchased of them in May, 1882, and now used for school purposes. A bell tower, formerly located on Beacon street, was removed to this lot in 1884. It contains a bell valued at $350. Hook and Ladder Co. No 2 are also located in the building. Stephen S. Shepard is foreman of this com- pany. The apparatus of the steamer company is valued at $5,555, and that of the Hook and Ladder company at $2,780. Hose Co. No. ( .», Philip W. Kelly, foreman,- occupies a part of the building at the corner of Atwell's avenue and America street. The building is used in part as an evening school. It is of brick, two stories high, and was built in 1884-5, on a lot bought of John McCusker in 1884. The quarters of the fire department are on the avenue. The cost of the building was $23,000, and of the lot $5,500. It has a handsome alarm bell, which cost $05n. The building is also occupied by Hook and Ladder Co. No. 0, of which C. J. Conner is foreman. The apparatus of this company is valued at $3,730, and that of the hose company at $1,812. Steamer Co. No. 10, Francis D. Chester, foreman, occupies the fire station on Burnside street, which was erected on land bought of Gilbert F. Robbins in 187^. The assessors' valuation on the building is about $5,000. The house has an alarm bell valued at $200. The value of steamer and apparatus is $5,44!». Hose Co. No. II, Frederick H. Field, foreman, occupies a house formerly on Public street, but which has been removed to a lot hired of Walter S. Purges on Oakland street. This does not appear to be a permanent arrangement. The apparatus of this company is valued at $l,U. The building has a fine bell, valued at $600. The apparatus of the company is valued at $1,852. Steamer Co. No. 14, William H. Glasgow, foreman, is located on Putnam street, and has engine and apparatus valued at $5,4-1-2. The house, which stands at the corner of Amherst street, is a brick structure, surmounted by a bell which cost $600. It was built in 1875 at a cost of $10,000. Hose Co. No. 15, William H. Johnson, foreman, occupies a part of Police Station No. 3, on the corner of Wickenden and Traverse streets. The house was built of brick in 1875-6, for combined police, fire and ward purposes, at a cost of more than $40,000. The lot on which it stands was purchased of the heirs of Abraham Still- well in 1872. It has a fire alarm bell, which cost $860. The build- ing is also the headquarters of Hook and Ladder Co. No. 4, of which George J. Gammell is foreman. Chemical Engine No. 3 occupies the new building on Manton avenue, on a lot purchased of the Dyerville Manufacturing Company June 2Sth, 1887. The building is provided with a bell costing $si;o, and the chemical engine and exercise wagon are valued at $1,975. Other alarm bells of the same size are stationed on Cove promenade, on Pallas street, and on the corner of Stampers and North Main streets. It will be of interest to review, even in a very brief way, some of the more important fires that have from time to time destroyed prop- erty in this city. The first fire of importance, of which history tells us, was that set by the Indians, March 30th, 1676, of which mention has already been made in connection with King Philip's war. At that time, it is said, 30 houses were burned, the most or all of which were located in the north part of the town or village, more definitely what is now the north part of the city. The first prison, located on Benefit street, near the junction with North Main, was destroyed by fire in 1705. The town and county house, which stood on the north- side of Meeting street, between Benefit and North Main, was de- stroyed by fire, together with the books of the Providence Library Company therein contained, on the evening of December 24th, 1758. The burning of the " Gaspee " in the harbor was one of the notable episodes of the fire record, though not a loss to the town, nor a disas- trous event to its property in any sense. The first destructive fire in the town after the revolution is thus described. On the 21st of January, 1801, the town was visited by fire. The alarm was given at about 10 o'clock in the forenoon. The fire commenced in the loft of John Corlis' large brick store, situated on the west side of South Main street, nearly opposite the foot of Planet street. It extended along both sides of South Main street, between Nos. 101 and 143, and was not subdued until about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, after several buildings had been blown up and pulled down in front of it. Sixteen dwelling houses, ten stores and eleven outbuildings, valued altogether at $300,000, were destroyed 366 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. by the fire. The weather was intensely cold, and the wind was high. A greater amount of property was destroyed at that time than had ever been destroyed before at any one conflagration in the town, and the event was for many years known as " the great fire." In conse- quence of the heavy loss on bonded merchandise contained in the burned storehouses, ccngress allowed a remission of duties, a very unusual favor. The First Congregational church, on the corner of Benefit and Benevolent streets, was destroyed by fire on the morning of June 14th, 1814. It was a wooden structure, and is said to have been the first church burned in the town. A fire occurred on the evening of May 24th, 1825, which destroyed the First Universalist church, which stood at the corner of Westminster and Union streets, and several other buildings. At a fire which occurred in South Main street, in 1S29, a fireman, Mr. Joshua Weaver, was killed by a falling rafter. The need of a fund for the relief of injured firemen and their fami- lies, which was awakened by this event, led to the formation of the Providence Association of Firemen for Mutual Assistance, an organ- ization which was chartered by the legislature in October of that year. The leaders in its organization were Amasa Manton, Benja- min Dyer, Jr., and Zachariah Allen. This association remains to the present time and is in a flourishing condition. Its officers for 1889 were: George A. Sayer, president; Jeremiah W. Miller, vice-presi- dent; Benjamin F. Harrington, secretary; Charles H. Swan, treas- urer; Charles H. Swan, Benjamin F. Harrington and George A. Church, relief committee. In December, 1886, a large four-story hardware and paint store was destroyed by fire at a loss of about $40,000. October 25th, 1S44, the theater on Dorrance street, together with the Planetarium of Messrs. Haswell & Robinson, and other valuable works of art were destroved. The fire extended to other buildings, entailing a loss of some $35,000. A considerable fire occurred August 5th, 1851, when Cleveland's turning establishment and 14 adjoining buildings were destroyed or badly damaged. October 13th, of the same year, the Richmond Street church was burned; and December 1st Barstow & Co.'s lumber yard was destroyed. January 1.3th, 1852, the Hoppin Building was burned. The aggregate loss for the year, of which the three last mentioned were the principal ones, amounted to over $loi »,oiio. The dates and losses of several important fires occurring in subsequent years run as follows: McNeil Building, on Exchange place. October L6th, 1852, $5,000; Almy's waste house on Canal street, October 23d, $11,000; Cove Street Machine Shop, December :-51st, $7,850; fire on Eddy street, February 13th, L853, $13,800; Burr & Shaw's store, Westminster street, May 3d, $6,050; Gile's factory on Atwell's avenue, May 13th, $14,000; T. Whitaker & Son's store. North Main street, September 4th, $12,000; Arnold's Block, October 11th, HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 367 $50,500; Howard Block, October 20th, 27th and 28th, $240,000; Mason's building. Dyer street, October 18th, $8,200; lumber yard at Fox point, October 1st, 1854, $15, i>] 4; Roger Williams church on Burges street, January 5th, 1855, $28,000; India rubber works on Dorrance street, April 30th, $13,000; William R. Dean's planing mill on Dorrance street, January 12th, ls,77, $14,ooo; Hayvvard's India Rubber Works and Hope Iron Foundry, five buildings at the corner of Clifford and Eddy streets, October 29th, 1857, $85,400;* Wheeler & Elsbree's stable in rear of No. 8 North Main street, March 2d, 1858, $10,145; Howard and Phcenix blocks, November 15th, $117,850; Pike's lumber yard, South Water street, November 2d, 1859, $15,000; a quantity of cotton belonging to Tames T. Rhodes, on India street, December Dth, $13,500; Providence Dyeing, Bleaching and Calendering Compa- ny's works, in Savin street, December 6th, 1860, $34,400; Car- penter Street Iron Foundry, August 13th, 1862, $18,000; Earl P. Mason's building on Smith street, February 22d, 1863, $7, SCO; Salisbury & Cladding's on Dyer street, November Sth, 1863, $7,09C; Thomas Phillips & Co.'s building, South Main street, January 6th, 1864, $8,219; Hope Iron Foundry, February 26th, $12,850; Swarts' Hall on Pine street, April 1st, $9,000; Seekel's Hollow, about 30 buildings, September 22d, $44,500; Elm Street machine shop, April 21st, 1865, $10,000; cotton on board schooner " William Irish," at Pike's wharf, July 29th, 1865, $11,500; Matthewson & Allen's build- ing, Middle street, December 31st, $20,000; Valley Worsted Mills on Eagle street, February 2d, 186b\ $200,000; Providence Rubber Works on Dorrance street, February 9th, $10,000; American Penholder building on Dorrance street, May 19th, $8,000; Peleg W. Gardner's shop and other buildings on Weybosset street, January 5th, 1807, $8,500; Lyman Pierce & Co.'s grain store on Dyer street, October 18th, $12,(#X); Adams & Claflin's comb works, and other buildings on Pine street, March 27th, 1868, $19,300; building on the corner of Flay and Dyer streets, November 1st, 1868, $11,800; Press Company's build- ing on Dyer street, December 31st, $21,000; I. B. Mason's pork pack- ing establishment, May 25th, 1869, $15,000; Lester's tea store and other buildings on Westminster street, August 13th, $24,000; Gros- venor estate on Weybosset street, October 12th, $11,000; Lester's spice mills, and other buildings on Dorrance street, December 10th, $8,700; Clark's coal yard on Dorrance and Dyer streets, June 23d, 1870, $69,000; Brigg's planing mill on Fountain street, August 5th, $17,300; Cove Machine Shop on Gaspee street, August 11th, $13,000; Providence & Stonington Railroad Company's round house, October 2d, $50,000; Mowry & Steere's lumber yard, South Main street, November 7th, $41,000; a steamship at Fox Point wharf, January *This fire was caused by the bursting of the boiler, which was throAvn from the building some 300 feet into Page street, fatally injuring the engineer and kill- ing Ira E. Smith, who was passing on the sidewalk. 368 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 28th, 1871, $12,<>0<>; the Dunnell block, on Canal street, April 28th, L873, $27,500; the Phoenix Building, in Westminster street, June 28th, $59,000; The Providence Iron Works, on India street. July 21st, $23,000: Fifield's clothing store, on Weybosset street, December 0th, $12,000; the state prison, on Gaspee street, January 15th, 1874, $ll,o0i); Allen's Print Works, February 8d, $75,000; Dailey's planing mill, on Dyer street, June 25th, 1875, $20,000; Chapin's silk mill, on Aleppo street, Olneyville, February 23d, 1876, $12,000; American Horse Nail Works on Harrison street, February 25th, $27,000; Free- man & Francis' stable, on Pine street, May 2sth, $35,000; three dwel- ling houses on Parade street, December 1st, $16,500; John O'Con- ner's dwelling, on President avenue, December 29th, $15,000; the paper box factory of Charles W. Jenckes & Brother in Harkness court, with the Daniels & Vaughan blocks, and other buildings on Dyer, Pine and Custom House streets and Harkness court, Septem- ber 27th, ls77, aggregating a loss of nearly half a million dollars, and being one of the most destructive fires ever known in the city; Rose & Eddy's building, in Custom House street, April 13th, 1878, $10,'000; Fletcher Block, Westminster street, June 4th, $16,000; Mackee, Ed- wards & Co.'s dry goods store, on Westminster street. December 26th, L879, $19,400; the Wanskuck Mill, April 1st, 1880, $25,000; the Dyer Street Land Company's building, December -23d, $24,000; the Oriental Mill, April 25th, 1881, $25,000; Rowley's stable, corner of Dean and Fountain streets, August Kith, $23,000; Fletcher's Mill on Valley street, February 17th, 1883, $32,000; New York Store, Butler Ex- change, December 8th, $31,000; the Vaughan Block, on Custom House street, January 18th, 1884, $66,000; Norfolk & Baltimore Steam- ship Company, April 23d, $lo,ooo; Oliver Johnson & Co.'s store on Exchange street, May 26th, $13,000; Sanders, Whitford & Bartlett, grocers on Dyer street, March 5th, 1885, $12,400; Providence & Springfield Railroad Company's round house, August 20th, $11,000; the Aldrich House and other buildings on the square surrounded by Washington, Union, Fountain and Eddy streets, and bisected by Worcester street, February 15th, 1888, $206,700, of which Anson W. Aldrich, E. Winsor &Co., Burke Brothers and Billings Brothers were the principal losers. In order to review the military history of this town and city we must go back to the early years of the settlement. In the year 1<;:>4 we find the first record of the election of military officers. The sur- roundings and exigencies of the times demanded attention, in a de- cidedly practical way, to a matter of hard experience which is now regarded more as a matter of fancy, parade and recreation. At the first election of military officers to which we have alluded, and which took place on the 6th of November, Thomas Harris was chosen lieu- tenant, John Smith, ensign, and Benjamin Smith, sergeant. At the same meeting it was resolved that one man on everv farm situated HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 369 at a distance as great as one mile from the town, miofht be left at home on training days. This doubtless was for the protection of those lonely neighborhoods. In 1655 the town directed that there should be four military trainings in each year. In 1676 a garrison was established in Providence for the protection of the place against ravaging Indians. This garrison was organized under authority of the assembly, being called the King's garrison, and Arthur Fenner was appointed its captain. In 1730 the militia of the colony were divided into five regiments, and there were five companies in Provi- dence. In 1755 there i>75 men in Providence capable of bearing arms and liable to military duty, besides 4(>6 enlisted soldiers, ready to march in the expected campaign against the French on the north- ern frontier. In 1757 the militia actually started, but news of the falling back of the French arriving when they had gone as far as Smithfield, they returned. In 1774 the military of this town was called upon to go to Kent county to assist in quelling a mob in riotous progress there. They moved in accordance with the orders, but the riot had subsided before they reached the scene of action. At the outbreak of the revolutionary war Providence did not organize any companies of minute men, their places being supplied by the independent companies, which consisted of volunteers frcm the militia organized under charter of the general assembly, and pos- sessing certain privileges, among the chief of which was the right of electing their own officers, subject only to the approval of the gov- ernor or the governor and his assistants. They received their orders directly from the governor as captain general, being independent, as their name implied, of any regimental organization. An artillery company was incorporated in 1774, as the Cadet Company, which was commanded by a colonel. At the same session of the legislature a light infantry company was incorporated, and a little later a grena- dier company was formed. This was chartered in October, and in December following there were chartered two other companies, the Providence Fusileers, a company of horse, and another of artillery. In April following the fusileers and artillery were consolidated as the United Train of Artillery. In 1792 a company known as the Providence Light Dragoons was formed. This company acted as an escort to President Adams on the occasion of his visit to Providence in 1797. They also formed a part of the military escort on the observance of the obsequi.es of General Washington, in which they were joined by the Independent Volun. teers and the United Train of Artillery. They were again in the parade when President Monroe visited Providence, in 1817. In Sep- tember, 1831, the First Light Infantry, the Light Dragoons, the Cadets, the Artillery and Volunteers aided in quelling the riots which disturbed the peace of the town and pressed the necessity of a city form of government. 24 370 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. The first officers of the United Train of Artillery were: Daniel Tillinghast, colonel; Daniel Hitchcock, lieutenant colonel; John Crane, major; Levi Hall, captain; Elihu Robinson, lieutenant; Wil- liam Denison, clerk. This company formed a part of the thousand troops who went to join Washington's army at Cambridge. In the revolutionary war it did gallant service, both as heavy and field ar- tillery, and among its members were many who distinguished them- selves by special deeds of bravery. Colonel Hitchcock was person- ally thanked by Washington, after the battle of Princeton, for the bravery of the Rhode Island troops, and in many other battles they performed important and conspicuous service. Colonel Robert Tay- lor succeeded in command of the company in 1795, and he was fol- lowed by Colonel Nathan Fisher in 1796. The latter was succeeded by Colonel John Carlile in 1802, and he was followed by Colonel James Burr, who was in command of the company during the war of 1812. Here again the company proved its mettle, demonstrating its patriotic spirit by prompt response to the call of the country. It was active in its exertions in building fortifications for the defense of Providence, and old Fort Independence at Field's point and the works on Fort hill for many years attested to its labors. At that time the legislature allowed the amendment of the charter of the company so as to enlarge the limit of its membership to 1T>0, exclusive of its officers. Its successive commanders from that time to the present have been: Colonels John Andrews, 1815-19; Thomas Chace, 1820-22; Gardiner Vaughan, 1823; Bradford Hodges, 1S24 6; Christy Potter, L827-8; John Hopkins, 182i>; John Fisher, 1830; William Blanding, L831; Alvers Benson, ls32; Sylvester Hymes, "1833-4; Elhanan Mar- tin, 1835-7; Thomas J. Griffin, 1838; Westcott Handy, 1839; William B. Cranston, 1840-41; George W. Bennett, 1842; Bradford Hodges, 1M:'.; William G. Mereweather, 1*44-6; Christopher Blanding, 1847-9; Nicholas Van Slyck, 1860-69; Charles D. Jillson, 1869-70; Harry Allen, 187<) 71; Oscar Lapham, 1872-4; William E. Clarke, 1874-7; Edwin R. Holden (Major), 1878-81; Frank G. Allen, 1881-3; Cyrus M. Van Slyck, 1884 to the present. The company was represented by several of its members in the Mexican war, though as a company it did not participate in that struggle. When the war of the rebellion broke out it responded to the president's call for troops, and became Company B, 1st R. I. De- tached Militia. Subsequently many of its members entered the ser- vice in the 2d R. I. Volunteers and in Company E of the 3d R. I. Regiment. Its members distinguished themselves for military prowess, discipline and heroism on many a southern battle-field. After the war its depleted ranks were filled up from the Burnside Zouaves, and that name was given to the company, but later the old name was restored. The company was originally organized as a skeleton regiment, with both field and company officers, but in 1872 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 371 it was reorganized as a battalion, and its charter was amended to permit the formation of ten companies. The company has several times made excursions to other cities, notably to Philadelphia in 1871, and again in 1876, when it took part in the grand parade at the centennial opening ceremonies. It has always maintained a high standard of discipline, and in equipment and drill it has been noted •for its excellence. The 1st Light Infantry Regiment grew out of a literary organiza- tion known as the Greene Association. The meetings of that asso- ciation were held in the Hamilton building, which stood on the site of the later Atlantic building, and in their room the military com- pany held its preliminary meetings. The first was held April 21st, 1818, and in May the legislature granted a charter to the company, limiting its membership to 100. As the names of its original incor- porators will be of increasing interest to future readers, we give them in full. They were Job Angell, Stephen K. Rathbone, John Padel- ford, John Hartshorn, William P. Rathbone. Richard C. Martin, Cary Dunn, Job Carpenter, 2d. Caleb Westcott, Jr., Stephen P. Richardson, William Weeden, Orville Mann, J. G. Gladding, William Field, Jr., Arlon Mann, Samuel S. Young, Charles Derby, N. G. Sumner, S. C. Hoyle, John A. Peck, Benjamin F. Taylor, Benjamin Clifford, Jr., William Church, Jr., Jacob P. Thurber, Samuel Palmer, John C. Cady, Samuel Davis, Joseph G. Metcalf, Ebenezer P. Brown, Edwin H. Har- ris, Elisha Manton, Joseph Armstrong, Isaac H. Cady, Lawson D. Maynard, Gershom Jones, John W. Oldham, Pardon Miller, Israel H. Day, John J. Stinson, J. Bassett Nichols, Stanton Bebee, William H. Hale, Henry Pearce, George W. Backus, James Temple and Samuel M. Taber. The charter allowed the company to choose its own offi- cers. The first officers elected were as follows: Job Angell, captain; Stephen K. Rathbone, first lieutenant; John Padelford, second lieu- tenant; John Hartshorn, ensign. A uniform was adopted, which consisted of a high leather hat, with high front of leather and brass, citizens' common blue dress coat with brass bell buttons, white trous- ers and gaiter boots reaching to the knee. The 1st Light Infantry became the right flank company of the '2d Regiment of the state militia. They made their first public ap- pearance on the 1th of July, and were highly commended for their pro- ficiency in tactics. The first escort duty performed by them was at the college commencement in the autumn of 1818, when they acted as escort to the college students. In 1821 the company gave its first reception, taking part in receiving a company of cadets from West Point. New ideas were obtained from the cadets, and this company adopting their drill service, were soon as proficient in it as they were. In ls-2'2 a change was made in their uniform, a military coat, with plumed cap, being adopted. In 1824 an armory was built, funds being- raised by subscriptions to five dollar shares in its stock. It was a 372 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. small building, crude in its finish, and stood on Benefit street, oppo- site the Mansion House. In August of this year they had the honor of greeting Lafayette. In March, 1825, a new stand of arms was ob- tained, $350 being raised for that purpose. The first actual military service in which they took part was at the Olney Stieet riots of 1831. On that occasion Captain Shaw, who was then in command, ordered out the company on Friday night at 11 o'clock, and 22 men appeared. With Governor Arnold and the sheriff they proceeded to the scene of the mob, each man being supplied with two blank and two ball cartridges. It was expected that the mob would disperse at this show of arms, but they would not, and the authorities, reluctant to precipi- tate a conflict and bloodshed, ordered the militia back to their armory. Thirteen of them had been injured by the missiles thrown at them by the rioters. On the next night, with other companies, they were again ordered out by the governor. They marched to Smith's hill, the infantry being placed upon the right of the bridge. Then followed the conflict, Captain Shaw giving the order to fire, when four men were killed, and the mob was thus finally quieted. This is said to have been the first instance in the United States where the militia were called upon to quell a riot in a time of peace. The second armory was built in 1839, at a cost of $3,000. It is still standing on its original site, Meeting street, west of Benefit. In the time of the Dorr excitement this company gained popularity by being in sympathy, as to action at least, with the conservative forces. They marched to the bloodless conquest of Chepachet, and triumphantly returned to Providence with other troops. In October of the year 1*42, a new uniform was adopted, having red coats, with black trou- sers striped with white. In ls44 it was endowed, with other charter companies, by the legislature with full regimental titles for its officers. In 1860 the company visited Cleveland, Ohio, to take part in the anniversary of the battle of Lake Erie. On their return one of the chime bells of Grace church was purchased and presented, on condition that the chimes should always ring on the loth of Septem- ber, the anniversary of Commodore Perry's victory. The bell, in- scribed with the name of the company, still hangs in the group and is still rung as provided. When, in 1861, the call was made for troops to enter the service of the country for three months, the 1st Light Infantry Company went out in two companies, Company C under Captain W. W. Brown, and Company L) under Captain N. W. Brown. The company now gave up the regimental titles of its officers. While the young men were absent at the seat of war, the old members organized at home and elected Captain Joseph W. Taylor as colonel. In August, 1861, the companies returned, and again Captain W. W. Brown became the commandant. In 1*72 the full regimental organization of the com- pany was effected by an act of the legislature. The organization HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 373 went to Philadelphia in lsT6, and in the parade there it was honored with a position in the right of line in the Centennial Legion. The event of most conspicuous importance in its history during late years was the abandonment of the old Infantry Building on Dorrance street for the new armory on South Main street, in 1880. This handsome building was erected in 1879, by an association organized for the pur- pose. Its location is 116 South Main street. It is built of brick, with olive stone trimmings, and is capped by a tower. Its cost was about $60,000, and its dedication was celebrated by a grand fair, the pro- ceeds of which were devoted to furnishing- the rooms. The ground floor of the building is divided into stores, and on the second and third floors are business rooms, ten company rooms, a supper room and the veterans' room. In the rear is the Infantry Hall, which is 120 by 75 feet in area, with a gallery on three sides, and having a seating capacity of over 2,000. The fourth story contains the armory, officers' room, club room, and the library and reading room. The roll of the 1st Light Infantry since its beginning has received upward of 1,K00 names. At all times there has been the full comple- ment of men, officers, equipments and uniforms for duty. Every commanding officer, captain or colonel, has been promoted from the ranks. Its career, socially considered, has also been a brilliant one. Perhaps no military organization in the country has more frequently played the part of guest or entertainer than this. The 1st Light In- fantry Veteran Association, an organization growing out of this, had its beginning June 3d, 1869. Every man who has been a member of the regiment for five years is entitled to membership. More than 400 veterans now belong to the association. From the beginning to the present time the following persons have been in command of the 1st Light Infantry: Captain Job Angell, 1818-20; Stephen K. Rath- bone, 1820-6; John J. Stimpson, 1826-9; William L. Field, 1829-30; James Shaw, 1830-5; William W. Brown, 1835-58 (title changed to colonel in 1S44); Colonel N. W. Brown, 1858; Colonel W. W. Brown, returned 1858-61; Captain Joseph W. Taylor, a few months in 1861; Captain W. W. Brown, 1S61-7; Charles R. Dennis, 1SU7-74 (colonel from L872); Colonel R. H. I. Goddard, 1S74-83; Major William H. Thornton, 1883-6; and as colonel from 1SS6 to the present time. The Providence Marine Corps of Artillery had its origin in the Providence Marine Society; hence all its officers and most of its mem- bers were at first members of that society, and practical seamen. The organization was effected under its charter in 1801, with a lieu- tenant colonel, two majors, one captain and two lieutenants. The corps was armed originally with two heavy iron cannon, which were drawn by horses. The men marched on either side and carried short heavy swords. Subsequently brass field pieces were used in place of the iron cannon, but in other respects their armament and drill were not materiallv changed until after the Dorr war, in which 374 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. the organization took an active part in defense of the established government. At that time their equipment was scarlet caps, trimmed with brass, black fountain plumes, with scarlet tips, blue coats trimmed with scarlet, scarlet epaulettes, white pantaloons, black belts and cartridge boxes. In May, 1842, the charter was amended so as to remove all restrictions in regard to the connection with the old Marine Society, so that its members and officers were henceforth drawn from all classes. In 1S4?) the Marines accepted the provisions of a militia law then passed by the legislature providing for the organization of skeleton regiments, and its officers became a colonel, lieutenant colonel, major, captain and lieutenant, with a full staff. This continued until the repeal of that law in 1862, when the corps fell back again upon its charter. May 12th, 1848, it paraded for the first time as a light bat- tery of four guns, under Colonel Walter C. Simmons, Sr., on the oc- casion of the funeral of Major John R. Vinton, who had been killed in Mexico and whose remains were then interred at Swan Point Cemetery. This was then the only battery of "flying artillery" in the United States outside of the regular army. It is claimed with commendable pride that this corps is the progenitor of all others of the kind in the eastern part of the United States. In 1852, under command of the late Joseph P. Balch, the Marines made an excur- sion of a week to Boston, where they encamped on the Common. Their exercises while there excited so much admiration and enthusi- asm that a similar company was immediately organized in that city, and in a few weeks the officers of the first battery of light artillery that ever existed in Massachusetts militia came to Providence to be drilled by Colonel Balch and his officers in the arsenal on Benefit street. Thus the Marine Artillery is the mother of all the Massa- chusetts batteries, as well as those of Rhode Island. On the accession of Hon. William Sprague to the command of the corps its capability was increased and it was made a six-gun battery, with complete equipment to correspond. The finest exhibition ever made by it on parade was the complimentary reception tendered Colonel Sprague on his return from Europe, January 24th. 1860, just before his election as governor of the state. On that occasion it numbered 1<>5 men and 73 horses. On the breaking out of the rebellion the Marines started for Washington as a company of 142 men, under command of Captain Charles H. Tompkins, leaving their armory on the afternoon of April 18th, L861. They were the second command to start for the defense of the national capital, the 13th Massachusetts having started the day before. This service was for three months, and again in 1862 the Marines entered the field for a like term, this time under the command of Captain Edwin C. Gallup. Again, in the summer of 1863 the corps performed coast guard service at "the Bonnet," HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 375 entrance of West Passage, for a month. It was then under its state organization, Edwin C. Gallup serving as lieutenant colonel commanding. Its arsenal was a recruiting station in the time of the war, and so the corps was associated with the formation of the Light Artillery Regiment, and the ?>d Regiment Heavy Artillery, both of which went hence to the front, the armory of the Marines thus be- coming the starting point for 2,262 men and 62 officers. Of men be- longing to the Marine Artillery previous to entering the national service 47 held commissions varying from that of second lieutenant to brevet brigadier general in the three several arms as well as in the staff corps. Among these should be mentioned General Charles H. Tompkins, chief of artillery of the 6th Corps; General John G. Hazard, chief of the 2d Corps; Lieutenant Colonel John Albert Monroe, chief of the 2d and 9th Corps; Lieutenant Colonel William H. Reynolds, of the 1st R. I. Light Artillery; Colonel Henry T. Sis- son, of the 5th R. I. Volunteers; Colonel George L. Andrews, of the Regulars; Colonel Joseph Andrews, of an Iowa regiment; Colonel Charles T. Robbins, of the 9th R. I. Volunteers; and Brevet Briga- dier General Joseph P. Balch, already mentioned. Besides Governor Sprague's chief officers, other former members of the Marines were Adjutant General Edward C. Mauran; Quartermaster General Lyman B. Frieze, Paymaster General Jabez C. Knight, and even General Burnside himself. For about ten years after the close of the rebellion the Marine Artillery maintained its independent character, receiving orders from the governor alone. On the ll'th of April, 1875, however, it relinquished this exclusiveness and accepted the provisions of the state militia law, which it has ever since continued faithfully to observe. Its headquarters are at the arsenal on Benefit street, and its commander is Lieutenant Colonel John A. Russell. Among those who have faithfully served the Marine Artillery in their day and generation may be mentioned the late Mayors William M. Rodman and Thomas A. Doyle, Chief Justices William R. Staples and Samuel Ames, Governor Seth Padelford, Senator Henry B. Anthony and Governor Henry Lippitt. The Veteran Association of the Marine Corps of Artillery was organized January 21st, 1S74. Its objects are to afford opportunities for the social re-union of those who have been associated in the scenes and labors of the corps, to revive pleasant memories of the past, to preserve the fellow sympathy between comrades, and to give the active corps the benefit of their interest, influence and strength. It numbers about one hundred and fifty members. William Millen is its present colonel; Joseph H. Fanning, lieutenant colonel; William R. Arnold, major; E. Perry Butts, captain; James S. Davis, first lieu- tenant; Amos M. Hawkins, second lieutenant; George B. Peck, adju- tant; Reverend Frederic Denison, chaplain; Samuel W. Peckham, 376 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. judge advocate, and Ellery C. Davis, secretary, treasurer and clerk. The Mechanics' Rifles were chartered in October, ls54. The charter members were: William G. Pettis, George T. Dexter, James Seamans, Eben B. Cole, Laban Tift, Thomas Bull, George O. Gorton, James S. Hudson, William Whitaker, Samuel Brightman, Benjamin Himes, George D. Cole, Abiel L. Leonard, Joseph Dudley, Daniel Mathewson, Edward A.Luther, Edwin G.Luther, N. G.Totten, James Houghton, Charles H. Snow, L. H. Tillinghast, Albert C. G. Smith, Andrew J. Billings, Charles Bowers, William N. Rounds, William H. Sherman, Henry B. Franklin, William B. Spooner, Allen Hawkes, George B. White, Ezra Aylsworth, George A. Williams, Benjamin F. Hancock, Mumford Read, Erastus C. Eldridge, David R. Sherman, William H. Tanner, Robert S. Brownell and William Talbot. It was originally chartered as a company and had a captain and three lieutenants. The first commander was Lieutenant W.G. Pettis. The uniform was a dark blue frock coat, with green trimmings, light blue pants, with a fine green cord as stripe, black hat, with green pompon. A white cross belt was worn, upon the breastplate of which were the letters " M. R.," and for arms the old Austrian rifle was carried, with a sabre bayonet. In January, 1856, the charter was amended, permitting them to have regimental officers. In April, 1855, John S. Slocum was elected captain, and in the following April he was elected colonel. He remained in this position till September, LS58. Colonel Thomas F. Vaughn succeeded him at that time, hold- ing till April, 1859, when Henry T. Sisson was elected colonel. We do not know how long he continued in command, but in January, 1 si; l, Morris B. Morgan appears in command as lieutenant colonel. At that time the Rifles were organized as a battalion of three com- panies, A, B and C, their captains respectively being David A. Pelou- bet, A. G. Bates and Charles W. H. Day. During the year Lieuten- ant Colonel Morgan was elected colonel. During the years of the war the battalion was broken up for the time, by the enlistments of its members in different sections of the national service. A Home Guard was organized to preserve somewhat its identity, and of this Jonathan M. Wheeler, William T. Lewis and Stephen C.Arnold were placed successively in command, the latter resigning in December, L868. He was succeeded by Charles H. Scott, Colonel Harvey and John Worden. At the January session of the legislature in 1870 the name of this organization was changed to the Slocum Light Guard, which has since been preserved. A new uniform of dark blue swallow-tail coats and light blue pants, both having white trimmings, was adopted, and muskets of the old Springfield pattern were taken. Succeeding offi- cers in command were: Colonel D. A. Dolan, lsTO; Lieutenant Colonel James H. Smith, April, 1s7l> ; Colonel Stephen C. Arnold, April, 1 s 7 : ', : Colonel B. P. Swarts, !>;+; Colonel W. B. W. Hallett, April, 1877; HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 377 Colonel Swarts, 1879; Colonel B. McSoley, 1883; Colonel J. P. H. Wil- bur, 1885. On receiving its charter it was attached to the 2d Brigade, and known as Company B, of the 4th Battalion. On the reorganiza- tion of the militia in 1879, under the present brigade system, the 4th Battalion, Companies B and D, were transferred to the 2d Battalion and designated as Companies E and D. The first armory of the corps was on Page street, in a building originally used as a fire station. Later they were quartered in the hall over the engine station at the corner of Benefit and College streets. From there they moved to the Anthony building on Ex- change place, and then to the Reynolds building on Weybosset street, and in 1875 they occupied their present quarters at the corner of Broad and Byron streets, which is one of the most convenient and well appointed armories in the city. The company has attained a high order of discipline and proficiency, and ranks among the best drilled in the state. The Providence Horse Guards was organized in September, 1>42, after the close of the Dorr war. It was chartered by the assembly in October, and was for many years the only cavalry company in the state. Among the charter members were Almon D. Hodges, George W. Hallett, Samuel G. Arnold, William W. Hoppin, John Giles, Moses B. Ives, John A. Wadsworth and Thomas J. Stead. The num- ber of members was limited by the charter to 200 men, exclusive of the officers. The captain, lieutenants and adjutant were commis- sioned by the governor and engaged like the officers of the militia. Its first officers were: Almon D. Hodges, captain; George W. Hallett, first lieutenant; Samuel G. Arnold, second lieutenant; William W. Hoppin, third lieutenant; John Giles, fourth lieutenant, and John A. Wadsworth, adjutant. It soon became a most efficient and thoroughly drilled cavalry company, but after a few years the interest waned, and the organization became extinct. In 1S61, however, when the bugles of war were sounding throughout the land, the organization was renewed, the charter being revived. It now received a regi- mental form; George W. Hallett was elected colonel, H. L. Kendall lieutenant colonel, Albert S. Gallup major, Robert Manton captain, Royal C. Taft lieutenant, T. L. Dunnell paymaster, Usher Parsons surgeon, Washington Hoppin assistant surgeon. The command was composed of wealthy and prominent members of the community. In its ranks were to be found such men as Alexander Duncan, Moses B. Ives and Augustus Bourne. The uniform then adopted was blue frock coat and dark blue pantaloons, with yellow trimmings on all, and high crowned felt hat bearing black ostrich plumes and orna- ments. The 1st R. I. Cavalry was composed of members of the Horse Guards consolidated with New Hampshire cavalrymen. The training which the members of the Horse Guards had received pre- pared them to become good and efficient officers, and they distin- 378 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. guished themselves on many a bloody field in the arena of the war; Antietam, Kelly's Ford and other familiar battle records having honorable remembrances of them. While the war was in progress the organization at home was kept up, and was constantly preparing others for active duty. In September, 1862, the Guards were detailed for special duty under Lieutenant Colonel Albert S. Gallup, guarding the United States General Hospital at Portsmouth Grove. They were sworn into the United States service for this, and received many com- plimentary notices for the excellent manner in which they performed their duties. During the time of the great draft riots in New York in July, 1863, they were on guard duty in this city three days and nights, to be ready to check any outburst of the riotous element that might be encouraged here by the ill-starred example given in that city. After the war the interest in the organization again declined, but a sufficient number of names on the roster were maintained, and enough attention was given to the organization to hold the charter until 1870, when a new organization was effected with a new lease of life and energy, inspired by the enthusiasm and activity of Colonel Frederick Miller, its commander. In a short time then two com- panies of 50 men each were formed and new uniforms were procured. They consisted of red frock coats with short skirts and blue, yellow and gold trimmings, light blue pantaloons with broad yellow stripes, and an Austrian metal helmet, mounted with an eagle's head and a flowing white horsehair plume. The officers then elected were: Frederick Miller, colonel; T. Lippitt Snow, lieutenant colonel; Stephen Brownell, major; Charles F. Taylor, adjutant; Sylvanus Burgess, quartermaster; Charles A. Hubbard, paymaster; George B. Earle, commissary, and Thomas H. Perry, surgeon. Officers elected for Troop A were: Augustus O. Bourne, captain: James B. Paine, first lieutenant, and Edwin Dean, second lieutenant. The officers of Troop B were: Charles H. Sprague, captain; John H. Joslin, first lieutenant, and Josiah A. King, second lieutenant. Henceforward the command prospered. Colonel Miller was appointed brigadier general of the Second Brigade, March 27th, 1*74, upon which he re- signed his position in the Horse Guards, and J. Lippitt Snow was elected colonel. When the state militia law was revised, in 1875, the Providence Horse Guards and the Pawtucket Horse Guards were consolidated in the 1st Battalion of Cavalry. Of this battalion J. Lippitt Snow was made colonel; John W. Leckie, of the Pawtucket company, lieuten- ant colonel; and Henry V. A. Joslin, major. In ls7i>, when the militia was again reorganized, the battalion of cavalry was reduced to two companies. Company A, of Providence, was disbanded, and the of- fices of colonel and lieutenant colonel were abolished. Major Joslin commanded the battalion until August 19th, when he resigned. He HISTORY OF FROVIDENCE COUNTY. 379 was succeeded by Major George N. Bliss, who served three years, and was succeeded by Major Alexander Strauss, who still retains the command. Other field and line officers at the present time are: Thomas Child, adjutant; George S. Tingley, quartermaster; Hobart L. Gates, paymaster; Ferdinand Bray, commissary; Joseph L. Wool- ley, chaplain. Company A: Edward T. Jones, captain; James Allen- son, first lieutenant; Charles Allenson, second lieutenant. Company B: Edward M. Clarke, captain; William A. Maynard, first lieutenant. During the early years of the organization the company had no armory, but used various halls and the armory of the Marine Artil- lery. From 1863 to 1865 they occupied the old armory of the 1st Light Infantry, on Meeting street. They then removed to Westmin- ster Hall, on Westminster street. Previous to 1863 all the uniforms and equipments were the property of the company, and all expenses were paid by the members. At that time the state issued horse equipments, and in 1865 clothing was issued by the general govern- ment. The uniforms and equipments thus obtained were retained until the revival of the organization in 1 sl<). The Burnside National Guards, R. I. Militia, a command of colored men, which grew out of the remembrances of the war, was organized in Richmond Hall, on High street, August 14th, lsc.7. Two compa- nies of infantry were at that time formed, which were afterward at- tached to the 2d Brigade, R. I. Militia. The first officers of the Burn- side National Guards were: Moses F. Brown, major; George H. Black, adjutant; John H. Creighton, quartermaster; Ezra J.Morris, paymas- ter; Jerome Morgan, sergeant major; Reverend Thomas A. Davis, chaplain. CompanyA: John H. Munroe, captain; William Scott, first lieutenant; William Johnson, second lieutenant. Company B: Zebe- dee Howland, captain; Leonard G. Phenix, first lieutenant; Thomas Brinn, second lieutenant. When first organized the state furnished them with uniforms the same as those worn by the United States army, and they were armed with Springfield muzzle-loading rifles. On their first public parade, at the annual muster of the 2d Brigade, October 11th, 18<>7, they displayed such proficiency in performing the various evolutions of the drill service as to attract the attention and admiration of all spectators. A few days later they took part in the grand reception given to General Phil. Sheridan, in this city, Octo- ber 23d. In December another company was added to the battalion, known as Company C, and officered as follows: Charles C. Johnson, captain; Daniel Perry, first lieutenant; William A. Harris, second lieutenant. In 1870 the battalion purchased an independent uniform, consist- ing of dark blue dress coats, trimmed with light blue and gold; light blue trousers, with dark blue stripe. This was worn until the adop- tion of the present state uniform. Since its formation the battalion has taken part in nearly every important military display in the city 380 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. and state. It has occupied as armories Richmond Hall, the old In- fantry Armory on Meeting street, a hall in the Phoenix Building on Westminster street, the hall at 87 Canal street, and a hall in the third story of the building at the corner of Winter and Cranston streets. In 1S74 the Burnside Guards, of Newport, were attached to the battalion, as Company D, and the name of the battalion was changed to the 6th, of Infantry, and attached to the 1st Brigade. In 1879 the 4th Battalion was formed by disbanding Company D, and consolidat- ing the other three companies into two, known as Companies A and B. In 1887 these were again changed in title to the 1st and 2d Sepa- rate Companies of Infantry, by which they are now designated. The officers in command of the Burnside National Guards have success- ively been: Major Moses F. Brown, 1867-9; Major Zebedee Howland, 1870-1,1873; Major George Black, 1872. Of 6th Battalion: Colonel John H. Munroe, 1874-7; Colonel Lewis Kenegee, 1878. Of 4th Bat- talion, Major Albert E. Smith, 1879-82; Major George T.Smith, 1883- <■>. Of 1st vSeparate Company: Captain William H. Beckett, 1887-8; Captain Robert W. Blount, 1889. Of the 2d Separate Company: Cap- tain Stephen J. West, 1887-8; Captain John H. Frazer, 1889. The Meagher Guards, an organization of high repute for excel- lence of discipline, equipment and action, was organized in the armory of the Mechanics' Rifles, on Exchange place, Tuesday evening, May 5th, 1865. The promoters of this organization were veterans who had but recently returned from the war. The name was adopted as a compliment to General Thomas Francis Meagher. The company received official recognition very soon after its organi- zation. The first captain was James Moran. He resigning in August of the same year, Michael Costello succeeded. He resigned April 18th, L866, and Edward A. Moran was elected captain. He served until April 14th, 1874, when he resigned. He was followed by James H. McGann, whose term of service extended to December, of the same year. James E. Sullivan became captain December 1st. 1874, and continued till May 30th, 1875, when Peter McHugh received his commission as captain, continuing till July 24th, 1876. Captain Thomas H. Powers succeeded on the last mentioned date, and served until June 9th, 1885, when he resigned. Bernard Hackett took command next, and he still holds the position. Other officers of the company are Robert H. Ormsbee, first lieutenant; John Kelly, second lieutenant. The company is officially known as Company E, of the 2d Regiment of Infantry. It formerly was one of the companies forming the old battalion known as the Rhcde Island Guards, and when the militia was reorganized in 1879, it became Company A, of the 5th Battalion of Infantry, and so con- tinued until about 1887, when the present designation was given it. The Meagher Guards at first occupied the armory of the Mechan- ics' Rifles, and afterward the Hawkins Hall on Canal street; a hall HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 381 on Weybosset street, opposite the post office; a hall in the Harring- ton Opera House building; a hall in H. B. Aylsworth's building on North Main street; the " Meal Chest " on Canal street; Cooney's Hall on the same street; Hennessey's Hall on the same street; Hope Hall in Young & Lyon's building on North Main street; and then the old infantry armory on Dorrance street. Besides many other occa- sions of note on which the Meagher Guards have paraded in public or played the part of host or guest, they participated in the parade at the inauguration of President Cleveland, March 4th, L885, leaving this city Monday evening, March 2d, and arriving on their return, Saturday morning, ^arch Tth. On the loth of July, 1869, a meeting was held to consider the or- ganization of an independent military company by a number of young Irish-Americans. A few weeks later the organization was completed. The first captain was Jeremiah Costine; William McPhearson, first lieutenant; and James Campbell, second lieutenant. This company was entirely independent, receiving no state aid for a number of years, but supplying itself with uniforms, equipments and other requisites by means of its own funds. Captain Costine being elected colonel of the battalion of Rhode Island Guards in 1*72, First Lieu- tenant McPhearson was promoted to the command of this company. Remaining in the position until July, 1879, he was succeeded by Cap- tain John J. Dwyer. The latter remained in command of the com- pany until July, 1KS2, when he resigned, and Captain McPhearson was again elected. He continued in that position till 1887, when he was succeeded by Thomas H. Donahue, who remains to the present time. The lieutenants of the company are William P. Dillon, first, and Daniel J. Dwyer, second. This company was for several years independent, being known as the Wolfe Tone Guards. In 1876 they became a part of the state militia in the Battalion Rhode Island Guards. They were designated as Company F, 5th Battalion of In- fantry, but in 1879 this designation was changed to Ccmpary B, of the same battalion, and in 1887 to Company F, of the 2d Regiment of Infantry. During the greater part of its history this company has occupied the old Assembly Rooms in Arnold Block on North Main street as its armory. The Emmett Guards are one of the prominent Irish-American companies of the city and state. The organization had its begin- nings in a meeting held in the engine house on Page street, April 20th, ISC) 1 .). This first organization was an independent corps, which adopted the name Emmett Zouaves. About 1870 the name was changed to Emmett Guards, the company then being designated in the militia as Company D, Battalion of Rhode Island Guards. Cap- tain William H. Grimes was elected in 1871, and he was succeeded in 1S72 by Captain John Revens. In October, 1873, James E. Curran was elected captain, and he retained the office until his death, in :j82 history of providence county. L876. In May, 1877, Captain John McElroy assumed command, and in July, 1884, he was succeeded by Anthony Mungiven. In 1887 the organization became Company H, of the 2d Regiment of Infan- try. Captain Mungiven remained in command until 1888. The officers on the roster for 1889 were: Peter A. Sweeney, captain; Edward H. Conway, first lieutenant; John A. Gasperry, second lieu- tenant. The first armory of this company was in the Harrington Opera House building, from which it removed to the old market building at the junction of High and Broad streets. The old Assembly Rooms in the Arnold Block on North Main street were their next armory. From there they removed to the hall in the building 98 Weybosset street, and thence to the historic Academy of Music, in the Phoenix Building on Westminster street, where they found themselves in possession of the best drill hall occupied by any organization in the brigade. CHAPTER XIII. PROVIDENCE CITY— A GENERAL RETROSPECT. Growth as Shown by Directories. — Some Old Residents. — Personal Reminiscences of Former Old Residents. — The General Appearance of the Town a Century Ago. — Customs of that Time. — Roads and Mails. — Early Stages. — Packet Lines. — Cold Winter of 1779-80.— The " Dark Day " of 1780.— Town Action Forbidding Smoking in the Streets. — Street Improvement. — Origin of Street Names. — Part of the City Site Reclaimed from the Water. — Comparative View of the City in 1846. — Growth during the last Quarter Century. — Streets and Bridges. — Salubrity of Site. — City Expenses. — The Brook Street District.— Vital Statistics. — Building Progress. — Street Ligbting. IT is of much interest to one at all inclined to review the past to look at the various means by which the growth of the city may be observed in the comparison of its condition at different periods. Various means fordoing this are afforded, and though they are more or less fragmentary and incomplete, yet it will afford in. the main a fair understanding of the progress of the city to notice seme of them that are accessible. One of the most definite and compre- hensive pictures of the growth of the city may be seen in the growth of the directory from time to time, since the first one was published in L824. At the date mentioned the houses in the most important streets had just been numbered, and boards had just been placed on most of the principal streets to indicate their names. Providence then contained an estimated population of about 15,000, and the num- ber of names in the directory was 2,958, without counting the names of colored inhabitants. The names of that race, though there were about 1,400 of them residing here, were excluded from the directory until 1832, and then they were named in a separate list. This ar- rangement was continued until 1847, when they were merged in the body of the book, no distinction being made between them and the names of white people. Thus the directory incidentally gave expres- sion to the prejudices then existing, and afterward marked the gradual change in public sentiment in respect to the question of race and color. The first directory was published by Messrs. Brown & Danforth. At that time a large proportion of the business interests of the towm were located on the east side of the river, principally on North and South Main streets, North Water (now Canal street), South Water street, Market Square, and what was then known as "Cheap- side," now a part of North Main street. The business center on the 384 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. west side of the river was Weybosset, Broad and Westminster streets, only a part of the latter, and Westminster row. The directory for 1884 contained the names of 21 old inhabitants whose names also appeared in the directory of 1824, a period of 60 years being thus covered by them. Through the enterprise and antiquarian interest of Messrs. Sampson, Murdoch & Co., the present directory publishers, we are enabled to m.me them and to give, in connection with each, the year and date of his birth. Some have since died, and the date of their death is also given. Resolved Wat- erman, 1787, died July 8th, 1886; Anthony B. Arnold, 1791, died Oc- tober 10th, 1884; George Burr, 1792, died February 16th, 1886; George W. Bowen, 1794, died February 6th, 1885; Philip W. Martin, 1795, died May 17th, 1888; William Andrews, 1796, died April 25th, ]8fc5; John Wardwell, 1797, died March 3d, 1886; Thomas Harkness, 1799; Edwin Stayner, 1799, died March 24th, 1885; Simon H. Greene, 17£9, died April 26th, 1885; Lucien Draper, 1800, died October 27th, 1886; Jonathan G. Draper, 1801, died December 27th, 1887; James C. Buek- lin, 1801; James H. Read, 1801; David W. Pettey, 1801; R. H. N. Bates, 1801; Reverend Jonathan Cady, 1802, died July 18th, 1885; Ed- ward Congdon, 1802; Thomas R. Briggs, 1807; John S. Harris, 1809; Jeremiah S. Barrett, 1810. Those not otherwise marked still remained residents of the city in 1889. It will thus be seen that there were in 1889 nine persons living in the city who were 21 years of age, male inhabitants, in 1824. Directories were published in the years 1826, 1828, 1830, 1832, 1836, 1838, 1841, 1844, 1847, 1850 and 1852, and after that date they have been published annually to the present time. The number of names contained in the directory in different years have been as follows: 1824,2,958; 1830,4,400; 1836,4,965; 1841, 7,000; 1844, 7,600: 1847, 9,282; 1850, 8,784; 1852, 10,400; 1853, 11,760; 1855, 11,366; 1860, 15,772; 1865, 17,227; 1870, 25,435; 1875, 36,562; 1880, 39,227; 1885, 48,992; 1889, 59,693. Some interesting hints as to the growth of Providence are given in the following personal reminiscence of an aged inhabitant, who wrote in 1854. " My recollection extends back to 1790, and even earlier, when Providence was a mere village, with a population of about 6,000. At this period, I well recollect that on each side of Westminster street were meadows where the inhabitants pastured their cows. And very near the foot of Washington street, then the south shore of the cove, was a pottery, for the manufacture of earthen ware. Vessels were built at the north part of the cove, very near Smith's bridge, and even higher up, were floated down at spring tides, and passed Weybosset bridge by means of a draw. At this period, md for many years after, the cove afforded excellent fishing ground, and thousands of the finny tribe have I captured there, as well as from HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 385 each side of the bridge. Numerous sail boats were then kept in the cove, and large parties of young persons then enjoyed themselves in the beautiful woods and groves at its margin. My memory oft re- calls those scenes, as well as the names and features of the loved ones who have passed away. Everything is now changed, the woods and groves have disappeared, and numerous manufacturing establish- ments have taken their place. " At that period, if a man failed for a few thousand dollars it pro- duced an almost electric shock throughout the community— the man had broke, it was said, and woe to him if he could not show that he had been really unfortunate. It was not so easy to obtain credit then as it now is, and there were not so many temptations to folly and extravagance as at present. I think if many of our young men would return to the frugal habits of their fathers, they would enjoy more than they now do, and in many cases preserve life, health and reputation. " But I am willing to allow there have also been important changes for the better. Among these may be mentioned the great and glori- ous change which has taken place in the public mind on the subject of temperance. I can recollect w r hen many of our really respectable citizens were engaged in the sale and use of ardent spirits; and at that time, singular as it may now appear, a meeting house could not be raised, a public dinner given, an ordination or an election held, a funeral attended, or even a child be born, without the use of rum." From the letter of another aged resident, who wrote more than half a century ago, of things pertaining to the then long past, we make extracts in the following paragraphs. "The time is within my recollection when there were not more than six or eight buildings on Benefit street, and no street over the hill excepting that called Jail lane. The old jail, standing on the north side of it, was one of the buildings spoken of. All car- riages going to or from the east part of the town passed through Olney's lane, or through a street quite at the south part of the town. At that time I think I had some knowledge of nearly every family in town. As respects the river, I doubt whether the tide covers half the ground it did 70 years since; wharves first built, then Water street beyond the wharves; acres filled or raised south of Weybosset and Broad streets, where Westminster street is, and all north of it, the tide flowed. I am told that there was a knoll, or small round hill, near the head of what is now called the Long wharf, which at that time was an island. Old people have often told me of having picked berries on it. An old man long since told me that while there w r as difficulty with the Indians, several of them got slyly upon that hill and fired at a small company of young white men who were playing at nine pins, near where the court house now stands [1842], and hit one of their pins. I am told that the first vessel which sailed from 25 386 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. this town to the West Indies was loaded at a wharf that was then a little to the westward of the Canal market. I once saw a vessel of ab ntt 30 or 40 tons, a fisherman, unloading at a wharf then adjoining to what is now called Smith street. Many vessels of large burthen have been built on the west side of what is called the canal basin, and at other places north of the great bridge, which bridge, I believe, was 50 or 60 feet longer than it now is. There was a draw in it, for the purpose of letting vessels through. The channel, I think, is now covered by Water street. "As respects schools, previous to about the year 1770 they were but little thought of. There were in my neighborhood three small schools, perhaps about a dozen scholars in each. Their books were the Bible, spelling book and primer. One was kept by John Foster, Esq., in his office, and one by Doctor Benjamin West. Their fees were 7s., 6d. per quarter. One was kept by George Taylor, Esq., for the church scholars. He, it was said, received a small compensation from England. Besides these there were two or three women schools. When one had learned to read, write and do a sum in the rule of three, he was fit for business. About this time, Doctor Jonathan Arnold made a move for building a proprietors' school house; by his exertions enough was obtained to build one at the northerly end of Benefit street, which was called Whipple Hall in consequence of Mr. Joseph Whipple giving the lot for two shares. George Taylor, Jr., was the first master. The town, a few years since, bought the proprietors out. " At one time, many years since, I fell in with an old gentleman who stood viewing what was called the old Turpin house. He said to me, ' I am taking a view of the old house where the general assembly used to sit. I have been there, and should like to go in to see whether it looks as it formerly did or not." I went in with him. After looking around he said: ' It is much as it was.' This house then was standing on the west side of North Main street, nearly opposite to the Fourth Baptist meeting house. It appears that in the days of Turpin, the original owner, this was a very sightly place, and a place of considerable business. He had a large yard with an elm tree in it, a fine garden, handsomely fenced in, through which there ran a small brook, which came from a small swamp, lying a little to the eastward of where the meeting house now is. The Reverend James Manning- did great things in the way of enlightening and informing the people. Schools revived by means of his advice and assistance. Previous to him it was not uncommon to meet with those who could not write their names. " Manners and fashions were very plain. The dress in general was meant to be durable. Men wore mostly wash-leather breeches; cloth for most purposes generally manufactured in their families; laborers of almost every description wore leather aprons; the best HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 387 •dress of the most opulent was of English manufacture, in plain style. Some who were a little flashy would wear a cocked hat, a wig or a powdered head, with their hair clubbed or queued; sometimes some would buy or borrow some hair for the purpose of giving the club or queue a better appearance. Women of the same neighborhood would visit each other with clean checked aprons, striped loose gowns, handkerchiefs over the shoulders and sun-bonnets on their heads; then pleasantly sit down and divert themselves over a dish of bohea tea and a piece of bread and butter. A few who considered them- selves somewhat superior would wear a silk or calico gown, with long ruffle cuffs, a lawn apron, a little roll over the head, resembling a crupper to a saddle, with the hair smoothly combed over it, a flat chrp hat, with a crown about one inch deep, all covered with a thin silk — some black, some white, others red, green, &c. Young men would at times amuse themselves in the lots at ball, shooting at poultry or at a mark, now and then at wrestling or jumping; at times muster in small parties with young women, then have a dance; at harvest time would go miles to a husking, as the farmers generally would at that time make merry. At the season for pigeons there was too much diversion in destroying them. There were many stands set up around our cove by means of which thousands were an- nually destroyed by shooting. In the country they were mostly taken in nets, and brought to market by horse loads, in panniers. A man told me that he at a time carried a load in that way to Boston, that they were so plenty that he could not sell them, neither give them away; he thought that there might be those who had rather steal than to have it thought they were beggars, so set his panniers down by the side of a street, and there left them for a while. When he re- turned he found many more than he had left. " Captain Jabez Whipple, who lately died in his one hundredth year, told me that when a young man he with several others kept a pack of hounds, with which they would at times divert themselves in a fox chase; that at a time they followed one most of the day, at even- ing they holed him, then made a fire at the hole in order to keep him in during the night; they came with tools for digging, went to work, and soon found him, suffocated as they supposed, took him out, handed him from one to the other, he maintaining every appearance -of being dead, then threw him on the ground, when he instantly took to his toes, and so gave them another day's chase. " As for particular places of resort, I can hardly say that I know of any; the great bridge was a considerable of a place for it in pleas- ant weather. Captain Joseph Olney kept the principal public house. As the town increased it settled the fastest nearer the tide water. Colonel Knight Dexter opened a public house where the people could be more conveniently accommodated; this and other houses being opened for the same purpose, drew the custom from the old place, 3S8 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. so that it became abandoned. Elisha Brown at a time was doing a very considerable business to the northward of Captain Olney's, near Joseph Turpin's. To him there was great electioneering resorting. For several seasons party ran high between Samuel Ward, of New- port, and Stephen Hopkins, of this town. No one more zealously en- gaged in the cause than Brown, for Ward, and himself for deputy governor. His zeal, I believe, was rather expensive, as he left to his family near nothing of a good estate. " The first coach that I ever saw. and I do not know but the first one that was ever in this town, was owned by a Mr. Merritt, an Englishman, who came and purchased the farm and built the house where the venerable Moses Brown lately died, in his 99th year. This coach would once in a while come into the street by way of Olney's lane, then there would be a running of the children and a looking from the windows to see the new, wonderful thing. About this time there would be now and then a person who wanted a passage to Bos- ton. Colonel William Brown, who lived quite at the northeast corner of the town, on a farm, kept what was called a curricle, drawn by two horses; he would be their carrier. It would take him about three days to go and return. After a while, Thomas Sabin, I think, was the first that set up a stage; he generally went once a week. After him Robert Currey, then Samuel Whipple. When they got through by daylight they thought they had done well. The mail was carried by a Mr. Mumford, on horseback, once a week, between here and New London, and so back again. In May, 1776, I went to Pom- fret, 36 miles, in a chaise. The road was so stony and rough that I could not ride out of a slow walk but a very little of the way. I was nearly two days in going, such was the general state of our roads at that time. " Business and occupation was similar to what it now is, except machine manufacturing. Furniture in general was very plain, and mahogany was but little known. Almost every article of wood was straight, without much paint or polish. There was but little crock- ery, and that of a coarse kind. Pewter and wood were the principal table furniture. Two would be often eating out of the same dish, and perhaps a dozen drinking out of the same pewter quart pot or earthen mug. In my youngest days there were but few carriages besides carts, consequently when women wanted to go abroad it was very common for them to go on horseback, sitting on a pillion behind a man. Women would often be at market on horseback, with a pair of panniers, selling butter, cheese, eggs, &c. " The time hath been when an abundance of bass and perch, par- ticularly bass, were taken through the ice on Seekonk river, in the night season. About 50 years ago I was there with perhaps a dozen or twenty others. That night there were several tons taken, the most that was ever known to be taken in one niarht. Since then some HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 389 would be taken every winter, until lately that business seems to be about done. It is supposed that the filth washing from the abund- ance of cotton mills prevents their coming into the river." At the October session in 1736, Alexander Thorp and Isaac Cushno petitioned and were granted the exclusive right to run a stage to Massachusetts. The record does not show the precise points to and from which it was to run. The following copy of the record in re- gard to it will be read with interest: " Whereas, Alexander Thorp, livery stable keeper, and Isaac Cusno, saddler, both of Boston, within the Province of Massachusetts Bay, by petition to this Assembly, did set forth that the petitioners, being about to set up the business of keeping stage coaches for the transporting of passengers and goods to and from this colony and the Massachusetts government, which would tend to the great advantage of the inhabitants of both governments; and as the petitioners must be put to great expense and cost in procuring coaches, with horses and other conveniences for the purpose aforesaid, humbly requested that they might have the liberty and license to keep two stage coaches for the service aforesaid, and of improving the same for the space of ten years, in regard of the great charge and expense they must be at, as aforesaid, that all and every person and persons might be de- barred from the like liberty or license during said term; — "All which, being considered, it is enacted by the General Assem- bly, that the petitioners' request is granted for keeping and improv- ing two stage coaches for the space of seven years, upon such terms and conditions as shall be agreed on between the petitioner and Samuel Vernon, William Coddington and Joseph Whipple, Esqs., who are appointed a committee to enter into articles on behalf of this colony, with the petitioners, who are to give bond for the perform- ance of their part of said articles; and the whole charge thereof to be paid by the petitioners." In July, 1767, we meet the first announcement of a regular stage coach running between Providence and Boston. At that date Thomas Sabin advertises that " one starts every Tuesday morning from the house of Richard Olney, inn-holder, to carry travellers to Boston, on the most expeditious and cheap rate." The coach returned on Thurs- day mornings. The notice does not state whether the coach went through in a day, or stopped the first night at Wrentham, as it did, according to tradition, in earlier times. In those times, it is said that the owner of a stage coach occasionally gave notice a week or ten days beforehand that on a given day he would start for Boston, if sufficient encouragement offered, taking care to give notice so that his patrons might have time to arrange their worldly affairs in a manner befitting the magnitude of the journey upon which they were to start. In 1783 the stage to Boston ran twice a week. A line of packets which was soon after that date established be- 390 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. tween here and New York excited great admiration. In speed and accommodations they were said to be equal to any in the world. These conveyed most of the passengers travelling- between New York and this town and the towns eastward, including Boston, until the New London Turnpike was established, about 1820. Travellers found it quite a relief from the jolting and thumping they received in the old heavy stage coaches, to get into the comfortable cabin of a packet and pursue their journey in the swift-gliding boat as she sped over the comparatively smooth face of the waters. Stage coach riding in those days had more practical points than poetical, however the imagination of later poets may have pictured it. The coaches were built heavy and strong, substantial durability being the pervad- ing idea of their builders and owners. Although the roads had lost their original corduroy character, they had not acquired that level smoothness which invited sleep. An occasional rock or stump would try the strength of the carriage and the patience of the traveller. Connected with the stage coaches over the New London Turnpike, was a line of steamboats from New London to New York. The more ample accommodation of these boats over even the luxurious pack- ets, together with the certainty of making the passage within a defi- nite time, gave this route a ready popularity. The sailing packets were soon given up to the freighting business. About the same time Captain Elihu S. Bunker came from New York to Providence with the steamboat " Connecticut," thus demonstrating by actual experi- ment that it was possible for a steamboat to make the hazardous run around Point Judith. Before that trial it was considered an impos- sible feat. vStill the public were not willing to trust their lives in such a practice, and for some time the inside line by way of New- London carried the passengers. After repeated trips had been made without loss or damage, confidence was established, and the travel- ling public accepted the boats running through from here to New York as a decided improvement over the combination of stage and boat. The New London Turnpike and boats were then abandoned. The Point Judith steamers were supposed to possess unequalled fa- cilities for the traveller. Speed, certainty, safety and ease, combined to render them the favorites of the public. On the completion of the New York, Providence & Boston railroad to Stonington, there connecting with a line of steamers to New York, a portion of public favor was withdrawn from the Point Judith steamers. Providence has always been on the line of the great thoroughfare from Boston to New York. In early times the traveller passed on horseback from Providence through East Greenwich, Wickford, over Tower Hill, and through Westerly into Connecticut. Over this line lay the regular route to New York. It also was the only direct road from Providence to Connecticut for many years after the settlement of this town. It is said that the first team from Connecticut that HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 391 came by any more northerly route arrived in Providence September 29th, 1722, and was driven by Governor Sessions. Until about that date the usual road to Connecticut was through the towns named. The route by Pomfret was a more difficult one, even after it was adopted. As late as 1776 but little could be said in its favor. So rough was the road even then that it took nearly two days to make the distance of 36 miles between here and Pomfret. The winter of 1779-80 was one of extreme severity. It was for a long time known as " the cold winter." At the time it was said to be more severe than any that had preceded it for many years. The har- bor of Providence was closed by ice in November, and continued so for nearly two months. The ice extended from Newport harbor to the Dumplings. The island of Rhode Island lost its insular charac- ter. Beaten paths were made over the ice from Newport to Wick- ford, East Greenwich and Providence. Loaded teams passed repeat- edly across Narragansett bay. The ground was covered with snow during the whole time, but not so deep as to obstruct the communi- cation between different towns. The intensity of the cold and its long continuance caused great distress among the poor. The " dark day," though not exclusively a local episode, is one that even in local connection is a matter of great interest, hence we speak of it here. It occurred in May, 1780. For several days prev- ious the atmosphere appeared to be charged with a dry, smoky vapor, so that the sun could be gazed upon with the naked eye without dis- comfort. At ten o'clock on the 19th the darkness had increased to such a degree as to impede the regular transaction of business. The darkness became thicker, until ordinary business was suspended, and candles were lighted. The height of the darkness was between half- past twelve and one o'clock. Fowls sought their roosts, cattle came up to their folds as at night, and indeed the phenomenon was that of night. Men stood appalled at the dread appearance. The busy hum of life was stilled, and all nature seemed to wait in dismay for further demonstrations of her approaching dissolution. Many supposed that the day of final judgment was at hand. The wind had been south- east, but at about one o'clock it changed to southwest, the darkness began gradually to diminish, and at two o'clock the atmosphere had the appearance of a cloudy morning. A very little rain fell in the morning before the wind changed. During the whole time the air had a sooty, smoky smell, which was also communicated to the rain water which had been saved. It was supposed by some that the strange phenomenon was caused by the overhanging of a great mass of smoke from vast forest fires that were a short time before raging in some parts of the country. The darkness extended over the greater part of New England and somewhat into the Middle states and Canada. A curious enactment of the town in 1795, in relation to smoking 392 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. in the public streets, is copied here for preservation. It runs as fol- lows: "Whereas, great danger of fire in this town arises from a very improper practice of smoking pipes and segars in the public streets, it is therefore recommended, by the freemen of the town, in town meeting assembled, that the citizens wholly refrain from that prac- tice; nevertheless, it is not understood by these recommendations to prevent any among us, the young men or others, who ma} 7 be under the necessity on account of any grevious malady, from using the same by way of medicine." This reference to the public streets may suggest other improve- ments or attempts to improve the condition of the public streets — appearance, as well as safety — which may be mentioned here. About the year 1798 an attempt was made to beautify the streets by plant- ing trees along their borders. The Lombardy poplar had but recently been introduced into this country, and it became the popular, as well as poplar tree of the time. The tall and graceful appearance of the young trees, with their bright glossy leaves, in connection with the fact of their foreign origin, gained for them many ardent friends and admirers. Nurseries of young plants were assiduously culti- vated and offered for sale. The town embarked in the speculation and ordered a nursery to be set out on the Hospital land. The mania raged for several years, being, perhaps, second to the morns multi caulis mania of later times. But it was soon learned that the Lom- bardy poplar would not bear the rigors of our climate, and that its foliage had a disagreeable smell and furnished food for a loathsome and poisonous worm, and that the tree, from its tall and compact growth, afforded no shade, and was about worthless for timber. The period of its decadence rapidly followed, and the trees soon passed to the shades of neglect and destruction. Another matter pertaining to the streets, which we do not wish to omit, may be inserted in this connection. It is the origin of many of the names of the streets. This will be appreciated by all who have a fondness for searching into the meanings of names and the sources of things. Abbott's lane, named from the late Thomas Ab- bott or his ancestors. Aborn street, from James Aborn, who was for many years a lumber dealer and owned and occupied a house at the corner of Washington and Aborn streets. Adams street, probably from President John Adams. Allen's avenue, from Benjamin Allen, a large owner of real estate in that part of the city. Almy street, from William Almy, who was a Friend, and belonged to the firm of Almy & Brown, among the first cotton manufacturers of the state. Mr. Almy died in 1830, and after that several streets were laid out through the large landed property left by him on Federal hill, and these' streets bear the names of other prominent Friends, among them the names of Penn, Harkness, Meader and Tobey. Angell street, from James Angell, through whose land the street was opened HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 393 by his executor. Anthony street, probably from Burrington Anth- ony, who lived in the vicinity. Arnold street, from the ancestors of Christopher Arnold, who owned the land through which the street runs. Atwell's avenue, from Amos Maine Atwell. Barker street, probably from Stephen Barker, who kept a grocery store on Atwell's avenue some half a century since. Bassett street, from Massa Bassett, who owned an estate on the corner of Chestnut and Bassett streets. Battey street, from Sheldon Battey, who resided at one time at 237 High street. Benevolent street, from the Congregational so- ciety of that name, whose house of worship is on the southwest corner. Beverly street, from George Beverly, an artist. Bourn street, probably from Judge Bourn. Bowen street, from Doctor Jos- eph Bowen, many years since a physician in Providence, who lived on the street near North Main. He was for some months a prisoner in the old Jersey prison ship. Bradford street, supposed to be from Governor Bradford. Bridgham street, from the late Hon. Samuel W. Bridgham, a highly distinguished and excellent man, the first mayor of Providence. Brown street, from John Brown, an eminent mer- chant of this town, distinguished for his enterprise and public spirit. He built and lived in the brick house, No. 31 Power street, afterward occupied by Professor William Gammell. Burges street, from Hon. Tristram Burges, formerly a large landholder in that vicinity. Burrill street, from the late Hon. James Burrill, Jr., one of the most distinguished citizens of the city, a senator in congress from Rhode Island. He died in 1821. Burr's lane, from Ezekiel Burr, who owned the estate on the corner, where he lived for many years. He died about forty years ago. Butler street, from the late Cyrus Butler, whose liberal benefactions to the hospital were acknowledged by giving his name to that institution. Cady street, from Jonathan Cady, an eccentric individual who for many years carried on the shoemaking business in what was then called Cady's lane. Camp street, formerly called Green lane, but was given its later name because of its proximity to the encamp- ing ground occupied by the French troops in Providence during the revolutionary war. Calender street, named from its proximity to the extensive works of the Providence Dyeing, Bleaching & Calendering Company. Canal street, so-called because of its nearness to the Blackstone canal. Cargill street, from John M. Cargill, who owned real estate upon it. Carpenter street, named in honor of Job Car- penter, who died in 1845, through whose land the street was opened. Carpenter's point, from Kinsley Carpenter, who lived to a very ad- vanced age. Charles street, from Charles Smith, a shoemaker, and an active politician, who owned real estate on the street. Charles Field street, from Charles Field, an early inhabitant of Providence, who died in 1749. Chestnut street, from a grove of chestnut trees through which the street was opened, in the first decade of the present cen- 394 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. tury. Clay street, supposed to have been named in honor of the great orator Henry Clay. Clifford street, from the Clifford family, who built the first house on the street. Codding street, from Henry Codding, aland owner and resident on the street when it was named. Conduit street, probably from its proximity to the fountain owned by the Aqueduct company at the time. Congdon street, from Jona- than Congdon, a Friend, who retained his faculties until nearly a century of age. Cooke street, from Governor Nicholas Cooke, through whose land the street was laid out. Crary avenue, from Alexander Crary, a colonel in the revolutionary war, who command- ed a regiment of Rhode Island troops. Creighton street, from the late Commodore John Orde Creighton. dishing street, from Daniel C. Cushing, who built and occupied the house on the corner of Gushing and Congdon streets. Davis street, from Sturgis Davis, once a jeweller in this city. Dean street, from the late Calvin Dean, a benevolent and worthy man, who died about 1857, leaving several thousand dollars to religions and charitable objects. Delaine street, from the extensive delaine factory in Olneyville. Dexter street, from Ebenezer Knight Dexter, a distinguished benefactor of Provi- dence, his native town, to whom he left the bulk of his property, esti- mated at the time at about $50,000. His wife was a daughter of the late Judge Howell. Mr. Dexter was United States marshall during the war of 1812. He died in 1824, leaving no children. Dorrance street, from Judge John Dorrance, formerly president of the town council, and for many years intimately associated with the municipal affairs of the town. Dwight street, from Gamaliel Lyman Dwight, St., once a dry goods dealer in Providence, who married a daughter of Judge Howell, and died in Kentucky, in 1823. Dyer street, from the late Doctor Benjamin Dyer, a man of great enterprise and public spirit, who projected and successfully accomplished the filling in of what was then called the new land, embracing about twenty-seven acres, from Eddy's point to Weybosset street. The work was begun in 1815, and completed in 1817. Earl's lane, from Captain Thomas Earl, an early resident there. Eddy street and Eddy's point, from Joseph and Barnard Eddy, who were among the first settlers in that part of the town, where for many years ship-building was extensively prosecuted. Eutaw street, supposed to be from Eutaw, South Caro- lina, at which place the Rhode Island troops, under General Greene, greatly distinguished themselves. Federal Hill, so called since the adoption of the Federal Constitution. Fenner street, from Joseph J. Fenner, a stone cutter, whose shop was near the junction of High and Fenner streets. Foster street, supposed to be from the Hon. Theodore Foster, one of the first United States senators from this state. Fox point, from the tradition that in the early years of the settlement a fox swam across the river at this place. Francis street, from the Hon. John B. Francis, an extensive landholder in this part HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 395' of the city. Fulton street, probably in honor of the distinguished inventor, to whose invention the prosperit)^ of Providence owed so much for its steamboats. Gaspee street, from the name of the Eng- lish armed schooner which was destroyed in the bay by a party from this town in the spring of 1772. Gould's lane, from Jacob C. Gould,, a well known constable of the town, who died about forty years ago. Governor street, from the early and distinguished Governors Arthur and James Fenner, who owned land through which the street runs,. the land being then known as the " What Cheer" lot, the immortal meeting of Williams and the Indians being upon it. Graves' lane r from one Graves who owned an estate there. Greenwich street,, formerly called Greenwich road or the middle road to East Green- wich. Grove street, probably from a pine grove in the vicinity.. Halsey street, from Thomas Lloyd Halsey, St., for many years a citizen here, who died about 1856. Hammond street, proba- bly from Deacon James Hammond, an eccentric but well meaning man who was for many years town sergeant of Providence, and. died in 1831, at the age of 80 years. Harding's alley, from the Hard- ing family, for many years residents there. Harrison street, sup- posed to be in honor of the lamented President William Henry Har- rison. Hawes street, perhaps in honor of the late General Joseph Hawes, who resided on or near this street. Hewes street, from Doc- tor Joseph Hewes, a physician who lived on the corner of this street in the early part of the century. Holden street, from Thomas R. Holden, a worthy citizen, an alderman, and a landholder on Smith's hill, who died about 1850. Helme street, from Benoni Helme, form- erly a paper manufacturer here. Hopkins street, from Governor Stephen Hopkins, who in 1780 lived on the corner of this street and South Main, and there entertained General Washington at the time of his visit in that year. Howard street, from William A. Howard,, a large landowner on the street. Howell street, from the late David Howell, LL.D., a prominent man twice elected to congress from this state. He died in 1825. Howland street, from the late John How- land, a worthy and public spirited citizen of Providence, who was largely identified with educational and other enterprises for the im- provement of society. Hoppin street, from B. & T. C. Hoppin, formerly distinguished auctioneers and commission merchants of this town. Hoyle street, from Doctor Thomas Hoyle, many years since an inn-keeper at the junction of High and Cranston streets. India street and India point, so called from the fact that ships were formerly fitted out at the wharves there on voyages to the Indies. Ives street, from Thomas Poynton Ives, of the firm of Brown & Ives, a well known firm of merchants in past years. Jefferson street, from the great statesman Thomas Jefferson. Jenckes street, from Joseph Jenckes, through whose land the street is laid out. He was for many years prominent in town affairs. Kinyon street, from Stephen C. 396 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Kinyon, once a large proprietor of real estate in that vicinity. Knight street, from Deacon Ebenezer Knight, the first country mer- chant on High street. Knowles street, from Edward P. Knowles, mayor of the city in 1854, or his ancestors. Lake street, from Laban Lake, a blacksmith, an old inhabitant many years ago, who owned real estate on the street. Lester's avenue, from John G. Lester. Linard street, from Peter Linard, of the firm of Linard & Duval, who were the first confectioners in Providence. Lockwood street, from Benoni Lockwood, a land surveyor in this city, who died about forty years ago. McNeal lane, from John McNeal, a baker, or his ances- tors, who lived there. Magee street, from Captain William F. Ma- o-ee, who commanded an India merchant vessel. He died in China about 1825. Manchester street, from Captain Isaac Manchester, a large proprietor of real estate in the neighborhood. Manning street, from Reverend James Manning, LL.D., the first president of Brown University., and a representative in congress from this state. Marion street, supposed to be in respect to General Francis Marion, of revo- lutionary fame. Marshall street, from Hon. John Marshall, of the United States Supreme Court. Mason street, from the late James B. Mason, who was at one time a member of congress from this state. Mathewson street, from the late John Mathewson and his ancestors, whose immense landed property made them wealthy. Messer street, from Reverend Asa Messer, LL.D., a president of Brown University, who died in 1836. Morris street, from the late William Morris or his ancestors, who owned real estate there for many years. Moulton street, from Sullivan Moulton, formerly a dry goods dealer in this city. Mumford street, from Henry G. Mumford, for many years a surveyor of highways. Nash's lane, from John Nash, many years since a manufacturer of soap and candles in that locality. Oliver street, from the late Oliver Carpenter, who, with his wife, was a large landholder in the vicinity. Olney street, from Colonel Jeremiah Olney, a distinguished officer in the revolutionary war, and who re- sided on this street. He was appointed by General Washington, when president, the first collector of the port of Providence, which office he held until the embargo law of 1808 was passed, when he re- signed. Orms street, from Colonel Orme, through whose land the street was opened. Page street, probably from Benjamin Page, whose estate was upon the corner of Potter and Broad streets. Parade street, from land given to the town by the late benefactor, E. K. Dex- ter, who directed that the land should be forever used as a public parade ground. Parker street, from Thomas M. Parker, a chair manu- facturer. Parsonage street, from proximity to the parsonage for many years occupied by Reverend James Wilson, a well known pas- tor of the Benevolent Congregational church. Peck street and Peck's wharf, from the late Lewis Peck, a wealthy hardware merchant, who lived on the corner of Weybosset and Peek streets. Perkins street, \ HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 397 from Stillman Perkins, formerly a member of the New England Butt Company. Perry street, from Commodore Perry. Pettis street, probably from the late Captain James Pettis. Phillips street, from Reverend William Phillips. Pierce street, from Thomas Pierce, who owned property near by. Pitman street, from Hon. John Pitman, United States District Judge. Pike street, from Asa and Jonathan Pike, extensive lumber and coal dealers in that vicinity. Polk street, from President Polk. Pond street, from the ponds which formerly existed in its neighborhood, many of which, because of the advance in value, have been filled up. Potter's avenue, from the late Charles Potter, a large land holder in the vicinity. Potter street, from Phinehas Potter, an alderman of the city, who owned and occupied the estate at No. 124 Broad street. Power street, from the ancestors of the late Nicholas Power, for many years a merchant of this town and a member of the firm of Blodget & Power. Pratt street, from Peter Pratt, a counsellor of ex- tensive practice, and at one time a representative in general assem- bly, who lived on this street. Prince street, from Orland W. Prince. Randall street, from Doctor Stephen Randall, who owned property and lived near the junction of North Main and Randall streets. Richmond street, from Colonel Barzillai Richmond, father of Wil- liam Richmond, who with others laid out the street over what was then called Cow-pen point, to Ship street, from which point it was afterward extended. Ridge street, so named from its location on the ridge of land which slopes either way from it. Sabin street, from James Sabin, who lived somewhere in the vicinity. Saunders street, from Arnold Saunders, who owned real estate there. Scott street, from the late Asa Scott, who for many years resided upon it. Sekell street, from the Sekell family, several of whom for many years owned real estate and resided in that neighborhood. Shamrock street, from the great number of Irish people and other foreigners residing upon it. Smith street and Smith's hill, from Colonel Henry Smith, at one time a prominent politician. Stewart street, probably from Archi- bald Stewart, a Scotchman, once a merchant of Providence. Snow street, from Reverend Joseph Snow, Jr., pastor of the Beneficent Congregational church, and afterward of the Richmond Street church. He died in the year 1803, in the 89th year of his age. Spen- cer street, probably from the late Christopher V. Spencer, who owned land in the vicinity. Stampers' street, from Stampers' hill, where it is said a party of the early settlers, by running and stamping and like violent demonstrations, frightened away a party of hostile In- dians who were skulking near. The name "Stampers" has ever since attached itself to the locality. Thatch street, from the thatch beds abounding in its vicinity. Thayer street, from Doctor William Thayer, an active and prominent citizen of Providence three-quarters of a century ago. Thomas street, probably from Thomas Angell, 398 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. who was a large owner of real estate in the vicinity. Throop alley, from Doctor Amos Throop, who about seventy-five years ago occu- pied the mansion house afterward occupied by Zachariah Allen, No. 97 North Main street. Thurber's lane, from the late Samuel Thur- ber, a worthy citizen of Providence, a paper maker, who died about forty years since, at an advanced age. Transit street took its name from the circumstance that the transit of Venus was observed from a temporary observatory erected on this street, June 3d, 1769, by Doc- tor Benjamin West, Joseph Brown and other distinguished and sci- entific gentlemen. Trenton street, probably from the battle field of Trenton, N. J. Walling street, from Henry F. Walling, a civil en- gineer. Walker street, from Ephraim Walker, an early inhabitant •of the town, who built and occupied the three-story house at the cor- ner of Westminster and Walker streets. Ward street, probably from Henry Ward, at one time secretary of state. Waterman street, from the late Nathan Waterman, or his ancestors, who w T ere among the first settlers of the town. Wayland street, from Doctor Francis Way- land. Westminster street, probably from the street of that name in London. Weybosset street, said to be named from Weybosset hill, a name given by the Indians to a hill which rose near the junction now known as Turk's head. The land at that spot was owned by the father of the late Jacob Whitman, an active merchant of Providence about seventy-five years since. Wheaton street, from the late Doctor Levi Wheaton, a distinguished physician of this city a half century since. Williams street, from Roger Williams, whose six-acre lot ad- joins it. Whipple street, from the Hon. John Whipple. Wickenden street, from Reverend William Wickenden, one of the early pastors of the First Baptist church in this town. Wilson street, from Rev- erend James Wilson, for thirty-five years pastor of the Beneficent Congregational church, and who died in ]839, in the 80th year of his age. That a considerable part of the ground upon which many of the streets in the business part of the city are built was once flowed by the tide has already been hinted at. Mention has been made of some of the streets on the east side of the river that have been re- claimed from the water. On the west side the original shore line described many coves and indentations which have been obliterated by the process of filling in. Beginning at the railroad depot, we may notice that all that great structure stands where in primitive days fishes swam, boats sailed and several feet of tide water flowed. The shore line from the northwest swept around a curve about where the soldiers' monument now stands, and struck the line of buildings fronting on Exchange place, about where the palatial front of Butler Exchange now rears its iron columns and pilasters in conspicuous relief. Trending here a little to the south of east, it followed a line nearly straight to about the corner of Washington row and West- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 399 minster street. Thus all the space from the city hall across to and beyond Canal street was open water, while the eastern third of the "blocks facing Exchange place was land under water. At the foot of Westminster street the land made something of a point into the river, the shore receding again after passing the point already spoken of at the corner of Washington row. The trend was then south- westerly, cutting through nearly the middle of all the blocks on the south side of Weybosset, and running nearly parallel with the •course of that street till it passed Orange street. A sharp indenta- tion was then described, reaching to Weybosset street, where Dorr- ance street now is, so that all of Dorrance street that extends below Weybosset is built on land once under water. From that point the shore line again pushed outward in a southerly direction until it passed Pine street, when it made an angle to the westward, and fol- lowed the course of that street and a little to the southeast of it until Richmond street was reached. Following nearly on the west line of that street until some distance beyond Clifford street, it swept around to the eastward and crossed Eddy street, making a point and takirg a southerly course just before reaching Dyer, which street it crossed in a diagonal line. It then ran nearly parallel with Eddy street, a short distance below it, until it had crossed South street. It then took a southwesterly course, crossing diagonally Eddy, between South and Point; Richmond, at the crossing of Point; Chestnut, be- tween Point and Manchester; Parsonage, at the corner of Lake, and Hospital, at the junction of Manchester place. Just beyond the crossing of Hospital and Langley streets it reached the head of a •cove, and thence returning southeasterly made a curve, crossing Eddy, Crary, Allen's avenue and Henderson street, and so back again across Eddy, in the vicinity of the Rhode Island Hospital. Before dismissing this general review of the city in the past we wish to present a picture of Providence, in regard toits material and industrial condition especially, as afforded by statements made about the year 1846. A writer at that time said: "The great changes wrought have been effected within the last twenty years. About that time past our population was 15,000; now it is not far from 40,000. Then about $20,000 was raised by taxes; this year the sum will be $125,000; then our bank capital was about one million and a half, now it is nearly eight millions; then $3,000 were expended for the public instruction of 800 children; during the last year, according to the mayor's address, the average number taught in our public schools was 5,227, at an expense to the city of $23,288. Land which was then seldom bought in less quantity than acres now brings handsome prices when divided into small house lots. And if the same progress in population, business and wealth shall be made for the coming twenty years, those who are now purchasing, at evening auctions, building lots in ' Potter's Woods,' instead of being laughed 400 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. at for their folly, will be found to have made investments not less re- munerative than those of the sagacious gentlemen who were inter- ested in the celebrated ' Field Purchase.' At that time, 1846, there were established in the city manufactures of cotton and woolen cloths, dyeing and bleaching and print works, wood screws, stoves, ^team engines, railroad iron, wire, edge tools, bolts, rubber shoes, lacings, lumber, soap and candles, engraving, butt hinges, brass ware, weavers' reeds, cotton and woolen machin- ery, and jewelry. These various manufactures employed upwards of five thousand hands. Sixty-five- steam engines were employed in furnishing power for the work. During that year 518 buildings were erected in the city, 333 of which were dwelling houses. Among the important importations during that year were: 25,996,650 feet of lumber, 725,782 bushels of corn, 92,786 barrels of flour, 61,766 bales of cotton, 70.384 tons of coal, 1,700 tons of bar iron, 14.000 tons of pig iron and blooms, 130 tons of cast and German steel, 95,067 bush- els of oats and 5,379 bushels of rye. Returning now to a review of the city at the present time, we may say that during the past quarter of a century Providence has under- gone many important changes in its material aspects. And in no other particular is this more emphatically true than with reference to its street arrangements and buildings. Old, low-browed, dingy struc- tures that once lined its principal thoroughfares, have to a large ex- tent disappeared and in their places may be seen substantial build- ings of brick, stone and iron, that bear evidence of the increasing wealth and prosperity of the city, and in most instances to its more cultured and refined architectural tastes. The city has now some 1,300 streets, well paved, and for the most part lighted at night. They are generally narrow, and extremely irregular in course, and short in length. This condition accounts for the great number of them, which will probably exceed that of any other city in the United States. The chief streets in the center of the city radiate from Market square. The principal business streets are Westmins- ter, Weybosset, High, Broad, North Main, South Main and Dorrance. On the east side, Benefit, Hope, Cooke, Waterman, Angell and other streets contain many fine private residences. On the west side Elm- wood, Broadway, and parts of Cranston, High and Washington streets also present many attractive residences. The streets of Providence aggregate in length a distance of some six hundred miles. Several fine bridges span the river, one of which, and the oldest, called Great bridge or Weybosset bridge is handsomely paved and of great width. The first frail bridge on this site was thrown across the river in 1660, repaired by Roger Williams in 1668, and afterward swept away by a freshet about 1719. A second bridge was built, but this was destroyed by a freshet and gale in 1761. A third, which was eighteen feet wide, was erected by a grant of £1,000 from the HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 401 general assembly, and the avails of a lottery for the draw. The fine bridges south of Weybosset — Crawford Street bridge and Point Street bridge — are of late construction. The latter was opened in October, 1872. It is a fine iron structure, with a steam draw, spanning the river about half a mile below Weybosset bridge. It is 548 feet long, and its construction cost $150,000. Washington bridge crosses See- konk river at India point, and is supposed to have derived its name from a wooden statue of Washington that adorned a bridge occu- pying this site, which was built by John Brown in 1793. The bridge and statue were carried away by a freshet in 1807. It was replaced by another having a draw 38 feet wide. The present structure was built mostly in 1886, and was opened for travel February 12th, 1887. Central bridge, more familiarly known as Red bridge, crosses the Seekonk about three-fourths of a mile above the last mentioned. It is an iron bridge, 390 feet in length, and the present structure was erected in 1872, superseding a plain wooden one which was also painted red, and had stood for many years. Besides these there are some thirty-four other public bridges in the city. The first bridge over the Moshassuck was erected in 1662, near the dwelling house of Thomas Olney, Jr., under Stampers' hill. It was near the present Mill Street bridge. The Muddy Brook bridge connected the Wey- bosset peninsula with the main land. It was near the present cros- sing of Weybosset and Dorrance streets. Many of the streets have curious Indian names, and others have names that suggest the kindly and hospitable sentiments of the early inhabitants, being given in respect to many desirable virtues. A noticeable feature of the streets is their cleanliness. Under the direction of an efficient and vigilant official superintendence the principal thoroughfares are swept and washed, and nearly all the streets are kept in good order. The city is claimed to be, and doubtless is, one of the very health- iest as well as one of the most beautiful cities in the Union. Instead of lying on a dead level plain, it rises in gentle acclivities in every direction; is pleasingly diversified by hill and valley; is finely divided by the river on which it was originally settled, and' has near its center a water area, known as the Cove Basin, into which the tide regularly ebbs and flows, it being the real head of the western arm of Narragansett bay. The move- ment of the water by tidal action carries away the accumulations which might otherwise become noisome and unhealthy. The eleva- tions of the surface reach the height of 78 feet on the west side and 204 feet on the east side. It is in truth a naturally well drained city, but within recent years a complete system of sewerage has been adopted and constructed at great expense, and an abundant supply of very pure, soft water has been obtained and introduced, at con- siderable cost, from Pawtuxet river. In 1840, half a century ago, the expenses of the city were annually 26 402 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. as follows: For public schools, in addition to the amount received from the state, $13,000; support of poor, in addition to income from Dexter donation fund, $5,500; interest on the city debt, $12,500; fire depart- ment, $4,500; for highways, including surveys and paving, $12,000; for the city watch, $5,500; for lighting streets, $2,500; for salaries, $4,365; for police, public buildings, pumps, etc., $2,000; for contingen- cies and miscellaneous, $4,000; total expenses for the year, $65,865. The city debt then amounted to $232,379.92, which bore interest, part at 5 and part at 6 per cent. The population then was 23,172. The expenses of the city government for similar items for the year ending September, 1888, were: for public schools, $262,895.22; support of the poor, $12,479.49; interest on the city debt, $479,803.82; fire de- partment, $146,917.89; highways, including sidewalks and curbing, $226,689.97; police department, $236,690.79; lamp department, $142,- 177.81; for salaries, $68,485.86; for public buildings, including city hall and asylums, $83,411.13; for contingencies, $53,141.06; total expenses for the year, $2,544,846.75. The city debt, September 30th, 1888, was $10,005,417.40; of which $8,974,688.22 was secured by bonds and the balance was floating. The Brook Street district is a section of the city bounded by Trav- erse street on the west, Wickenden and Bower streets on the north, vSeekonk river on the east, and India street on the south, which was taken by the city, under an act of the general assembly passed at its January session, 1873, for the purposes of grading and draining it and other portions of the city. This section was a rough elevation, occupied by unsightly tenements, and stood in the way of the desired improvement and drainage of surrounding property. At the Janu- ary session of the general assembly in 18S2, an act was passed author- izing the city to sell and convey any of the land so taken under the previous act. Since the passage of this act a large portion of the buildings and land has been disposed of, the ground having been handsomely graded and sewered. The amount paid for land and buildings was $969,898.21; of which there has been returned in sales and rents $427,350.72. The cost of grading was about $130,000. The net expense of the district to the city, excepting interest on loans, up to September 30th, 1888, was $857,412.48. The neat public square known as Tockwotten Park is in this district. It commands a fine view down the bay. The amount required for public charity in this city is very small for the size of the city. During the year 1888 the entire expenditures of the overseer of the poor were $12,526.04. The number of poor persons helped by the department each year since 1882 was: 1882, 1,903; 1883,2,104; 1884, 2,813; 1885, 2,290; 1886, 2,175; 1887, 2,369; 1888, 2,107. A wood yard, in which men are given temporary labor to enable them to earn the means of helping themselves for the time being, is maintained. Since its establishment in 1878 it has received HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 403 lodgers during each year as follows: 1878, 1,266; 1879, 1,143; 1880, 634; 1881, 603; 1882, 1,135; 1883, 1,205; 1884,1,498; 1885, 1,352; 1886, 1,886; 1887, 1,464; 1888, 1,710. Various efforts have been made, beginning with the very early years of the settlement, to preserve a complete and accurate record of vital statistics. The year following the settlement by Roger Wil- liams, that is in 1637, the town records were commenced. The first and second volumes of these records contain the records of town meetings, deeds of land, marriages, births and deaths, and other transactions and events, extending from the date mentioned to the year 1731, the arrangement, however, being much confused as to chronological order. From these volumes we learn that the first birth thus officially recorded was that of Stephen, the son of Gregory Dexter and Abigail, his wife, the said Stephen having been born the " first day of the 9th M., 1647." On the next page follow the names of the children of Roger Williams and Mary, his wife, as follows: Mary, born in Plymouth, Massachusetts, the first week in August, 1633; second, Freeborn, born in Salem, "The latter end of October, 1635;" third. Providence, the first white child ever born in the town which has ever since borne the name, was born in " the latter end of the month September, 1638;" fourth, Mercy, born in Providence, "about the 15th of July, 1640;" the fifth, Daniel, was born " about the 15th of February, 1641-2;" and sixth, Joseph, was born "about the beginning of the 10th month, December, 1643." The first record of a death to be found in these old volumes is as follows: " Nicholas Power, inhabitant of this town, deceased this life the 25th of August, 1657." "The custom of recording "Intentions of Marriage " is by no means a recent invention. Records of this kind begin as early as October 27th, 1660. The social guardians at that early period wisely determined that marriage obligations should not be hastily assumed. To make the matter more sure these " In- tentions" were required to be twice recorded. The first record of this kind, the date of which has already been given, is as follows: i- John Steere hath this day declared his intention of Marriage with Hannah Wickenden." A few years later came the custom of not only recording but publishing marriage intentions, by posting the an- nouncement in a public place in the town. The publication require- ment was continued until a comparatively recent date. The first record of a marriage thus officially preserved is as follows: "Stephen Seebere & Deborah Angell were according to the laudable custom & law of the Colony married by me this fourteenth of November, Anno, 1668, John Greene, Assistant in Providence." Up to the year 1731 there are recorded 395 births, 90 marriages and 31 deaths. But these numbers are doubtless far below the actual facts. Efforts were fre- quently made to secure more perfect compliance with the laws in 404 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. regard to?returns of vital statistics, but for many years those efforts were a partial failure. The first volume exclusively devoted to births, marriages and deaths, was begun in 1713 and it lasted until 1765, with meanwhile a considerable degree of irregularity. It contains, however, the records of 794 births, 705 marriages and 35 deaths. The second volume ex- tends from 1765 to 1825, and contains the records of 1,466 births, 318 marriages and 283 deaths. The third volume reached from 1825 to 1843, and contains the record of 321 births, 779 marriages and 43 deaths. Volume four, extending from 1843 to 1849, contains 80 births, 1,432 marriages, and only four deaths. Volume five, extend- ing from March, 1849, to June, 1850, ended that series of records, and after that a new system was inaugurated, in which the various records were kept in different books. After the creation of the office of city registrar, which began July 1st, 1855, it was found that various churches in the city had records of marriages and a few births and deaths, which had never been placed upon the city records. These various records were obtained by Doctor Snow, then city registrar, and were copied in the fifth volume. The records thus gathered contained the names of 1,196 children born, 8,159 persons married, and 1,255 deaths. The act establishing the office of city registrar was passed at the May ses- sion of the assembly, 1855. It went into operation on the first day of July, of that year. The first incumbent of the office was Edwin M. Snow, M.D., whose efficient conduct of the office secured his con- tinuance in it for a long term of years. The books beginning soon after the opening of the office up to the present time show about eighty thousand births, sixty-seven thousand persons married, and seventy-three thousand deaths. During the year 1888 there were 3,131 births in the city, which was an increase of 168 over the number for the previous year. The population of Providence at this time was estimated in official reports at 123,000. The number of births was about equally divided between the sexes. Statistics during thirty-three years show that of the total number of children born, 37,271 were males and 35,231 were females. The number of colored children born here in 1888 was 124. The colored population of the city is about 4.000. Of the births in 1888, 1,243 were of American parentage and 1,273 were of foreign parentage, of which the predominating nationality was Irish, there being 547 of Irish parentage, 288 of English, Scotch and Welsh, 121 of British American, and the balance distributed among the Italian, German, Swedish, Portugese and other nation- alities. The average number of children to each mother during thirty-four years has been about three and two-thirds. During that period— 1856 to 188S— there were 860 cases of plurality births in the city, of which 850 were of twins, nine were of triplets, and one HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 405 was a case of quadruplets — four boys. In the latter case, a very- unusual one, the father was an American and the mother British American. The number of marriages in Providence during the year 1888 was 1,349, being an increase of 13 over the number for the previous year. Of these 640 were cases in which both parties were natives of the United States, and the remainder of mixed or foreign nativity. These marriages were conducted in ceremony by clergymen or officials as follows: Roman Catholic, 539; Baptist, 179; Free Baptist, 48; Metho- dist, 153; Episcopalian, 165; Congregational, 103; Unitarian, 26; Uni- versalist, 31; Presbyterian, 15; United Presbyterian, 14; Evangelical Advent, 7; Advent Christian, 2; Christian, 34; Hebrew, 11; Latter Day Saints, 2; New Jerusalem. 2; Free Religions, 1; Disciples of Christ, 2; Church of Jesus Christ, 2; denominations not specified, 9; judge of the supreme court, 4. Of the persons married 1,563 were natives of the United States and 1,135 were born in foreign countries. During the year 1888 there were 2,608 deaths in the city of Provi- dence, being four less than in the previous year. During the thirty- three years then completed the average annual rate of mortality was one death to 50.86 of the population, or 19.66 deaths in each 1,000. Of all the causes of these deaths consumption was the most frequent, nearly fourteen per cent, of the deaths in 1888 being from that cause alone. The number of deaths from some of the most frequent causes during the year was as follows: Cholera infantum, 127; consumption, 359; diphtheria, 98; typhoid fever, 103; diseases of the heart, 203; pneumonia, 208. During the year 1888 there were erected in the city 372 dwelling houses, at an aggregate cost of $1,214,100; 17 manufactories and workshops, at a cost of $357,825; IS office and business buildings, costing $286,800; 3 public municipal buildings, costing $40,000; 4 public assembly buildings, at a cost of $12,100; two school houses, costing $52,000; 8 stores, at a cost of $1,975; 13 store-houses, at a cost of $16,275, and 13 other buildings, at a cost of $44,705, making a grand total of 450 new buildings, valued at $2,025,7S0; to which may be added additions and alterations of other buildings, the total number of which was 167, and the cost $130,770, making a total value of $2,156,550 as the year's work in building up the city. The lighting of the public streets of the city is accomplished by 2,590 gas lamps, 1,010 naptha lamps, 608 gasoline lamps and 236 elec- tric lamps. In charge of these lights the city employs 67 men; pays for gas $60,549.30; for electric lights, $40,746.84, and for all expenses of lights a total annual sum of $144,016.98. CHAPTER XIV. PROVIDENCE CITY— PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND WATER WORKS. The Old State House.— Providence County Court House.— The City Hall.— The Old Market House. — The Custom House. — The Old State Prison. — The Old Arsenal. — Public Water Works. — Sockanosset Reservoir. — Pettaconset Pumping Station. — Hope Reservoir and Pumping Station. — The High Service. — Fruit Hill Reservoir. — The Sewerage System. IN its public buildings Providence can boast of the finest in the state, as well as some of honorable antiquity. One of the most interesting buildings in the city, frcm a historical point of view, is the old state house, which was also for many years used as a court house. It occupies the former site of the old colony house, which was burned in 1758, the site being a very pleasant one, on a slope upward to the east from North Main street, and extending to Benefit street. The erection of this building was begun in 1759 and completed in 1762. It is a plain, two-story building of painted brick walls, and its sober architecture tells us of the sober and practical times in which it was built. Its walls look substantial, and are trimmed with stone facings. Its size on the ground is about 40 by 70 feet. The old colony house, which preceded it on the site, was built in 1731. The present building was more generally known as the court house, origi- nally from the fact that the colony legislature was called the general court, and latterly from the fact that it was used as a place for hold- ing courts of law. This use of it continued until the year 1877, when the new court house was ready for occupancy. The erecticn of the old state house cost ,£51,556, Os., lid., " old tenor." Notable scenes have occurred within its walls. The house is indeed redolent with revolutionary memories, and these are suggested by the cannon, one on either side of the walk as you approach the main entrance. From its balcony the declaration of independence was read, and seven years later the proclamation of peace, while to both these documents the shouts of an enthusiastic populace assembled in front answered loud and long. In this house President Washington was officially received in August, 1790, and it was on the steps of the front en- trance that Lafayette, amid the throngs of spectators who cheered him as he passed up the walk between two lines of white-robed, flower-wreathed young ladies, met his old comrade in arms, Colonel Stephen Olney, and embraced him in such sympathetic greeting as HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 407 to move the hearts of all spectators of the scene. While the short May session of the assembly is held at Newport, the long session of January is held here. In 1881 the interior was remodelled and hand- somely fitted up. The first floor contains the hall of representatives, the second the senate chamber, office of the secretary of state, the state library and governor's room. Among the interesting relics of the past that may be seen here are a collection of battle-flags, 24 vState flags, 35 guidons and tw^o revolutionary standards, represent- ing all the military organizations of the state exceptirg the 9th and 10th Infantry Regiments. Portraits in oil adorn the walls of the rooms, among which are those of ex-governors and other notables, and in the secretary of state's room may be seen a celebrated full- length portrait of Washington by Gilbert Stuart. Here are also pre- served the " Gaspee " commission, the state charter of 1663, under which the commonwealth was governed until 1842, and the deed of the state house lot. The Providence County court house, one of the most elegant buildings, in architectural proportions, design and finish, to be found in New England, is located at the corner of College and Benefit streets. It occupies what w r as formerly known as the old town house lot, a site which has been used in part for public purposes for nearly a century. The land was condemned and taken for public use as a site for a court house by act of the general assembly passed March 9th, 1875. On the following day Messrs. Amasa S. Westcott, Edwin Darling and Thomas P. Shepard were elected commissioners to build a new court house on the site, and instructed to report plans and estimates at the same session. This being done they were, on the 30th of the same month, authorized to proceed and empowered to build the court house substantially according to the plans submitted. Ground for the building was broken July 30th, 1875. The corner stone was laid amid imposing ceremonies, conducted by the Grand Lodge of Masons, May 15th, 1876, an oration on the occasion being delivered by Hon. John H. Stiness. The building having been ccm- pleted, was appropriately dedicated December 18th, 1877. At the dedicatory exercises a large audience was present, embracing the members of the general assembly, the bar, and other gentlemen prominent in public and private business life. At the close of an ad- dress by Hon. Amasa S. Westcott, chairman of the building commis- sion, he delivered the keys to Governor Van Zandt, who, after re- sponsive remarks, handed them to Christopher Holden, Esq., sheriff of the county, who received them with appropriate remarks; a dedi- catory prayer was offered by Right Reverend Thomas M. Clark, bishop of the diocese of Rhode Island; and Hon. Thomas Durfee, chief justice of the supreme court, pronounced an oration. This was followed by an address from Hon. Abraham Payne, a collation and post-prandial remarks by Governor Van Zandt, Hon. George A. 408 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Brayton, ex-chief justice, Hon. Zachariah Allen, Bishop Clark, Sena- tors Henry B. Anthony and A. E. Burnside, James C. Collins, Esq., Nicholas Van Slyck, Esq., and General George Lewis Cooke. The edifice is large and lofty, of a somewhat irregular but unique and impressive style of architecture, of the modern Gothic order. Several kinds of stone and brick, such as Quincy granite, Connecti- cut brown stone, Danvers face brick, dressed brown stone, polished granite, etc., have been used with very fine effect in its exterior walls and trimmings, and from the front, on Benefit street, rises a majestic tower, from the upper windows of which an extensive view is ob- tained of the city and its surroundings, and of the harbor and bay. The edifice is exceedingly well constructed for all the purposes for which it was designed, and great attention has been paid to warming, light and ventilation. A first-class clock, said to be one of the finest in the country, has been placed in the tower, at a cost of $1,800, and electric time dials are found in all the important rooms of the build- ing. The clock tower is 200 feet high. About the building much carving is noticeable, particularly upon the corbel of the oriel win- dow on College street,.facing Market Square, and around the capitals of the polished granite columns at the porches. The interior of the building is handsomely fitted up, and comprises rooms for the com- mon pleas and supreme courts, offices of the judges, clerks of the courts and other county officers, waiting rooms and other apartments. On the second floor is a law library, ceiled throughout, and capable of accommodating 50,000 volumes. The cost of the building, includ- ing furniture, was $253,253.70. To this add the cost of the land, and the entire expense is swelled to about $400,000. It would be an exhibition of base ingratitude, and as unnatural as base, were the people of Providence not proud of their city hall. It is indeed the finest and most imposing building in the city. Nor can many cities of America boast of a better one. The interest with which it has been visited, and the favorable criticisms which it has universally received from strangers and citizens alike, both as to its completeness of architectural design and its spacious and convenient accommodations for the transaction of municipal business, are the highest tribute to the efforts of the committee who secured the plans, the architect who designed, and the commissioners who supervised. The first definite action toward the erection of a city hall was taken in the form of a resolution by the city council November 10th, 1845, to the effect that such a building was needed, and appointing a com- mittee to secure plans and estimates. The committee reported in the following January, but the plans were immature, and from that time to 1853 various resolutions were passed by the council, appointing committees to secure a location. February 13th, 1854, a committee was directed to purchase the land on which the city hall now stands, and the purchase was effected on the 22d of April following. Again HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 409 definite action was delayed until March 26th, 1874, when the city council appointed a committee and empowered them to offer a prize of $1,000 for the best plan and estimate for a city hall to be built on the lot bounded by Dorrance, Washington, Eddy and Fulton streets. This committee secured a combination of plans, modified to meet their requirements, and on the 8th of October, 1874, the modified plans having been approved, the city council appointed James Y. Smith, George H. Corliss and William G. R. Mowry, commissioners to build the city hall. They organized on the 12th, and proceeded at once to set the work in motion. The services of Mr. S. F. J. Thayer, of Boston, were secured as its architect. The corner stone was laid with appropriate ceremonies by the Masonic fraternity June 24th, 1875. The occasion was celebrated by a Masonic parade and an ad- dress by Mayor Thomas A. Doyle and an oration by General Horatio ' Rogers. The box, containing a long list of current articles, was placed in the stone which lies on the corner of Washington and Dorrance streets, and is directly beneath the section of the plinth moulding adjacent to the corner section which extends on the Wash- ington street side. There is so much of historic suggestion in the following passage from the oration of General Rogers, delivered on this occasion, that we here present it. "Our ancestors were simple men with frugal habits, and the vari- ous accommodations from time to time provided for our public affairs, afford at once an indication of their character, and an illus- tration of the growth of the place. In our earlier years the town meetings were held in the open air. The annual town meeting in June, 1676, we find, was holden ' before Thomas Field's house, under a tree by the waterside,' near what is now the corner of South Main and Crawford streets. Later, the Friends' meeting house was called into requisition. In 1730, the town united with the county in building a modest county house, 40 by 30 feet square, conditioned that the town meetings should be holden there. After resorting to various expedients, however, for a place for holding town meetings, the town council meanwhile meeting at private houses and public taverns in a very itinerant sort of way, the old town house on the corner of College and Benefit streets was purchased, in 1794, of the Congregational society, for the meetings of the town, and at the same time the town directed the town cleik to keep his office in the market house chambers, and the town council to hold its meetings there. Thus matters continued for more than half a century. At last, to make room for tl^, public authorities, the Masons were ousted from the third story of the market house, which they had been per- mitted to add in 1797. A little over 20 years ago, this lot on which we stand was procured, and it was proposed that a city hall should be erected here. Forthwith arose a grand municipal uproar, and the question of a city hall, like a veritable apple of discord, convulsed 410 HISTORY OF PROVIDENXE COUNTY. the councils of the city. One measure of opposition to the project was the expulsion of the butchers from the basement and first floor of the market house, and the adaptation of the whole building to public u'533. This device quieted the opposing factions for a season, but the vexed question soon again agitated the community. Two years ago the city council, not without the strongest opposition, voted that this lot should be cleared by a certain' day, while the last council firmly. and courageously brushed all obstacles aside, ordered and accepted plans, elected commissioners, and directed that the city hall should be built, to use its own phrase, 'forthwith.' Thus ended one of the most bitter and protracted controversies ever known in this com- munity." Work was commenced and carried forward without delay. The ground upon which the building stands is of artificial formation. Soundings and borings developed the discovery that the safest levels varied from 17 to 47 feet below mean high water mark. The ques- tion of providing an adequate sub-structure to sustain the immense weight of 3(3,000 tons, which is the weight of materials in the build- ing, was one not easily to be disposed of, but it was successfully accomplished. The foundations are composed of 3,128 piles, driven into hard-pan and cut off at 2^ feet below high water, thus secur- ing their constant submersion, a condition of permanency. Above this and to the sidewalk level are walls of block granite. The su- perstructure is of cut granite, backed by a vaulted brick Avail in all its external parts, and in its interior by similar walls of brick alone. These are generally of great thickness. The floors throughout are built with iron beams or girders, rolled beams for the smaller, and girders of plate and angle iron for the larger spans. The roof and dome are unique, but not experimental in their construction. Upright rafters carry purlins of T iron, in which are fitted slabs of concrete. These are covered with slate and copper according to their slope. The general plan of the building is simple and organic. It is in shape a rectangle of 134 by 160 feet, divided by four inter- secting walls, forming the central hall in the middle and business apartments on the outer lines. The architecluial character of the building is a simple rendering of the renaissance; adopted because of its natural tendency toward symmetrical arrangements. In its ex- terior decorative work has been sparingly used, but when used care- ful drawings and models were prepared, to adapt the detail to the hard, unyielding character of the materials, It is built in cut granite, having its main entrance from Dorrance s'Lrcei. Viewed from any point on Exchange place it presents a striking appearance, present- ing the idea of great strength and massive dignity rather than diversified ornamentation. It is surrounded by a sidewalk com- posed of granite blocks from five to six feet in width and from IS to 21 feet in leneth. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 411 The basement, entered by doors on each of the four streets sur- rounding the building, is occupied by the police department, tcaid of public works, superintendent of health, superintendent of public schools, and the sealer of weights and measures, and is plainly but elegantly finished in oak. Beneath the basement is a cellar contain- ing the four 50-horse-power boilers designed to heat the building, the shops connected with the water department, and the machinery for operating the elevator. The main or first floor is reached from the street by a broad flight of steps on Dorrance street. Within, the apartments are arranged about a hollow square, the central part of the building being devoted to spacious corridors, with floors of white marble and wainscoting of variegated marbles, in which black and gray predominate. On the landing, part way up a broad flight of white marble stairs, which at this point divide and reach the cor- ridor above on either side, we are confronted by a bronze tablet bearing this historic inscription. Corner Stone Laid June 24, 187."). Commissioners from 1874 to 1876: James Y. Smith, George H. Corliss, William G. R. Mowry. Commissioners from 1876 to 1878: William G. R. Mowry, Henry G. Russell, William M. Bailey. Dedicated November 14th, 1878. Thomas A. Doyle, Mayor. Samuel J. F. Thayer, Architect. From these stairs one has an unobstructed view of the dome to its glass and iron covering, and by which the central part of the building is well lighted. The other floors are reached by stairs on one side of the building, while an elevator, run by the use of water, occupies the other side. The corridors are supported by six polished granite pillars and surrounded by massive iron balustrades. At the right of the main entrance on the first floor is the executive depart- ment, comprising the outer or mayor's clerk's office and the public and private offices of the mayor. These offices are sumptuously furnished. The remainder of the first floor is occupied by the de- partments of the treasurer, auditor, tax assessors, recorder of deeds and city messenger and the reception room. The latter room is finished in mahogany and furnished throughout with great elegance and taste. Splendid mirrors adorn either end of the room, and the walls are covered with embossed leather of beautiful design. The remaining rooms on this floor, as well as in the rest of the building, are finished, with one exception, in oak, and are supplied with every convenience, among which should be mentioned the impregnable safes of the Corliss patent in the treasurer's vaults, which are a marvel 412 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. of mechanical ingenuity. The second floor contains the chambers of the common council and the board of aldermen, occupying the en- tire Dorrance street front, the municipal court room, the law depart- ment, the offices of the city clerk and committee rooms. The alder- men's chamber is suitably provided with desks and is beautifully finished in mahogany. A private staircase communicates from this with the mayor's office directly below. The council chamber is a spacious and lofty room, 58 by 46 feet on the floor and 36 feet high, and is lighted at night by a 50-light chandelier. The desks of the members are separated by a railing from the seats of the audience, near the entrance and under the balcony, which is entered from the story above. Upon the walls hang the portraits of all the mayors of the city from its incorportion to the present time. On the third floor are the city engineer's department, the offices of the superintendents of lights and of public buildings, and the room of the committee on claims. The janitor's rooms and fire-alarm battery room are on the fourth floor. Speaking tubes and electric annunciators connect the offices of the mayor and messenger with every other office in the building, and electric clock dials are stationed throughout, while the building is supplied with abundant telephonic connection with the outside world. The total cost of the building was $1,034,521.84. The City Building, the old market house, now occupied by the board of trade, is for antiquity one of the most important public buildings of the city. Aside from its historic associations, it has ro claim to any particular notice. Its position is conspicuous, standing as it does on the east side of Market Square, upon which it seems to look with grim and sombre mien. Mention has already been made in a previous chapter of the erection of this building. It was built by lottery in 1773, and a third story was added by St. John's Lodge of Free Masons, in 1797, for their own use. The building was occu- pied in part for the use of the town, but the lower story was let to different market dealers, finally being occupied by meat dealers altogether, but the gradual absorption of different parts of the build- ing by the various departments of the city government at. last crowded out every other occupant. After the removal of the muni- cipal offices to the new city hall, however, the building was leased to the board of trade, by whom it is now occupied. The custom house, on Weybosset street, is a fit type of the solidity and permanency of our National Union. It is a structure of pleasing architectural proportions, is built of granite, and belongs to the gov- ernment of the United States. It is three stories high, and was erected at a cost of about $225,000. It was completed and opened in 1857. Upon the upper floors are the internal revenue office, the United States court room, and rooms for the judges and other gov- ernment officials. The lower story is devoted to the uses of the post office department. This department rearranged and refurnished its HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 413 quarters in 1880, putting in at that time, among other improvements, over 1,500 brass letter boxes secured by Yale locks. The business office and registered letter department is open from 9 a.m. to 6 P.M., except Sundays and legal holidays. The general delivery and letter carriers' department is open from 7 A.M. to 7:30 p.m. On Sundays the general delivery and carriers' window are open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. only. The old state prison, on Gaspee street, north of the cove, is a massive granite structure, two stories in height. The location is also known as Great point. The erection of the buildings was begun in 1837, and they were completed during that and the following year, and were first occupied November 15th, 1838. The prison building is 48 by 93 feet. A corridor ten feet wide runs through the center, on each side of which are cells for the prisoners. The house for the warden is 48 feet square, and is connected by a smaller building with the prison. This is of common stone, while the walls of the prison are of granite. The prison yard is 122 feet by 241, and is enclosed by a stone wall 15 feet high. The county jail, a building 27 by 66 feet and two stories high, also adjoins the keeper's house. This was added in 1839. The prison building was erected at a cost of $51,500. Owing to the unhealthy conditions of the locality the prison and jail were built on the state farm at Cranston, some six miles from the city, and the prisoners were removed to their quarters there in 1S78. The old arsenal on Benefit street, near Meeting street, is a gloomy structure of plastered stone, with two castellated towers on the corn- ers of the front. It was built for a state arsenal in 1840, and was used for the purpose for a time. Since the munitions and arms have been distributed to different parts of the state the building has been leased to the Providence Marine Corps of Artillery. Repeated attempts were made to get the city to adopt some plan for supplying its people with water by a system of public water works, but the element of opposition to the project repeatedly showed itself too strong. In 1853, 1856, 1864 and in May, 1866, the citizens voted adversely on the question. But on the 9th of July of the year last mentioned the city council appointed a committee to examine and again report upon the subject. Under their direction preliminary surveys were made by J. Herbert Shedd, a civil engi- neer, then of Boston. After thorough investigations an exhaustive report was made, setting forth four different plans and estimating the cost of each. These plans were the Scott's pond, the Pawtuxet, the Ten-Mile river and the Pawtucket plans. February 15th, 1869, the taxpayers voted in favor of adopting the Pawtuxet plan, an act having previously been passed by the general assembly authorizing them to introduce water works at their option. On the 27th of Oc- tober following the city council elected Moses B. Lockwood, Charles E. Carpenter and Joseph J. Cooke water commissioners for three 414 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. years. They organized and proceeded with the work, employing Mr. Sheddand competent assistants as engineers to carry forward the enterprise. Mr. Lockwood died May 13th, 1872, and the vacanc}' thus caused was filled by the election of Mr. William Corliss. Near the close of the three years, for which the commissioners were orig- inally elected, their term was extended nine months, but on the 27th of February, 1874, they were re-elected as a new board, to act until their successors were chosen. Immediately after the organization of the department the neces- sary surveys were made, lands purchased or condemned, and in the spring of 1870 the construction of temporary pumping works and Sockanosset reservoir, and the laying of pipes were ecmmenced and vigorously pushed forward. As the first grand result of the work Pawtuxet water flowed into the city on the 18th of November, 1871, and the event was appropriately celebrated twelve days afterward. A steam pumping station had been erected on the banks of the Paw- tuxet, which was capable of raising 200,CC0 gallons an hour. A con- duit in one bank of the Sockanosset reservoir, connecting the inlet with the outlet chamber, could be used through which to supply the city; the pumping engine was connected with the reservoir by one line of force main, and the reservoir with the city with one line of leading main; and distribution pipes to the length of about 30 miles had been laid. The first service stop was opened December 1st, 1871. After the introduction of water the other important features of the works were constructed as rapidly as circumstances would per- mit. These were the Pettaconset and Hope engine houses and en- gines, and Hope reservoir. The estimated cost of construction of the works on the Pawtuxet plan was $4,477,035.08. The growth of the city and the demands of that growth have carried the wcrk beyond the original plan, so that the total expense of construction of the works up to June 30th, 1889, amounted to $5,431,278.71. The total number of service stops opened to that time was 14,767, of which about 1,000 were not then in actual use. The average daily consump- tion of water by the city is about 7f million gallons. The total num- ber of fire hydrants is 1,314. The Pettaconset pumping station is situated on the Pawtuxet river, about six miles from the city hall. The erection of temporary works was begun in 1870 and completed in 1871. The lands pur- chased and taken comprise the " Aldridge farm," containing about 97 acres, measuring to the middle of the river, the bulk of which lies in the town of Cranston, about one-half an acre lying in the town of Warwick. On the farm is an old dwelling house and barn and three neat one and a half story cottages. The temporary engine and boiler house, already mentioned as being erected in 1871, stands on the bank of the river, and in it is a Worthington engine, capable of pumping five million gallons in 24 hours. A permanent fire-proof HISTORY OF PROVIDENXE COUNTY. 415 engine house of Danvers pressed brick and Westerly granite, with slated iron roof, was built in 1873 and 1874, and in it was erected an engine, of a capacity of about 9,000,000 gallons. A standpipe was erected in connection with it to a height of 186 feet. Be- neath this house a bed of quicksand of great depth was found, and the unstable bottom, affected by the motion of the engine, caused the standpipe to settle, and in 1879 an attempt was made to strengthen it, by driving piles about the foundation of the pump. Forty piles, about 25 feet long and ten inches in diameter, were driven, and the results were partially satisfactory. The engine house is 129 feet in length, and the boiler house connected with it is 179 feet in length. The width of the former is 56 feet and that of the latter 55 feet. The walls of the engine house are 49 feet high. An additional engine house was built near the bank of the river in 1881 and 1882, in which an engine of about 9,000,000 gallons capacity was placed. Both house and engine were erected by George H. Corliss. A coal house was erected in 1885. Between the pumping stations first erected and the river is a large basin 30 feet deep, from which w 7 ater is pumped. It was originally intended that this basin should receive the water from the river by natural filtration through the embankment, but the formation proved less porous than was supposed, and water could not be obtained in sufficient quantity by that means, so it was deemed expedient to connect the basin with the river by pipes through the em- bankment. Two lines, of about 950 feet each in length and of 36 inch diameter, of force mains are laid in this tract. A strip of land 50 feet wide and about 380 feet long is used as a road from the northerly part of the " Aldridge farm " to the Pontiac road. Connected w 7 ith the water works there is also a tract in Warwick, known as the " Rhodes farm," of about 235 acres, extending from the Pawtuxet river across the Stonington railroad and the Greenwich road to Duck pond. Adjoining this tract is another of 83 acres, known as the " Chace farm," also in Warwick. The line of force mains, two iron pipes 36 inches in diameter, after leaving the "Aldridge Farm " and crossing the Pontiac road under a dry bridge, extend a distance of 3,324 feet to the Sockanos- set Hill cross road, and run along that road to the New London turn- pike; crossing the turnpike they are laid in the cross road until within about 200 feet of the reservoir embankment they enter the lands of Sockanosset Hill reservoir and so continue to the inlet cham- ber. This reservoir is about one mile from the pumping station. At the time of the freshet in February, 1886, the water in the Pawtuxet river at the Pettaconset station reached an unprecedented height, submerging the basements of the engine houses. By the same freshet the bridge on Reservoir avenue, over the Pocasset river, which supports the large mains, was washed away, and the safety of the pipes for a time was seriously endangered. When the 416 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. bridge was rebuilt, during the same year, these pipes were raised and permanently secured in a position beyond the liability of accident from another freshet. The vSockanosset reservoir, on Sockanosset hill, is in the town of Cranston. The lands purchased and taken for the purpose comprise a farm of 101 acres, on the westerly side of the cross road, as that road was formerly located, a lot of about three acres, and a tract of about 13 acres, both on the westerly side of the same road, and about 12 acres on the easterly side of said road. The reservoir covers about 14 acres, embracing a portion of the farm, a portion of the old cross road, a portion of the last named tract, and the whole of the three-acre lot. It has a capacity of about 51,000,000 gallons. A stone cottage was erected near the inlet chamber, and is occupied by the keeper of the reservoir. The building of this reservoir was begun May 3d, 1870. A brick conduit passing through the embankment, connects the inlet and outlet chambers independently of the reser- voir. This reservoir is located about five and a half miles from the heart of the city. It is the feeder of Hope reservoir and the high service pumps, and is the most important reservoir in the system. Its plan is pyriform, to suit the character of the ground. It is about 1,000 feet long, and about 850 feet wide at the wide part. The height of the water above mean high tide in Providence river is 180 feet, 6 inches. The embankment is of earth, 19 feet high above the bottom of the reservoir, and 15 feet wide at the top. The high water line is four feet below the top of the embankment. The inlet cham- ber is at the south end and the outlet chamber at the northeasterly extremity. Over each of these chambers is a neat and substantial gate house, built of stone and covered with a slated roof. The 30-inch force mains are continued through the embankment, termi- nating in separate cells within the inlet chamber, from which the water which enters can be turned either into the reservoir or into the conduit leading directly to the outlet chamber. The outlet chamber has three similar cells, connected by 30-inch pipes through the em- bankment with the leading mains to the city. Two leading mains of 30-inch iron pipe extend from Socka- nosset reservoir into the city, making connection with Hope reservoir and with the distributing mains of the city. In 1874 a second line of 30-inch leading mains was laid from the Sockanosset reservoir by the side of the first to the junction at Greenwich and Public streets. Hope reservoir is located in the eastern part of the city, within the square enclosed by ( )lney, Thayer, Barnes and Brown streets. The lands purchased and taken for the purpose comprise about 18 acres. The reservoir has a capacity of about 76,000,000 gallons. At the northwesterly corner of the reservoir lands, on Olney street, stands the high service engine house. This is a fine building of Westerly, Concord and Ouincy granites, and Danvers pressed brick. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 417 with iron roof partly slated and partly tinned. Two pumping en- gines have been erected in it, each having a capacity of 5,000,000 gallons^in 24 hours. One of these was erected by George H. Corliss, and the other by the Providence Steam Engine Company. In addition to the force main and leading main lines already described, there have been laid 6,855 feet of 20-inch pipe; 31,605 feet of 16-inch pipe; 59,125 feet of 12-inch pipe; 14,758 feet of 10-inch pipe; 156,820 feet of 8-inch pipe; and 719,228 feet of 6-inch pipe; making a total of all sizes, including force and leading mains, of about 209 miles of pipe. Connected with and for the purposes of the water works, the city owns land in the village of Pawtuxet, situ- ated partly in the town of Cranston, and partly in Warwick. It was purchased of the American Wood Paper Company, December 8th, 1870, for the sum of $50,000. It consists of the water privileges on both sides of the river, which at this place is the dividing line be- tween the two towns mentioned. The city also owns the cotton mill estate, in the same place, with a lot of land about 96 feet square; the Randall estate adjoining, containing about 9i acres, all on the Cranston side of the river; and two lots of land adjoining each other on the Warwick side of the river. A wooden cotton mill which stood on this property when it was purchased, was destroyed by fire on the evening of January 15th, 1875. Also, about 22 acres on Olney's hill, in the town of Lincoln, was purchased for the location of a high service reservoir. Of this land about 15^ acres were conveyed to the city by George W. Himes, July 30th, 1875; 6 acres by George W. Olney, August 31st, 1875; and about one-half acre by Orin Smith. October 30th, 1876. A considerable part of the city lies so high that it cannot be served by gravitation from the reservoirs. It therefore requires a supplemental means of supply, which is known as the "high ser- vice." This is maintained by constant pumping, by steam power, into the mains to meet the varying demands. These pumping works are located at Hope reservoir or " Station," the pumping station be- ing on Olney street, near the reservoir. Mention has already been made of this house and the two engines which it contains. The first was erected by George H. Corliss in 1873, and the other by the Provi- dence Steam Engine Company, after designs furnished by A. F. Nagle, in 1875. These engines receive the water from the low- service main and force it directly into the distributing main as the demand varies. Arrangements have been made to secure a high service by means of gravity from a large reservoir, and the work is rapidly going forward, and will probably be completed before this volume is delivered to its readers. For this purpose land in North Providence was purchased to the extent of 30-J acres. The high ser- vice reservoir is located on Fruit hill. Land for this reservoir and a road leading to it was purchased in quantities and of grantors as fol- 27 418 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. lows: 24^ acres of Stephen B. Olney, April 8th, 1886; 2^ acres of Thomas H. Smith, June 19th, 1886; a little more than an acre of Walter S. Seamans and wife, July 14th, 1886; 1J acres of Walter W. Whipple, July 26th, 1886; about ■§ of an acre of Carleton, Norwood & Co., July 23d, 1886, and half an acre of Charles Peckham, July 15th, 18S6. The land having been purchased, the work of connecting - the Hope pumping station with the proposed high service reservoir on Fruit hill was pushed forward as rapidly as possible. The details of a reservoir were worked out as thoroughly as practicable. Its capacity is about 25,000,000 gallons and it covers about seven acres. The ele- vation of the mean water lines of this reservoir will be about 274 feet above mean high water in Providence river, 112 feet higher than the mean water lines of Hope reservoir, and 94 feet higher than the mean water lines of Sockanosset reservoir. A 24-inch pipe line con- necting this with Hope pumping engines is laid, running through the following streets and avenues: Olney, Camp, Lippitt, North Main, Stevens, Charles, Ashburton, Webster, Delhi, Chalkstone, Smith and High Service. The total expenditures for the construction and maintenance of the water works up to September 30th, 1888, as shown by the books in the office of the board of public works, was $6,726,172.41. The re- ceipts for rent, labor, material, etc., to that date, were $544,950.21. There had been received for water supplied $3,915,544.66. The total receipts on account of the water works had been $4,460,494.87. The balance of expenditures thus left was $2,265,677.54. The city is well served by a system of sewers devised by Civil Engineer J. Herbert Shedd, and adopted by the city in 1872. Up to January 1st, 1889, there had been constructed over 58 miles of sewers of all sizes, from S-inch pipes up to brick oval sewers 66 by 72 inches in diameter. The total number of catch basins connected with them was 2,095 and the number of manholes 3,028. The total number of house connections was 5,238, taking the sewage of about 54,000 people. Some of the newer sections of the city are yet without sewer connections. CHAPTER XV. PROVIDENCE CITY— BENEVOLENT AND REMEDIAL INSTITUTIONS. The Dexter Donation. — Dexter Asylum. — Butler Hospital for the Insane. — The Rhode Island Hospital. — Home for Aged Women. — Home for Aged Men. — The Children's Friend Society. — St. Aloysius Orphan Asylum. — Association for the Benefit of Col- ored Children. — Various Benevolent Societies. — The Homeopathic Hospital. — Women's Christian Association. — The Little Sisters of the Poor. — St. Vincent de Paul Society. — St. Elizabeth's Home. — Public Charities in the Past. CONSPICUOUS among the institutions of Providence for the care of its helpless and indigent people stands the magnificent benefaction of Dexter Asylum and the Dexter donation. To begin with the origin of this princely benefaction we must turn back to the philanthropic life whose close gave it birth. Ebenezer Knight Dexter died August 10th, 1824, in the 52d year of his age. He was educated a merchant, and pursued his business with such strict at- tention and was rewarded with such successful results that he was able to retire with a fortune at an early age. For several years pre- vious to his death he held the office of marshal for the district of Rhode Island. This office during the time of the embargo was one involving considerable perplexity and arduous duties, as well as lia- bility to make enemies in the faithful discharge of his duties. Yet he so carefully and skillfully managed the office that he held the esteem and respect of his fellow townsmen and the confidence of the government. By his last will he gave the greater part of his property, amounting by estimated value to $60,000, to his native town, to be appropriated to the support of the poor. The freemen of the town, in town meeting on the 22d of November following his death, by vote accepted the donation, approving the conditions under which it was granted, and pledging the town to the faithful performance of the trust thus placed in their hands. The following is the extract from his will which contains the bequest spoken of: " Seventeenth. — Feeling a strong attachment to my native town, and an ardent desire to ameliorate the condition of the poor, and to contribute to their comfort and relief, I give, grant, and devise to the aforesaid town of Providence, in fee simple forever, my Neck Farm in Providence, lying southerly of the Friends' Yearly Meeting School estate, together with all the buildings thereon, to be appro- priated to the accommodation and support of the poor of said town, 420 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. in manner hereinafter mentioned, and for no other use or purpose whatever. Provided, however, and this devise is upon condition that said town shall, within five years after my decease, erect a building or buildings on said farm, suitable for the use and accommodation of the poor of said town, and shall, under their own management and direction keep and maintain the same for that sole use and purpose forever; and provided also, and this devise is upon this further con- dition, that said town shall within 20 years after my decease, erect all around upon the exterior lines of said farm, leaving, however, suitable passage ways into the same, a good permanent stonewall, at least three feet thick at the bottom, and at least eight feet high, and to be placed upon a foundation made of small stones, and as thick as the bottom of the wall, and sunk two feet deep in the ground. I hereby authorize said town, however, to exchange at anytime before the building of said wall, such parts of said farm as they may think best, for other lands adjoining, for the purpose of straightening the lines of said farm or throwing into better shape, but for no other purpose. "Eighteenth. — I also give, grant, devise and bequeath to the afore- said town of Providence, in fee simple forever, for the use of the poor of said town, as hereinafter mentioned, all the rest, residue and remainder of my estate, both real and personal, not herein otherwise disposed of; the said town paying thereout, or out of the rents, profits or income thereof, at their discretion, the annuities aforesaid; and for the payment of which said annuities all the real estate herein de- vised to said town, except the said Neck Farm and said lot devised for a Training Field, is to stand charged and chargeable. And I do hereby give said town full power and authority to sell, if they judge it best, the whole or any part of the real estate herein devised to them, except the said Neck Farm and the said lot devised for a train- ing field, and to invest the proceeds of the sales thereof in bank or other stocks — the whole of said property and estate herein devised and bequeathed to said town to be kept together, and to constitute a permanent fund for the benefit of the poor of said town, and to be preserved entire forever: and until the said town shall have erected a building or buildings on said Neck Farm in the manner and for the purpose as is hereinbefore mentioned, the rents, profits and in- come of all the property and estate herein given and devised to said town, including the rents, profits and income of said Neck Farm to be added to said permanent fund and to constitute a part thereof; and when said town shall have so erected such building or buildings, and placed the same in suitable condition and under proper regula- tions to receive the poor of said town, then and from that time all the rents, profits and income of all the property and estate herein given and devised to said town, including the rents, profits and in- come of said Neck Farm, to be applied by said town to the support HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 421 and maintenance of the poor of said town, in such way and manner as said town from time to time, at any meeting legally holden, shall' in their discretion direct, and for no other use or purpose whatever; provided however, that no vote of any town meeting in relation to any part or portion of the property or estate herein devised and be- queathed to said town, or in relation to the management of the same, or of the rents, profits or income thereof, shall be of any force or effect, unless forty freemen at least, be present at the time of passing such vote." The resolutions of the freemen of the town accepting the condi- tions of this bequest contain the following passages in regard to the benefactor: " That while they cherish his memory, with a pleasing- reference to such traits of his character as claim the respect of those who remember him, and of those who in future time shall hear of him, they will not forget that he has meritoriously acquired the titles of a public benefactor and a friend of the unfortunate; and that they will take pride in connecting with his name the recollection that in the bosom of their community was born and lived and died a citizen of such large and sagacious views, who by the energy of his benevo- lence and the influence of his example, has accomplished so much to render his existence a blessing to generations yet to come — a citizen who in the last solemn act of his life, in the progress of that scene which crowns the character of man and tries the secrets of his heart, evinced that he learned the true value and highest use of those riches which it sometimes pleases the Disposer of all good to make the fruit of industry and prudence, and to bless, as means of effecting good will to man." The funds accruing from this bequest, as well as the property be- longing to it, were denominated the Dexter Donation, and the man- agement of the property was placed in the hands of a board of com- missioners. Steps were at once taken toward building an asylum for the poor, according to the provisions of the will. In January, 1826, Isaac Brown, Caleb Earle and Truman Reckwith were appointed, a building committee, and under their supervision the work was car- ried forward to an early completion. The building was finished in 1830, at a cost somewhat exceeding $43,000. Its location was on a range of high land about half a mile northeasterly from the market house, a spot that had been selected by Mr. Dexter himself. The building, fronting south, consisted of a central section £0 feet front by 55 feet deep, with a wing on either side, each 60 feet front and 45 feet deep. The central basement is of granite, in courses, and the basement of the wings of natural faced stone. Above the basement the walls are of brick, crowned with an eave cornice of freestone. When first built the central section was three stories in height and the wings two stories, with an attic. A corridor divided the building lengthwise through the center, in each story, and a transept corridor 422 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. divided the central section, extending from front to rear, making on each floor four rooms in the central section and six rooms in each wing - . Different rooms in different parts of the building were ar- ranged for the various wants and uses of its occupants, including a chapel in the third story. The architect of the building was Mr. John H. Greene. The plot of ground on which the asylum stands contains about 40 acres, and this was enclosed with a stone wall ac- cording to the will. The stone wall was finished in 1840, at a cost of about $22,000. It is 6,220 feet in length, and contains 7,840 cords of stone. On the west side, fronting on Hope street, the wall has since been lowered and finished with a capping of granite. The building- was first occupied in 1828, Mr. Gideon Palmer being placed in charge of the institution. The number of inmates received at first was 64, which number was increased considerably during a few years. In 1842 it was 103; in 1847, 152; in 1875, 140, and in 1888, 75. The first superintendent, Mr. Gideon Palmer, remained in charge for nearly a quarter of a century. In 1852 Hollis Chaffin was superintendent, continuing- until 1872, when he was succeeded by Thomas E. Payson, who remained about five years. John M. Knowles was in charge of the institution in 1878, and he remains in the position in 1889. In 1868 an appropriation of $30,000 was made by the city council for the purpose of providing heating and laundry apparatus, and making some changes in the interior of the main building. In the following year the work of improvement and renovating the build- ing was continued until the entire building was materially changed, so that nothing remained of the original structure except the main walls and some parts of the inside woodwork. An expense of about $100,000 was involved in the alterations, and when completed it was claimed for it that this was the finest pauper building in the country. The annual expense of maintaining the institution, over the receipts of the farm, as shown by the last annual report, is about $13,000. Over $17,000 worth of farm products are annually sold, besides what are used in the institution. The Dexter Donation, of which the asylum is a part, comprises the following parcels of real estate, now in the possession of the city, besides the asylum property already described: The Tavern estate on North Main street, leased to J. B. Barnaby for 40 years from Novem- ber 1st, 1871; the lot and building next south of the Tavern estate, leased to Horace B. Knowles for 40 years from June 1st, 1874; the house and lot on Meeting street, leased to William V. Wallace for 40 years from November 1st, 1871; four lots, each 40 by 150 feet, front- ing on Cranston street, also 48 lots, fronting on Harrison and Ham- mond streets, each 50 by 100 feet, being part of the Dexter farm, all of which are leased; the Dexter Training field, containing 9£ acres, situated west of Dexter street, reserved as public training ground by Mr. Dexter's will; a strip of land, formerly a thatch right, on the HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 423 north side of the Woonasquatucket river, containing 15,344 square feet; a parcel of land on Bacon street and on the south side of Doyle avenue, between Scott and Olney streets, called the " Dwight lands," a greater part of which is leased to different individuals; a lot on High street, having a front of about 78 feet, which is leased to James Hanley for 40 years from October 1st, 1868. Besides this the fund holds notes and bonds to the value of about $72,000. The annual in- come accruing from interest, rents, etc., amounts at about $15,000. The Butler Hospital for the Insane is situated in the northeast part of the city, at the corner of Butler avenue and North street. Its grounds consist of 140 acres, suitably divided into tillage and pleasure grounds. They are by nature beautifully diversified with ravines and wooded eminences, and are admirably adapted to the use for which they have been selected. On the east side they front on Seekonk river, which is here about a mile in width. This institution had its origin in a bequest of the late Hon. Nicholas Brown, of this city, who died in September, 1841. He directed in his will that $30,000 should be appropriated from his estate to aid in the establishment of a hos- pital for the insane, " where that unhappy class of our fellow-beings who are, by the visitation of Providence, deprived of their reason, may find a safe retreat, and be provided with whatever may be most conducive to their comfort and their restoration lo a sound mind." In 1844 Cyrus Butler, Esq., a venerable merchant of Providence, whose mind had long been impressed with the great desirableness of such an institution, offered to add to the bequest of Mr. Brown the sum of $40,000, on condition that an equal sum should be raised by subscription. The condition was speedily fulfilled by the contribu- tions of benevolent persons in the community. An act of incorpora- tion by the general assembly was passed in 1844, and the first meet- ing of the incorporation was held March 20th of that year. In 1846 the hospital building was begun, and during the following year it was completed. It was opened for the reception of patients December 1st, 1847. Since that time several important additions have been made. In 1856 a building to contain a steam engine and boil- ers, laundry, etc., was erected at a cost of $25,000, which was met by voluntary contributions of the members of the board of trustees and the then president of the corporation. Ray Hall was completed in 1875, being the joint gift of Alexander Duncan and Robert H. Ives r and was named in honor of Doctor Isaac Ray, the superintendent of the hospital from its commencement to January, 1867. The building contains a museum, a reading room, billiard room and bowling alleys for the use of the patients. Its cost was over $28,000, which was wholly paid by the donors named. About 1876 large additions were made to the north wing, including the providing of rooms for 30 pa- tients, and involving the expenditure of $56,310.70. The greater part of this expense was met by the generous gift of $30,000 made by 424 HISTORY OF PROVIDEN'CE COUNTY. Alexander Duncan, Esq., as a memorial to his son, who had recently died. In recognition of this generous gift the name David Duncan Ward was given to the new building. An additional tract of land, known as the " Grotto farm," was purchased in 187], improving the surroundings, and with ten acres purchased a few years later, bring- ing the area of the grounds up to the present liberal extent. The superintendent succeeding Doctor Ray was John W. Sawyer, M.D., whose service in the position began in 1867 and continued till 1885. He was succeeded in 1886 by William B. Goldsmith, M.D., who held the position about two years. William A. Gorton, M.D., the present superintendent, has held the position since 1887. A bene- ficiary fund is in the hands of the trustees, amounting to $111,000, made up of the donations of different individuals, for the purpose of assisting poor patients to the benefits of the institution. In estab- lishing this fund Mrs. Elizabeth A. Gammell took the initiative with a princely gift of $50,000. Other contributors were Mrs. Elizabeth S. Bartlett, the family of William F. Weld, Thomas Withredge, George I. Chace, and many others. The officers at the opening of the hospi- tal were: Cyrus Butler, president; Benjamin Aborn, vice-president; Zachariah Allen, John C. Brown, Thomas Burgess, Francis Wayland, D.D., Rowse Babcock, Thomas R. Hazard, Robert Rogers, Amasa Manton, Richard Waterman, Alexander Duncan, trustees; Moses B. Ives, treasurer, and Robert H. Ives, secretary. Since its opening about 3,400 patients have been admitted, about one-third of whom have recovered. The usual number of inmates ranges from 150 to 200. The present officers are: Amos C. Barstow, president; William Butler Duncan, vice-president; Jabez C. Knight, Rufus Waterman, Rowland Hazard, Royal C. Taft, Stephen Brownell, Daniel Day, Wil- liam Gammell, John Nicholas Brown, William Goddard, William G. Weld, trustees; Moses B. I. Goddard, treasurer; Charles Morris Smith, secretary; William A. Gorton, M.D., superintendent. The Rhode Island Hospital is located in this city, on Eddy street, between Lockwood and Dudley streets. It was opened for the re- ception of patients in 1S68. It had its origin in gifts by Mr. Robert H. Ives and others of his family amounting to $75,000. The institu- tion is substantially eleemosynary in its character. It is primarily designed to afford relief to the indigent class — to such as, without the ordinary comforts of a home, are suffering from any of the graver ills that flesh is heir to. Applicants of this character have the first claim to its beneficent ministrations. After these have been pro- vided for its doors are open to those who, in better circumstances, seek a temporary residence in it for the advantage of its skillful medical or surgical treatment, and to such a moderate charge is made, sufficient barely to cover the actual cost of board and attendance. The hospital structure consists of a central building connected by corridors with two large wings, each of which is ornamented by HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 425 a tower. The wings contain the hospital wards and private rooms for paying patients. The central building contains the superintend- ent's rooms, the operating and instrument room, museum of anatomy, library, chapel and other departments. The staff of the institution is composed of 19 physicians, assisted by a consulting staff of 12 phy- sicians. These physicians attend about 4,500 outside patients annu- ally, and about 600 are annually admitted to the institution. There are endowments providing for about 50 free beds. A children's ward was opened February 15th, 1882, for children between the ages of two and ten years. A training school for nurses was also established in 1882. The hospital is supported by the income of a fund of about $360,000, and by annual collections taken up in the city churches. Guarantors of deficiency holding regular shares in the responsibility make up any lack of income to meet current expenses. Contribu- tions to the founding and the fund for maintenance of the institution were made by philanthropic citizens of the city and other parts of the state. The building was erected at a cost of about $500,000, was four years in process of erection, having been begun in 1864. It is believed to be one of the most perfect in its plans and complete in its appointments, of any institution of its kind in the country. The superintendent in 1872 was Doctor C. W. Fabyan, with the title of admitting physician, assisted by Mrs. Eliza J. Pratt, matron and act- ing superintendent. Reverend Charles Nason followed as superin- tendent. In 1877 William T. Thurston, M.D., occupied the position of superintendent. He was succeeded in 1882 by Charles E. Wood- bury, M.D., as admitting physician and superintendent, who remains in charge of the institution at the present time. The present officers and trustees are: Royal C. Taft, president; John W. Danielson, treas- urer; John C. Pegram, secretary; Thomas P. I. Goddard, Henry G. Russell, Henry J. Steere, Robert I. Gammell, Arnold Green, Albert L. Calder, Eli W. Blake, John McAuslan, John H. Congdon, Samuel R. Dorrance, and the mayors of Providence and Newport, cx-officio, trustees. The Providence Home for Aged Women is located at the corner of Front and East streets, on a beautiful site, overlooking the harbor and bay. The origin of the institution shows honorable mention of Mrs. Eliza Rogers and Doctors Wayland and Hall, as among its act- ive founders. The association having for its object the providing of such an institution was organized March 19th, 1856. Its first officers were: Mrs. Joseph Rogers, president; Mrs. Matthew Watson, vice- president; Mrs. Amherst Everett, treasurer; Miss Maria M. Benedict, secretary; Reverend Francis Wayland, Amasa Manton, Robert H. Ives and Amos D. Smith, board of advisers. Plans were at once set on foot for purchasing the property and erecting a suitable building. A building already standing upon the lot purchased was temporarily used, while a more commodious one was being provided. The pres- 426 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. ent handsome brick edifice was completed in 1804. It is a four-story building - , and was opened for the reception of its guests November 30th of the year mentioned. It is supported mainly by donations, collections and the income from an invested fund. The minimum age for admission to it is 65 years, and the entrance fee is $150. The number of inmates is about 50. The present officers of the institu- tion are: Mrs. Anna E. Nightingale, president; Miss Mary Grinnell and Mrs. T. J. Morgan, secretaries; Mrs. Emma L. Sackett, treasurer. The Home for Aged Men was established in 1874, at 64 Point street. The first officers of the institution were: Henry J. Steere, president; Mrs. James C. Bucklin and Jarvis E. Gladding, vice-presi- dents; Mrs. John P. Walker, secretary; Daniel A. Taylor, treasurer. Its object was to provide a comfortable home for aged men, such as the Women's Home provided for women. Its founding was the realization of suggestions made by Reverend Edwin M. Stone in his report to the Ministry at Large, about the year 1867. The actual re- sults were largely due to the encouragement and energy of Mrs. Mary A. Holden and Mrs. James C. Bucklin. The house at 64 Point street was rented and furnished, principally by the free-will offerings of friends, and was opened October 21st, 1874. It was only capable of accommodating 12 to 15 persons. An act of assembly incorporated the home in 1875. A lot for a building was donated by Mr. Joseph J. Cooke; a legacy of $25,000 for building purposes was left by Mr. vStephen T. Olney; and contributions were added from different sources — Mrs. Henry Gladding estate, $3,000; Mrs. Frances J. Vin- ton, $1,000; Mrs. George Hall estate, $5,000; Henry L. Kendall estate, $5,000; Joseph A. Barker, $1,000; Smith Owen, $500, and others in smaller amounts. But the most liberal gift of all was the handsome building and grounds at the corner of Chestnut and Clifford streets, which was made by Mr. Henry J. Steere, in which the institution is now pleasantly domiciled. There are usually 15 to 20 inmates. The present officers are: Henry J. Steere, president; James G. Vose, D.D., vice-president; S. C. Day, secretary; William Knight, treasurer; Mrs. Harriet G. Field, superintendent. The Children's Friend Society was organized in 1835, mainly through the philanthropic efforts of the late Mrs. Harriet Ware. Its object was " to provide for the support and education of indigent children, not otherwise provided for, and who for want of parental care are in a suffering or dangerous condition." The home was for several years established at the corner of Broad and Stewart streets. Mrs. Ware began her philanthropic work for the elevation and care of wretched and neglected children in 1832. Subsequently, with the idea of the present institution in mind, she advised with her friend, Doctor Wayland, who entered into the spirit of the plan with en- couragement, and a subscription of $600 was raised, a small house was rented, and on November 1st, 1835, she opened the house with HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 427 one little boy under her care. The institution prospered, contribu- tions were received and the number of beneficiaries was increased. The home at present occupied was built about the year 1861. It is a commodious brick structure, standing at No. 47 Tobey street. Some 1,000 children have been cared for by the society since its organiza- tion. The usual number in the home is about eight, while some 40 more are placed in homes under the care of the society. Children from two to twelve years of age are eligible for admission. The institution was chartered by the assembly in 1836. The officers are: George I. Chace, president; Mrs. Mary R. Tibbitts, Mrs. Henry G. Russell, Mrs. Benjamin White, Mrs. William C. Chapin, Mrs. Adnah Sackett, vice-presidents; Mrs. M. A. Talbot and Mrs. Arba Dike Smith, secretaries; Mrs. Christopher Lippitt, treasurer; Mrs. C. F. T. Esterbrook, matron. St. Aloysius Orphan Asylum was founded in the year 1851. It occupied a small wooden building now standing in Winslow place, but then standing on the site now occupied by the brick building on Claverack street. At first children were received from neighboring cities into the institution. The asylum was moved into the convent building in 1856, and in 1858 the fine brick structure in which it is now domiciled was completed. The left wing of the building was added in 1865, making the building as it now stands. The institu- tion is under the charge of the sisters of mercy, and is supported by contributions from the various churches and individuals of the Roman Catholic denomination. About 250 children of both sexes are cared for in it. The handsome brick structure on Prairie avenue, in South Providence, was begun in 1860, and the children were moved into it at Easter, in 1861. The Association for the Benefit of Colored Children was organized in 1838, and incorporated in 1846. The late Mrs. Anna A. Jenkins was prominent in its organization. In 1847 a lot and $500 were pre- sented to the society on condition that a building should be erected upon it within two years. A subscription was opened and about $2,000 was raised. The institution was then known as the " Shelter," and occupied temporarily a building at 57 Wickenden street. The advisers to the board at that time were Reverend T. C. Jameson, Reverend Francis Smith, Samuel B. Tobey, M.D., David Andrews, Charles H. Dabney and Benjamin Dyer. In 1849 the building was erected on land given by Mrs. Jenkins, at No. 20 Olive street. This is still the location of the Shelter. It receives colored children be- tween the ages of three and twelve, who are neglected, and provides for them or places them in good homes, as far as practicable. The officers of the society in 1889 were: Mrs. Frank E. Richmond, presi- dent; Mrs. H. N. Lathrop, and Miss Caroline B. Weeden, secretaries; Mrs. Samuel H. Tingley, treasurer. Mrs. H. B. Buffington is matron. The Female Charitable Society, formerly called the Providence 428 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Female Society for the Relief of Indigent Women and Children, had its origin as early as the year 1800. It was organized in April of that year, and in October, 1802, received a charter from the general assembly. Its object is to aid women, taking care of them when sick and finding employment for them when able to work, also to assist them in clothing and educating their children. Nearly five thousand individuals and families have been assisted by the society. The present secretary is Mrs. William Ames. The Providence Nursery is a recently organized society, having for its object the appropriate care and nourishment of sick infants, and its base of operations at 204 William street. It was organized about 1871. The Rhode Island Homeopathic Hospital is the outgrowth of efforts made by the Ladies' Homeopathic Aid Association, which was organized in 1874. In the course of several years a considerable fund was raised, which was largely augmented by the proceeds of a very successful state festival held in January, 1882. Thus the fund amounted to about $10,000. The hospital corporation was chartered in 1S82, and in 1884 negotiations were begun looking toward the purchase of the Nichols house and grounds, at 151 Olney street. The house and barn are of granite, and are said to have originally cost about $100,000, but were sold to the hospital corporation for $30,000. The site is a pleasant one, the grounds sloping gradually to their limits on the hillside and comprise about 10-J acres. Beauti- ful views of the surroundings maybe obtained from the upper floors, which are occupied by beds for patients. The officers of the hospital corporation in 1889 were: Charles E. Carpenter, president; Mrs. Mary H. B. von Gottschalk, secretary; George W. R. Matteson, treasurer; George B. Wilcox, consulting physician; George B. Peck, admitting physician; Waldo H. Stone, assistant physician; Miss Sarah W. McNamara, matron. The Irrepressible Society is situated in leased apartments at No. 81 North Main street, having for its object the supplying needy and competent sewing women with work. Clothing is made by this means and the manufactured work is sold at yearly auction sales. The enterprise is in charge of a society of young ladies, which is regularly incorporated. One hundred or more women are thus given employment. The enterprise was started in 1861. The present offi- cers are: Miss C. Hartshorn, president; Miss H. H. Tyler, Miss E. A. Hoppin, vice-presidents; Miss Brownell, secretary; Miss J. W. Bucklin, treasurer; Rufus Waterman, auditor; Miss K. C. Greene, agent. Besides these there are in the city a large number of societies for the advancement of the material comfort of the poor, dependent, neglected or helpless classes. The more prominent of these we may give a passing notice. The Providence Lying-in Hospital was organ- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 429 ized October 14th, 1SS4. It is situated on State and Field streets. Its present officers are: Oliver C. Wiggin, M.D., president; William M. Bailey, vice-president; D. Russell Brown, secretary; Charles C. Harrington, treasurer. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children was organized in 1883. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was organized October 29th, 1870. A Ladies' Auxiliary to this society was organized in 1872, and aids in various enterprises for raising funds. Its office is in room 23, 55 Westmins- ter street. The annual meeting is held the second Tuesday in April. Officers at present are: Christopher Blanding, secretary; Charles H. Thurber, general agent; Charles W. Bowen, treasurer. Mr. Thurber is also secretary and agent of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, which has its headquarters in Room 32, in the same building. The Montefiore Benevolent Association, a charitable organization, formerly known as the Ladies' Hebrew Benevolent Association, was started in 1880, and has for its object the relief of all persons who are in distress. It was founded by Reverend Jacob Varsonger. The Rhode Island Indian Aid Association, having for its object the removal of oppression from the neck of the Indian and the aiding of missionary work among them, was organized in Febru- ary, 1884. The Society for Ministry to the Sick was organized by a company of ladies who gave much time to this benevolent work, in 1880. The Women's Christian Association was organized in April, 1867. It has a boarding house for young women at 66 Fountain street, a branch home at 96 Mathewson street, and seaside cottages atConani- cut Park, on the north end of the island of that name, which is com- prised in the town of Jamestown, a few miles from Newport. The association was incorporated by the general assembly in January, 1870. It provides comfortable board and lodging for young working women whose earnings are small and who are in need of a Christian home. The house was purchased in 1873, and enlarged to meet the requirements of the enterprise, so as to be sufficient to accommodate 45 boarders, at a cost of $31,000. In 1884 a legacy of $10,000 was left it by Mr. Henry L. Kendall, by which the debt remaining on the property was extinguished. The Conanicut Park cottages were pur- chased in 1882, and the Mathewson street branch was purchased in 1884. An act of the assembly, passed in 1877, exempts the property of the association from taxation so long as it is used for the benevo- lent purposes mentioned in the charter. The present officers are: Mrs. J. L. Lincoln, president; Mrs. Elizabeth E. Andrews, Mrs. Royal C. Taft, Mrs. Thomas Lincoln, Mrs. John W. Danielson, vice-presi- dents; Mrs. Elizabeth B. S. Brown, treasurer; Mrs. Emory Lyon, secretary. The Women's City Missionary Society, an important local charity, was organized in 1867, "to assist the poor in efforts to help them- 430 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. selves, and to engage in general missionary work in the city." To prevent imposture and misdirected charity careful investigations are made by committees in the different wards upon every case that comes before the society for help. The work of the society is sup- ported by annual subscriptions and donations. The principal offi- cers in 1889 were: Miss S. C. Durfee, president; Mrs. Charles F. Hull, Mrs. Gorham Thurber, Mrs. M. B. I. Goddard, Mrs. George I. Chace, vice-presidents; Mrs. Thomas J. Morgan, secretary; Mrs. Christopher Lippitt, treasurer. The Little Sisters of the Poor, a branch of the French order by that designation, was started here in 1881, by five " Little Sisters " from the mother house in Brooklyn. Its object is to receive and care for destitute persons of good character and above 60 years of age, without regard to nationality or creed. The General James mansion on vSlocum street was at first obtained, and this was opened March 23d, 1881. The number of inmates soon increased to 45, and with this the limits of the capacity of the house was reached. Mr. Joseph Banigan, seeing the restricted condition of the enterprise on account of this limitation, with philanthropic zeal came to the rescue, and at his own expense erected a suitable and commodious building. This was dedicated with appropriate ceremonies May 29th, 1884, at which time the keys of the building, deeds for the land and insurance policies to the amount of $80,000 were formally presented by Mr. Banigan to the sisters. The building, situated on Main street, Wood- lawn, is four stories high above the basement, and is supplied with every improvement and convenience for the requirements of the institution. At the opening of the new home there were 64 inmates, 24 men and 40 women. It now contains over 2C0 inmates, and is in charge of 14 of the little sisters and a mother superior. The St. Vincent de Paul Society is a Catholic society, the head- quarters of the order being in Paris. Branches of it, composed of the young and married men of each congregation, are organized in nearly or quite every Catholic church in the city. At the weekly meetings of the local conference of each church cases of sickness or destitution within their borders are reported by the pastor, and mem- bers are delegated to investigate and afford relief. Funds to carry on the work are obtained by church collections, entertainments, a few subscribing members and general subscriptions. There are about three hundred members in the city, and under their direction there are made annually from two to three thousand visits, and some- thing like three thousand dollars are expended in relief of the poor. As many as 35 families are sometimes on the roll for support during the winter. vSt. Elizabeth's Home is located at the corner of Atlantic and Mel- rose streets. It was established in April, 1882, for the purpose of providing a home for women incurably sick or convalescent. Its HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 431 aim is to meet the wants of a class for whom the hospitals do not provide, and who are unable to pay for necessary care and medical attendance. Though its objects are charitable those who are able are expected to pay.. It was established under the auspices of Grace church. Officers for 1889 were: Right Reverend Thomas M. Clarke, president; Miss N. A. Greene, treasurer; Mrs. J. H. Coggeshall, sec- retary. With all the numerous institutions and societies for the care of the poor, the sick and the unfortunate, supported by private or indi- vidual contributions, there remains but a light burden on the city corporation for the care of the poor. The last report of the overseer of the poor shows that during 1888 2,107 persons were assisted, more than half of whom were children. The number during the last seven years has increased only about two hundred. The entire ex- penses of the city for the care of the poor, under official recognition, during the year was $12,526.04, of which $5,702.28 was for out-door relief and $2,630.84 for maintaining the charity building and wood yard. In closing this chapter it may be well to look back to the condi- tion of public charities in the earlier years. We shall see that the town corporation as such bore a heavier proportionate burden when the poor were cared for, and if the burden was lighter the attention that the poor received was a cold comfort. We gather from "Staples' Annals" the following facts. In 1738 the plan of establishing a county work house was discussed and some steps were taken in that direction. The design, however, was not carried out. The project was renewed by a number of the towns in 1753. The assembly authorized these towns to erect such a one as they desired, and to appoint one man from each town to have the oversight and manage- ment of it. If this was ever established it continued as a joint con- cern but a short time. Out of it, in all probability, arose the "old work house," which formerly stood on the corner of Smith and Charles streets. That was a long, low, brick building, which offered little attraction or comfort to the unfortunate beings who were com- pelled to inhabit it. Its appointments and management were not at all likely to inspire feelings of pride for the provision made for the poor, or fear that it would increase the evils of pauperism. Some of the paupers of Providence continued to exist in it until the erection of Dexter Asylum in 1828. Long before that it had become a place rather of punishment than relief. In the rear of it, in 1796, the town erected their Bridewell. This was a small stone building, 32 feet by 14, and ten feet high, intended for the detention and punishment of the lowest order of petty criminals. In 1803 it appears there were 41 persons, of whom 26 were children, wholly dependent on the town. The most of these were boarded out. The support of these persons, with the partial supplies furnished to others, cost the town, during 432 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. the year ending June, 1803, $3,600. The committee, appointed then to consider the condition of the poor, recommended that, until an alms house for the poor, and a house of labor for the idle, the in- temperate and the disorderly should be erected, the overseers should continue the ordinary course of providing for the poor. They were directed to purchase a lot for a work house. This was done, and the "Sessions lot," so called, near the north end of the town, was pur- chased for that purpose. No alteration was made in the mode of sup- porting the poor until long after this. A few were consigned to the old work house, but the greater part were boarded out. CHAPTER XVI. CHURCHES OF PROVIDENCE CITY. Religious Matters in the Settlement. — First Baptist Church.— Friends' Society and Meeting House. — First Congregational Church. — St. John's Episcopal Church. — Beneficent Congregational Church.- — Richmond Street Congregational Church. — High Street Congregational Church. — Pilgrim Congregational Church. — Begin- nings of Methodism in Providence. — The Pine Street or Central Baptist Church. — Third Baptist Church. — Brown Street Baptist Church. — Union Baptist Church. — Fourth Baptist Church. — First Universalist Society. — Church of Sts. Peter and Paul. — Westminster Congregational Society. — Olney Street Congregational Church. — Grace Church. — Roger Williams Free Baptist Church. — Pawtuxet Street Christian Society. — Meeting Street Baptist Church. — Congdon Street Baptist Church. — Hope Street M. E. Church. — New Jerusalem Church. — St. Stephen's Episcopal Church. — Fifth, South and Friendship Street Baptist Churches. — Wesleyan Society.— St. Patrick's Church. — Seamen's Bethel. — Church of the Mediator.— Second Free-will Baptist.— Zion M. E. Church.— Bethel Methodist.— Jefferson Street Baptist.— Stew- art Street Baptist. — Free Evangelical Congregational. — Church of the Yahveh. — All Saints' Memorial Church.— Mathewson Street M. E. Church.— First United Presbyterian. — Broadway Methodist Episcopal. — Central Congregational. — Park Street Free Baptist Church.— St. Mary's R. C. Church.— St. Joseph's R. C. Church. — Church of the Messiah, Episcopal. — Trinity M. E. Church. — Church of the Im- maculate Conception. — Jewish Congregation. —Church of the Redeemer. — Christ Church.— Church of the Epiphany. — Saint Paul's Episcopal Church. — Greenwich Street Free Baptist. — St. Michael's R. C. — Church of the Saviour.— Sea and Land Mission. — North Congregational Church. — St. James' Episcopal Church. — Broad- way Baptist Church. — South Baptist. — Elm wood Congregational. — African Union Methodist.— Asbury Methodist Episcopal.— Mt. Zion M. E. Church.— St. Paul's M. E. Church.— Cranston Street Baptist.— St. Charles', French, R. C, Church.— Union Congregational. — Academy Avenue Congregational Church. — Advent Christian Church.— Plymouth Congregational. — Church of the Assumption, R. C— First Presbyterian. — Roger Williams Baptist.— St. Edward's, R. C. — Arlington Free Baptist.— St. Thomas', Episcopal.— Allen Mission.— Free Religious Society.— Latter Day Saints.— Union Am. M. E. Church.— Mount Pleasant Baptist.— Branch Avenue Baptist.— St. John's R. C. Church.— St. Theresa's R. C. Church.— Church of the Holy Name.— Our Lady of the Rosary.— Cranston Street M. E. Church. — Harris Avenue M. E. Church.— Ebenezer Baptist.— Swedish Mission.— Church of the Blessed Sacrament. — Ballou Universalist. THE religious element was in the settlement of Providence, as in that of every other New England colony, the ruling motive and most important factor. But in Providence this element assumed a phase which in all subsequent history has given it a posi- tion at once unique and conspicuous. There can be little doubt as to what were m general the religious tenets of the first settlers, or at least what had been their status before coming hither. At the time of their removal they were members of Plymouth and Massachusetts churches, which were Congregational in government, moderately 28 43-4 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Calvinistic in doctrine, and pedobaptist in ceremonial practice. The settlers did not cease to be members of those churches by their re- moval hither, nor did they in removing- hither constitute a church. They doubtless were early in the habit of assembling for public wor- ship, but there appears to have been no effort to form a church pre- vious to March, 1639. Among the first thirteen settlers were two ordained ministers, Roger Williams and Thomas James. Cotton Mather, whom we must regard as viewing the matter through some- what prejudiced Congregational eyes, says of the religious condition of the settlements of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations: " I cannot learn that the first planters of this colony were agreed in any one principle so much as this, that they were to give one another no disturbance in the exercise of religion; and, though they have some- times had some difference among them as to the exercise of that principle also, I believe there never was held such a variety of reli- gions together on so small a spot of ground as have been in that col- ony. It has been a colluvies of Antmomians, Familists, Anabaptists, Anti-Sabbatarians, Armenians, Socinians, Quakers, Ranters— every- thing in the world but Roman Catholics and real Christians, though of the latter I hope there have been more than of the former among them; so that if a man had lost his religion he might find it at the general muster of opinionists." Two years or more after Williams came to Providence he received baptism by immersion at the hands of Ezekiel Holyman, and then administered the rite to Holyman himself and to ten others of his associates. This constituted the beginning of a church of the Bap- tist order, from which beginning has descended the First Baptist church of Providence, which to-day holds so conspicuous and honored a position among the institutions of the city. For a while Roger Williams was a pastor and leader of this early church, the exact dale of whose organization is unknown, but is well authenticated as hav- ing been a short time — perhaps a few months — prior to March 16th, 1639. Very little is known of the previous religious history of the twelve persons constituting this church. They had come over as a part in the Puritan immigration, and probably were like the rest. Most, and perhaps all, had been members of churches in Massachu- setts. Roger Williams remained pastor of the little flock but a short time. His progressive views soon brought him to a position of doubt as to the validity of his own baptism, and consequently the authority of his action in the pastoral office. His baptism had been adminis- tered by one who could not claim apostolic succession and hence that baptism could not give him the spiritual authority which he felt that he ought to have for continuing in the pastoral relation. He with- drew from that office, and during the rest of his days remained with- out any regular connection as pastor, though he continued at divers HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 435 times and places to expound and proclaim the doctrines of the Chris- tian religion. The church, however, remained and grew. Who the original twelve were is not known with definiteness, but coinciding records of other localities furnish partial information. The church in Salem excommunicated ten persons who had come to Providence, and all but two had been re-baptized. The ten persons thus dismissed were "Roger Williams and his wife, John Throgmorton and his wife, Thomas Olney and his wife, Stukely Westcott and his wife, Mary Holliman and Widow Reeves." Which of these were the two not re- baptized is not known. To these ten are to be added Ezekiel Holli- man, and probably Richard Scott and his wife. Chad Brown and Gregory Dexter and William Wickenden, who afterward became elders in the church, were with their wives received into the church soon after its beginning. The early ministers are supposed to have labored without any salary. This was so both from necessity and probably from convic- tion of opposition to the principle of a paid ministry. It was exer- cised by those who in character and gifts of "prophesying" were marked for it. Of those who exercised thus the functions of elder- ship, one of the most conspicuous was Chad Brown, who though he died within a dozen years after coming here, is still represented in name and blood, as he has been for many generations, by those who have been and are prominent in their support and honor of religion and letters in Providence. Gregory Dexter, one of his associate elders, survived him more than half a century, living to be 90 years old. William Wickenden, another, lived here over 40 years, a mem- ber and minister in the church. He died February 23d, 1670. Thomas Olney, another of this class, died in 1682, having laid the founda- tions of a name which has been a household word for many genera- tions. After serving the church for a while he withdrew, on account of the church having adopted the sacrament of the laying on of hands as an important sequel to baptism, a doctrine in which he could not concur. This was about the year 1652, and Mr. Olney was accom- panied by a number of dissenters, who agreed with him, and they formed another church, which continued till about 1718, when it dis- solved. Pardon Tillinghast, who joined the infant settlement and church in 1646, being then 24 years of age, continued here until his death, at the age of 96. Elder Tillinghast gave the church not only his services but their first house of worship. It was a rude affair, as history says, "in the shape of a hay-cap, with a fire-place in the mid- dle, the smoke escaping from a hole in the roof." It stood on the Town street, near the corner of Smith street, and gave the church a sort of lo^al habitation after meeting for 60 years out of doors and in doors wherever a place for the time being could be found. The eldership continued in the Brown family for three genera- 436 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. tions. From Chad it passed to John, his eldest son, who had married the daughter of Obadiah Holmes, who was whipped at Lynn. James, the third son of John, born in 1666, served the church in his turn, and died October 28th, 1732. With him was associated Ebenezer Jenckes, who succeeded Elder Tillinghast in 1719, and served the church till his death, August 14th, 1726. At about the time of the death of Mr. Jenckes a new meeting house was erected, which was raised May 30th, 1726, and stood till the present one was built. It was about 40 feet square, and stood so that at high water the tide flowed nearly up to the west end of the building. From the front door, which opened on Main street, an aisle extended to the pulpit, which was raised three or four steps from the floor, and on each side of the aisle benches extended north and south to the walls of the house, there being no box pews in the room. Benches were also arranged in the gallery, which was entered by narrow stairs from a door on the south side of the house. Mr. Jenckes belonged to a family who had been known as liberal friends of literature and religion. His father, a native of Buckinghamshire, England, was a pious man, and the first who built a house in the town of Pawtucket. His brother, the governor, a member of this church, was for a number of years ambassador of the colony to the court of St. James, and was distinguished not only by the urbanity of his manners and his intellectual endowments, but by the graces of religion. His son, Daniel Jenckes, who was for 48 years an active member here, was for 40 years a member of the gen- eral assembly, chief justice of this county, and a munificent donor to the college and the church. John Walton ministered to the church for a time. He was a man of liberal education, and a physician as well. He led a party that favored the payment of ministers and the admission to communion of those upon whom hands of the church had not been laid. The party that opposed these sentiments prevailed and he withdrew, while the leader of the latter party, Samuel Winsor, be- came the minister of the church. Winsor was then 56 years old, and he continued in office 25 years, till his death, November 17th, 1758, being assisted for a time by Thomas Burlingame. Samuel Winsor, Jr., son of the former, was ordained in 1759, and continued in the ministry of the church and in the opinion of his father till the spring of 1771, when the opponents of his views became stronger, and he withdrew from the church, accompanied by the party who agreed with him. A new era in the history of this church begins with the location of Rhode Island College in this town, in 1770. The church was then about 130 years old. and though having a clear field from the start in a town which now numbered four thousand souls, it had but 118 members. It had never paid its ministers, and on principle was op- posed to doing it. It discarded singing and music in public worship, HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 437 after the manner of the Quakers and the early Baptists in England. It was still rigorous for the laying on of hands, refusing communion to those who did not practice it, and held those liable to discipline who should " join in prayer without the bounds of the church." Cn the occasion of President Manning being invited to communion with the church, he not being in sympathy with these views, a protest was raised, but was over-ruled. Mr. Winsor, with the protesting party, withdrew and Mr. Manning was at once called to preach and admin- ister the communion. For 20 years, till three months before his death, he held this position, still president of the college and acting pastor of the church. He exercised his ministry with intelligence without looseness, with zeal without narrowness. He smoothed the passage of the church into a new order, reforming with moderation, and restoring the union of education with religion. The church went forward under his ministrations more rapidly than it had ever done before. Soon after his coming to the church it was resolved to build a " meeting house for the public worship of Almighty God, and also for holding commencement in." In the middle of Febru- ary, 1774, the orchard of John Angell was purchased for the site of the new house of worship, which w r as at once planned and built. It was dedicated on the 28th of May, 1775, having been erected at a cost of £7,000, equivalent to about $25,000. The Charitable Baptist So- ciety had also been organized. A great revival was in progress about this time, and President Manning estimated that about two hundred persons were converted, and that he baptized more than half that number himself, in less than a year. But the battle of Lex- ington turned the attention of all eyes to the great national conflict that was opening, and the work of the church was sadly obstructed thereby. The college was closed, and its hall used for barracks and hospital. Improvements in general were stopped, the painting of the meeting house was postponed until 1787, and the congregation was scattered. President Manning closed his pastoral service of this church April 24th, 1791, within three months of the close of his life, at the vigorous age of 53 years. In the mean time Mr. Manning wishing to give the church better service than was possible with him in connection with his college duties, urged the church to secure a pastor in his stead. This they succeeded in doing for a time in the person of Reverend John Stanford, an English minister, who began such pastorate about the first of January, 1788, and closed it Septem- ber 26th, 1789. The next minister was Reverend Jonathan Maxcy, who was or- dained September 8th, 1791, and just one year later resigned to be- come president of the college. This short pastorate was followed by the longest in the history of the church, that of Reverend Stephen Gano. This began in the summer of 1793, and continued 35 years, till his death in 1828. He was a nephew of President Manning, and 438 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. a son of Reverend John Gano. He had studied medicine, and for a time engaged in its practice. His ministry was remarkable for the great numerical increase of the church and the powerful religious awakenings by which it came. At the beginning of his ministry the church had 207 members; at its close it had 491. Eight years before, that is in 1820, the membership reached its highest point, then num- bering 648. In that year 147 persons were baptized. It was during the ministry of Doctor Gano that the church dismissed the rite of laying on hands which had held a place in the principles of the church since 1653, though for 40 years it had been gradually losing ground. On the second of December, 1808, the pastor brought the question to a decisive issue by offering his resignation if it was to be continued. It is needless to say the custom was abandoned. The next minister was Reverend Robert Everett Pattison. He was twice called to the pastorate of this church. His first term of service was from March 21st, 1830, to August 11th, 1836. His second term began December 10th, 1840, and ended on the first Sunday in April, 1842. His first ministry was a very successful one, and was followed by a long vacancy in the pastoral office. During his first ministry not only was the religious life of the congregation greatly invigorated, but the first important change was made in the meeting house. In 1832 the 126 square pews, with aisles crossing from door to door, were removed, and 144 long pews were put up. The second gallery at the west end, once set apart for colored people, was taken down; the high pulpit was altered and the sounding board over it was taken away; the chandelier and the Venetian window at the rear of the pulpit were kept; but this and the renovations which have fol- lowed quite altered the antique congruity of the house as it was. Two years later the organ, which had been proposed nearly a score of years before, was placed in the gallery, two generations after a minister had left the church because singing in public worship was " highly disgustful " to him. This was said of Mr. Winsor by a con- temporary. The organ was the gift of Mr. Nicholas Brown, the second of that name, who had been a liberal supporter of the church, as well as of the college which bears his name. Forty years before he had built a parsonage for the society. The ministry of Reverend William Hague, continuing but little more than three years, occupied the space between the first and sec- ond periods of Doctor Pattison. He was 29 years old, of fresh com- plexion, small figure and alert action. He had been pastor of the First church in Boston, and returned to that city after his ministry here. Brief as his ministry was here it brought increase to the church, and gave character and influence to its pulpit. Following the second ministry of Doctor Pattison came that of Reverend James Nathaniel Granger, which continued more than 14 years. He came here when 28 years of asre and died at the asfe of 42. He was of HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 439 serious, grave appearance, his marked qualities being sobriety, sol- idity and strength. He was commissioned to visit ard inspect the missions of American Baptists in India, which occupied many months of his time, after he had labored in this field about ten years. During his absence Reverend John C.Stockbridge occupied his pulpit and pastoral field for a year, and Reverend Francis Smith for a shorter period. After his return he resumed his pastoral duties with broken health and failing strength. He died January 2d, 1857. During three months in 1855 he was assisted by Reverend William C. Richards. In 1857 the lower part of the meeting house was recon- structed and greatly improved for the more social uses of the church, at an expense of $12,000. Doctor Francis Wayland, who 16 months before had resigned the presidency of Brown University, supplied the pulpit and did the pastoral work of the church for a year and more, though he declined to assume the office of actual pastor. During this time a very stir- ring revival visited the church. This was followed by the ministry of Reverend Samuel L. Caldwell, D.D., whose pastorate extended from 1858 to 1873. Reverend Edward G. Taylor, D.D., began his ministry here April 18th, 1875, coming here from New Orleans, and being then 43 years old. His ministry continued until 1881. Dur- ing the time the church increased in number from 381 to 547. Dur- ing this ministry a mission was begun at Mount Pleasant, which issued in the formation of a church — the fourteenth Baptist church in the city. Since the beginning of this century this church has contributed largely to the formation of several other churches: In 1805, to the church in Pawtucket,and the Second, now Central church in Providence; in 1806, to the church in Pawtuxet; in 1820, to the Third church in Providence, and in 1855 to the Brown Street church. The pastorate of Reverend T. Edwin Brown, D.D., began February 5th, 1882, and continues at the present time. During the 250 years of the life of this church it has had 20 ministers. Besides its pastors at least 62 ministers have been among its members. There have been 1,240 members added to it by baptism and 1,088 by letter from other churches in the last three quarters of a century. In the last hundred years it has received altogether about 2,900 members. The church now numbers 488. After the Baptists the next sect to find a place in Providence was that of the Friends. The first appearance of this sect in New Eng- land was in 1656. Persecuted as they were in every other colony of New England, the towns of Rhode Island received and comforted them in their sufferings, and the consequence was the adoption of their opinions by some of the inhabitants of almost every town at a very early period. Tradition says that Richard Scott was the first person in Providence to adopt their principles. His wife, Catherine, and two daughters, Patience and Mary, were also among the first 440 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. members of the Friends' Society. All three of these women suffered corporeal punishment in Massachusetts, the wife as early as 1658. One of the daughters married Christopher Holder, whose name ap- pears more than once among those who suffered corporeal punish- ment in Massachusetts on account of their devotion to the principles of the Friends. In 1666 Thomas Burnyeate, a Friend from England, held a meeting in Providence, and in 1672 George Fox, the celebrated leader of that sect, held a meeting in Providence, " in a great barn, which was thronged with people." This was followed not long after- ward by the celebrated debate on 14 propositions, in which Roger Williams contended with great zeal against three English Friends — John Stubbs, John Burnyeate and William Edmundson. The debate was carried on three days at Newport and one day at Providence. Thus it appears the principles of the Friends were obtaining a foot- hold in Providence, though the data by which we may judge of their progress are very few and uncertain. In June, 1691, a record of the Rhode Island quarterly meeting indicates that an attempt was made to purchase " Sucklin's lot of land at Providence," doubtless for the purpose of a building site, and it is supposed that the purchase was made. From the same records it appears that a weekly meeting was established at Providence as early as March, 1701, and in the follow- ing year the project of building a meeting house was resumed. A subscription of ,£60 15s. toward the project was raised by 40 inhabit- ants of Providence, whereupon the quarterly meeting of Rhode Island resolved to proceed with the building of a house 30 feet square. Subsequent quarterly meetings agreed to an exchange of location for one near the dwelling house of Eleazer Arnold, and upon that site a meeting house was erected between June, 1703, and July, 1704. This house stood on a lot 7x12 rods, and its location was north of the pres- ent city, in the part of the then town of Providence which was sub- sequently set off as Smithfield, and it was afterward known as Lower Smithfield. In the beginning of 1718 Providence monthly meeting was set off from Greenwich monthly meeting, with which it had formerly been associated, and consisted of Providence and Mendon meetings. In 1731 the name was changed to Smithfield monthly meeting. The proposition to build a meeting house in Providence town was pre- sented to the Smithfield monthly meeting in 1724, and being ap- proved and aided by the Rhode Island quarterly meeting, to whom it was referred, the house was built within a year or two from that time. Its original location was on Stampers hill, whence it was re- moved in 1745 to a site, according to later description, between South Court and Meeting streets. The deed of the lot was made in the be- ginning of the year 1727, the house having already been erected upon it. An addition was made to it in 1784-5. The town was accustomed, for a long time, to hold their town meetings in this house, and a HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 441 school was for many years kept in the upper part of it. The present Providence monthly meeting was set of! from that of Smith field, already noticed, in 1783. The house already mentioned was after- ward removed to Hope street and converted into two dwellings, and the present meeting house, at the corner of North Main and Meeting streets, was built in 1844-5. The present number of Friends wor- shipping in the city is about 150. Among their recognized minis- ters are Phebe R. Gifford, Huldah M. Beede, Sarah K. Reynolds and Robert P. Gifford. Worship under the conduct of the Congregational order does not appear to have been regularly established previous to the year 1720, or about that time. The general principles laid down at the outset of the settlement, entirely separating the ecclesiastical from the civil functions of society, were quite too liberal to afford an attractive atmosphere for the Congregational element of that time. In 1721 an attempt was made to erect a house of worship by them. Doctor Hoyle, one of the most active and efficient of their number, visited the neighboring colonies and obtained pecuniary aid for the enter- prise, and, without the approval or consent of his associates, began the erection of a house on a lot of land near the junction of Pawtuxet and High streets. Dissatisfaction at this action was so great that after the house had been partially finished it was torn down. In 1723 the society erected a house for worship at the corner of College and Benefit streets. This was afterward changed somewhat in model, and familiarly called the " Old Town House," it having been sold to the town in 1794. A more spacious and elegant house of worship was at once erected at the corner of Benevolent and Benefit streets. They began to raise this building on August 19th, 1794, on which occasion Doctor Hitchcock, the pastor of the society, delivered an address. The house, being completed, was dedicated August 16th, 1795. The size of the house was 87 by 71 feet on the ground, and the front was ornamented with two spires of very symmetrical propor- tions. Mr. Caleb Ormsbee was the architect. The whole house was a beautiful copy of one of the most beautiful houses of worship in Boston. It was destroyed by fire on the morning of June 14th, 1814. The society immediately set about the erection of a still more spa- cious and elegant structure on the same site. The corner stone of this house was laid with appropriate ceremonies on the 29th of May, 1815, and the house was dedicated on the 31st of October in the fol- lowing year. It is built of granite from the Waterman " snake-den " ledge in Johnston. Its size is 77 by 100 feet, including a vestibule of 20 feet. The stone tower is SO feet high to the bell deck, and the spire reaches to a height of about 200 feet from the ground. The cost of the house exceeded $50,000. Previous to the settlement of any minister several clergymen from the neighboring colonies occasionally preached for the society. 442 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Amono- these were a Mr. Dorrance, a Mr. Danforth and Reverend Samuel Moody, of York, Maine, who by permission of his own con- gregation preached at Providence three months. During this period he baptized 16 persons. The society had no settled minister until 1728. In the spring of that year Josiah Cotton commenced preaching for them, and was ordained in the following autumn, 18 churches be- ing present by their delegates to assist at the ordination. The church was constituted on the same day, its original members being Cornelius Salisbury, Nathaniel Blague, William Randall, Joseph Bagley, Timothy Carpenter, Joseph Barstow, John Church, Thomas Pollock and John Taylor. Mr. Cotton remained in the pastoral charge of this society and church until 1747, when he was dismissed at his own request. Reverend John Bass "was called, after an inter- val of about five years had elapsed. He commenced preaching for this church in 1752 and continued until 1758, when he left the minis- try and commenced the practice of medicine. The church at this time was in a weak condition and its religious interest appeared to be suffering a decline. In 1761 its membership became more united r the whole number then being 11 males and 10 females. In 1762 the services of Mr. David S. Rowland were obtained, and he continued with them until 1774, when he asked and received his dismission. Doctor Lothrop, of Boston, served the church nearly the whole of the year 1775. After his return to Boston the revolutionary war broke up the society so much that they had only occasional preachers till the fall of 1780, when Enos Hitchcock became their permanent pas- tor, though he was not formally installed until October, 1783. His pastorate was terminated by his death, which occurred February 27th, 1803. His biographer wrote of him: "The character of his mind, the working of his heart, the creed of his life, might be writ- ten in a line — ' faith, hope and charity, these three, but the greatest of these is charity.' ' He left a legacy exceeding $6,000 to the society. His immediate successor was Henry Edes, of Boston, who- was ordained in July, 1805, and was dismissed at his own request in June, 1832. The Reverend Edward B. Hall was installed November 14th, 1832, and continued in the pastorate until 1865. After a va- cancy of a year or two Reverend Arthur M. Knapp became pastor in 1868, continuing about three years. In 1873 Reverend C. A. Staples was in the ministry of this church, continuing to 1881. Reverend Thomas R. Slicer, the present pastor, was called to the pastorate in June, 1881. Two churches and societies have sprung frcm this one since its establishment. These are the Beneficent Congregational, from which the Richmond Street and the High Street Societies sprang, and the Westminster Congregational Society. In 1882 the covenant of this church was simplified so as to read: " In the love of the Truth, and in the Spirit of Jesns Christ, we join for the worship HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 443 of God and the service of man." The present congregation numbers about 200 families. The society belongs to the Unitarian order. The fifth religious sect to gain any notable foothold in this town was the Church of England. No trace of Episcopalianism appears in Providence previous to about the year 1722, except it may be that Mr. Honyman, the Episcopal missionary of Newport, occasionally preached here. On one of these occasions he declared that " no house could hold the congregation, so that I was obliged to preach in the open fields." This was in 1722, when he exerted himself in gather- ing a subscription to erect a church. The sum of .£250 was raised here, to which was added £200 more in Newport, £100 in Boston and £200 in other places. An additional sum of £200 was borrowed, and the erection of a church proceeded. A building 62x41 feet and 26 feet high was raised on St. Barnabas day, 1722. The largest single contributor to this building fund was Colonel Joseph Whipple, who gave £100. The church occupied the same spot on which St. John's church now stands. It was a remarkably neat and pretty church, and some time after its erection a steeple was added. In 1762 and in 1771, leave was given by the general assembly to raise money by a lottery, sufficient to repair the church and build a steeple, from which we infer that the steeple was not built until after that time. The first bell in Providence is said to have been hung in the steeple of this church. The house was pulled down in 1810. The corner stone of the new church was laid on the 5th of June, 1810, and the edifice being completed was dedicated on the 11th of June, 1811. The size of the building was 82x67 feet, with a chancel 16x34 feet. Mr. John H. Greene was the architect of this building, which was con- structed of natural-faced stone laid in irregular blocks. The first clergyman settled over the church here as a missionary was Rever- end George Pigot. He was sent by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, to Stratford, Conn., and in the fol- lowing year was settled over this church. He remained, however, but a short time, and was succeeded by Mr. Charro. The latter was dismissed from his charge on account of improper conduct. In Octo- ber, 1730, Arthur Brown became rector. He was highly esteemed by his congregation, and remained with them until 1736, removing then to Portsmouth, N. H. His successor in Providence was John Checkley, who came here in 1739. He was a native of Boston, re- ceived his education at Oxford, and was admitted to holy orders by the Bishop of Exeter. He appears to have been a man of somewhat eccentric character, but he continued in the discharge of his duties as rector here until his death in 1753. The pulpit was supplied for a time by different clergymen until 1756, when John Graves succeeded in the rectorship. He attended the service of the church until July, 1776. He then declined to officiate unless he could be permitted to read the usual prayers for the king, but the patriotism of his hearers 444 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. forbade his doing that, and as a consequence the church was closed most of the time during the war, except a part of the time, when Thomas F. Oliver officiated as lay reader. After the restoration of peace Mr. Oliver received ordination from Bishop Seabury, the first American bishop, and remained in this parish until 1786, when by their consent he left them to officiate among his friends at Marble- head. Mr. Graves died here in November, 1785. In September, 1786, Moses Badger succeeded to the rectorship, which he held until his death in September, 1702. Abraham L. Clarke succeeded him, com- mencing his labors in March, 1793. He resigned the rectorship March 14th, 1800. He was succeeded by Nathaniel Bowen, after- ward bishop of South Carolina. He entered upon the service of this church November 12th, 1801, and left it for St. Michael's church in Charleston, S. C, in November, 1802. Nathan Bourne Crocker began serving this church as lay reader October 24th, 1802, and continued in that capacity until May, 1803, when he was ordained and chosen rector. He remained until January, 1804, when ill health obliged him to resign. John L. Blackburne succeeded him in December, 1805, and resigned in March, 1807. In the same month Mr. Crocker was again called to the rectorship, and he continued in that office until 1865, during some of the time in the last three or four years being assisted by L. W. Bancroft and Richard B. Duane. In 1866 Richard B. Duane became rector, and continued until 1869. He was succeeded in 1870 by C. A. L. Richards, who still continues rector of the church. St. John's church numbers about 400 communicants. While the First Congregational Society was under the pastoral care of Reverend Josiah Cotton a part of his church and congrega- tion became dissatisfied with his preaching, regarding it as destitute of sound evangelical principles and filled with "damnable good works." This dissatisfaction became so great that finally, on March 7th. 1743, a number of them withdrew from the church, and began holding religious meetings by themselves. Among those who thus seceded were Deacon Joseph Snow, Benjamin Cary, Thomas Knowl- ton, Alexander McCrary, Solomon Searle, Peter Tefft, John Paine, Joseph Snow, Jr., who afterward became their minister, Ebenezer Knight, and Barzillai Richmond, together with 15 females. This company of worshippers have the honor of being the first to establish religious services on the west side of the river. Mr. Cotton said of them, " They set up a separate meeting, where they attended to the exhortations of a lay brother, who had been brought up in the busi- ness of house-carpentry." The lay brother alluded to was Joseph Snow, Jr., whom they elected to the office of pastor and teacher. Later on he was ordained, after some years of experience in the work, February 12th, 1747. The separatists were formally suspended from the First church March 25th, 1744. Soon after that date they began erecting a house for public worship. In this work Mr. Snow, HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 445 profiting- by his experience in house carpentry, led some of his prin- cipal members into the woods and there engaged in cutting and hewing timber for the house. May 29th, 1744, a lot of land was given them by Daniel Abbott, and upon this the house was erected. It was a wooden building, and originally measured 36x40 feet. As the congregation increased they enlarged it, first building a piece in the middle, then adding to the rear, and finally building a story under the house as the hill upon which it was originally built was removed. In 1772 the spire was nearly one hundred feet high. A bell was im- ported from England about 1760. In this meeting house George Whitefield, Robert Sandeman, Mr. Asbury, Mr. Murray and other eminent ministers held their audiences. It remained the meeting house of the society until 1808, when it was taken down, and in that and the following year the present stately edifice of the Beneficent Congregational church waserected. This buildingis of brick, having 150 pews on the ground floor, and spacious galleries. The expense of erecting the house was paid by the sale of pews and a fund of nearly twenty thousand dollars in addition was realized. In the autumn of 1836 the house was materially improved, both externally and internally, at an expense nearly equal to its first cost. Its lofty dome and imposing facade were conspicuous attractions, which even in the light of present architectural progress have not lost their grandeur. In October, 1785, the general assembly granted a charter of incor- poration to six members of the church, under the name of the " Ben- eficent Congregational Society." The first meeting under it was held in April, 1786. Mr. Snow continued for many years the beloved pastor of this united people. In 1783, " the fair character and exem- plary lives " of those who had been suspended from Mr. Cotton's church in 1744, compelled that church to take off its censure and re- store them to full fellowship. The peace and harmony thus restored were soon broken by an unexpected complication or conflict of ideas, arising from the disagreement of the church and society in regard to the ordaining of a colleague with Mr. Snow. James Wilson, a native of Ireland, who had formerly been a Methodist, began serving the church asan assistant, May 27th, 1791. In October, 1793, he was ordained by the society, though in opposition to the wishes of a majority of the church. Upon this Mr. Snow and his adherents withdrew, and held meetings in Mr. Snow's house, forming a new religious society, which was afterward known as the Richmond Street Congregational Society. Previous to the ordination of Mr. Wilson the church agreed upon a constitution and adopted a covenant and articles of faith, the covenant being signed at first by 20 males and 8 females. Mr. Wilson, though only ordained as colleague, after the withdrawal of Mr. Snow, performed all the duties of pastor. He thus continued for many years. Having reached the age of 75 years his request for 446 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. an assistant was acceded to, Reverend Cyrus Mason of New York being called for that purpose and was installed October 7th, 1835. He remained about one year, when, on account of ill health, his re- quest to be dismissed was granted. Reverend Mark Tucker, of the Second Presbyterian church in Troy, N. Y., was installed colleague, on the 21st of June, 1837. Mr. Wilson closed his labors and his life on the 14th of September, 1839, in the 80th year of his age. Doctor Tucker remained in charge as pastor until 184G, being followed by Reverend John P. Cleveland, D.D., in that year. He remained several years, and after him a vacancy occurred for two or three years. Reverend A. Huntington Clapp was installed in 1855, con- tinuing about ten years. He was succeeded by Reverend James G. Vose, who began his pastoral service about 1866, and continues at the present time. In the old vestry of this church was held the first Sabbath school regularly organized on the west side of the river, and more than twelve thousand children and older persons have shared in its blessings. The beautiful chapel which fronts on Chestnut street, was the gift of Henry J. Steere, Esq., as a memorial of his father, the late Jonah Steere, who was for many years a member of this church. The membership of the church is large, and its finances are in a prosperous condition. The Richmond Street Congregational church grew out of a dis- cord in the Beneficent Congregational church. At the time of the ordaining of Reverend Mr. Wilson, in October, 1793, a part of the church disapproved of him on doctrinal grounds, and being over- ruled by the majority, they withdrew, and set up worship by them- selves at the house of Mr. Snow, their pastor. They soon, however, commenced the erection of a house of worship. This was a wooden structure standing on the corner of Pine and Richmond streets, which was afterward known as "the old Tin Top," from the material with which the top of the spire was covered. It was dedicated Au- gust 16th, 1795, but was not completely finished until the autumn of 1807, when Thomas Williams, then pastor of the church, solicited and obtained the means of finishing it from Massachusetts and Con- necticut. The bell was the gift of Mr. Williams, from his own re- sources. The house was abandoned by the society after the erection of a new house in 1827, and was afterward used by various new soci- eties from time to time. The old building was afterward used as a circus, and then as a brewery. The new house of worship erected by this church was dedicated January 1st, 1828. It was a frame building 65x75 feet, and had 110 pews on the lower floor. The ex- pense of its erection was met by the sale of pews. Mr. Snow continued his pastoral care of this church and society until his death, which occurred April 10th, 1803, he being in the 89th year of his age, and the 58th year of his ministry. After his death .the church and people were few and feeble as a body, and they re- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 447 ceived into their pulpit Joseph Cornell, a Baptist minister, whose services were offered to them. While he preached in their meeting house there was an unusual attention to religion. During that sea- son Mr. Cornell founded a Baptist church, and received into it a number from the remnant of Mr. Snow's flock, his measures being approved b}^ a large part of the congregation. He thus claimed the right to possess and occupy the meeting house. A few sisters of the church, however, held firmly for the prior and superior claims of the old church. They obtained for a short time the services of Reverend James Davis to preach in the meeting house, and while he did so Elder Cornell and his people held meetings in the town house. In September they applied to Reverend Thomas Williams, of Pomfret, Conn., to be their minister. In response to the call he came to Prov- idence January 1st, 1807, and began his labors of preaching the gos- pel and rebuilding the scattered church. His first audience consisted of twelve to fifteen persons, and from this small beginning, by hard and persevering effort, the congregation was increased until the aver- age attendance reached four to six hundred, the membership of the church being about one hundred. Mr. Williams continued in the service of this church with but little pecuniary support and without installation or settlement, until April 7th, 1S1G. During his minis- try the church adopted the covenant, the doctrinal articles and the articles of discipline which were afterward retained. The name was the Pacific Congregational church and a society was incorporated under that name in 1S08. While Mr. Williams was their minister Massa Basset made an organ which he offered to the society, to be used in public worship, and which they accepted against the avowed sentiments of their minister. Willard Preston was installed pastor of this church in July, 1816. His salary was $600 a year. He was popular for a time, and the church seemed prosperous, but contentions arose, which increased until a part of the church withdrew and formed a new church by the name of the Calvinist Congregational church. They had for their minister Reverend Calvin Park, and held meetings in a hall on Pine street. Mr. Preston was dismissed in 1821. The society and church, enfeebled by contentions and disorder, again called Mr. Williams, who served the church from July 2d, 1821, till August 5th, 1823. After this Reverend Elam Clark was ordained pastor, and served the church about one year. After this Reverend Albert Judson was employed by the Pacific Society about two years, without installation. During this time, in August, 1825, most of the members who had been divided during Mr. Preston's ministry became united under the name of the Union Congregational church, which then numbered 88 members. Reverend Thomas Tileston Waterman was ordained pas- tor of this church December 12th, 1826. In the year 1S27 the society built the meetino- house on Richmond street. When the house was 448 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. dedicated the church and society changed their name to that of the Richmond Street Congregational church and society. Mr. Waterman was dismissed January 1st, 1837. Mr. Charles Turner Torrey was ordained in March of the same year, and remained almost twelve months. In December, 1838, Reverend Willis Lord was installed, and he continued in the ministry nearly two years. Their next pas- tor was Reverend Jonathan Leavitt, who was installed in November, 1840. He continued in the pastorate until about 1863, when he was succeeded by Reverend Elias H. Richardson. The church during Mr. Leavitt's pastorate had about three hundred members. The house of worship was destroyed by fire October 13th, 1851, and re- built in 1852-3. Reverend Mr. Richardson continued until 1867, when he was followed for a short time by Reverend Nelson W. Mil- lard. A union between this church and the High Street Congrega- tional church was effected in 1868, and the two churches formed the Pilgrim Congregational church. The Richmond Street house of worship was transferred to the Free Evangelical church. The High Street Congregational church was organized Decem- ber 18th, 1834. It consisted of 40 members, who had mostly with- drawn from the Beneficent and Richmond Street churches. In the course of the first ten years they gained more than two hundred members. They erected a meeting house in the year of their organi- zation. It was a frame structure 80x50 feet, the cost of erection of which was met by a lease of the pews for 500 years. The society was incorporated in 1833. Successive pastors have been: Reverends Wil- liam B. Lewis, Nathaniel S. Folsom, Leonard S. Parker, installed in December, 1840, and continued till about 1844; succeeded for a year or two by Arthur Granger; William J. Breed, installed 1846; Samuel Wolcott, installed 1853, continued to 1859; Lyman Whiting, installed I860, continued to 1863; Stephen R. Dennen, 1865 to 1868, during whose time a revival occurred which gave more than one hundred conversions. This church dismissed 88 members to help form the Pilgrim Congregational church in 1868. The union of the Richmond Street and the High Street churches to form the Pilgrim Congregational church was consummated in August, 1868. The plan was in part to remedy the inconvenience felt by most of the Richmond street members on account of the loca- tion of their church, and in part on account of a growing demand on the part of the High Street church for a larger and more convenient house. The church was organized June 2d, 1869. The church edifice on Harrison street, a fine brick structure, was erected in 1874. Its first pastor was Reverend Thomas Laurie, D.D., who was installed November 24th, 1869, and remained until 1885. Reverend Nathan M. Harriman began serving the church about 1887, and after about two years was followed by Reverend J. M. Dickson, the present pastor. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 449 The first clergymen of the Methodist Episcopal church who preached in Providence were Freeborn Garrettson and Jesse Lee. The time of their first visits cannot be definitely determined, but they were probably soon after the revolutionary war. Bishop Asbury preached here in June, 1791. In 1798 Joshua Hall came to this place, tarried a few months, taught a school, and preached on Sunday even- ings and occasionally at other times. On the 24th of November of the same year he organized a church and formed a class for regular meetings. The church was composed of only five members. From that time forward meetings were regularly kept up, though for sev- eral years there was no regular preacher. The first baptism by a Methodist clergyman was performed by Reverend Joseph Snelling on the first of May, 1801, the person baptized being Diadama Tripp. The first celebration of the Lord's Supper by this church was August 28th, 1801, Reverend John Finegan officiating, and five male and seven female members participating. The first quarterly meeting was held in the town house August 12th and 13th, 1803, on which occasions Reverend George Pickering preached. In the spring and summer of 1804 Reverend Erastus Kibby preached in the town house. The movement met with but little encouragement, and growth was slow in the infant church. In July, 1815, Van Rensalaer Osborn came to this place and preached in a school house near the corner of Pleasant and Middle streets. His preaching was attended with good results, and by the middle of September the church num- bered 33 members. Notwithstanding much opposition the outlook was now so promising that the work of erecting a church was under- taken. Through the efforts of Mr. Osborn $500 was raised by a sub- scription for the purpose, and the society purchased a lot at the cor- ner of Aborn and Washington streets, and erected a meeting house upon it. This house was dedicated June 8th, 1816. The church then had 111 members, and Mr. Osborn was stationed here by the Annual Conference. A board of trustees was incorporated by the general assembly, to hold the house and lot in trust for the Methodist Episco- pal church. Solomon Sias was stationed here in 1817 and 1818, and Moses Fifield in 1819. Bartholomew Otheman became pastor in 1820 and 1821. The church was now so prosperous that a larger house was desired. Mr. David Field presented a lot at the junction of Chestnut and Clifford streets, and the corner stone of a new house of worship was laid upon it August 6th, 1821. The old house was sold and subsequently converted into a dwelling house. The new meeting house was dedicated on the first day of January, 1822. This was a wooden structure, 65x75 feet, with a gallery on three sides of it, with a large room under the east part for evening and conference meetings. A steeple and bell were afterward added. Successive pastors of the church were: Timothy Merritt (following Mr. Othe- man), Enoch Mudge, 1823-4; Daniel Webb, 1825; Asa Kent, Jacob 29 450 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Sanborn, David Kilburn, Jotham Horton, Jacob Sanborn, again; Aaron D. Sargent, Daniel Fillmore, Abraham D. Merrill, David Patten, 1841; Thomas G. Carver, 1849; S. C. Brown, 1853; Richard Livesay, J 855; George M. Carpenter, 1857; J. A. M. Chapman, 1859; John B. Gould, 1861; W. McDonald, 1863; Mark Trafton, 1866; I. G. Bidwell, 1867; J. W. F. Barnes, 1869; J. E. C. Sawyer, 1871; D. P. Leavitt, 1874; B. P. Raymond, 1877; A. P. Palmer, 1880; Joseph Hol- lingshead, 1881; C. L. Goodell, 1883; H. C. Westwood, 1886, and S. O. Benton, 1888. The church is now known as the Chestnut Street Methodist church. Its membership has been drawn upon to form the Power Street church and the Fountain Street Wesleyan Society. The church now has about 400 members in full standing, and its church property is estimated at $36,000, besides a parsonage valued at $7,800. Its Sunday school numbers about 300. The Pine Street, or Second Baptist church, was organized May 1st, 1805. Its first members were: Jeremiah Ross, William West, Benjamin Ham, William Ham, Samuel Gorton, Reuben Burke, Chace Webb, Laban Lake, Thomas Reynolds, Nancy West, Francis Gorton, Mercy Webb, Sarah Lake, Abigail Jencks, Lillis Paul and Rachel Mason. The greater part of these had been members of the First Baptist church. Reverend Joseph Cornell became pastor of the new church at its formation. He was a native of Swansea, Mass., born February 11th, 1747, ordained in Lanesborough, Mass., in 1780. Self- taught, but possessing sound common sense, he devoted himself to the work with much zeal and a remarkable degree of effectiveness. His pastoral charge of this church continued until November, 1811. From that date to October, 1812, the church was without a pastor. During much of that time the pulpit was supplied by Reverend Elisha Cushman and students of the college. In October, 1812, Rev- erend Daniel D. Lewis commenced his labors as a pastor, but con- tinued with the church only a single year. For nearly a year after- ward Mr. Willey, an unordained minister, served as a regular supply. In December, 1814, Reverend Luther Baker became pastor of the church. During his ministry the church received large accessions, and also met with some severe trials. Their house of worship was destroyed by a severe storm and flood, which occurred September 23d, 1815. A new house was soon built, at an expense of $10,000, which was dedicated November 14th, 1816. In September, 1819, a num- ber of members separated from the church and held worship in a school house, having for three years the services of Reverend Jesse Hartwell, and receiving additions by letter and baptisms of 19 mem- bers. In July, 1823, the seceding party proposed a reunion, and were restored to their former connection. Mr. Baker resigned his office May 26th, 1822. Mr. Peter Ludlow, having preached to the church with great satisfaction from December, 1822, was ordained as pastor August 28th, 1823, and continued his labors till September 29th, 1825. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 451 In December of the same year he was succeeded by Reverend James M. Seaman, who relinquished his charge in August, 1828. In October of the same year Reverend Pharcellus Church, D.D., became pastor, and his labors for about six years were greatly blessed, the church receiving an increase of 109 members by baptism and 62 by letter. His labors closed June 18th, 1834. The next minister was Reverend John Blain, who began his labors here September 11th, 1834, and re- signed the charge February 28th, 1837. During his pastorate a powerful revival prevailed, and over two hundred were added to the church by baptism. Reverend John S. Maginnis assumed the pastor- ate October 9th, 1837, but in consequence of enfeebled health was compelled to relinquish it in March of the following year. The labors of Reverend John Dowling, D. D., began February 13th, 1839. During his ministry, which continued till May, 1844, great prosperity was enjoyed, with large accession to the membership. He was suc- ceeded September 8th, 1844, by Reverend Zabdiel Bradford, whose pleasing and useful labors were closed by death May 16th, 1849. Reverend Samuel W. Field commenced his labors as pastor January 6th. 1850, and resigned the charge September 15th, 1859, after a longer term of service than any of his predecessors had given. Dur- ing the latter part of his pastorate a delightful revival was enjoyed, which added about fifty new members to the church. In 1857 the house of woiship now occupied by the Central Baptist church was completed at a cost of about $65,000. This large and comfortable church edifice stands at the junction of Broad and High streets. Reverend Heman Lincoln assumed the pastorate June 4th, I860. For eight years he labored with ability and zeal, and with re- luctance gave up the charge to answer a call to a professorship in Newton Theological Seminary. Reverend W. F. Bainbridge entered upon his labors January 1st, 1869. In 1870 a valuable contribution of membership was made toward the organization of the Cranston Street Baptist church. During the winter of 1871-2 an unusually large number of conversions took place. During the winter of 1877-8 a large number were received into the church, partly as a result of the labors of D. L. Moody and George F. Pentecost. Mr. Bainbridge closed his ten years of service here December 31st, 1878. The church next called Reverend B. O. True, who entered upon his duties in Sep- tember, 1880. At the end of one year he resigned to accept a profes- sorship in Rochester Theological Seminary. Reverend Richard Mon- tague entered the pastorate in September, 1881, immediately after the retirement of Mr. True. During the year 1882 the church edi- fice was thoroughly renovated and improved. Early in the same year Reverend William F. Armstrong, a returned missionary, was employed by the generosity of Deacon J. C. Hartshorn to assist the pastor in missionary work, and for more than two years he did effi- cient service until, in the fall of 1884, he returned to the foreign 452 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. field. Oaring the spring of 1884 a series of special meetings was held by the assistance of Reverend George C. Needham. Mr. Mon- tague resigned, on account of ill health, March 4th, 1887. During the remainder of the year no pastor was settled, but the pulpit was sup- plied a part of the time by Rev. E. G. Robinson, D.D., and Prof. E. B. Andrews, D.D. Reverend Thomas D. Anderson, the present pas- tor, accepted a call to this church, and began his labors in October, 1887. The present membership numbers nearly 600. Members of the First Baptist church in early years living in the south part of Providence held religious services in the old brick school house on Transit street, and sometimes in private houses. This work was largely due to the energy and devotion of an elderly Scotchman, George Dods, who was one of the number, and whose conversion dated about 1805. Different ministers and students of Brown University preached to the congregations thus gathered. In 1819 it was determined to build a meeting house, and before the end of May Mr. Dods had secured a subscription for that purpose amount- ing to $1,400. Isaac Peck and Oliver Mason purchased a piece of land on Tockwotten hill for the use of a Third Baptist church, and gave bond to convey it to such a church on receipt of $410 and in- terest. A plain building, 45 by 50 feet, was begun, and before its completion a vestry ample to accommodate a school was added. Religious interest revived in the old church in the spring of 1820, and 116 persons were added to the church by baptism. The meet- ings in the south section were crowded and the need of the new building was more and more apparent. Mr. Dods travelled far and fearless over the country to collect subscriptions and contributions to carry on the work of building. Sunday school was begun in the spring of 1820, holding its first sessions in the chambers of Jeremiah Tillinghast's barn, on Transit street, until the vestry was ready to receive it. This was conducted under the direction and leadership of " Father Dods," without any formal organization, but two years later William C. Barker was chosen its first superintendent. Sixteen per- sons were dismissed from the First church, at their request for the purpose, and November 9th, 1820, the Third Baptist church was duly constituted with these sixteen members: George Dods and Rosanna, his wife; Isaac Peek and Phebe, his wife; Simeon Barker and Phebe, his wife; William C. Barker and Phebe, his wife; Luther Bushee and and Lydia, his wife; Jeremiah G. Luther and Lydia, his wife; Gil- bert Seamens, Ambrose Gardner, Enoch Steere and Prudence Hariden. This church occupied its new and modest house, now the little house at 184 Transit street, with a noble elm at the back of it, where it was planted by the hand of Feather Dods, the hon- ored pioneer. For some time the church remained in attendance at the preaching- services of the old church, having no pastor of their own, but holding their own prayer and conference meetings. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 453 Mr. Allen Brown, a licentiate of the First Baptist church, became their first pastor, being ordained January 31st, 1822. The meeting house being completed was dedicated on the 27th*day of the following June. But the young church was soon disturbed by conflict of doc- trinal opinions as to strict Calvinistic sentiments, and several import- ant members were cut off, among them the venerable Deacon Dods, who, after all his labors to establish the new church, was obliged to seek a spiritual home in the old First church, and there he spent the remainder of his days. Twenty-one years later the Third Church Society, in remembrance of his great services, allotted a pew free of expense to his widow so long as she should live. In 1824, the War- ren Association, to which the church belonged, declared that the Third Baptist church of Providence had departed from the principles on which it was constituted, and its reports could be no longer printed in the minutes. Accordingly for five years no mention is made of this church in the minutes of that association. Mr. Brown remained four years more as pastor, and resigned in January, 1828, after a service of six years. A period of ten months without a pas- tor then followed, after which the church secured the services of Reverend William Phillips, of Attleboro. His labors began in November, 1828. The church was now restored to its place in the association, and reported in 1829, 50 members. From this point there was steady growth during the pastorate of Mr. Phillips. In November, 1836, after eight years of service, the pastor removed to a charge in Charlestown, Mass., the church having increased to 190 members, 140 of whom had been baptized by him. The largest ac- cession in any one year was 50, which was the first fruit of a protracted meeting held in 1832. Two brief pastorates followed — that of Reverend Joseph A. Warne, lasting about one year, and that of Reverend Myron M. Dean, covering 21 months. Under the for- mer the church increased to 210 members, and under the latter it continued to prosper, a great revival having begun when he resigned, in June, 1840. The protracted meeting which began in March, 1840, continued without abatement until about one hundred conversions were reported. After the resignation of Mr. Dean a student in Brown University rendered acceptable service, and after filling the pulpit for three months was invited to become pastor. His ordination, November 4th, 1840, began the long and signal service of Reverend Thorndike C. Jameson. Seventy-one persons were baptized that year, and in 1842, after a series of meetings held by Elder Jacob Knapp, 147 converts were baptized, mostly men. In 1844 90 conver- sions were reported, in face of the fact that the progress of the church had met with obstacles in the excitement of the " Dorr war," and the rage of Millerism. Later the church had some trouble be- cause of its members enlisting as soldiers in the Mexican war, which was considered as intended to extend the slave holding territory. 454 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. This church was decidedly opposed to slavery and would have no fellowship with those who favored slave holding. It was also vigor- ous in its enforcement of discipline for offenses against the moral code. Not to mention the more flagrant infractions of morality, fellowship was withdrawn from persons who would not take the total abstinence pledge, or who were employed in stores, where spirits were sold; from some who went to theater or balls, or were chargea- ble with general worldliness, and from some who let their children go to dancing school; from men who did not properly provide for their families; from a runaway apprentice who left his debts unpaid; and from one person who would not make confession in due form and order. But discipline was suspended for some months in 1849, when a great revival engrossed the attention of the church. Seventy-one persons were baptized, the membership of the church at that time reaching 481. Mr. Jameson, at his own request, was dis- missed December 1st. 1853. He was followed in a short time by Mr. James B. Simmons, a student from Newton Theological Institution, who was ordained July 12th, 1854. Prof. Henry Day, of the Univer- sity, supplied the pulpit awhile, before the ordination of Mr. Sim- mons, while he was completing his seminary course. The church, which had fallen off somewhat in numbers, now began again to in- crease in strength. In November, 1855, 46 persons were dismissed to join in the organization of the Brown Street church. The India Point mission, which for some time had been sustained by this church, had a Sunday school in a railroad building at the Point- When this was removed Pastor Simmons stirred the people to sup- ply its place, and a chapel was built. The church at that time em- ployed a colporteur for several months. Mr. Simmons resigned in September, 1857. Mr. A. K. Potter, a student in the university, supplied the church for a while in 1858. Mr. Jameson returned again in 1859, and resigned in October, 1861, having joined the Second R. I. Regiment as chaplain. Reverend A. J. Padelford took his place in January, 1862. He struggled against poor health for a time, but resigned November 2d, 1865. He was succeeded by Reverend Amasa Howard, of Wethersfied, Conn., within four months. Reverend Emerson Andrews, an evangelist, aided the pastor in the second year of his ministry, and 76 persons were baptized. The church then numbered 340 members. After three years of service Mr. Howard resigned, and Reverend J. C. Stockbridge, l).l)., was engaged in the spring of 1869, and he was with the church more than two years. Reverend George Thomas Dowling,of New Jersey, became pastor in December, 1871. He was very popular, and attracted many to his preaching, but at the close of July. 1873, he resigned to accept a call from Syracuse, N. Y. Reverend O. T. Walker, of West Meriden, Conn., began his labors as a pastor here in January, 1874. The meeting house and lot HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 455 were sold to the city for purposes of improvement, April 5th, 1875 T and three weeks later the church decided to purchase the lot on which their new brick house of worship was soon erected. The ves- try of the new house was formally occupied April 2d, 1876, and the church was dedicated September 22d of the same year. Mr. Walker resigned July 31st, 1876, and after four months, during which the pulpit was occupied by Doctor Taylor and the paster of the Brown Street church, in Februrry, 1877, Reverend C. J. Jones became pas- tor, and he continued in the office seven months. In February, 1878, a plan of uniting with the Brown Street church was presented, which was speedily consummated, this church dismissing its membership, numbering 225, for that purpose. March 31st, 1878, the Third Baptist church was formally declared extinct, the Union Baptist church hav- ing been organized from the united membership of this and the Brown Street church. The Union Baptist church has occupied the house of the Third church. As early as the year 1844 it was proposed to establish a religious colony at a point midway between the First and Third Baptist churches. Reverend Horace T. Love headed the movement and raised a subscription of $15,000; the refusal of a lot on the southwest corner of Thayer and Power streets was secured, and the general assembly, in January, 1845, incorporated the Power Street Baptist Society. Here the project rested forabout ten years. A meeting to revive it was held at the house of L. D. Anthony, No. 56 George street, September 13th, 1855, composed of 13 members of the First and eight of the Third church. The result of a number of confer- ence meetirigs on the subject was that a church, called the "New Interest," was organized November 13th, 1855. Reverend W. C. Richards was chosen pastor at a salary of $1,5C0; Emory Lyon, clerk, and R. A. Guild, superintendent of the Sabbath school. The "New Hampshire Articles of Faith," and a church covenant were adopted, and other preliminaries adjusted. Armory Hall, on Benefit street, was hired and fitted up, and the first meeting was held in it Novem- ber 22d, 1855. The church was formally recognized by a council representing seven churches in Providence and one in Newport, on the 24th of the same month, and the pastor was installed on the fol- lowing day. The membership numbered 111, of whom 59 were frcm the First church, 46 from the Third and six from elsewhere. For many years the order of Sabbath services was Sunday school in the forenoon, followed by preaching forenoon and afternoon, and prayer meeting in the evening. An act of incorporation was passed by the general assembly in May, 1856, the name of Thayer Street Society being adopted as approximate, though no location had been definitely settled upon. A site on Waterman street, at the corner of Thayer, was pur- chased, and after much discussion and delay it was, in 1857, decided 456 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. to build upon' it. This decision was thwarted by the financial de- pression of the time, and in the following winter the lot was ex- changed for one at the corner of Brown and Benevolent streets, at an additional expense of $7,000. Plans were speedily perfected, and the work of building went forward, the society meanwhile applying to legislature for a change of corporate name to Brown Street. The house, in course of time completed, was dedicated June 5th, 1860, the membership of the church having at that time reached 173. The corner stone had been laid September 2d, 1858. The building was built of Danvers pressed brick and freestone trimmings, with a base for a spire, which was never added. The audience room was designed to accommodate over 700. The building was in the Romanesque style, and cost about $45,000. The society was left in debt about $18,000, which was soon paid, largely by the liberality of Mrs. Joseph Rogers and Mr. George Hail, each of whom gave $6,000 toward the object, and the remaining $6,000 was raised in smaller sums through the efforts of Professor Greene. The pastor, Mr. Richards, resigned in 1862, after a service of seven years. In 1863 Reverend H. C. Graves became pastor, and the society purchased an organ at a cost of $3,100. The highest membership was reached in 1872, when the church numbered 296. February 24th, 1874, the society came into possession of an endowment by bequest of Mr George Hail, amounting to $20,000, the income of which was to be appropriated to the support of Gospel preaching in this church. This generous benefactor died at Warren December 6th, 1873, in the 81st year of his age. The resignation of the pastor took effect on October 1st, 1874, and in May, 1875, the pastorate of Reverend Elias H. Johnson began. In 1878 a union of this church with the Third church was effected, the new body being called the Union Baptist church, the name being first adopted by the Brown Street church, the other transferring its entire membership to this, the Union church taking possession of the house of worship formerly belong- ing to the Third church, the pastor and deacons of the Brown Street church being retained and their church property being sold, and the hours of worship of the Brown Street church being retained. The Third society transferred, for the nominal sum of one dollar, its property to the Brown Street society, who also assumed the debts of the other; the organ of the Third society was sold and the Brown Street organ plaeed in its stead, the Brown Street society retaining its organization, but after disposition of its property changed its name to Union Baptist Society. In this union of churches the old Third church was represented by 225 and the Brown Street church by 267 members, giving the Union Baptist church, at the beginning, April 4th, 1878, 492 members. The property of the Brown Street society sold gave funds sufficient to pay the mortgages, so that the Union society had a fair prospect HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 457 of going forward without incumbrance. The Reverend Elias H Johnson continued the pastor until 1882, when he was succeeded by Reverend Joseph S. Swaim, who continued from 1883 to 1887. Rev- erend Frank C. Woods, the present pastor, entered that office in 1887. The present membership of the church is about 400. A house of worship being needed in the northerly part of Provi- dence, a number of gentlemen met on the 26th of April, 1820, for the purpose of consulting upon some plan for reducing such a want to its fulfillment. Benjamin Peck was chairman and Samuel Thurber clerk of the meeting. They appointed a committee to purchase a suitable lot and raise a subscription to build a house. By the 5th of June their work was well nigh done, so far as buying and paying for a lot was concerned. Another committee was appointed to raise money and build a house, and form the general plan of organization. This committee was composed of Dexter Thurber, Stanford Newel, Asa Pike, Samuel Thurber, Enos Angell, David Cole, Consider Mil- ler, Holden Pearce, Esek Esten, Jr., and Joseph Veasie. They pro- cured a charter of incorporation at the October session of the general assembly in 1S20. It was resolved that the meeting house to be built by them should be a Baptist meeting house, but no further sectarian limitations were placed upon it. The society was called the Fourth Baptist Society. An article of the charter declared that no subscrip- tion to any creed, article of faith, or covenant, should be required to constitute any person a member of the society, or of the church which might meet in the house, and that no person should be required to make any confession of faith other than a belief in the scriptures of the old and new testaments. The first meeting under the charter was held May 28th, 1821. A meeting house was completed in the summer of 1822, and was dedicated on the 26th of August of that year. It was a frame building, 47x67 feet on the ground, and having a projection 13x30 feet supporting the steeple, which was 90 feet high, and furnished with a bell. The expense of building it was in excess of $6,000. In January, 1825, the society received a grant of a lottery from the general assembly, from which they realized $2,000. The first settled pastor of this society and church wasZalmonTobey, who was invited here in February, 1823. Previous to that time the pulpit had been temporarily supplied by various ministers. Mr. Tobey continued with the society until April, 1833, when he was dis- missed at his own request. He was succeeded by Peter Simonson, who continued as pastor of the church until October, 1836. Thomas B. Ripley succeeded soon after, and continued until August, 1840. Francis Smith commenced his labors here January 1st, 1841, and was ordained on the 30th of March following. At that time the member- ship of the church was about 200. Mr. Smith continued as pastor # until 1854. He was followed by Reverend Abraham H. Granger, who was installed in 1854, and continued in the pastorate until 1876. 458 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. He was followed in 1877 by Reverend W. W. Everts, Jr., who re- mained until 1881. Reverend James M. Taylor was pastor in 1882, and until May, 1886. He was followed by Reverend C. V. Hanson in 1887, and by Reverend R. M. Martin in 1888, and he remains at the present time. The house of worship stands at the corner of Scott and Bacon streets. It was enlarged in 1850. An organ was placed in it in 184C. Later improvements have been made at a cost of about $25,000. The present membership numbers 371. This church has supported a prosperous mission near Branch avenue, where a church of 50 members was formed in May, 1886. It also supported a mission on Smithfield avenue, which in 1886, was removed to Pawtucket avenue. In the autumn of 1772, John Murray came to Providence bearing a recommendation from General James M. Varnum to Nicholas Brown. He preached in Mr. Snow's meeting house. After that date he visited the town occasionally for many years, preaching in differ- ent places. After him came Elhanan Winchester, Adam Streeter, Richard Carrique, and others, preaching the doctrines of the Uni- versalist faith. These meetings were often held in the " Old Town House." A religious society, under the name of the First Universal- ist Society in the town of Providence, was organized at the court house, April 10th, 1821, composed of the following persons: Rufus Waterman, Charles Hartshorn, Oliver Carpenter, Esek Eddy, Jere- miah Fenner, Sion Fenner, William A. Smith, Samuel W. Wheeler, Thaddeus Curtis, William Olney, Benjamin Snow, Rhodes G. Allen, Dutee Roberts, James Anthony, 2d, John Lassell, James Stestson, Lu- cius Dyer, Henry Brinldey,Asa Ferguson, Nehemiah Arnold, James W. Mitchell, John F. Sheldon, Calvin Thomas, William Calder and John Martin. An act of incorporation was obtained in October, 1821, on the petition of 53 members. Late in that year a call was sent to Fayette Mace, of Strong, Maine, to take the pastoral care of this flock. He began this work in the spring of 1822 and continued until the following January. David Pickering, of Hudson, N. Y., became pas- tor of this society in May, 1823, and was installed in June following. He continued with the society until the first Sabbath in October, 1835. November 30th of that year, William S. Balch, of Claremont, N. H., was called to the pastorate, and entered upon its duties March 5th, 1836. He remained until November, 1841 , when he went to a new field in Xew York city. He was succeeded here by Henry Bacon, of Marblehead, Mass., who was installed March 17th, 1842. He continued until about 1850. Edwin A. Eaton was installed in 1852, and remained about six years, when a vacancy occurred for a period. Reverend Cyrus II. Fay was installed as pastor in 1858, and remained in the office ten years. After a vacancy of about two years Reverend Elmer H. Ca- pen became pastor for about four years. He was succeeded by Rev- erend Henry I. Cushman, D.D., the present pastor, about 1875. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 459" The society resolved, October 22d, 1821, to erect a house of worship on the lot which they purchased of Nathan Mathewson, on the cor- ner of Westminster and Union streets. The corner stone of this building was laid June 3d, 1822. A silver plate deposited in the stone bears the following inscription: " The First Universalist Society in Providence was incorporated by an act of the General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island, at their October session, 1821. The corner stone of this edifice, designed for the service of Almighty God,, through his son Jesus Christ, was laid by Rev. Fayette Mace, on the 3d June, A.D., 1822. John H. Greene, architect, Caleb Mosher,Zach- ariah Chafee, joint master-builders. The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice, Ps. xcvii, 1." The house was built of stone, and cost upward of $20,000. It was destroyed by fire, with several other buildings in the vicinity, on the evening of May 24th, 1825. On the following da}' the society held a meeting and determined to rebuild their house at once. The corner stone of a new house was soon laid, and the completed building, oc- cupying the same site as the first, was dedicated December 29th, 1825. It was built at an expense of $24,000 or upward. It was of brick, Ro- man-Ionic in style, and was furnished with a steeple in which were a clock and a bell. The site was exchanged for the present one at the corner of Washington and Greene streets, in lS72,the latter building having been erected in that year at a cost of $45,000. The church property is now valued at $126,000. There are 195 families connected with the church, which numbers 220 members. A Sunday school, es- tablished in 1825, now numbers 318. A few Catholics in Providence and its vicinity, as early as the year 1827, demanded the spiritual care of a priest. A few of this church had been in the town for years before, and probably mass had been said here as early as 1813 or 1814, and occasionally from that time forward. A building on Sheldon street was first used for this purpose, and it is said that Bishop Cheverus occasionally officiated. The building was demolished by the great gale of September, 1815. Priests were sent here from time to time, and in 1827 a permanent appointment was made. Reverend Robert D. Woodley was placed in charge of the Catholics of Providence, Pawtucket and Taunton. Me- chanics Hall was occupied until 1830, when the use of the town house was obtained. In 1832 a site for a church was purchased on the corner of High and Fenner streets, and in 1836 Bishop Fenwick offered mass in the basement. Under the zealous pastorate of Rev- erend John Corry the edifice was completed, and it was dedicated November 4th, 1838, under the name of the Church of Saints Peter and Paul. The states of Rhode Island and Connecticut at that time belonged to the diocese of Boston. The diocese of Hartford was es- tablished in 1844, and the Right Reverend William Tyler was con- secrated bishop. He was succeeded by Bishops O'Reilly and McFar- 460 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. land. All these bishops resided in Providence. To the church a fine bell, weighing about a thousand pounds, was given by Messrs. Philip Allen & Son. An organ was placed in the church in 1841. The whole expense of the church and its equipments was about $12,000. In 1S72 the diocese of Providence was established, and the Right Reverend Thomas F. Hendricken was consecrated bishop. Under the adminis- tration of Bishop Hendricken a movement was made for building a new cathedral church. Additional land was secured on the corner of Fenner street, the buildings upon it were removed, and a pro- cathedral was built on Broad street. The corner stone of the new cathedral was laid with imposing ceremonies on Thanksgiving day, 1878, and from that time the work went on as the funds needed were contributed by the churches of the diocese and other friends. The new cathedral is one of the most imposing and massive structures of the city, and indeed has but few that can claim a place equal to it in grandeur of architecture, elegance of finish or solidity of structure. It is in the form of a cross, with the foot on Pond street and the head on High street. Its measurements are 120 feet on High street, 198 on Fenner street and 130 feet on Pond street. The width of nave is 50 feet and its height 74 feet. The massive towers on the front are 156 feet high. The building is of brown stone, and its foundations are of the most solid character. The main floor is supported by 56 iron pillars, resting on a foundation similar to the main walls. The basement is 15 feet high, and is lighted by 35 windows. This will be used by the young people of the congregation. The beauty and de- sign of the interior is not excelled by any church in the United States. Five circular paintings in the ceiling and above the altars were the work of the celebrated painter Lamprecht; the stained glass window, of the Pustats, of Innspruck; the cartoons, of Professor Kline, of Munich; the marble pillars, of Theis and Trueg, of Munich, and the statuary, of Sibyl & Birk, of New York; while the decorator was Bodes, of New York. The floor of the vestibule, aisles, porches, sanctuary and chapels are tiled with white American marble and white veined Italian marble. The marble wainscoting of the walls is gray Ophite for three feet, and red Wakefield marble panels. Twenty-six pillars of Ophite marble support the galleries and arches. On the pillar eapitals are 120 groups of statuary. Four large statues of the Evangelists occupy niches above the capitals of the four clus- tered pillars. The ceiling is composed of colored woods, divided into oblong panels, decorated in Mosaic patterns, and garnished with ebony, African wood and gold. The grand central feature of the ceiling is the painting of the Transfiguration, surrounded at equal distances by four smaller paintings of Peter and Paul, the patron saints of the church, and of Moses and Elias. The windows on the west side of the church are filled with scenes from the new Testa- ment, and those on the east side with scenes from the Old Testament. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 461 The pews and confessionals are of light oak, stained in cherry. They will seat 2,000 persons and the treforium galleries 500 more. Five marble altars are of Gothic design, and cost $10,000. The organ, one of the finest in the city, cost $10,000. The building has been erected at an expense of nearly a million dollars. The first service to be held in the church was the funeral of Bishop Hendricken, to whose efforts the building owes its conception and execution. After many years of time and labor spent in collecting funds and looking after the progress of the work, he died June 11th, 1886, just as the great work of his life time was nearing completion. He was most fittingly buried in the new cathedral, with a wealth of ceremonial that was probably never before seen in this city. The funeral took place on Thursday, June 17th, and his remains were placed in the crypt under the main altar in the basement of the edifice. The parish of Sts. Peter and Paul has a cono-regfation of about 6,000 souls, and there are included within it two parochial schools and two academies. The successor of Bishop Hendricken, since 1877, has been Right Reverend Matthew Harkins, D.D. Other clergymen officiating in this parish have been as follows, with approximate year dates of their commencement in such service: Reverends James Feeton,1844; P. Mellon, 1850; W. Wheeler, L. A. T. Mangar, J. Hughes, O'Gor- man, 1853; Patrick O'Dwyer, 1854; John Smith, 1854; Patrick A. Gay- nor, 1855; Patrick A. Smith, 1856; J. Mulligan, D.D., 1857; Michael O'Neille, 1857; James O'Neil, P. Glennan, John Sheridan, 1858; P. Kelly, T. Quinn, Hugh Carmody, D.D., B. D. Coit, 1858; Charles Mc- Callion, 1858; P. J. O'Dwyer, Michael O'Reilly, 1864; J. O'Brien, 1865; Michael Tierney, Michael Fitzgerald, W. H. Brie, 1869; J. B. Reid, J. J. McCabe, 1870; H. F. Kinnerney, 1871: Robert J. Sullivan, 1872; James V. Brennan, William Madden, D. Driscoll, 1875; W. D. Kelly, F. O'Reilly, 1876; C. McSweeney, W. F. Higgins. P. P. Carlin, 1877; William Stang, 1879; Joseph McDonald, 1880; James Coyle, 1881; Jo- seph F. McDcnough, 1884: Michael Hickey, Charles J. Burns, 1885; D. Sheedy, 1886; W. P. Stang, I. J. Fitzpatrick, H. Conboy, 1887; Thomas F. Doran, E. Raftery, James A. Gleason, 1888. On Saturday evening, January 5th, 1828, twelve gentlemen met at the house of Nathan Hastings, Westminster street, for the pur- pose of forming a religious society according to the principles of the Unitarian faith. At this meeting there were present, Nathan Hastings, George Dana, Edward Draper, Henry S. Draper, Jonathan G. Draper, John C. Jencks, Seth Padelford, Lloyd Shaw, Samuel J. Smith, Stephen C. Smith, Samuel Stone, and Henry Westcott. The organization then formed adopted the name of the " Religious Asso- ciation." A committee appointed to secure a place of worship ob- tained the use of a building on the corner of Pine and Richmond streets, and on Sunday, January 13th, 1828, the first services for the new society were held. The services were conducted by Reverend 462 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Samuel J. May, of Brooklyn, Conn. On the 18th of January the asso- ciation had 24 members; in the course of the next three months it increased to 07, the greater part of whom were heads of families. Many of the members had come from the First Congregational Society. The association immediately took steps toward building a house of worship and obtaining a pastor. Mr. Frederic Augustus Farley preached so acceptably during April as to induce a further engage- ment. Some time in May a lot of land on Mathewson street, was bought of Cornelius G. Fenner, for $6,045. The deed for this was executed July 7th, 1828. The name of the society was changed on the 20th of May, to the Westminster Congregational Society. Sixty- seven persons signed a petition for incorporation, which was granted at the June session of the general assembly. The first officers of this society, under incorporation, were: Nathan Hastings, president; George Dana, treasurer; and Henry Westcott, secretary. On the 7th of July, a committee of seven was appointed to proceed with building a house of worship on the Mathewson street lot. About the same time a call was given to Mr. Farley to become their settled pastor on a salary of $1,000 a year. This being accepted, he was duly ordained on the 10th of September, the services being con- ducted in the house of the First Congregational Society. Most of the Unitarian churches of Boston, and of this section of New England were represented in the council of ordination. The sermon was given by Reverend Doctor William E. Channing. Very scon after this the work of organizing a church was begun. The preliminary steps were taken September 26th; a declaration of faith was agreed upon, and officers elected. Before the first communion, November 2d, 18 signatures had been given to the declaration. The recogni- tion of the First church was also obtained, with the dismission of members from that who wished to join the new church. The work •of building was carried forward with such rapidity that in the spring of 1829 the meeting house was ready for consecration. Services of dedication were conducted March 5th. The house was erected at a cost of about $28,000. It was of the Ionic order of architecture, the walls of stone, covered with cement. Judge Staples said of it: ' There is no church in the city which is more chaste in its style of architecture, or which exhibits more classic taste in its exterior, than this." Considerable expense was incurred in its finishing and fur- nishing, and when the house was completed there remained a con- siderable debt upon it. Various means were suggested for the ex- tinction of this debt, but it was at last determined to sell the property. This was done by the trustees on the 27th of July, 1830. Mr. Charles F. Tillinghast became the purchaser, for the sum of $11,200. Six months later the society voted to hire the house for five years, "at a rent of six hundred and seventy-five dollars per annum," Subse- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 463 quently Mr. Tillinghast conveyed the property to aboard of trustees for five years, for $12,930. These trustees were to issue stock certifi- cates, and then to apply any money received to the payment of the certificates, assuming that within the five years all would be paid. By making vigorous efforts the result in practical effect was reached, and on the 11th of October, 1832, the property was conveyed to the society, and at the annual meeting, October 21st, 1833, the treasurer reported a surplus in the treasury. The connection of the pastor with the society ended on August 1st, 1841, after repeated presenta- tions of his resignation. The society was then free from debt, and had meantime put a new organ into the church and finished and furnished a vestry, and made other improvements, at a cost of over $4,000, in 1836. Reverend Samuel Osgood, of Nashua, N. H., was called October 18th, and accepting the call a few weeks later, was installed as pas- tor, December 2!»th, 1841. His salary was fixed at $1,200 for the first year, and $1,500 a year after that. Very soon after the installation of Air. Osgood the society engaged with lively interest in the enter- prise of public charity known as the " Ministry-at-Large." This was a philanthropic enterprise which had been instituted in Boston by the Reverend Doctor Joseph Tuckerman, in 1826. It had been brought to the consideration of the Providence public in 1836, by Reverend Mr. Hall, of the First Congregational Society. But it was not till the autumn of 1841, that the enterprise was fairly inaugurated. After careful discussion the two Unitarian churches of this city took the matter seriously in hand. A meeting was held in the chapel of the First church, December 4th, 1841, and four days later a constitu- tion was adopted. Reverend Henry F. Harrington was ordained as the first minister, January 19th, 1842, when the fellowship of the churches was extended Mr. Osgood. Mr. Harrington continued as minister till August, 1844, when he resigned, and Reverend William G. Babcock was appointed his successor. Mr. Babccck resigned in March, 1847, and Reverend Edwin M. Stone began his ministry on the first Sunday in May of the same year. Mr. Stone held the office until the first Sunday in May, 1877. January 2d, 1878, Reverend Alfred Manchester was installed as his successor. A chapel was bujlt for the ministry on the corner of Eenefit and -Halsey streets in 1846, the work of religious instruction by preaching and in the Sun- day school having previously been done in a public hall. On the 20th of September, 1871, the very commodious edifice since occupied by the ministry on Olney street was dedicated. So successful was this ministry, that in 1850 the Sunday school numbered 250, and dur- ing the next previous eight years no less than 2,000 children had been taught in it. In 1857 the whole number reported amounted to 3,000; and in 1876 to 5,000, the number of children then in the school being 323. Mr. Manchester still remains pastor of this flock. About 464 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 1SS0 its name was changed to the Olney Street Congregational church. Reverend Mr. Osgood closed his labors with the Westminster church and society September 9th, 1849. On the following day an in- vitation was extended to Reverend Frederic Henry Hedge, then pas- tor of the Unitarian church in Bangor, Maine, to become their pastor. He was duly installed as such March 27th, 1850. All departments of the parish work were now carried on with care and vigor, and an encouraging degree of prosperity was enjoyed. Increased accommo- dations were provided for the Sunday school. Improvements were made in the vestry, and the salary of the minister was increased. Mr. Hedge closed his labors here September 30th, 1856. He was succeeded by Reverend Augustus Woodbury, who was previously pastor of the Lee Street church in Lowell, Mass., and was installed here April 2d, 1857. In 1860 the seating capacity of the meeting house was increased by the insertion of twelve pews in the center of the building at an expense of about $2,000. In 1866 a new room was furnished in the basement, at a cost of $1,000. In 1869 a new- organ, costing $6,000, was placed in the church. In 1873 the in- terior was greatly improved and renovated, at an expense of more than $10,000. Reverend Mr. Woodbury is still pastor of the church, which now has about 100 members, the society numbering about 150. The parish of Grace church was organized in May, 1829. It con- sisted of about 40 families, or 200 persons, including 31 communi- cants. In December, 1836, the congregation had increased to about 140 families and 261 communicants. During the first year the parish was supplied by neighboring Episcopal clergymen. Rev- erend Samuel Fuller, Jr., officiated from May, 1830, to April, 1831; George F. Hawkins served a part of the year 1832, and John A. Clark, from October, 1832, to October, 1835. He was succeeded by Reverend Alexander H.Vinton. He was installed in April, 1836, and continued in the office until 1842. Reverend J. P. K. Henshaw was installed as pastor in 1842, and remained until about 1851. A vacancy then followed in the rectory. Reverend Thomas M. Clark, D.D., was installed in 1855, and remained in the office until 1867. He was succeeded by Reverend Day O. Kellogg, who served the church from 1868 to 1870. Reverend C. George Currie followed in 1871 and 1872. Reverend David H. Greer ministered to this church dur- ing an extended period reaching from 1873 to 1S£8. He was fol- lowed by the present rector, Reverend Charles H. Babcock. The society first met for worship in the old Congregational meeting house at the corner of Richmond and Pine streets, known as the "Old Tin Top." In the year 1832 they purchased the Provi- dence Theater, at the corner of Westminster and Mathewson streets, and converted it into a commodious house of worship. It was made a handsome Gothic building, with appropriate tracery on the HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 465 windows and doors, and became an ornament to that part of the city. The parish received a charter of incorporation in June, 1829. It was originally established according to the doctrines, rites and usages of the Protestant Episcopal church of the United States. The number of communicants given in the parochial report for 1889 is 1,184. The Sunday school connected with the church numbers 627. The present handsome church, one of the conspicuous objects on West- minster street, was erected in* 1845 and consecrated in 1846. In 1861 a chime of bells was placed in its tower. This is the only set of chimes in the city. They are 16 in number, and were hung March 30th, 1861, and played for the first time on the day following, which was Easter Sunday. The bells were given by various individuals and corporations, whose names are upon each bell, including two military organizations, viz., the Marine Corps of Artillery and the First Light Infantry. The bell given by the latter was accompanied by the condition that chimes should be rung on the anniversary of Perry's victory on Lake Erie in the war of 1812, that is September 10th of every year. The chimes are also rung on all national holi- days, as well as on the Sabbath. A handsome brick rectory was erected on Greene street in 1878. The church in 1879 held a jubilee in commemoration of its 50th anniversary, and a full report of it, with many illustrations, was published in 1880. The neighborhood of Christian Hill being remote from the loca- tion of Baptist churches, in December, 1829, a number of persons of that faith determined to have a congregation in that vicinity. They engaged a private room on High street, and engaged William C. Manchester for their minister. A church was organized on the 22d of March, 1830. It was composed of twelve persons, eight of whom were from the Six Principle Baptist church inScituate and the other four from neighboring towns. This was called the Roger Williams Christian Hill church: They subscribed to no written creed or cove- nant, but accept the Scriptures as teachirg them their duties of con- duct and belief. This denomination is known as the Free-will Bap- tist church. At the beginning, as their numbers increased, they pe- titioned for and received an incorporation in June, 1831. The church and congregation continued to occupy their hired room until 1832, when they removed to a school house on Battey street, a few rods north of High street. About that time they began building a house on Burges street. This, a wooden structure, was built 70x45 feet on the ground, with a handsome steeple, in which a bell was placed. It was dedicated December 25th, 1833. The church, in Sep- tember, 1830, united with the Rhode Island and Massachusetts Con- ference of the Six Principle Baptists. In 1835 that conference charged the church with the offense of using instrumental music in public worship. The church not denying the charge, it was sus- tained, and the communion of the conference was denied them un- 30 466 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. less they would relinquish the use of instrumental music. This the church refused to do, and withdrew from the conference, remaining independent until May, 1837, when they united with the Rhode Island Quarterly Meeting of the Free-will Baptists. Five years after this the congregation numbered over 200, there being 130 communi- cants. Elder Manchester continued to serve the church as its minis- ter until his dismission, July 7th, 1837. September 30th, 1837, L. D. Johnson, of Boston, Mass., became their pastor, and was installed. He was followed by Arthur A. Caveno, of Strafford, N. H.. who con- tinued a year. Reverend James A. McKenzie, of Newport, R. I., commenced his labors with them May 1st, 1840, and continued nearly ten years. Reverend Eli Noyes was installed in 1850, and served them for a time, after which a vacancy followed. Reverend G. H. Ball was installed in 1855. Their house of worship was destroyed by fire January 5th of that year. After that the congregation worshipped in Andrew's Hall on High street, while the work of building anew went on. The new building was constructed of brick, located on the corner of High and Knight streets. Reverend George T. Day was installed as pastor in 1857. He served for a period of about ten years. After this no settled pastor was engaged for a time. Rev- erend Albert H. Heath served from about 1871 to 1875; Reverend A. J. Kirkland, from 1877 to 1879; Reverend A. T. Salley, ]c c 8<> to 1883; Reverend O. E. Baker, 1885 to 1888, and Reverend J. Malvern, 1889 and to the present time. The church now numbers 450 mem- bers, and has over 400 children in its Sunday school. The Pawtuxet Street Christian Society was formed in the winter of 1833-4. A church of that denomination had been organized here 20 years or more before that time, but being without a pastor, had become scattered and the organization died out. After this second attempt ministers from abroad were invited to preach to them. The meetings were held in private houses. After a time they engaged Elijah W. Barrows, of Connecticut, for a pastor, and established their meetings in the old meeting house of the Richmond Street Congre- gational Society, at the corner of Pine and Richmond streets. This was in April, 1834. Their numbers were still small, the congrega- tion varying from 40 to 80 persons. The church was organized in July, 1834, and consisted of 19 members. In November of that year they commenced the erection of a small chapel on a lot at the corner of Pawtuxet and Fenner streets, which they hired for the purpose. The chapel was dedicated about the first of January, 1835. Its cost was about $1,000, which they raised by sale of the pews. Elder Bar- rows continued with them until April, 1837, when he was dismissed, at his own request. After a few months Edward Edmunds, of New York, was engaged to succeed him. He was ordained elder of this church in November. In the summer of 1838 the chapel was enlarged so that it could accommodate over 250 persons. The lot at the north- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 467 west corner of Pawtuxet and Fenner streets was purchased in 1S39, and the house was moved upon it. Mr. Edmunds resigned his office in April, 1840, and Benjamin Taylor succeeded him in June follow- ing. He continued with them one year. During this time the con- gregation increased so rapidly that the chapel was too small to accommodate them. In July, 1841, a new house of worship was be- gun, 47x70 feet in size. It was soon completed, at a cost of $10,000. Its seating capacity was sufficient for 700 persons. It stands at the corner of Broad and Fenner streets. John Taylor became pastor in June, 1841. At that time the church had about 200 members. Rev- erend E. D. Bates was installed pastor of the church in 1850, and re- mained two or three years. Reverend Albert G.Morton was installed in 1852. He remained until about 1857, and was succeeded in 1858 by Reverend Ivory F. Waterhouse. He continued until 1861. Rev- erend B. F. Summerbell served the church, 1862-5; Moses B. Scrib- ner, 1866-9; T. N. McWhinney, 1870; Asa W. Coan, 1871-4; James Maple, 1875-8; C. A. Tillinghast, 1879 to the present time. The mem- bership of the church is at present about 200. In the year 1S19 a society of colored worshippers built a house called the African Union Meeting and School House. It stood on Meeting street, upon a lot given to them by the late Moses Brown. The design in its erection was to establish a building in which all the colored people of Providence might assemble for public worship, and in which a school could be kept exclusively for their children. It was supposed that denominational differences might be laid aside by them, and that they might unite in one common religious bond and forget all conflicting religious opinions. After considerable money had been raised outside of their own circle as well as within it, the work of building began in 1819. The building was a wooden one, 50x4() feet, with a large room in the basement, suitable for a school room. This room was fitted for use in June, 1819. Meetings were held in it until August, 1821, when the upper part being finished, it was dedicated. The building cost upward of $2,000. Reverend Henry Jackson was a very active promoter of the enterprise. Na- thaniel Paul was their agent, and to him fell much of the work of collecting subscriptions. But the colored people were soon divided on sectarian lines. The different sects for a time, however, used this house. Perhaps the leading sect was the Meeting Street Baptist church, which was first recognized as a regular Baptist church and congregation December Sth, 1840. The church then consisted of nine persons, seven males and two females. In the course of a year or two it had increased to 33. The congregation numbered about 50. The church was at first independent, having no association with any other like body. An organization as a Free-will Baptist church had been effected in 1835. The house and lot after a time became the prop- erty of this church. In 1871, by order of the supreme court, the 468 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. church was allowed to exchange the site on Meeting street for a lot on Congdon street, and by act of the legislature the name of the soci- ety was changed to the Congdon Street Baptist church. The present church edifice was built in 1871, at a cost of about $15,000. A vestry was dedicated April 21st, 1874. The present membership is about 125. The first pastor was Reverend Jeremiah Asher, of Hartford, Conn., who was ordained at the time the church was organized. Suc- cessive pastors, with the approximate dates of their service, have been as follows: William B. Serrington, installed 1849; Chauncey Leonard, installed 1S53; William Thompson, installed 1857; Thomas Henson, 1861; Sampson White, 1863; Caleb Woodyard, 1867; Nicho- las Rickmond, 1869; William Jackson. 1870; J. W. Mitchell, 1879; J. L. Dart, 1885; Henry Scott, 1886; N. F. Drayton, 1889. The Power Street Methodist church was constituted in 1833, and consisted of about 50 persons, who were dismissed from the Chestnut Street church for the purpose of forming a new church. In 1S42 their numbers exceeded 350. The church built a brick meeting house at the corner of South Main and Power streets, in size 75 by 50 feet. It cost about $15,000, and was dedicated January 1st, 1834. This house was used until a larger one was erected on the coiner of Hope and Power streets. This was erected in 1874, at a cost of about $38,0(10, including the lot. It is at present occupied by the church. A vestry was added in 1883, and a pipe organ was placed in the church in January, 1886. This church has been blessed with a number of remarkable revivals, one of which resulted in the addition of more than one hundred to the church. The church is now known as the Hope Street Methodist Episcopal church. Its membership numbers 223 in full communion. The Sunday school connected with it num- bers about the same. The pastors of this church have been: Charles K. True, David Patten, Jr., Hiram H. White, Asa W. Swineton, Abel Stevens, Daniel Fillmore, Charles McReding, Ephraim Stickney, 1842; W. T. Harlow, 1844; H. C. Atwater, 1849; J. Howson, 1853; J. Lovejoy, 1855; James Martha, 1857; Thomas Ely, 1859; Henry Bay- lies, 1861; J. B. Could, 1863; George M. Hamlen,"l866; John Livesay, 1867; James A. Dean, 1868; C. S. Macreading, 1869; John W. Willett, L870; A. J. Church, 1873; A. W. Kingsley, 1876; D. A. Jordan, 1879; W.V.Morrison, 1881; Thomas J. Everett, 1883; W. I. Ward, 1886; H. D. Robinson, 1888. The name was changed to Hope Street M. E. church in 1873. Public worship under the auspices of the New Jerusalem church were first held here, in the old town house, about the year 1822. But little progress, however, was made for several years. It is not known that there were any who held the doctrines of this church here prior to the year 1824. In that year Waldo Ames and George B. Holmes came to Providence to reside. They and Mrs. Holmes were the first to accept the teachings of Swedenborg. James Scott, of North Provi- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 469 dence, and Anson Potter, of Cranston, were converts to this faith some ten years later. In 1835 John F. Street, a member of the New Jerusalem church, came from Manchester, England, to reside in See- konk. He associated himself with the persons already named, and they began to hold meetings at each other's houses on Sundays. Mr. Scott and Mr. Potter went to Bridgewater, Mass., about 1835, and joined the church there. Public worship was now established here, Mr. Scott and Mr. Ames reading sermons furnished by Mr. Samuel Worcester, of the Bridgewater church. About 1840 a church was or- ganized here. Its membership was very small, probably not more than 20. John Prentice joined them about this time. He had been a preacher of the Congregational order, but had never been settled as a pastor. He was for a time their leader. Meetings were held in Union Hall every Sunday. They afterward met at the corner of Pine and Page streets. In 1870 they were holding meetings at 62 West- minster street. The church edifice now occupied by them, on the corner of Broad and Linden streets, was erected in 1870-2 at a cost of about $30,000. Pastors of this church have been: Reverends T. D. Sturtevant, Edward (3. Mitchell, F. H. Hemperly, 1872 to 1879; Charles Hardon, 1881; Warren Goddard, Jr., 1882 to 1888. The pres- ent membership is a little more than 100. Previous to 1833 a number of Episcopalians opened a Sunday school in the southerly part of the city. In the year mentioned they purchased a building which had been erected for an infant school room, removed it to Thayer street, and fitted it up for a place of worship. At Easter, in 1839, they invited Reverend Francis Vinton to be their rector. In the following year they erected a house of worship at the corner of Benefit and Transit streets. This is a rough stone structure, covered with cement; the expense of erection, to- gether with the organ that was plaeed in it, was about $13,000. The audience room contained 82 pews on the ground floor. It was con- secrated November 26th, 1840. The parish was incorporated in 1839. The church was admitted into conference June 11th of that year, with 17 communicants. The corner stone of the present house of worship, on George street, was laid by Bishop Clark September 21st, 1860. The house is built according to ancient Catholic custom, standing east and west, with the altar in the east end. It is of the middle pointed Gothic style of architecture. The material is stone from Smithfield, with trimmings, mouldings and pillars of brown stone from New Jersey and Connecticut. It is about 120 feet long, 86 feet wide and 68 feet from the floor to the highest point of the roof. Six massive pillars of solid stone separate the nave from the side aisles. There are many memorial windows in the church, among them two consecrated to Bishops Griswold and Henshaw. The building is one of the most beautiful specimens of church archi- tecture in New England, and with the lot on which it stands cost 470 HISTORY OF TROVIDENCE COUNTY. about $70,000. It was consecrated February 27th, 1862. In 18S3 the interior was renovated at considerable expense for new furniture and improvements, and was consecrated anew on St. Stephen's day, December 26th, 1883. In April, 1885, a guild house was begun on the eastern end of the church property, for the meetings of the par- ish societies, and is open every evening for the men and boys of the parish more especially, a reading room and library being maintained there by the Guild of St. Augustine. In 1885 a house on George street was purchased for a rectory. Reverend Francis Vinton, the first rector, has been succeeded in that office by John H. Rouse, George Leeds, Foster Thayer, 1841; Henry Waterman, 1844; James H. Eames, 1846; Henry Waterman, 1850 to 1873; Charles W. Ward, 1876; James W. Colwell, 1878; George McClellan Fiske, 1885 to the present time.- The present number of communicants is 538. The Sunday school numbers 263. The West Baptist church was recognized as a distinct church in October, 1840. Two years later its membership had increased to over 100. The members composing it were dismissed from other Baptist churches to unite in forming this. One object in forming this church was to pronounce more decidedly against the sin of slavery. In other matters it was in accord with other Baptist churches in the vi- cinity. The congregations of this church were held first at a private house on Pine street, afterward in the Green Street school house, at the corner of Washington street. In 1842 Archibald Kenyon was their pastor, but they were much without a pastor. This church, located in the west part of the city, was at first known by the name suggested by the locality, but its more appropriate title, soon after adopted, was the Fifth Baptist church. They scon began to agitate the subject of building, and a structure on Stewart street was erected in 1845. Its size was 38 by 60 feet, and it contained SO pews, with a seating capacity of 500. During the few years that this church main- tained a separate existence it was supplied with a pastor but part of the time. Among those who served it were Levi F. Barney, George R. Darrow and George E. Tucker. In 1854 it united with the South Baptist church to form the Friendship Street church. The South Baptist church was organized in 1847. The meeting house occupied by them was the private property of Deacon E. S. Barrows. It was situated on Point street, and had a seating capacity of 400. A flourishing Sunday school was carried on in connection with it. Reverend Bradley Miner was the esteemed pastor of that church. Pie was installed in 1851, and remained until the union of the church with the Fifth to form the Friendship Street church in 1854. He died in October of that year. The Friendship Street Baptist church was formed in 1854, from the membership of the Fifth and South Baptist churches, those bodies having disbanded to form this union. The organization was HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 471 effected December 28th, 1854. They purchased a lot on the corner of Friendship and Prince streets, the lot having formerly been occu- pied by Reverend Doctor Hall's society as a burial ground. Upon this lot they built the present substantial edifice, in 1854. The first pastor of this church was Reverend Austin H. Stowell, installed 1855, and his successors have been: Moses H. Bixby, installed 1858; WilliamS. McKenzie, 1861; S. S. Parker, 1867; E. P. Farnham, 1878; Edward Mills, 1884; and Edward Holyoke, 1887. The church at present has 338 members. Mr. Thomas W. Waterman has been superintendent of the Sunday school since 1878. The school num- bers 447. The Wesleyan Methodist Society was formed in 1841, by a num- ber of persons who had been members of the Chestnut Street Metho- dist Episcopal Society. Their first place of meeting was at a school house on Pond street. The society was incorporated in January, 1842, and in the same year they erected a house for public worship on Fountain street. This was a plain wooden structure, 65x46 feet, and cost $6,000. On the 25th of December, 1842, the society by a formal vote dissolved all connection with the Methodist Episcopal church, and became the first Wesleyan society formed in New Eng- land. The Wesleyan connection afterward extended to various parts of the country. The alleged reasons for their withdrawal were the friendly attitude of the Methodist Episcopal church toward slavery, and other points of objection in its ecclesiastical economy. Jotham Horton was their first pastor. He withdrew from the church in Jan- uary, 1843, and was succeeded by Lucius C. Matlack. Other pastors were: George F. Needham, 1844; J. M. H. Dow, 1851; William Kel- len, 1856; J. M. Carroll, 1857; Elisha B. Bradford, 1859. In 1856 it was called the Fountain Street Methodist church. At that time the church was declining, and their meeting house was sold to another Methodist society and was removed in 1859 to its present site on Broadway, and after being considerably improved became the home of the Broadway Methodist Episcopal church. Saint Patrick's (R. C.) church is the oldest Catholic church in the city. Steps toward its erection were taken in 1841 , the growth of the Catholic population in the north part of the city being so great as to demand more room for their religious services. A lot was purchased on Smith's hill, fronting on State street, one of the most sightly and pleasant locations in that part of the city. The corner stone was laid on June 13th, 1841. While the house was in progress the Catho- lics held services in Franklin Hall and Masonic Hall, under the min- istration of William Fennelly, pastor of the church at Pawtucket. The house was occupied for the first time December 25th of the same year, Dennis Ryan officiating. It was consecrated July 3d, 1842, by Bishop Fenwick. Reverend William Wiley, the first pastor of this church, commenced in this charge January 16th, 1842. The buildirg 472 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. and lot cost something over $17,000. It was supplied with an organ of superior tone, and a bell of 2,000 pounds weight. The building, constructed of stone, in castellated Gothic style, 7£x£5 feet on the ground, had a seating capacity of about 800. The congregation was then sufficient to fill it. Other clergymen associated with this church since Mr. Wiley have been: D.Tucker, John Stokes, Thomas Quinn, Patrick Lambe, Patrick Tully, M. J. Tully, Michael McCabe, Christo- pher Hughes, Stephen Sheffrey, Michael McClune, C. Dugget, John Harty, J. Tennian, William Galvin, William McNamara, Thomas J. Fitzpatrick, and Thomas Briscoe. Reverend Christopher Hughes, who was pastor from 1869 to 1887, erected a pastoral residence, a parochial school and a new convent, and secured for the church all the land between Davis and State streets, with the exception of one estate. The parish includes about 4,000 souls. In August, 1841, a number of persons who felt an interest in the seamen visiting this port, united themselves into a society with the design of erecting a meeting- house for their accommodation. This society numbered about 40. A house 45x70 feet was erected, and worship in it was begun in the autumn of 1841. Its cost was about $7,000. It stood at 93 South Water street. Regular Sunday services were maintained. The following preachers have been stationed over it approximately at the dates given: William Douglass, 1841 Benjamin Taylor, 1844; John Orrell, 1851; George W. Kilton, 1854 Philo Hawkes, 1856; David Knowlton, 1859; Charles H. Plummer, 1860 Mr. Dow, 1865; Nicholas S. Chadwick, 1866; Charles M. Winchester, 1868; J. W. Thomas, 1873; H. M. Eaton, 1877; J. E. Wolff, 1879; E. Burroughs, 1880 to about 1883, since which time no regular pastor appears to have been installed. The Church of the Mediator, sometimes called the Second Uni- versalist church, was formed in 1841, by a secession of some of its members from the First Universalist church. Tradition says that the party lines in the political agitation of those times were strictly adhered to in the formation of this society. The society at first met for worship in the old town house. In 1848 a new church edifice was erected on Broad street, at the corner of Eddy, and in 1849 the church was reorganized, bearing its present name. The fine brick structure on Cranston street, at the corner of Burges, was erected in 1869, and is valued at $65,000. The pastors of this church have been: I. N. Parker, William Jackson, James Gallager, 1843; Uriah Clarke, 1850; Theodore 1). Cooke, 1851; John G. Adams, 1860; Henry W. Rugg, D.D., 1867 to the present time. The society embraces 200 families, and the church has a membership of 230 members. The Sunday school numbers 310. The Second Free-will Baptist church was organized in September, L835, under John W. Lewis as their pastor. The church was organ- ized with ten members. Until November, 1840 ; the)' met for worship HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 473 at the African Union meeting and school house. They then hired a hall on Middle street. In 1841 they erected a house for public wor- ship on Pond street. It was a small wooden building, 30x40 feet. The society was incorporated in January, 1842. The church at that time had about 60 members. About 1843, Luke Waldron succeeded the first pastor. He was succeeded by Edward Scott about 1850, and he filled a term of about 13 years. A vacancy followed his pastorate. Reverend William Crookes was the next pastor, in 1867. He was followed by John W. Dunjee, 1871; C. J. Carter, 1874; J.C. Plummer, 1877; J. S. Collins, 1878; J. D. Veney, 1880; and B. Kirk, 1886. The church now has a membership of 164, and has 100 in the Sunday school. The superintendent is Frank V. Helm. The minister's sal- ary is $600. The church is located in the rear of 104 Pond street. The Zion (or African) Methodist Episcopal church was organized in 1837. The society was incorporated in 1838. It belongs to the Wesleyan Methodist church fraternity. The church in 1840 had 50 members, in 1842 nearly 100. The present membership is about 250, and it has a Sunday school of about 300. They at first hired a build- ing to hold meetings in, but after a few years they obtained a small building of their own on Back street. The house at present occupied by them stands upon Gaspee street, and w r as built in 1858. Their successive pastors have been: Jehial C. Beman, William Serrington, Nathan Blount, Levin Smith, 1840; Daniel Vandevere, 1844; Joseph Hicks, 1849; Peter Ross, 1857; Joseph Hicks, 1861; George H. Wash- ington, 1863; John Smith, 1866; Thomas A. Davis, 1867; James H. Smith, 1869; Peter Ross, 1871; Robert H. Dyson, 1873; W. H. Turpin, 1877; G. H. Washington, 1879; J. H. Anderson, 1880; R. R. Morris, 1885; Nathaniel J. Green, 1888. The Second African M. E. church, called Bethel Methodist, first met as a distinct body in September, 1838. They built a meeting house on Meetings street during- the same vear. The societv was in- corporated in 1839. The congregation is small. Their successive pastors have been: N. C. W. Cannon, Jabez P. Campbell, 1841; Eli N. Hall, 1844; Henry Johnson, 1848; James D. Hall, 1853; Mr. Lewis, 1858; George Rue, 1862; James Shreeves, 1864; J. H. W. Burley,1866; Francis J. Peck, 1868; J. H. W. Burley, 1869; E. T. Williams, 1871; William F. Dickerson, 1872; J. T. Hayslett, 1874; William J. Laws, 1877; F. J. Cooper, 1879; George C. Booth, 1883; J. B. Stansberry, 1885; J. H. Jones, 1889. A colored Episcopal church, called Christ church, was organized from meetings held in a school house on Washington street in 1839. The society was incorporated in March, 1842. About that time they erected a small wooden church on Union street, where they held services according to the rites and usages of the Episcopal church in the Uliited States. S. G. Degrasse officiated in the pastoral office during- the summer and autumn of 1840. Alexander Crummell sue- 474 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. ceeded him for two or three years. James C. Riehmond followed about 1844. The pulpit was vacant after that, and the society ap- pears to have fallen into decline or extinction, but of the particulars concerning it we have been unable to learn. The Eighth Baptist, now called the Jefferson Street Baptist church, was organized in 1847. A meeting house had been built the previous year, on the corner of Davis and Common streets, which they pro- ceeded to occupy. Its size was 35x50 feet, and value $1,600; seating capacity, 300. During the first ten years the} 7 had an average con- gregation of 150. That neighborhood of the city contained then only about 180 families, and this and the Catholic church occupied the territory between them. The church moved to a site on Jefferson street about 1857, and adopted its present name. A new church was erected in 186S, at a cost of about $40,000, including the grounds. It is at the corner of Jefferson and Common streets, and is at present occupied by the church. The pastors of the church have been: Sam- uel Richards, Warren Randolph, 1852; Charles Keyser, 1857; J. G. Richardson, 1864; Justus Aldrich, 1871; A. T. Rose, 1872; S.D. Phelps, 1875; N. B. Randall, 1877; L. L. Potter, 1880; W. C. Richmond, 1881; W. M. Mick, 1885; Franklin G. McKeever, 1888. The Sunday school, organized in 1846, now numbers 340. Horace F. Horton, the present superintendent, has held that office since 1873. The present mem- bership of the church is about 300. The Ninth Baptist church was called the High Street church un- til 1862, when it took the name of Stewart Street Baptist church, by which name it is now known. It was organized February 3d, 1851. A substantial brick church edifice was erected in that and the follow- ing year. It was dedicated in 1852. The house stands on Stewart street, at the corner of Pond, and measures 56x91 feet. It contained 124 pews, and was furnished with bell, orchestra and organ, vestry, study and library rooms, and was finished in neat, yet elegant style from the beginning. Its seating capacity was 8( 0,\vhich at that time was a little in advance of the requirements. The church cost $36,000, the expense being met by Perry Davis, a recently ordained minister in the church. He was an earnest Christian, and the handsome church edifice thus generously built for the Stewart Street church was a noble monument to his support of the cause. Reverend Henry Jackson, after investigating the condition cf all the Baptist churches of the state under a commission from the Rhode Island Baptist State Convention, in his report to that body in 1854, said of this church: " The edifice is plain, and yet in some respects quite ornamental. It is more entirely finished than any church within my knowledge. The audience room is very imposing, and the whole structure is rarely excelled in simplicity, conveniences and durability. May a kind Providence succeed the desires of the genermis builder, and ac- cept at his hands this monument to His praise." Perry Davis was HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 475 himself one of the deacons of this church. The first pastor was Reverend George R. Darrow, and he has been succeeded in the pas- toral office by the following: James R. Stone, 1856; Asa Bronson, 1860; Christopher Rhodes, 1862; Charles A. Snow, 1865; George \V. Holman, 1871; E. A. Woods, 1876; A. H. Sweetser, 1881; William L. Lisle, the present pastor, 1882. The church now has 333 members. The Sunday school, organized in 1850, now numbers 388. A new Congregational church was organized May 4th, 1843. It met in Westminster Hall for a number of years, and in 1853 moved to Franklin Hall, 23 Market square. About 1850 it adopted the name of the Fourth Congregational church. In 1861 it adopted the name of the Free Evangelical Congregational church, its meeting place then being- in Roger Williams Hall. About 1870 the handsome meet- ing house erected by the old Richmond Street Congregational church, in 1853, was transferred to this society, and it had a perma- nent home, which it has since occupied. This building, valued at $50,000, stands on the corner of Richmond and Pine streets, ard has been repaired and improved by this congregation. An ice water fountain, for the use of the public, has been placed in the yard. The membership is 376. The Sunday school numbers 274, with an aver- age attendance of 137. The pastors of this church from the start have been: Thomas T. Waterman, 1843 to 1850; Robert H. Conklin, 1853 to 1860; James C. White, 1862 to 1866; Edward O. Bartlett, 1868 to 1873; Edwin S. Gould, 1874; Henry H. Northrop, 1879; John H. Larry, May 20th, 1883, to the present time. The Church of the Yahveh, a church of Second Adventists, had its beginnings in 1842. Their meetings were held at first on Greene street. About 1850 they occupied New Market Hall, Broad street, at the corner of High. In 1858 they met at 156 Broad street, near Rich- mond. A house of worship was built at the corner of Pearl and Providence streets about 1877. It was dedicated in 1878. The church was at first called Second Advent, but in 1859 the name Church of the Yahveh appears to have been adopted. The first pastor was Reverend N. Hervey. During the first years of its existence it was much of the time without a pastor. Reverend George W. Burnham served as pastor from 1852 to 1855. Reverend Lemuel Osier was installed in 1856, and has continued from that time to the present. The church is Evangelical in doctrine and Congregational in form. It has about 375 members. St. Andrew's Episcopal church was organized in 1846. A plain wooden building was erected soon after on Hospital street, at the corner of Allen. The site is now occupied by the gasometer. In 1854 the building was removed to a site near 151 Friendship street. In 1856 it was enlarged to nearly double its size. The society for several years had a struggle for existence, but about the year last mentioned a period of more prosperous life dawned upon it. Rev- 476 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. erend Francis Peck was rector in 1850. For a few years the church was supplied by the Convocation. Reverend Daniel Henshaw was installed in 1855, and after a long and successful pastorate continues at the present time the honored rector of this church. The corner stone of the present church was laid by Bishop Clarke, June 29th, 1869; the first service in it was held on Easter day, 1872; and the house was consecrated on All Saints' day in 1875. The building, with the lot upon which it stands, cost $15,500. It is located at the corner of High and Stewart streets, and is a handsome specimen of Gothic architecture, built of rough Portland stone. It has several beautiful windows, noticeably the large front window and that of the chancel. The massive doors, with their elaborate and ornamental hinges of brass, are of oak, as is most of the interior wood work. At the west end, facing the chancel, is a mural tablet in memory of the late Bishop Henshaw, father of the present rector, whose long and active service has clone so much to build up the church and maintain its prosperity. In 1858 Mr. Henshaw organized in this church the first boy choir in the city, and the third in this country. A Sunday school was formed at the beginning of 1860. About that time an evening service was established on High street, near Knight street. This was named St. Peter's Free Chapel Mission. It was carried for- ward until the erection of the present church, when both church and mission were united under the name of All Saints' Memorial church in 1872. The present number of communicants is about 400. The Sunday school now numbers 264. The Mathewson Street Methodist Episcopal, was organized as the Third Methodist church, October 19th, 1848. It had then 28 mem- bers, the most of whom came from the Power Street church. "Wor- ship was at first sustained at Hoppin Hall, Westminster street. In 185o a lot was purchased on Mathewson street, and the work of build- ing a meeting house was begun. This was completed in 1851. Exten- sive repairs and improvements were made upon it about 1871. The church has been blessed with a number of revivals, and has been noted for its active and energetic participation in spiritual and moral works of reformation and enterprises. In promoting the federal cause in the late war this church during 1864 and 1865 contributed more than $3,000. The commodious brick edifice of this church was dedicated May 28th, 1851. The present number of full members is about 350. The value of the church building and lot is about $40,000. The Sunday school numbers 276. Successive pastors of this church have been: David Patten, Jr., 1849; William T. Harlow, 1852; Henry S. White. L855; Frederick Upham, 1857; Samuel C. Brown, 1859; Sidney Dean, 1861; J. H. McCarty, 1863; Seth Reed, 1866; Mark Trafton, 1868; E. F. Clark, 1870; D. A. Whedon, 1873; Sylvester F. Jones, 1878; W. F. Whitcher, 1879; W. T. Worth, 1882; Nicholas T. Whitaker, L884; Henry Tuekley, 1887; C. W 7 . Gallagher, 1889. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 477 The First United Presbyterian church was organized as the Asso- ciate Scotch Presbyterian church, in May, 1849, with 22 members. Its first place of meeting was in Brown Hall, on South Main street. The church which is at the present time occupied by them was built in 1848. It stands at Broadway and Hicks street. In 1859 it was called the First Presbyterian church.. Later it has been known as the First United Presbyterian church. The first pastor was Reverend Joseph Sanderson. He was installed in 1850, but remained only a short time. The church was without a pastor for two or three years. Andrew Thomas was installed in 1S5G, but served only a short pas- torate. James Gubby was installed in 1858, and George A. Magee followed in 1859. Reverend John P. Robb was installed in 1860, and served the church about thirteen years. Reverend M. S. McCord commenced his pastorate about 1875, and continues at the present time. The church has about 250 members. The Broadway Methodist Episcopal church had its roots in the Federal Street M. E. church, which was organized April 28th, 1851. The congregation had been gathering during the previous year, and meetings were held at the corner of Federal and Dean streets. The present building, located on Broadway, was purchased from the Wes- leyans in 1855, and in 1859 it was removed to its present site and en- larged, at a cost of $2,000. After this church began to occupy the old Wesleyan church on Fountain street it took .the name of Foun- tain Street M. E. church, and when it was moved to Broadway about 1859 it assumed the present name. The successive pastors of this church have been: Jonathan Cady, 1853; William Kellen, 1850; J. M. Carroll, 1857; Elisha B. Bradford, 1859; William F. Farrington, 1861; Henry S. White, 1862: C. H. Payne, 1863; John B. Gould, 1866; V. A. Cooper, 1867; J. E. C. Sawyer, 1869; Henry D. Robinson, 1871; J. E. Hawkins, 1872; George W. Miller, 1875; D. A. Whedon, 1876; E. F. Jones, 1878; C. L. Goodell, 1880; C. B. Pitblado, 1883; E. F. Clark, 1886; G. W. King, 1888. The present number of members in full communion is 286. The church property is valued at $25,000. The vSunday school numbers about 250. The Central Congregational church was organized March 18th, 1852. A handsome brick meeting house was built on Benefit street, near College street, in 1852. During the same year Reverend Leon- ard Swain was installed pastor of the church. He afterward received the degree of D.D. He filled a long and useful pastorate, extending to 1870. After a considerable vacancy his place was supplied by Rev- erend George Harris, Jr., whose pastorate extended to 1883. Rever- end Charles W. Huntington began ministering to this church about 1885 and continued to 1887. His successor was Reverend Edward C. Moore, the present pastor, who was installed January 4th, 1889. The church edifice has an imposing freestone front, surmounted by two towers. A fine Rosevelt organ of three manuals of 58 keys each and 478 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. a pedal of 27 keys, 51 stops, and 2,374 pipes, was dedicated April 4th, IS82. A chapel, called the Blackstone Park chapel, has been built by this church within the last year or two. Besides a Sunday school, the second Sunday service is held in it. The membership now is 471. Last year the .church contributed nearly $2,000 to foreign mis- sions, and over $3,000 to home missions. The Sunday school num- bers 434. The Park Street Free Baptist church was organized as the Third Free-will Baptist church, in 1851. It then had 16 members. The church held meetings in Brown Hall, 27 South Main street, and about 18.")."), purchased a house on Constitution hill, opposite 289 North Main street. A house of worship was erected on the corner of Park and Jewett streets, in 1868, at a cost of about $20,000. A mission was established about 1876, at 30 Hardenburg street. A notable re- vival occurred in 1885, which numbered 50 conversions. The present membership of the church is 184. The Sunday school numbers 166. The following pastors have served the church: William Archer, 1852; James McKenzie, 1856; Joshua A. Stetson, 1859; Joshua Thayer, I860; Ammi R. Bradbury, 1862-7; Charles S. Perkins, 1868; S. G. Woodrow, 1873; J. M. Brewster, 1875; John T. Ward, 1883; Ernest Wesley, 1889. Saint Mary's Roman Catholic church embraces in its parish one of the largest congregations in the city, numbering 8,000 souls. It has rapidly increased since it was first started as a mission. The corner stone of a modest wooden building was laid in 1832. This stands on Barton street. It was not formally opened until 1853, when Reverend John Quinn, D.D., was appointed pastor. He was an energetic man and pushed forward the enterprises of the church with commendable vigor. He soon built a pastoral residence, which is still used. He had the old church removed in 1863, and under bis direction the building of a new one was begun in 1864. It was dedi- cated July 11th, 1869. On the death of Father Oninn he was buried by the door of the church. Father Sullivan, his successor, opened a parochial school in the old church building, and purchased an estate adjoining the church property on Broadway as a convent and acad- emy for young ladies, first occupied by the Ladies of the Sacred Heart, but later by the L T rsuline Nuns. The church celebrated its thirtieth anniversary on Sunday, August 21st, 1882. Reverend Robert J. Sullivan is the present pastor, having occupied that office since 1874. Other clergymen assisting in this church have been: James O'Reilly, 186(5; J. S. Flynn, 1867; Michael McClune, 1869; Edward Mungen, 1871; Thomas F. Galvin, 1872; James Murphy and P. J. Keane, 1875; George Mahoney, 1877; James O'Sullivan, 1880; William B. Meenan, 1882; Thomas F. Murphy, 1883; John C. Tennion, William Kennedy, 1885; Thomas L. Kelly, 1887. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 479 St. Joseph's Roman Catholic church stands at the corner of Hope and Arnold streets. The first steps toward founding this church ap- pear to have been taken in 1851, when a hall was secured, on Benefit street, and services were conducted there by Reverend James K. O'Reilly. The site of the present church was obtained on Hope street, the ground having been previously used as a burial place. A church edifice was soon after erected, and this was dedicated in 1853. Reverend Hugh Carmody was the first resident pastor of the church. He was installed in that office in 1854, and continued two or three years. During the time he built a parochial school on the north side of the church, facing on Hope street. The school was taught by the Sisters of Mercy. The next pastor was Father Peter Browne, who was installed in 1856, and continued about six years. He converted the parochial school into a pastoral residence. In 1863 he was suc- ceeded by Father Peter Kelly, who remained about four years, and during the last year of his term was assisted by Reverend James McCarton. During the time of Father Kelly, above mentioned, the church took fire, and was so much damaged that a considerable part of it had to be rebuilt. The next pastor was Reverend Daniel Kelly, who began in 1867, and continued about ten years in the pastoral office. He died February 17th, 1877, and was buried in the southeast corner of the churchyard. His parishioners afterward erected a monu- ment over his remains. Father Kelly was assisted in 1869 by Rever- end Joseph O'Keefe, in 1870-72 by William Halligan, in 1875 by James Beaven and W. D. Kelly, and in 1876 by the former. The Jesuit order was introduced in the diocese in 1877, and this church was made the field of their occupation. Under this order Reverend John B. Bapst, S.J., was the first missionary. He took charge in 1877, and continued two or three years. During his time here he was as- sisted by Reverends J. Beaven, Michael Cooke, W. Cleary, S.J., James Teehan, S.J., and Fathers Gaffney and Brie. Since then a large brick parochial school has been erected — about 1885 — opened to boys and girls, and a large sacristy has been added at the rear of the church. The building and grounds have otherwise been very much improved, the interior of the church having been entirely decorated anew. The parish now numbers between five and six thousand souls. Reverend W. B. Cleary, S.J., became pastor in 1880, and continued till 1884, meanwhile being assisted in part by Reverends Brie and Noonan, Thomas M. Sheerin, John B. Nagle and Hamilton. Other pastors and assistants since 1885 have been Reverends Fred W. Gockeln, Father McKinnon, Patrick H. Breman, Henry Kavanagh, A. Keating, James Noonan, W. R. Cowasdin, John B. Nagle and Father Hamilton. The Church of the Messiah, Episcopal, was organized at Olney- ville in 1855. The first pastor was Reverend Benjamin B. Babbitt, who was installed in 1855, and remained about four years. He was succeeded by Reverend William H. Mills, who was installed in H58, 480 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. and remained three or four years. Reverend James Mulchahey was pastor for a while about 1862. He was followed by Reverend Fran- cis J. Warner, in 1863-4; E. M. Porter, in 18G5, and Reverend B. W. Atwell, in 1866-7. After a short vacancy Reverend Delancey G. Rice came to the church about 1869. His coming was attended with a new output of energy, and a season of more successful and prosper- ous movement followed. The church was located where it remains at the present time, at the corner of High and Valley streets. Mr. Rice officiated as rector of this church until about 1883, when he was followed by Reverend Thomas H. Cocroft, who has retained the rec- torate until the present time. The church wardens are Joseph Gough and Edward M. Winsor. The church is in a prosperous condition. The present number of communicants is 320. The Sunday school numbers 382. Trinity Methodist Episcopal church was organized in April, 1859, with 35 members. Services had previously been conducted for a few- months by Reverend Andrew McKeown in Lester Hall, on Cranston street, beginning early in 1858. A Sunday school had been formed in January, 1859. A new house of worship was built at the corner of Broad and Bridgham streets in 1S65, at a cost of about $40, (00. The church has been very active and spiritually prosperous during its career. It now has 640 members in full connection and about 50 pro- bationers. Its church property is valued at $42,000. The Sunday school numbers 994 scholars, and has a library of 1 ,700 volumes. The successive pastors of this church have been: William McDonald, 1859; Henry S. White, 1861; William F. Farringtcn, 1862; James D. Butler, 1863; D. H. Ela, 1866; V. A. Cooper, 1869; George L. West- gate, 1871; E. M. Smith, 1874; D. P. Leavitt, 1877; G. W. Anderson, 1880; J. Benson Hamilton, 1883; C. L. Goodell, 1886: Edward R. Thorndike, 1889. The Church of the Immaculate Conception was established in what was then the town of North Providence in 1857. Reverend Ed- ward J. Cooney was the pioneer who gathered the church. The re- gion was then sparsely inhabited, and the country rough and uncul- tivated, but he pursued his mission with the enthusiasm of a true pioneer, who can see in the rough field of nature the foundation for a teeming population in the future years. His expectations in this direction have already been in a measure realized. The section was made a part of the city by the annexation of the Tenth ward in 1874. A church was built on West River street, and Father Cooney, who was installed as its pastor in 1858, served in that office more than 20 years. It is a remarkable coincidence that his death should have taken place at the very hour when the corner stone of the great cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul was beinglaid with impressive cere- monies in the presence of the ten thousand assembled spectators. This was Thanksgiving day, 1878. During his time he had built the HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 481 church, the parochial school adjoining, the parochial residence oppo- site, and the convent and academy adjoining, taught by the Sisters of Charity. From 1867 forward Father Cooney was assisted, for periods of varying duration, by Reverends P. A. Gaynor, Father Mc- Mullen, M. McCabe, J. J. Reynolds, Francis McSweeney, T. Briscoe, William Lowergan, Thomas Grace and Louis Deady. He was suc- ceeded in 1879 by Reverend John Keegan, who continued until 1883. He was assisted by Reverends James Daly, Louis Deady, John O'Connell, John E. Gormley and Daniel Driscoll. Reverend John J. Maguire, who has been pastor since 1884, has done much toward im- proving the church property, and has redecorated the interior of church and school house. He has been assisted by Reverend John W. McCarthy. The parish now includes about COCO souls. The So- ciety of the Children of Mary, connected with it, is one of the largest in the diocese. The first Jewish congregation in this city was incorporated at the May session of the legislature of 1855. A few of that denomination had resided here for many years. After the Spanish and Portuguese Jews were driven out of Newport by'the British army in the revolu- tion, a few of them came to Providence, but they were not strong enough to organize a synagogue. They passed the years in reor- ganized seclusion until the time of which we have spoken. They were fortified in the meantime by accessions of German, Russian and Polish Jews. Two classes appear among them, the Orthodox and the Reformed; the former holding with more strict conformity to the ritual of their fathers, while the latter yield a little in some points to the progressive spirit of the century. The Russian, Polish and some Germans claim to belong to the former class, while other Germans belong to the latter. The incorporation of 1855, of which we have spoken, was granted on ,the petition of Joseph Stern, Solomon Pa- reira. Abraham H. Goodman, David de Young, M. Marks, Henry Solo- mon and Isaac Fish. Their corporate name was Sons of Israel. The men named, together with a few of their associates, held services in their own residences, and afterward in different halls in the city. In 1859 they were at 56 Weybosset street; in 1861 at 42 Broad street; in 1873 in Music Hall Building. While struggling for years under the Orthodox ritual they were not able to strengthen or to infuse new life into their congregation. Their religious leaders during those early years were: Moses Cohen, 1858; Lazarus Kantrowitz, 1859; Abraham Jacobs, 1862; Moses Jacobs, 1866; Abraham Jacobs, 1867; A. Pearlman, 1869; Hermann Bleichrod, 1871; Herman PflaumJS73. The Orthodox, whose organization we have thus far noticed, hold the old forms of ritual, saying their prayers in Hebrew only, but giving their discourses in German, with heads covered, worship with their faces toward Jerusalem, and keep the women apart from the men in their congregations. The Reformed congregation have prayers in 31 482 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. both Hebrew and German, discourses in English, and men and women sit together, though they still worship with their faces toward Jeru- salem. This congregation organized about 1872, under the name Sons of David. They worshipped at 143 Canal street, and later at 37 South Main street. Their rabbi have been: Isaac Rosenberg, 1872; A. N. Coleman, 1876. In 1877 the two divisions were united, as the congregation of Israel and David. Succeeding rabbi were: Jacob Voorsanger, 1878; Marx Moses, 1879; M. Rodenberg, 1880. From the time of the union in 1877, the congregation has been more successful. They then leased the little chapel at the corner of Page and Pine streets, remodelled it at considerable expense, and occupied it as a place of worship until 1882, when they secured the hall at 98 Wey- bosset street, which they, have since used. The present rabbi, Doc- tor M. Sessler, has urged the matter of building a synagogue, and by the help of other friends the work seems likely to be accomplished at an early day, such a building being now in process of construction. The congregation Sons of Israel at present consists of 45 members, has a Sabbath school of 65 children, a Bible class of 45 members, and as its auxiliaries, a Ladies' and Young Sons of Israel Society. The corner stone of the new Jewish synagogue was laid with ccllemonies by the Masonic fraternity, September 23d, 1889. It is located on a lot at the corner of Friendship and Foster streets, pur- chased during the year, at a cost of $6,500. The lot is about 40x90 feet. The building is of the Romanesque style of architecture, con- structed of Springfield brick with brown stone trimmings. The height of the building is 48 feet. Math a tower 78 feet. It will be lighted with cathedral tint windows, upon which are Hebraic tablets in scriptural design. The building will seat about 500 persons. In the rear of the pulpit will be placed the Ark of the Covenant and other symbols of the church, including the tablets and the urn of sacred oil. The cost of the building is about $14,000. The Church of the Redeemer, Episcopal, was organized April 5th, 1859. Thcv immediately set about building a church. It was done during the same year, and cost about $12,000. It was the first free Episcopal church in the city, and this element is secured in perpetu- ity by the conditions of title under which the property is held. The church stands on North Main street, near Lippitt. Reverend Charles H. Wheeler, the first rector, was installed in 1860. He maintained a roctorate extending a quarter of a century, down to 1885. He was succeeded in 1880 by Reverend Frederick J. Bassett, the present rec- tor. The wardens are George D. Briggs and C. B. Manchester. The present number of communicants is 250, and the Sunday school num- bers about the same. Christ church, Episcopal, was organized in 1865. The church is the outgrowth of a mission, which previous to Easter, 1867, was in charge of the Bishop Seabury Association of Brown University. At HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 483 that time Reverend Samuel H. Webb became rector, and he still re- tains that office. The first edifice stood at the corner of Eddy and Oxford streets, and was built in 1867. The present' house of worship, occupying the same site, was consecrated in September, 1889. The architecture of the church is mainly Gothic. The building is about 100x8(> feet, with a tower 120 feet high. Upon a granite base the walls are of Danvers pressed brick, with brown stone trimmings. The church will seat about 800 persons. The house has a number of elegant memorial windows, as well as many other features of artistic ornamentation and elegant finish. The cost of the building and organ was about $30,000. The church now has 240 communicants. The Sunday school numbers 250. The wardens are William J. Cross- ley and George W. Dickinson. The Church of the Epiphany was organized in 1875. It had been maintained as a mission under the name of the Holy Cross from about 1870, when it was in charge of Reverend F. Coggeshall, Jr. Its location is at Elmwood, near the corner of Potter's avenue and Greenwich street. Reverend Charles S. Newbold was the first rec- tor. He was followed by Reverend J. M. C. Fulton about 1880. In that year the present church edifice was erected, at a cost of $10,000. The church sustains a mission at Auburn, organized in 1885. Rev- erend Henry Bassett became rector about 1883, and continues at the present time. The church has 211 communicants. A flourishing Sunday school of 420 is maintained by it. The church wardens are Edward D. Bassett and William Halton. St. Paul's Episcopal church was organized as St. Gabriel's Mission in 1871. It is located at No. 10 Carroll street. The first rector was Reverend C. W. Perry, 1871-2. His successor was Reverend James W. Colwell, 1873 to 1877. He was followed by Reverend John C. Brooks for a short period about 1878. Reverend A. B. Carver com- menced his rectorate about 1880, continuing five years. During the latter part of his term the church moved to its present house on Carroll street, near Orms. Reverend Isaac T. Bagnall became rector about 1885, and continued to 1887. He was succeeded by Reverend Samuel Snelling, who still remains in the office. The present church wardens are William Foster and William Staples. The present num- ber of communicants is 138. A flourishing Sunday school connected with this church numbers 155. The Greenwich Street Free Baptist church was organized August 15th, 1870. Its original membership was 15 in number. They im- mediately set about the erection of a house of worship on the corner of Greenwich and West Friendship streets, which is still occupied by them. It was completed in 1871 at a cost of $16,000. The first pastor was Reverend J. Mariner, who began his service in 1871 and continued about four years. He was followed by Reverend C. A. Bickford, from 1876 to 1878. Reverend Lewis Dexter became pastor 484 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. about 187S, and continued some four years. He was followed by Reverend Hector Canfield in 1882. The church was repaired and greatly improved in 1882 and the following year, and again a year or two later, the expense aggregating about $6,000. Mrs. Phebe vSwarts presented the church with a pipe organ in 1885. Reverend E. W. Ricker began ministering to this church in 1885, and remains at the present time. The vestry was re-seated in 1888. Other li- censed ministers connected with this church, besides the pastor, are M. N. Davison and W. N. Patt. The present membership is 249. The Sunday school numbers nearly as many. A mission was established by the Roman Catholics on Prairie avenue in 1857. It was called St. Bernard's church. In 1859 Vicar- General O'Reilley purchased a meeting house that had once been occupied by the Baptists, and after renovating and improving it, dedi- cated it to the patron saint as above. Reverend Bernard V. Coit be- came its first pastor, continuing from 1860 to 1863. He was succeeded by Reverend Daniel Mullen, who continued about a year and a half. Reverend M. A. Wallace, D.D., LL.D., became the pastor in 1865, and after a long term of honored service he remains at the present time. His assistants for varying periods have been: Reverends James Fitzsimon, 1871; P. Petrarra, 1875; W. J. Wiseman and George Mahoney, 1876; Bernard Boylan, 1877; James K. Beaven, 1878; M. O'Hare, 1880; Michael J. Cook, 1881; J." Redding, 1884; Thomas E. Kenny, 1885; P. P. McKenna, 1886; W. J. Galvin, 1887. The growth of the church in 1867 demanded greater accommodations. An ad- ditional lot was purchased in the rear, and the old church was moved upon it, where it still remains as a part of the asylum institution, and a new church was immediately commenced on the former site. On its completion this was dedicated by Bishop McFarland, the name St. Michael's now being adopted. A sacristy has since been added, and also a parochial residence has been built on Prairie avenue, at the right of the church. The parish includes about 4,000 souls. The Church of the Saviour was organized in 1863. It obtained possession of the old church on the corner of Benefit and Transit streets, which had been occupied by St. Stephen's church, but was vacated in 1862 by their removal to their new church on George street. The first rector of the Church of the Saviour was Reverend Leander C. Manchester, who continued from 1863 to 1866. He was followed by Reverend Amos Skeele, who served from 1868 to 1875. Reverend John C. Hewlett was rector from 1876 to about 1882. He was followed by Reverend H. U. Munro, who continued till 1888. The present rector, Reverend Edwin L. Drown, began in 1889. The membership of the church embraces about 150 communicants. The Sunday school numbers 120. Messrs. A. W. Mathewson and Charles H. Mumford are the church wardens. The Union Sea and Land Mission has been in operation since- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 485 1SG4. It is unsectarian, and services are conducted in the open air, ■either on the wharves or on shipboard. In its early history it occu- pied Pioneer Hall, and since 1881 has had headquarters at 108 John street. Reverend Charles H. Plummer has, from the year 1864, been superintendent of the enterprise. The North Congregational church had its beginning in the Charles street Congregational Sunday school, which was organized September 7th, 1856, in a chapel near the Corliss Engine Works, un- der the care of the Central Congregational church. The Charles Street Congregational church was organized June 6th, 1865. Rever- end George Huntington was the first pastor, beginning in 1867, or about that time, and continuing several years. Reverend Henry T. Arnold was minister in 1875 to 1877. In the latter year Reverend Adelbert F. Keith began preaching for this church as a supply. After several years passed in this way he was installed as pastor July 9th, 1883. The new church building on Walling street was in that year occupied. The name of the church was changed to its present form in January, 1880. Mr. Keith continued as pastor until 1888. Reverend Palmer S. Hulbert, the present pastor, began in the office in January, 1889. The church now has 228 members, comprehended in 130 families. The Sunday school, of which Charles H. Philbrick is superintendent, numbers about 250, and has an average attendance of 150. St. James's Episcopal church had its origin in a mission estab- lished on Atwell's avenue about 1867. The church was organized in 186!>. The present edifice on Gesler street was erected in 1868. With its organization the church was admitted to the diocesan con- vention. The first rector was Reverend William D. U. Sherman, who filled a long term of service, reaching to 1879. He was suc- ceeded in 1880 by Reverend W. F. B. Jackson, who in turn was suc- ceeded two or three years since by Reverend Julius W. Atwood, the present rector. The wardens are A. M. Bowen and Ebenezer Nich- ols. The church now has about 200 communicants. The Sunday school numbers 225. The Broadway Baptist church was constituted in 1865. The Rhode Island Baptist State Convention inaugurated action in that direction by calling a meeting for the purpose, in October, 1864. During that month services were begun in Armory Hall, by Rever- end John Blain, and continued for six months, at the end of which time the church was organized, having ten members. The first pastor was Reverend H. S. Inman. Following him were Reverends B. P. Byram, 1869 to 1873; B. S. Morse, 1874 to 1881, and J. V. Ouster- hout, 1881 to the present time. The present handsome edifice located on Broadway and Harris avenue, was erected in 1869, at a cost of about $40,000. It was improved in 1883, by the building of o-alleries in the auditorium. The total number of members at the 486 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. present time is 467. The Sunday school, organized in 1864, now numbers more than 900 members, being the largest Baptist Sunday school in the state. Mr. Charles W. Calder has been its superinten- dent since 1871. The South Baptist church was constituted in 1860, with 24 mem- bers. Its first location was on Potter's avenue, at the corner of Plane street, where a house of worship was built in the same year. The first pastor was Reverend E. K. Fuller. ( )ther pastors since then have been: Reverends T. E. Bell, 1869; George W. Bixby. 1871-6; S. G. Woodrow, 1877-80; T. E. Bartlett, 1880 to the present time. A more commodious house of worship was commenced in 1884, which was completed in 1886. It stands at the corner of Ocean and Gallup streets. The total membership is 181. The Sunday school, which was organized in 1844, has 400 members, more than one hundred of whom are over 15 years of age. It has a library of 700 volumes. The Elmwood Congregational church was organized in 1851. It was then associated with the Valley Congregational Society, which had been established on Valley street since 1849. Reverend Christopher C. Mason was pastor of the society in 1850. For a year or two after that the pulpit was not regularly supplied. Then for a time the house of worship was occupied by Episcopalian services. In 1863 the society was worshipping on Potter's avenue, and Reverend Samuel S. Tap- pan was their pastor. He was succeeded in 1866 by Reverend George Huntington. The Elmwood Congregational church was in 1869 located on Greenwich street, at the corner of Marshapaug street. Reverend Henry A. Wales was pastor from that year to 1871 . He was followed by Reverend Jeremiah Taylor, 1872 to 1877. Reverend G. F. Humphreys was pastor from 1878 to 1880. He was followed by Reverend L. L. Briggs, 1881-2, and he by Reverend I. H. Bartlett Headley, in 1883. Reverend Horace Winslow began serving this church January 1st, 1884, and continued until 1886. Reverend John E. Wildey commenced his pastorate April 22d, 1886. and still con- tinues in that office. The church is in a nourishing condition, its membership having increased 50 in the last four years. It now num- bers 133. Elisha C. Austin is superintendent of the Sunday school, which numbers 165. The church edifice was improved with stained glass windows and interior renovation, at a cost of $1,560, in 1884-5. The African Union Methodist church was organized in 1860, with 75 members. The house of worship at 16 Clayton street, still occu- pied, was erected in 1860, at a cost of $700. The successive pastors of this church have been: Daniel L. Smith, Isaac R. Johnson, 1869; Thomas H. Beckman, 1872; James L. Smith, 1873; James W. Myers, 1876; William Matthews, 1878; Dennis Johnson, 1881 ; E. Billings, 1882; Dennis Johnson, 1883; J. W. Leekins, 1886. The membership is about 25. In 1868 the Methodists conducted a mission at the engine station HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 487 on Mill street. This was called the North Mission, and was in charge of Reverend John Livesay. The Asbury M. E. Church was organized April 5th of that year, with twenty members. They im- mediately set about building a church, which was completed during the year. A new brick church was built on the same site in 1887. This is a handsome building, with granite trimmings, and cost about $28,000. The successive pastors of this church have been: John Livesay, 1808-70; A. N. Bodfish, 1870-1; John F. Sheffield, 1872; A. Anderson, 1874; S. Leader, 1877; W. H. Stetson, 1879; EL B. Cady, 1881; W.J. Smith, 1884; G. W. Hunt, 1887; S. H. Day, 1889. The full number of members now is about 400. In 1888 the church paid $11,000 on the expense incurred in building the new church, and there was then left a debt of only $10,000 to clear off that expense entirely. The salary of the pastor is $1,400. The Sunday school numbers over 400. The Mount Zion Methodist church, of colored people, had its beginning as early as 1861. For a year or two services were held in private houses, but in 18G3 a church was built. It stands on Lilac street. Recently the name Lilac Street M. E. church has been given to it. Successive pastors since 1869 have been: E. J. Miller, 1869; Allen Walker, 1870; Silas A. Mitchell, W. D. F. Pyle, 1876; S. E. Birchmore, 1878; T. E. Aldridge, 1880; George H. Washington, 1882; Mrs. Annie F. Freeman, 1885; Moses P. Hawkins, 1888; J. E. Peterson, 1889. The church numbers about SO members. In 1883 this church withdrew from the New England Conference, and remains an independent church. St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal church was organized in 1854. The first house of worship was at the corner of Potter's avenue and Eddy street. The first pastor was Reverend J. T. Benton. Local preachers supplied the pulpit for a number of years. The church was formerly known as the South Methodist. In 1871 the church moved to its new house of worship at the corner of Swan and Plane streets, and after that it was known as St. Paul's M. E. church. Rev- erend S. J. Carroll was its pastor in 1869 to 1871. Later pastors have been: Alfred A. Presbrey, 1872; A. E. Hall, 1874; Walter J. Yates, 1875; A. Anderson, 1877; T. J. Everett, 1880; S. Sprowls, 1883; C. H. Ewer, 1885; E. D. Hall, 1886;" B. W. Hutchinson, 1889. The church property was improved in rebuilding and repairing, to the amount of about $6,000, in 1885, and its full value now is estimated at $17,000. The membership of the church now numbers about 200. The Sun- day school has an average attendance of 150, and an enrolled num- ber of over 200. Its library numbers nearly a thousand volumes. The Central Baptist church maintained for some time a chapel on Cranston street, near Messer street. A church was organized there in October, 1870, largely from the Central Baptist membership. Its original membership was 56. Reverend M. H. Bixby has been pas- 488 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. tor of this church from its organization to the present time. The original chapel has been enlarged several times to keep pace with the increase of the congregation. It is now a stately and spacious building, comprising 16 rooms besides the auditorium. It was first dedicated in December, 1869, and opened for regular worship in Janu- ary, 1870. The average addition of members to this church has been about 50 a year. Its present membership is 625. A mission on Jack- son avenue was established by this church in 1889, and a chapel built there to accommodate its Sunday school and worship in the same year. Mr. Howard Pepper is superintendent of the Sunday school there, which numbers 183. The Cranston Street Sunday school num- bers 840, and has a library of 1,200 volumes. Air. Robert B. Holden has been its superintendent since 1870, the time of its present organi- zation. This church has had a remarkable career of healthy and ac- tive progress, and in its efforts has been remarkably successful and prosperous. Services for French Catholics were held here under the name of St. John's church in 1874. Reverend N. Hardy was then pastor, con- tinuing some two or three years. In 1878 Reverend C. P. Gaboury became pastor, and a more definite organization was effected in Au- gust of that year. Their meetings for worship were formerly held in the hall of La Salle Academy, on Fountain street. A new church on Harrison street was erected, and this was dedicated in July, 1881, to the name of St. Charles Borromeo. Since then the church has been known as St. Charles's. A parochial residence is attached to the church in the rear. The congregation of this church numbers some 1,200. Reverend Edward E. Nobert has been pastor since 1888, assisted by L. Joseph Jourdain and James Major. The Union Congregational church was organized in 1871. Its con- stituency came from the former Richmond Street and High Street churches, the former contributing 287 and the latter 294 members. The corner stone of the house of worship on Broad street, near Stew- art street, was laid April 19th, 1870, and the house was dedicated June 27th, 1872. Reverend Kinsley Twining was pastor from 1872 to 1875. The church building is a fine brick edifice, in Gothic style, de- signed by William R. Walker. Its trimmings are of stone. It has two towers, of unequal height. The interior is handsomely finished, and the seats are arranged as in an amphitheatre. In the rear is a chapel, similar in architecture, used for Sunday school purposes. Reverend A. J. F. Behrends succeeded Mr. Twining in 1876, and con- tinued until 1883. Reverend J. Flail Mcllvaine became pastor of this church June 20th. 1883, and resigned the charge in November, 1888. I Hiring this time the church established a mission at Mount Pleasant. This was commenced August 1st, 1884, and in a few months a Sun- day school of 200 scholars was gathered there and a good wor- shipping assembly. A chapel of commodious size, to seat 550 per- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 489 sons, was built, at a cost of $7,500. In the work at Mount Pleasant Reverend A. L. Kelly was employed, and a church of 40 or 50 mem- bers was organized in 18S5. This is now known as the Academy Avenue Congregational church. Reverend Edward O. Bartlett sue- ceeded Mr. Kelly as its pastor October 18th, 1887, and is still acting in that office. That church now numbers 163 members, and has a Sunday school of about 250 in average attendance. Mr. Lewis H. Meader is its superintendent. Reverend E. B. Webb served the Union Congregational church for a while as stated supply, after the resignation of Mr. Mcllvaine. This church numbers 850 members, and includes in its parish some 000 families. Its annual contribu- tions to foreign missions amount to $2,500, and those to home mis- sions double that amount. Its Sunday school, of whom William W. Rickard is superintendent, numbers 550. The Advent Christian church was organized in 1871 with ten mem- bers. It met in Lester Hall, on Cranston street. Elder M. R. Phette- place was- the first pastor, continuing from the organization to 1875. The present edifice, on Hammond street, was erected in the summer of 1873. Reverend A. W. Sibley was pastor in 1876, and was followed in 1877 by Reverend A. A. Hoyt. Reverend Norman P. Cook be- came its pastor in 1879, and continues to the present time. The church has about 150 members, and the Sunday school connected with it numbers about the same. The Plymouth Congregational church was organized March 6th, 1878, with 30 members. Its first place of worship was on Prairie avenue, at the corner of Colwell street. The first pastor was Rever- end Henry B. Roberts. He was succeeded by Reverend Henry A. Blake, who began his pastorate May 2d, 1884, and continued until December, 1888. Reverend Thornton A. Mills, the present pastor, began his service of this church on Easter Sabbath, 1889. A hout>e of worship was built on Richardson street, near Broad, in 1880-1. The church now numbers about 250 members, and the parish com- prehends about 400 families. The Sunday school numbers 450, with an average attendance of 250. The superintendent is Mr. Lewis Wis wall. The Church of the Assumption, R. C, was established at Elmwood in May, 1870, by Reverend Michael McClune, who became its first pastor, and continued in that office until 1887. For the last few years of his pastorate he was assisted by Reverends D. A. Quinn and John H. Hurley. A wooden church building was erected in 1870, on Pot- , ter's avenue, near Cranston street. A pastoral residence has since been added, and their church property is now valued at about $30,000. The First Presbyterian church was organized October 25th, 1872. Its meeting place then was in the Academy of Music, 129 Westmin- ster street. In 1876 the present church edifice was completed and 490 HISTORY OK PROVIDENCE COUNTY. the church began to occupy it. This stands on the corner of Clifford: and Claverick streets, and its cost was about $37,000. The first pastor was Reverend John Dixon, who continued with the church from the start till about 1877. He was succeeded in 1878 by Reverend Thomas Parry. Reverend Robert D. Sproull followed, about 1880, and re- signed in June, 1886. The present pastor, J. A. F. McBain, followed a few months later. The church has about 300 members. A Baptist chapel was erected at Wanskuck in 1867, upon land given for the purpose by Mrs. Jesse Metcalf. The building is a sub- stantial stone structure, located on Veazie street, and cost about $3,000. A church, called Roger Williams Baptist church, was consti- tuted there in 1877. Reverend William Phillips had supplied the chapel from 1874 to 1876. The first pastor of the new church was Reverend R. S. Colwell, 1877. Reverend F. Denison supplied in 1878. Reverend E.B. Eddy became pastor in 1879. The church had 149 members in 1880. Reverend William E. Needham became pas- tor in 1883, to 1884; B. L. Whitman labored for the church in that office 1885 to 1887; and Edward Mills became pastor in 1887. The chapel was enlarged and improved in 1889. It has 164 members. The Sunday school was organized in 1865. Mr. James Stokes is now superintendent, and the school numbers about 450. St. Edward's Roman Catholic church on Branch avenue, Wans- kuck, grew out of a mission under the care of the Church of the Im- maculate Conception, established in 1865 as St. Joseph's. It became an independent parish in 1874, and was organized under the present name and under the pastoral care of Reverend James Finnegan, who remains in charge still. The parish was enlarged in 1878. The cor- ner stone of a new building was laid Sundav, June 13th, 1886, which being completed was occupied in 1887. It stands near the corner of Geneva street and Branch avenue, and cost about $30,000, being one of the most commodious churches in the city. The parish of St. Ed- ward's comprises about 1,500 souls. Arlington Free Baptist church is the outgrowth of what was known as Roger Williams Free Baptist Mission, established on Cranston street, at the foot of Rocky Hill road, about 1875. From the date mentioned forward it was in charge of Reverend R. H. Tozer. About 1877 its location was changed to New Depot avenue, Cranston, and in 1881 the name was changed to its present form. Reverend A. Given was associated with the church as pastor in 1882, and Reverend Dudley E. Clark in 1884. Reverend G. N. Musgrove became pastor in the latter part of 1887. The church is in a prosper- ous and hopeful condition, pays its pastor a salary of $800, makes con- tributions to many benevolent causes, has a membership of about 70 and a Sunday school of 150. St. Thomas's Episcopal church is located on Douglas avenue, near Wanskuck. It was established about 1876 under the charge of Rev- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 491 erend James W. Colwell, then rector of St. Paul's. It has been since that time associated in ministerial supply with St. Paul's. Its pres- ent rector is Reverend Samuel Snelling. The church wardens are William J. Uglow and James Slater. It has a membership of 45 com- municants and a Sunday school of 140. The Allen Mission was established at 116 Cranston street, about 1877. In 1879 it was moved to A street, and in the following- year the chapel was occupied. This mission has been supplied by the following ministers: J. T. Hayslett, 1877; William H. Thomas, 1879; William H. Yeocum, 1880; Carter Wright, 1888; H. Brown, 1880; J. T. Hayslett, 1887, to the present time. The Free Religious Society was organized in February, 1874. The society is independent, and leaves its members to the free exercise of their religious belief. The meetings of the society were at first held in Lyceum Hall, 61 Westminster street; in 1876, at 57 Snow street; in 1878, in the vestry of Bell Street chapel; in 1881, at South Main and Power streets; in 1882, in rear of Music Hall, on Aborn street; in 1884 and since then, in Blackstone Hall, corner of Wash- ington and Snow streets. Since their establishing at the latter place Reverend Frederic A. Hinckley has been their leader. A Sunday school was organized in 1878. The Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ, Latter Day Saints, was formed in this city in 1869. They at first met at the junction of Broad and High streets. In 1872 they were under the leadership of Reverend C. W. Brown, and met at 281 High street. They had vari- ous local habitations for short periods, but in 1882 hired again the hall at 281 High street and fitted it up more permanently. In 1884 Francis M. Sheehy was their leader. The denomination to which this church belongs believe in the Bible as the word of God, and also think that the Book of Mormon as revealed to Joseph Smith is in- spired. They do not believe in the doctrine of polygamy as prac- ticed by the Mormons of Utah, and their organization is distinct from that of L x tah Mormonism. The denomination dates from 1859, and claims to be the historic successor of the original Mormon church. This claim has been recognized by the LTnited States courts. The membership of the Providence church is about 200. The LTnion American M. E. church (colored) was organized in 1874, and incorporated June 1st, 1882. Their first location was at the junction of Mill and North Mam streets. A house of worship, the one at present occupied, was purchased in May, 1881. Pastors of this church have been: Reverends B. B. Harris, J. R. Brooks, W. A.Jack- son, A. J. Gaston and Lemuel Lomack. The membership is about 70 and the Sunday school numbers rather larger. The Mount Pleasant Baptist church was constituted in 1883, with 25 members. Its first pastor was Reverend Wesley L. Smith, whose service began with the organization of the church. A Sunday school 492 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. had been organized here and maintained since 1878, on Chalkstone avenue. From this the church grew. The chapel, which had been erected for the Sunday school, was removed to Academy avenue and Roanoke street, and enlarged and improved at a cost of about $8,000. This was done soon after the organization of the church. Anewpipe organ was presented to the church in 1885. Reverend C. A. Maryott became pastor in 1889. The present membership of the church is about 75. The Sunday school numbers 210. The Branch Avenue Baptist church was the outgrowth of a Sun- day school which was established in 1878. The church was recog- nized by council May 19th, 1886, being organized with 50 members from the Fourth Baptist church. Reverend E. P. Tuller became the first pastor, with the organization of the church. He resigned in May, 1887. Reverend Theodore C. Gleason became pastor in June, 18S7. and continues at the' present time. An addition was built to the chapel in 1886. The chapel building and grounds before this improvement had cost about $5,000. The present membership of the church is about 100. Mr. George E. Weeden has been superintend- ent of the Sunday school since 1879. The school numbers 220. The Roman Catholic church of St. John the Evangelist was estab- lished April 8th, 1870. Its parish was made up from parts of the parishes of Sts. Peter and Paul and St. Mary's. Reverend John J. McCabe gathered the church and has been its pastor from the begin- ning to the present time. He has been assisted at different times by Reverends Francis Tuite, 1875; James Walsh, 1877; William Dullard, 1883; Henry Conboy, 1884; William Kelley, 1885; Thomas L. KeHey, 1886; D. Coughlin and D. Sheedy, 1887; B. McCahill, 1888. The com- modious and handsome brick church, at the corner of Atwell's ave- nue and Sutton street, was erected at a cost of about $100,000, and is one of the largest churches in the state. The corner stone was laid by Bishop McFarland in 1871, and the house was dedicated by Bishop Hendricken September 19th. 1875. Father McCabe has since erected a pastoral residence contiguous to the church, but fronting on Sutton street. The congregation of this church numbers some 5,000 per- sons. ( )f the numerous societies within its circle it has the largest Holy Name Society in the diocese. It also has the largest choir of any chfirch in the diocese. St. Theresa's Roman Catholic church, on Manton avenue, was formed in 1884, the first service under its auspices being held in Unity Hall, Olneyville, January 15th of that year. The parish was formed from parts of St. Mary's and St. John's. Reverend Edward Murphy was appointed its first pastor. He was assisted by Reverend James Looby, 1886 to the present time. Reverend Farrell O'Reilly became pastor in 1888, and James A. Gleason an assistant in 1889. A church was soon commenced, and was dedicated early in the year HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 493 1885. The first service held in it was April 20th of that year. The congregation numbers about 2,000 souls. The Church of the Holy Name was formed by the Reverend T. V. Brennan, from members of St. Joseph's, Immaculate Conception, and St. Patrick's parishes, near Doyle avenue, in November, 1882. Ser- vices were at first held in a hall at the head of Constitution hill. The church at the corner of Jenkins and Knowles streets was built in 1883, the work being begun in May of that year. The building, which comprises hall, school rooms and chapel, was dedicated by Bishop Hendricken, March 29th, 1884. Reverend James C. Walsh has been pastor since 1884, and in 1889 has been assisted by Rever- end George F. McGuire. Father Walsh has erected a handsome pas- toral residence, facing on Camp street. The parish includes about 1,500 persons. Our Lady of the Rosary is the name of a Portuguese church on Wickenden street. The building was erected for a skating rink, but with the aid of Bishop Hendricken was secured and converted into a church by the Portuguese Catholics, who mainly reside in that part of the city. For years they had held special service on the third Sunday of each month, conducted by the Reverend Father Freitas, of New Bedford. He had charge of the church from its dedication, Sunday, March 23d, 1885, until Father Eliott was appointed its first pastor. Reverend A. L. Serpa, the present pastor, is the first Portu- guese clergyman ordained in the diocese. The congregation of this church is about 1,000. The Cranston Street Methodist Episcopal church was organized March 9th, 1882, with 15 members. The field had previously for some time been occupied by Sunday schools and mission work by the Methodists. The present meeting house at 441 Cranston street, was erected in 1883, at a cost of about $7,000. The pastors of this church have been: William H. Stetson, 1882; H. E. Cook, 1884; W. H. Allen, 1885; E. F. Jones, 1887; F. P. Parkin, 1888, and E. W. Goodier, 1889. The present membership is a little more than 100. The Sunday school numbers about 250. The Harris Avenue Metho- dist Episcopal church is located on Harris avenue, near Broadway. It was organized March 7th, 1883. Its pastors have been: C. F. Sharpe, 1883; E. F. Jones, 1885; William V. Morrison, 1887, and L. B. Codding, 1889. The present membership is about 140*. The church property is valued at about $4,000. The Sunday school num- bers about 275. The church is located in Olneyville. Ebenezer Baptist church was constituted under its present con- nection in 1887. Previous to this for three or four years they had held services in Slade Building, at 45 Eddy street, and for a year or two after. The church is an offshoot from the Congdon Street church. It had organized under the New Hampshire articles of faith, January 20th, 1884. The church was recognized by a coun- 494 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. oil April 5th, 1887. Reverend B. S. Jones then became their pastor. Their membership was 117. The present church building was erected in 1889, at a cost for the entire property of about $8,000. The present membership is nearly two hundred. The Sunday school which was started in 1884, now numbers 132. The Swedish Mission of the Methodist Episcopal church meets at 45 Eddy street. It was organized about 1F84. The pastors have been: J. M. Ojerholm, 1884; N. Eklund, 1885; Richard Cederberg, 1886 to the present time. It now numbers more than 100 members, and its church property is valued at $10,000, besides which they have a parsonage valued at $2,000. The Sunday school numbers about 100. The corner stone of the Church of the Blessed Sacrament, Roman Catholic, at Mount Pleasant, was laid by Bishop Matthew Harkins, June 23d, 1889. The site of this church, decided upon in October, •1888, is one of the most pleasing spots in this pleasant locality. It is on the east side of Academy avenue, and about midway between Atwell's and Chalkstone avenues. A rectory adjoining has also been built. The pastor of this newly established church, is Reverend William I. Simmons. Ballou Universalist church, on Smith, near Orms street, was or- ganized in 1885, with 23 members. A wooden building was erected in 1887 for purposes of worship, valued at $1,000. The membership of the church at present is 30, and the Sunday school has double that number. Reverend Vincent E. Tomlinson is the first and pres- ent pastor. CHAPTER XVII. EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS OF PROVIDENCE CITY. Early Action in Regard to Schools. — First Schoolmaster. — Early Schools. — The Town Votes to Build School Houses. — Efforts to Establish Free Schools. — School Law Passed by Assembly. — Free Schools Established in Providence. — Regulations Con- cerning Them. — More School Houses Built. — The System Re-Organized. — Statistics up to 1840.— The High School Established.— The Public Schools of the Present- School Buildings. — Evening Schools. — Statistics Concerning the Schools. — Brown University. — Friends' Yearly Meeting School. — State Normal School. — Rhode Island School for the Deaf. — The School of Design. — The Berkeley School. — Private Clas- sical and Business Schools. — Providence Reform School. — St. Xavier's Academy. — Other Schools. THE educational interests of Providence are deserving of more than a passing notice. Its institutions of learning are among" the conspicuous ones of the city, and with Brown University among the great national colleges, the city may well be proud of her achievements in this direction. Let us notice the steps by which the enviable position of the present time has been reached from the re- stricted and limited conditions of the chaotic period of society. In the original polity of Rhode Island there was no provision for edu- cation. Like religion, it seems to have been considered not the con- cern of the state, but matter for individual conscience and parental duty. This view prevailed in the councils of the state, but the town in its corporate capacity acted on the question at a much earlier period. In May, 1603, the following order was passed by the pro- prietors: "It is agreed by this present assembly that one hundred acres of upland and six acres of meadow (or lowland to the quantity of eight acres, in lieu of meadow) shall be laid out within the bounds of this town of Providence; the which land shall be reserved for the maintenance of a school in this town; and that after the said land is laid out and the bounds thereof set, it shall be recorded in our town records according unto the bounds fixed, and shall be called by the name of the School Lands of Providence." This is the earliest grant now to be found in the records and the earliest reference to a school or any means of education. From a petition of John Whipple, Jr., presented to the town January 28th, 1684, it appears that a whole purchase right of land had long before that time been set apart for the use and benefit of a school. The prayer of the petition was that lands should then be laid out under 496 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. it. It does not appear what was done with this petition, nor is theie any mention on the records of the grant referred to in it. The first schoolmaster in Providence, of whom any memorial remains, was William Tnrpin. When he came is not known, but he was here on the 11th of June, 1684. on which date he executed an agreement with William Hawkins and Lydia, his wife, to furnish Peregrine Gardner with board and schooling for one year, for £6, and to re- ceive his pay in provisions at stipulated prices. The course of in- struction was to comprehend reading and writing. In January, 1685, Mr. Turpin petitioned the town that a certain grant of land which had years before been offered for the encourage- ment of a schoolmaster to settle among them should be laid out to him. No memorandum remains to show whether the petition a\ as granted or not, but Mr. Turpin continued to reside in the town for many years, holding the offices of representative to assembly in 1722 and 1723, town clerk in 1727, and town treasuier frcm 1722 to 1736, and again from 1743 to 1744, in which year he died. In January, 1696, John Dexter, William Hopkins and others petitioned the town for a piece of land on Dexter's lane or Stampers' hill, on which to erect a school house. The petition was granted, but we know noth- ing definitely as to the further progress of the enterprise. When the proprietors divided the land lying on the west side of North and South Main streets into warehouse lots they left a lot op- posite the west end of the court house parade for a school lot. The first reference to it is on the plat of the warehouse lots bearing date in 1747. How long it had then been set off cannot now be ascer- tained. Nor can it be learned at what date a school house was erec- ted upon it. The first notice of it that diligent search of the town records reveals is in 1752. In that year Nicholas Cooke, Joseph Olney, Esek Hopkins, Elisha Brown and John Mawney were appoin- ted "to have the care of the town school house, and to appoint a master to teach in said house." The school committee men the fol- lowing year were: Nicholas Cooke, John Mawney, Nicholas Brown, Elijah Tillinghast and Daniel Abbot. The next year the school house was leased by the town to Stephen Jackson, schoolmaster, from March 1st, for three months. No further reference is made to the matter until 1763, when the town clerk was directed to lease the house again. The schoolmaster probably received all his compensa- tion from his pupils. The town, as a corporation, simply furnished a room at a fixed rental. There were at least two other schools in town as early as 1763. Mr. George Taylor, in 1735, had the use of a chamber in the state house to keep a school in; and in 1751 Gideon Comstock, Alexander Frazier, Joseph Potter, Thomas Angell, James Field, Barzillai Rich- mond and Nehemiah Sprague had permission to build a school house on the west side of the river, " on vacant land a little above HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. , 497 Joseph Snow, Jr.'s, dwelling house, the street being wide enough." They asserted that they had then subscribed enough to erect a house. After the court house was burned in 1758 the town people endeavored to possess themselves of the lot on which it had stood, in lieu of the one on Main street. Notwithstanding the court house lot had been originally granted only for the use of a "colony house," and the school house lot only for a school house, in February, 1765, these diffi- culties were overcome, and a committee of the town transferred the fee of the latter and received the fee of the former. In 1767 the town again took up the subject of education, with the apparent design of providing schools for all the children of the in- habitants. At a town meeting, December 8th, they resolved to pur- chase or build three school houses for small children and one for youth, to provide instructors, and pay the expense from the treasury, and these schools were to be under the supervision of a school com- mittee. Committees were appointed — John Brown, John Jenckes, Nathaniel Greene, Charles Keeneand Samuel Thur.ber on locations for the houses and contracts for their erection; and Darius Sessions, Samuel Nightingale, Jabez Bowen and Moses Brown on regulations for building, supporting and governing the schools. The plan so generously laid was defeated, however, by vote of the people in town meeting, in January, 1768. Some extracts frcm the plan reported by the committee, and thus rejected by the vote, largely, it is said, of the poorer class of inhabitants, are of peculiar interest, and we quote them: " It is hereby enacted that four school houses be erected or pur- chased within the compact part of this town as scon as may be. That one be purchased, or a new one built, on the west side of the great bridge, at or near the place where the school house at present stands; that one be erected at the southerly part of the town, in the back street, near Power's Lane; that one other be built at the northerly part of the town, in the back street, near Richard Brown's lot; and that one larger one be erected on the lot where the old court house formerly stood. The three small ones not to cost more than three hundred pounds, lawful money; to be built of wood, and pretty near the form and dimensions of that one over the great bridge already built." " That the school house already built on the west side of the great bridge shall remain under the direction of the present proprietors till such time as all the other houses shall be finished and fit for the reception of scholars; that then all the four houses shall be furnished with masters at the expense of the town." " That every inhabitant of this town, whether they be free of the town or not, shall have and enjoy an equal right and privilege of sending their own children and the children of others that may be under their care for instruction and bringing up to any or all cf the 32 498 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. said schools. And that each and every scholar, before they be ad- mitted into any of the small schools, shall have learnt their letters and acquired some acquaintance with spelling. And before they be per- mitted to enter the larger school, they must have gained consider- able knowledge in reading and writing, and that all those who may be thus qualified shall and may be admitted to all the advantages of education that may be taught in either of the respective schools." " That not exceeding two hours in each day shall be taken up in the large school in perfecting the scholars in reading, accenting, pronouncing and properly understanding the English tongue. That the remaining school hours shall be employed in teaching the chil- dren and youth in writing, arithmetic, the various branches of mathe- matics, and the learned languages." " That the masters in each school, during the common school hours, shall be obliged to give a constant attention to the duties of their offices, and not engage in any employ that might impede the due instruction of the youth under their care, and also that they keep up in their several departments a strict, but not passionate and severe discipline." The plan of what may be termed a liberal provision, for the time, being thus rejected, the town resolved to build one brick school house, 30x40 feet and two stories high, to be located near the court house. The plan for raising funds for this building was that the pro- ceeds of the school house lot sold in 1765 should be increased by £100, to be raised by tax, and £182, 17s. should be raised by volun- tary subscription. The sum to be raised by subscription was prob- ably equal to the sum provided by tax and the proceeds of the old school house lot. In the house so built the town agreed to support a free school, to be under the direction of a committee of nine, of which the members of the town council were to be ex-officio a part. This plan failed because of a lack of subscriptions, and on the first day of February a town meeting voted to apply the money from the old school house lot to the erection of a school house, and increase it as far as it could be by subscriptions. The subscription was filled by the middle of July, and John Smith was appointed to build the house. This building was erected and stood for many years. The town had the ownership of the lower story, while the proprietors held the upper story. Subsequent to this the town frequently appointed masters to keep school in their part of the house, and passed rules and regulations for the good government of both the schools kept in it. A school committee was also frequently appointed, which visited these schools occasionally, as well as the other private schools kept in the town. School matters were managed in this weak, half-hearted and gen- erally unsatisfactory manner for several years. " Whipple Hall," a wooden school house, which had been erected near the north end of HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 499 / Benefit street, together with the " brick school house," was in 1785 placed in charge of the town at a rental fee, and the town undertook to maintain schools in them. All monies which should be received of the state, or of the United States, for damage done to the " brick school house " during the revolutionary war; all rents that should be received for market house cellar, chambers and stalls, and all wharf- age to be received on the market house lot, were .^et apait asa fund for the support of public schools. The funds thus obtained were scarcely more than sufficient to keep the houses in repair, so that the public school was not yet realized. In 1791 some of the citizens petitioned the town to establish free schools, and the petition was referred to the school committee. The presence of the Rhode Island College in the community, and the influence of its active and earnest President Manning, were factors which kept the question of free public schools in a state of unrest despite the strong conservative element in the community which would not allow the progressive plans which were from time to time resolved upon, to go into actual effect. The school committee reported noble plans for building a number of school houses and supporting schools in them, but they were left to slumber indefi- nitely. In September, 1792, the town again resolved to establish free schools, and directed the town council to carry into effect the report of the committee of the previous year. But again conservatism blocked the wheels of progress, and nothing was done. There were at that time 1,265 male white children under 16 years of age in the town. For several years after the date last mentioned frequent directions were given for the repair of the " brick school house " by the town, and for the drawing up of regulations for the schools, but nothing more appears to have been done about free schools. In Sep- tember, 1795, the town again resolved to establish "schools for the free education of the children of the inhabitants of the town, and that the expense of supporting the same be defrayed out of the town treasury." Nothing, however, was accomplished of practical value. In October, 1798, the Providence Association of Mechanics and Manufacturers appointed a committee to " enquire into the most desirable method for the establishment of Free Schools." The committee recommended application to the general assembly. A petition was accordingly prepared, asking the general assembly to make legal provision for the establishment of free schools in the several towns of the state. This petition was signed by John How- land, Joel Metcalf, William Richmond, Peter Grinnell, Richard An- thony, Grindall Reynolds, Samuel Thurber, Jr., and Nathan Fisher, who composed the committee. The memorial was presented by the representative from Providence at the February session in 1799, and the subject was referred to a committee who reported b^ presenting a bill at the June session. The bill was printed and referred to the 500 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. freemen for instruction. In October following it was passed by the house, and in February, 1800, it was concurred in by the senate, and thus became a law. It met with great opposition in the assembly and among the people, and in February, 1803, it was repealed. But the repeal came too late to deprive Providence of the benefit of free public schools. The " dead center " of opposition had been over- come, the wheel of progress had been fairly started, and it was not to be easily reversed. Soon after the passage of the act in 1800 the freemen of Provi- dence recommended the town council to provide school houses and regulations for the free schools of the town. They voted a tax of $6,000 and other monies, proceeding from the sale of certain lands called the "Walker lots," and from the "Great Bridge Lottery, - ' to be appropriated to school purposes. " Whipple Hall." which stood on the site later occupied by Benefit street grammar school, was bought by the freemen and some $500 expended on it for repairs* The " brick school house " was also bought and fitted up more per- fectly. A new house was built in Transit street, and another new house was built on the west side of the river, on a high hill near the present corner of Friendship and Claverick streets. On the 26th of August the freemen appointed a school committee, who were an advisory body only, to act in association with the town council in matters pertaining to the schools. This committee was composed of the following persons: Jonathan Maxey. Enos Hitchcock, Stephen Gano, William Jones, James Burrill, John Howland, Jabez Bowen, David L. Barnes, Amos M. Atwell and John Carlisle. Rules and regulations for the government of the schools were adopted, a copy of the rules and regulations of the schools of Boston having been procured, and many hints being obtained from that. From the regu- lations thus adopted we copy the following: " The good morals of the youth being a matter of the highest consequence, both to their own comfort, and to their progress in use- ful knowledge, they are strictly enjoined to avoid idleness and pro- faneness, falsehood and deceitfulness, and every other wicked and disgraceful practice; and to conduct themselves in a sober, orderly and decent manner, both in and out of school. ' The principal part of the instruction will consist in teaching- spelling, accenting and reading both prose and verse, with propriety and accuracy, and a general knowledge of English grammar and com- position; also, writing a good hand, according to the most approved rules, and vulgar and decimal fractions, including tare and tret, fel- lowship, exchange, interest, &c. 'The books to be used in carrying on the above instruction are Alden's Spelling Book, 1st and 2d parts, the Young Ladies' Accidence,, by Caleb Bingham, the American Preceptor, Morse's Geography abridged, the Holy Bible in select portions, and such other books as HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 501 shall hereafter be adopted and appointed by the committee. The book for teaching arithmetic shall be agreed on by the Masters." All the preliminary arrangements having been made, the four schools were opened on the last Monday in October, 1800. The most encouraging circumstances attended the opening of the schools. The number of scholars was greater than had been anticipated. The schools were all well filled with pupils, and that in the fourth district, which included the west part of the town, was soon so full that it became necessary to set off a part of it to the second district, in Meeting street. Still the school in the fourth district continued so large that the second story of the school house was finished for school purposes, the vestry of the Beneficent Congregational church meanwhile being temporarily hired to accommodate part of the school. By the 23d of December following the opening of the schools there were in attendance 180 pupils in the first district, 230 in the second, 240 in the third, and 338 in the fourth, making a total of 988 pupils, out of a population of 7,615. These schools were under the charge of four masters, each of whom received a salary of $500 per annum. Four " ushers " or assistants were also appointed at a salary of $200 each. An auxiliary school was also soon established in the fourth district, and a teacher appointed for it, at a salary of $400. Thus the annual amount paid for tuition alone was $3,200. This ar- rangement continued till 1812. The number of scholars attending the public schools during these twelve years rarely, if ever, exceeded 800. From 1812 to 1818 there were five schools, each having a mas- ter and an usher, with salaries the same as before. In the latter year the town council increased the salaries of the ushers to $250 each. In 1819 a stone school house, standing near the Summer street grammar school building of a later date, w r as built one story high, a second story being afterward added. In October, 1819, the west part of the town was divided into two districts, the fourth retaining the old school house and the fifth occupying a new house in Pond street. This arrangement did not increase the number of schools, as that in the second story of the fourth was now removed to the fifth. From that time to 1824 the schools and teachers remained the same in num- ber. In 1 824 an additional teacher was employed, at a salary of $300, to take charge of a part of the school in the first district, in a separate room. Thus the schools remained until 1828. In 1828, an "Act to establish Free Schools " throughout the state was passed at the January session of the general assembly. A vigor- ous attempt was then made to reorganize the school system of this town. A sub-committee was appointed, consisting of Francis Way- land, Jr., William T. Grinnell and Thomas T. Waterman, who were to take the whole subject under consideration and recommend such alteration and improvements as they might deem necessary. A 502 m HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. very able and exhaustive report was made by them on the 22d of April. This prepared the way for several important changes. A town meeting, to act under the new school law. was held June 2d, 1S28. The school committee was now increased in number to 21 members. One of the first acts of this committee was to establish primary schools in all the districts — the first effort in the direction of graded schools. The primary schools took pupils from four to seven or eight years of age. The primary schools were provided with fe- male teachers, whose annual salary was $175 each, and they had each from 00 to 80 pupils. It soon became necessary to employ an assist- ant in each school, and their salary was $100 each. Previous to 1828 no special provision had been made for colored pupils. A few had attended the public schools. In that year a school was established for them, with one male teacher, on a salary of $400 a year. In 1835 the salaries of masters were raised to $600; of ushers to $300; of primary teachers to $200; of their assistants to $125; and of the master of the colored school to $450. Female assistants in the grammar schools were first employed in 1830. As vacancies occurred among the ushers they were filled by the substitution of lady assist- ants, two in number, at a salary of $175 each. The resignation of all the ushers had in a year or two given room for the employment of lady assistants in all the grammar schools. In August, 1835. the question of establishing a high school for the benefit of the advanced pupils of the city was urged by the school committee, but the city council, after discussing the question, pronounced it " not expedient at this time." Early in 1837 the Association of Mechanics and Manufacturers memorialized the city council, representing the condition of the schools as ineffective, and setting forth by facts and figures cited, and logical arguments, the need of a re-organization of the system. A committee was appointed to report on plans, but their report was not approved. Another plan was presented, but this was also rejec- ted. The people had now become aroused to the needs of the time, and in the election of council members and aldermen in 1837 special reference was had to this question. The result was the election of a city council, a large majority of whom were in favor of an entire re- organization of the public school system of the city. A sub-commit- tee was appointed in August, who visited the schools in Boston, vSalem, Lowell and New Bedford, and, after gathering what useful hints they could from them, reported a plan for re-organizing the system, which plan was under discussion, in the face of much oppo- sition, for several months. The plan was at length reduced to an ordinance, and after some amendments and alterations, was passed by the city council April 9th, 1838. This act provided for the estab- lishment of a high school, six grammar schools, ten primary schools and two schools for colored pupils. All instruction given in them HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 503 should be free to the children of the city. The high school was to be under the care of a preceptor and one or more assistants; each grammar school was to be under the care of a master and at least two female assistants, or one male assistant, at the discreticn cf the school committee; each primary school under the care of a principal and one assistant; and each colored school under a principal and an assistant, whenever, in the opinion of the school committee, the as- sistant was needed. Contracts for the erection of all the school houses contemplated in the ordinance were soon made. The office of superintendent of public schools was meanwhile created, and Mr. Nathan Bishop was appointed to that office, and he entered upon fhe discharge of his duties August 1st, 1839. Early in the year 1840 thirteen of the new school rooms were completed. At the commencement of the summer term in that year all these rooms, containing accommodations for about 2,000 children, were opened for the reception of pupils. Al- though several of the new school houses contemplated in the ordi- nance had not been completed, yet the new school system dates the commencement of its operation from the first clay of June, 1840. At that time a large number of additional teachers were appointed, and the new scale of salaries was for the first time allowed. The average number of children attending the schools from 1819 to this time (1840) each year was as follows: 1819, 830; 1820. 840; 1821, 796; 1822, 845; 1823, 812; 1824, 852; 1825, 800; 1826. 744; 1827, 886; 1828,1,000; 1829,1,260; 1830,1,205; 1831,1,127; 1832,941; 1833,1,129; 1834, 1,222; 1835, 1,266; 1837, 1,536; 1838. 1,717; 1839, 1,740. Thus it will be seen the number of scholars in all the public schools of the city had never exceeded 1,740. The first day on which the new system went into operation, in 1840, more than a thousand pupils entered the public schools who had never been to one before. The number of scholars increased every month, as the prejudice which had long existed against public schools was gradually re- moved. All the rooms were soon crowded to excess. The city council was soon called upon to establish additional primary schools and to erect houses for their accommodation. Within two years the number of scholars in the public schools was more than double that in attendance under the old system. The grammar schools were so full that many pupils who were prepared to enter upon the course of studies therein pursued could not be admitted. To provide for this class a new grade, the intermediate, was introduced into the system. This took in the lowest classes of the grammar schools and the high- est classes of the primary schools. Before the close of the year 1842 all the new school houses required by the public school ordinance were completed, except the building for the high school. The ex- pense of erecting these school buildings was so much more than was expected that a strong opposition was raised against building the 504 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. high school, and the question was submitted to a vote of the city. The result was a large majority in favor of its erection. The build- ing was now begun, but before its completion efforts were again made to prevent its being used for a high school. A city hall was wanted, and a petition to the city council, praying them to repeal the portion of the school ordinance that related to the high school, and appropriate the new building to the uses of a city hall, was industri- ously circulated, but without avail. The building was completed, and its dedication took place on the 20th of March, 1843. The house was built by Tallman & Bucklin, of this city, architects, at a cost of about $8,000. Its site, on an elevated lot at the head of President street, was purchased of Sally Thompson in 1839 for $5,500. The whole cost of building, site, grading, curbing and other incidentals was $21,484.79. The superintendent of schools became at the com- mencement the principal of the high school, with four assistant teachers. The four assistants with which the school began were: Henry Day, Albert Harkness, Esther J. Coburn and Mary Williams. The annual cost of instruction per pupil in the high school in 1843-4 was about $14. From that it rose gradually, until in 1870 it was $26. In 1878 it was $37. The high school began to be crowded as early as 1869. Addi- tional rooms were opened and filled up. A new high school building, after being under discussion for several years, was actually begun in March, 1877, and completed during that and the following year. The public schools of Providence have long been the pride of the citizens, and the high standard which they have maintained has given them a well merited reputation. The city has been liberal in their support, and the benefits of the schools to the community have well repaid the expenditures for their establishment and mainten- ance. The largely increased attendance, due considerably within a year or two to the effects of the truant law, has been provided for in a great measure by the erection of new school buildings, and the ap- propriations therefor have been liberally made. The number of boys of school age at the enumeration of 1888 was 11,444; the number of girls 11,010; making a total number of children between the ages of five and sixteen years of 23,054 residing in the city. Of these there were 14,634 attending the public schools, 3,299 attending Ro- man Catholic schools, and 688 attending select schools. Thus 18,621 were reported as attending school somewhere. There are now em- ployed in the schools of the city 23 male teachers and 337 female teachers. The number of months of service by male teachers per- formed during the year was 209, and that of service by female teach- ers aggregated 3,480. The aggregate annual salaries of male teach- ers was $33,800; that of female teachers $186,118.37; making the total amount paid for teachers' salaries $219,918.37. The cost per capita of pupils enrolled was $12.15. There are at present in the city 57 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 505 •school buildings, the aggregate valuation of which, with their sites and appurtenances, amounts to $1,041,249. The state appropriations to the city for school purposes for the year was $28,529.6!». The city appropriations additional amount to $228,000. The office of superin- tendent of the city schools, since its creation, has been occupied by the following persons: Nathan Bishop, August, 1839, to 1851; Samuel S. Greene, 1851 to 1855; Reverend Daniel Leach, February 15th, 1855,' to 1884; Horace S. Tarbell, September 1st, 1884, to the present time. The public school buildings of the city at the present time may be •described as follows: The Thayer Street grammar school house was built of brick, in 1866-7, is three stories high, with French roof. The lot was purchased of Allen O. Peck, in 1866, and John L. Calder, in 1869, and cost $11,920. The cost of the building was $96,290.83. The Arnold Street school house was built of brick, in 1839-40, is three :stories high, and accommodates 550 pupils. The lot measures 183 feet on Arnold street and 96 feet on Brook street, and was purchased •of Samuel Dexter and others in 1839. East Street school house was l^uilt in 1841. is a frame building, and is three stories high. It is used for intermediate and primary schools. The plat measures 98 feet on East street and 100 feet on Transit street, and was purchased of Wil- liams Thayer in 1840, and of Harriot Brown in 1848. The Manning- Street school house was built of wood, one story, for intermediate and primary schools. It was erected in 1875-6, at a cost for land and building of $13,417. The lots were bought of Edwin M. Snow in 1875. All the foregoing are in the First school district. The Second school district contains the following buildings: Doyle Avenue grammar school house, built of brick, three stories high, will accommodate 490 pupils. It was erected in 1875-6 on land leased of the Dexter Donation, and cost, finished and ready for occu- pancy, $52,793.63. A play ground and entrance from Bacon street was purchased in 1873, of Amos N. Beckwith, Paris Winsor and Wil- liam Schroeder. The Benefit Street school house was built in 1839- 40, of brick, is three stories high, and accommodates 550 pupils. It stands on a corner lot, measuring 145 feet on. Benefit street and 175 feet on Halsey street. The estate was conveyed by Joseph Whipple to the proprietors of a new school house in January, 1768, for the use -of a school, and for no other use forever. These proprietors con- veyed it to the town in August, 1799. Other lots were purchased — one of Ann P. Townsend, widow, in 1825; one of Thomas L. Halsey and others in January, 1840, and one of Ann E. Pratt and Samuel W. Peckham. guardian, in November, 1851. The Camp Street school house, a frame building, two stories high, was built in 1884-5, for in- termediate and primary schools. It is located on the west side of Camp street, on the corner of Cypress street. The lot is known as the Sessions land, and the cost of the building, furnished, was $13,- 107.95. The Graham Street school house is built of brick, two stories 506 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. high, and is used for intermediate and primary schools. It occupies two lots; one of them was purchased frcm Horace A. Brown in Oc- tober, the other from John A. Taft in November, 1854. The Meeting; Street school house, a two story brick building, stands on a lot hav- ing 52 feet front on the street named, and extending back 127 feet to South Court street, on which it measures 64 feet. The estate was con- veyed to the town in 1776 by Ambrose Page, for the erection of a school house, and for no other purpose. The school house was soon after erected upon it. The Thayer Street school house, on the corner of Thayer and Meeting streets, a frame building, two stoiies high r was erected in 186(5, for intermediate and grammar schools. The es- tate was purchased of James Tillinghast, tiustee, in 1867. The cost of building and land was $10,500. A lot on Slater avenue was bought of Henry L. Aldrich, December 26th, 1887, for school purposes, and cost $2,500. It is located on the easterly side of and having a frontage of 100 feet on the avenue, between Lloyd and Irving avenues, and extending back 250 feet. In the Third school district we find the following buildings and grounds: State Street school house, a wooden building, three stories high, is used for intermediate and primary schools. The lot extends from State street back to the railroad. A portion of it was purchased of Martha Howell, in 1843, and the remainder of Edward P. Knowles. in 1858. The Walling Street school house, a two story wooden build- ing, for intermediate and primary schools, stands on a lot 72 by 100 feet, which was purchased of Daniel E. Carpenter, in 1857. The estimated value of the property is now about $5,000. The Candace Street grammar school house, was built in 1876, of brick, two stories, with French roof, and cost, furnished, $41,000. The land was pur- chased of Candace C. Carrington and Anne A. Ives, in 1875. It measures 146 feet on Goddard, 145 feet on Orms, and 176 feet on Candace street. Branch Avenue grammar school house, a w r ooden building, two stories high, was received from the town of North Providence in the annexation of the Tenth ward in 1874. The lot fronts on Branch avenue and Luna street, and adjoins the " town house lot," so called. Chalkstone avenue school house, a two story. wooden building, for intermediate and primary schools, was also re- ceived from the town of North Providence in 1874. The lot measures 108 feet on the avenue, and runs back about 150 feet to Wayne street. The lot and building are worth about $15,000. A lot on Yeazie street, measuring 111 feet front and extending back 164 feet on the south side, and 212 feet on the north side, was bought of the Wans- kuck company June 14th, 1887, for school purposes, and cost $1,500. A wooden school house, containing six rooms, is now 7 in process of erection upon it. The school buildings in the Fourth district are as follows: The Fountain Street school house, a two-story brick building, was erected HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 507 in 1839-40. It is occupied in part for ward room purposes, and by the state for a deaf and dumb school. The lot measures 113 feet on Sabin street, 165 on Fountain, and 101 on Beverly. It was purchased in different lots, at different times and of different persons, as fol- lows: four lots from Pardon Taber, Ethan Tourtellot and Thomas Brown, in October, 1838; two lots from Martha Mauran, John Eddy and others, in 1853, and a part of a private street from Marshall B. Mead and others, in October, 1854. The present value of the prop- erty is probably about $70,000. On the north part of the same lot stands the two-story wooden building, known as the Sabin Street school house, which is occupied by intermediate and primary schcols. Two lots on Atwell's avenue, measuring 90 feet on that street and 164 feet on Bourn street, were bought for school purposes in 1870, of Joseph Knowles and the heirs of Bradford Allen. Their present value is about $16,000. Beacon Street school house is a wooden building, two stories high, used for intermediate and primary schools. The lot measures 58 by 100 feet, and was purchased of George W. and Charles J. Wheeler, in November, 1843. The property is at present worth about $12,000. The school buildings in the Fifth school district are as follows: The Point Street grammar school house was built in 1873-4, of Dan- vers pressed brick, and is two stories high, with a French roof. The lot was bought in 1871-2, of H. C. Mathewson and others, at a cost of $67,131.71 . The cost of the building was $133,608.48. This is one of the finest school buildings in the city. It is 131 feet by 86 feet on the ground and 63 feet high. The rear end is increased in width to- 109 feet by extensions and towers at the corners. In the center of the rear is the bell tower which is surmounted by a spire, the top of which is 110 feet from the ground. The foundation of the building is of Westerly granite. The lower floor is supported by brick arches,, the floors above by iron pillars, and the roof by 18 substantial trusses. The face walls are ornamented by galvanized iron cornices, jets, dormer windows, balustrades, etc. A large corridor from the main entrance extends into the building 86 feet, where it joins another which runs crosswise of the building; and connecting; with side entrances in the corner towers. The first and second floors- contain six rooms each. Broad staircases in the front and rear lead to the rooms above. The school rooms are 31 by 33 feet, with am- ple wardrobes for each room. Each room is furnished with 49 sin- gle desks and seats. The building is supplied with all the modern improvements, heated by steam, all the rooms connected by electric bells with the principal's desk, play rooms in the basement and two assembly halls in the third story, one 78 by 82 feet, and the other 78 by 40 feet, both of which can be thrown together by opening- partition doors. The architect of the building was Clifton A. Hall, and the building commissioners Cyrus B. Manchester, Joseph F. 508 HISTORY of PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Gilmore and Spencer B. Read. The Elm Street intermediate and primary school house was built of brick, in 1839-40. The lot meas- ures 122 feet on Elm, and 50 feet on Elbow street, its depth being 230 feet. It was purchased of Pardon Clark and Horatio Bassett, in 1838. The present value of the lot and building is probably about $32,000. The Richmond Street school house, a three-story brick building, for intermediate and primary schools, occupies a lot near Ship street, having a front of 104 feet and an average depth of 100 feet. The land was purchased of Stephen Waterman, in 1825. Building and lot are now valued at about $25,000. The' Hospital Street school house is a brick building, of three stories, occupied by intermediate and primary schools. It stands on a corner lot, measuring 90 feet on Hospital, and 51 feet on Borden street. The lot was purchased of Ferdinand Barber, in 1846. The Somerset Street school house, for intermediate and primary schools, is a wooden building, erected in 1880, at a cost, when furnished, of $14,007.04. The lot was bought of Henry G. Russell and wife, in 1885. Friendship Street school house is a brick building, two stories high, for intermediate and primary schools. It occupies a corner lot fronting SO feet on Friendship and 190 feet on Portland street, and extending back to West Clifford street. The lot was purchased of Cyrus Butler and William H. Hoyt, in 1847. We come now to notice the school buildings of the Sixth school district. The Oxford Street grammar school building is the finest one in the district. It is three stories high and built of brick. It was completed in 1877 and cost, when finished and furnished, $48,158. The plat on which it stands fronts 135 feet on Oxford street, and has a depth of 170 feet. Four lots were received from the town of Crans- ton in 1867, and two others were purchased of Ebenezer Hirons, in 1875, and of Smith Potter and wife, in 1876. The Public Street school house, a wooden building, two stories, for intermediate and primary schools, occupies a plat 80 feet wide on public street, and 200 feet deep. The land was purchased of Elkanah Ingalls, by the Fourth school district of the town of Cranston, in 1854, and came into pos- session of the city of Providence with the annexation of part of that town to the city. The estate may be valued at about $12,000. The Eddy Street school house, a two-story frame structure, is used for intermediate and primary schools. The plot has a frontage of 104 feet, and was purchased of Sylvester R. Jackson by the Fourth school district of the town of Cranston, in 1865. The Thurber Avenue school house was built in 1872-3. It is of brick, two stories, and is occupied by intermediate and primary schools. The lot measures 343 feet on Plane street and 100 feet on Thurber avenue. A part of this land was received from the town of Cranston in 1867, and parts were pur- chased of Thomas Davis in 1871, 1872 and 1873. The property is worth about $36,000. Chester Avenue school house for intermediate HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 509' and primary schools, was built of wood, in 1880-1, at a cost of $9,343.26, including- cost of outbuildings and improvements on the lot. The land was bought of Susan P. Dart, in 1880. Aldrich Street primary school house, a wooden building, was erected in 1870, and when completed and furnished had cost $4,814.78. The lots on which it stands were purchased of Francis M. Andrews in 1875, and are val- ued at about equal with the building. The Harriet Street school house, for intermediate and primary schools, was built in 1884-5. It is a wooden building, and its cost, including improvements on the lot and furniture inside the building, $12,299.09. The lot was bought of James P. Arnold, in 1884, its cost being $3,840. It contains an area of 12,800 square feet. Plane Street school house, for intermediate and primary schools, a frame building, was erected in 1884 5. With the appurtenances its cost was $12,400. The lot on which it stands was purchased of Hiram K. Stevens, in 1884, at a cost of $4,000. The lot is the same size as the Harriet street lot. A lot on Peace and Plenty streets was bought of D. F. Longstreet, May 7th, 1887, for $8,000. This lot measures 120 feet on Peace street, and extends through to Plenty street, a depth of 198 feet. A grammar school building is now in process of construction upon it. This is building of brick, and will contain 12 rooms. In the Seventh school district we find six school buildings, some of which are worthy a more extended notice than our limited space will allow. The Warren.Street school house is a two-story wooden building, for intermediate and primary schools. It stands on a lot fronting 95 feet on Fuller and 100 on Warren street. The lot was bought of Charles Blackmar in 1866 and Holden O. Hill in 1868- The property is estimated to be worth $20,000. The Jackson Avenue school house, for intermediate and primary schools, is a brick build- ing, two stories high. It has two school rooms 27 by 36 feet in each story, and each room having seats for 80 scholars. Ample recitation rooms are connected with each room. The building is heated by furnaces and provided with approved means of ventilation. The cost of the building was $17,405.64, to which was added an expense of $2,814.42 for furniture, heating, fencing, apparatus and the like. It was built in 1874, on land bought of Melinda J. Sheldon in 1873. Bellevue Avenue school house, for intermediate and primary schools, is a two-story wooden building, and was erected in 1886 at a cost of $12,868.98, including furniture, etc. The land on which it stands was bought in 1885 of W. M. and E. S. Greene and Jackson Institution for Savings. Elmwood grammar school house was built in 1882-3. It is a handsome building, the foundation being of granite and trim- mings of freestone, while the main walls are of brick. It is two- stories high, with a hall, and will accommodate 450 pupils. The cost of building, furniture, heating apparatus, grading, out-buildings and the like was $51,128.63. The lot was purchased of the Union Sav- 510 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. ings Bank, Harriet N. Guile and Stephen Colvin in 1881, for $8,444, and contains 27,600 square feet. Greenwich Street school house is a frame structure, two stories high, and is used for intermediate and primary schools. The lot occupies the corner of Greenwich street and Potter's avenue, and contains 30,626 square feet. It was received from the town of Cranston in I860. The lot and building are esti- mated to be worth about $25,000. Potter's Avenue school house, a two-story brick building, was erected in 1869 at a cost of $12,000. The lot measures 200 feet on the avenue by 160 feet on Brattle street, and extends back to Jessamine street. It was deeded to the Tenth school district of the town of Cranston by Thomas Goodacre in 1865. In the Eighth school district the most conspicuous and important building- in the system of public schools of the city is located. This is the high school building on Summer street. This stands upon a lot which measures 197 feet on Pond street and 209 feet on Summer street. The land was purchased in different parcels, of different per- sons at different times; of Henry Mathewson in 1828, of J. K. and Amy Angell in 1839, of Elisha Durfee in 1848, of S. B. Briggs in 1867, of S. B. Briggs, Harriet Cornell, Jabez Harris and E. H. Bab- cock in 1874, of Jesse P. Eddy in 1875, and of Alexander P. Niger in 1877. Part of the lot had been occupied by the old Summer Street school house before the erection of this building. The original price paid for that part of the lot was $2,000, and the cost of land bought for its enlargement was $56,974.63. The building was erected in 1877-8 at a cost of $159,938.22, including the appurtenances. The building is 152 by 129 feet, and three stories in height, the stories be- ing 15 feet each. The building fronts on three streets, having entrances for girls from Summer street, for boys from Spring street, and for teachers and visitors from Pond street. The foundations are of granite and the walls are of brick, with trimmings of Ohio stone. The first floor is traversed by corridors crossing each other at right angles, and there are four school rooms, each one 34 by 42 feet, and furnished with seventy single desks. Ample recitation rooms and wardrobes are connected with each school room. On either side of the corridor opening from Pond street is a reception room, where visitors may wait while a call is being answered for an interview with any person in the building. There is a philosophical lecture room on the main floor and a chemical laboratory in the basement. The second floor has school rooms the same as the first floor, and one additional over the philosophical lecture room. Staircases are located at each end of the building. The third floor contains the general assembly hall, which is 64 by 108 feet in floor area, and is calculated to seat 1,400 persons. On the south side of this floor are three additional school rooms. The building has accommodations for 900 pupils. The school committee, in their latest report, say con- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTS'. 511 cerning it: "The time is near at hand when our high school building- will no longer accommodate the pupils seeking admission to it. The increase in the attendance at the high school since the present build- ing was first occupied has kept pace with the increase in school popu- lation. The school has deservedly grown in favor with all classes. It has been the principal source from which the teachers for our pub- lic schools have been drawn, and has thus rendered to the public a valuable, we might almost say an adequate, return for the expense of its maintenance. It is the avenue by which the aspiring young in the humbler walks of life find it possible to reach the higher ranks. Sixty-three per centum of those who have entered the gradu- ating classes of the grammar schools during the last five years have entered the high school." Also in the Eighth school district we find the following schools. The Summer Street school house is at the corner of Summer and Pond streets. It accommodates intermediate and primary schools. It is a brick structure, built in 1875, at a cost, when finished and fur- nished, of $30,000. The lot measures 100 by 120 feet, and was pur- chased of Rosina Angell and George R. A.Olneyin 1819. Bridgham grammar school house is a handsome brick building, three stories high, containing twelve rooms and a hall. It stands on Bridgham street, on a lot having 150 feet front and extending back 175 feet to Dodge street. The lot was purchased of John N. Fraiicis, Amos Lee and Henry Gilbert in 1856, and with the building upon it is valued at about $90,000. The Hammond Street school house is a brick build- ing, three stories high, for intermediate and primary schools. The lot, 100 by 150 feet, is leased of the commissioners of the Dexter Donation. The building is estimated to be worth about $6,000. The Messer Street school house, for intermediate and primary schools, is a brick building, erected in 1874-5. It is two stories high, and occu- pies a lot fronting 153 feet on Messer street and 115 feet on Willow street, the lot being bought of Rufus Waterman, trustee, in 1868. The cost of the building, finished and furnished, was $35,000. The main body of the house is 63 by 70 feet, with a projection 40 by 12 feet at each end. It has granite foundations, and trimmings of alternate granite and North River flagging. It has desk room for 392 pupils. It is heated by furnaces in the basement, and is sup- plied with improved means of ventilation. In the Ninth school district the Federal Street grammar school house is the largest and most important school building. It was erected in 1869-70 on land purchased of Stephen Rawson in vSeptem- ber, 1841, and of Barney Devlin, John P. Hazard, and Mary A. Kain, in June. 1868. It is situated on a high point of land, and has prob- ably the best point of view of the city to be obtained anywhere. The house measures 77-| feet on Federal street by 97 feet on Dean street, is four stories high, and is built in the Romanesque style, of Danvers 512 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. pressed brick, laid in white mortar, double walls, eight inches thick, with an air chamber between to equalize the temperature. The foun- dation is of red Oneco granite, overlaid with a water table of Con- necticut freestone. From the ground to the highest point of the roof the measure is 88 feet, and to the top of the bell tower 104 feet. The basement is divided into four large rooms, each containing- a Lawson furnace. On the first three floors there are twelve school rooms, each 31 by 38 feet in size, and furnished with desks for 56 pupils, making an aggregate seating capacity amounting to 672 in the whole building. The fourth story is a hall, 73 feet square, with walls 22 feet high, and large ante-rooms. The cost of the building was $96.- 137.02. The old Federal Street school house, a two-story wooden building, standing on the westerly part of the same lot, was built in 1842, and is used for intermediate and primary schools. The Carpen- ter Street school house, for intermediate and primary schools, is a two-story brick building, standing on a lot fronting 124 feet on Car- penter and 120 feet on Pallas street. The land was purchased of Dexter Pierce in 1850, and a small strip additional of William E. Richmond in 1867. The estate is probably worth about $20,000. The Harris Avenue school house is a two-story frame building, used for primary and intermediate schools, occupies a lot which was pur- chased of William C. Snow in June, 1855. The Ring Street school house is a brick building, used for the same grades as the last men- tioned. The lot, which has a front of 120 feet, was purchased of Thurston E. Phetteplace in June, 1855. The value of the property is about $16,000. Africa Street school house was built in 1880-81, at a cost of $9,540.65, including furniture and appurtenances. The new Atwell's Avenue school house, a handsome brick building, contain- ing six school rooms, was completed in 1888, and was occupied in the spring of 1889 for the first time. It stands on the north side of the avenue, near Dean street, on a lot bought of James McNally and others in 1886, at a cost of $15,000. In the Tenth school district we find the following buildings: The Berlin Street school house was built in 1883. It is a two-story frame structure for primary and intermediate schools. Its cost, when fur- nished, was $10,700. The lot on which it stands occupies the corner of Berlin street and Chalkstone avenue, and was purchased in July, 1882, of Albert L. Andrews, for $2,002.33. Mount Pleasant grammar school house is built of brick, two stories, and affords seating capa- city for 538 pupils. The estate, fronting 199 feet on Atwell's avenue by 118 feet on Putnam street, was received from the town of North Providence in 1874. The value of lot and building is estimated at $22,000. A lot on Academy avenue was bought for school purposes in August, 1887. of William H. Bowen, and cost $6,650. It contains 32,765 square feet. Plans for a grammar school building to be erected upon it have been adopted, and its erection has been authorized by HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 513 the proper authorities. Manton grammar and intermediate school house is a wooden building, two stories high, and seating 122 pupils. The lot measures 162 feet on Chalkstone avenue and 124 feet on the Fruit Hill road, and was received from the town of North Provi- dence in 1874. The Julian Street intermediate and primary school house is a wooden structure, two stories in height, an'd was built in 1875, at a cost, when finished and furnished, of $11,003.95. The lot was purchased of Robert E. Northam, trustee, in 1875, and faces Ju- lian and Capron streets, 94 feet on the former and 112 feet on the latter. Admiral Street primary school house was built of wood in 1876, at a cost, furnished, of $4,578.84. The lot was bought of George H. Corliss in 1875 and 1884. The Amherst Street intermediate and primary school house is a two-story wooden building, erected in 1880. With the appurtenances the cost amounted to $9,265.48. The plat on which it stands was bought of Patrick and Susan McKenna in 1880. The Smith Street intermediate and primary school house was built in 1884-5. It is of brick, two stories, and has six school rooms. Its cost, when furnished, was $32,000. The lot on which this building is located is situated on the corner of Smith and Duke streets, and was purchased of Patrick Donnelly in 1884. The Coville Street school house is a two-story wooden building for an intermediate school. It was built in 1886, at a cost of $14,908.73. The lot was bought of Ellen R. Bursley in 1885. A number of evening schools have also for several years been maintained as a part of the public school system of the city. The appropriation for their support has been for several years $15,000 annually. In 1888 it w r as increased to $16,000. These schools are carried on in the localities of manufacturing industries, and are de- signed to reach a large class of operatives, who have no opportunity free from their daily labor to attend any other school. They have usually begun in October or November, and continued for a term of from 13 to 19 weeks. During the fall and winter term of 1888-9 about 1,300 pupils over 15 years of age attended the evening schools, and a large proportion of these were adults. There were 11 schools, located on the following streets: Harrison, Onus, Public, Wanskuck, Meeting, East, Richmond, Charles and America, and at Olneyville and Manton. The schools opened for that term with 131 teachers, 11 principals and a visiting principal. Some statistical facts in relation to the schools of Providence will be of interest in conclusion. The total expenditures for schools, in- cluding teachers' salaries, buildings, repairs and incidentals, for the year past, was $381,466.81. The school census and attendance at the public schools for several years past have been as follows, the first figures following each date giving the census, and the second figures giving the attendance: 1835, 5,195, 1,456; 1855, 9,217,5,730; 1879, 17,684, 11,240; 1880, 19,10S, 11,429; 1881, 19,819, 12,102; 1882,21,- m 514 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 300, 12,087; 1883, 22,092, 13,140; 1884, 21,676, 13,332; 1885, 22,515, 14,136; 1886,22,813,14,687; 1887,23,391,15,500; 1888, 23,054, 14.634; 1889, 22,947, 14,850. The attendance in Catholic schools in certain years has been: 1855,606; 1879, 2,676; 1880,2,759; 1881,2,742; 1882, 2,832; 1883, 3,197; 1884. 3,147; 1885, 3,250; 1886, 3,267; 1887, 3,248; 1888, 3.299; 1889, 3,403. The attendance in private schools for certain years has been: 1835,2,135; 1855,680; 1879,809; 1880,979; 1881,857; 1882, 861; 1883. 950; 1884, 899; 1885, 929; 1886,734; 1887,765; 1888,688; 1889, 711. The cost of tuition in the public schools of the city has aver- aged for each scholar during several years past as follows: 1877, §14.94; 1878, $15.79; 1879, $13.44; 1880, $13.67; 1881, $14.37; 1882, $13.99; 1SS3, $13.06; 1884, $13.13: 18S5, $13.48; 1886, $13.65; 1887, $13.52; 1888, 813-52. But to no other institution does Providence point with so much commendable pride as to that grand conservator of first principles and exponent of the progress of the centuries in education, culture and sound doctrine. Brown University. This institution grew out of the desire of the Baptists in America to secure for their denomina- tion a liberal education without subjection to any of those sectarian tests which were so repugnant to them. The four cardinal principles advocated by the Baptists were: liberty of conscience, the entire separation of church and state, baptism by immersion, applied only to believers, and a converted church membership. On these points they were at variance with the leading religious ideas of the colonies. In the year 1762 the Philadelphia Baptist Association resolved to es- tablish a college in the colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plan- tations. It may be helpful to a better understanding of the condi- tions and surroundings under which this college was founded, to notice for a moment the religious tone of the period of its conception. At the middle of the last century then we find there were but two colleges in New England, one at Cambridge and the other at New Haven. Both were exclusively under the government of the Con- gregationalists, and strongly engaged in the maintenance and advo- cacy of their creed and church polity. Here let us hold up the pic- ture of the times as drawn by men living in near association with these institutions. From the words of Doctor Wisner, formerly pas- tor of the Old South church, Boston, we quote: "The door having been professedly as well as really opened for persons without piety to enter the church, as a natural consequence there soon ceased to be any let or hindrance to their entering the ministry. And there is painful evidence that previous to 1740, many of this description did enter the ministry." On the same subject Reverend Doctor Dutton, of New Haven, wrote: "In the beginning of the 18th century, from 17<><) to 1735, we find that religion in New England was in a vervlow condition. It had degenerated into lifeless formalism, like a tree whose bark and external form are complete, but whose heart and' HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 515 strength have decayed. The distinction between those who served God and those who served him not, was passing, and had in a great measure passed, away." The preaching of Whitfield and his associates, which commenced in New England in 1740, created a schism in the Congregational churches. The smaller number of the clergy favored revivals of religion and the pointed, personal style of preaching adopted by the revivalists. But the great majority, with the two colleges at their head, opposed the whole system. The Baptists, in every place, sym- pathized warmly with the former, being strenucus advccates of ex- perimental religion. Indeed, of the many Baptist churches which sprang up in different places at this time, the greater part were the immediate fruit of those revivals, and offshoots from the '' New Light" Congregational churches. With these reinforcements the advocates of these peculiar principles were strengthened, and it was indeed highly appropriate that when the establishment of an institu- tion of learning conformable to Baptist ideas was proposed, the choice of its location should settle upon the spot where from the foundation of civilized society those principles had been the distinc- tive features in its social and political, as well as in its religious life. When this resolution was determined upon, as we have said, by the Philadelphia Baptist Association, the Reverend James Manning, a graduate of the College of New Jersey, was commissioned by them to travel through the northern colonies for the purpose of furthering this project. We should hardly be just to the memory of one who was largely instrumental in the founding of this college were we to pass over this period of its existence, or rather its inception, without mentioning the connection of Reverend Morgan Edwards with it. Mr. Edwards was a native of Wales, and withal an ardent admirer of his fellow countryman, Roger Williams. He was the pastor of the First Bap- tist church of Philadelphia, and the prime mover in the project of establishino- the Rhode Island College, as Brown Universitv was at first called. In 1767 he materially aided it again, by soliciting, in England, the first funds for its endowment. In the summer of 1763, Mr. Manning, to whom the enterprise had been entrusted, visited Newport and held an interview with Colonel John Gardner, deputy governor of the colony and justice of the supreme court, and through the friendly aid thus secured, a char- ter was obtained from the general assembly in February, 1764. This charter provided for the exclusion of all religious tests for applicants for admission, and of all sectarian teachings in the college course; also for equality of privileges for all Protestant denominations, and the choice of professors without regard to denominational views. The name of the corporation was decreed by the charter to be "Trustees and Fellows of the College, or University in the English Colony of Rhode 516 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Island and Providence Plantations, in New England, in America." But the act empowered the trustees and fellows, at any time there- after, to give a more particular name to the college, "in honor of the greatest and most distinguished benefactor, or otherwise, as they shall think proper." The government of the college and the first board of official members are well set forth in the following para- graph which we copy from the charter: "And furthermore, by the authority aforesaid.it is hereby enacted, ordained and declared, that it is now. and at all times hereafter shall continue to be, the unalterable constitution of this college, or uni- versity, that the corporation thereof shall consist of two branches, to wit: that of the trustees, and that of the fellowship, with distinct, separate and respective powers; and that the number of the trustees shall, and may be, thirty-six; of which, tw r enty-two shall forever be elected of the denomination called Baptists, or Antipa_ j dobaptistsr five shall forever be elected of the denomination called Friends or Quakers; four shall forever be elected of the denomination called Congregationalists, and five shall forever be elected of the denomi- nation called Episcopalians; and that the succession in this branch shall be forever chosen and filled up from the respective dencmina- tions in this proportion, and according to these numbers, which are hereby fixed, and shall remain to perpetuity immutably the same; and that the said vStephen Hopkins, Joseph Wanton, Samuel Ward,. William Ellery, John Tillinghast, Simon Pease, James Honyman, Nicholas Easton, Nicholas Tillinghast, Darius Sessions, Joseph Har- ris, Francis Willett, Daniel Jenckes, George Hazard, Nicholas Brown, Jeremiah Niles, John G. Wanton, Joshua Clarke, Gardner Thurston,. John Greaves, John Maxson, John Gano, Samuel Winsor, Isaac Eaton, Samuel Stillman, Russel Mason, Elisha Reynolds, Josias Lyn- don, Job Bennet, Ephraim Bowen, John Taylor, Jonathan Slade. Robert Shettell Jones, Azariah Dunham, Edward Thurston, Jr., and Peleg Barker; or such, or so many of them as shall qualify them- selves, as aforesaid, shall be, and they are hereby declared and estab- lished the first and present trustees. And that the number of the fellows, inclusive of the president (who shall always be a fellow), shall, and may be, twelve; of which, eight shall be forever elected of the denomination called Baptists, or Antipaedobaptists; and the rest indifferently of any or all denominations; and that the Reverend Edward Upham. the Reverend Jeremiah Condv. the Reverend Mar- madukc Brown, the Reverend Morgan Edwards, the Reverend Ezra Stiles, the Reverend Samuel Jones, the Reverend James Manning, William Logan, Esq., Joshua Babcock, Esq., Mr. Thomas Eyres, and Thomas Hazard, or such, or so many of them as shall qualify them- selves, as aforesaid, shall be, and they are hereby declared the first and present fellows and fellowship, to whom the president, when hereafter elected (who shall forever be of the denomination called HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 517 Baptists or Antipaedobaptists), shall be joined to complete the number." This college was the seventh American college in order of the date of its establishment. In 1765, Mr. Manning, who had in the meantime become the pastor of a church in Warren, and had opened a Latin school there, was elected the first president of the college. This election was held at Newport, September 3d, and as the college had as yet no permanent abiding place, Mr. Manning was empowered to act as president of the college and professor of all branches of learning to be taught, " at Warren or elsewhere." In accordance with this commission President Manning began the work of the col- lege at his own residence in Warren, and the first student was Wil- liam Rogers, then a lad of 14 years, son of Captain William Rogers, of Newport, and he was also the only student in the college for three- quarters of a year. But the small seed which had thus been planted soon began to grow, and more encouraging results soon began to crown the efforts of those who labored for its success. In 1766, Mr. David Howell, a graduate of the College of New Jersey, became Mr. Manning's assistant. Funds being needed, both for the support of the instructors and for the ultimate erection of a suitable college building, Mr. Edwards, in 1767, visited England and Ireland, for the purpose of soliciting aid. His subscription paper, bearing the honored names of Benjamin Franklin and Benjamin W T est, may still be seen in the college archives. Collections for the same purpose were made in South Carolina and Georgia, and in the Philadelphia churches. The first commencement was celebrated at Warren, September 7th, 1769, at which time seven young men were graduated. These were Joseph Belton, Joseph Eaton, William Rogers, Richard Stites, Charles Thompson, Jacob M. Varnum and William Williams. A contemporary account preserves the interesting facts, that both the president and the candidates were dressed in clothing of American manufacture, and that the audience, composed of many of the first ladies and gentlemen of the colony, behaved with great decorum. The institution now began to attract attention. The prophetic conviction now began to fasten itself upon the people that the col- lege was to become a power, and at once four different towns became ambitious for the honor of becoming the site of the building which it was proposed to erect for it. Into this contest Newport, Provi- dence, Warren and East Greenwich entered with more or less vigor. The site was to be determined by the largest contributions to the building fund. The efforts of Providence and Newport soon out- stripped the others so far that they withdrew from the race, and the question of site lay between the two semi-capitals. Newport raised ;£4,000, but Providence advanced on that sum by £280, beside offer- ing "advantages superior to Newport in other respects." The ques- 518 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. tion was finally decided at a meeting" of the corporation held in War- ren, February 7th, 1770, when, after a discussion of the matter continued from 10 o'clock Wednesday morning till 10 o'clock Thurs- day night, a decision in favor of Providence was reached by a vote of 21 to 14. The president and Professor Howell soon after removed to Providence, and for a time occupied the upper part of the brick school house on Meeting street for prayers and recitations. In 1770 the foundation of University Hall, the oldest of the col- lege buildings, was laid. The ceremony of laying the corner stone was observed on the 14th of May, the honor of placing it being con- ferred upon John Brown. The site selected for the building was the crest of a hill which then commanded a view of the bay, the river with the town on its banks, and a broad reach of country on all sides. The land comprised about eight acres, and included a part of the original home lot of Chad Brown, one of the prominent band of early settlers and associates of Roger Williams. Still the college and its work made but little progress so far as increase of students was con- cerned. The number of the graduating classes for several years was as follows: 1770, 4; 1771, 6; 1772, 6; 1773, 5; 1774, 6; 1775, 10; 1776, 9; 1777, 7; 1782, 7; 1783, 6; 1786, 15; 1787, 10; 1788, 20; 1789, 9; 1790. 22: 1791, 16; 1792, 17; 1793, 12; 1794, 20; 1795, 26; 1796, 17; 1797, 23; 1798. 18; 1799, 24; 1800, 23. From that time forward the number rarely fell below 20, but gradually increased. During a part of the revolutionary period, from 1777 to 1782, the college was disbanded, and a gap occurred in its history. Some of the students entered the army, while others completed their studies elsewhere. The dormitories and recitation rooms were surrendered to the use of the state militia, and to the sick and wounded of our French allies. President Manning, after receiving the honor of be- ing elected to represent this district in the congress of the United States in 1786, closed his useful and honorable career in 1791, while in the 54th year of his age. President Manning was succeeded by the Reverend Doctor Jona- than Maxey, who, during the previous year, had held the temporary appointment of professor of divinity. He was at the head of the col- lege for ten years, resigning in 1802, after which he became presi- dent of Union College, and in 1804 president of the College of South Carolina. The third president of the Rhode Island College was Reverend Asa Messer, a graduate under Manning in the class of 1790. He held the office through a period of 24 years, extending to 1826. It was during the early part of his administration that the college received its present name. In 1804 Mr. Nicholas Brown, a member of a family already celebrated in the annals of the state for their public spirit and mercantile enterprise and integrity, and a graduate of the college under Doctor Manning, presented to the cor- poration $5,000, as the foundation of a professorship of oratory and HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 519 belles lettres. He had already given the college a valuable collec- tion of law books. It was now voted that in his honor the institution should be named Brown University. The benefactions of Mr. Brown, however, did not stop here. The entire sum of his benefactions and bequests amounted in value to $160,000. " Hope College" was erec- ted at his expense in 1821-2, as a memorial to his only sister, Mrs. Hope Ives. In his letter to the corporation on this occasion he said: " Believing that the dissemination of knowledge and letters is the great means of social happiness, I have caused this edifice to be erec- ted, and now present it to this corporation, to be held with their other corporate property, according to their charter." The means for the accommodation of students were, by this act of munificence, more than doirbled. Important deficiencies in vari- ous departments, however, remained yet to be supplied. The philo- sophical apparatus, which had been purchased at different times, had become, by ordinary wear and accident, almost unfit for use. By the liberality of Mr. Brown and his brother-in-law, Thomas P. Ives, this department was supplied with a complete set of apparatus, so that it was furnished with as ample means for philosophical illustration as almost any in the country, and superior to those possessed by many similar institutions in Europe at the time. These instruments were received in the year 1829. The library was still in its primitive con- dition. It was crowded into a room in University Hall. In order to give it a new impetus it was proposed to raise a subscription of $25,- 000, of which the interest was to be forever appropriated to the in- crease of the library and the purchase of philosophical instruments. To this fund Mr. Brown gave the sum of $10,000, and in order to the perfect accomplishment of the object, erected at his own expense a library room and chapel. To this edifice Mr. Brown, in testimony of veneration for his former instructor, gave the name of Manning- Hall. It was opened by appropriate services in February, 1835. The amount given by Mr. Brown on this occasion fell but little short of $30,000. Other needs of the institution soon became apparent, and Mr. Brown again came forward with his accustomed liberality. On the 18th of March, 1839, he tendered to the corporation three valuable lots as sites for a mansion for the president, and another building for the accommodation of the departments of natural philosophy, chemistry, mineralogy and natural history, together with $7,000 for the erection of the president's mansion and $3,000 toward the erec- tion of the other building, provided an equal amount should be sub- scribed by friends of the institution before the first of the ensuing May. The subscription was promptly filled, and more money was raised, and the president's house and the building now known as Rhode Island Hall were immediately erected, and the surrounding- grounds were graded and adorned. Rhode Island Hall was formally 520 HISTORY OF TROVIDENCE COUNTY. opened September 4th, 1840, at which time Mr. William G. Goddard, professor of belles Icttrcs, gave an appropriate address. This was the last act of munificence during- the life-time of Mr. Brown. In the following winter his health began visibly to decline, and he died September 27th, 1841, in the 73d year of his age. He made in his will several bequests of land and other property, which swelled the aggregate of his benefactions to the institution to the round sum previously mentioned. Doctor Messer was succeeded in the presidency by the Reverend Doctor Francis Wayland, who was elected to the office December 13th, 1826. His administration extended over a period of 28i years. The period of his incumbency was marked by greater changes and more numerous improvements in the condition of the college than had been effected by either of his predecessors.'' The course of study was enlarged, the standard of scholarship was raised, the number of professors was increased, the discipline was made more rigid, and the professors and students labored with more decided earnestness, as they caught the spirit which was manifest in the life and actions of their leader, the worthy president of the college. His pupils par- took of his intense moral earnestness and high and severe sense of moral obligation, and went forth into life with the exalted aims and studious habits which he both encouraged and illustrated. During Doctor Wayland's time also, as we have seen, the president's mansion was built, the library was established on a more liberal basis, and Manning Hall and Rhode Island Hall were built. In 1855 Doctor Wayland, wearied with the long presidencv and the labors involved in inaugurating the new system of college work, which had occupied his energies for several years, resigned the office of president, and was succeeded by Reverend Barnas Sears, D.D. The latter con- tinued in the office 12 years. The University prospered during the term of Doctor Sears' presi- dency, notwithstanding that term extended through the financial crisis of 1857 and the exciting- vears of the civil war. The facilities for instruction were increased, a system of scholarships was estab- lished, and large additions were made to the college funds. Doctor Sears was succeeded in 1868 by Reverend Doctor Alexis Caswell, who held the presidency until 1872. He was followed in 1872 by Reverend Doctor Ezekiel G. Robinson, whose long and honorable term of leadership extended to 1889. In the latter part of the sum- mer of the latter year Reverend Doctor E. B. Andrews was elected to the presidency. Soon after the entrance of Doctor Andrews upon the duties of his office it was decided, in token of the good will and confidence which found expression in his unanimous election, to tender him a reception more formal and elaborate than had ever been given to any of his predecessors. A banquet, arranged under the direction of a committee of the Alumni Association, was given, to HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 521 which invitations were sent to the alumni all over the country, and cordial responses were returned from all quarters. The reception was held on Wednesday, October 30th, 1889, at which speeches weie made by Colonel R. H. I. Goddard, Governor Ladd, Professor Hark- ness, Bishop Clark, Hon. Rowland Hazard, Reverend I. D. Anderson, Reverend Doctor T. E. Brown, Francis Lawton and E. Whitney Blake, Jr. Letters of regret were read from Chancellor Goddard, George William Curtis and President James B. Angell, of the Uni- versity of Michigan. Of the university buildings there are ten. Of several we have already spoken. The old University Hall has in recent years been renovated and modernized in the interior, at an expense of nearly $50,000. The grammar school building, which has been occupied as a preparatory school, was erected in 1810, the cost being met by sub- scription. The chemical laboratory was erected in 1862 through the exertions of Prof. N. P. Hill, late United States senator from Colorado. The new library building, which has been pronounced by competent judges to be one of the finest of its kind in the country, was erected in 1878, at a cost, exclusive of the lot on which it stands, of $96,000. Both the building and the grounds were a bequest of the late John Carter Brown, a son of the distinguished benefactor. The new dor- mitory. Slater Hall, was erected in 1879, by Hon. Horatio N. Slater, a member of the board of fellows and a liberal benefactor of the university. Sayles Memorial Hall, a beautiful structure of granite and freestone, was erected at the expense of Hon. William F. Sayles, in memory of his son, who died in the early part of his collegiate course. It is used for daily recitations, and for commencement din- ners and special academic occasions. The building was dedicated with appropriate ceremonies in June, 1881. The Bailey, the Olney- anum and the Bennett Herbariums contain altogether nearly 72,000 specimens, arranged in convenient order for consultation. The mu- seum of natural history and anthropology, in Rhode Island Hall, contains upwards of 50,000 specimens, implements, coins, medals, etc., classified and arranged by Prof. J. W. P. Jenks. The library numbers 66,600 bound volumes and a large number of unbound pam- phlets. The library funds amount to $36,500. By vote of the cor- poration the bequest of the late Daniel W. Lyman to the university is to be devoted to the construction of a gymnasium. In addition to that the alumni have contributed $30,000 for its maintenance. The college has about one hundred scholarships, 64 of which are of $1,000 each. The income of these is given, under the direction of a com- mittee appointed by the corporation, to meritorious students who may need pecuniary assistance. The national grant to Rhode Island " for the benefit of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts " was, by vote of the assembly, given to Brown University. This fund of $50,000 is devoted to the education of students at the rate of $100 per annum 522 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. each, as far as the income of the fund extends. Nominations to these favored scholarships are controlled by certain prescribed cfficeis of state and college in conjunction. The faculty now consists of the president, thirteen professors, two assistant professors, five instruc- tors, one assistant instructor, a librarian, assistant librarian, regis- trar and steward. The total number of students on the roll at last report was 268. The number of graduates from the beginning to the present time has been about 3,2C0. The Friends' Yearly Meeting School, now a prominent institution of this city, was originally opened at Portsmouth, rear the north end of the island of Rhode Island, in the year 1784. It was continued there four years, when, from want of sufficient encouragement, it was suspended. In 1814 Moses Brown, who became a member of the sect called Friends in 1774, and contributed $575 toward the fund to es- tablish the Friends' school at Portsmouth, offered to the acceptance of the society the farm on which the school is now located, contain- ing about 43 acres of land. The erection of a suitable building was soon commenced. It consisted of a center building, 54 feet square, three stories high, with two wings, each 42x44 feet, two stories high, and a basement story under the whole. Since then the wings have been considerably enlarged. The wings were used for school rocms and dormitories of the students, while the center building contained rooms for meetings, the library, and private apartments for the family of the superintendent. The school was opened in this build- ing January 1st, 1819. In 1822 the school received a bequest of $100,000 by the will of Obadiah Brown, the only son of Moses Brown, and who inherited the munificent spirit of his father in regard to this school. A second building, 40x50 feet, two stories above the basement, was erected in 1831 for the use of the classical department at that time established. The location of the school is on the rising ground in the east part of the city. For salubrity and beauty it could not be exceeded. The land is 182 feet above tide water, and it is said that on a clear day every town in the state except New Shoreham may be seen from the observatory on the center building. The institution is under the direction of a committee of the New England Yearly Meeting, who appoint superintendents and teachers. The number of teachers va- ries with the number of scholars, who are taught in the various branches of an English education. The classical department, which was opened about 1832, was ably conducted for a time, but the patron- age failed to sustain it and the department was given up after a few years. About 1850 a valuable mineralogical cabinet was given tothe school by the liberality of its friends. About 1845 the superintend- ents were Silas and Sarah Cornell. Joseph and Gertrude W. Cart- land were at the head of it from 1855 to 1800. The number of scholars in it at that time was about 130. A four years' course of study was HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 523 introduced, and a higher grade of instruction, which has since been maintained. Albert K. Smiley became superintendent in I860. Dur- ing his administration of 19 years' duration the school enjoyed a high degree of prosperity. Alumni Hall was erected in 1869, and in 1872 the boys' wing was extended 76 feet. A more broad and general character was now given to the educational work of the school. Au- gustine Jones succeeded Mr. Smiley as superintendent in 1879. The school is now well equipped for scholastic and scientific research, having a library of more than 6,000 volumes, a large collection of works of art, chemical and philosophical apparatus, and the largest astronomical observatory in the state. During the last 30 years prob- ably two-thirds of the students have been from families not connected with the Friends. Neither do its instructors belong exclusively to that sect. Its chief work is in the direction of giving a non-sectarian education. The vState Normal School was established by act of the state legis- lature at its May session in 1854. It was organized and opened in due form in the rooms adjoining the Second Universalis! church on Broad street, on Monday, May 29th. of the same year. The exer- cises were commenced with prayer by Reverend Mr. Cook, after which the objects and benefits of the proposed institution were set forth in an address by State Commissioner E. R. Potter, followed by Governor Hoppin, Samuel S. Greene, superintendent of public schools, and Reverend E. M. Stone. The establishment of this school was a bold step in advance in the cause of public education, and supplied a need that had long been felt. It went into opera- tion at 129 Broad street, and soon had a list of 307 students. In addition to the regular instructors lectures were given within a year or two of its beginning, by such men as Reverend Robert Allen, commissioner of public schools; President Sears, of Brown University; Reverend Thomas Shepard,of Bristol; Reverend Messrs. Vail and Stow, of Westerly; Willard, of Warwick; Lucien Burleigh, of Plainfield, Conn.; Doctor Isaac S. Hayes, of Kane's Arctic ex- ploring expedition; Hon. George H. Calvert, of Newport; Isaac F. Cady, of Warren; Rowland G. Hazard and R. Hazard, of Kingston. This institution was located in Providence from its commence- ment till September 15th, 1857, when by order of the general as- sembly it was removed to the town of Bristol, where pleasant and well arranged rooms were provided for it free of expense to the state. By contract with the town the school was to remain there five years. The board of instruction at that time were: Dana I\ Colburn, principal, and Daniel Goodwin, A.M., and Miss H. W. Goodwin, assistants. At Bristol the normal school did nqt'prosper for any length of time. It, however, held on until the summer vaca- tion of 1865, when, July 3d, it closed and was not again opened. The scheme of a normal school was revived again in 1/871, and on Sep- .524 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. tember 6th of that year a new school was opened in Normal Hall, in the city of Providence. The school was opened with Mr. James C. Greenough, principal, with a corps of six assistant teachers, and hav- ing five lecturers. After the removal of the Providence high school to its new quarters, in 1878, the old high school building on Benefit street was occupied by the normal school. Principal Greenoughwas succeeded by Thomas J. Morgan, the present principal of the school, in 1884. At the last report the number of students in the school was I.V.), the number of new students enrolled during the year being 69. Since the opening of the institution 1,174 persons have received a partial preparation for the work of teaching in the schools of the state. The number graduated since the organization of the school has been 430. The number in attendance has been on the increase, until the limit of convenient accommodations has been reached. The Rhode Island School for the Deaf was established under the auspices of the state, aided by the city. April 2d, 1877. An appropri- ation was made by the legislature, and the superintendent of public buildings allowed the use of a room in the school house at the corner of Benefit and Halsey streets. The school was commenced with five pupils. Mr. Joseph W. Homer was the first principal. He resigned in 1882, and was succeeded by Miss Kate II . Austin, who had been one of his assistants since September, 1880. In September, 1882, the school was removed to its present location in the old Fountain Street school house. The number in the school for the year ending Decem- ber 31st, 1888, was 34. The present principal is Anna M. Black, and she is supported by a corps of four assistant teachers. The Rhode Island School of Design was chartered by the general assembly in 1877. It is located in the Hoppin Homestead building. It receives an annual appropriation of $500 from the state for the general expenses, and $1,000 more for gratuitous instruction to a certain number of deserving pupils who shall be approved by the state board of education. The objects are to afford instruction in drawing, painting, modeling and designing. The last report shows 208 scholars enrolled, among which were 29 students entered by the state and 70 by the city. The Berkeley School was opened Monday, September 17th, 1883, by Reverend George Herbert Patterson, at No. 21 Brown street. It was designed to prepare pupils for the universities, West Point, An- napolis, technical and professional schools, or for business. The school began with 28 pupils, but its numbers increased so rapidly that more room was soon necessary, and in April, 1884, ample quar- teic»xas secured in the First Light Infantry building on South Main street. The school was duly incorporated by the general assembly, April 23d,i8?*5, and is permanently established under the fostering care of the diocese of Rhode Island. The Mount Pleasant Academy was established in 1865, by Mr. Jencks Mo wry, for the purpose of affording a more extended study HISTORY 0> PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 525 of the English branches than wa^ at that time offered by the public- schools in the immediate vicinity. Ass the school prospered a new- school building was erected in 1S72, s&A the course of study was ex- tended. Mr. Joseph E. Mowr.y was for a time associated with his father in the school, and after he withdrew to take the principalship of the Federal Street grammar school, Charles? H. Smart, A.M., was admitted to the association with the elder MowrY in the academy. A lady assistant, and special instructors in drawing, penmanship, elo- cution and music supplement the work of the principals. The Providence English and Classical School, located on Snow street, in the upper rooms of the Public Library building, Yvas estab- lished in 1864, by Messrs. Mowry & Goff. It prepares boys for busi- ness life or for the colleges. It is now in charge of Messrs. Goff. Rice & Smith. Prominent among the many private schools of the city is Schol- field's Commercial College. This institution was founded by Albert G. Scholfield, in June, 1840. It was located temporarily in the Mal- lett Building, on South Main street. In April, 1847, it was moved to the Jones Building, on Westminster street, near the junction of Weybosset. This was the first purely commercial school established in Rhode Island, and it had to battle for existence against the popu- lar skepticism and disfavor with which a project so new and untried was looked upon. Writing and book-keeping were the leading branches taught. A higher English department and mechanical drawing were soon after introduced. In the spring of 1850 the school was moved to the McNeal Building,' No. 81 Westminster street, where it thrived beyond all precedent, and maintained itself against all competition. More room being demanded by the growth of the school, it was moved to the Howard Building in July, 1866. Still the needs of the college were not satisfied, and in April, 1881, it was moved to its present quarters in the Paris Building at the corner of Westminster and Eddy streets. The school has had annually from 50 to 500 scholars, and the teachers have numbered from two to twelve, as occasion demanded. Altogether some 12,000 students have passed through the whole or a part of its course. The Providence branch of the Bryant & Stratton chain of business colleges, was founded here January 14th, 1863. After it had become well established the school passed into the hands of Messrs. Warner & Ladd. The latter soon withdrew and Mr. Warner carried on the enterprise, assisted by a competent corps of teachers. In July, 1878. he disposed of his interest, and Mr. T. B. Stowell became sole pro- prietor and principal. The school occupies a most eligible and de- lightful location in the Hoppin Homestead Building, in convenient proximity to the great libraries and other intellectual centers of the city. In the course of the school the commercial theories taught are supplemented by facilities for "actual business," thus giving students the advantage of actual practice. 526 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. The University Grammar School, originally called the Latin School, was established in Warren, R. I., in 1764, and removed to Providence in 1770. It was the design of the school to furnish superior advantages to young men in preparing for the college. Doctor Manning himself was the first principal of the school. It has for many years occupied one of the buildings belonging to the college corporation. Among the former teachers have been: Reverends Jeremiah Chapliri, D.D., Solomon Peck, D.D., Rufus Babcock, D.D., Silas Crane. D.D., Hon. Tristam Purges, LL.D.. Hon. Isaac Davis, LL.D., Hon, -Thomas A. lenckes, LL.D., and Prof. Henry S. Frieze, LL.D. The school affords very superior facilites for those who wish to enter college or engage in business. The Providence Reform School was established by a law passed in January, 1850. It was intended to receive such children under the age of 18 vears as should be convicted of a mild class of offenses in the courts of the state, also other children who might be placed un- der its care by their parents or guardians. These children were kept under proper discipline, educated, ard at a prep er age generally in- dentured as apprentices to suitable tradesmen, under direction of the board of trustees. The school was at first located in the old Tockwotten house, where it remained for many years. July 1st, 1880, the institution was transferred by the city of Providence to the state. In the following year buildings on the state farm at Cranston were prepared for it, and the institution was removed thither. In another chapter the institution as it exists there will be more fully noticed. .St. Francis Xavier's Academy, a day school conducted by the Sis- ters of Mercy, for the education of young ladies, is a long estab- lished institution. It was foundeel in 1851 as a private school, in the stone building on the corner of Claverick and Broad streets. A part of the present fine school edifice on Claverick. near Broad, was erec- ted in 1854, but the building as it now stands was not finished until L865. This institution was a day and boarding school until 1873, when the boarding school was removed to St. Mary's Seminary, Bay View, East Providence. A day school is maintained at the home site, and this has an attendance of about 125. The school is open to pupils of all denominations, and instruction is given in the English branches, m Latin, German anel French, in music, drawing, painting, needle- work and other esthetic branches. There are many private schools in the city, ranging from the kindergarten to those in which the higher branches, below a collegiate course, are taught to young ladies and gentlemen, of which we can- not here speak in detail. It is but justice, however, to say that they are doing commendable work, and are managed and sustained in a manner in keeping with the high literary and educational standards of the prominent institutions which we have noticed. CHAPTER XVIII. PROVIDENCE CITY— LITERARY AND KINDRED INSTITUTIONS. First Public Library. — The Athena?um. — The Franklin Lyceum. — Providence Franklin Society. — Rhode Island Historical Society. — Soldiers' and Sailors' Historical Society. — Providence Public Library. — Union for Christian Work. — Young Men's Christian Association. — Secular Newspapers.— Religious and Moral Periodicals. — Literary Papers. — Almanacs and Directories. — First Theater in Providence.— Law Against Theatrical Representations. — The Law Repealed. — Later Theaters. — Theaters and Public Halls of the Present. THE literary inclinations of the people of Providence have been conspicuous during' many generations. Libraries have from an early period been encouraged, and scientific research has been fostered. As early as the year 1754 a number of individuals associated together to form a public library. The design met with due encouragement. A company was formed, and a well-selected and valuable collection of books was bought by subscription. The council chamber in the state house was obtained as a repository for the library. The enterprise, however, met with disaster, the books being burned, with the house, on the evening of December 24th, 1758. The company now obtained from the general assembly the grant of a lottery, with the proceeds of which they were able to replace the library. After the new state house was built it was kept for many years in the senate chamber, and was in very general use. After a time, however, it became neglected, the interest of its shareholders falling to a very low ebb. But the desire for a library that should keep abreast of the times was not extinct. In June, 1831, a company, composed in part of shareholders in the Providence Library, received from the general assembly a charter of incorporation, under the name of the Providence Athenaeum. They soon had collected a valuable library, mostly of modern works. But the reading public were hardly prepared to support two libraries, so the two were con- solidated into one, members of both companies joining, and the new company was duly incorporated by the general assembly in Janu- ary, 1836. In March of the same year Nicholas Brown and the heirs of Thomas P. Ives offered to give the Athenaeum a lot of land on the corner of Benefit and College streets for the location of a building, together with $6,000 toward the erection of a building thereon, and 528 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. $4,000 for the increase of the library, provided other subscriptions could be obtained to the amount of $10,000 toward the building and $4,000 more for the library. The conditions were readily complied with, and ground was broken for the erection of the building April 4th, 1837. It was completed in the following November. The build- ing is 48 feet front and 78 feet deep, one story, with a basement. The building is of the Grecian temple pattern. It stands upon a terrace, and is approached by two flights of steps. The front is of hammered Ouincv granite and the sides are of Ashler granite. Its cost, including the preparation of the lot, was nearly $19,000. The library as then placed in it, or within a short time, numbered about 10,000 volumes. It now numbers about 40,000 volumes. Paintings, statues, busts and various curiosities adorn the rooms. The Ath- enaeum stock is divided into about 700 shares, which are held by nearly that number of shareholders. The Franklin Lyceum was started in 1831, the leading men in its organization being Levi Holden, Daniel A. Jackson and William B. Shove. Its objects were to encourage literary pursuits and scien- tific investigation among its membership. It had its headquarters in various private rooms, until 1850, when it secured a more perma- nent and appropriate place for meetings and library in Hoppin's Block on Westminster street. In November, 1858, however, it moved into the Lyceum Building, which had been erected and fitted up for its occupancy. This is located at 62 Westminster street, and here the Lyceum is still ensconced. The rooms comprise a reading room, a library of about 7,000 volumes, and a hall, where weekly meetings are held, for debates, discussions, lectures and the like. For about 40 years a public course of lectures and other entertain- ments have been maintained during the winter. It has a member- ship of about 500. Most of the prominent men of this city during the last 50 years have been members of it, and many young men have received here valuable preparation for the parliamentary scenes in which in after life they were to engage. The officers at the present time are: David F. Thorpe, president; John Doran, vice-president; Arthur P. Sumner, secretary; M. A. Bassett, librarian; N. H. Tru- man, treasurer. The Providence Franklin Society is one of the oldest of this class of literary institutions, having been incorporated in 1823. Its object has been to disseminate scientific knowledge by means of lectures and discussions. It has a cabinet of natural history, mineralogy, and geological specimens, and a small but valuable scientific library. Its meeting place and headquarters have been several times changed, being last' at 54 North Main street. The very laudable desire t'o preserve the history of the state, and the deeds of the first settlers, as well as the account of their suffer- ings and opinions, and to hand them down to posterity by more sub- HISTORY OF 1'ROVIDENCE COUNTY. 529 stantial and enduring means than verbal tradition, as well as the desire to preserve documents and relics pertaining to the earlier periods, led to the founding of the Rhode Island Historical Society. In the summer of 1822 this society received a charter from the gen- eral assembly, and in July the society was organized under it. The persons named in the charter were: Jeremiah Lippitt, William Aplin, Charles Norris Tibbitts, Walter R. Danforth, William R. Staples, Richard W. Greene, John Brown Francis, William G. Goddard. Charles F. Tillinghast, Richard J. Arnold, Charles Jackson, and William E. Richmond. In addition to the general provisions of the charter for the organization and government of the society it pro- vided, " That said society should establish two cabinets for the de- posit and safe keeping of all the ancient documents and records illustrating the history and antiquities of this state; one of said cabinets in the town of Newport, for the safe-keeping of the records of the early history of the southern section of the state, and the other in the town of Providence, for the safe-keeping of the historical records of the northern section thereof; and that the anniversary of said society be holden in said Providence." By the constitution, authorized by the charter, the management of the affairs of the society was vested in a board of 13 trustees, who were to be elected annually, on the 19th of July, or on the following- Tuesday whenever the 19th should fall on Sunday. In 1820 the number of trustees was increased to 10. The first meeting under the charter was held at the Manufacturers' Hotel. One of its most active and prominent supporters in its early years was the Hon. William R. Staples, the historian of Providence. For many years the society maintained a quiet existence, attracting but little attention of the world, but modestly and tirelessly doing a work in the collection of facts and the preservation of documents and relics, for which future generations will cherish their memory with gratitude. After 22 years of its life had thus been spent, without any permanent abiding- place, a building was erected for it. The cost of this building was $4,750, and being completed it was dedicated November 20th, 1844. Professor William Gammell. in his address at the opening said of the cabinet and its objects: "We dedicate it to the muse of history— the muse of saintly aspect and awful form — who ever watches over the fortunes of men, and guards the virtues of humanity. We wish it to be a place of secure and perpetual deposit, where, beyond the reach of accident or the approach of decay, we may accumulate all the materials for our yet unwritten history. We would gather here all that can illustrate the early planting, or the subsequent growth of our state, the lives of its founders and settlers, the manuscripts of its departed worthies, the history of its towns, its glorious proclama- tions of religious liberty, and its heroic sacrifices both in peace and in war." 3-1 530 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. The cabinet of the Historical Society above referred to is situated on Waterman street, opposite the college buildings of Brown Univer- sity and on the lot adjoining the library of that institution. It is upon one of the most eligible sites in the city, commanding a delight- ful view of the university grounds, and while easy of access, is more than usually exempt from the dangers of fire. The dimensions of the building are 3(H feet front by olH- feet deep, and 29 feet high. The basement is of granite, but the walls above are of rubble stone, stuccoed and colored, to represent granite. The interior is very neatly finished, the whole being stuccoed, and ornamented with an entablature. The principal room contains galleries on three sides. Under the front gallery, on either side of the entrance are two rooms. An addition made to the rear of the original building, extending 30 feet back, and forming wings of 30 feet in width, on either side of the building, greatly increases the size of the cabinet and improves its architectural appearance. The lot on which it stands is hand- somelv graded, enclosed by a substantial fence and ornamented with trees, which give it an air of classic repose in keeping with the sur- roundings. Reverend Edwin M. Stone, beginning about 1850, and succeeding Thomas C. Hartshorn, filled the office of cabinet keeper for a long term extending to 1880, when he was succeeded by Hon. Amos Perry, whose term covers the present time. The cabinet in the southern part of the state was for many years kept at the Redwood Library in Newport. Mr. B. B. Howland was cabinet keeper for that section during a long period, and Mr. George Champlin Mason acted later as procurator, but as interest in the local society in that city increased the interest in the state society decreased, so that for many years that office has been but little more than nominal. The present officers of the society are: Charles W. Parsons and Horatio Rogers, vice-presidents; Amos Perry, secretary, librarian and cabi- net keeper; Richmond P. Everett, treasurer. The cabinet contains nearly 10,000 bound volumes and more than 20,000 pamphlets, besides :i jjreat mass of documents, works of art, historic relics and- curiosi- ties, some of which are exceedingly rare and valuable. The Soldiers' and Sailors' Historical Society of Rhode Island was incorporated in 1875. Its object is to collect and preserve relics of the late war and facts relating to the individual experiences of Rhode Island men in the war. All honorably discharged soldiers and sailors of the war, and their sons are eligible to membership. At the regu- lar meetings of the society original papers, relating to personal expe- riences during the war, are read by members, and a copy of each, after publication by the society, is placed in the archives. A cabinet of trophies and other articles connected with the history of the war is owned by the society, and the collection of a library has been com- menced. The officers for 1889 were: Captain Joshua M.'Addeman, president; Captain George N. Bliss, vice-president; Lieutenant Philip HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 531 S. Chase, recording secretary and treasurer; Captain George H. Pet- tis, corresponding secretary; Lieutenant T. A. Barton, librarian and cabinet keeper. The regular meetings are held on the third Tues- day evening of each month, at No. 70 Weybosset street. The question of establishing a free public library, which should be an institution in size and character appropriate to the liberal culture and enterprise of the city of Providence, was for many years dis- cussed, and from time to time efforts were made to reduce the ideal to visible form. Various influences, however, impeded its accom- plishment until within a comparatively recent period of time. It began to assume form in 1871, when a form of organization was adopted, but the library was not actually opened to the public until 1878. During this interim and before, some liberal subscriptions had been made to the prospective enterprise. Among these liberal donors and their gifts maybe mentioned the following: Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Duncan, $10. 000; William S. Slater, $10,000; Mrs. Anna Richmond, $10,000: Gorham Manufacturing Company, $5,000; Robert H. Ives, $5,000; Earl P. Mason, $1,000; Joseph J. Cooke, $1,000; Mr. and Mrs. Zechariah Allen, $1,000; George Hunt, $1,000; William 1). Ely, $500. In addition to these the Portsmouth Grove Hospital Fund, amounting to $1,800, was to be devoted to the purchase of books illus- trating the late civil war. large contingent interests in the estate of Moses B. Lockwood had been bequeathed, several smaller libraries had offered their stock of books, and Joseph A. Barker had subscribed $25,000, on condition that $75,000 should be raised by other subscrip- tions. The library was finally opened for the use of the public, Feb- ruary 4th, 1878, in a room in Butler Exchange, and Mr. William E. Foster was placed in charge as librarian. Under his efficient man- agement it has been most thoroughly and systematically organized and conducted. In the summer of 1880 the library was removed to its present quarters on Snow street, between Westminster and Wash- ington streets, where it occupies commodious apartments on the ground floor and of easy access from the street, being the lower story of the building occupied above by Messrs. Goff , Rice & Smith's Eng- lish and Classical School. The library contains about 35,000 volumes. Residents of Providence are allowed to draw books from it without charge, and its reading room and library tables are open to the free use of the public. The books annually taken from the library now number about 100,000. It is open daily, except Sundays, from 10 o'clock A.M. to 9 o'clock P.M. The present officers are: Frank E.Rich- mond, president of the board of trustees; William T. Nicholson, treasurer; Edward I. Nickerson, secretary; William E. Foster, libra- rian. The Union for Christian Work is a combined literary, educational and benevolent enterprise, having reading rooms and a library at 151 Broad street. The rooms and library are open to all persons over 16 532 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. years of age from 3 o'clock p.m. to 9:30, and on Sundays from 2 to 9 P.M. The library has over 3,800 volumes. Annual members support the enterprise by the payment of dues, one class one dollar and an- other class five dollars. A room open Saturday nights during the winter months furnishes books, games and kind influences to street boys. The Union also maintains three branch rooms for this pur- pose in other sections of the city. A flower mission collects and dis- tributes on Saturdays flowers to the sick and infirm in the various institutions of the city. The work of the Union began about 20 years ago. Since 1872 the presidents of it have been: William B. Weeden, from that date to 1879; Elisha S. Aldrich, from 1880 to 1883; William T. Crandell, from 1884 to the present time. The librarians in the same time have been: Miss J. E. Graves, 1872 to 1878; Mrs. Martha W. Greene, 1879; William M. Bailey, Jr., 1880 to 1882: Miss M. C. Lee, 1883 to 1889. The Young Men's Christian Association of Providence is one of the oldest organizations of that name in New England, its origin dating back to 1854, in which year it was incorporated by an act of the general assembly. Prominent names among its incorporators were: Amos C. Barstow, John B. Hartwell, Allen Brown, Charles A. Webster, Zuinglius Grover, Henry F. Clemons, Daniel Goodwin, Nathan B. Hall, William Coggeshall, James Boyce, John F. Jolls, John D. Henley, Jr., Jeremiah Heath, Henry C. Merchant, Josiah L. Webster, Levi J. Lewis, Samuel G. Curry, Abner Gray, Jr., A. B. Bradley and others. Harmony Hall, on Weybosset street, was at first occupied as the headquarters of the association. In 1861 it removed to more commodious quarters at 98 Weybosset street. Early presi- dents of the association were: Hon. Amos C. Barstow, Mr. John Kingsbury, Deacon Joseph C. Hartshorn, Professor Emory Lyon, Mr. John W. Vernon and J. Halsey De Wolf, Esq. The latter was elected May 8th, 1865, and continued in office till May 11th, 1868, being then succeeded by Francis W. Carpenter. His term of office extended two years. John Kendrick was president from May 9th, 1870, to May 13th, 1872; Thomas W. Chace from that date to May 17th, 1875; Ste- phen Brownell to May 14th, 1877; Charles A. Hopkins to May 12th, 1879; Prof. G. B. F. Hinckley, to May 16th, 1881; A. B. McCrillis to May 7th, L883; Amos M. Bowen to May 4th, 1885; Charles F. Taylor to May 9th, 1887; B. F. Arnold to May,1889; Horace S. Tarbell, May„ 1889, to the present time. The office of treasurer was held by Mr. B. W. Ham from 1854 to the time of his death, in 1885. He was suc- ceeded by the present treasurer, Mr. H. J. Wells, who was elected to that office July 23d, 1 S85. The office of librarian and secretary, hav- ing charge of the rooms of the association, has successively been held by the following: H. M. Clemons, placed in charge of the rooms at the opening, January 31st, 1854, to July of the same year; Reverend C. H. Pierson, from July 14th to November 10th, 1854; H. M. Clemoms,. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 533 ■again, until June 1st, 1855; W. C. Mills, as librarian, to May 4th, 1859; L. W. Makepeace, June 8th, 1859, as librarian, till December 20th, 1871. His successor was W. H. Anderson, who continued in the office till September 30th, 1875. Thomas C. Crocker followed next, entering upon the office January 17th, 1876, and continuing till June 21st, 1880. The close of Mr. Crocker's service occurred during the term of Mr. Hinckley as president, and by request the latter acted as general secretary until November 1st, 1880, when George M. Hersey was elected general secretary. He filled that office until December 15th, 1883, and was succeeded by Everett D. Burr. The latter resigned May 1st, 1884, and was then succeeded by Hamilton S. Conant, who still occupies the position. During the three years from 1872 to 1875 a fresh impetus seems to have been given the association, increasing its membership from 1,100 to upwards of 2,000. This was largely the result of outside mission work, undertaken by organized bands, who visited the differ- ent churches and held meetings in various buildings in the outskirts •of the city, as well as in other sections of it. In 1877 the association joined in supporting the evangelistic meetings conducted in the city by Mr. D. L. Moody. In the early part of 1883 the association, having previously secured subscriptions amounting to upwards of $5,000 for the purpose, fitted up very pleasant rooms at 276 Westminster street, and removed their library and headquarters to that building, where they have remained to the present time, though doubtless by the time this work is before its readers the association will be settled in its own new and elegant building at the corner of Westminster and Jackson streets. Through sorrows and through joy, through times of dearth and times of prosperity, the association has held on, wieloV ing its influence, exerting its power and laboring, in weakness or in might, for the elevation of the young men of the city. Later years brought it fresh tokens of appreciation of its work and its sphere of usefulness, and at last the smiles of prosperity beamed upon its path with such tangible effulgence that the way seemed clear to erect for it a permanent home in the heart of the city, where the associaticn may feel secure in a long lease of useful existence, dignity and suc- cessful influence for good. During the winter of 1885 steps were taken toward raising funds for the erection of the new building. Mr. Henry J. Steere led off with a subscription of $10,000, and others of various amounts followed in rapid succession, until in the course of two years the sum of $150,000 was secured for the purpose. The pre- liminaries having been arranged, ground was broken March 12th, '1889, and on the 17th of the following August the corner stone was laid with appropriate ceremonies, and amid the congratulations of many friends of the cause, among whom were many of the promi- nent men in affairs in this city and elsewhere. President Harrison from the national capital sent his regrets at not being able to be 534 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. present, and requested the chairman to say to the young- men of Providence that he highly appreciated the work of the association, and considered it an important factor in the solution of many of the social problems that perplex modern governments. The buildirg fund subscription list at that date amounted to over $170,000, and the association had a membership roll of 1,675 names. The library and reading' room of the association contains about 4,000 books, and 70 daily and weekly newspapers, American and for- eign magazines. The association has a parlor furnished with art works, games and other means of amusement. Classes for instiuc- tion in various practical branches are provided for in the building,. and a hall, capable of seating 400 persons, is used for various meet- ings, concerts and the like. These and all the other branches of work or convenience afforded by the association will be even more fully accommodated in the new building- when completed. The building- is a handsome brick and stone structure, modelled in the modern antique style of architecture. The newspaper history of Providence is voluminous in detail, and we can only attempt a brief outline of it here. The first newspaper printed in this town was issued October 20th, 1762. It was the Provi- dence Gazette ami Country Journal, and was published by William God- dard, who had set up the first printing office in the town during- the summer of the same year. In July, 1763, the printing office "was re- moved to " the store of Judge jenckes near the great bridge," and in March, 1705, to " the house opposite Mr. Nathan Angell's." This was just a little north of the First Baptist meeting house. Its publication was suspended for more than a year after May 11th, 1705. It was then published, beginning August 0th, 170)6, by Sarah Goddard & Company. Sarah was the mother of William Goddard. In Septem- ber, 1767, the firm was composed of William Goddard and John Car- ter, and in November the former removed from the town, and Mr. Carter became sole proprietor of the Gazette. In October, 1771 , it was printed in " the new building on Main street, fionting the court house," and later "in Meeting street, opposite the Friends' meeting- house." In November, 1793, John Carter and William Wilkinson became partners and joint publishers of the paper and the office was in the post office, " opposite the market." An effort was made in 1795 to publish it semi-weekly, but it failed for want of encourage- ment. In May, 1799, Mr. Carter again became sole owner, and so con- tinued until February, 1814, when he conveyed it to Hugh H. Brown and William H. Wilson.. Mr. Carter published a paper noted for its typographical correctness. He had been an apprentice under Benja- min Franklin at Philadelphia. Mr. Brown became sole proprietor of the Gazette in June, 1816, and so continued till January. 1820, when he received into partnership Walter R. Danforth, who then had charge of the editorial department, and the Gazette became a semi- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 535 weekly publication. It was issued during- the first year on Mondays and Thursdays, but afterward on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Janu- ary 1st, 1825, Mr. Brown again became sole owner of the establish- ment, employing Albert C. Greene as editor. October 5th, of the same year, the paper was united to the Rhode Island American, and the association of Mr. Brown with Francis Y. Carlile was known as Car- lile & Brown. The consolidated paper was now published from an office on the north side of Market Square. William S. Patten was employed as editor for one year from October, 1825. He was suc- ceeded by Christopher E. Robbins. In March, 1827, Mr. Carlile became sole proprietor, and Benjamin F. Hallett was employed as editor. In 1827 the Microcosm was united to the establishment, and in July, 1829, the Cadet and Statesman joined the consolidation. Jonathan C. Parmenter then became a member of the firm, and the name of the paper was made the Rhode Island American, Statesman and Gazette. The proprietors also now commenced the publication of a daily paper, the Daily Advertiser. In November, 1829, Daniel Mowry, 3d, became the sole proprietor. The daily was discontin- ued after February, 1833. Mr. Mowry continued the publication of a weekly paper under the title of The Microcosm, American and Gazette, until April, 1833, when he sold the establishment to James S. Ham and Joseph Knowles. They published the paper one year, under the firm name of J. S. Ham & Co., after which it was discon- tinued. The second newspaper established here was The American Jour- nal and General Advertiser, which was started in March, 1779, by Solomon Southwick and Bennett Wheeler. The office of publica- tion was at the corner of North Main and Meeting streets. In November, 1779, Mr. Southwick withdrew from the business and it was continued by Mr. Wheeler alone, and he subsequently removed the office to the west side of the river. This was continued until about the time Mr. Wheeler started the United States Chronicle, which was in January, 1784. He printed this paper until 1802, when after an existence of 18 years, it was discontinued. The State Gazette and Town and County Advertiser, a semi-weekly paper, was started January 4th, 1796, by Joseph Fry. It was a small paper, even for those times, and was published on Mondays and Thursdays, from an office on the north side of Market square. It hardly lived through the year. Then came the Providence Journal and Town and County Advertiser, a weekly paper, published by John Carter, Jr., which was begun January 1st, 1799, and continued three years. The Impartial Observer, a weekly paper, was commenced in July, 1800, by vSamuel J. Williams. After March, 1801, Benoni Williams be- came the publisher. It was discontinued in 1802. Mr. Williams afterward published a few numbers of a paper called Liberty's Cen- tiucl, but it was not sustained. 536 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. The Providence Phenix was commenced in May, 1803, by Theo- dore A. Foster and William W. Dnnham. Its office was in West- minster street, and its publication day was Saturday. Mr. Foster left the concern after the first year, and Mr. Dunham continued its publication until July, 1805. William Olney then assumed its publication, which he continued until the time of his death, January 10th, 1807. It was then published by Josiah Jones and Bennett H. Wheeler. In 1810 they changed the name to the Providence Patriot and Columbian Phenix. From January l<=t, 1819, it was published semi-weekly, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, Barzillai Cranston having been added to the firm, with which he, however, remained but about one year. In May, 1823, Eaton W. Maxcy succeeded Mr. AVheeler in the firm, and after one year was succeeded by William Simons. In December, 1829, Mr. Simons left the concern, after which the paper was published by Mr. Jones, as agent, for about three years, during a part of which period James O. Rockwell was editor. It was discontinued about 1832. The Rhode Island Farmer was the title of a paper printed for about one year, beginning in the summer of 1804, and published by David Heaton and Benoni Wil- liams. The American was commenced October 21st, 1808, by William W. Dunham and David Hawkins, Jr. It was published semi-weekly. After the first year its name was changed to The Rhode Island Ameri- can. It was published on Tuesdays and Fridays, from an office on the north side of Market Square. Dunham & Hawkins continued its publication until May, 1812, when the latter became sole proprietor, and conducted the paper until October, 1813. He then sold it to John Miller and William W. Man, who continued its publication until April, 1814. William G. Goddard then became a member of the firm and assumed the role of its editorial work. Mr. Miller re- tired in 1815. and Mr. Man died in March, 1817, whereupon Mr. God- dard became sole proprietor. James D. Knowles joined him in July, L819, and retired in 1S20, leaving Mr. Goddard again sole publisher. Thus he continued until October, 1825, when he transferred the es- tablishment to Francis Carlile, who immediately connected it with the Providence Gazette, as we have before stated. During the war of 1812 an effort was made to start a paper called the Provide nee Centinel and War Chronicle, by Herman B. and Daniel Man. as publishers, and George R. Burrill as editor. After the issue of a few numbers, however, the effort was abandoned. The Manufacturers' and Farmers Journal and Providence and Paw- tucket . Idvertiser was started on Monday, January 3d, 1820. It was at first started as a semi-weekly, and was published by John Miller, a printer, and John Hutehens, a bookseller. They employed as editor William K. Richmond. January 1st, 1823, Mr. Miller became sole proprietor, and continued to publish the paper for several years. May 1st. 1833, he formed a partnership with George Paine, and the HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 537 paper was continued by Miller & Paine until February, 1836, when it was purchased by George W. Jackson. The latter published it until July 1st, 1838, when he sold it to Joseph Knowles and William L. Burroughs. February 1st, 1839, the latter was succeeded in the part- nership by John W. Vose, and the paper was continued under the proprietorship of Knowles & Vose. July 1st, 1840, Henry B.Anthony was admitted a partner, and the firm title became Knowles, Vose & Anthony. Thus it continued till the death of Mr. Vose in 1848, when the name was changed to Knowles & Anthony. So it continued till January 1st, 1863, when George W. Danielson was admitted to the firm, and the name became Knowles, Anthony & Danielson. This name continued until June 3d, 1885, when it was changed to the Providence Journal Company. The editors of this paper have been: William E. Richmond, Thomas Rivers, Benjamin F. Hallett, Lewis Gaylord Clarke, George Paine, John B. Snow, Thomas H. Webb, Henry B. Anthony, James B. Angell, George W. Danielson and Alfred M. Williams. In 1824 the Independent Inquirer, a. weekly paper which had been started the year before, was transferred to the Journal, and its name changed to the Rhode Island Country Journal un- der which name it is still published by the Journal Company. On the first day of July, 1829, the Daily Journal was commenced. That is still published, and is the leading newspaper of the city. The Evening Bulletin, also published by the same company, was started January 26th, 1863. The Journal was first printed in the building known as the old Coffee House, No. 1 Market square, the site of which is now occupied by the Bank of Commerce. In August, 1823, it was removed to the Union Building, on the w r est side of the bridge. In November, 1824, it was removed to the Granite Building, adjoin- ing the old Coffee House. In May, 1833, it was removed to Whipple's Building on College street. In 1844 it was moved to the Washington Buildings, again on the west side of the river, where it was for many years printed. The Beacon was issued weekly for more than two years, commenc- ing January 10th, 1824, by William S. Spear. The Microcosm, a weekly paper, was commenced June 10th, 1825, by Walter R. Danforth. After 13 numbers had been issued it was consolidated with the Rhode Is/and American. The Literary Cadet and Saturday Evening Bulletin, a. weekly paper, was commenced April 22d, 1826, by Samuel J. Smith and Jonathan C. Parmenter. After the first year it became a semi- weekly. It was a popular newspaper in its clay, and is said to have reached a subscription circulation of 4,000 copies, a high figure for those days. During most of its existence it was edited by Sylvester S. Southworth. In July, 1829, it was united to the America// and Ga- zette. 'The American and General Intelligencer was published weekly by James B. Yerrinton, beginning in October, 1827. Its office was in the Canal Market building, and William Goodell was employed as 538 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. its editor. It seems to have -been a sort of independent political paper. In December, 1828, it was removed to Boston, where it was united to the National Philanthropist, and was afterward removed to New York under some other name. In 1818 Hugh H. Brown printed the Jui 'en ilc Gazette for a few months, during- which time it was edited successively by Origen Bacheler and William H. Smith. The Republican Herald was started in August, 1828, John S. Greene being its publisher until July, 1829, when he transferred it to "Wil- liam .Simons, Jr., and by the latter it was published until January, 1842. The firm was then changed to W. Simons & Co., and the pub- lication thus continued until March, 1850, when it became a weekly edition of the Daily Post , at that time started by Sayles & Miller. The paper was published later by Alfred Anthony until August 1st, 1866, and then by Albert S. Gallup. It was suspended May 11th. 1867. A few days later the same equipment was used to start the Providence Morning Herald, which began publishing May 20th, 1 S< '.?. by Noah D. Payne and Albert A. Scott. It was later published by Mr. Payne alone, and was suspended May 21st, 1873. .Successive editors of the Post were William Simons, Welcome B. Sayles, " Clem '* Webster and Thomas Steere; and of the Herald, Thomas Steere and George Webster. The Beacon Light began March 11th, 1829, by W. A. Brown, and was continued but a short time. In May following the same publisher started The Little Genius, which also had but a brief existence. The Literary Subaltern was at first a semi-weekly, commencing January 1st, 1829. At the close of its first year it became a weekly paper. William Marshall, its first publisher, continued it until October 2d, 1829, when he transferred it to John W. I). Hall and Brown Simmons. The latter soon became sole publisher, and so continued till Novem- ber 30th, 1832, when he sold it to Sylvester S. South worth, who con- tinued it but a short time. This was a literary and political, but independent paper, and was edited from the beginning by Mr. South- worth. The Providence Free Press, having for some time been pub- lished in Pawtucket, was first issued in Providence in April. 1830. It was published but a single year, and was the organ of the anti- Masonic party in the state. The Chronicle of the Times was first issued September 18th, 1831. Its editor and proprietor was Bennett H. Wheeler, and its existence extended to only a few numbers. An occasional publication, of a peculiar character, called 'The Scourge, was issued in the year 1810. Its contents were personal and offen- sive, and it bore no responsible name. The Daily City Gazette was established February 2d, 1833. It was edited and published by Sylvester S. Southvorth and Stephen G. Holroyd. After issuing it nine months the name was changed to the City Gazette, and it was issued weekly for a time, but soon after was discontinued. The Voice of the People was issued for a short time HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 539" in 1834, by a Mr. Doyle. The livening Star was started in April. 1834. It was edited and published by Charles Haswell for a few weeks,, then by Nathan Hall and Cornelius S. Jones. The name was subse- quently changed to Daily News, under which title it was issued until August, 1836, when it was discontinued. The Commercial Advertiser was established as a daily in June, 1834. It was published by Knowles & Burroughs', every evening, until September of the same year, when it was suspended. The New England Family Visitor was a weekly reprint from the Advertiser. The Penny Post was established in January, 1835, being edited and published by Samuel S. Wilson.. In the following July its name was changed to the Weekly Visitor- Under this name it continued till November, when it was discontin- ued. The Morning Courier was established in June, 1836, by William G. Larned. It was issued weekly until January, 1840, when it was absorbed in the Daily Journal. 'The Gaspee Torchlight was a campaign paper, edited by William B. Watson, and published from the Journal office for three months preceding the presidential election of 1840. It was devoted to presenting the claims of Harrison. During the same time the opposing candidate was championed by another paper — The Extinguisher — issued from the office of the Herald during the campaign. The New Age, established February 19th, 1841, was published suc- cessively by the Rhode Island Suffrage Association, by Millard & Brown, composed of Samuel M. Millard and John A. Brown, and by. Millard, Low & Miller, Samuel Low and William J. Miller having joined Millard in the firm. The paper, which was issued weekly, was discontinued March 1st, 1842. From the same office The Daily Express was started on the 18th of the same month, but it was of short duration. The Evening Chronicle was established March 30th, 1842. edited and published by Joseph M. Church. It did not live through its first year. A weekly edition associated with it was entitled The Narragansett Chief. In 1844 The Daily 'Transcript and Chronicle was started by L. Amsbury. It was issued at one o'clock in the after- noon. In July, 1847, the name was changed to Daily Evening Tran- script, and it was published after that till June 18th, 1855, by Greene & Shaw. The name was then changed to the Daily Transcript and it was edited by A. Crawford Greene, and was discontinued December 19th, 1855. The Independent was published weekly for a short time in 1844, by W. S. Sherman. The Tribune of the People was established in 1846, and discontinued during the same year. The Daily Sentinel was established in 1846. It was published during its short period of existence by S. M. Millard, C. Webster, G. W. Danielson, and James A. Miller. The General Advertiser, an ad- vertising sheet, then as now issued weekly, and circulated gratui- tously, was established in 1847. It is issued at the present time at 33' Canal street, by A. Crawford Greene & Son, the title being General Ad- 540 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. vertiser and Weekly Gazette. Tfy Day Star was published during 1849 and 1850. The Morning Mirror was published a short time in 1849, by Rowe & Co. The Providence Daily Tribune was established June 13th, 1853, by A. Crawford Greene. It was afterward published by L. Ams- bury. and later by Colby & Amsbury, and was discontinued October 4th, 1859. From the same office was issued The United States Free- wan, an abolitionist paper, for a short time edited by Dunbar Harris, Reverend A. Redlon, and others. The Providence Plainckaler was published during 1855. by Howard Meeks. Bangs 'Trumpet was pub- lished weekly, by N. Bangs Williams during 1857 and 1858. The Evening Telegraph was published by N. Bangs Williams and Henry L. Tillinghast. during a short time in 1859. The Providence Evening Press was established by Cook & Danielson, March 14th, 1859. It had an existence of about a quarter of a century, during which time it passed through many hands, and at some times was in a prosperous condition. After coming through many vicissitudes it fell at last a victim to unsuccessful management, and was discontinued Septem- ber 30th, 1884. The large printing office which it owned and em- ployed is still in successful working in the hands of Messrs. Snow & Farnham, who employ a large force and do a great range and quantity of job, pamphlet and book printing, including the reports and other work of the city government. The Rhode Island Press was estab- lished in 1861, as the weekly edition of the Evening Press and Morning Star. It was continued after the suspension of the Evening Press, but was suspended in 1886. In recent years it was published by Messrs. Z. L. White & Co., who also published the Providence Morning Star. which also suspended in 1886. The Star was started December 9th, 1869. The Sun was established December 4th, 1873, and was edited by Lester E. Ross. It was issued weekly until November 20th, 1876. and afterward daily for a short time, when it was discontinued. The Providence livening Chronicle was issued for a short time in 1884, by James E. Hanrahan. The Sunday Dispatch was established in 1874. It was first published by P. D. & E. Jones, then by P. D. Jones, and then by W. B. W. Hallett, until about 1887, when it was suspended. Toivn and Country was established in 1875. It was issued weekly by vS. 15. Reach until 1879. The Weekly Visitorw&s established October 6th, 1876, and subsequently removed to Central Falls. The Sunday Telegram was established in 1876 by C. C. Corbett & Bro., and was afterward published by Corbett & Spear, Corbett & Black, and now by David O. Black. The Rhode Island Democrat was established June 14th, 1879, by A. N. Merchant. It is still issued as a weekly, by J. 11. Schofield, at 64 North Main street. A German weekly paper, An- zeiger. was established in 1876. It is now published by Gustav Saacke, at 70 Ship street. The Providence livening Times was published a short time during 1 877 by the Times Publishing Company. The C osmopolitan was established March 16th, 1878. It was published weekly, by An- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 542 gell Hammond & Co., but was discontinued January 11th, 1879. The Evening Telegram was started and continued by the same publishers as the Sunday Telegram, and is now published daily by David O. Black at 7 Weybosset and 50 Peck street. The Sunday Transcript was estab- lished in September, 1879. It was issued by F. & E. C. Corbett, by Alonzo Spear, and later by the Transcript Publishing Company, fi cm the office of the Rhode Island Democrat, till its suspension, about 1886, The Providence Herald was established November 1st, 1879, by Brown & Corbett. It was later published by Corbett & Sawin, and was dis- continued in 1888. The Sunday Star was established in 1881, and is- sued in connection with the Morning Star, and was suspended about 1886. The Mail was issued daily from the Democrat office in 1884 for awhile. The Evening News was established October 1st, 1884, by Z, L. White. It was discontinued March 7th, 1885. The Sunday World was started in April. 1886, by C. C. Corbett. It was afterward pub- lished by F. E. Corbett, and suspended in 1888. Corbetfs Herald, established in 1879, is published by E. A. Corbett at 14 Westminster street. The Sunday Republican, of recent origin, is also published from the same office. The Independent Citizen is pub- lished by J. H. Larry, at 81 Westminster street. The Sunday Courier is published by A. D. Sawin, at 14 Westminster street. linker's Illus- trated Monthly and Household Magazine is published at 19 Westminster street by D. P. Buker, Jr. The Evening- Call is published by Frank E. Jones at 21 Eddy street. The Manufacturers' and Farmers Journal is published weekly from the Journal office. The Providence Visitor is published by M. A. Walsh at 27 North Main street. The Rental Guide and R. I. Business Journal is published weekly at 37 Weybosset street by B. S. Lake & Co. The Sunday School Superintendent is issued monthly by the Providence Lithograph Company at 31 Pearl strtet. The Freemason 's Repository is issued by E. L. Freeman & Son at 3 West- minster street. The Manufacturing Jeweler \ established in September, 1884, is issued monthly by Walter B. Frost, in magazine form, at 183 Eddy street. The Tiden is a Swedish-American newspaper, issued by Doctor J. F. Haller weekly at 215 Broad street. The Weekly Com- mercial Bulletin is issued by D. P. Buker, Jr., at 19 Westminster street. These last mentioned are all of recent establishment. A large number of religious periodicals have had existence during long or short terms in this city, though many of them have, like their secular sisters, had but short periods of active life. Some of these we shall notice. The first, it is said, was the Religious Intelligencer or Christian Monitor. This was a quarto in form, and was published weekly at the American office. The first number was dated May 13th, 1820. It was published by James D. Knowles, but at the expiration of six months he discontinued it for want of support. In May, 1821, this paper was revived by Barber Badger, under the name of the Religious Intelligencer. After a few numbers it assumed the name of ■542 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. The Rhode Island Religious Intelligencer, being issued weekly, and from the same office as before. In May, 1823, it was enlarged to a folio, an 1 became a half newspaper, with the title of Religions Intelligencer .and livening Gazette. In this form it was published one year. The Rhode Island Baptist was published in monthly numbers from October, LS23, to September, 1824. Allen Brown was the editor and publisher and John Miller the printer. The Christian Telescoped, weekly quarto, -commenced August 7th, 1824. It was edited by Reverend David Pickering, of the First Universalist church, and published by Ear- zillai Cranston for one year. Later it was published by John S. Greene. In August, 1826, it was enlarged to eight pages, and the title changed to The Christian Telescope and Universalist Miscellany. In December, 1826, F. C. Swain became associated with Mr. Greene in the publication of this paper. From December, lb26, to September, L827, it was printed by Cranston & Marshall, after which it was printed and published solely by Mr. Greene. In November, 1828, it was changed to the folio form, and the name was changed to The ( hristian Telescope and Friday Morning General Intelligencer. Jacob Frieze was also associated with Mr. Pickering in the editorship. The paper was discontinued during the following year. The opponent ■of the last named paper was the Anti-Universalist, which was com- menced in 1827. Origen Bacheler was its publisher and editor. It was removed hence to Boston in December, 1828, and afterward died. The Hopkinsian Magazine, edited by Otis Thompson, of Rehoboth, and printed by Hugh H. Brown, was published from 1824 to 1840. The Free-will Baptist Magazine was begun in May, 1826, Zalmon Tobey being its editor and Barzillai Cranston the printer. The ven- ture was undertaken by several elders of the Rhode Island quarterly meeting, but after the first volume the quarterly meeting assumed its publication, which extended to May. 1830. It was at first published quarterly and afterward monthly. The Religions Messenger was com- menced July 2d, 182f>. Origen Bacheler was its editor and publisher, and it was issued weekly. In 1826 and 1827 it was issued as The Rhode Island Religious Messenger by lames B. Yerrington and Yerring- ton cK: Ellis, edited by a committee of the Rhode Island state conven- tion, under the patronage of which bodv it was published. August Pith. 1820, James N. Seaman became the editor. In 1827 it was en- larged, and William Goodell became its editor. It was discontinued about the year 1828. The Gospel Preacher, David Pickering, editor, and John vS. Greene, printer, was begun in December, 1827. and published for about one year. It was a monthly, octavo in form, and each num- ber contained two sermons by Universalist ministers. The Union Conference Magazine, a paper devoted to the interests of the Free-will Baptists, issued its first number in August, 1829, and then suspended. The Rhode Island Journal and Sunday School and Bible Class Advocate was published semi-monthly bv Reverend David Benedict during the HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 543 year 1831. The Sunday School Herald was issued once, April 26th, 1812. The Light was published by Joseph A. Whitmarsh in 1835. It was devoted to moral reform, but was of short life. A rival was started under the title More Light, and published a short time during the same year. The Rhode Island Temperance Herald was established October 13th, 1838. It was published by an association and issued weekly. Octo- ber 30th, 1839, its name was changed to The Olive Leaf and Rhode Island Temperance Herald, and it was then edited by Charles lewett, Lorenzo D. Johnson and Abel Stevens, successively. In May, 1840, it was merged into the New York Weekly Messenger. The Providence 'Temperance Herald was issued during 1838 and 1839. The Cold Water Gazette was established March 21st, 1840. It was edited by Wyllis Ames, and published only for a short time, as a campaign paper in the state election. The Samaritan was started November 10th, 1841, at first as a weekly and afterward as a semi-monthly. It was edited by Samuel S. Ashley and Thomas Tew. It was discontinued after about two years. The Gospel Messenger was commenced November 2Sth, 1840. It was edited by Zephaniah Baker till January, 1842, then by Baker and S. P. Landers till January, 1843, and afterward by A. A. Davis, Hervy Bacon and D. B. Harris. It was Universalist in tone, and was suspended previous to 1847. A paper was started in behalf of the Six Principle Baptists, in 1840. It had the title John the J bap- tist, and was edited by John Tillinghast and published by Benjamin T. Albro. In its third year it was removed toPawtucket. The Chris- tian Soldier was started February 18th,1842. It was printed by Hugh H. Brown and edited by J. Whittemore and T. H. Bacheller. Its sentiment was Free-will Baptist. It was soon removed to Pawtucket. The Tattle Axe was a temperance campaign paper, issued a short time in 1852, by Howard Weeks. The Rhode Island Temperance Pledge, a weekly issue, was published in 1847 and 1848, by Amsbury & Lin- coln, from an office at 9 Market Square. 'The Free-will Taptist Quarterly was issued here from 1853 to 1856, when it was removed to Dover, N. H. The 'Temperance Advocate was published in 1852, at 24 West- minster street, edited by Clement Webster. It was a weekly, and was continued three or four years. The Providence Preacher was issued in 1859 by Reverend Thomas Williams. It contained sermons and other religious matter, and was issued monthly. The Weekly Visitor was established in 1875, and is now published under the title of the Providence Visitor. It is Catholic in sentiment. A number of literary papers have been started in Providence. They have also for the most part been short-lived. Among the first of these was the Rhode Island Literary Repository. This was a monthly publication, commenced in April, 181 4, and was editorially conducted by Isaac Bailey. The publishers were Martin Robinson and Benja- min Howland. 'The Ladies Magazine, a monthly, first appeared in 544 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. March, 1823. It had a precarious existence of only a few months.. It had a lady editor, and was printed by John Miller. The Ladies Museum was commenced in July, 1825. It was published weekly, f cl- one year, by Eaton W. Maxcy, and then discontinued. The Toilet and Ladies Cabinet of Literature was a small weekly, commenced Jan- uary 5th, 1828. It was published by Josiah Snow and edited by Owen G. Warren until November, and after that by Samuel M. Fowler.. From August, 1828, to November it was published by W. A. Brown, and after that by Smith & Parmenter. The second volume com- menced January 24th, 1829, under the title of The Saturday Evening Gazette and Ladies' Toilet. 'The Brimonian was started in 1829, by the students of Brown University. It commenced in July and was pub- lished monthly for one year. The Original was a monthly maga- zine, edited by Francis H. Whipple and printed by Marshall & Hammond in 1829. Only two numbers were issued. The Olla Podrida was published occasionally by John Bisbee. It was made up principally of original matter. Not more than three or four numbers were ever issued. The Literary Journal and Weekly Register of Science and Fine Arts was begun in 1832 and continued until 1834. It was edited by Albert G. Greene and published by Knowles & Vose. 'The Gleaner was published by the senior department of the girls' high school from 1855 to 1857. The High School Magazine was published by the boys' high school in 1858, for a short time. The Rhode Island Educational Magazine was edited by E. R. Potter and pub- lished from 1852 to 1854. The Tea Leaf a very small daily paper de- voted to gossip and witticism, was published for a few months in 1853 and 1854. The Rhode Island Schoolmaster was established by Robert Allyn in 1S55. It was issued monthly. From 1858 to 1860 it was edited by William A. Mowry, then by a board of editors until 1870, then by T. W. Bicknell and T. B. Stock well until December, 1874, when it was merged in The New England Journal of Education. Ours Illustrated was issued monthly for a short time about 1870. The Ornithologist and Oologist was published monthly for a while in 1875. The High School Budget was started in 1877, and published monthly by the pupils in the classical department of the high school. The Parrott, a military semi-monthly publication, was published awhile about 1878, but had a short life. The lu -ho. started January 18th, 1879, was soon merged in the Parrott. and shared the fate of that paper. The Hypophct was published by the high school boys during the school year 1882-3. 'The Comet, a school paper, was issued a few times in the summer of 1883. The Indicator, a theatrical paper, was started in 188:5. It was edited by Claude DeHaven and issued weekly. It was continued until about 1888. The Household Magazine was started in 1883, issued monthly, and had but a brief existence. 'The Art Folio was started in 1883 and had but a brief existence. 'The People, started in December, 1885, was published weekly for a short time, in the in- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 545 terest of the workingmen. The Temple of Honor, a monthly, was pub- lished at 49 Weybosset street by H. F. Ferrin, in 1876. It enjoyed a brief existence. The Record was published by W. G. Comstock for a short time in 1876. The Opera House Programme was published by Porthouse & Carleton in 1879. The Public Records Reporter was pub- lished in 1880 by J. G. Gooding - , at 57 Weybosset street. The Rhode Island Citizen was started about 1885 by Benjamin F. Evans. It had a brief existence. The Missionary Helper was published by Mrs. M. M. Brewster for a while in 1885. The Helper was published for a time in 1885, by D. P. Buker. The Shorthand and Typewriting Monthly was is- sued from 55 Westminster street awhile in 1885. 'The Weekly Commer- cial Bulletin was published by I). P. Buker in 1886, and continued to the present time. Other publications having more or less reference to recurring periods of time have been published here. The first almanac was published by Benjamin West, in 1763. It was calculated for the meridian of Providence, and for a long term of years was a standard authority. " Abraham Weatherwise" also published an almanac for several years from 1769. In 1790 Bennett Wheeler began publishing his North American Calendar. The venerable Isaac Bickerstaff com- menced here his labors in almanac making, as early as the year 1781, which continued for a long term of years. The publication of the • Rhode Island Register and United States Calendar was commenced in 1819, by Hugh H. Brown, and continued annually until 1832, by him and by the firm of Brown & Danforth. The first directory of Pi evi- dence was published by Brown & Danforth, in 1824. The book con- tained 2,958 names, not including any names of colored inhabitants. A directory was published by the same firm or their successors in the years mentioned as follows: 1826,1828,1830,1832,1836, 1838. 1841, 1844,1847, 1850,1852. and from that timeon to the present every year. In I860 the directory came into the hands of Messrs. Adams, Sampson & Co., which about 1866 was changed to Sampson, Daven- port & Co., and in 1885 was changed to Sampson, Murdoch & Co., the present firm. A complete Rhode Island Business Directory was added to it in 1864; in 1869, a Rhode Island State Register; in 1870, a finely engraved copper-plate map of Providence, and in 1872 an improved street directory. The directory for 1889 is a volume of about 1,200 pages, and the city directory contains the names of 59,693 persons residing within the city and Johnston at some time during the year for which the directory is made up. The publication of a tax book, showing the names and assessments of all the tax payers of the city, was begun in 1826, and has with few exceptions been repeated every year. At the present time it is a volume of very respectable size, and is sold for 75 cents a copy. The first theater in Providence was opened by Mr. David Douglass, a Scotchman, who, with his company, was visiting the towns of this 3r, 546 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. country. After playing at Newport, they came here and opened the "Histrionic Academy," on Meeting street, east of Benefit street, about Julv 1st, 1762. No license from the town had been obtained, and the popular indignation at taking such a liberty, increased by the idea that some political scheme lay beneath the surface, arose so high that the continuance of the play was forbidden by a public town meeting. This not being heeded, the general assembly was appealed to, and a very stringent bill was passed against stage plays, and this effected the object. Mr. Douglass and his company then left the realm of Rhode Island. In the fall of 1792, Joseph Harper brought his company here and, though the law was still in effect, yet he was successful in quieting popular prejudice to such an extent that the town council agreed not to prosecute him. on condition that one-fifth the proceeds of the performances should go into the town treasury. A theater was fitted up in the court house and the play had a suc- cessful season. Next, a part of the building known as the "Coffee House," which stood on Market Square, was fitted up as a theater, and on December 30th, 1794, it was opened with a double bill, " The Foundling-, or Virtue Rewarded;" and "The King and the Miller of Mansfield." The doors were open at 5 o'clock, and the performance began at 6 o'clock. The price of admission to the boxes was 6s., to the pit 3s., and to the gallery, 2s., 3d. The season closed April 13th, 1795, when the " Beggars' Opera" was given in an altered version. It was now determined to build a suitable building for a theater, and a joint stock company was formed for the purpose. The erec- tion of a theater was soon begun. It was located on the corner of Westminster and Mathewson streets, on the site now occupied by Grace church. The building had three entrances at the front— one to the pit, another to the gallery and another to the boxes. The proscenium was 16 feet high and 24 feet wide, with a scroll above it bearing the motto, " Pleasure the means, the end virtue " The new theater was opened by Mr. Harper September 3d, 1795, with the plays, "The Child of Nature" and "Rosina, or the Reapers." The season ran to November 2d. In 1797 the season was not a successful one, owing to the ravages of yellow fever in the town. In 1798 the act suppressing theatrical perfoimances was repealed, though it had been for several years ignored. The theater here was not, however, a profitable investment. In 1810 Mr. Harper withdrew from its man- agement, and was succeeded by Messrs. Powell & Dickson. In Janu- ary, 1812, the news of the burning of a theater at Richmond, Va., and the consequent loss of 71 lives, aroused a popular feeling against the play house, and a petition was strongly signed and advocated be- fore the assembly for the passage of an act suppressing the theater. Although arousing a high degree of discussion and much sentiment, it failed to secure the desired law. The theater programmes from year to year proceeded with varying success, and in 1827 the lease HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 547 was purchased of Mr. Powell by Messrs. Clark & Charnock. During these years the stars of the stage in their turn appeared before Providence audiences in this building. William Dinneford became its lessee in 1828. In 1831 the " Capture of Prescott," a local subject, was prepared by Mr. S. S. Southworth and presented on the stage. Messrs. Philip Case and William Marshall were now lessees of the theater, and it was occupied by different companies that from time to time came along. Thomas Hilson, the last manager of the Provi- dence Theater, opened his season February 13th, 1832, and closed it on March 23d, with the performance of the "Merry Wives of Wind- sor." The property being unproductive to the stockholders, they now sold it to the corporation of Grace church, and it was speedily converted into a house of worship. Several years later the building was torn down, and upon its site was erected the brown stone'church edifice, which is now one of the chief architectural objects of interest on Westminster street. Theatrical performances had now to take up with such accommo- dations as they could find in the armories on Benefit street for a few years. The Lion Theater was fitted up in a brick building on Fulton street, which had previously been used for a circus. This was opened on the 10th of May, 1836. Its career was, however, a short one, for on the 12th of September following it was burned to the ground. A theater was fitted up soon after that in Washington Hall, a building which stood near Turk's Head. It was under the management of a company of so-called amateurs, but it was afterward shown that they were professionals, and thus had violated their license, which was thus forfeited, and, being revoked by the city, they were obliged to close their doors. It is said that John B. Gough, who was then a book-binder, was among the company concerned in this theater. Ground was broken for a new theater on the east side of Dorrance street May 28th, 1838. The site was between Pine and Friendship streets. The prejudice against the drama now appeared again in a petition, signed by six hundred persons, praying the board of alder- men to take action to suppress the enterprise. The petition, how- ever, was not regarded, and the building went on. It was of stone, the basement of granite and the upper stories plastered and pointed. Its length was 110 feet and its width 65 feet. In the auditorium there was a pit, a circular gallery and two tiers of boxes. The in- terior decorations were rich and artistic, and the act drop, a repre- sentation of the Capitol at Washington by moonlight, was considei ed an excellent specimen of the scene painter's art. The new theater was named Shakespeare Hall, and it was opened on the 29th of Octo- ber, 1838, with the plays of "The Soldier's Daughter" and "A Pleas- ant Neighbor." Several seasons of little success followed, and to the embarrassment of small patronage was added the casualty of a fire which gutted the building October 25th, 1844. .548 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Some success attended the efforts later made to establish theatri- cal representations in a hall on South Main street in 1846, and a little later in Cleveland Hall, on North Main street, in the building next north of the present Elizabeth Building. This hall was given up for that use about 1850. The Providence Museum was opened on the 25th of December, 1848, by W. C. Forbes. It was situated on West- minster street, fronting on Orange street, on the site since occupied by the Phcenix Building. The building was destroyed by fire Oc- tober 27th, 1852. A new theater, known as Forbes' Theater, was soon after erected on the site of the Museum, and opened September 6th, 1854. Success did not for a continued length of time perch upon its banners, and it was finally closed, except to an occasional travelling company. After having been in this condition for some time, it was destroyed by fire November 15th, 1858. In the summer of 1857 a small wooden building at the corner of Pine and Orange streets was opened by a company under the man- agement of George- H. Griffith. In 1858 the old Second Baptist meet- ing house was fitted up for a theater. This was known as Swarts' Hall, and it stood on the corner of Pine and Dorrance streets. For a time variety entertainments were given there under the direction of George Wyatt. After the destruction of Forbes' Theater this hall was enlarged and renovated, and on the 5th of September, 1859, it opened as the Pine Street Theater, under the management of Edwin Varrey and W. A. Arnold, both of whom had been connected with Forbes' Theater. This venture proved unprofitable, and the hall was soon after closed. The Academy of Music, in the Phcenix Building, which was erected on the site of Forbes' Theater, was opened on the 28th of June, 1860, by a concert under the direction of Carl Zerrahn. The city hall*, at the corner of Dorrance and Washington streets, was opened as a public hall January 4th. 1-865. At first it was used principally for concerts, lectures and various literary entertainments, but after a time it developed into a regular theater. It was known as Harrington's Opera House, and continued in use as a popular place of amusement until 1871. In June, 1871, the Providence Opera House Association was chartered, having a capital of $100,000, and the erec- tion of a theater was immediately commenced. The building was erected with remarkable expedition, and on the 4th of December, 1871 , it was opened under the management of William Henderson, who had leased it for a long term of years. Here the last stock com- pany formed in Providence gave representations of the drama. This was during the season of 1876-7. Mr. Henderson withdrew from the management, and the theater has since been run as a combination house. One of the prominent places of amusement is Keith's Gaiety Opera House, located at 192 Westminster street. This was at first known as Low's ( )pera House, and was inaugurated as a theater March 4th, 1878. by a concert given by the full American Band and HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 549 an address by Mayor Doyle. The first regular dramatic performance given there was the play of " Uncle Tom's Cabin," by the Wilkinson Company, on the following night. It was for several years under the management of its owner, William H. Low. In 1888 it was changed to its present name, Keith's Opera House. The building is constructed of brick and iron, trimmed with olive stone and white brick. The stage is 36 feet deep and 100 feet wide. The main en- trance was formerly on Union street, but in 1882 a grand entrance was made on Westminster street. x\t the same time a gallery was added, by which the seating capacity was increased from 1,500 to 1,800, and the whole interior was redecorated. Music Hall, located at 276 Westminster street, is used for concerts, lectures, fairs and the like. Its shape is rectangular and its size 1C5 by S5 feet. It also has a gallery on three sides and a second gallery in the rear. It is fur- nished with a powerful pipe organ for concerts, and the stage accom- modates an orchestra of 60 and 300 singers. The hall has a seating capacity of 2,200. The hall was enlarged and the interior rearranged in 188 L. The Sans Souci Garden, on Broadway, opposite Jackson street, is a popular place of resort during the summer. It contains a theater, rebuilt in 1882, having a seating capacity of 1,200, in which comic operas and light comedies are given. The Westminster Musee, at 266 Westminster street, furnishes a variety of amuse- ments. The Amateur Dramatic Hall, on the corner of South Main and Pow- er streets, was erected in 1833, for a church, and after being used as such by the Power Street Methodist Episcopal church for nearly 40 years, was afterward used as a riding school, and since 1876 has been used for dramatic performances and similar purposes. The Theater Comique is a small theater, remodelled and refurnished for the pur- pose, in 1881, is located at 83 Weybosset street, and devoted chiefly to the " variety " class of performances. Other halls in the city, of which we cannot speak in detail are: Alfredian, at Veazie, near Branch avenue; Bassett, at 49 High street; Blackstone, on the corner of Washington and Snow streets; Carrol, at 281 High; Cheapside, at 28 North Main; Dimond, at 169 Charles; Dyer's Opera House, at Olneyville Square; Eddy's Hall, at 373 High street; Franklin, at 62 Westminster; Freedom, at 901 Eddy; Gorton's, at Potter's avenue, near Cranston; Haggai, at 41 Weybosset; Harmony, at 70 Weybosset; Howard, at 137 Westminster; Lester, at 116 Cranston; Infantry Hall, in the armory, 108 to 132 South Main; Moshassuck Hall, 70 Weybos- set; ' North vStar, at Charles street and Chalkstone avenue; Odd Fel- lows', at 97 Weybosset; Oriental, at 255 High; Phenix, at 129 West- minster; Pythian, at 56 Westminster; Slade, at Washington and Eddy streets; Springer, at 927 High; Stein way, at Westminster and Snow streets; Temperance, at 225 Westminster; Temperance, at Eddy street and Potter's avenue; Unity, at 275 High: and Wans- kuck, at 320 Branch avenue. CHAPTER XIX. BANKS AND INSURANCE COMPANIES OF PROVIDENCE CITY. Banking Facilities. — Board of Trade. — First Banking Institutions. — The Providence Bank. — Exchange Bank. — Roger Williams Bank. — Union Bank. — Merchants' Bank. — Eagle Bank. — Manufacturers' Bank. — Mechanics' Bank. — Mechanics' and Manu- facturers' (5th National) Bank. — High Street Bank. — Arcade (R. I. National) Bank. — Weybosset Bank. — Blackstone Canal Bank. — Globe Bank. — National (Old) Bank. — City Bank. — American Bank. — Commercial Bank. — Bank of North America. — Phe- nix Bank. — Traders' Bank. — Pawtuxet Bank. — Lime Rock Bank. — State Bank. — Bank of Commerce. — What Cheer Bank. — Continental (4th National) Bank. — Bank of America. — Atlantic Bank. — Grocers' and Producers' Bank. — Butchers' and Drovers' Bank. — Liberty Bank. — Atlas Bank. — Westminster Bank. — Mercantile (1st National) Bank. — Jackson Bank. — Marine (3d National) Bank. — Northern Bank. — Second National Bank. — Other Banks. — Providence Institution for Savings. — Peo- ples' Savings Bank. — Mechanics' Savings Bank. — City Savings Bank. — R. I. Hospital Trust Company. — Jackson Institution for Savings. — Citizens' Savings Bank. — Mer- chants' Savings Bank. — Franklin Institution for Savings. — Other Savings Institu- tions. — Beginning of the Insurance Business. — The Providence Washington. — The Providence Mutual. — The American. — The Manufacturers' Mutual. — The R. I. Mutual.— The Roger Williams.— The Merchants.— The Atlantic Fire & Marine.— The Commercial Mutual.— The Franklin Mutual.— The Firemen's Mutual. — The State Mutual.— The Equitable Fire & Marine.— The Slater Mutual.— The Butler Mutual.— The Gaspee Fire & Marine.— The Trident Mutual.— The National Mutual.— The Hope.— The Providence Fire & Marine.— The City Fire & Marine.— The Narragan- sett Fire & Marine.— The Union Mutual.— The Blackstone Mutual.— The Newport Fire & Marine.— The Mechanics' Mutual.— The What Cheer Mutual.— The Enter- prise Mutual. — The Merchants' Mutual. — The American Mutual Steam Boiler Insur- ance Company. — Other Insurance Companies. WITH such widely extending commercial relations and numer- ous industrial interests we may naturally expect to find ample banking facilities. Few cities, if any of its size, are so well provided with monetary institutions as Providence. There are now in the city 26 national banks, 5 state banks, 6 savings banks, and a number of banking and trust companies doing a banking business. In this connection we take the liberty to mention the Board of Trade of this city, which though not included in the monetary insti- tutions, is yet closely allied to them, and in like manner represents the commercial enterprise of the city and is sustained by the class of men among whom the leaders of banking and similar institutions are prominent. The Board of Trade has for its object the promotion and protection of the various business interests of the city, its HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 551 organization being based upon nearly the same general plan of similar institutions elsewhere. It occupies the old city building on Market Square, and there are about 500 members in the association. It was incorporated in 1868. Its rooms are supplied with represent- ative newspapers, giving market reports, and accounts of financial transactions of importance in different parts of the country, accounts of stock sales, and market quotations from all parts of the world. The privileges of the rooms are open only to its members. Its officers at present' are: J. U. Starkweather, president; Charles Morris Smith and Frederick Grinnell, vice-presidents; Oren Westcott, treasurer; Freeman P. Little, secretary; and the following directors — Edward D. Pearce, Robert Barton, Herbert F. Hinckley, Albert W. Smith, Joseph Banigan, Arthur H. Watson. Stillman White, Elisha H. Rockwell, Frank E. Richmond, Henry F. Lippitt, Lyman B. Goffi, Wendell P. Hale, Edward D. Williams, J. K.H. Nightengale, George E. Martin, C. H. Merriman, Webster Knight, John P. Campbell, Matthew Watson, H. C. Cranston, and James P. Rhodes. The first banking institution in Providence had its origin in 1791. At that time several of the wealthy merchants, moved by the great advantages which had resulted to Boston from the establishment of a bank, called a public meeting of such persons as were in favor of trying a similar experiment here. The meeting adopted apian pre- pared for their examination, and the Providence Bank went into operation in October. This was the first institution of the kind in- corporated in this state. Of its early history we have but fragment- ary knowledge. For a long time it was doing business at 48 South Main street. In 1824 it was at that number, but in 1838 it had been removed to 46 South Main. At that time its capital stock amounted to $500,000. A few years later it was again located at 48 South Main. It became a national bank in July, 1865, and in 1867 it was removed to 70 South Main, its present location. Moses B. Ives was its presi- dent in 1838, and he continued in that office until 1858, when he was succeeded by Robert H. Ives. The latter continued in the position until 1869. He was then followed by William Goddard, who holds the office at the present time. Charles L. Bowler was cashier in 1838, and from that time on until 1858. He was then followed by Benjamin W. Ham, who was succeeded in 1886 by Andrew R. Matte- son, the present cashier. The capital of the bank remains $500,000. The present directors are: William Goddard, Marshall Woods, M. B. I. Goddard, R. I. Gammell, George W. R. Matteson, John Carter Brown Woods and William Gammell, Jr. The Exchange Bank was incorporated in February. 1801. Its capital has been from the beginning $500,000. The first cashier was Stephen Jackson. The presidents have been: Amos Troup, Cyrus Butler, Samuel Nightengale, Benjamin Aborn, who was in the office in 1838, and continued until 1852. In that year John Barstow became 552 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. president, continuing till 1865, when he was succeeded by Elisha Dyer. Alexis Caswell succeeded in 1866, to 1869, when Rufus Water- man followed. He was followed in 1876 by Henry L. Kendall, who continued till 1884. In that year Nicholas Sheldon took the position, which he still holds. The successive cashiers from 1838 have been: Henry G. Gladding, to 1865; William H. Corey, 1865 to 1869; C. H. vSheldon, 1870 to the present time. George Curtis and Henry E. Hudson were successive cashiers in the interim following Mr. Jack- son. The location of the bank has been at 55 Westminster street since 1847. It was previously located at No. 1 Westminster street. It was organized as a national bank in July, 1865. The present di- rectors are: Francis S. Brownell, Nicholas Sheldcn, John A. Brown, Amos G. Nichols, Henry T. Beckwith, Lyman Klapp, William H. Pope. The Roger Williams Bank was first incorporated in 1803. It was located at 19 Market Square. In 1847 its location was changed to 23 Market Square, and about 1868 it was again changed to the present location, 27 Market Square. It was reorganized as a national bank September 1st, 1865. It has had an existence of considerable pros- perity, its surplus reaching $100,000 in 1888. Its capital stock is §499,950. Successive presidents from the start have been: Seth Wheaton, Nehemiah R. Knight, up to 1855; Jabez C. Knight, 1855 to L867; Cyrus Harris, 1867 to 1878; James W. Taft, 1878 to 1880; Charles H. George, 1880 to the present time. The cashiers have been: Nathan Waterman, Jr.. Nathaniel Smith, to 1855; William H. Waterman, 1S55 to 1880; M. E. Torrey, 1S80 to the present time. The directors are: James W. Taft, Gorham P. Pomroy, Charles H. George, I. B. Mason, Stillman White, Edward S. Aldrich, John M. Buffinton, Charles Sydney Smith, Joseph U. Starkweather. The Union Bank was incorporated in 1814. The first directors were: Ephraim Brown, Amos M. Atwell, Samuel Aborn, Elisha I >yer, Amasa Mason, Samuel Ames, Ephraim Talbot, James Rhodes, Benjamin Clifford, Isaac Bowen, Jr., and Richmond Bullock. The bank occupies the Union Bank Building, at 10 Westminster street, the building having been erected for it in 1815. The successive presidents have been: Ephraim Bowen, Benjamin Clifford, Amasa Mason, to about 1840; Elisha Dyer, from about that date to 1855; John H.()rmsbee,1855 to 1861; James Y. Smith, 1861 to 1877; Charles A. Xichols, 1877 to 1878; Henry G. Russell, 1878 to the present time. The capital of the bank has varied at different times. From $500,000, about 1870, it rose to 8800,000, and in the course of about seven years dropped again to $500,000, where it now stands. Successive cashiers from the start have been: Richard Lippitt, Thomas B. Fen- ner, William J. King, James B. Hoskins, to 1870, after a term of more than thirty years; Joseph C. Johnson, 1870 to the present time. The present directors are: Henry G. Russell, Elisha Dyer, Jr., Johns H. m f\ HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 553 Congdon, William W. Dunnell, Joseph C. Johnson, William A. Tucker and John W. Slater. The Merchants' Bank was incorporated February 18th, 1818. Its first board of directors consisted of William Richmond, Andrew Taylor. Peleg Rhodes. Truman Beckwith, Samuel A. Richmond, Randolph Chandler, Stephen H. Smith, John B. Wood, Charles Porter, George S. Rathbone, Charles S. Bowen, Nathan Tingley and Grosvenor Taft. The location of the bank was at 12, Union Building, afterward at 139 South Main street in 1855, at 12 Westminster street in 1857, and since I860 at 14 Westminster street. The capital origi- nally was $500,000 but about 1857 this was doubled, and its capital has since been $1,000,000. It was reorganized as a national bank in May, 1865. The presidents have been: William Richmond, 1818 to 1850; Josiah Chapin, 1850 to 1868; Royal C. Taft, 1868 to the present time. Successive cashiers have been: Joseph Wheelock, Henry E. Hudson to about 1840, when he was succeeded by Henry P. Knight until 1847; William B. Burdick, 1847 to 1851; A. M. Tower, 1852 to 1857; Charles T. Robbins, 1857 to 1868; John W. Vernon, 1869 to the present time. The present directors are Royal C. Taft, Frank Mau- ran, Frank E. Richmond, Samuel R. Dorrance, John W. Danielson, Edward D. Pearce, Jr., Horatio N. Campbell, Frederick C. Sayles and George M. Smith. The Eagle Bank was incorporated in February, 1818. It has had an experience of prosperous and substantial activity, at the same time a remarkable conservatism and stability have been apparent in its progress. Two of its original directors held the office for more than 50 years, Joseph Whitaker holding until 1871 and William Shel- don until 1872. The bank was reorganized as the National Eagle Bank in April, 1865. The capital increased gradually from year to year until 1853, when it reached the limit of $500,000, where it has since remained. It has for most of its time been located at different places on Market Square, at first at 30, then at 19, later at 23 from 1847 to 1866, at 27 from 1866 to 1888, since which time it has been located at 53 Weybosset street. Its presidents have been: Wheeler Martin, William Church, to 1844; B. D. Weeden, 1844 to 1852; Wil- liam Sheldon, from that time to 1870; James T. Rhodes, 1870 to 1873;* Joseph Sweet, 1873 to 1878; James H. Mumford, 2d, 1878 to the pres- ent time. Successive cashiers have been: John Lippitt, Stephen S. Wardwell, more than 30 years, to 1871; John A. Angell, 1871 to 1877; Charles F. Sampson, 1877 to the present time. The following are now in the board of directors: Robert B. Chambers, Edward A. Swift, John S. Palmer, James H. Mumford, 2d,Beriah Wall, William S. Hay- ward and John Waterman. The Manufacturers' Bank was incorporated in October, 1813. Its stock capital is $500,000. It was first located at Pawtucket, and re- moved to Providence in 1831. Up to about 1847 it was located at 5^> 554 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. North Main street. At that time it was removed to 24 Westminster, and in 1866 to 26 Westminster, the latter being its location to the present time. Presidents of this bank have been: Oziel Wilkinson, Samuel Slater, William Jenkins, to 1847; Thomas Harkness, 1847 to 1858; William A. Robinson, 1858 to 1873; Thomas Harkness, 1873 to the present time. Its successive cashiers have been: Joseph Whee- lock, Pardon Sayles, H. G. Usher, Daniel F. Carpenter, William S. Patten, more than 40 years previous to 1874; Gilbert A. Phillips, 1874 to the present time. The prosperity of this bank is evidenced by its growing surplus, which, during the last ten years, has increased from $209,000 in 1879 to $240,000 in 1889. The bank adopted the national character in 1865. Its directors at the present time are: Caleb Sea- grave, Thomas Harkness, Jeffrey Hazard, George W. Congdon, Elisha S. Aldrich, Gilbert A. Phillips, Newton D. Arnold and Charles Matteson. The Mechanics' Bank was incorporated in June, 1823. Its early location was on the second floor at 21 Market Square. Later it was domiciled at 25 South Main street, and about 1851 was removed to 27 South Main. In 1867 its location was 37 South Main, and in 1881 it occupied its present location at 46 Weybosset. It became a national bank in April, 1865. Its capital stock is $500,000, and its surplus has increased from $150,000 in 1875 to $195,000 in 1889. The first board of directors was composed of: Thomas Howard, Peter Grinnell, William Pabodie, Stanford Newel, William T. Grinnell, George Baker, John Larcher, William P. Greene and Joseph Howard. The first president was Peter Grinnell. Amasa Manton held the position for a long term of years previous to 1867. He was then succeeded by Moses B. Lock wood, who was followed in 1873 by Lewis Dexter, and he in 1884 by James H. Chace, the present incumbent, josiah Lawton was the first cashier. John A. Field was cashier for about half a century previous to 1873, when he was followed by Samuel H. Tingley, who still occupies the position. The present directors are: Lewis Dexter, Charles D. Owen, Eugene W. Mason, James H. Chace, Howard O. Sturgess, Rowland G. Hazard, 2d, and Mortimer H. llartwell. The Mechanics' and Manufacturers' Bank was incorporated in June, 1827, the limitation of its capital stock being $500,000. Its early location was over the Canal Market. It 1844 it was at 1834- North Main, in 1847 at 207, and in 1855 at 47 of the same street. In IS?] it removed to 54 North Main, where it still remains, under the name of the Fifth National Bank, which name was adopted when it entered the national system, March 30th, 1865. Up to that time the actual capital of the bank had reached the amount of $288,900. Since then it has been $300,000. The presidents of the bank from 1838 have been: Sylvanus ( r. Martin, to about 1852, when he was followed by James H. Read, who continued until 1863; P. M. Mathewson, 1863 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 555- to the present time. Albert W. Snow was cashier up to about 1851; Albert G. Stillwell, 1852 to 1883; William R. Dunham, 1883 to the present time. The present directors are: Parley M. Mathewson, James H. Read, Henry J. Steere, Silvanus M. Lewis, Frank M. Mathewson, Joseph B. Knowles and Robert Steere. The High Street Bank was incorporated in June, 1828. Its location has been upon the street which gives its name, though it has several times moved to higher numbers. At first at 96, in 1847 at 154, in 1852 at 158, in 1867 at 192, in 1872 at 346, and in 1877 at 344, where it is now located. Its capital was originally $1 00,0' K), but was advanced to $120,000 a few years afterward. Robert Knight was president of this bank for many years previous to 1863. Duty Greene followed him, and was succeeded by Caleb Harris in 1865. The latter was followed in 1879 by the present officer, John Austin. James E. Butts was an early cashier, serving until 1869, when he was followed by Charles H. Bassett, and he in turn was followed in 1874 by Elijah Allen, the present cashier. The present directors are: Aaron B. Curry, Henry Fiske, James B. Paine, Lester S. Hill, William H. Waite, Henry A. Grimwood and John W. Briggs. The bank is as- sociated with the Citizens' Savings Bank. The Arcade Bank, at first located at No. 30, in the second story of the Arcade Building, was incorporated in June, 1831. Among its prominent incorporators were Earl P. Mason and George B. Holmes. vSuccessive presidents were: Stephen Waterman, up to about 1843; Paris Hill succeeded, continuing until 1855; Earl P. Mason, 1855 to 1877; Henry Lippitt, 1877 to the present time. Its cashiers were: Joseph Hodges, to 1850; Benjamin W. Ham, about 1851 to 1858; Manton E. Hoard, 1858 to 1872; Stephen H. Tabor, 1872 to 1886; Frank A. Chase, 1887 to the present time. The bank was reorganized as the Rhode Island National Bank in March, 1865. As the Arcade Bank, its capital at first was $200,000; about 1846 it was increased to $500,000, and some five years later this sum was doubled; but some ten years later its actual capital was reported at $396,000. In the meantime the bank moved from its original location; first to No. 3 Washing-ton Building, and about 1853 to the second floor of 56 Broad street. About 1858 its number was 56 Weybosset, where it con- tinued until 1867, when it removed to No. 70 Weybosset. Thence it removed in 1881 to 19 and 21 Custom House street, its present location. With its reorganization its capital was fixed at $600,000, and at that figure it has since remained, though a surplus has been growing for several years, which now amounts to $170,000. The present directors are: Henry Lippitt, Benjamin F. Thurston, W. W. Hoppin, E. Philip Mason, S. S. Sprague, William T. Nicholson, F. A. Chase, John McAuslan, Charles Fletcher and William A. Leete. The Weybosset Bank was incorporated in June, 1831 , with a stock capital of $300,000. Its early location was at No. 2 Weybosset street. 556 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. About 1847 it was moved to 55 Westminster street, which location it still maintains. Its capital increased from year to year, until 1859, when it was fixed at $500,000. In June, 1865, it became a national bank, and its capital continued at the amount last named. William Rhodes, its early president, continued until 1854; Alex- ander F. Adie, 1855 to 1862; Robert F. Stafford, 1862 to 1866; Fred- erick M. Ballon, 1866 to 1867: George A. Seagrave, 1867 to 1884; George B. Calder, 1885 to the present time. Luke Green, the early cashier, continued until 1856, when he was succeeded by William C. Townsend, 1856 to 1864; William R. Greene, 1864 to 1876; Ollys A. Jillson, 1876 to the present time. The present directors are: George B. Calder, F. M. Ballou, George W. Whitford, Augustus O. Bourn, James Tillinghast, Robert E. Northam, James F. Field, Frank E. Seagrave, Benjamin W. Persons and Herbert N. Fenner. The Blackstone Canal Bank was incorporated as a state bank in January, 1881. It became a national bank in July, 1865. Its in- creasing capital reached $500,000 about 1852, at which limit it has since remained. The early location of the bank was at 23 South Main street; in 1847 it was at 21 South Main; in 1853 at No. 6 What Cheer Building; in 1880 at 23 Market Square, and in 1882 at 25 Mar- ket vSquare. Nicholas Brown was succeeded as president, by John Carter Brown, in 1844. About 1852 Tully D. Bowen followed, con- tinuing in the position until 1868; J. H. De Wolf, 1869 to 1875; William Ames, 1876 to the present time. Oren Westcott was teller in 1876, Charles T. Dorrance in 1877, and Robert G. Manton, from 1880 to the present time. William Chacehas been book-keeper since IS76. Successive cashiers have been: Thomas B. Fenner, to about L846; Daniel W. Vaughan,from that time to 1854; John Luther, 1855 to 1S76; Oren Westcott. 1877 to the present time. The directors are F. S. Hoppin, William Ames, Amos N. Beckwith, Charles F. Page, Herbert F. Hinckley, Edward P. Chapin, Charles S. Sprague and George W. Butts, Jr. The Globe Bank was incorporated in January, 1831. The capital, in 1853 had reached $600,000. Its location was at 25 South Main street; in 1852, at 27; in 1855, at 33; in 1859 at 56 of the same street; in 1866 at 62 AVestminster, and in 1885 at 48 W T eybosset, its present location. Its capital is now $300,000, which amount was settled upon about 1877, the figures up to that time having been double the present. The bank adopted the national garb in June, 1865. Its successive presidents have been: William Sprague, up to 1875; Jesse Metcalf. 1875 to 1879; Henry J. Steere for a short time, followed by Benjamin A. Jackson, from 1880 to the present time. Cashiers have been: John L. Noyes, to 1858; Thophilus Salisbury, 1858 to 1888; George C. Noyes, 1889. The directors are Benjamin A. Jackson, Christopher Robinson, Henry 1. Steere, Jesse Metcalf, John R. Bart- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 557 lett, Charles S. Bush, C. H. Sheldon, Jr., D. F. Longstreet, and Gard- ner C. Sims. The Old National Bank, organized in the days when the national class of banks was unknown, was incorporated as the National Bank, in October, 1833. When it was reorganized as a national bank the name "Old" was prefixed to give some indication of its new character. Its capital in 183S was $100,000; in 1841 , $120,000; in 1853, $140,000; in 1855, $160,000; in 1858, $200,000; in 1860, $350,000; in 1861, $500,000; and that limit has since been maintained. Its location was at 11 Market Square; in 1859, at 19 Weybosset street; and in 1867, at 21 Weybosset, where it still remains. E. Wade was succeeded as president, by George W. Hallett, about 1843; the latter continuing during a long term, and being succeeded in 1879 by John O. Water- man. He was followed in 1881, by Christopher Lippitt. who remains at the present time. Three successive cashiers have served about as follows: Ezra Bourn, to 1855; Henry C. Cranston, 1855 to 1865; Francis A. Cranston, 1865 to the present time. The directors are Henry C.Cranston, lames E. Cranston, Christopher Lippitt, Fred W. Arnold, William T. Barton, Charles J. Wheeler, D. Russell Brown and Julius Palmer. The City Bank was incorporated in 1833. Its capital was $200,0<><). In 1853 it was $300,000. It was reorganized as the City National Bank in 1865, its capital since that time being $500,000. It now has a surplus of $170,000. Its location was in 1838 at No. 8 Union Build- ing; in 1852 at 41 Westminster street; in 1861 at 78 Weybosset, and in 1867 at 98 Weybosset street, where it still remains. Anthony B.- Arnold, its early president, was succeeded about 1845, by Amos C. Barstow, who holds that office at the present time, having served nearly half a century. Successive cashiers have been: W T illiam R.- Watson, followed about 1840 by Henry Earle; he about 1850 by Amos W. Snow, who continued till 1866; Samuel Salisbury, 1866 to 180?; Edwin A. Smith, 1867 to the present time. The directors now are Amos C. Barstow, Henry A. Howland, T. A. Richardson, Charles Dudley, William B. Greene, Rowland Hazard, Edwin A. Smith, Amos C. Barstow, Jr., and Joseph Davol. The American Bank, at first located at 23 South Main street, was incorporated in October, 1833. Its capital was at first $200,000, but this was gradually increased, until in 1856, it reached the sum of $2,000,000. At this figure it remained until the reorganization of the bank under the national system, as the American National Bank, in August, 1865, with a capital of $1,437,650. At this amount it has since remained. Henry P. Franklin was president until about 1849; Amos D.Smith followed for a year or two; Stephen Harris succeeded about 1851, to 1855; Shubael Hutchins, 1855- to 1868; .Stephen Harris, 1868 to 1879; F. W. Carpenter, 1879 to the present time. The cashier's office has been successively held by: S. K. Rathbone, up to 558 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 1856; William H. Dart, 1856 to 1861; William Olney, 1861 to 1881; Horatio A. Hunt, 1881 to the present time. The location of the bank was changfed to 21 What Cheer Building;, about 1852; in 1868 it was at 25 Market Square, and in 1877 it was at 97 Westminster street, where it remains at the present time. The directors are Thomas Brown, E. H. Robinson, William Grosvenor, Francis W. Carpenter, Alfred A. Reed, George C. Nightengale, Jr., Jeffrey Davis and vStephen H. Arnold. The Commercial Bank was incorporated in January, 1833. Its capital, increasing from $200,000, in 1853 was made a half million, and in 1855 it became a million, which figure has been ever since maintained. For several years it was located at 123 South Main street; about 1845 it was at 143 of the same street, and in 1859 it was at 11 Market Square, where it continued several years. About 18£0 it was moved to its present location at 53 Westminster street. It was reorganized as the Commercial National Bank in 1865. Its successive presidents have been: Richmond Bullock, up to about 1849; William P. Bullock following, to 1862; William Comstock, 1863 to 1874; Daniel Day, 1874 to 1886; Daniel E. Day, 1886 to the present time. The cashiers have been: David Andrews, up to 1857; S. P. Wardwell, 1858 to 1874; Joshua A. Wilbour, 1874; Henry G. Arnold, 1875 to the present time. The board of directors comprises the following: Daniel E. Day, Andrew Comstock, Eugene W. Mason, Thomas Har- ris, Amos C. Barstow, Jr., Edward P. Taft, Isaac M. Potter. The Bank of North America was incorporated in October, 1823, and had a capital of $100, (KM). For several years its location was frequently changed, but about 1857 it found a place at 36 Weybosset street, which some ten years later was changed to No. 48 of the same street, at which number the bank still remains. Its capital increased quite rapidly, until in 1862 it had reached $1,000,000. It was reor- ganized in 1865 as the National Bank of North America. Cyrus But- ler was an early president. About 1840 he was followed by Amory Chapin, who was in turn followed by Elisha Harris about 1846. Seth Padelford succeeded the latter in 1861, and was followed by Jesse Metcalf in 1879. The last mentioned is still in office. Benjamin W. Ham was cashier in 1838. Henry E. Hudson succeeded about 1840, continuing to 1801, when C. E. Jackson, the present cashier, followed him, making for the last named a term of about 30 years. The pres- ent directors are Jesse Metcalf, Charles H. Merriman, A. D. Chapin, Arnold B. Chace, Charles D. Owen, Lucien Sharpe, E. C. Bucklin, William Wanton Dunnell and Stephen O. Metcalf. The Phenix Bank was incorporated in October, 1833. Its first president was James F. Simmons, who continued until about 1843, when he was followed by Samuel B. Wheaton. He was succeeded by Edward Pearce in 1851. After about 30 years of service he was fol- lowed by Jonathan Chace, the present official, in 1881. The capital HISTORY OF- PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 559 of this bank in 1838 had reached $160,000; and in subsequent years it increased until in 1863 it reached $437,650. In 1865 it was reorgan- ized as the Phenix National Bank, with a capital of $450,000. The capital has since remained the same in name, but a surplus has been accumulating which now amounts to $350,000. The first cashier was Jesse N. Olney, followed by Benjamin White, previous to 1838, who continued till 1875, w T hen he was succeeded by George E. Martin, who for several years had served as assistant cashier, and still holds the office of cashier. This bank was originally located at Pawtucket, under the name of Farmers' and Mechanics' Bank, but afterward moved to Providence, where it received the new name. Here, in 1838, it was located at 39 Market street; in 1844 at 41 Market street; in 1852 at 7 What Cheer Building, where it remained until 1889, when it was domiciled at 5S> Dorrance street, in the Narragansett Hotel building. The present directors are Smith Owen, Franklin H. Rich- mond, John S. Ormsbee, Scott W. Mowry, Jonathan Chace, Edward Pearce, Jr., George E. Martin, Webster Knight, Henry A. Munroe and Frederick E. Perkins. The Traders' Bank was incorporated in June, 1836, with a capital of $200,000, which limit has since been maintained. Its location has been, even to the present time, in the Union Building, No. 4 West- minster street. It was reorganized in 1865 as the Traders' National Bank. Successive presidents of this bank have been: Erastus F. Knowlton, to about 1840; Earl Carpenter, from that time to 1862; Z. R. Tucker, 1863 to 1873; Henry A. Webb, 1874 to the present time. The cashiers have been: Henry S. Angell, to about J 840; Henry A. W T ebb, from that time to 1857: Edwin Knight, 1858 to the present time. The directors are Henry A. Webb, Lewus W. Anthony, xMbert H. Manchester, Jr., William A. Tucker, Almon Wade, William Ses- sions and Benjamin W. Spink. The Pawtuxet Bank was incorporated about the year 1815. Its existence never appears very vigorous. Its capital varied at differ- ent times from $100,000 to $150,000. It was located at 19 Westmin- ster and at 41 of the same street from 1852 to 1872, and after that at 87 Westminster. Christopher Rhodes was its president in 1847 and forward to 1861, and Arthur M. Kimball from 1862 to the time of its closing, in 1874. Thomas R. Greene was cashier from an early date, previous to 1847, to 1867, and Stephen D. Greene from 1868 to the close of its active career. It never adopted the national style. The Lime Rock Bank was incorporated in January, 1823. The bank was then located at the village of Lime Rock, in the town of Smithfield, whence it was removed to Providence in 1847. It was then domiciled at 25 Westminster street and had a capital of $100,000. The presidents from that time have been: George Olney, Josiah Sea- grave and, from 1855 tp the present time, Thomas J. Hill. A. W. Spencer was cashier until 1855, when he was succeeded by John W. 560 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Angell, the present cashier. It was reorganized as the Lime Rock National Bank June 30th, 1865. Its capital was raised to $250,000 about 1852, and in 1882 that amount was doubled, the present capital being $500,000. Its location was changed about 1852 to 8 What Cheer Building; 1857 to 42 Weybosset; 1867 to 56 Weybosset; 1875 to 41 Westminster, its present location. The directors are Thomas J. Hill, James S. Phettteplace, John W. Angell, Lyman Pierce, Fred B. Ev- ans, James C. Goff and John D. Lewis. The State Bank was incorporated in May, 1850, with a capital of $150,000. It was located at 34 Westminster street; in 1855 its num- ber was 32, and in 186(5 it was 36 of the same street. In 1871 it moved to 4 Weybosset, and in 1880 to 65 Westminster, its present location. Its capital has varied at different times, for the last ten years or more being $77,225. In 1860 it was as high as $154,450. The first president was Duty Evans, who was followed by John P. Meriam, who served over 20 years. He was succeeded by Albert G. Utley about 1877, and he by James B. Arnold, 1S85 to the present time. The first cashier was C. R. Drowne, followed by Thomas H. Rhodes, 1854 to 1858; Fayette P. Brown, 1858 to 1863: Edwin A. Smith. 1863 to 1866; Samuel Kennedy, 1866 to 1874; Henry B. Dean, 1878 to the present time. The first board of directors were: Thomas H. Rhodes, Duty Evans, John N. Francis, David S. Carr, John P. Meriam, Lewis P. Mead, William O. Darling, N. A. Eddy and Walter W. Updike. The present directors are: Samuel W. Peckham, James B. Arnold, Henry B. Dean, Benjamin F. Arnold and Hiram Kendall. The Bank of Commerce of Providence was incorporated in May, 1851. It was located in the What Cheer Building, and had a stock capital of $1,000,000. The first board of directors consisted of: Amos D. Smith, William Foster, Byron Sprague, Robert L. Lippitt, Walter Manton, Robert W. Watson, Edward A. Greene, Jabez C. Knight and John F. Chapin. .Since 1854 the bank has been located at No. 4 Market Square. In 1865 it became a national bank, its capital paid in to that time having reached the sum of $1,709,200, which amount lias since that time been the capital of the bank. Amos D. Smith, its first president, continued in that office till 1876, when he was succeeded by Edward A. Greene, who in turn was followed by Rob- ert Knight, the present head, in 1884. The first cashier was Joseph H. Bourn, who continued until 1866, and was then followed by John Foster, who is still in the position. The vice-presidents since 1869 have been: Edward A. Greene, to 1876; Charles M. Smith, 1876 to 1884; Harvey E. Wellman, 1884 to the present time. The directors at present are: Edward A. Greene, William B. Weeden, Robert Knight, George C. Nightingale, Harvey E. Wellman, Henry F. Richards, Dutee Wilcox, Frederick Grinnell and William A. Spicer. The What Cheer Bank was incorporated in May, 1853. with a capital of $100,000. It was located at No. 4 Union Building, and was HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 561 open for business until 1806. Its capital increased until, by 18 64, it reached $160,400. During- the term of its existence it president was Henry A. Hidden and its cashier Albert C. Greene. The Continental Bank was incorporated as a state bank in 1853. It was located in the What Cheer Building, and had a capital of $200,000. The first directors were: Benjamin R. Almy, George A. Seagrave, Christopher T. Keith, Rhodes B. Chapman, S. S. Bradford, George W. Butts, Bailey W. Evans, Ezekiel Owen and Henry P. Knight. The capital of the bank increased until ISO?, when it was fixed at $500,000, and has remained at that amount ever since, though it has had a varying surplus, which in 1872 amounted to $100,000. In 1865 it was reorganized as the Fourth National Bank, its location re- maining in the What Cheer Building until 1882, when the bank was removed to its present location at 65 Westminster street. The first president was Benjamin R. Almy. He was succeeded in 1855 by Rhodes B. Chapman, whose long term of service extended to 1886, when he was followed by Bailey W. Evans, the present incumbent. The first cashier. A. G. Durfee, held that position till 1872. He was then followed by Henry R. Chace, who was succeeded in 1880 by Thomas Boyd, Jr., the present cashier. The present directors are: Bailey W. Evans, Ezekiel Owen, Christopher T. Keith, Henry R. Chace, James Tucker, Thomas Boyd, Jr., Albert W. Smith and Rob- ert B. Chapman. The Bank of America was incorporated in May. 1851. It was lo- cated in Duncan's Building, Xo. 48 Broad street, and its capital was $132,950. Its early board of directors was composed of: Adnah Sackett, Henry W. Gardner, John P. Smith, George H. Wilbur, Wil- liam Spencer and Pardon M. Stone. The bank was moved about 1867 to 62 Weybosset street, which location has been since preserved. Its capital for the last 30 years has been $200,000. This has remained a state bank. The first president was Adnah Sackett. who was fol- lowed, in 18()D, by Zechariah Chafee. After a long term of service he was succeeded in 1889 by William S. Hay ward. Edward N. Davis, the first cashier, remained in that office until 1876, being succeeded by A. C. Tourtellot, the present cashier. The directors are: William Spencer, Solomon Tyler, William S. Hayward, Zechariah Chafee, Marsden J. Perry and Leander R. Peck. The Atlantic Bank was first located at 48 Broad street, and was in- corporated in May, 1853. Its capital at first was $100,000, which soon began creeping upward, but standing at about $131,000 from about 1858 to 1883, when it rose to $225,000, its present figure. From Broad street it removed to 48 Weybosset about 1861, and to its pres- ent location, 62 Weybosset, in 1867. Its first directors were: Hiram Hill, Caleb G. Burrows, John N. Francis, Eli Aylsworth, Charles M. Stone. John B. Hartwell, Thaddeus Curtis, Robert Knight, 2d, and Benjamin M. Jackson. It was reorganized as a national bank April 36 502 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 6th, 18S3. Hiram Hill, the first president, was succeeded by Caleb G. Burrows, the present incumbent, about 1877. The first cashier, Charles M. Stone, occupied the position until succeeded by Henry S. Mansfield in 1883. The latter was followed by the present cashier, William R. Greene, in 1885. The present directors are: Caleb G. Burrows, Henry F. Richards, Charles Dudley, Henry P. Richmond, Louis H. Comstock, Joseph Davol, William H. Ballon and Herbert W. Ladd. The Grocers' and Producers' Bank was incorporated in May, ls.Y.:, with a capital of $100,000. A. B. Dike was president until 1856; John R. Balch, 1856 to 1.858; Esek Tallman, 1858 to 1878. Thomas T. Doyle was cashier from the starting- until 1855; William J. Dexter, to 1857; H. J. Steere, to 1858; I ). K. Hoxsie. to 1870; E. F. Phillips, to 1875; J. B. Calder, to 1878. The first directors were A. B. Dike. Welcome Fenner, Godfrey Work, George W. Buffington, P. W. Gardner, Esek Tallman. George H. Whitney, J. S. Harris, N. G. Hoxsie and Dexter Daniels. The bank was located at 82 West- minster street; in 1857 at 38 Weybosset; in 1859 at 50 Westminster; in 1866 at 62 Westminster, remaining there until 1878. The stock capital at that time was 8160. 000, and the directors were Esek Tall- man, A. B. Dike, N. G. Hoxsie, Godfrey Work. E. F. Phillips, Sulli- van Moulton and William Barton. The Butchers' and Drovers' Bank was incorporated in May, 1853, with a capital of $250,000, and located at 25 Broad street. Its first directors were B. B. Knight, Alfred Anthony, Henry J. Burroughs, Welcome B. Sayles. Albert S. Gallup. Daniel Remington, Nathaniel A. Eddy, John .Stokes, David S. Carr. J. S. Tourtellot and William ( ). Darling. The president of the bank during the whole period of its active existence, up to 1887, was Benjamin B. Knight, with the exception of perhaps a year about 1858. when the office was filled by Henry J. Burroughs. The first cashier, W. Knight, was succeeded, in 1868. by Newton C. Dana, who remained till 1887. The bank loca- tion was changed about 1850. to 25 Weybosset, in 1867 to 29 Wey- bosset. and about 1880 to 49 Weybosset, where it remained till 1887. The capital of the bank then was $150,010, at which amount it had stood for several years. The directors were Benjamin B. Knight, Jeremiah Knight, Edwin Knowles, Charles M. Sheldon, Newton C. 1 )ana, Edward Shaw. 2d. and Henry Fiske. The Liberty Bank was incorporated in May, 1854, with a capital of $100,000. It was located at No. 4 Canal street. The president from the beginning to 1882 was Duty Evans, and the cashier during the whole term was C. R. Drowne. The first directors w r ere Duty Evans, Robert W. Potter, Arnold C. Hawes, George W. Payton, John Eddy, Charles W. Holbrook. George E. Cleveland, George L. Clark, Henry B. Metcalf, I). B. Lewis. Henry F. Tingley, C. R. Drowne and John N. Francis. The bank was moved several times, but about HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 563 1880 was located at 62 Westminster street, and its capital then bed returned to the original figure, though about 1862 it had been as high .as $154,150. The directors in 1882 were Duty Evans, John Eddy, Charles W. Holbrook, C. R. Drowne, Sylvester G. Martin, George Chatterton and William Oscar Cornell. The Atlas Bank was incorporated in May, 1854, with a capital of $1(10,000. It was located at 307 North Main street, frcm which it re- moved, about 1866, to 235 of the same street; its business record clos- ing a year or two after that. Its president, during this teim was Henry J. Angell. The cashier was Harvey F. Payton, to 1861, and Thomas H. Brownell during the remainder of the time. The first directors were Sylvanus G. Martin, David Burt, Henry J. Angell, Harvey F. Payton. Smith S. Sweet, Otis M. Cook, Stephen Martin, Benjamin A. Holbrook. .Samuel J. Tripp, David Heaton and George W. Bo wen. The Westminster Bank was incorporated in Ma}', 1854, with a •capital of $100,000. It was located at No. 72 Westminster street, frcm which it moved, and after making two or three shifts, settled in its present location at 56 Weybosset street about 1867. Its capital soon showed a rising inclination, and kept up a gradual increase until about 1875, when it reached $200,000, the present amount. The first directors were William B. Lawton, John B. Winslow, Asa B. Clark, Hollis Chaffin, John Kendrick, Charles M. Howlett, William A. Williams, and Gilbert Spaulding. The first president was Gilbert Spaulding, who was succeeded by David Sisson, 18f5 to 1857; William B. Lawton, 1857 to 1858; Eli Aylsworth, 1858 to the present time. The first cashier was A. B. Clark, who was succeeded by F. W. Anthony, 1855 to 1858; R. G. Place, 1858 to 1861; Sullivan Fenner, 1861 to 1866; N. J. Smith, 1866 to 1868; G. A. Phil- lips, 1868 to 1872; A. W. Simons, 1872 to the present time. Ira C. W. Aylsworth has been teller since 1871. The present directors are Eli Aylsworth, Arnold B. Chace, George H. Darling, Edward D. Bassett, Oliver Johnson, Henry A. Cory, William O. Cornell, William H. Washburn and Micah J. Talbot. The Mercantile Bank was incorporated in May, 1854. It was first located at 49 Westminster street, and had a capital of $100,000. Its first board of directors were Thomas Davis, Allen Brown, D. G. Hall, Edmund Davis, William H. Greene, W. W. Updike, Asa Potter, William Hicks, and David C. Anthony. In 1865 this bank assumed the new form of organization as the First National Bank. About 1858 the bank was moved to 47 Westminster street, where it re- mains at the present time. The presidents have succeeded each other as follows: W. W. Updike to 1857; William H. Greene, 1857 to 1863; Amasa Sprague, 1863 to 1874; Samuel Foster, 1874 to 1879; Nelson W. Aldrich, 1879 to 1881; William J. King, 1881 to 1886; H. H. Thomas, 1886 to the present time. The first cashier was Asa 564 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Potter. He was succeeded by C. A. Tompkins, 1856 to 1862; W. P. Moulton, 1862 to 1865; William C. Townsend, 1865 to 1868; Joshua Wilbour, 1868 to 1874; H. A. Hunt, 1874 to 1881; C. E. Lapham, 1881 to the present time. The capital has varied, having at times been $300,000 and then double that amount, but is now $500,000. The directors are H. H. Thomas, George H. Dart, G. L. Littlefield, B. B. Knight, vS. A. Jenks, Edwin Barrows and William B. Waterman. The Jackson Bank was incorporated in May, 1854. It was located at 25 Broad street, and had a capital of $170,000. About 1868 it was removed to 29 Weybosset street, its present location. Its capital steadily increased until 1876, when it reached $344,450, which figures have since been maintained. The first directors were Eli Aylsworth, Benjamin M. Jackson, John A. Darling, Amos M. Warner, Benjamin R. Arnold, Henry R. Congdon and Seth W. Baker. The first presi- dent was Eli Aylsworth, but he was soon succeeded by Alfred An- thony, who served to 1883, being then followed by Cornelius S. Sweetland, who is now in the office. J. A. Bosworth, the first cashier, was succeeded by Theodore B. Talbot in 1862. The latter continued until 1885, when he was succeeded by George E. Leonard, the pres- ent cashier. Mr. Leonard was teller from 1867 to 1885, and was then succeeded in that office by Edwin T. Herrick. The present directors are Cornelius S. vSweetland, Hugh B. Bain, George W. Bradford, Gil- bert F. Robbins and George E. Leonard. The Marine Bank, at first located at 27 South Main street, was in- corporated in May, 1856, with a capital of $250,000. Its first directors were William S. French, Benjamin B. Adams, Addison O. Fisher, William H. Bowen and O. A. Washburn, Jr. The bank was reorgan- ized as the Third National Bank, under an incorporation dated De- cember 20th, 1864. Its location was changed to 13 Market Square in 1859, and again to 137 Westminster street in 1884. On its reorgani- zation the capital stock was made $400,000, which in 1866 was in- creased to $500,000, the present amount. William S. French, the first president, was succeeded in 1858 by Oliver A. Washburn, Jr., who con- tinues to the present time. The first cashier was George R. Drowne, who was succeeded in 1858 by C. H. Childs. Jr. The latter served until 1886, when he was followed by Frank W. Gale. The present directors are Oliver A. Washburn, Jr., William F. Sayles, William P. Chapin, A. L. Sayles, George W. Snow and John Eddy. The Northern Bank was incorporated in May. 1856, with a capital of $220,000. It was located at 36 Weybosset street. In 1875 it was removed to ^)G Weybosset, its present location. Its capital gradually increased until ISO?, when it reached the highest point, at $369,700, after which it diminished to $225,700, at which it has now stood for several years. The first directors were Stephen T. Olney, John B. Palmer, Vincent Carr, Williams Metcalf, David Ballou, William G. Pierce, George L. Claflin, William Whitcomb and John T. Mauran. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 565 The first president was Stephen T. Olney. He was succeeded in 1800 by William G. Pierce, who served till 1866, and was succeeded by John B. Palmer, 1866 to 1869; David Ballou, 1869 to 1877; Henry J. Steere, 1877 to 1882. The cashiers have succeeded as follows: Peter H.- Brown, 1856 to 1866; Sullivan Fenner, 1866 to 1882. The direc- tors in that year were Henry J. Steere, William Whitcomb, Allen Greene, Josiah W. Crooker, George L. Claflin, Ebenezer Allen, Ed- win G. Angell, George A. Seagrave and F. H. Peckham, Jr. The Second National Bank was incorporated in June, 1864, with a capital of $500,000. Its location was at 37 Weybosset street. Its first president was Lyman B. Frieze and its first cashier was T. Salisbury. The first directors were Lyman B. Frieze, William Sprague, William Viall, James B. Ames, Albert T. Elliott, T. Salisbury and Amasa Sprague. Succeeding presidents were: Thomas A. Doyle. 1871 to 1874, and James M. Kimball, 1874 to the present time. The cashiers have been: T. Salisbury, 1865; John Wilbour, 1866; Joshua Wilbour, 1867; William W. Paine, 1868 to the present time. The bank was located at 41 Weybosset about 1867, and two years later removed to ^)6 Westminster, where it has remained to the present time. About 1875 the bank had a surplus of $200,000. Its capital at the present time is $300,000. Its directors are James M. Kimball, William W. Paine, John P. Campbell, James H. Chace, Edward P. Taft, John C. Wyman and William S. Granger. A few other banks have had an existence in Providence during short periods of time. These may be briefly mentioned as follows. The Mount Vernon Bank, incorporated in 1823, moved to Providence about 1855, and was located four or five years at 87 Westminster street. Its capital at that time was $100,000. During the four or five years Henry Whitman and Joseph Belcher were successive presi- dents, and R. G. Place and Stephen C. Arnold were cashiers. The Bank of the Republic was incorporated in June, 1855, located at 56 Broad street, and had a capital of $100,000. Its president was Na- thaniel A. Eddy, and its cashier Charles M. Howlet. Its record did not extend beyond two years. The Mechanics' Mutual Loan and vSavings Fund Association existed from 1856 to 1859, having a loca- tion at 47 North Alain street. Its successive presidents were A. W. Godding, Parley M. Mathewson and John N. Francis, its secretary meantime being George F. Hathaway. The Rhode Island Loan Fund Association, a similar institution, and located at the same place, had a brief existence about 1856. Edward P. Knowles was its president. The Providence Institution for vSavings was chartered in October, 1819. This was the first savings bank established in this city. If opened for business in November, on the west side of South Main street, nearly opposite the Providence Bank. The institution may be called an outgrowth of the old Providence Bank, and during its existence has been closelv associated with it. For some time it was 566 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. located at 4S South Main, then at 50, then at 76 of the same street. As early as 1842 it had 2,150 depositors, whose total deposits amounted to $297,547. The total number of depositors at the pres- ent time is about 28,000, and their aggregate deposits are nearly twelve million dollars. It occupies a dignified and substanial granite building on South Main street, at No. 76, which was erected for its use, and is a conspicuous object among the buildings of that locality. The presidents since 1847 have been: Benjamin Hoppin. Robert H, Ives, 1869 to 1876, and William Goddard, 1876 to the present time. Successive treasurers have been: Henry dishing, to 1861; Samuel C. Blodget, 1861 to 1886; William A. Hoppin, 1886 to the present time. vSince 1847 the following have held the office of vice-president: Robert H. Ives, Isaac Brown, Alexander Duncan, Joseph Balch, Moses B. Lockwood, William Goddard. Royal C. Taft, Rnfus Water- man, Thomas P. I. Goddard, Samuel M. Noyes, Amos L. Lockwood. George W. R. Matteson and Lucian Sharpe. The present directors are William W. Hoppin, William Gammell, Samuel R. Dorrance, Robert Ives Gammell, R. H. I. Goddard, Rufus Waterman, William B. Weeden, Horatio N. Campbell, Jr.. Edward D. Pearce, John W. Danielson, Howard O. Sturges and Thomas P. I. Goddard. The People's Savings Bank was incorporated in May, 1851. It was for a number of years located in the What Cheer Building, on Market Square. Since 1881 it has been located at No. 1 Market vSquare. Its office at first was at the rooms of the Bank of Commerce. The first directors were: Earl Carpenter, George W. Hallett, Heze- kiah Anthony, Jabez C. Knight, James T. Rhodes, Resolved Water- man, William Foster, William Comstock, Matthew Watson. Ezra Bourn, Shubael Hutchins and Edward A. Greene. Successive presi- dents have been: William Sprague. 1851 to J 857; On ay Taft, 1857 to 1866; Amos D. Smith, 1866 to 1877; Edward A. Greene, 1877 to 1884; Robert Knight, 1884 to the present time. The office of secretary and treasurer was held by Jesse Howard from the beginning to 1876. He was then followed by Albert C. Howard, who was succeeded in 1886 by John G.Massie.the present official. The following have held the office of vice-president in this bank: Orray Taft. Amasa Manton, Amos I). Smith, Hezekiah Anthony, Truman Beckwith, Resolved Waterman, Seth Padelford, Edward A.Greene, Cyrus Harris, Robeit Knight, Francis W. Carpenter, Charles Morris Smith, Eugene W. Mason, G.C. Nightingale and E. P. Taft. The present directors are: Charles E. Carpenter. Francis W. Carpenter, Daniel Day. John B. Anthony, Daniel E. Day, Andrew Comstock, Horatio N. Campbell, Webster Knight, James H. Chace, Harvey E. Wellman, Henry F. Lippitt and Frederick Grinnell. This bank has always maintained a leading position among the financial institutions of the city, and has passed through all the panics since its organization without waver- ing, or any loss to its credit or reputation. The total amount of its HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 567 deposits at the present time is more than $5,000,000, and the number of depositors above 8,000. The confidence which is placed in this bank is shown by the fact that a single depositor has placed more than $40,000 in its keeping at one time. The Mechanics' Savings Bank was incorporated in June, 1854. The first officers were: Zelotes W. Holden, president: Alfred An- thony, E. P. Knowles and A. C. Barstow, vice-presidents; and W. H. Harrison, secretary and treasurer. The directors were: Eli Ayls- worth, George W. Butts, Preston Bennett, Apollos Richmond, Samuel James, William Andrews, Charles Anthony, Amos W. Snow, Asa Pearce and Lucius Weaver. This bank takes a leadirg place among the kindred establishments of the city. Among its officers may be found some of the most substantial business men and financiers of the city. The deposits amount to more than $6,000,000, and are made by upwards of 10,000 depositors. The bank is associated with the City National Bank. Successive presidents have been: Zelotes W. Holden, from the beginning to 1861; Alfred Anthony, 1861 to 1877; Amos C. Barstow, 1877 to the present time. The office of sec- retary and treasurer has been held successively by William H. Har- rison, to 1868, and William Knight, 1868 to the present time. The following have been vice-presidents: Edward P. Knowles, Alfred Anthony, Amos C. Barstow, Eli Aylsworth, Samuel James, Rowland Hazard, Charles Anthony, Zechariah Chafee and Henry F.Richards. The bank was first located at 41 Westminster street, but about 1867 it was moved to the bank building at 98 Weybosset street, where it still remains. The following are directors: Thomas A. Richardson, Oliver Johnson, Charles Dudley, William B. Greene, Charles H. Sprague, John McAuslan, Edward P. Chapin, Louis H. Comstock, Edwin A. Smith, Charles C. Harrington, Henry T. Root and Joseph Davol. The City Savings Bank may be regarded as the outgrowth of the Old National Bank. It was opened for business in the same building occupied by that bank, about the year 1859. Its directors then were: Robert Manton, William M. Bailey, George B. Holmes, Henry C. Cranston, Edwin J. Nightingale, James Humphreys, Ezra W. How- ard, Amos N. Beckwith, Charles H. Childs and Richard J. Arnold. James Y. Smith, the first president, was succeeded in 1877 by Henry J. Steere, who has held the office until the present time. The first secretary and treasurerwas Barzillai Cranston, who was succeeded in 1868 by James E. Cranston. The latter was followed in 1878 by George K. Cranston, who remains in the position at the present time. The vice-presidents have been: George W. Hallet. Thomas J. Hill, Francis E. Hoppin, Henry C.Cranston, Franklin A. Steere. John S. Palmer and James E. Cranston. About 1867 the location of the bank was changed to 21 Weybosset street, where it still remains. The directors are: Christopher Lippitt, Dutee Wilcox, Amos N. Beck- 508 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. with, Charles J. Wheeler, J. W. Crooker, Jeffrey Davis, D. Russel Brown, George W.'B. Bourn, J. U. Starkweather and John H. Cady. The Rhode Island Hospital Trust Company was incorporated in May, 1867, with a capital of $500,000. It is empowered by its charter to receive money in trust or on deposit, and to act as administrator, assignee, or receiver, whether by appointment of court or of indi- viduals. It is also a chartered safe deposit company. It was at first located at 37 South Main street, but about the year 1874 was removed to its present location at 60 South Main. Its first board of directors was composed of such men as: John Carter Brown, Amos D. Smith, Robert H. Ives, Earl P. Mason. x\mos C. Barstow, Truman Beckwith, Moses B. Lockwood, William S. Slater, Thomas P. I. Goddard, Am- brose E. Burnside, Edward King, Rowse Babcock, Alfred Anthony, Zechariah Chafee, Stephen Harris, Samuel M. Noyes, Thomas P. Shepard, Edward D. Pearce. Rufus Waterman and Christopher Lip- pitt. Its first president was William Binney, who was followed in 18S2 by Alexander Farnum, and he in turn by Herbert J. Wells in 1 885. The secretaries have been: Henry Jacobs, 1867 to 1872; Charles H. Sheldon, Jr., 1872 to 1881; Herbert J.Wells, 1881 to 1885; Ed- ward vS. Clark, 1885 to the present time. The capital was increased about 1881 to $800,000. and this again in 1888 to $1,0<)0,(;00. The present vice-president is Samuel R. Dorrance; and the directors are: Amos C. Barstow, Christopher Lippitt, Royal C. Taft, R. H. I. God- dard, G. W. R. Matteson, S. S. Sprague, William D, Ely, Robert I. Gammell, William Binney, William B. Weeden, Rowland Hazard, Edward D. Pearce, Henry J. Steere, Horatio N. Campbell, Robert Knight, John W. Danielson, Herbert J. Wells, John C. Pegram and Lyman B. Goff. The Jackson Institution for Savings was opened about 1872, as tlie National Institution for Savings. It was associated with the Jackson Bank, and had its quarters in the banking rcom of that in- stitution, at 29 Weybosset street. The directors then were John B. Hennessey, Amos M. Warner, Rev. P. G. Delany, Alfred Anthony, William Boyd. Thomas Furlong. Rev. John Ouinn, John Bligh, and John P. Cooney. Its president was Charles A. Boyd; vice-presidents were Right Reverend Francis P. McFarland, Lyman B. Frieze and Thomas Cosgrove; treasurer and secretary, Theodore B. Talbot. The present name was adopted about 1874. The first president is still in office. George E. Leonard succeeded the first secretary and treasurer in that office about 1885. This bank has been a popular depositor}- for women and children under legal age, as by its charter it allows such depositors to control their own deposits the same as citizen depositors. The number of depositors is ale ut ?( 0, and the amount of deposits nearly a half million dollars. Other vice-presi- dents, since the first, have been George F. Wilson, Henry B. Glad- ding, Albert H. Manchester, Amos M. Warner and Gilbert F. Robbins. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 569 The Citizens' Saving's Bank was first located at 346 High street, now at 344 High street, and is associated with*the High Street Bank, in whose banking rooms it transacts business. It began business about 1872, its first board of directors being George W. Hayward, Stephen C. Arnold, Stillman Perkins, Henry T. Root, William S. Hayward, Joseph F.Gilmore, Archibald B. Rice, David Cady, John D. Cranston, Fitz James Rice, William H. Washburn and Jeremiah G.Pearce. Its presidents have been: Caleb Harris, 1871; Henry T.Grant, 1872 to 1877; John D. Cranston, 1877 to 1879; John Austin, 1879 to the present time. The offices of secretary and treasurer have been held by C. H. Bassett, 1871 to 1874, and Elijah Allen, 1874 to the present time. The amount of deposits at the present time is about two and a quarter million dollars and the number of depositors something over 3,000. The directors are William S. Hayward, Henry Fiske, Fitz James Rice, Silas A. vSweet, Lester S. Hill, John W. Briggs, Charles Law and Ed- win Lowe. The Merchants' Savings Bank commenced business about the year 1872, in the banking rooms of the Liberty Bank, at No. 9 Ex- change Place. It had the following board of directors: Henry B. Met- calf, George L. Claflin, Alfred W. Fisk, John Eddy, Charles F. Samp- son, George A. Seagrave, George W. Payton, Elisha W. Pierce, Henry B. Drowne and Frederick M. Ballon. The president from that time to the present has been James S. Phetteplace. The secretary and treas- urer, from the first to 1883, was Christopher R. Drowne, and since the latter date that office has been filled by John W. Angell. About 1882 the bank was moved from the rooms of the Liberty Bank to those of the Lime Rock National Bank, at 41 Westminster street, where it has since remained. The following have held the office of vice- president: Duty Evans, Dexter B. Lewis, Lyman B. Frieze, George A. Seagrave, Frederick M. Ballon, George W. Whitford, Edwin G. Angell and Fred. B. Evans. The number of depositors is about 800, and its aggregate deposits amount to nearly half a million dollars. The Franklin Five Cents Savings Bank was started about 1861, at 56 Westminster street. In 1864 its name was changed to the Frank- lin Institution for Savings, and soon after the location was changed to 62 Westminster street. Its president was William Sprague,-up to 1874, when Cyrus Harris succeeded. The bank soon after that date closed its business and settled its affairs. It had some 5,000 deposi- tors, aggregating over $600,000. Its secretary and treasurer up to 1874 was Winthrop De Wolf, and after that date, T. Salisbury. Two or three other savings banks have had a brief existence and closed up their business. The Rhode Island Institution for Savings was started about 1867, and continued some ten years or more. It carried on business in the banking rooms of the Rhode Island Na- tional Bank, at 70 Weybosset street. Earl P. Mason was its presi- dent, and Robert A. Pearson, secretary and treasurer until 1872, 570 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. when he was followed by S. H. Tabor. The number of depositors reached 1,253, their deposits amounting to $132,764. The Union Savings Bank began business about 1867, occupying- a place in the banking rooms of the Union Bank at 10 Westminster street. James Y.Smith was its president until followed by Charles A. Nichols, about 1877, soon after which date the bank closed business. Its treasurer was James B. Hoskins until 1870. and Joseph C. Johnson from that date, he having been secretary from the first, and contin- ued to hold that office. The last report of the bank showed 1,561 depositors, with an aggregate deposit of $362,938. The Cranston Savings Bank did business for a few years in the rooms of the First National Bank, at 41 Westminster street, beginning about 1871. Amasa Sprague was its president; Arba B. Dike, vice-president; Joshua Wilbour, secretary and treasurer. It had over 4,000 deposi- tors and more than $500,000 deposits. The insurance business, in some form or another, has been car- ried on in Providence from quite an early period. At first it was carried on by private individuals, and was perhaps applied to forms of marine insurance more than to the. insurance of buildings and property on land. In certain documents known to antiquarians reference is made to insurance claims which would indicate that underwriters had done business here previous to the year 1756. In the decade previous to 1740 there was considerable activity in com- merce, and a large number of vessels were eno-aoed, and a writer at the time declared that the methods of underwriting which were in vogue by men of England had been learned and were being prac- ticed here, though no definite instances are quoted or referred to. Policies of insurance bearing date as early as 1772 are preserved. After the revolution the business became moreactive, this individual underwriting having reached its most active period during the last decade of the last century. The following advertisement of an "In- surance Office " which appeared in 1794, tells the story in outline as to the methods then in use: "John Mason takes this method to inform the public in general that he has opened an insurance office in a room in the Coffee House, upon such principles and under such regulations as were established by the principal merchants of this Town, at a regular meeting, which are nearly similar to those established in Boston. He flatters him- self that all who may apply for Insurance, will experience such At- tention and Punctuality as will afford entire satisfaction. The office will be open from Nine o'clock A.M. to One P.M.. and from Four to Six P.M., every day in the week, Sundays excepted." But there were objections to the individual method of conducting insurance, which suggested the formation of stock companies, and so, probably out of the office of this same John Mason, grew the Providence Insurance Company, incorporated in 1799, which at first HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 571 transacted a purely marine business, but afterward added the regu- lar fire insurance. John Mason was elected its president. In the following year the Washington Insurance Company was organized. and about 20 years later these pioneer companies united, and the Providence Washington Insurance Company continues their history. The Providence Washington Insurance Company is claimed to be the oldest joint stock fire and marine insurance company in the United States, dating its existence from the incorporation of the Providence Insurance Company above referred to, in 1799. It is probably the largest, and is doing the most business of any company in the state. It has a paid up capital of $400, 000, and its gross assets amount to $1,144,316. Its total liabilities, except capital, are only $658,208. Its total income for the year ending in 1889 amounted to $995,170. This company conducts a general fire and marine insurance business. Its has about 600 agents in different parts of the country. Its offices are in the What Cheer Building, at 20 Market vSquare. The company has had only four presidents during its long term of exist- ence, since its consolidation. The first was Richard Jackson, father of Governor Jackson; the second was Sullivan Dorr, whose long term of service ended about 1858; the third was John Kingsbury, who be- gan about 1859 and continued till his death in 1874; and the fourth, J. H. De Wolf, who has served from 1874 to the present time. Warren S. Greene was secretary for a long term, beginning previous to 1838 and continuing until 1880, when he was followed by J. B. Branch, the present secretary. Assistant secretaries since 1860 have been: J. Halsey De Wolf, Charles Foster, Lemuel Hayward. J. B. Branch and George E. Bixby. The present directors are: Rowland Hazard, J. H. De Wolf, William Grosvenor, William Ames, Henry J. Steere, F. W. Carpenter, R. I. Gammell. E. Philip Mason, Royal C. Taft, Eugene W. Mason and John S. Palmer. The Providence Mutual Fire Insurance Company has had a long and prosperous career, having been founded and commenced busi- ness in the year 1800. As its name implies, it is conducted on the mutual plan, and it has always shown a consideration for the best in- terests of its patrons. It was organized to carry on the business of fire insurance only. William Wilkinson and George Baker have been treasurers. George Earned and Joseph T. Snow were succes- sive secretaries. The present officers are Henry R. Barker, presi- dent, and Hardin C. Waters, secretary. The principal office of the company is at 45 Westminster street, where it has been since 1870. For several years preceding that date it was at 20 North Main street,. in Aborn's Block. Previous to moving to that building it had been at Whipple's Building on College street. Still earlier it had its head- quarters in the Market House chambers. At last report its total as- sets were $191,074; liabilities, $83,810; income for the year, $45,121:. outstanding risks, $18,700,296. 572 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. The American Insurance Company was incorporated in 1831. It had a capital of $100,000, which, about 1869, was increased to $200,- ()()(). It has had the following presidents: William Olney, William Rhodes, Allen O. Peck, J. Halsey De Wolf. Successive secretaries have been: Allen O. Peck, Walker Humphrey, |. W. Davenport, W. U. Arnold, W. Humphrey, Resolved Waterman. The great Chicago fire, in 1871, involved this company in a loss of over $500,000, which was so great that the company settled up its affairs and retired from business. The Manufacturers' Mutual Fire Insurance Company was incor- porated in 1835, and commenced business on the first of December of that year. Samuel Nightingale was its first president. He was succeeded by John H. Ormsbee, about 1853, and the latter was fol- lowed in 1861 by Horatio Rogers, for two or three years. Henry H. ( >rmsbee, the present president, has held the office since 1863. Suc- cessive secretaries have been: John H. Ormsbee, to 1853; Horatio Rogers, 1853 to 1861: Plenry H. Ormsbee, for two or three years; Leon Chappotin, 1863 for several years. William B. Burrington is the present secretary. The office of the company is in the Board of Trade building on Market Square. The gross assets of the company are $174,460.39. Its liabilities are $67,349.23; gross yearly income, $136,808.82. The Rhode Island Mutual Fire Insurance Company was incorpor- ated and commenced business in 1848. The early directors of this company were: Edward Walcott. Zachariah Allen, Stephen Harris, Robert H. Ives, Orrin A. Ballou, William Viall, James Y. Smith, Wil- liam Foster, George C. Nightingale, Phillip Allen, Jr., George H. Hoppin, Byron Sprague and Thomas J. Stead. Its office was at Market Square, then at 48 Broad street, later at 17 South Main and then at 21, same street, and at 2 Market Square, which is its present location. Its presidents have been: Edward W'alcott, Edward E. Manton, James A'. Smith and George C. Nightingale. John H. Hughes Edward E. Manton and Addison H.White have served it as secretaries, the latter serving from 1856 to the present time. The gross assets of the company are $292;617, and its liabilities $106,175. The net insurance in force is about $23,000,000. The Roger Williams Insurance Company was incorporated in 1848. with a capital of $100,000. Its location was at 13 Westminster street. The following were its early directors: Thomas Harkness, Earl P. Mason. William Sprague, Truman Beckwith, Seth Padelford, A. X. Beckwith, Henry E. Kendall. Benjamin Dyer, William J. C. Cross, Josiah Carpenter, William A. Robinson. Thomas J. Stead, Edward Pearce, George C. Arnold, William J.King, Daniel Day, William Whitaker, A. 15. Dike, Billings Barstow, C. B. Manchester, Cyrus Taft, C. H. Dabney, Orray Taft, Isaac P. Hazard, and John Nichols. Subsequent locations were 16 Market Square, and 17 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 573 Market Square, and 5 Equitable Building. Its presidents were: Thomas Harkness, to 1853; A. C. Mauran, 1853 to 1858; Z. R. Tucker, 1858 to 1861; R. W. Jackson, 1861 to 1867; A. A. Williams, 1867 to 1874; J. W. Davenport, 1874 to 1879. The office of secretary was filled by George C. Arnold, to 1850: R. W. Jackson, to 1861; H. C. Baker, 1861; B. W. Comstock, 1862; Chris. T. Keith, to 1865; J. W. Davenport, to 1879. About the latter date the company having suf- fered heavy losses by the great fire of Chicago in 1871 and that of Boston in 1872, closed up its business and retired. The Merchants' Insurance Company was incorporated in May. and organized in July, 1851, with a capital of $150,000. Its location was at 20 Market Square. The first board of directors consisted of William Comstock, Byron Sprague, Samuel B. Wheaton, Robert W. Watson, Moses B. Lockwood, George W. Hallett, Edward A. Greene, Peleg A. Rhodes, William Foster, Robert L. Lippitt, Jabez C. Knight, Amos D. Smith, AValter Manton, William Viall and William French. The first president was W T illiam Comstock, who filled the office for a number of years. He was followed by Walter Paine, and he by William T. Barton, the present incumbent, about 1879. The secre- taries have been: Walter Paine, Jr., from the beginning a number of years; Charles Foster, and William P. Goodwin, the present secre- tary. The office is now at the original number, 20 Market Square. though it has for short periods occupied other quarters. The busi- ness transacted is distributed over the entire United States, except- ing the Southern states, and the company is represented by about 250 agencies. Its capital stock, actually paid up. is $200,000; its total assets, $469,829.66; its liabilities $160,468.64. The total amount of premiums received by this company since its organization is about six million dollars; and the total losses paid in the mean time amount to about four million dollars; while the total of cash dividends in the same period was $648,000. The Atlantic Fire and Marine Insurance Company w r as incorpor- ated in May, 1852. It was first located at 12 South Main street, then at 10 North Main, and about 1870 was moved into the Atlantic Build- ing at 45 Westminster street. Its capital was at first $150,000; about 1872 it reached $300,000, and soon after was reduced to $200,000. The first directors were Suchet Mauran, Edward Seagrave. David vSisson, William H. Reynolds, Hosea Ballou, Jr., James Y. Smith. Preston Bennett, Jabez M. Fisher, John A. Taft, Henry W.Gardiner. John D. Burgess, F. H. Richmond, James S. Phetteplace, B. Stevens and Henry P. Knight. The first president was S. Manton, who was followed by Suchet Mauran in 1855. He was succeeded about 1872, by J. S. Parish, who continues in office. The first secretary, B. Stevens, was followed by J. S. Parish, in 1860, and by T. W. Hay- ward, Jr., in 1872, who continues at the present time. The aggre- gate assets are $250,818; the total liabilities, $40,949. The company. .-.5.74 HISTORY OK PROVIDENCE COUNTY. since its organization, has received premiums to the amount of three and a half million dollars; and has paid losses exceeding two and a half million dollars. It has declared dividends to the aggre- gate amount of nearly half a million dollars. The present directors are F. H. Richmond, James S. Phetteplace, Bailey W. Evans. William W. lloppin, George L. Clarke, Henry Lippitt, J. S. Parish, Frank Mauran, James C. Goff, John J. Reynolds and Elisha S. Aldrich. The Commercial Mutual Insurance Company, with a capital of §100,000, was chartered in 18f>2. Its first board of directors consisted of Thomas Harkness, Orray Taft, Truman Beckwith, Thomas J. Stead, William A. Robinson, James Y. Smith, A. B. Dike. Billings Barstow, Charles H. Dabney, Charles L. Fisher, Cyrus Taft. Cyrus B. Manchester, Amos N. Beckwith, Henry Lippitt, Hosea Ballon, Jr., Henry C. Mathewson, James G. Anthony, John N. Mason, Daniel 1 )ay, Edward Pearce, George W. Chapin, William J. King, Joseph Carpenter, Seth Padelford and Earl P. Mason. The offices of the company were at 27 Market Square, until about 1866, when they were changed to 33 Market Square. The ofhce of president was succes- sivelv filled by Thomas Harkness, George C. Arnold, Cyrus Taft and J. A. Budlong. The office of secretary was filled successively by George C. Arnold, ]. A. Budlong and Stephen H. Arnold. About the year 1867 the company, which had become a purely stock company, closed up its affairs and retired from business. The Franklin Mutual Fire Insurance Company was incorporated in May, 1854. Its office was at No. 4 Market Square. Its original directors were William Foster. Amos D. Smith, William G. Weeden, Joseph F. Gilmore, David Sisson, A. B. Dike. Earl P. Mason, Amos C. Barstow, William M. Bailey, Daniel E. Carpenter, Thomas |. Stead, William A. Williams, John F. Chapin. Albert S. Gallup, Thomas J. Hill, Edward A. Greene. Lucius Weaver. George C. Nightingale. B. B. Adams, George A. Howard and Enoch Steere. The first president, William Foster, served till 1862, being then suc- ceeded by William M. Rodman, to 1865; William H. Chandler, to 18(H); Charles F. Ladd, to 1869; Amos M. Bowen, to the present time. The office of secretary has been filled by Joseph Adams, to 1858; John F. Driscol. to 1863; Asa Lyman, to 1865; C. 11. Ladd, to 1866; John R. Wheaton, to the present time. The office of the company was moved to 12 South Main street about 1869, where it has since remained. Its gn.ss assets are $69,773; its liabilities, $43,938. Its outstanding risks amount to about seven million dollars. The Firemen's Mutual Insurance Company was incorporated May 1st. IS54. It commenced business August 1st of the same year. Itsfirst president was John F. Phillips: secretary and treasurer. John Eddy. The office was at No. 2 Market Square, up stairs. About 1860 the • office was changed to 3 Washington Row. The first directors were William Viall, Thomas J. Stead, Thomas J. Hill, Welcome B. Sayles, HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 575 Lyman B. Frieze, A. B. A. Whitaker, Amasa Sprague, George B. Holmes, David Sisson, Stephen Harris, Jr., Albert Dailey, David S. Carr, Horatio N. Slater, Pardon M. vStone and John O. Waterman. The office of the company was removed to its present location at 11 Westminster street about 1880. The gross assets amount to more than a half million dollars, while the liabilities arc little more than .$200,000. The outstanding risks are about $45,000,000. The State Mutual Fire Insurance Company was incorporated in January, 1855. Its location was at No. 3 Canal street. It commenced business immediately on its incorporation, February 20th, 1855. Its first board of directors was composed of Wanton Vaughan, Cyrus Fisher, David Ballon, Almoran Harris, Philip B. Stiness, H. G. Tucker, Hiram Hill, L. D. Littlefield, Josiah Simmons, Harvey F. Payton, James Fisher, Peter H. Brown and Silas R. Kenyon. Suc- cessive presidents have been: Wanton Vaughan, Cyrus Fisher, Jo- siah F. Crooker, James Y. Smith, Rhodes B. Chapman and Robert B. Chapman, the present head. The secretaries have been S. R. Kenyon, R. B. Chapman, Charles H. Wildman and Charles H. Chapman. -About 1867 the location of the company was changed to 21 South Main street, and about 1875 to the Equitable Building, at No. 1 Cus- tom House street, where it now remains. Its gross assets are $518,- 299; liabilities, $232,528. Risks in force amount to about fifty million ■dollars. The amount of assessment authorized by charter to pay '.losses is about two and a quarter million dollars. The Equitable Fire and Marine Insurance Company was incor- porated in May, 1859, and commenced business in September, 1860. Its office was then at No. 1 Market Square. Early directors were Thomas .G. Turner, James Y. -Smith, Edwin J. Nightingale, William Foster, Henry C. Cranston, Earl P. Mason, George W. Hallett, John ■ ■( ). Waterman. A. Nicholas Brown, Francis M. Smith, Joseph O. Clarke, William M. Bailey, William Sprague. Thomas J. Hill, Lyman .B. Frieze, Augustus M. Tower and Cornelius Barrows. Thomas G. Turner was the first president, and he was succeeded about 1875 by Frederick W. Arnold, who remains in office to the present time. The first secretary, A. M. Tower, was succeeded in 1862 by Frederick W. Arnold, who, on his promotion in 1875, was followed by James E. Tillinghast, the present secretary. The company has a capital of $300,000 actually paid up. Its assets amount to $568,000; its liabili- ties are $165,000. Over three million dollars have been received in premiums since its organization, and losses of more than two and a ■quarter millions have been paid and dividends of $449,000 have been •declared. The directors at the present time are Henry C. Cranston, Thomas J. Hill, Parley M. Mathewson, Fred. W. Arnold, John A. Adams, John S. Palmer, Henry J. Steere, Josiah W. Crooker, O. J. Rathbun, C. B. Arnold, Jr.. Robert E. Northam, Nelson W. Aklrich, Andrew G. Weeks, John Waterman, Orlando PL Davenport, Julius 576 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Palmer, Hammond Vinton, Herbert F. Hinckley and Heniy Peaicc. The Slater Mutual Fire Insurance Company began business in 1857, with officers as follows: James H. Read, president; Immanuel vSearle, secretary and treasurer; and William S. Goodell, assistant secretary. The following were directors: H. N. Slater, Christopher S. Rhodes, Edward W. Lawton, John W. Lyman, James H. Chase, James S. Cook, T. A. Doyle, Benjamin F. Thurston, Royal Chapin, fames H. Read, H. N. Campbell, George C. Ballou, Samuel James, L. P. Mead, Earl P. Mason, Immanuel Searle, Robert Rodman, Charles Anthony, Daniel E. Carpenter, William Grosvenor and J. Saunders. Charles H. Anthony was president from 1858 to 1802, and Daniel Hall held the office in the latter year. William S. Goodell was secretary in 1859, and forward to the close. In 1863 the affairs of the company were placed in the hands of Caleb Farnum, as receiver, under whose skillful management the business was successfully closed. The company in 1875, under an amended charter, again entered the business field as the Hope Mutual Fire Insurance Company. The office of the Slater Company was at 16 Weybosset street. The Butler Mutual Fire Insurance Company began business in 1857, with the following directors: Zelotes W. Holden, Chester Pratt, Edward P. Knowles, Samuel Havens, Xoel Freeborn, John Congdon, John (). Waterman, William H. ( rale, Ansell E. Bradley, John H. Eddy, Albert Sanford, Oliver Johnson, Sylvester J. Watson, Samuel A. Winsor, Abner H. Angell, Benjamin N. Lapham, William Hicks, Daniel E. Remington, Albert G. Sprague, Joseph B. Mathew- son, Thomas W. Sprague, William B. Rider. Charles Burlingame, Joseph C. Hartshorn and A. C. Barstow. The office of the company was at 32 Westminster street. In 1865 it was moved to 36 Westmins- ter, and in 1871 to 4 Weybosset street. The first president, Zelotes W. Holden, was followed by Albert Sanford, in 1860, and he by Ed- ward P. Knowles, in 1862. The first secretary was Albert Sanford, followed in 1860, by Varnum J. Bates. In 1879 the company failed and abandoned business. The Gaspee Fire and Marine Insurance Company was located at 10 Westminster street, and began business in 1857. Its first presi- dent was William P. Blodget, followed in 1866 by George L. Clarke. The first secretary, Edwin Turner, was followed in 1865, by Asa Ly- man. The first board of directors was composed of William P. Blodget, Jabez C. Knight, John N. Francis, Isaac Brown, Jr., Russel M. Lamed, Walter S. Burges, James B. Ames, George H. Hoppin, Henry A. Hidden, Benjamin B. Adams, William H. Bowen, George W. Butts, Samuel Foster, Arthur M. Potter, William V. Davol, Ste- phen C. Arnold, Isaac H. Southwick, George A. Seagrave Edwin Turner and Albert S. Gallup. The office was removed to 12 West- minster street, in 1862, and in 186(5 to 47 of the same street. The company gave up business in 1867. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 577 The Trident Mutual Insurance Company was chartered in 1855, but did not get fairly into business until 1858. Ward Cowing was its president, and O. W. McKinney its secretary. It had the follow- ing board of directors: Ward Cowing, W. A. Bradford, S. B. Darling, E. B. Perry, Philip Rider, G. W. Hall, F. C. Gardner, G. E. Cleveland, O. W. McKinney and R. G. Place. Its office was at 37 Dorrance street. It had a nominal capital of $500,000, but its assets only reached, by the most favorable showing, $173,000. Its affairs in 1859 were placed in the hands of a receiver and closed up. The National Mutual Fire Insurance Company was incorporated in 1858. It was located at 34 Westminster street. Its officers and di- rectors were: George L. Clarke, president; Silas R. Kenyon, ,<-tcre- tary and treasurer; Rowland G. Hazard, Lewis P. Mead, Thomas Davis, Eli Pond, R. R. Hazard, Jr., Francis Sheffield, Oliver Johnson, Jonathan Pike, William H. Arnold, Samuel Warner, Benedict Lap- ham, David L. Aldrich, and Stephen Cornell, directors. Horace A. Wilcox was treasurer for a time. In 1864, after being in the hands of a trustee for about two years, it took a new departure as the City Insurance Company, a stock company with a capital of $50,000. Under the latter style it did but a small business, and in 1880 retired from business, its outstanding risks being re-insured in the Imperial and Northern Insurance Company. The Hope Insurance Company began business about 1859. Its first directors were James Y. Smith, A. C. Mauran, Royal C. Taft, Caleb Seagrave, Henry A. Hidden, James S. Phetteplace. John L. Ross, William D. Davis, William S. Slater, Elijah Kenyon, Samuel Shove, Joseph Martin and Joseph B. Stone. Successive presidents were Samuel Shove, Amos M. Warner, and William T. Barton. The first secretary, Joseph Martin, served for a number of years. The stock capital of the company was $150,000. Its office was at first at 18 Weybosset street, and about 1870, it was changed to 9 Butler Ex- change. This company sustained heavy losses by the great Chicago fire of 1871 , from which it never fully recovered, and in or about 1880 it closed up business. The Providence Fire and Marine Insurance Company was organ- ized and chartered in 1857. It did but a very limited amount of business, and in 1863 was in the hands of a receiver. Two or three years later it retired from business. During its term its president was John B. Peirce; secretary, Charles G. Taft; and assistant secre- tary, E. Augustus Taft. Its office was at 83 Weybosset street. The City Fire and Marine Insurance Compan}% succeeding the National, began its career under the new name and style in 1864. Its officers were: William R. Watson, president; S. R. Kenyon, sec- retary. George L. Clarke succeeded in the former office, and was followed about 1877 by William L. Beck with. Edward S. Babbitt was secretary from 1866 to the close of its career. It had a capital of 37 578 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. $100,000, and claimed assets amounting to about $150, 000, but about 1880 it closed up its affairs and retired from business. The Narragansett Fire and Marine Insurance Company was in- corporated in 1857, with a capital of $f)00,0(0. This was one of the largest amounts ever possessed by an insurance company in Rhode Island. With good name and officers, large capital and fair pros- pects, it seemed destined to become one of the leading companies of the country. Its directors were William H. Reynolds, Samuel M. Noyes, William vS. Slater, George R. Drowne, Cyrus Taft, Samuel Foster, Isaac Hartshorn. Daniel Remington, Allen ( ). Peck, Lyman B. Frieze, Alexander Farnum, Tosiah Whitaker, Robert Manton, Daniel Day, Collin C. Baker, Henry Lippitt, George H. Hoppin, Shu- bael H. Cady and Jacob Bunnell, Jr. Its office was at different times in the Merchants' Bank Building, at 16 and 18 Westminster street, and at 41 Westminster. A. O. Peck and Henry Harris were presi- dents, and E. Turner, Henry Harris and Ira A. Foster successive sec- retaries. The great fires of Chicago and Boston caused heavv losses to this company, and in 1874 it reinsured its risks in the Commercial Union Assurance Company, of London, and gave up business. The Union Mutual Fire Insurance Company was incorporated May 1st, 1863, and began business on the first of the following Sep- tember. The charter was granted to Tosiah Chapin, William Binney, Walter S. Burges, Tully D. Bowen, Seth Adams, Jr., William J. King, Seth Padelford, Sydney Williams and others, for the exclusive pur- pose of insuring dwelling houses and their contents. The office of this company was at first at 3 Washington Row, but about 1880 it was moved to 11 Westminster street, where it is now located. The career of this company has been a remarkably successful one. The amount of losses has been very light, amounting on the average to only about $1,300 a year. There have been three years in which it had no losses at all. It now carries risks aggregating about eleven million dollars. Its gross assets are $166,000; its liabilities being $69,000. Its first president was Sydney Williams, who served in that office for many years. He was followed by Edwin Barrows, the present in- cumbent. The successive secretaries have been: John Eddy, Edwin Barrows and Joseph T. A. Eddy, who remains at the present time. The directors are Henry A. Hidden, Christopher Lippitt, Thomas J. Hill, Amos C. Barstow, Henry Lippitt, Stephen Harris, Isaac H. Southwick, Edward P. Taft, Rowland Hazard, Royal C. Taft. Wil- liam Binney, Charles H. Smith, Francis W. Carpenter, John W. Ban- ielson, Edwin Barrows, James H.Chaee, John W. Slater and Fred. B. Evans. The Blackstone Mutual Fire Insurance Company was incorporated in August, 1863, and began business during the same month. Its lo- cation was at 41 Weybosset street. About 1872 its office was removed to 26 Westminster street, where it remained until about 1880. It was HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 579 then removed to its present location at 41 Westminster street. Its president is John Eddy and its secretary William F. Worch. The assets of the company amount to $294,000; its liabilities, except sur- plus, $111,000. The cash premiums for the year reported were $215,- 645. The outstanding risks in force amounted to $23,314,590. Losses during- the year amounted to about $41,000. The Newport Fire and Marine Insurance Company, for which a charter had been granted in 1859, but never used, was organized in November, 1871, with a capital of $200,000. It was located at 20 Market Square. Its officers were: J. H. De Wolf, president; Resolved Waterman, secretary, and W. U. Arnold, assistant secretary. After a short business life this company, or more properly its business, was merged in the Providence Washington Company, in 1875. The Mechanics' Mutual Fire Insurance Company was incorpor- ated in 1871, and commenced business August 1st of that year. It was first located at 45 Westminster street, but is now domiciled in the Board of Trade building on Market Square. The losses during the year of report were $4,883; gross assets, $105,000; liabilities, $50,000. Its officers are: Amos C. Barstow, president; Henry H. Ormsbee, secretary. The What Cheer Mutual Fire Insurance Company was incorpor- ated in May, 1873, and commenced business January 1st, 1874. Its office was at 10 Butler Exchange. Its officers were: Elisha Harris, president; Lewis T. Downes, secretary and treasurer. It is now lo- cated at 45 Westminster street. Its assets are $189,000 and its lia- bilities $106,000. It carries risks to the amount of about $20,000,000; and its losses for the year of report amc tinted to |33,792. The pres- ent officers are: Lewis T. Downes, president; Joseph T. Day, secre- tary. The Enterprise Mutual Fire Insurance Company was incorporated June 2d, 1874. It commenced business on the 14th of July, 1874. It occupied offices at 9 and 10 in the Equitable Building. Its gross assets amount to $145,000; liabilities, $95,000; annual gross income, about $160,000; losses, about $59,000; outstanding risks, $15,000,000. The officers are: Scott W. Mowry, president; Robert B. Chapman, secre- tary. The office is at No. 1 Custom House street. The Merchants' Mutual Insurance Company was incorporated Oc- tober 12th, 1874, and commenced business on the first of November following. It was located first at 26 Westminster street, but about 1878 was removed to its present location at 41 Westminster. It car- ries riskstothe amount of about twelve million dollars, and is author- ized by charter to make assessments to pay losses to the amount of $576,000. Its yearly losses range about $20,000. Its gross assets are $150,000, and its liabilities about $60,000. Its officers are: John Eddy, president; William F. Worch, secretary. 580 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. The American Mutual Fire Insurance Company was incorporated: June 1st, 1877, and began business on the same day. Its officers are: James S. Phetteplace, president; Robert B. Chapman, secretary. Its office is at No. 1 Custom House street. Its gross assets are $150,000; liabilities, $92,000. Its losses for the report year were $48,000. Its risks in force amounted to about fifteen million dollars. Besides these companies there have been a number of others which did business for a short time, and still others which existed onlv in name and died in process of being- developed. Since 1869 a number of charters have been granted to prospective companies that have never been organized. The names of some of these are: Eureka, Globe, Phenix, Westminster, Weybosset, Mutual Boiler, Live Oak, Manton, and New England Mutual Reservoir. Several attempts at organizing life insurance companies have been made, but without meeting with any permanent success. Some of these have been: The Enterprise Loan and Insurance Company, chartered in 1836; the Life and Trust Company, in 1837; the American Mutual Life Insurance Company, in 1847, and the Rhode Island Mutual Life Insurance Company, in 1849. The Economical Mutual Life Insurance Company commenced business in 1866, having an office at No. 2 Market Square, and was organized with a capital of $200,000. After a career of about ten years it transferred its business, by re-insurance, to the Republic Life Insurance Company of Chicago. The Travelers' Insur- ance Company, an accident company, was chartered in 1865, and com- menced business, but in the following year it re-insured its risks in the Travelers', of Hartford, and gave up business. The Providence Mutual Steam Boiler Insurance Company was organized in Septem- ber, 1874, and commenced business July 1st, 1875. It was first located at 10 Butler Exchange, but is now at 45 Westminster street. It shows assets amounting to $13,216, and liabilities of $4,700. It carries risks amounting to about §900, 000. William Corliss is president and Lewis T. Downes secretarv. CHAPTER XX. MANUFACTURING IN PROVIDENCE. Early History of Manufacturing. — Statistics Soon After the Revolution. — Beginnings of the Jewelry Manufacture. — Hat Making. — Card Making.-— Saddlery. — Beginnings of Various Other Manufactures. — Leather and Paper Makiug. — Manufacturers in 1824. — Progress of a Quarter Century Succeeding 1820. — Establishments in Operation About 1840.— Progress of Manufactures. 1855, 1875, 1880.— Providence Association of Me- chanics and Manufacturers. — Men Who Were Prominent in Its History. THE great industrial enterprise of Providence is manufacturing. As the maritime and commercial prowess of the town began to decline the growth of manufacturing interests increased. Indeed they had begun to grow long before; and their continued and rapid growth have furnished the means of wealth of which the city may to-day boast. Providence is conspicuous among the great manu- facturing cities of America, and in the lines of jewelry and cotton goods at least, is ahead of all others. We shall now undertake to give a brief outline review of the rise and growth of manufactures in the city. Previous to 1790 but little is known of the progress or products of this industry here. No systematic effort had been made to procure statistics of its variety and value. At a meeting of the Association of Mechanics and Manufacturers August 3d, 1790, a committee was appointed to collect statistics concerning it, and to the results of their labors we are indebted for most of the information that we now have on the subject relating to that time. The committee reported January 10th, 1791. After detailing the quantity of articles manu- factured, "according to the best information which they have been able to obtain," they add, "the manufacture of cordage, copper and brass, brass-foundry work, mathematical instruments, cabinet work and chairs, tin, stone and earthen wares, and bellows, we have not been able to ascertain to any exactness, but suppose most of them to be very considerable, and might all of them be extended largely were there proper encouragement given." In preparing to report to the house of representatives in the con- gress of the United States a plan for the promotion of manufactures in the country, Alexander Hamilton, then secretary of the treasury, in 1791, called upon the Association of Mechanics and Manufactur- ers in Providence for information concerning the status of manufac- 582 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. turing, both in mills and in private families, in and about this town. From their report we learn that there were manufactured in the year 1790: 121 beaver hats, worth $8 each; 1.827 castor hats, worth $18 to $18 a dozen; 4,564 felt hats, worth from $5 to $12 a dozen. This busi- ness was established here in 1730, and in the year 1790-1 was largely on the increase. In the business of block making materials were plenty, and more workmen were obtainable than the work would employ; 8,496 feet had been made up in 1790. The tanning and cur- rying business had suffered some embarrassment, on account of the large quantities of leather which was being imported from the West Indies. The number of hides tanned during the year was 3,010; calf skins, 3,226; goat skins, 1,710. In saddle and harness making- there had been made 999 saddles, worth $6 to $14 apiece; 164 sets carriage harness. Fringe and web weaving had turned out 1,100 yards of girth, 1,350 yards of fringe and 360 yards of lace. This business was carried on by Jonathan Hill, who declared his ability to manufacture at a lower rate than could be imported for. Of woolen cloths there were manufactured in 1790, in factories and private fam- ilies, 30,000 yards, and the manufacture was being well sustained. Boot ar^l shoe making was suffering from cheap importations from Europe. There were, however, made during the year, 15,356 pair shoes, worth 66 cents to $1.50 a pair, and 215 pair boots, worth from $3^ to $8 a pair. Nails were manufactured to the number of 3,000.- 000. Nails at that time were sold by count, not by weight. The price of ten-penny nails per thousand was $1; eight-penny nails, 88 cents; six-penny, 75 cents; four-penny, 33 cents; three-penny, 25 cents; two- penny, 21 cents. Those below four-penny, and including that size, were cut; the larger sizes were wrought. Bovs. as well as men, worked at this business during the winter. Slitting mills were in operation which it was declared were sufficient " to supply the whole country with rods." The manufacturers of edge tools produced dur- ing the year 4,500 scythes, axes and drawing-knives. From January to August, 1791, six eight-day clocks had been made, valued from $88 to $40 apiece. Importations from Europe interfered here again. The manufacture of chocolate was carried on, reaching 60,000 pounds during 1790, valued at 9 pence a pound. Candles, to the quantity of 40,000 pounds, at pence a pound, had been made. Hard soap, 10,000 pounds, at 5 pence. During the year 56 carriages had been made. In silver plated work there had been turned out 100 pair silver buckles, 1,400 pair plated buckles and 80 dozen silver spoons. Card making in six months had reached 100 dozen pair cotton and 120 dozen pair wool cards, valued, respectively, at $8 and $5 a dozen. The wire then had to be imported, as it was not drawn in this coun- try. Children were employed at making cards, and thus they were kept out of mischief, as well as taught a useful trade. Brass found- ers' work was produced in great variety, "as cheap, if not cheaper. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 583 and as good, if not better, than any imported from Europe.'" Laniel Jackson had already begun the manufacture of engines for extin- guishing fires. Joiners' bench and moulding tools were manufac- tured to the value of $1,000 annually. Paper manufactures were car- ried on to considerable extent. From January 1st to October 1st, 1791, there were made 1,584 reams writing paper, averaging $2.12^ a ream; 340 reams printing paper, at $1. 00; 824 reams wrapping paper, at 5s. 6d.; 153 gross fine pasteboards, at $12 a gross; 3,GC0 pounds sugar loaf paper, at $8.33 per hundred; 2,000 pounds candle paper, at same price; 7,300 pounds sheathing paper, at $3.25 per hundred; 4,800 pounds pasteboards for bookbinders, at $4 per hundred. Leather dressing and glove making were carried on, the quantity produced being 125 dozen skins wash leather dressed, 125 dozen skins tanned for card leather, valued each at $3 to $'S^ a dozen; 200 dozen women's long gloves, at $3-g- a dozen; 583 dozen women's habit gloves, at £:> a dozen. A slitting mill turned out annually 50 tons of nail rods. 50 dozen iron shovels and some iron hoops. The cotton goods factories, from January 1st to October 1st, 1701, reported as follows: Almy & Brown, no returns; William Potter. 2,164 yards; Lewis Peck, 2,500; Andrew Dexter, 466; James M'Kenis, 700. Prices then ran as fol- lows: Double twilled cord, two-thirds of a dollar a yard; double fancy cord, same price; Jeans, half as much; fustians, 1£J cents. In L790 11,191 yardsof cotton goods were manufactured in factories and 2,< CO yards in private families. In the same year 210 pairs "leather breeches "and 500 pairs of gloves were made, 560 pairs stockings woven and 3,500 books bound. There were also manufactures of cabinet work, chair work, cordage, coppersmiths', braziers' and pew- terers' work, of which no statistics were obtained. During the year 1791 some of the principal manufactures were: 25,265 yards linen cloth, 5,858 yards cotton cloth, 3,105 yards woolen cloth, 51 2£ yards carpeting, 4,093 pairs stockings. 859 pairs gloves, 158 handkerchiefs and 260 yards fringe. Of the beginninofs of the 2freat industrv of iewelrv manufacture we may notice the following persons and their work. Seril Dodge, in 1788, carried on the manufacture of shoe buckles " two doors north of the Baptist meeting house." He was successful in accumulating property, and built the so-called " Doctor Wheaton house," and the " Obadiah Brown house." It was jocularly said that he "paid for them in silver buckles." Mr. Dodge served his apprenticeship with a Scotchman named Harland, of Norwich, Conn. Mr. Dodge re- moved to Pomfret, Conn., where he died, April 22d, 1802. Saunders Pitman, a manufacturer in this line, had his place of business in the three story house on the west side of North Main street, near Jail lane. He was highly esteemed by his cotemporaries, died August 15th, 1804, in the 71st year of his age, and was succeeded in the busi- ness by his son, John K. Pitman. John Cairns, a man of much in- 5S4 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. ventive genius, was the only watchmaker of his time who manufac- tured watches entire. He advertised that he made watches, "of any fashion required, for $2. r ); horizontal, $28, warranted for two years without expense, except in case of accident." His shop was near St. John's church, " next door to Mr. Saunders Pitman's." He was acci- dentally drowned, falling into the Moshassuck, between Mill and .Shingle bridges. Ezekiel and William Burr carried on the business of gold and sil- ver smithing, in 1792, "a few doors south of the Baptist meeting house and directly opposite Capt. Richard Jackson's." Calvin Wheaton carried on the business in 1790, " opposite Governor Fen- ner's." In 1791, he removed "to the shop in the houpe of Ambrose Page, Esq., at the sign of the Clock, directly opposite the Friends' meeting house." Caleb Wheaton carried on the business at what was later numbered as 83 North Main street. He manufactured clocks, and was scrupulously correct in his business transactions. He was a worthy member of the society of Friends. He died Octo- ber 31st, 1827, at the age of 70 years. Edward Spalding manufac- tured clocks in a shop on North Main street, on the spot afterward covered by Waterman's Block. John Gibbs carried on the same business on the corner of Westminster and Exchange streets. He died October 6th, 1797. David Vinton came hither from Boston, and established the business of a goldsmith and jeweler. In 1792 his shop was on the northeast corner of the Market parade, nearly oppo- site Governor Fenner's residence. William Hamlin, having learned the trade at Middletown, Conn., set up the business of gold and silver smithing on North Main street, in a shop which stood next north of St. John's church. He afterward turned his attention to engraving, and to the manufacture of nautical instruments. Payton Dana and Nathaniel Dana, Jr., were clock and watch makers, and in 1800 occu- pied " the shop at the sign of the Turk's Head," on the corner of Westminster and Weybosset streets. Nehemiah Dodge established himself in the business of a gold- smith, jeweler, clock and watch maker, a few years before the close of the last century. His shop was on the Roger Williams estate, near the celebrated spring. In 1798 he moved to a shop "a few doors north of the Baptist meetinghouse, directly opposite Mr. Barker's Inn." Mr. Dodge manufactured gold necklaces, knobs and twists, gold rings, miniature cases, fancy jewelry and various descriptions of silver ware. He occupied different shops and at different times was associated with Stephen Williams and General Josiah Whitaker, and was succeeded by George Dana and Thomas Whitaker. Among workers in pewter, copper and brass, William Billings occupied a shop on North Main street, "directly opposite Colonel Knight Dex- ter's" house in 1701. In 1799 he formed a partnership with Job 1 lanforth, Jr., in the same business. In 1784 Gershom Jones carried HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 585 on the coppersmith business " on the west side of the bridge, at the sign of the Pewter Platter, near Mr. Jacob Whitman's Hay Scales." Samuel Hamlin manufactured pewter and copper work at his shop which stood at the head of Long wharf, near the present custom house. He was a native of Middletown, Conn., and served his ap- prenticeship at Newport. Among other products of his ingenuity, he manufactured several fire engines. He died in April, 1801, in the 55th year of his age, and was followed in the same business by his son, Samuel E. Hamlin. In 1790, Johnson & Frost manufactured all kinds of tin ware at their shop on the north corner of Steeple street. Hat manufacturing was a business of considerable importance in those days. Peter Taylor was engaged in it "at the sign of the Hat, on the west side of the river." An anecdote is related by John How- land, a prominent man of that day, which not only refers to Mr. Tay- lor and the hat manufacture, but illustrates the depreciation of the paper currency in the revolutionary period. Mr. Howland says: " I recollect that I called in at Peter Taylor's hatter's shop, as I was on my way home to dinner, and asked him the price of a castor hat. He said it was four hundred dollars. I selected one which fitted me, and told him, on my return I would call and pay for it, and take it. On my return, perhaps an hour afterward, I stopped with my bun- dle of money, to pay for and take the hat. He then told me he had been calculating what he could buy the stock for, to make up another batch of hats, and found that, at four hundred dollars, he could only replace the stock, without allowing anything for his work; but as he had agreed with me for the price, he should charge me no more. I told him I did not wish to have the hat less than its present value, and asked him what it now ought to be. He said about four hundred and fifty dollars; which I readily paid him, and told him I was glad I had called to-day, for if I had waited until to-morrow, it might have been five hundred dollars." Mr. Taylor died October 29th, 1823, at the age of 72 years. Barzillai Richmond manufactured hats near the Beneficent Congregational meeting house. Card making was carried on, in its various branches, in 1789, by Gsorge Bradford and Jesse Whitmore, " at their shop near the jail." Cotton weaving was carried on in 1791 by John Maguire at his weaving house on Lewis Peck's wharf. He was weaving cordu- roys, velveteens, velverets, thicksets, honeycomb, jeans, fustians and cottonades. He also had dyeing and finishing done for patrons at his shop, employing, as he claimed, an artisan from Manchester, England, to superintend that work. Captain William Potter carried on the manufacture of jeans at the same time. In 1789 Amos Turner manufactured sleys for weavers, " at his shop a little westward of Amos Atwell's, west side of the river." In 1789 stockings were woven by machines owned by William Almy and Smith Brown. In 1793 or 1794 a stocking loom was in operation in the house on North 586 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Main street afterward numbered 510. The owner, after operating it a few months without receiving sufficient encouragement, removed from town. George Gordon carried on the manufacture of various kinds of hosiery. In 1789 the clothiers' business was carried on by John Olney Waterman and also by Robert Newell. Samuel Clarke, in 1789, carried on the manufacture of soap and candles. James Waterman pursued the same business, his shop being on the later site of Howard's Block. In 1790 Oziel Wilkinson erected a manufac- tory of steel at Pawtucket Falls. In 1788 a slitting- mill was erected in the vicinity of Providence. Bar iron sent there was returned in good nail rods. Two chocolate mills were in operation at the north end. One of these was owned by Robert Newell, and steed on the site later occu- pied by the Franklin Foundry Machine Company. The other was operated by Obadiah Sprague, and steed on Charles street, near Mill. Mr. Sprague died in June, 1800, in the 83d year of his age, leaving behind him the reputation of " an honest man and a respecteel citi- zen." Bleaching and calendering were introduced into Provider] ee by Doctor Bowen, at great expense, but at just what time we are not definitely informed. The saddlery business was a branch of manufacturing industry i if considerable importance in the years immediately succeeding the revolution. John Sebring, in 1784, carrieel on this business in all its branches, including chaise trimming, '' in the shop of Mr. James vSabin, at the sign of General Washington, on the west side of the great bridge." Ward Cowing also carried on an extensive business in this line, giving employment to 40 hands. In 1789 his shop was "next door but one to Jacob Whitman's." He manufactured saddles of the newest and most approved styles for exportation. The business was later carried on under the firm name of Cowing & Hurlburt. Mr. Cowing died April 13th, 1832, in the 77th year of his age. Jabez Gor- ham and James Burr pursued the same business on North Main street, nearly opposite the court -house. The business was probably started in 1775 by some one else, whose name we do not know. They manufactured ladies' side-saddles and men's saddles, both of various styles; holsters, half covers, pillions, portmanteaus, saddle bags, sword belts and other goods in the line; also chaises, sulkies, saddles and bridles for exportation. Mr. Gorham was a native of Providence, born July 15th, 1700, and in his public and private relations was highly is- 'teemed for his integrity, usefulness and kindness of heart. He died May 27th, L802, in the 42d year of his age. Mr. Burr, who had acquired the title of colonel, died February 19th, 1826. "His whole life was made up of active enterprise and useful labors, frcm the eventful period of the revolution to within a few days of his death, and he left behind him a memory delightful to his friends, and an example worthv of all imitation." HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 587 The business of manufacturing' chaises was carried on by Reuben Thorp, Noah Smith and Edward Taylor. Benjamin Taylor carried on harness making. In 1794 Lemuel Brown, Jr., was established as saddle and chaise, trimmer on South Main street. Pitcher & Daggett were coach and chaise makers. In 1709 they moved their shop to a few rods south of Transit lane. The manufacture of edge tools was carried on in 1791 by John Lindenberger. Charles Keene manufac- tured scythes and axes on Bark street. Samuel Gorham manufac- tured shovels and spades on a wharf somewhere "between the Church and Mill Bridge." Messrs. Helme & Boorom manufactured snuff " at the corner of the Packet wharf, two doors south of Mr. Thomas Sabin's Inn." William and John Eveleth manufactured and sold snuff and tobacco. In 1782 Daniel Box manufactured and sold snuff and tobacco " on Col. William Wall's wharf." Scotch snuff was sold at 3s., 6d., a pound, at retail, and Rappee snuff at "is. Colonel Wall's house stood on the site of the Providence Institution for Sav- ings, and his wharf was in that vicinity. At what time the trade of bookbinding was begun here is not known. As early as 1785 it was carried on, and probably the work was done at or in connection w 7 ith the shop of Caleb Greene, " oppo- site the house of Darius Sessions, Esq." James Gardner carried on the business in a shop nearly opposite from the state house previous to 1798. In that year he moved to a place " a few doors north of General Thayer's." In 1791 Robert Adam carried on this business " at the sign of the Bible, west side of the river." In 1799 Rufus Greene carried on bookbinding at the " second shop west of the Great Bridge, south side of the street." In 1792 Oliver and Nathan Pearce manufactured stone ware. In their announcement to the public they said, " They sincerely hope, that all well wishers to this infant country, will encourage this so useful a branch of American manufacture; and that Patriotism and Stone Ware may be spread throughout the United States." John Lee carried on the manufacture of boots and shoes, a few doors north of the custom house, in 1792, and in the following year moved his shop to a site nearly opposite the court house. Josiah Gifford carried on the same business at the south end of the town. In 1798 the same business was carried on by Abraham Hayden. The manufacture of cedar tubs, pails, churns and the like was car- ried on at an early date by Deacon Ephraim Wheaton in the base- ment of his dwelling, later numbered 414 North Main street. He died November 3d, 1802, at the age of 78. The manufacture of chairs was carried on by Samuel Proud, near the old Pine Street Baptist meeting house; by Benjamin Marshall, on Constitution hill, and by Benjamin Veazie and John S. Bruce in other places in the city. About 1790 Levi Burr carried on the tailoring business, Nehemiah Sweet the blacksmith. Joshua and David Burr the wheelwright, and 588 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. George Weeden the baking business, all on " the hill," as it was called, north of the junction of North Main and Benefit streets. In 1798 Benjamin Howland carried on the business of a "tailor and ladies' habit maker " at the corner shop next south of the market. He was prepared to make " fancy breeches, without leg, side, seat, waistband or kneeband seams, which, for ease and elegant set, are far superior to any former plan." Israel Amsbury carried on tailoring a little north of the court house. The millinery business was carried on in 178G by Elizabeth Rice, from Boston, on the west side of the bridge, in a house which stood on the site later occupied by the east end of the " Union Building." Among the list of articles which she offered for sale were "balloon hats, ladies' hoops, and best scented hair powder." In 1799 James Anderson, from Hartford, carried on baking, and offered, among the products of his oven, "shortcake, Oueen cake, diet bread, muffins, rusk, whigs and cookies." The manufacture of fifes was carried on here as early as 1776. In 1791, Wallen & Rawson manufactured fifes on Westminster street. They supplied several brigades in the continental army, and war- ranted their instruments equal to any imported from Holland. In 1789, John Niccols carried on the manufacture of all kinds of brushes at the south end of Waterman's block. In 1794, Messrs. Schaub, Du- bosque & Tissot were associated in calico printing, at the Robert Newell works, on Charles street. They used cotton cloth imported from the East Indies, and wooden blocks to impart the desired figures and colors. The enterprise seems to have been unsuccessful. The following year Mr. Tissot set up the dyeing of European blue linen and cotton yarn. In 1800, Mr. Schaub was engaged w T ith Robert Newell and Samuel Thurber, Jr., in the manufacture of paper hang- ings. vSail making was carried on in 1791, by John Davis, in the sail loft of Edward Thurber, at the south end of the town. The distillery business was caried on in 1791, by Brown & Fran- cis, and Daniel Tillinghast. Their distillery was devoted to the man- ufacture of gin, from rye, barley, buckwheat, and juniper berries. The tanning and currying business was carried on in the north part of the town, probably as early as the middle of the last century. In 1779. this tannery was purchased by Amasa Gray, and subsequently enlarged. A large business was done here for those days. Mr. Gray died August 27th, 1798, aged 47 years. The tanning business was continued here by Colonel Stephen Abbott and Mr. Thomas Abbott, for a number of years after the death of Mr. Gray. At some time previous to the revolution, probably as early as 1750 or 1700, Aaron Mason commenced the tanning and currying business in the north part of the city, near Moshassuck river, directly in the rear of what is now 467 North Main street. Mr. Mason died November 22d. 1812, aged S4 years. Captain John Demount carried on the tanning busi- ness on the west side of what is now Charles street. He died March HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 589 22d, 1787, aged 46 years. After his decease the business was contin- ued for a short time by his widow, Mary. She died in 1790, and then the business was continued by Oliver Bowen. The large braid fac- tory of the Fletcher Manufacturing Company stands where this tan- nery was located. In 1789, Michael and Joel Metcalf carried on tan- ning near Mill Bridge, and sold "good hemlock and oak tanned sole leather at fourteen pence halfpenny per pound."' James Hammond carried on tanning in a yard opposite Dean street. Deacon Hammond held the office of town sergeant for 21 consecutive years, discharg- ing its duties with a dignity that commanded deserved respect. With his resignation, in 1830, terminated the ancient custom of warning town meetings by beat of drum and proclamation. He died Febru- ary 18th, 1831, in the 81st year of his age. Calvin Dean carried on tanning and currying for many years, on what is now Dean street; Joseph Healy did some business in this line in the valley nearly ad- joining Angell street. The Moshassuck Leather Manufacturing Company commenced the tanning business in the north part of the city, in 1810, and this business was subsequently continued by the United Manufacturing Company. They at one time had the largest and most convenient tannery in the state. Tanners' bark becoming scarce and expensive in this vicinity, most of the business was aban- doned, it being found more profitable to send the hides away to other localities to be tanned, rather than to bring the bark here for the operation. The manufacture of paper was one of the earlv industries here. In the year 1780, vSamuel Thurber and his sons, Martin, Samuel and Edward, erected a paper mill at the south end of a dam across Mos- hassuck river, at the north end of the town as it was then defined. The dam had been erected by Colonel William Brown and others, ■for a grist and saw mill, more than 30 years before, and was soon sold to Mr. Thurber. The grist mill was continued for more than 60 years. Paper of various kinds was manufactured here until the year 1812. The first bank paper issued by the Exchange and Roger Williams Banks was made at this mill. There were two other paper mills in Olneyville, one of which was known as the " Brown George," and the other as the ,; Rising Sun." Both were owned by Christo- pher Olney, who in 1801 had a paper warehouse a few doors north of Market Square, where he sold the products of his mills. After his decease the " Rising Sun " mill became the property of Wheaton & Eddy, from whom it passed into the hands of Philadelphia parties, of whose agents it was purchased by Richard Waterman, who was a lineal descendant of the original Richard Waterman among the early settlers of Providence, and this mill property was on land which had been taken up by that Richard Waterman as an original pro- prietor. The persons and corporations engaged in various manufactures in 590 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. the city in 1824 were as follows: Joseph Adams, Jr., distiller; Philip Allen, cotton manufacturer, at 104 North Main street; Zachariah Allen, woolen manufacturer, at the same number; Adams & Foster, cotton goods, 17 South Main; Almy & Brown, 57 Cheapside; Samuel Ames, 117 South Main; John Andrews, Butler's wharf; David Anth- ony, Anthony's wharf; Ahab Arnold, 84 Westminster; James U. Ar- nold, S6 and 88 Westminster; Samuel Arnold, 25 South Water; Beaver Hat Company, 41 Market; the Blackstone Company, warehouse, 23 Weybosset; Joseph S. Cooke, cotton goods; Hassard Cory, currier; Joseph CunlifT, cotton goods, 385 North Main; J. Cunliff & Co., weav- ers' pickers, 387 North Main; Thaddeus Curtis & Co., brushes, 42 Weybosset; Peter Daniels, tanner, 463 North Main; Davis & Ray, dressers of clothing, 66 South Main; Thomas Davis, brewer, 61 Paw- tuxet: Calvin Dean, tanner and currier, 60 High; Joseph S. Eldridge, combs, 152 Benefit; Frost & Mumford, jewelry, Cady's lane; Ezekiel Gardiner, currier, Charles; Gorham & Bebee, jewelry, 73 North Main; Isaac Greene, distiller, near Charles; William Hamlin, engraver and manufacturer mathematical instruments, 135 South Main; Sheldon Hawkins, currier. Mill; Benjamin Holbrook, pickers; Hope Manufac- turing Company, 12 Westminster; Lippitt Manufacturing Company, "69 Westminster; Lyman Cotton Manufacturing Company, warehouse, 123 South Main; Merino Manufacturing Company, 10 West Water; Joel Metcalf & Sons, tanners and curriers, corner Charles and Mill streets; Henry Mumford, sugar refiner, Sugar lane; Newel Stanford, manufacturer woolen goods, Charles; Otter Manufacturing Company. 86 Westminster; Pawtuxet Manufacturing Company, warehouse, 9 West Water; Phenix Manufacturing Company, 16 South Water; Samuel Pike, pocket-books, 261 North Main; Plainfield Union Manu- facturing Company, Anthony's wharf; Providence Dyeing, Bleaching and Calendering Company, Sabin street; Providence Iron Foundry, Eddy street; Providence Cotton Manufacturing Company, 26 North Main street; Edward Randall & Co.. machine makers, Bark street; Rhodes & Smith and C.& W. Rhodes, both at 9 West Water; Sterling- Cotton Manufacturing Company, warehouse, 117 South Main; Peter Temple, currier, rear of 53 Cheapside: Thornton & Lothrop,19 South Mam; S. Townsend & Co., wool hat bodies, 103 South Main; Stephen Tripp, 23 Weybosset; United Cotton Manufacturing Company, 429 North Main; Joseph Veazie, jewelry, 218 North Main: Wool Hat Body Manufacturing Company, 105 South Main street; the Belfont Manufacturing Company; Bowen Bleaching and Calendering Com- pany. John street. The census of Providence for the year 1820 returns five cotton mills, two woolen mills, two bleaching establishments, three dye houses, one gram mill, one oil mill, two clothiers' work, three rope walks, one gin distillery and four rum distilleries. The Providence 'Woolen Mill was built in 1813. It was operated by a steam engine e HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. f>91 made in Philadelphia by the celebrated Oliver Evans, the inventor •of the long cylinder boilers now in general use. The superintendent •of this mill, Mr. vSanford, was an Englishman, of great inventive genius. Under his direction was made the first self-acting mule spinning machine in use in the United .States. The threads were drawn upward, or vertically, instead of horizontally, as is the cat in that class of machines at present in use. This woolen mill in its •day w r as deemed the most perfect in New England, and in it were made very good fine broadcloths, which w 7 ere sold as high as ten and twelve dollars a yard during the war of 1812. The principal iron foundry was operated by David Wilkinson, where the Franklin Foundry now is. Charcoal was used for melting the iron. The blast was obtained by bellows operated by water power. Ten or twelve years later it was considered a great achievement to burn anthracite •coal in this furnace. In 1812 a machine shop was put in operation by Samuel Ogden, on Bark street, opposite the old grist mill on Charles street. Cotton machinery was made here, and a large force of ex- perienced mechanics had an opportunity to exercise and develop their inventive genius, and many of them became eminent in their line of work. The old Wanskuck Mill, running 800 spindles, which stood where the new mill of that company now stands, was one of the •earliest cotton mills operated in this vicinity. It is said to have been the first building in the city lighted by coal gas. The manufacture of jewelry, which had been begun in a small way, soon after the close of the revolution, continued to increase in importance until, in 1815, it reached the value of $300,000 in its annual products. It received a severe check in 1810 and 1817, but revived with renewed vigor in the following year, and in 1820 about $000,000 worth of jewelry was produced, and the manufacture em- ployed the labor of 300 hands. Among the names of men and firms then engaged in the business were: Ezekiel Burr, Frost & Mum ford, Gorham & Bebee, Samuel Lopez, Whiting Metcalf, Jonathan B. Nichols, Galen and Arroet Richmond, Franklin Richmond. Christo- pher Burr, Adnah Sackett, Lloyd Shaw, George Simmons, Pardon Simmons, William R. Taylor, Ichabod Tompkins, Joseph Veazie, Ar- nold Whipple, Josiah Whitaker & Co.. Davis & Babbitt, Samuel Yeazie.Ezra W. Dodge, Ellis Richmond and Edward S. Lyon. There were ten jewelry and watchmakers' stores. During the quarter of a century succeeding 1820 great advance was made in the material growth of the city, and perhaps to no other cause could so much of it be attributed as to the stimulus of manu- facturing. During that period the population had increased from IT), 000 to 40,000. The number of hands employed in the various ^branches of manufacturing in 1840 was upward of 5,000. In that year .there were in the city four bleaching and calendering establishments, b'leaching 18 tons of cotton cloth per day, including printing cloths, 592 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. and employing- nearly 500 hands. There were printed every week 13,000 pieces of cloth, or 390,000 yards, employing- 500 hands. Four cotton mills were in operation, running 34,000 spindles and turning out 58,000 yards of cloth per week. In these mills 730 hands were employed. Two woolen mills were in operation, manufacturing 375,- 000 yards of satinets and jeans, consuming 12(5, 000 pounds of wool annually and employing 120 hands. Two factories for cutting w< < d screws were at work, annually consuming 700 tons of iron and em- ploying 475 hands. There were 14 furnaces, consuming 5,000 tons of pig iron, for machinery and other castings, and turning out annu- ally 14,000 parlor, cooking and counting-room stoves and 550 plows. This industry employed from 250 to 275 hands. Three establish- ments were engaged in building steam engines, employing 240 hands.. One rolling mill employed 275 hands, making 30 tons of railroad iron and three tons of wire daily, from pigs and blooms. One hardware manufactory annually turned out 31,200 dozen plane irons. 100 tons of hinges, 300 tons of bolts, 200 tons of nuts, 100 tons of pickaxes and other forgings, employing 95 hands. Three India lubber shoe fac- tories were in operation, making annually from 180,000 to 200,000 pair of shoes, and employing 200 hands. One factory for manufac- turing shoe-ties, corset-lacings and braid employed 57 hands, and consumed 1,200 pounds of cotton per week. Four planing mills were in operation, working ten million feet of lumber annually, making 75,000 boxes for candles, soap and other goods, and 100,000 lights of sash. These mills gave employment to 400 hands. Eight engraving shops prepared copper rolls for printing cloths, employing 80 hands. Three butt hinge factories employed 30 hands, and annually turned out 100,000 dozen hinges. There were in the city 5 brass foundries and 17 tin and sheet iron shops. Some 15,000 weavers' reeds were annually manufactured from steel wire. The construction of cotton and woolen machinery employed 1,200 men. There were employed in the city then 500 house carpenters and 350 stone and brick masons. Sixty-five steam engines furnished power for various factories. There were annually paid for labor alone in the manufacture of jew- elry upward of $100,000. In the following list we notice particularly some of the principal manufacturing enterprises in operation in the city about that time. Philip Allen & Sons' calico print works were in operation at the north end of the city, employing five printing machines and 250 hands. Steam power was used, and about 130,000 yards per week were printed. Austin Shinkwin's Canal Calico Print Works were in operation, employing 20 hands, on the corner of Smith & Charles streets. The Eddy Street Steam Cotton Mills for which Mr. E. W. Fletcher acted as treasurer, were manufacturing yarns numbers 38 and 42. These mills were fitted with 10,000 spindles and 240 looms, and were operated by 220 hands. The weekly product amounted to HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 593 some 22,000 yards of sheetings and shirtings. The Eagle Cotton Mills in Olneyville manufactured number 30 yarn, employed 6,000 spindles, 200 looms and 150 hands. Some 30,000 yards of sheetings and print cloths were manufactured weekly. The Elm Street Woolen Mills were managed by George A. Allen, agent. They ran 766 spindles, 24 looms, 4 sets of cards and employed 30 hands. Fletcher & Brothers' Cotton Mill, located on State street, manufactured cotton braids. The works contained 725 spindles and employed 51 hands. They used 1,200 pounds of cotton weekly. The Providence Bleach- ing, Dyeing and Calendering Company, employing 200 hands, were at work on Sabin street, under the direction of William C. Snow, the agent. The Rhode Island Bleaching and Cambric Works on Paw- tuxet turnpike, employed 50 hands and were managed by Samuel Dexter, agent. The Canal Bleaching Company was in operation on Charles street. The agent was Mr. C. S. Rhodes. They employed steam power. The New England Screw Company was in operation at 23 Eddy street. They employed 200 hands and manufactured 2,000 gross of screws per day. The works were in charge of Alex- ander Hodges, agent. The Eagle Screw Company was in operation on Stevens street. Its agent was William G. iVngell. About 100 hands were employed. The Franklin Foundry and Machine Com- pany were manufacturing all kinds of cotton machinery, calico print- ing machines, iron and brass castings and the like. They made use of water power for driving machinery, and employed 100 hands. The works were located on Charles street, and were directed by Cyril Babcock. The Phoenix Iron Foundry was then in operation on Eddy and Elm streets, the locality then being called Eddy's Point. George B. Holmes was the agent, and castings of all kinds were manufactured, and the general work of finishing and setting up machinery was carried on. The High Street Furnace and Machine Company was being carried on at 140 and 142 High street. Isaac H. Holden was the agent and 50 hands were employed. A foundry was being carried on by Albert Fuller on Point street. The Provi- dence Furnace and Stove and Plough Manufactory located at 160 High street, was carried on by Israel G. Manchester, agent. A cast iron foundry was also being operated at 32 Eddy street, by Lewis P. Mead & Co., who employed in the work 24 hands. Another on the same street was known as the Eddy Street Cast Iron Foundry. This employed 18 hands and was managed by Harris J. Mowry. Freder- ick Fuller's iron foundry was located on Fox Point street, but we have no knowledge of its magnitude. The Providence Machine Company, located on Eddy street, employed 30 hands and was man- aged by Thomas J. Hill, agent. The Steam Engine Works on Fox Point street, manufactured all kinds of steam engine machinery. The business was carried on by R. L. Thurston & Co., who employed 50 hands. A print works and grist mill was carried on in the locality 38 5i»4 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. known as Olneyville. Messrs. Fletcher & Metcalf carried on a steam grist mill on Charles street. The Providence Butt Company, B. P. Stiness, agent, was at work on Point street, employing 12 hands. The New England Butt Company was located in the rear of 163 and 165 High street. John P. Mumford was agent. Fourteen hands were emploved. Tallman & Bucklin carried on a steam planing mill on Dyer street. Another planing mill was> carried on at Fox Point, by Barstow, Mason & Brown. Nineteen hands were employed by them. Messrs. J. H. 8z. E. J. Martin carried on another planing mill at the corner of Potter and Friendship streets. A paper mill was also in operation in Olneyville. Richard Waterman was the proprietor, and George Annis, agent. A large machine shop was carried on at India Point by Fairbanks, Bancroft & Co., who employed 100 hands. The manufacture of engines, boilers, planing machines, lathes and other machinery was carried on. A marine railway was owned and operated at Fox Point, by Bailey & Mason. The census of Providence for 1855, taken under the direction of Doctor Edwin M. vSnow, reports 5(5 establishments as then engaged in the manufacture of jewelry and silverware, producing a value of $2,696,000, and employing about 1,400 hands. The census of 1865 reported in this line of manufactures 45 establishments, employing 724 hands with a total value of products of $1,200,025, while three manufacturers of silverware employed 304 hands, and produced a total value of $725,000. The largest establishment of the latter class in Rhode Island, and probably the largest in the world, is the Gor- ham Manufacturing Company, of this city. The census of 1875 shows 940 different establishments in the city •engaged in the various branches of manufacturing industry. These •employed a capital in working material, including tools and ma- chinery, amounting to $7,572,137. They were operated by 194 steam engines, aggregating a force of 11,511 horse power, fed by 431 steam boilers. There were in addition 29 water wheels in use. There were employed in these manufactories 20,271 hands, less than one-fourth of whom were females. The total value of products for the census year amounted to $52,782,875. There were ten establishments manufac- turing cotton goods, the machinery of which was valued at $545,358. These were run by 11 steam engines and 3 water wheels, giving an aggregate working force of 1 ,549 horse power. There were in use 95,715 spindles, 1,712 looms, 4,500 braiding machines and 15 knitting- machines. The manual force required to attend and opeiate them was 1,537 hands. The manufacture consumed 4,896,791 pounds of •cotton, worth $781,831, and the product was 6,254,648 yards of print cloths, 9,136,663 yards of sheeting, shirtings and twills, and 184,780 pounds of cotton yarn, the total value of all products amounting to $1,874,300. This value also includes 95,000 dozen spool cotton, 1,058,- OOO pounds of lacings, lamp wicks and braids, 75,000 dozen cotton HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 595 braid, and 19,000 pounds of stockinet. The manufacture of woolen goods then employed machinery to the \ r alue of $656,000, in 7 estab- lishments. Motive power was furnished by 11 steam engines and 1 water wheel, aggregating- 1,310 horse power, driving 83 sets of cards, 4*2<) looms and 39,374 spindles. There were emploped 1,858 hands, using 5,271,390 pounds of w t oo1, and producing 150,000 pounds of woolen yarn, 2,108,308 yards of woolen goods, 250,000 dozen worsted braids, 4,402 dozen cardigan jackets and 750 dozen nubias. The aggregate value of woolen manufactures was $4,291,574. The number of establishments engaged in the different branches of manufactures in 1880, with the number of hands employed and the annual value of products, were as follows: 02 blacksmithing, 105, $176,463; 5 bookbinding and blank book making, (57, $83,000; 81 boots and shoes (including repairs), 95. $103,298; 4 wooden packing boxes, 36, $04,000; 9 brass castings, 00, $172,921: brooms and brushes, 17, $28,225; 47 carriages and wagons, 105, $271,0)59; 42 men's clothing, 987, $1,869,819; 7 women's clothing, 65, $137,880; 10 coffins and burial cases and undertakers' goods, 34, $91,293; 5 confectionery, 20, $08,550; 3 cooperages, 29, $60,560; 17 cotton goods, 2,012, $2,250,273; 4 cutlery and edge tools, 45, $45,30)0; 5 drugs and chemicals, 22, $103,000; 7 dye- ing and finishing textiles, 1,131, $2,273,254; 4 dye-stuffs and extracts, 40, $221,705; 10 electroplating, 01, $208,10)4; 7 files. H?>y>, $40)0,950; 4 flouring mills, 30, $45<). The present members of the firm are William A. and Henry R. Spicer, and Charles H. Peckham. The flour, feed and grain mill and warehouse of S. wS. Sprague & Co., at 144 and 146 Dyer street, was established in 1876. It is known as the Columbia Elevator and Grain Mills. It is located on the river, and is also connected with the railroad system by tracks running into the building. The elevator has a capacity for the storage of 75,000 bushels of grain. The mills contain five run of stone, affording capacitv for the manufacture of 200 barrels of meal per day. Power is supplied by a 200 horse power steam engine, and 20 men, more or less, according to the demand of the business for the time being, are employed in the establishment. The firm also own warehouses at Tavlorville, Stonington and Clarksdale, Illinois, where they purchase grain direct from producers and store it until needed by their trade. The members of this firm are Samuel S., Charles H. and Henry S. Sprague. The business of the George W. Stafford Manufacturing Company was established in 1882, by George W. Stafford. It is located on Harris avenue, at the corner of Acorn street. The main building is a brick structure two and three stories high, 135 by 46 feet, with an L loo by 24 feet, one story. There is also a detached frame build- ing, of one storv, 140 by 45 feet. The goods manufactured are ma- chines for weaving textile fabrics and other supplies for the same class of industries, the specialties being Jacquard and fancy weaving machinery. About 50 hands are employed. The officers of the company are: Gardiner C. Sims, president; Charles H. Poland, secretary; and George W. Stafford, treasurer and general manager. The works of the Stedman & Fuller Manufacturing Company were established in 1856, by the firm of Stedman & Fuller. The present company was incorporated in 1883. The location of the works are at Warren and Westfall streets, where they occupy a main building 50 by 190 feet on the ground and three stories high. The manufacture of card clothing and leather belting is carried 634 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. on, and about forty hands are employed. The company is managed by George A. Fuller, president: A. L. Kelly, treasurer, and John J. Hoey, agent. The brass foundry of Stillman White, at No. 1 Bark street, was established by Mr. White, in 1856. It occupies a two story brick building, 25 by 100 feet, and employs six to ten hands in the manu- facture of brass castings and lining metal. Horace Thurston began the manufacture of hardware and ma- chinery here October 1st, 1883. His works are at 419 Eddy street and 23, 25 and 27 Point street. A one story brick building 50 by 100 feet, is occupied and about 25 hands are employed, the man- ufacture being annually worth $25,000 to $30,000; The Towel Rack & Novelty Company was started in 1875, by the firm of C. A. Brickley & Co., of whom F. F. Tibbetts was the silent partner. The company are engaged in the manufacture of novel- ties, the works being at 52 Aborn street. Ten to fifteen hands are employed, and goods to the value of about $7,200 are annually manufactured. The Union Eyelet Company carries on the manufacture of jewelry eyelets, lacing hooks, excelsior button fasteners and novel- ties in brass. The business was started by David Heaton, in 1866. The works are located at 47 Borden street. The main building is S9 by 33 feet, and has a wing 67 by 21 feet. An average number of about one hundred hands are employed here. The officers of the company are: Stephen Harris, president: Fred. A. Young, treasurer. The Union Oil Company is a corporation formed to develop the manufacture of oil from cotton seed. The inventor of the process, and the chief manager of the enterprise was Mr. Lyman Klapp, who died suddenly in September, 1889. Mr. Klapp was a native of West- hampton, Mass., where he was born in 1827. Being naturally in- clined to scientific investigation, particularly in the realm of chem- istry, he spent several years in perfecting processes and machinery for extracting and refining vegetable oils, visiting Europe for the purpose of gaining more perfect information bearing on the subject. About the year 1854 he perfected machinery for hulling cotton seed, and discovered a process refining the oil made from this seed. In 1855, the Union Oil Company of Providence and New Orleans, was formed, and the first mill for the manufacture of cotton seed oil was established in Providence. Mr. Klapp was made president of the company. The works of the company are located at 239 to 291 Tock- wotten street. The Valley Worsted Mills were incorporated in 1872. They arc located on Eagle street, the main building, of brick, being 200 by To feet, and four stories high. The goods manufactured are worsted yarns for manufacturing purposes, floss, zephyrs, knitted worsted. Shetland, .Spanish, Saxony and frosted yarns. Some 450 hands are t^L HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 035 employed, and about 700,000 pounds of yarn annually manufactured. The officers of the company are: James R. Doudge, of New York,, president; William R. Arnold, treasurer. The What Cheer Paint Works are an outgrowth of the business enterprise of the firm of Oliver Johnson & Co. This firm are im- porters and wholesale and retail dealers in paints, oils, drugs and. medicines. The house was founded by Oliver Johnson in 1833, but the manufacture of paint was not begun until the Year 1805. They then placed some machinery in the upper stories of their warehouse, and began grinding and mixing paints. Their business increased so much that they were obliged to enlarge their facilities, and in 1872 they erected a large factory at the corner of Eddy and Elm streets. This is a five story building, 00 feet square, and is thoroughly equipped with improved machinery for this business. A 50 horse power engine furnishes the motive power, and 2<> hands are employed in the manual force. The factory produces "King Philip Lead," "Villa Paints," "Excelsior Paints," "Geneva Green," and other brands and colors. The present members of the firm are Oliver Johnson and Benjamin W. Spink. William S. Johnson, who was a member of it some 35 years or more, died December 6th, 1887. The baking establishment of Messrs. Rice & Hayward is one of the important manufacturing concerns of the city. It was estab- lished in 1840, by Fitz James Rice and George W. Hayward. They then occupied the present location, at the corner of Broad and Pearl streets. On the admission of William S. Hayward, in 1860, the firm name became Rice, Hayward & Co. In 1S03 the senior members re- tired and the business was conducted by William S. Hayward. He continued alone until 1865, when Mr. F. J. Rice re-entered the busi- ness, and the firm name of Rice & Hayward was restored. From time to time the facilities of the house have been increased, as the business grew, until they are now sufficient for working up 125 barrels of flour a day. They have twelve ovens in all, the greater number of which are of large size and improved model. About 70 hands are employed in the establishment, and about a thousand dif- ferent kinds of goods are made. CHAPTER XXII. THE MANUFACTURE OF JEWELRY IN PROVIDENCE CITY. Providence the Leading City. — Magnitude of the Interest. — Before the War of 1813. — Later Progress. — Location of the Shops. — In Time of the War. — Short-lived Jewelry Houses. — Brief notices of the Principal Manufacturing Establishments now in Operation. THE manufacture of jewelry is one of the conspicuous features of Providence industries. No other city in the Union is so largely engaged in this line of manufacture. The annual value of products in this line aggregate more than six million dollars, and the work gives employment to between three and four thousand persons. The first jewelry manufacturer in the city of which we have account, was Seril Dodge, who made shoe buckles of silver, about the time of the revolution. Among others engaged in the line about that time or a few years later were Calvin Wheaton, Ezekiel and William Burr, Caleb Wheaton, Edward Spaulding, John Gibbs, David Vinton and William Hamlin. Nehemiah Dodge estab- lished himself as a goldsmith and jeweler in the city, in 1794. John C. Jenks, Ezekiel Burr, and the firm of Pitman & Dorrance were en- gaged in the business in 1805. In 1810 there were about 100 work- men employed in the trade, who made about $100, 000 worth a year. The business increased to nearly double these proportions in a few years, but its progress was checked somewhat by the war of L812. After that, however, it was resumed and in L820 it was estimated that there were 300 artisans at work in the trade, and that the manu- factured products amounted to nearly $600,000 annually. Previous to 1850 the shops were mostly on North Main street, but soon after that time they began to move westward to the section of the city in which the more rapid growth was being made. From that time the jewelry manufacturers began to congregate in the neighborhood of Orange, Eddy, Page, Pine, Friendship and Broad streets, in the Fifth ward of the city, where the most of them are located to-day. Many of them were obliged to close up business in the stringent financial times of 1857, but soon after they resumed work again. Just preceding the panic there were 50 shops. In 1800 there were 86. The war that soon followed again reduced the life of the business, and in 1804 the number of shops was reduced again to 56. Some, however, who were prepared to seize the opportunities of HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 637 the moment prospered exceedingly. Those who turned their atten- tion to making badges and medals suggestive of the various men or scenes which the war made conspicuous, made money, as also did those who secured federal or state contracts for the manufacture of brass buttons, belt clasps and other soldierly trappings. The period of existence of a manufacturing jewelry house is on the average a short one. The fluctuations of the business make it unstable. Of the number who were in operation in 1860, but 15 are found on the directory a quarter of a century later, though parts of some others may exist under different names. In recent years the manufacture of cuff and collar buttons has been a branch of promi- nent importance. A general tendency is observable toward closer margins in the manufacture, and the production of cheaper grades of goods. The plating business is an important auxiliary to this line of manufacture. Some of the largest establishments do their own plating, but the majority of manufacturers buy the rolled plate as they need it to use, the plating being carried on as a distinct branch. We purpose now to give very brief notices of the principal manufac- turing jewelry establishments of the city. Many of them, it will be seen, are of recent origin. Mr. D. F. Adams established himself in 1881, at 6(5 vStewart street. He occupies, a floor 40 by 100 feet, manufacturing onyx and mourn- ing goods. The business employs 45 hands and turns out some $60,000 worth a year. The S. Albro Company manufacture rolled plate chains, at 80 Clifford street. The companv was established in 1875, with Mr. S. Albro as manager, and Mr. S. K. Merrill as treasurer. This company are represented by an office at 176 Broadway, New York city. The refining of gold and silver is carried on by John Austin & Son at 74 and 76 Clifford street. Mr. Austin has been engaged in this business since 1857. In 1873 he became sole proprietor. The works comprise three large brick buildings, one of three stories, 38 by 40 feei, another of one story, 40 by C^y feet, and a smaller build- ing. The annual value of materials refined amounts to about $1,250,000. Thomas F. Arnold continues the business at 29 Point street, car- ried on a few years since by the firm of Arnold & Webster. The premises occupied are in the second story of the building, and have an area of 3,600 square feet. Twenty-five skilled workmen are em- ployed in the manufacture of solid gold band rings, of which over 300 patterns are made. The firm of B. A. Ballou & Co. pursue the business at 61 Peck street, started by Mr. Ballou January 1st, 1870. They occupy a room about 40 by 80 feet, and employ 30 hands, producing jewelry to the value of about $60,000 annually. The " company " is Mr. J. J. Fry. The house has a branch at 10 Maiden Lane, New York. •638 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Nathaniel Barstow and W. T. Luther began business in May, 1881. They were succeeded by Nathaniel Barstow & Co. in 1887, and the firm name became Barstow & Williams in August, 1888. They are located at 29 Point street, and manufacture silver plated and gold plated jewelry, employing some 40 hands. The business of Bassett Bros. & Co. was started in May, 1887, by Isaac P. and William B. Bassett. They are located at 102 Friendship street and manufacture gold jewelry of 10 caret fineness. They em- ploy six hands. The business of the Barker Manufacturing Company was started on Snow street, in 1875. It was afterward moved to 9 Eddy street, and -again a few years since removed to its present location at 38 Friend- ship street. The product of this house is patent graduated, stiffened, gold and silver thimbles. Robert Barton carries on the manufacture of a full line of elegant jewelry at 30 Page street. He has been in the business something -more than 30 years. Messrs. S. B. Champlin & Son began the business in 1872. They are located at 74 Chestnut street, on the corner of Clifford. They occupy about 3,680 square feet of floor space, and manufacture solid gold stone rings. Thev employ about 30 hands. The mem- bers of the firm are Stanton B. and George B. Champlin. Messrs. Coombs & Tuttle started in 1883. They are located at 42 Point street, and employ 12 hands in the manufacture of a gen- eral line of jewelry. The business of Joseph P. Cory was started January 1st, 1872, by the firm of Johnson & Cory, which was composed of the present owner and Solon R. Johnson. They manufacture plate jewelry, in a building 30 by 80 feet in size, on Congress avenue, near Broad street. Mr. Cory, the present owner, employs 35 hands, and manu- factures annually about $40,000 worth of jewelry. The manufacture of jewelry and novelties is carried on at 409 Pine street, by R. S. Cutting. Ten hands are employed and about $5,000 worth of goods are annually produced. The house of Capron & Co. was established in 1875, by Messrs. Harford A., Frank E. and Herbert S. Capron. The first named re- tired in 1878. At their works at 407 Pine street they employ about 00 hands, and manufacture plated goods which are sold throughout the United States and Canadas, and to some extent in England. The firm of A. B. Day & Co. are manufacturing a complete line of emblem jewelry in both solid gold and rolled plate, on the second floor of 121 Broad street. The firm, which is composed of Anthony B. Day and C. Henry Peck, started in business April 1st. 1889. They employ 1.0 or 12 hands. The firm of J. E. Braman & Co., composed of Messrs. J. E. Braman, O. C. Devereux and S. P. Salisbury, was established January 10th, HISTORV of providence county. 639 1873. The firm name was changed to Salisbury & Devereux in Janu- ary, 1878, and a year later to the present style, O. C. Devereux & Co. Mr. Devereux is at present the sole owner. The business is located at 220 and 224 Eddy street, on the second and third floors. About 35 hands are employed, the product being- men's jewelry in rolled plate, such as cuff buttons, studs, collar buttons, link buttons, scarf pins and " Stonine " -jewelry for full dress wear. The value of gccds an- nually produced is between $50,000 and $60,000. T. A. Reynolds is the New York representative, at 102 Chambers street. The business of Charles Downs was established here in 1856. It is located at 61 Peck street, occupying a room 80 by 100 feet. The manufacture of plated jewelry and gold and silver cane heads and parasol and umbrella mountings is carried on, about 60 hands being employed. Messrs. E. H. Dunham & Co. are engaged in the manufacture of rolled plate men's and ladies' vest and neck chains and trimmings with solid gold slides. They employ about 40 hands and manufac- ture about $50,000 worth of goods a year. Their location is at 29 Point street. The business was established March 1st, 1882, by H. Dewitt Smith, Lauriston Towne and E. H. Dunham, under the firm name of Smith, Dunham & Co. Mr. Smith retired from the firm in February, 1887, and Mr. Towne retired in February, 1889. The house is represented at 200 Broadway, New York. Mr. E. L. Dunn established the manufacture of jewelry in 1875. He occupies a part of a floor at 67 Friendship street, and employs about 15 hands in white stone goods and rolled plate, the value of his annual products amounting to ten or twelve thousand dollars. This amount does not include the value of the white stone used in the goods. If that were included the figures would be about double. The business now carried on by Mr. P. S. Eddy was established in 1879 by P. S. Eddy and A. V. Blake, under the name of Eddy & Blake. The latter retired in 18S6. For several years the business was carried on at 407 Pine street, but within a few years Mr. Eddy has moved it to 27 Page street, where he occupies one floor. Ten hands are employed, and plated jewelry to the value of twelve to fif- teen thousand dollars is annually manufactured. Messrs. Ettlinger & Safford carry on the manufacture of white stone goods in gold, silver and plate, at 42 Point street. They employ an average number of 15 hands. Messrs. "William M. Fisher 8z Co. continue the business which was established in 1874 by William M. Fisher, Thomas Dubois and Josiah W. Richardson. They are located at 226 Eddy street, and make gold and silver chains, patent split rings and a variety of chain trimmings. They have in some years sold nearly 200,000 of them. Formerly 50 to 60 hands were employed, but with improved machinery the work is now done by 40 to 50 hands. The present firm is composed of the 640 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. original Mr. Fisher and George H. Richardson, a son of J. W. Rich- ardson, who died October 13th, 1881. The firm of Flint, Blood & Co. was started in 1869. The members were W. W. Flint and J. F. Blood. The style was changed in 1881 to Flint, Blood & Young, the third name representing James A. Young. This continued until a year or two since, when the name again be- came Flint, Blood & Co. Their shop is at 29 Point street, where they occupy a floor space of 3,500 square feet. They are engaged in the production of sleeve buttons, shirt studs and finger rings, the work furnishing employment to about 40 hands. The trade of the house ranges throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. The firm of Fanning 8z Potter was intimately associated with the Providence jewelry trade from the year 1854 to 1888. Spacious and eligible premises were occupied by them at 125 Broad street, which were supplied with steam power. The firm was composed of Joseph H. Fanning and Alfred S. Potter. By the death of the latter, which occurred December 11th, 1888, the firm was broken up. Mr. J. PL Fanning continues the same line of business at 137 Broad street. James R. Freely & Co. employ about 20 skilled hands in the man- ufacture of a full line of gold jewelry. They started in 1885, at 129 Eddy street, where they still continue. Messrs. Fletcher, Burrows & Co. started business here in 1881, the members of the firm being Ansel L. Sweet, Henry Fletcher and E. G. Burrows, Jr. Mr. Sweet retired in June, 1889, and John Fletcher was admitted. The firm up to that time had been known as Sweet, Fletcher & Co., but was then changed to its present form. It carries on its work in the Fitzgerald building, at 53 Clifford street. Thev manufacture a fine quality of rolled plate white stone goods, employ- ing generally about 35 hands. The business now carried on by Messrs. Foster & Bailey, at 00 Richmond street, was started by White, Foster & Co. in 1873. The firm was composed of Walter E. White, Theodore W. Foster and Samuel H. Bailey. A shop was then occupied at 185 Eddy street. About the year 1877 Mr. White retired from the firm, and the name was changed to its present form. They manufacture a general line of plated jewelry, and employ about 100 hands. The product of their factory reaches nearly $200,000 in the amount of its annual value. The firm of Foster & Bennett was established in the manufacture of jewelry November 1st, 1888. They make solid gold fronts of all kinds. Ten men are employed in their works, which occupy the lower floor at the southeast end of No. 121 Orange street. The business of the Fowler Brothers was started in 1874, by Mr. C. Anthony Fowler. His brother, Jeremiah D. Fowler, was admit- ted and is now a member of the firm. The factory is at 183 and 185 Eddy street, the building extending from Friendship street to Clif- ford street, and facing loo feet on the former and 150 on the latter. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 641 The buildings are composed entirely of .stone and brick. The goods manufactured consist of a line of jewelry in " Fowler's English Crape Stone," real and imitation onyx, and a high grade of sterling silver goods in novelties, &c. From f>0 to 100 hands are employed, the number varying with the demands of the trade. A large bulk of goods are turned out, to the value of about a quarter of a million dollars annually. Mr. C. A. Fowler has the entire charge at Xo. 198 Broadway, New York, and Mr. J. D. Fowler at the home works. The latter is ably assisted by John L., and Joseph L. A. Fowler. "Fow- ler's English Crape Stone " goods are patented in the United States, England, France, Belgium and Austria-Hungary, and are sold in all those, and many other countries, including Australia. From Apple- tons Annual Cyclopedia for 1884 the following description of " Crape Stone " is taken: " CRAPE-STONE, an article used for jewelry to be worn by per- sons in mourning-. Pins and brooches for fastening mourning gar- ments have commonly been made of wood and covered with crape; but the invention of crape-stone has largely supplanted them in all parts of the world, and it is now made into almost every conceivable article of jeweliy. The manufactory is in Providence, R. I., where a large number of skilled artisans are employed. Crape-stone of the first class is made from onyx, which is cut with tools and abraded with acids to produce the crape-like corrugations. These are in series, side by side, or grouped in divisions; they are practically parallel, either longitudinal, lateral, or diagonal, sometimes waved; and the effect is perfected by the finer cross-lines. The stone, after being cut, is colored a lustreless black. The onyx is obtained in large quantities in our Western Territories, but a portion of the supply is from Idar, Oldenburg. The American stone is sent to Germany, where it is sawed into the desired sizes, cut, and prepared for the ornamentation. It is then returned to this country and sub- jected to the craping process at Providence. The workman cuts each corrugation and the finer cross-lines with the utmost care, after which the stone is subjected to the acid. Crape-stone of the second class is made of silicious compounds, with mineral or metal fluxes, and is formed in moulds. It is then covered with a film of wax at certain points, and placed in a bath of corrosive acid, and the com- binations produce the crape effect The processes, which are the invention of Charles A. Fowler, of New York, are the result of a long series of experiments." The business carried on by Messrs. J. W. Grant & Co. was estab- lished in 1872, by J. W. Grant and C. H. Cook. It is carried on in the vSlater Mill and Power Company's building, at 25 Calender street, occupying two rooms, the floor area of which aggregate 3,600 square feet. The specialties of the firm are fine rolled plate and solid silver necklaces and ladies' and gents' chains, and bracelets. About 80 41 042 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. hands are employed, and goods to the value of $50,000 are annually manufactured. The present members of the firm are J. W. Grant and A. E. Follett. The house of William C. Greene & Co. started in 1849, with Mr. Greene in partnership with Nathan F. Mathewson, as Mathewson & Greene. In 1853 John T. Mauran was admitted, and the firm be- came Mathewson, Greene & Mauran. In 1854 the name was changed to Greene. Mauran & Co. In 1866, by the admission of Alfred A. Bliss, the firm became Greene & Bliss, and in 1878 the present name was adopted. The members of the firm are William C. Greene, of Providence, and Byron W. Greene, of New York. The manufacture of a general line of gold jewelry is carried on by the firm, at 95 Pine street, 25 hands being, on the average, employed. The value of the annual product amounts to fifty to seventy-five thousand dollars. The business of Howard & Son was started January 1st. 1878, by the firm of H. Howard & Co., which was composed of Hiram Howard and A. J. Sherrieble. Their first location was in the Hope Iron Foundry building, at 227 Eddy street. They soon after moved to 119 Orange street, and as business increassd they occupied other shops in addition. In 1884 Mr. Howard and his son, Stephen C. Howard, formed the organization of the firm which remains at the present time, as Howard & Son. Their works occupy one floor in the Enterprise Building, and Allen Greene's building adjoining, fronting 123 feet on Eddy, and 145 feet on Fountain and Worcester streets. They manufacture plated cuff and collar buttons, also nov- elties and trinkets in solid sterling silver, employing, at the time of writing, 195 hands. The annual value of their products approxi- mates $300,000. The firm of Hamilton & Hamilton, Jr., makers of rolled plate chains, started at 28 and 30 Potter street, in 1870. They moved from there to the large building at 226 Eddy street, and with the increase in their business took the annex building to that. The house now occupies a part of the Enterprise Building on Eddy street. They employ a large force of hands, usually numbering be- tween 150 and 200, the most of whom are skilled artisans or artists. Their special articles of manufacture are rolled plated chains, vest, guard and neck chains and chatelaines. The present members of the firm are Ralph S. Hamilton and Ralph S. Hamilton, Jr. Hancock, Becker & Co. manufacture fine rolled plate jewelry at 40 Clifford street. They were established in the year 1881, and oc- cupy a room 40 by 100 feet, giving employment to about forty hands. Patent diamond and fancy stone setting is a branch of their business. The firm is composed of Charles E. Hancock and George Becker. The firm of Hutchinson & Huestis started in the jewelrv business HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 643 in 1876. It is composed of George W. Hutchinson and Harvey Huestis. They are located at 1S5 Eddy street, and manufacture solid gold stone rings. They employ 22 skilled workmen, and they have a wide spread reputation as one of the most reliable houses in the trade. Charles F. Irons manufactures specialties in emblems, pins and charms. Masonic, Odd Fellows and other society, and presentation jewels. His premises have a floor area of 3,763 square feet, and 40 hands are employed. The manufacture of fine rolled plate jewelry is carried on by J. C. Harrington at No. 129 Eddy street. The house was founded in 1869. A single floor. 45 by 65 feet is occupied, and about 25 skilled workmen are employed. Among other specialties is an improved spring bracelet, on which Mr. Harrington holds a patent dated 1880. The firm of J. W. Henry & Co. started in the business in 1874, Mr. Henry being then alone, but in 1876 the company was formed. The factory has an area of 40 by 80 feet, is furnished with steam power and employs about forty hands. Goods to the value of fifty to seventy-five thousand dollars are annually manufactured. The indi- vidual members of the firm are J. W. Henry and John Williams. Albert Holt began the business of gold plating in 1880, having been previously employed in the same line of work at Attleboro Falls, Mass. He is associated in the present firm with Silas E. Field. The factory, at 120 Dorrance street, is comprised in one floor, S6 by 30 feet, .equipped with rolls, lathes, drawing boards and other ap- paratus, and furnishes employment to several skilled workmen. In the gold plating process the ingot used, weighing 100 ounces, is made of either an alloy of copper or zinc, or at times of German silver. A plate of gold is fastened to the composition or ingot be- fore it is put into the furnace for " sweating." The silver contained serves to fasten this plate securely to the baser metal, and it is then passed through rollers until it is brought to the desired thick- ness. At this stage of the operation it presents the appearance of a sheet of gold-coated metal, which is then cut into sizes to suit the work for which it is intended to be used, or drawn into wires of different forms, in the usual manner. This house supplies ma- terial to the manufacturing jewelers of this city, as well as to those of other New England cities and towns, and of New York. The manufacture of cane heads and umbrella and parasol mount- ings, in gold and silver, was started in the summer of 1889 by William B. Jencks & Co., at 119 Orange street. They occupy a room 50 by 50 feet, and employ 15 hands. In 1866 the first " Ladd " watch cases were made by Messrs. J. A. Brown & Co., of this city. This company had been established in 1858. The method of making, as well as the cases themselves were the invention of George W. Ladd, on which improvements have since G44 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. been made and patented by himself and by George S. Ladd. The factory in which these cases are manufactured is at 104, 106 and 108 Eddy street, where the business was begun. It is a four story brick building, 40 by 100 feet. About 125 hands are employed, and goods to the value of upwards of $200,000 are annually manufactured. The Ladd Watch Case Company was incorporated in 1888, and bought the plant of J. A. Brown & Co., succeeding them in the business. The present officers of the company are: John A. Brown, president and treasurer; George W. Ladd, vice-president; George S. Ladd, super- intendent: James H. Bigelow, manager. The business of H. Ludwig & Co. was started by Mr. Henry Lud- wig, about two years ago. It is located at 195 Eddy street, having about 4,000 feet of floor space. He manufactures plate jewelry and novelties, employs about 50 hands and produces about $75,000 worth of goods annually. The firm of G. E. Luther & Co., composed of George E. Luther. Lauriston Towne and E. H. Dunham, started in business March 1st, 1880. The company dissolved by limitation, March 1st, 1882, since which time Mr. Luther has continued the business by himself. It is located at 95 Pine street. Rolled plate and silver chains are the spe- cialties. Thirty hands are employed, and the annual production reaches about $50,000 net value. The firm of J. C. Lewis & Co. are successors of the firm of Capron & Wheeler, the house being one of the substantial ones of the city. They are engaged in the manufacture of plated chains, at No. 30 Page street. The business is managed by Mr. Lewis, who was, from the year 1854 to the time of embarking in this company, connected with S. M. Lewis in the jewelry business. 'The shop is well supplied with machinery and employs ten to fifteen hands. H. C. Lindol established himself in 1885, at ISO Friendship street, in the manufacture of jewelry, of which his specialty was bracelets. His premises covered 3,000 square feet, and he gave employment to 20 skilled hands, turning out a class of work of hiodi grade. He now occupies premises at 33 Page street. William A. Locke carries on the manufacture of pearl goods at 303 Eddy street. This, though not jewelry in the strictest sense, is closely allied with that craft, many of the parts made of pearl being mounted with gold and finished by the jewelry manufacturers, sleeve or cuff buttons being a conspicuous article in point. Mr. Locke has several skilled workmen in his employ, cutting and grinding down, by means of machinery driven by steam, the pearl, from the rough shells to the forms required for jewelry manufacturers, and some other lines of trade. The business carried on by Edwin Lowe, at 82 Clifford street, dates back to 1850, when it was established by Mr. Thomas H. Lowe. Later he formed a partnership by admitting his son Edwin to a share HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 645 in the business, and about 1884 he retired, leaving- the business in the hands of the present proprietor. Gold and silver plating for the use of jewelry manufacturers is the business of this house. Ten or twelve skilled workmen are employed. The firm of Luther Brothers had its foundation in 1870, the busi- ness then established being carried on by William H. Luther. The firm of brothers was formed by the admission of Edward A. Luther in 1873. The beginning thus made grew to be the largest manufactory of electro-plated fine gilt and prize package jewelry in the world. The works are located at the corner of Oxford and Harriett streets, the factory buildings covering an area of about 5,000 square feet. The main building is 40 by 80 feet in dimensions and three stories high, with a wing 30 by 15 feet. There is also a two-story factory, 24 by 40 feet. A 10 horse power engine furnishes power for driving the machinery in use. Among the ingenious machinery which has been specially prepared for the work of this firm is a machine for making spiral wires for studs. This machine turns out 2,000 per hour, complete and perfectly made, to do which by the ordinary process, as used in other factories, would consume half a day. The depart- ments are arranged with great regard to system. As large a number as twenty million pieces of jewelry have been manufactured heie in a single year, the number of hands employed being about 150. Ed- ward A. Luther withdrew from the company about 1884, and the business was continued under the same name until 1888, when, on the admission of his son, Frederick B., the style William LI. Luther & vSon was adopted. The firm of Martin, Copeland & Co. manufacture gold chains and rings at 60 Richmond street. The business was started by S. G. Martin, W. A. Copeland and Henry Gorman. To this number E. W. Martin has since been added. About $3oo,ooo worth of goods are annually produced, 60 hands being employed. The manufactory of Fred. I. Marcy & Co. is located at 95 Pine street. A spacious floor, 75 by 150 feet, is occupied, machinery being' driven by steam power. The business was established under the management of James H. Sturdy and Fred. I. Marcy in 1867. The present firm succeeded to the plant January 1st, 1878. About 65 skilled artisans are employed. A full line of jewelry is made, but the specialty of the house is the Acme Lever Sleeve and Collar Buttons. The firm of J. B. Mathewson & Co. are located at 61 Peck street, occupying a floor in the large Dyer Land Building, and employing" about 40 hands. The business was founded by J. B. Mathewson, with whom are now associated in the company C. H. S. Hubbard, H. A. Monroe and C. H. Cooke. John A. McCloy manufactures a great variety of lockets, of plated, enameled and fine gold, bright and Roman color. Over four hun- 640 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. dred different designs are made, ranging in quality from the cheapest goods to the finest productions known to the trade. The factory oc- cupies about 4,000 square feet of floor space at 183 Eddy street, and furnishes employment to about 50 skilled workmen. The business was established by L. Carr & Co. in 1803, and after one or two changes in the status of the firm it came into the possession of the present proprietor in 1877. Mr. McCloy is also proprietor of the Manufacturing Jeweler, a large and elegantly printed monthly maga- zine, devoted to the interests of the jewelry trade. This paper was established in October, 1884, and circulates throughout the United States and Canada. It is edited by Walter B. Frost. The beginning of the business of Nichols & Pervear was made by Henry N. Pervear. They occupy a room 25 by 40 feet at 109 Friend- ship street. The number of hands employed is about 50. The pres- ent firm is composed of Joseph Nichols and H. N. Pervear. They manufacture gold plated jewelry to the value of about $40,000 per annum. The firm, which began business in 1887, was preceded by the firm of Nichols & Black, who in turn were successors to the firm of Stone, Nichols & Black. Messrs. Ostby & Barton carry on the manufacture of solid gold rings at 80 Clifford street, their premises having an area of 15 by 90 feet. The firm consists of Engelhart C. Ostby and Nathan B. Barton. The firm started in business about 1880. They employ about 90 hands. One of the oldest jewelry manufacturing houses in Providence is that of G. & S. Owen & Co., their business having been started by George Owen and Smith Owen in 1834. It is located at 19 Snow street, corner of Chapel, and has an office in New York city at No. 3 Maiden Lane. They occupy the fourth floor, size about 40 by 1 in feet, and manufacture solid 14-carat jewelry. They employ about 30 hands. Mr. James P. Snow, one of the partners, has charge of the New York office, through which all goods are sold. Charles E. West- cott, another partner, has charge of the factory here. Mr. Smith Owen, one of the original partners, died in April, 1889, in the 80th year of his age. Mr. George Owen, the senior partner, is now S4 years of age, and was active in the business up to 1875. The business of Stephen Paine was established in I860 by the firm of Paine & Webster. Mr. Paine is now established at 66 Westmin- ster street, where he does a retail business in the line of manufactur- ing jewelry. Messrs. L. W. Pierce & Co. started in the jewelry manufacture in 1807. The members of the firm were L. W. Pierce and A. H. Willard. The business is now managed by Mr. Pierce alone. It consists of the manufacture of rolled plate and gold jewelry. Thirty-three hands are employed in the factory, which is located at 30 Page street. The firm of Pearce & Hoaoland started in the manufacture of grold HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 047 pens, pencil cases and toothpicks, at 107 Friendship street, in 1879. The business was removed in 1882 to 29 Point street. Here it grew to be one of the largest establishments in the country in that line of business. Their manufacturing premises contained an area of 9,000 square feet, furnished with the most efficient mechanical appliances for the successful prosecution of the business. Some 200 hands were employed in the work. They were manufacturers of the "quill re- serve toothpicks." The firm was composed of Frank T. Pearce and John Hoagland. About 1887 the firm was dissolved, and the former place of business, 29 Point street, was occupied by a new firm of F. T. Pearce & Co., while another firm, as John Hoagland & Co., estab- lished themselves in the same line of manufactures at 17 Warren street. In 1889 the latter firm removed their business to New York city. Charles S. Pine & Company is a jewelry manufacturing house of some forty years standing, the business having been started about the year 1845, being then known under the firm style of Steer & Crooker. Subsequently the firm became F. A. Steer & Co., then Keith & Pine, and about 1881 the present name was adopted, with the changes that occasioned it. About 40 skilled hands are employed in the factory, which is located at 121 Broad street. The firm hold patents, for the " Mary Anderson " bracelet, dated 1878 and February and June, 1883; the " Flexible Roller Edge " block bracelet, 1878 and February and December, 1883. The firm have a New York office at 196 Broadway. George Pitts carries on the manufacture of lace scarf pins, lever and separable cuff pins and collar buttons with a large force of skilled workmen, at 120 Dorrance street. He was a few years since associated with George A. Hicks, as Pitts & Hicks. The manufacture of pearl shell goods is carried on at 407 Pine street, by Charles L. Potter. The business was founded in 1809, by Mr. Potter, who had, previously to that, been for some time engaged in the manufacture of lockets. His factory employs a number of hands. He manufactures patent spiral studs and lace pins, of which some $40,000 worth are annually produced. The Reynolds Jewelry Company was established in May, 1882, by C. D. Reynolds. It is located at 13 Mason street, occupying one floor of a four story building having an area 50 by 100 feet. Rolled plate, electroplate Roman gold and jet jewelry is manufactured, an average of fifty hands being employed. The annual product amounts in value to about $75,000. The company is composed of Charles D. and Frank B. Reynolds. The business carried on by Charles A. Russell & Co., in the third and fourth floors of No. 102 Friendship street, was started by the present proprietors in June, 1886. The goods manufactured are 648 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. rolled plate pins and chains, society and trade emblems. Twenty- four hands are employed. The partner of Mr. Russell is Mr. Henry M. Tallman. The firm of Read, Gardiner & Co. was founded in January, 1881. It consisted of Martin L. Read and Thomas J. Gardiner. They be- gan manufacturing- first class rolled plate jewelry at 25 Potter street, and soon had 15 hands at work, and were enjoying a rising business and reputation. In 1884 they removed to 227 Eddy street. In 1887 Thomas J. Gardiner & Co. were in charge of the business, and the firm under that name still maintains the position. Martin L. Read, in 1887, having withdrawn from the firm of Read, Gardiner & Co., engaged in the manufacture of nickel curtain fixtures at 227 Eddy street, and in the following year carried on the manufacture of sash curtain fixtures and jewelry at 118 Dorrance street. In this industry he still continues at the same location. The house of J. B. Richardson & Co. carried on the manufacture of fine rolled plate jewelry and the patent "Providence Lever" sleeve and collar buttons, at 120 and 131 Eddy street from about 1875 to 1887. Their premises, having an area of about 2,500 square feet, well equipped with machinery, employed about 45 hands. The sleeve and collar buttons were patented June 14th. 1881. Some 250 different styles were made. In 1888 Mr. Henry Salisbury started in the manufacture of a cheap line of pins, drops, scarf pins, studs, and the like, at 227 Eddy street. He employs 8 to 10 hands, occupying a room about 35 by 60 feet. The Seery Manufacturing Co. are located at 33 Beverly street. The business was started by Edward F. Seery, in 1877. They manu- facture fire gilt chains, occupying a floor 30 by 140 feet, and employ- ing 15 hands. The goods they annually make amount in value to about $30,000. The company is not a corporation, but a partnership of Edward F. Seery and Sidney L. Clark. The business of Messrs. Smith & Greene was started by Henry G. Smith and Daniel Tonge, in 1879. It is located at 80 Clifford street. The manufacture of rolled plate chains is carried on, about 100,000 being annually turned out. Fifty hands are employed. The present company consists of Henry G. Smith and Augustus A. Greene. Smith. Mackinney & Co. are engaged in the manufacture of fine diamond jewelry and imitation diamond jewelry at 54 Page street. The business was established in 1875. Fifty hands are employed, and goods to the value of $160,000 to $180,000 are annually manufactured. The owners are II. G. Mackinney and A. J. Smith. Mr. Asher A. Stark is engaged in the production of electro-plated lace and scarf pins and the like at 42 Point street. Several hands are employed, and goods to the value of $8,000 per annum are produced. Mr. A. C. Stone began business in rolled plate jewelry manufac- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 649 lure August 1st, 1884, at 96 Pine street. He employs about 15 hands, and turns out about $30,000 worth of goods a year. The firm of Saxton & Smith was established in business in June, 1870. They soon built up a reputation and gained a business of very considerable importance and magnitude. Their location was at 183 Eddy street, where about 60 skilled hands were employed in the manufacture of the specialty to which the house gives its attention, A T iz., gold chains. The products of the house are estimated to often exceed $350,000 in value in a single year. The firm, composed of Samuel W. Saxton and Charles Sydney Smith, continued until 1886, when the former withdrew, and Mr. Smith has since carried on the business. He has a branch house in New York. The business now conducted by Mr. George L. Vose was estab- lished by Messrs. Vose and Andrew S. Southworth in 1873. In 1883 the latter withdrew, and Mr. Vose continued the business to the present time. It is located at 59 Clifford street, in a shop 40 by 110 feet. The manufacture of gold, gold front and plated jewelry is car- ried on, and 60 hands are employed. The annual value of products reaches about $100,000. Henry H. White established the manufacture of gold-plated jew- elry in 1878. He was from 1884 until recently located at 7 Eddy street, but is now at 14 Sabin street. About 12 hands are employed. Walter E. White started the business in 1878. He occupies one floor, 35 by 100 feet, in the brick building at 54 Page street, manufac- turing rolled plate and solid gold jewelry. The business is conducted by him under the firm name of W. E. White & Co. About 60 hands are employed, and the annual product figures up to about $100,000 in value. Messrs. W r ildprett Sz Saacke are manufacturing solid gold rings at 14 Page street. William Wildprett started the business in 1887, and the present firm was formed a year later. Four hands employed make about $6,000 worth of rings a year. The business now carried on at 19 Snow street was founded by Mr. Wilcox in 1856. His present partner is Walter Gardiner. The building occupied by them is 112 feet long by 40 feet wide, with a wing 30 by 40 feet. About 45 hands are employed in the manufac- ture of gold jewelry, of which goods to the value of about $250,000 are annually finished. The firm are also importers of diamonds. Mr. Andrew J. Wiley started the business in 1875, which he still continues, making rolled plate and electro-plate lace pins, jet goods, rings, bracelets and novelties of all kinds. Twelve hands are em- ployed, and goods to the value of $15,000 are annually manufactured by him at 363 Eddy street. Henry Williams occupies the third floor of No. 119 Orange street in the manufacture of gold-plated chains. He began the business in 650 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 1883, now employs 16 hands, and manufactures $30,000 worth of goods annually. The manufacture of plated jewelry was begun by G. B. Willis in 1885, succeeding H. W. Potter, who had previously been engaged in it. From 27 Page street, the place first occupied, he moved to 33 Page street in June, 1881). The firm at present consists of Mr. Willis and A. L. Sweet. The annual value of goods made is about $25,000, and the average number of hands employed is 25. CHAPTER XXIII. VARIOUS FRATERNAL SOCIETIES. Early history of Free Masonry here. — Grand Lodge formed.— St. John's Lodge. — Promi- nent Masons of that Day.— Thomas Smith Webh.— The anti-Masonic uprising in 1828. —Revival of the Order.— Different Masonic Lodges.— Royal Arch Masons.— Other Departments of the Order. — Colored Masons. — Rise and Progress of the Odd Fellows. — Different Lodges. — Good Samaritans.— Grand Army of the Republic. — Knights of Pythias.— Knights of Honor. — Knights and Ladies of Honor.— Knights and Ladies of the Mystic Circle. — Ancient Order of Forresters. — American Legion of Honor.— United Friends.— N. E. Order of Protection.— Royal Arcanum.— Royal Society of Good Fellows. — Order of Elks. — Ancient Order of United Workmen. — Alfredians.— Sons of St. George. — Pilgrim Fathers. — Caledonians. — Scottish Clans. — Orders of Lucilius, the Golden Cross, Improved Red Men. and Harugari. — German and Hebrew societies. — Temperance organizations. FREEMASONRY dates the commencement of its organic life in Rhode Island with the year 1741), when a number of brethren' in Newport petitioned "St. John's Grand Lodge," of Boston, to grant them a charter. Their petition was allowed December 27th, 1749. At first the brethren in Newport were authorized to confer only the first two degrees, and it was not until March 20th, 1759, that they were given full power to hold a Lodge for the conferring of the master's degree. On January 18th, 1757, in answer to the request of " John Gerrish and sundry other brethren," a charter was issued for the establishment of St. John's Lodge in the town of Providence. The first meetings were held at the " White Horse Tavern " on North Main street, afterward at the house of the widow Kilton, the tavern designated by the sign of the "Two Crows," and at other inns and private houses as was found most convenient. The Lodge flourished at the outset, being composed evidently of excellent material. John Burgess was the first master. Joseph Brown, John Brown, and Moses Brown were among the first candidates initiated. The last named brother was chosen secretary in 1758, and continued to hold the office and discharge its duties for eleven years, during which time he at- tended 80 of the 97 meetings of the Lodge. Joseph Brown was like- wise active during those years; he succeeded John Burgess in 1762 and presided at every meeting until 1769, when, on account of a de- cline of interest and manifold discouragements, the brethren "closed their Lodge, shut up their books and sealed up their jewels " — an inter- regnum of nine years succeeding before a resumption of meetings and work took place. 652 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Of that earliest period in the history of organized Freemasonry in this state, but scanty records have been preserved. There is suffi- cient testimony however, to show that the brethren, both in Newport and Providence, were animated by a very commendable zeal in their support of the Masonic institution, and that they made it serve social and moral uses, besides doing a benevolent work which then, as now, was reckoned of the first importance. Freemasonry in Providence was quickened into new life and vigor under the administration of Jabez Bowen, who became master of St. John's Lodge in 1778. Under his auspices the Genius of Masonry returned, unappalled by the din of arms and by the brazen throat of war. By his influence " the Lodge was no longer subjected to caprice of a landlord and the inconvenience of a public inn." It obtained the council chamber as a place of meeting, and there its sessions were held until 1797. The record of the period covered by this use of the council chamber as a lodge room is bright with many tokens of the growth and usefulness of the fraternity. Representative men were admitted to the order and gave wise direction to its affairs, so that not only was there a gain in numbers, but an increase of reputation and influence. A notable event in the history of Freemasonry in Rhode Island was the formation of the Grand Lodge in 1791. The two Lodges at Newport and Providence, after a conference and discussion extend- ing over a year or more, agreed upon a plan, by which the official honors, etc., were to be equally divided. That part of the plan relat- ing to the distribution of offices reads as follows: " The said several Grand Officers shall be chosen in the following Manner, respecting their places of Residence, viz. One-half of the number of said Officers shall be Residents in the Town of Newport, <>i its district, which shall include the Countiesof Newport, Washing- ton & Bristol, and the other half of said Officers shall be Residents in the Town of Providence, or its district, which shall include the Coun- ties of Providence & Kent; and in such Manner, that when & so often the Grand Master shall be Elected in the Town of Newport, or its District, then the Deputy Gr'd Master shall be Elected in the Town of Providence, or its District (and vice versa), & the same Rule shall be observed in the choice of all other Grand Officers — so that each District shall have an Equal Number of said Officers within the same." Acting under this rule, the Grand Lodge of Rhode Island was es- tablished April 6th, 1791, and Most Worshipful Brother Chris. Champlin, of Newport, was elected grand master; Right Worshipful Jabez Bowen, of Providence, deputy grand master; and the rest of the officers were divided alternately between the two sections. There are more factors to be taken into consideration now, and the distribu- tion of offices can hardly be accomplished by a plan so simple. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 653 The formation of a Grand Lodge gave additional strength and prestige to the fraternity. Under the auspices of the newly formed grand body a celebration of the feast of St. John the Baptist was held in the state house at Newport, on Monday, June 27th, 179], the brethren walking in procession to Trinity church, where they listened to a discourse from the rector, Reverend William Smith. A collec- tion for the " poor of the town " was taken, amounting to $11, 9s., 4d. The brethren then returned to the lodge room, elected officers and held a brief business session, after which they discussed an "excel- lent dinner." For many years a like practice was observed. Among craftsmen specially prominent during the first decade in the.historv of the Grand Lodge mention may be made of Chris. Champlin, Jabez Bowen, Peleg Clark and Moses Seixas. Amos M. Atwell, John Car- lile and William Wilkinson were also notably active in the fraternity. The last named brother lived to a green old age, and for many years was justly regarded as the "Patriarch of Free Masonry" in Rhode Island. Amos M. Atwell was the first master of Mount Vernon Lodge, Providence, chartered in 1799. In this connection it may be stated that Washington Lodge, No. 1, Warren, and "Washington Lodge, No. 2, in the County of Washington," were formally constituted dur- ing the same year, though all had previously been at work under regular dispensations. Washington Lodge, No. 2, John Aldrich, master, was consecrated at South Kingstown with appropriate services by the Grand. Lodge on September 23d, 1799, and Washing- ton Lodge, No. 1, of Warren, with like ceremony, October 3d, 1799. Charles Wheaton was the first master of the last named body. It may be mentioned here that the craft in Providence were now established under their own roof-tree, having become the owners of a hall in Market building, on Market Square, in this city. This hall was dedicated by the Grand Lodge December 27th, 1797, and was the first occasion of the consecration of a Masonic hall in Rhode Island. About 100 brethren were present at the dedicatory services, presided over by Grand Master Jabez Bowen. The address was given by Amos M. Atwell. John Carlile was master of St. John's Lodge at Provi- dence at the time of dedication. Freemasonry had acquired a position of comparative strength at the close of the eighteenth century. Besides St. John's Ledge in Newport and St. John's Lodge in Providence, Washington Lodge in Warren, Washington Lodge in Washington county and Mount Ver- non Lodge in Providence had been constituted, while preliminary steps had been taken to organize Friendship Lodge in Glocester and St. Alban's Lodge in Bristol. About GOO members were included in these Lodges. Just at the beginning of the nineteenth century a new name appears among the Masonic workers and leaders in Rhode Island, viz., Thomas Smith Webb, " to whom, without disparaging the claims of others, may be assigned a place among the brightest of '854 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. the constellation in the Masonic firmament." Webb was a young man when he came to Providence, but he had already made his mark at Albany. N. Y., where he had previously resided, and had shown the traits of an organizer and leader. By special invitation he be- came a member of St. John's Lodge, Providence, in ] 861, and the year following he -was elected grand junior warden in the Grand Lodge. He afterward served three years as grand senior warden, two years deputy grand master and two years as grand master. He was an enthusiastic Mason, fairly well versed in the history of the insti- tution, and led by a strong desire to recast and extend the Masonic system. In the Lodge, Chapter and Commandery he made his influ- ence felt, and to him, in each of these departments, the craft is in- debted for a moulding formation work, some of which is most deserv- ing of praise, while other portions deserve an adverse criticism. Webb produced what is known as the American system of Royal Arch Masonry, originating the degree of most excellent master, and likewise the degree of past master, recasting the ritual of the Royal Arch degree, "making it unlike any other degree of that name the world over, and stamping it as his own," while he also wrote a new ritual for the Mark degree. As a member of Providence Royal Arch Chapter, he exercised an important influence both within and outside that body. He was high priest of that Chapter in 1801, grand high priest in 1808 and for twelve succeeding years. He was the prime mover in the establishment of the General Grand Chapter, and drafted the constitution, which was accepted in 1799, as the governing law of that body. He was largely influential in its affairs, and held the office of deputy general grand high priest at the time of his death, in July, 1819. In Temple Masonry the influence of Webb was no less prominent. He led in the establishment of vSt. John's Encampment in 1802; pre- sided over the body for 12 years; helped to organize, in 1805, the' Grand Encampment, now known as the Grand Commandery of Massa- chusetts and Rhode Island, of which organization he was the first grand commander, holding the office until 1817. He did more than any other person in the organizing of the Grand Encampment of the Gnited States, in 1816, devoting the last years of his life to a watch- ful care over the interests of the newly formed organization. That this man put the impress of his earnest and skillful thought upon the Masonic system cannot be doubted. He deserves to be remembered among the distinguished members of the fraternity in Rhode Island, both for his zeal and his ability. His death took place while travel- ling in the West, at Cleveland, July 6th, 1819. His body was brought to Providence, funeral services being held under auspices of the Grand Lodge at the First Congregational church, November 8th, 1819, Reverend Barnabas Bates, grand chaplain, giving a suitable dis- course, after which the customary Masonic rites were performed in HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 055 committing to Mother Earth, in North Burial Ground, all that was mortal of this estimable and accomplished craftsman. The first quarter of the present century witnessed the steady growth and enlargement of the Masonic institution, both in Provi- dence and other sections of the state. Several clergymen of widely extended influence were included among its active members. The Reverend Alexander V. Griswold, rector of St. Michael's church, Bristol, and afterward bishop of the Eastern Diocese of the Protestant Episcopal Church, was prominently identified with the work of the order, as also was the Reverend Stephen Gano, pastor of the First Baptist church, in Providence; the Reverend Doctor Benedict, of Pawtucket. and others of like fame. Business men of financial stand- ing, practical and sensible; lawyers, physicians, mechanics, sailors — all ranks and classes were represented in the fraternity that flourished so extensively during the first 25 years of the nineteenth century. Mount Moriah Lodge, Smithfield; Harmony Lodge, Pawtuxet; Union Lodge, Pawtucket; King Solomon's Lodge, East Greenwich; Man- chester Lodge, Coventry; Morning Star Lodge, Cumberland; St. Paul's Lodge, Newport; Hamilton Lodge, Foster; Warwick Lodge, War- wick; Evening Star Lodge, Smithfield; Temple Lodge, Smithfield, and Lafayette Lodge, Cumberland, had been added to the roll as it stood in the vear 1800. Nearlv all the 19 Lodges in the state were fairly strong in numbers and resources, while a good degree of har- mony prevailed throughout the jurisdiction. There were, in 1825, four organizations of Royal Arch Masonry in Rhode Island, viz.: Providence Chapter, constituted in 1793: Newport Chapter, consti- tuted in 1806; Temple Chapter. Warren, constituted in 1807, and Pawtucket Chapter, Pawtucket, constituted in 1820. These bodies were allegiants to and under the control of the Grand Royal Arch •Chapter of Rhode Island, formed in 1798, in which organization Moses Seixas, Thomas S. Webb, John Carlile, William Wilkinson and Moses Richardson bore a conspicuous part in the early period just noted. The Order of Knights Templar was represented by two strong organizations, viz.: Saint John's Encampment (now Com- mandery), Providence, and Washington Encampment, Newport, both being subordinate to the Grand Encampment of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, which, as already stated, was formed at Providence in 1805. Thomas Smith Webb, William Wilkinson and John Carlile were directing- forces in this organization, and their united terms in the office of grand master aggregated 16 of the first 23 years in its history. In 1828 the anti-Masonic uprising took form, and for a time threat- ened the very life of the fraternity. Nowhere, unless in New York, was the excitement more intense than in Rhode Island, and in no other section of the country did the craft experience a more severe •opposition than was roused against them in our commonwealth. The G5C HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. fraternity was denounced in public addresses, and by common, every- day speech of the most vehement character. The general assembly was memorialized to take action against the organization as being- composed of men " with designs, principles and practices adverse to religion and morality, subversive of civil government, and incom- patible with all the social and civil virtues and duties." The assem- bly appointed a committee to examine into the truthfulness of such accusations — a committee, it may here be said, that, while fully exon- erating the fraternity from the grave charges preferred by its oppos- ers, recommended the discontinuance of the Masonic institution. During the several years of intense feeling, amounting almost to per- secution, the Freemasons of the state and the several Masonic bocVes sought to maintain a calm and peaceful attitude. Nothing was done to influence public sentiment, yet the members of the order stood firmly by their rights, and made no sign of abandoning their Masonic principles or the organization in which they were enrolled as mem- bers. A few apostatized, but the great majority remained faithful. The Grand Lodge of Rhode Island, at a meeting held August 27th, 1832, passed the following resolutions, which may be taken as fairly representing the sentiment of the craft at that time: " Resolved, That we regret the present state of society; but are of opinion that our duty is plain, and is, that we manifest a determination peacefully to adhere to our Institution through evil, as well as good report." That Freemasonry languished during these troublous times can well be believed. It proved its strength, however, by surviving the attacks made upon it. The organizations were kept alive, meetings of faithful brethren were held, and a work of charity was maintained so far as lessened resources would allow. Of course there were but few accessions to the order during these years, while the losses of members by death and withdrawal were numerous. Yet hope burned brightly in the hearts of faithful brethren who waited confidently for more propitious days to dawn. In 1841 came signs of returning prosperity. The storm had blown over, and the skies were clearing. Then succeeded the civil disturb- ances in Rhode Island, which so much engrossed the attention of its citizens. Several Lodges which had maintained their organization during the anti-Masonic crusade ceased to exist at this trying period, and it was not until a cessation of the political troubles, which were of so threatening a character in the years 1841-3, that a general re- vival of Masonic interests took place in this state. The first initia- tion in vSt. John's Lodge. Providence, after the revival, was on August 21st, 1844. Still the recovery was a slow process for a number of years. The centennial celebration of St. John's Lodge, which took place on the 24th of June, L857, has been regarded by some as the more positive and decided revival of Masonry in this jurisdiction. On that occa- 33" 11 ■-G .M of Grand Lodge of R.I. and P.-.G . Gen .-. of of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. G.\ Cam.-, of K.-.T HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 657 sion some 1,500 members of the order were present and were escorted through the streets of the city with much parade, awakening enthusi- asm in the hearts of the faltering members of the order. A stirring address was delivered by Bishop Randall in the First Baptist church. Out of this celebration grew What Cheer Lodge, No. 21, one of the strongest and most prosperous Lodges of the city and perhaps the very foremost one. The first preliminary meeting looking toward the organization of this Lodge was held at the office of Clifton A. Hall, No. 10 Franklin House on the 7th of July, and subsequent meet- ings resulted in the petition for a charter. In answer the Grand Lodge, on the 31st of August granted a dispensation, under which What Cheer Lodge held its first regular communication in Mason's Hall, on Tuesday evening, September 1st, 1857, for the purpose of organizing. The first communication under charter was held on St. Andrew's day, November 30th, 1857, when the following officers were elected and duly installed: William B. Blanding, M.; Lyman Klapp, S. W.; Richmond Jones, Jr., J. W.; Absalom P. King, treasurer; Ed- ward Hooker, secretary; Sylvanus Tingley, S. D.; Samuel L. Blais- dell, J. D.; Henry T. Brown, S. S.; John J. Jencks, J. S.; Reverend Daniel Leach, chaplain; Albert C. Eddy, M.; Thomas H. Barton, S.; E. B. White, T. The ceremonies of constitution and consecration of the Lodge were observed in an elaborate and public manner, on the evening of February 2d, 1858. A peculiar feature of What Cheer Lodge is the semi-annual com- munication, held in June. This, from the beginning, has been a fes- tive occasion, eminently social in its character. On that occasion the brethren have come together as members of a New England family around the Thanksgiving board, related their experiences, listened to letters from those who were absent, and encouraged one another to steadfastness and works of charity and love for the year to come. The first of these meetings was held June 1st, 1858. A notable event in the history of this Lodge was the holding of a special communica- tion, June 30th, 1858, for the purpose of receiving and welcoming Robert Morris, LL. D.. deputy grand master of the Grand Lodge of Kentucky, and an editor of numerous Masonic publications. This visit led to the formation of the Monument Association, and the subsequent erection of a monument to the memory of Thomas Smith Webb. On the 30th of November, 1859, the committee hav- ing the matter m charge reported that a new hall had been prepared for the use of the Lodge, in conjunction with Calvary Commandery. This hall, which was named Ionic Hall, was located at 41 Westmins- ter street. In 1800 the Lodge secured a large piece of the historic What Cheer Rock (the rock upon which Roger Williams landed on his first arrival at the site of Providence) and from it had two ash- lars made, which are preserved by the Lodge as relics of great in- 42 658 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. terest. The growth of the Lodge up to 1860 had been so rapid that its roll then showed 106 members. The last communication of the Lodge in Ionic Hall was held March 27th, 1803. It then moved into Mason's Hall, in What Cheer building. A special feature of this Lodge is its Charity Fund, the avails of collections at each regular communication being- devoted to the relief of distressed members of the Lodge and their widows and orphans. This fund amounts to several thousand dollars. The following are the names of charter members of What Cheer Lodge: Absalom P. King, Samuel L. Blaisdell, William B. Blanding, Edward Hooker, Clifton A. Hall, Russel A. Denison, Lyman Klapp, Robert S. Fielden, William A. Hayward, Richmond Jones, Jr., Syl- vanus Tingley, William Hicks, John Shepley, Henry T. Brown, Al- bert G. Angell, Archibald B. Rice, Daniel Leach, Amos Palmer, Thomas H. Barton, George W. Barker, John J. Jencks, Dana P. Col- burn, William G. Crosby, George P. Baker, Thomas Taylor, William H. Fenner, L. F. Goodwin, and George A. Sagendorf. The succes- sive masters of this Lodge, from the beginning to the present time, have been as follows: William B. Blanding, 1857-9; Lyman Klapp, 1859-60; Levi L. Webster, 1860-1; Nicholas Van Slyck, 1861-2; Charles A. Webster, 1862-3; Thomas Phillips, Jr., 1863-4; Henry C. Field, 1864-5; Andrew Hutchinson, 1865-6; Henry T. Stone, 186(3-7; Robert A. Pierce, 1867-8; Edwin Baker, 1868-9; Samuel A. Howland, 1869-70; John P. Luther, 1870-1 ; Joshua M. Addeman, 1871-2; Her- bert M. Kimball, 1872-3; Edward E. Darling, 1873-4; — -, 1874-5; Lindsay Anderson, 1875-6; Duncan Campbell, 1877-8; Horace K. Blanchard, 1878-9; Nelson W. Aldrich, 1879-80; James J. Crispen, 1880-1; John H. Eddy, Jr., 1881-2; Arthur W. Dennis, 1882-3; Joseph D. Grinnell, 1883-4; Alonzo D. Amsden, 1884-5; S. Penrose Williams, 1885-6; Arthur H. Armington, 1886-7; Samuel G. Colwell, 1887-8; Frank S. Congdon, 1888-9. The present membership of this Lodge now numbers several hundred, it being the largest Lodge in the city. The oldest Lodge in the city is St. John's Lodge, No. 1, which dates its organization back to 1757. After surviving the vicissitudes of nearly a century, during which time the great anti-Masonic wave of popular sentiment bore heavily upon it, we find, after its drooping spirits began to revive somewhat, in 1847 this Lodge had the follow- ing officers: Moses Richardson, M.; A. B. Armstrong, S. W.; A. Peters, J. W.; William Monroe, treasurer; William C. Barker, secre- tary; Asa W. Davis, S. D.; Samuel A. Wesson, J. D.; Daniel Wight- man, T. The following were serving as master at the dates given: Horace A. Wilcox, 1852; Charles W. Jenckes, 1853; Joseph A. D. Jos- lin, 1854; Jerome B. Borden, 1857-8; John P. Walker, 1859; James H. Armington, 1862-3; Alfred K. Hall, 1864; John F. Tobey, 1865; Samuel B. Swan, 1867; George O. Olmstead, 1868; George H. Burn- ham, 1872; George W. Carpenter, Jr., 1876; Pardon Wilbur, 1878; HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 659 John W. Pettis, 1879-80; Henry J. Spooner, 1881; William E. Hus- band, 1882-3; Edward S. Jones, 1884-5; George W. Pettis, 1886-7; George Fuller, 1888-9. The other officers in 1889 were: Albert G. Bates, S. W.; Charles H. C. Carter, J. W.; George H. Burnham, treasurer; Walter Blodget, secretary; Frederick C. Bushee, S. D.; Job W. Whaley, J. D.; Edward S. Jones, S. S.; George W. Pettis, J. S.; John W. Moore, M.; George E. Paddock, S.; W r illiam R. Greene, musical director; Richard Chadwick, T. Mount Vernon Lodge, No. 4, is the second oldest Lodge in the city. It was instituted in the latter part of the last century. Its officers in 1847 were: Charles D. Greene, M.; Cyrus Fisher, S.W.; T. Whitaker, J. W.; Jason Williams, treasurer; Samuel W. Hartshorn, secretary; Samuel Lewis, S. D.; Alfred W. Fiske, J. D.; Daniel Wightman, T. The following have held the position of master at the dates indi- cated: Charles D. Greene, 1852-3: Samuel Lewis, 1854; Cornelius E. Bourne, 1857; Ezra S. Dodge, 1858-9; James Salsbury, Jr., 1862; Oliver E. Greene, 1863; Stillman White, 1864-5; Amos M. Hawkins, 1867; John H. Sweet, 1868; A. S. Hawkins, 1872; Marcus M. Burdick, 1876; Joseph S. G. Cobb, 1878; William H. Perry, 1879; Darius B. Davis, 1880; Joseph O. Earle, 1881-2; Stephen M. Greene, 1883; James Wil- son, 1884; Rodney F. Dyer, Jr., 1885; William H. Silloway, 1886; Lemuel H. Foster, 1887; Rev. Alfred Manchester, 1888; Charles Larkham, 1889. The other officers in 1889 were: Charles B. Man- chester, S. W.; George F. Keene, J. W.; William B. Perry, treasurer; Marcus M. Burdick, secretary; Alfred Manchester, chaplain; Ozro C. Heath, S. D.; Edward A. Ricketts, J. D.; James Cannon, S. S.; Frank H. Mudge, J. S.; John B. Benson, M.; Charles Jaques, S.; Charles L. Kenyon, musical director; Richard Chadwick, T. Corinthian Lodge, No. 27, was chartered in 1868. Its first officers were: Henry C. Field, W. M.; Andrew Hutchison, S. W.; Israel M. Hopkins, J. W.; Joshua Wilbur, treasurer; S. G. Stiness, secretary; Clinton D. Sellew, S. D.; Henry R. Barker, J. D.; Charles T. Place, S. S.; Henry Allen, J. S.; Z. C. Rennie, M.; Albert Fuller, S. The following have served in the master's chair at the dates given: Clinton D. Sellew, 1872; Spencer P. Read, 1876; Robert E. Dwelly, 1878-9; Richard W. Comstock, 1880; Cyril A.Babcock, 1881-2; George E. Weaver, 1883; Cyrus M. Van Slyck, 1884: Henry C. Armstrong, 1885; John A. Howland, 1886; J. S. Kellogg, 1887; Charles S. Pettee, 1888; Edmund S. Hopkins, 1889. The officers below the chair were in 1889 as follows: Charles C. Newhall, S.W.; James E.Tillinghast, J. W.; Horatio A. Hunt, treasurer; John A. Howland, secretary; Andrew Hutchison, C; Edmund C. Danforth, S. D.; Samuel T. Douglas, J. D.; Fred. W. Barney, S. S.; James L. Sherman, J. S.; John S. Kellogg, M.; J. Carver Greene, S.; Henry C. Field, musical director; Albert F. Fuller, T. Adelphoi Lodge, No. 33, was chartered in 1876. Its officers under 660 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. dispensation were: Stillman White, M.; Ezra S. Dodge, S. W.; Henry A. Chace, J. W. The first set of officers acting under charter were: Stillman White, W.M.; Jesse B. Sweet, S.W.; John M. Buffington. J. W.; Daniel N. Davis, treasurer; Oliver E. Greene, secretary; John D. Heathcote, S. D.; Joseph N. Whelden, J. D.;' John H. Sweet, S. S.; Jesse B. Hopkins, J. S.; John W. McKnight, C; Frederick I. Marcy, M.; Thomas Du Bois, S.; Thomas F. Arnold, T. The presiding officers since then have been: H. A. Chace, 1879; John M. Buffington, 1880; John Heathcote, 1881; Fred. I. Marcy, 1882; Charles Sydney Smith, 1883; Daniel N. Davis, 1884; Edwin L Spink, 1885-6; George H. Holmes, 1887-8; William N. Otis, 1889. Other officers 1889: D. Russell Brown, S. W.; Clarence M. Godding, J. W.; Israel B. Mason, treasurer; Oliver C. Greene, secretary; John W. McKnight, C; Richard H. Deming, S. D.; William P. Vaughan, J. D.; William H. Luther, S. S.; George H. Heathcote, J. S.; Edwin L. Spink, M.; Wil- liam D. Turner, S.; Smith S. Sweet, musical director. Redwood Lodge, No. 35, was chartered in 1878. While under dis- pensation its leading officers were: Myer Noot, W. M.; Henry Green, S. W.; Leopold Hartman, J. W.; Hyman Happ, treasurer; Lorenzo T raver, secretary. These officers continued till 1880. The successive masters since then have been: Leopold Hartman, 1881; Melvin Parker, 1882; John H. Spitz, 1883: Henry Green, 1884; Thomas B. Dawson, 1885; William H. Mullen, 1886; Michael Green, 1887; William H.T. Mosley, 1888; A.S. Burlingame, 1889. The other officers in 1889 were: James W. Clarke, S. W.; Herman Boas, J. W.; Louis Frank, treasurer; Lorenzo Traver, secretary; Henry Green, C; William H. T. Mosley, S. D.; Solomon Cohen, J. D.; Adolph Cohen, S. S.; L. F. Whitmarsh, J. S.; William H. Dobson, M.; Edwin B. Lincoln, S.; Amos R. Thurston, T. Orpheus Lodge, No. 36, was chartered in 1879. Its first officers were: William R. Greene, W. M.; C. Henry Alexander, S. W.; George H. Lincoln, J. W.; Henry Baker, treasurer; William B. Bennett, sec- retary; Joseph William Rice, C; Leander G. Sherman, S. D.; Milton Livsey, J. D.; Edward H. Parks, S. S.; Lewis L. Fales, J. S.; Dwight M. Downs, M.; Theodore A. Allen, S.; George B. Chace, musical director; Justus Thomas, T. Following this the office of master was held successively by: William R. Greene, 1881; Henry Alexander, 1882; George H. Lincoln, 1883; Leander G. Sherman, 1884; Milton Livsey, 1885; George H. Bunce, 1886; Allen M. Peck, 1887; Theodore A. Allen, 1888; John C. Davis, 1889. The other officers for the year I ssi) were: George C. Noyes, S. W.; D. C. H. Tinkham, J. W.; George H. Bunce, treasurer; William B. Bennett, secretary; Joseph W. Rice, C; William H. Scott, S. D.; Henry P. Morgan, J. D.; George H. Freese, S. S.; Henry A. L. Potter, Jr., J. S.; Robert J. Gilmore, M.; Charles H. Hathaway, S.; Newell L. Wilbur, musical director; Edward Field, 2d, T. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 661 Nestell Lodge, No. 37, was chartered in 1880. Its first officers were: Joseph Baker, W. M.; Henry W. Potter, S. W.; James W. Lees, J. W.; Thomas S. Mann, treasurer; Walter D. Watson, secretary; Wil- liam H. Barron, C; Eddy M. Shaw, S. D.; Richard J. Payne, J. D.; George Robinson, S. S.; Adolphus Wagensiel, J. S.; Albert H. Wil- liams, M.; John K. Northup, S.; John B. Allen, musical director; William J. Barker, T. The master's chair has since been occupied by: Joseph Baker, 1881; George Robinson, 1882, '83; D. Coit Taylor, 1884; John M. Bogle, 1885; Albert H. Williams, 1886; Edward F. King, 1887; Hozea Q. Morton, 188S; James W. Lees, 1889. Besides the head the officers in 1889 were: William H. Patt, S. W.; Frederick G. Stiles, J. W.; John W. Randall, treasurer; George Robinson, secretary; Wil- liam H. Barron, C; John R. Crossley, S. D.; Carl Seelig, J. D.; Joseph Baker, Jr., S. S.; Christopher Clissold, J. S.; Albert H. Williams, M.; •Howard A. Pearce, S.; John A. Howland, musical director; Daniel Heaven, T. The foregoing Lodsres are all constituents of the Grand Lodge of Rhode Island, which embraces 35 Lodges in different parts of the state, which have a total of about 4,000 members. The Grand Lodge was instituted in 1791. After the great anti-Masonic wave had sub- sided, we find this body officered, in 1847, as follows: Alvin Jenks, G. M.; William Field, D. G. M.; George W. Marsh, G. S. W.; Edwin Howland, G. J. W.; Jason Williams, G. Treas.; James Hutchison, G. S.; Alexander M. McGregor, G. S. D.; Suchet Mauran, G. J. D.; George W. Hathaway, G. C; Cyrus B. Manchester, G. Marshal; Aru- nah B. Armstrong, G. S. B.; Daniel Wightman, G. S. and T. The following have at the dates indicated occupied the chair of the grand master: William Field, 1852, '53; George W. Marsh, of Burrillville, 1854; Oliver Johnson, 1857; James Hutchison, 1858, '59; Ariel Ballou, of Woonsocket, 1862, '63, '64, '65; Thomas A. Doyle, 1867, '68; Lloyd Morton, 1S72; Nicholas Van Slyck, 1876; Charles R. Cutler, 1878; E. L. Freeman, 1879, '80; Thomas Vincent, 1881, '82; Lyman Klapp, 1883, '84, '85, '86; William N. Ackley, 1887, '88, '89. After leaving the Ma- sonic headquarters in the old market house, the Grand Lodge for several years held its communications in the What Cheer building. From this they moved to Freemasons' Hall, on Dorrance, Pine and Eddy streets, about five years ago. Capitular Freemasonry is represented in the state by ten Chapters, having nearly 1,800 members. Among those specially devoted to this department of Masonic work and prominently identified with its affairs and the interests of Masonry in general, since 1840, are men- tioned the names of James wSalsbury, Thomas Whitaker, Cyrus B. Manchester and Thomas A. Doyle; while others, still active and strong, have labored not less efficiently in the interests of the Capit- ular branch of the order. The Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Rhode Island was organized in 1799, largely through the active 662 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. efforts of Thomas Smith Webb, of whom mention has previously been made. In 1847 the Grand Chapter had the following officers: Roger W. Potter, G. H. P.; Thomas Whitaker, D. G. H. P.; Seth Peck, G. K.; Theophilus Topham, G. S.; James Hutchison, G. S.; Jason Williams, G. T.; Nehemiah A. Potter, G. M.; George Taft, G. C; William Field, G. S.; Daniel Wightman, G. T. The honorable post of grand high priest has been held at different dates by James Hutchison, 1852, '53; Cyrus B. Manchester, 1854; John Eldred, 1857, '58; Joseph Belcher, 1859; Lyman Klapp, 1862; Nathan H. Gould, 1863; Levi L. Webster, 1864; Thomas A. Doyle, 1865, '67; Henry Clay Field, 1868, '72; William T. C. Wardwell, 1876; Reverend William N. Ackley, 1878, '79; John P. Sanborn, 1880, '81; Samuel G. Stiness, 1882, '83; Nicholas Van Slyck, 1884; Edward L. Freeman, 1885; Reverend Henry W. Rugg. 1886; George M. Carpenter, 1887, '88; Robert S. Franklin, 1889. Providence Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, is one of the largest in point of numbers in the country, having nearly 800 members. It was organized about the close of the last century. In 1847 it had the fol- lowing officers: Thomas Whitaker, H. P.; Joseph Belcher, K.; A. B. Armstrong, S.; Henry Holden, C. of H.; John Westcott, P. S.; John T. Jackson, R. A. C; Jason Williams, treasurer; William C. Barker, secretary; Richard Smith, 3d M. of V.; Samuel Lewis, 2d M. of V.; Samuel Wesson, 1st M. of V.; Daniel Wightman, T. In 1852 Cyrus B. Manchester was high priest; in 1853, '54, Joseph Belcher; in 1857, ^S, Oliver Johnson; in 1859, Jerome B. Borden; in 1862, Levi L. Webster; in 1863, '64, '65, Thomas A. Doyle; in 1867, '68, Henry Clay Field; in 1872, Albert H. Cushman; in 1876, George O. Olmstead; in 1878, Samuel G. Stiness; in 1879, '80, John P. Luther; in 1881, '82, Horace K. Blanchard; in 1883, '84, Arthur W. Dennis; in 1885, J S6, Horace S. Richardson; in 1887, George H. Kenyon; in 1888, '89, For- rest A. Peck. The history of Providence Council of Royal and Select Masters begins with the revival of the institution, about 1852. In 1853 the following were officers of the Council: James Salsbury, T. I. M. Cyrus Fisher, I. M., Joseph Belcher, P. C; Jason Williams, M. of E. William C. Barker, Rec; J. A. D. Joslin, M. of G.; Samuel Lewis, S. D. Wightman, G. The honorable post of T. I. M. has later been held by the following: James Salsbury, 1854, '57, '59; Edwin Howland, 1S58; Horace H. Snow, 1862, '63, '64, '6^; James H. Armington, 1867, '08; Albert H. Cushman, 1872; John P. Luther, 1876; Edwin Baker, 1878, '79; Horace K. Blanchard, 1880; John W. Pettis, 1881; Joseph O. Earle, 1882; Richard Chadwick, 1883; Arthur H. Armington, 1884; Albert L. Anthony, 1885; George W. Pettis, 1886; George H. Kenyon, 1887; Horace S. Richardson, 1888; Charles B. Manchester, 1889. The following were the additional officers in 1889: Forrest A. Peck, D. M.; Eugene Stevens, P. C. of W.; Daniel N. Davis, treasurer; William R. Greene, recorder; Albert H. Cushman, chaplain; S.Penrose Williams, HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 663 C. of G.; Elton A. Cook, C. of C; Charles A. Barney, steward; Richard Chadwick, sentinel. The Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters has its headquar- ters in this city. It was constituted about 1862. Its officers in that year were: James Salsbury, M. P. G. M.; Charles H. Titus, D. P.; H. H. Snow, T. I.; Henry F. Smith, G. P. C. W.; Samuel Lewis, G. T.; John F. Driscol, G. R.; Edwin Howland, G. C. G.; Sidney Dean, G.C.; Christian M. Nestell, G. S.; E. B. White, G. G. The following have held the gavel as M. P. G. M.: James Salsbury, 1863, '64, '65; James H. Armington, 1867, 'QS; Stillman White, 1872; John F. Adams, 1876, '78; Amos A. Peavey, 1879, '80; Edwin Baker, 1881, '82; Reverend W. N. Ackley, 1883, '84; Osmond H. Briggs, 1885, 'SG; Horace K. Blanch- ard, 1887; William J. Huntington, 1888; Arthur H. Armington, 1889. In Templary there has been a steady growth for the last thirty years, and perhaps longer. St. John's Commandery, of Providence, is the pioneer of this line of Masonic expression in the state. It has an unbroken record from 1802 until the present. It has always been strong in numbers and reserves, as well as in the character of its membership. It still retains its vigor in all these respects. From St. John's Commandery sprang Calvary Commandery, aho of this city, which was organized about 1860. The latter body has an undimmed record of noble effort and true progress in the matters that most tend to the maintenance of the high character of the order and its practi- cal usefulness. In recent years the head of the Commandery (St. John's) has been: 1847, William Field, G. C; 1852, f b5, Cyrus Fisher; 1857, James Salsbury; 1858, '59, W. C. Barker; 1862, '63, Charles H. Titus; 1864, John Shepley; 1865, Daniel Rounds, Jr.; 1867, Samuel S. Gin- nods; 1868, A. Crawford Greene; 1872, Henry W. Rugg; 1876, Thomas A. Doyle; 1878, Newton D. Arnold; 1879, Walter B. Vincent; 1880, William E. Husband; 1881, George H. Rhodes; 1882, Alfred G. Pierce; 1883, James C. Lester; 1884, Joseph O. Earle; 1885, George L. Shep- ley; 1886, John Heathcote; 1887, Darius B. Davis; 1888, William H. Perry; and the officers for the year 1889 were William H.Perry, C; Forrest A. Peck, G.; George W. Pettis, C. G.; Reverend William N. Ackley, P.; Hunter C. White, S. W.; Andrew B. Eddy, J. W.; John G. Massie, T.; Walter Blodget, R.; Warren H. Tillinghast, St'd B.; Charles L. Rogers, Sw'd B.; Harry P. Smith, W.; Frank D. Liver- more, Wendell P. Anthony and John W. Moore, C. of G.; Richard Chadwick, S. Calvary Commandery has had among its presiding officers the fol- lowing: Henry Butler, 1862-3; Thomas A. Doyle, 1864; Levi L. Webster, 1865; Edwin J. Nightingale, 1867; Charles R. Dennis, 1868; John P. Luther, 1872; Charles R. Brayton, 1876; Samuel G. Stiness, 1878; Walter B. Vincent, 1879; Clinton D. Sellew, 1880; Horace K. Blanchard, 1881-2; Alvord O. Miles, 1883; Arthur W. Dennis, 1884: George H. Kenyon, 1885; Cyril A. Babcock, 1886; Eugene Stevens, 664 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 1887; Albert L. Anthony, 1888; Horatio Rogers, 1889. The other officers were: Henry R. Barker, G.; Spencer B. Hopkins, C. G.; Henry C. Field, P.; Elton A. Cook, S. W.; Frank S. Congdon, J. W.; Amasa C. Tourtellot,T.; George E. Webster, R.; Theodore V. Matteson, St'd B.; William H. McCormick, Sw'd B.; Eugene Stevens, W.; Clarence H. Carpenter, Walter H. Manchester, Thomas Sellew, G.; Rensaelaer B. S. Hart, S.; Charles L. Kenyon, organist. The Templar organizations above, as well as others in the state, are joined with the Commanderies of Massachusetts, forming the Grand Commandery of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Among those who have been at the head of the Grand body in later years, and most influential in the conduct of its affairs, are Nicholas Van Slyck and Nelson W. Aldrich. Edward L. Freeman now holds the position. The Rhode Island Convention of High Priests was established May 11th, 1852, and continued for several years. Its first officers were: William Field, president; Moses Richardson, vice-president; Cyrus Fisher, treasurer; William C. Barker, secretary; James Hutchi- son, M. of C; James Salsbury, C; Cyrus B. Manchester, H. The offices were held by the same persons respectively for eight or ten years, when that particular form of Masonic enterprise appears to have been laid aside, and other developments appeared. The Grand Consistory of Rhode Island appeared in 18G3, with Henry Butler, G. C.,at its head, he remaining therefor several years. The Providence Consistory was organized about 1867. The official head in that year was Reverend Charles H. Titus. He was continued in 1868, and per- haps later. This organization appears in 1880 with Frederick Miller, commander in chief. He was followed by John G. Massie, 1881-2; Joseph O. Earle, 1883-8; Henry C. Field, 1889. The name was changed to the Rhode Island Consistory, S.\ P. - . R.\S.\ in 1886. It has always been in rank to the 32d degree. Providence Chapter of Rose Croix was organized about 1867. The office of M. W. and P. M. has been held by Horace Daniels, 1867-8; John G. Massie, 1880; Joseph O. Earle, 1881-2; Stephen N. Lougee, Jr., 1883-5; Edwin Baker, 1886; George H. Lincoln, 1887-8; George L. Shepley, 1889. Providence Council of Princes of Jerusalem was or- ganized about the same time as the aforementioned Chapter. Its honorable leadership, under the cabalistic title, M. E. S. P. G. M., has been held by such men as Nicholas Van Slyck, 1867-8; George O. Olmstead, 1880; Ferdinand Smith, 1881-2; Edward S. Jones, 1883-5; William E. Husband, 1886-9. King Solomon's Lodge of Perfection, was also started about the same time. The head of this organization in L867 was Cyrus B. Manchester, as T. P. G. M., and in 1S6S, Henry 1". Smith. Later occupants of the position have been: George M. Carpenter, 1880-88; George H. Kenyon, 1881). Besides the foregoing organizations there are in Providence about 300 colored Masons, who are organized in distinct bodies from those HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. (565 we have mentioned. Communications are held in Masonic Hall, 21 South Main street. Most Worthy Eureka Grand Lodge meets in June and December. Its officers are: William H. Turner, M. W. G. M.; Robert Walker, R. W. D. G. M.; Thomas Wheeler, R. W. S. G. W.; Stephen A. Greago, R. W. J. G. W.; Thomas R. Glascow, Sen. G. Sec; Robert B. Minton, grand tyler. Subordinate Lodges are Harmony, No. 1; Celestial, No. 2; Radiant, No. 4; King Solomon, No. 5; and Star of the East, No. 0. The Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of R. I. meets on the fourth Friday in May and Novem- ber. Its officers are George H. Simms, G. H. P.; Robert B. Minton, G. Sec. Subordinate to this are Celestial Chapter, No. 1, and Mount Olive Chapter, No. 3. Two Lodges of Knights Templar are subordi- nate to the Grand Commandery of Rhode Island and Massachusetts. These are Golgotha, No. 2, and St. Paul's, No. 3. Simon Commandery is associated with the Grand Lodge. It is claimed that Odd Fellowship was known in Rhode Island even before the time of its establishment in Baltimore. According to a commonly accepted tradition there were three Lodges of the order in Providence prior to 1820. They could have been hardly more than social clubs and convivial gatherings, for no written records can be found of their organization or proceedings. That an Odd Fellows Lodge was in existence at Providence at as early a date as 1822 seems evident by the action taken at a meeting of Massachusetts Lodge, Bos- ton, on the 22d of July of that year, viz.: " Resolved, That the Secre- tary be directed to write to the Lodge of Odd Fellows in Providence, congratulating them on the opening of a new Lodge." The organi- zation thus started was undoubtedly somewhat independent and in- formal in character, and had no abiding strength. In 1820 a petition was presented to the Grand Lodge of the United States requesting a warrant or dispensation for a Lodge in Providence, R. I. The re- quest was favorably considered, and the grand secretary was directed to give the necessary information to the petitioners to enable them to establish a Lodge; but nothing came of the projected movement for several years. It was not until June, 1829, at a special session of the Grand Lodge, held in Baltimore, that a charter was voted to " Friendly Union Lodge," to be located at Providence, R. I. The original members of the Lodge were Henry Hobson, Walter McFar- land, John Doran, Francis Chadburn, James Bury and John Bow- cock. On the 20th of that month the Lodge was constituted by Grand Sire Wildey, assisted by Representative Small, of Pennsylvania. James Wood, then residing at Taunton, Mass., but who soon after be- came a resident of Rhode Island, and a member of Friendly Union Lodge, gave an address on that occasion, which served to bring him into notice and influence. He was an indefatigable worker in the interests of Odd Fellowship in this state, and during the later period of his life was honored by the title of " Father of Rhode Island Odd 660/ HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Fellowship." Upon the formation of the Grand Lodge of Rhode Is- land, he was chosen to fill the office of grand master, a position which he held for several years. He also represented this jurisdiction in the Grand Lodge of the United States for a number of terms, and ex- ercised large influence both at home and abroad. His many sterling qualities gained him general respect, while his ardent devotion to the principles and organization of Odd Fellowship greatly endeared him to his brethren. He died January 17th, 1867. The sanguine anticipations of the originators of Friendly Union Lodge were not at once realized. Four years after the establishment of the Lodge, Grand Sire Wildey again visited Providence. In his report to the Grand Lodge he represented the situation as follows: " I am sorry to say that I find the lodge in rather an unfavorable state; many of the old members had left the town in consequence of the decline of business; the remaining few seem energetic, and I hope their exertions will resuscitate the Order." In 1835 Past Grand Sire James Gettys visited Providence and reported a still more dis- couraging state of affairs. No meetings had been held for a year, the members had lost their interest and only a few remained faithful. iVmong these was Past Grand James Wood, of Cranston, whom the Past Grand Sire making the report refers to as " one of the most con- fidential and persevering Odd Fellows in the Eastern part of our country." For several years Odd Fellowship languished, until in this state it had scarcely more than a name to live by. When Thomas Wildey again visited Providence, in 1841, he found the Order prostrate by reason of the same causes which had overwhelmed the efforts of its votaries in Massachusetts, viz., the intolerant proscription of the anti-Masonic feeling that had for years been so bitter and strong; but he put on record his judgment that the times were propitious for reviving the institution, as public opinion was fast changing for the better. At the annual session of the Grand Lodge of the United States, held in September, 1841, Grand Sire Wildey presented an application for the restoration of the charter of Friendly L T nion Lodge, and the application was granted. There does not appear, however, to have been much enthusiasm on the part of the Provi- dence brothers, for the contemplated re-opening did not take place until some two years after the return of the charter was voted. The year 1843 may be regarded as the turning point in the history of Odd Fellowship in Providence. Then came a revival in fact as well as in name. The twelve years of slumber were broken, and the members of the order were roused to a new sense of their obligations, while they became pervaded with a fresh devotion toward Odd Fel- lowship. Daniel Hersey, as district deputy for Massachusetts and and Rhode Island, with James Wood, John Hully and others, did excel- lent work in the reestablishment of the order. Friendly L T nion Lodge was finally reconstructed June 19th, 1843. Eagle Lodge, Providence, HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 667 was given a charter dated April 21st, 1843, John Hully being- the first name in the warrant. This Lodge was formally constituted on April 29th, 1843. The year following came the organization of Roger Williams Lodge, No. 3, and Narragansett Encampment, No. 1, both in Providence, and preliminary steps were taken for the formation of the Grand Lodge of Odd Fellows in Rhode Island. The institu- tion of this body took place June 15th, 1844, when the following grand officers were elected and installed, viz.: James Wood, G. M.; Joseph G. Chamley, D. G. M.; John Hully, G. W.; John Harper, G.S.; Matthew Taylor, G.T. William E. Rutterwas chosen the first repre- sentative to the Grand Lodge of the United States. From this time forward for several years the order in Rhode Island enjoyed a remarkable degree of prosperity. New bodies were formed, and large additions were made to the membership. Within two years from the time of the revival noted nine Lodges were in active operation within the limits of the state, while in Providence especially, there were many and clear indications of the favor with which the organization was being received. Moshassuck Encamp- ment, in Providence, was chartered in 1845. The patriarchal branch of the order having become sufficiently numerous, a Grand Encamp- ment was duly instituted in 1849. The period of prosperity we have mentioned was followed by a corresponding period of decline and depression. This existed between the years 1850 and 1860. Many of the Lodges were in straightened financial conditions, and there was a loss rather than an increase to the membership. It was, how- ever, only a transitory cloud, which soon gave way to renewed faith and zeal in the order. The first Lodge of this order definitely known to have existed in Providence, was Friendly Union Lodge, which was instituted at Mechanics' Hall, on Market Square, by Grand Sire Thomas Wildey,. assisted by Representative Small, of Pennsylvania, probably during the summer of 1829. The original members were Henry Hobson, Walter McFarland, John Doran, Francis Chadburn, James Bury, and John Bowcock. The meetings were held at the Manufacturers' Hotel, and at the old Union House, No. 24 Weybosset street, until August, 1834. No regular meetings were held after that date until August 19th, 1843, when the lodge was reorganized at Mechanics' Hall. With the exception of the year 1844, when it occupied a hall in Dyer's Block on Westminster street, the Lodge held its meetings in Mechanics' Hall until 1868, when a suspension of nearly two years followed. It has since occupied Odd Fellows Hall, 97 Weybosset street, and other halls. The membership in 1847 reached 325. Five years later it had fallen to 200. In 1847 there were five Lodges and two Encampments located in the city. Besides Friendly L T nion, there were Eagle Lodge, No. 2, which met at Friendship Hall, No. 3 Exchange street, on Wednes- day evenings, and had 400 members; Roger Williams Lodge, No. 3,. 668 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. which met at Roger Williams Hall, Canal Market, on Friday even- ings, and had 160' members; Hope Lodge, No. 4, meeting at Friend- ship Hall, Monday evenings, with a membership of 275; and Can- onicus Lodge, No. 9, meeting at Friendship Hall on Friday evenings and having 160 members. The two Encampments then working in the city were: Narragansett, No. 1, meeting at Friendly Union Hall, on alternate Friday evenings, and numbering 150 members; and Moshassuck, No. 2, meeting at Friendship Hall, on alternate Thurs- day evenings, and having 175 members. The decline in membership in these Lodges during the five years following the date mentioned is shown by the following figures giving the number of each in 1852: Friendly Union, 200; Eagle, 250; Roger Williams, 104; Hope, 150; Canonicus, 60. After the decadence of 1850-00, the order slowly recovered, and as it became stronger other Lodges were formed. By 1872, several new Lodges and Encampments had been organized. These were Manufacturers' Lodge No. 15, which met on Tuesday evenings, at Odd Fellows Hall, on Olneyville Square; Swarts Lodge, No. IS, which met at Odd Fellows Hall, No. 97 Weybosset street, on Wed- nesday evenings; Pilgrim Lodge, No. 19, meeting at 4(>9 High street; Unity Lodge, No. 20, Tuesday evenings, corner of Ocean street and Potter's avenue; and Woonasquatucket Encampment, No. 10, meet- ing twice monthly at the hall on Olneyville Square; Plymouth En- campment, No. 11, at 409 High street; and Mazeppa Encampment, No. 12, corner Ocean street and Potter's avenue. Not long before the date mentioned there had also been organized two Rebekah De- gree Lodges, Naomi, No. 1, and Charity, No. 3; as also Providence Degree Lodge, No. 1, and the Odd Fellows Beneficial Association. During the four years following a number of new Lodges and other organizations had their origin. Of the Lodges organized during that period Franklin, No. 23, met in Earl's Block, corner of South Main and James streets; Crescent, No. 24, met in Eddy's Hall on High street; North Star, No. 25, met in Hedley's Block on Charles street; Westminster, No. 27, met in Barnaby Block, corner of Union and Westminster streets; Mayflower, No. 31, met in the same build- ing; Reliance, No. 34, met in Ray's Block, Watchemoket; and Olive Branch, No. 37, met in a hall at 207 Westminster street. The addi- tional encampments organized during that period were Annawan, No. 13, which met in Earl's Block, South Main, corner of James street; Uncas, No. 14, located at the corner of Union and Westminster streets; Minnehaha, No. 16, which met in Hedley's Block', on Charles street; and Fraternity. No. 17, which met in Ray's Block at Watch- emoket. Degree Lodges had also been organized as follows: Dor- cas. No. 7, meeting in Unity Hall; Ruth, No. 8, meeting in Hedley's Block; and Rose Standish, No. 9, meeting in Eddy's Hall, on High street. The Odd Fellows Mutual Relief Societv had also been organ- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 669 ized, its place of meeting being 'in Odd Fellows Hall. James Wood Lodge, No. 30, was organized soon after, and meet on Cranston street, as was also Rachel Lodge, No. 15. D. of R., meeting in Odd Fellows Hall. Shaffner Uniformed Degree Camp, No. 1, was organized about 1883, its place of meeting being in Odd Fellows Building. This, in 1886, took the name Canton Shaffner, No. 1, of the department called Patriarchs Militant. About that time three other Cantons were organized, viz.: What Cheer, No. 2, located at 98 Weybosset street; King Philip, No. 3, at Olneyville; and Providence, No. 4, at Odd Fellows Hall, 18 Chalkstone avenue. The Odd Fellows Sick Benefit Association of Rhode Island, was organized September 1st, 1885. Its headquarters have been at 48 Weybosset street, where it meets on the first wSaturday in each month, and annually in September. Mount Pleasant Lodge, No. 45, appeared in 1887, its place of meeting being on the corner of Academy and Pomona avenues. Anchor Lodge, No. 46, began its work in 1888, meeting in Holden's Hall, on Manton avenue. What Cheer Lodge, No. 48, was recently organized, and meets on North Main street. The colored branch of this order, known as the G. U. O. of Odd Fellows, comprises the following organizations in Providence: Hope Lodge, No. 119, meeting at 165 Canal street; Narragansett Lodge, No. 1541, meeting at the same place; Weybosset Lodge, No. 1834, with headquarters at 98 Weybosset street; P. G. Masters' Chapter, No. 21, meeting at 165 Canal street; Household of Ruth, No. 43, at the same place; and Westminster Lodge, meeting at 98 Weybosset street. The Odd Fellows of Providence number something over two thousand members. They have an invested fund of more than $86,000. The Grand Lodge holds its annual meeting the first Tues- day in February, and its semi-annual meeting the first Tuesday in August. The Grand Encampment of Rhode Island meets annually on the first Tuesday in March. Both Grand Lodge and Grand En- campment meet in Odd Fellows Hall, 97 Weybosset street. The Odd Fellows' Beneficial Association of Rhode Island was organized in 1868, for the creation and perpetuation of a fund for the widows and orphans of its members. It is composed exclusively of Odd Fellows, who must have attained the third degree, but who may be residents of this or any other New England state. It numbers over 1,000 mem- bers, and pays a death benefit of $-1,000. Its management is intrusted to a board of directors, elected annually, representing every Lodge in the state.' The meetings of the department known as I. O. of O. F. Manches- ter Unity, of the Providence District, are held semi-annually, in Jan- uary and July. The officers of this Grand Body are: William Walker, P. G. M.; George F. Daniels, P. D. G. M.; William Thorpe, P. C. S.; George Birchell, P. T.; Henry Rubery, G. O. Price, and W. L. 670 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Crocker, trustees. The subordinate branches of this institution are: Loyal Bellevue Lodge, No. 6435, meets in Weeden's Hall, 41 West- minster street; Victoria Lodge, No. 6593, meets in Odd Fellows Hall on Chalkstone avenue; Bud of Hope Lodge, No. 6557, meets at 1071 High street; Samaritan Lodge, meets in Freedom Hall, corner Eddy and Oxford streets; Lilly Lodge, No. 6675, meets in Alfredian Hall, Veazie street, Wanskuck; Loyal Alpha Lodge, meets in Knights of Pythias' Hall, East Providence; and Eureka Lodge, No. 6870, meets in Knights of Pythias' Hall. The colored order of Good Samaritans has in this city the follow- ing Lodges: Prudence, No. 2, which meets twice a month at 21 South Main street; Hope, No. 4, which meets twice a month at Lester Hall; Love and Truth, No. 5, which meets twice a month at 87 Canal street; Good Intent, No. 6, meeting at Lester Hall twice a month; Golden Rule, No. 7, which meets twice a month at 165 Canal street; Celestial Degree, meeting monthly at Lester Hall; Unity Select Council; and Mount Olivet, No. 8, which meets at Lester Hall once a month. These are connected with Roger Williams Grand Lodge of I. O. of G. S. and D. S. The national organization known as the Grand Army of the Re- public was organized at Decatur, Illinois, April 6th, 1866. Posts were established throughout the Western states very soon after that. The Department of Rhode Island was organized May 24th, 1868, with General Ambrose E. Burnside at its head. Five Posts have been organized and now exist in this city. Prescott Post, No. 1, was chartered April 12th, 1867. It meets at 21 Weybosset street, and has about 300 members. Its commanders during part of its term of existence have been: William Stone, 1872; Charles C. Gray, 1876; Hazard A. Reynolds, 1878; Philip S. Chace, 1ST'.), 'SO; William J. Bradford, 1881; Gilbert Wilson, 1882; Eugene A. Cory, 1883; William D. Mason, 1884; George H. Chenery, 1885; James H. Fairbrother, 1886; William B. Avery, 1887; William J. Crossley, 1888; James A. Abbott, 1880. Arnold Post, No. 4, was chartered January 9th, 1877. It has about 100 members. Its commanders have been: W. F. Hutchinson, 1878, '71). '80; E. F. Mann, 1881; Marcus A. Vose, 1882; M. J. Higgins, 1883; Willard H. Greene, M. D., 1884; George W. Blair, 1885; John T. Drinan, 1886, '87; George R. Saunders, 1888; William F. Hutchinson, 1889. It meets at Greenwich Street Hall. Slocum Post, No. 10, meets at 27 Market Square on Wednesday evenings. It was chartered February 27th, 1868, and has about 350 members. Among its prominent members have been: Commanders Henry R. Barker, 1872; S. J. Morton, 1876; Frank G. Allen, 1878, '79; Henry C. Luther, 1880; Charles H. Williams, 1881, '82; Theodore A. Barton, 1883, '84, "85; C. Henry Alexander, 1886; George E. Allen, 1887; William F. Potter, 1888; George F. Batchelder, 1889. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 671 Rodman Post, No. 12, was chartered March 23d, 1808. It holds monthly meetings at 70 Weybosset street. It has about 50 members. Among its prominent commanders have been the following: Charles L. Stafford, 1872; Andrew T. Macmillan, 1876; William H. Turner, 1878; J. Albert Monroe, 1879; W. H. P. Steere, 1880; Franklin A. Chased 1881; William S. Chace, 18S2; Edwin A. Berzeley, 1883, '84; Theodore Andrews, 1885; D. F. Longstreet, 1S86; Martin S. Smith, 1887; Ferdinand Brown, 1888, '89. Ives Post, No. 13, meets at 21 South Main street weekly. It was chartered April 23d, 1868, and now has about 50 members. Com- manders have been in part: R. F. Nicola, 1872; David E. Howard, 1876; the same in 1878; F. V. Helme, 1879; W. H. Beckett, 1880; D. E. Howard, 1881; John A. Cravatt, 1882; James E. Johnson, 1883, '84; John H. Francis, 1885, 'S6, '87; Joseph D. Barnett, 1888, '89. There are in Providence a great number of secret and benevolent societies, having for their object the mutual protection of their mem- bers against want and suffering in sickness, as far as suffering can be prevented by means of money or human attentions. Of these societies we cannot speak in details, but will notice the principal ones in brief. The Knights of Pythias, a secret benevolent order, paying from $3 to $5 a week to its sick and disabled members, have fourteen lodges in the city. The order was organized at Washington, D. C, in 1864, and the Grand Lodge of Rhode Island was constituted February 17th, 1871. Some time before that the first Lodge in the state, L^nicn, No. 2, was organized. The order combines the insurance principle with the sick benefit method. The policies range from $1,000 to $3,000, varying with the rank of the member. The order soon became popu- lar, and new Lodges were frequently organized. By 1872 six Lodges had been chartered. These were Union, No. 2, in Pythian Hall, 129 Westminster street; Damon, No. 3, in Haggai Hall, 41 Weybosset street, now in Fletcher Hall, 173 Westminster; St. John's, No. 6. in Odd Fellows Hall, Olneyville Square, now at 159 Westminster; John Milton, No. 7, at 129 Westminster; Oriental, No. 9, at 409 High street, now in Oriental Hall, 255 High street, and Crusader, No. 12, in Springer Hall, High street. By 1876 two more Lodges had been added. These were St. George, No. 14, at 129 Westminster, now in Elks Hall, Gaiety Opera House, and Herman, No. IS, meeting at 129, now at 41, Westminster street. Union Lodge was disbanded about 1878. The Endowment Rank was added to the order here about 1879, there being two sections, Nos. 14 and 81. John Milton Lodge was dropped about 1881. Providence Lodge, No. 17, was added about 1882, its meeting place being Hedly Hall, Charles street, now Odd Fellows Hall, Chalkstone avenue. There were about 400 members in the city at that time. Rhode Island Uniform Division, No. 1, was • organized about 1883, and Narragansett Division, No. 2, abcut a year 672 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. later. Palestine Lodge, No. 2, was organized about 1885, meeting at 92.") High street, now at 41 Westminster. About the same time Gar- field Lodge, No. 7, was organized at Wanskuck; St. Elmo, No. 10, Eddy street and Potter's avenue, and Howard, No. 12, at East Provi- dence. Perseverance Lodge, No. 13, began work about 1887, meeting in Weaver's Block, on High street. About a year later Elmwood Lodge, No. 16, was organized, meeting at Greenwich street and Pot- ter's avenue. Uniform Division, No. 3, was organized a year or two since. Still later Rhode Island Lodge, No. 22, and Roger Williams, No. 137, were organized, the former meeting in Odd Fellows Hall, Wey- bosset street, and the latter in Slocum Post Hall, 27 Market Square. The Knights of Honor is a .secret organization, which provides weekly benefits to its sick members, and an insurance of $2,000 to the family of a deceased member. Providence Lodge, No. 182, was organized November 5th, 187;"), with 17 charter members. It was so popular that in seven years its membership had reached 200. It meets at Prescott Post Hall, 21 Weybosset street. Excelsior Lodge, No. 633, meets twice a month, at 41 Westminster street. It was or- ganized April 30th, 1877. Golden Rule Lodge, No. 697, was organized July 23d, 1877, and meets twice a month, at Prescott Post Hall. Har- mony Lodge, No. 2987, was organized about 1884. It meets twice a month, at Valentine Hall, 344 High street. East Providence Lodge, No. 3063, was organized about the same time. Narragansett Ledge, No. 3094, located at South Providence, was organized about 1885. It holds semi-monthly meetings, at Unity Hall, on Potter's avenue. The Knights and Ladies of Honor is an organization similar to the Knights of Honor, and was connected with that organization un- til January 1st, 1882. It admits, as its name implies, both ladies and gentlemen to its membership. It carries the principle of life insur- ance, but the amount of insurance cannot exceed $3,000 on any one individual. What Cheer Lodge, No. 54, the first Lodge in the state, was organized in this city January 4th, 1877. It meets at 41 West- minster street. May Queen Lodge, No. 679, and Amity Lodge, No. 869, were organized about 1885. The former meets at Room 23, But- ler Exchange, and the latter at 373 High street. Fraternity Lodge, No. 1205, was started about 1887. It meets at 275 High street. Ger- mania Lodge, No. 1270, was started a year or two since, and meets at 98 Weybosset street. The Knights and Ladies of the Mystic Circle is an organization which was instituted February 8th, 1887. It meets every Tuesday evening, in Butler Exchange. The prominent officers are Edward Brown, of East Providence, G. R., and George L. Olney, of 37 North Main street, secretary. The Ancient Order of Forresters is a secret benevolent society, established in October, 1873. Though of recent introduction here, it has rapidly gained in popularity, and new subordinate branches have HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 673 within a few past years been frequently added. Court What Cheer, No. 0011, the first Lodge in this city, and the tenth .in the United States, was organized in 1879, and in the course of three years had 60 members. It meets twice a month, at 51 Weybosset street. About 1886 a number of Lodges were added. These were Courts Olneyville, No. 6463, at Springer's Hall, High street; Roger Williams, No. 6685, at Conrad Building, Westminster street; Star of Providence, No. 6936, at Odd Fellows Hall, Chalkstone avenue; Bellevue, No. 7Ct,8, at Al- fredian Hall, Veazie street. Wanskuck; Narragansett, No. 7269, at the corner of Eddy and Oxford -streets; Canonicus, No. 7396, at 21 Wey- bosset street, and Hope, No. 7473, in Odd Fellows Hall, Chalkstone avenue. Since 18K7 four other Courts have been organized. These are Washington, No. 7481, in Odd Fellows Hall, East Providence; Burnside, No. 7492, in Odd Fellows Hall, 346 Fligh street; Thomas A. Doyle, No. 7621, and General Sheridan, No. 7649, in Odd Fellows Hall, Academy avenue. Another department of this order is Con- clave No. 30, K. S. F., which meets in Forresters' Hall, 79 Manton avenue, twice a month. The American Legion of Honor, a secret benevolent society, had its origin in Boston, in 1878. A year or two later the first organiza- tion of the order in Providence, Narragansett Council, No. 47, was started. It met twuce a month, at 56 Westminster street. About 1881 Providence Council, No. 566, appeared, meeting at 373 High street, which place was soon changed to 97 Weybosset street, wheie it con- tinues to meet. Meanwhile the first mentioned Council disappeared. Rhode Island Council, No. 1123, was organized about 1885, meeting at the same place. It now meets at 101 Westminster street. The Order of United Friends was organized in 1884, meeting at 56 Westminster street twice a month. This Lodge adopted the title Rhode Island Council, No. 113. It now meets at 159 Westminster street. Burnside Council, No. 273, meeting at 297 Westminster street; Tecumseh Council, No. 306, at 346 High street, and Good Will Coun- cil, No. 313, at Pilgrim Hall, High street, were organized about 1888. The New England Order of Protection, a recently introduced order, is represented here by Valentine Lodge, No. 27, at 297 West- minster street; Franklin Lodge, No. 61 , at 297 Westminster; Narra- gansett Lodge. No. 65, meeting at the same place, and Westminster Lodge, meeting at 275 High street. The Royal Arcanum is a secret, beneficiary order, of recent organ. ization, its origin dating 1877. Of this order there are two Councils in Providence, with a total membership somewhere about 200. These are Delphi Council, No. 7, meeting at 297 Westminster street, and Unity Council, No. 277, meeting at 21 Weybosset street. They were organized about the year 1878. The Royal Society of Good Fellows was organized in Providence, in 1882, principally through the efforts of Mr. James G. Whitehouse, 43 (574 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. who is still at the head of the order, as premier of the Supreme As- sembly. The insurance feature is prominent in the methods of the organization, and mutual aid to its members is also an object. The order was confined to Rhode Island, but has since spread to other states. The officers of the Supreme Assembly in 1883 were: James G. Whitehouse, premier; Francello G. Jillson, vice-premier; Oliver E. Bigelow, instructor; Robert S. Franklin, counsellor; John S. Whitehouse, secretary; D. Russell Brown, treasurer; Charles E. Chickering, prelate; Thomas G. Rees, director; Moses B. Chase, guard; George E. Burdon, sentry; Lester S. Hill, M. 13., medical ex- aminer. Providence Assembly, No. 1, was the first subordinate organization. It met in 1883, as it does now, at Fletcher Hall, West- minster street, corner of Eddy. In 1S84 two other Assemblies had been organized. These were Lincoln, No. 2, in Fletcher Hall, and Columbia, No. 3, in Valentine Hall, 344 High street. What Cheer Assembly, No. 20, was organized about 1887. meeting once a month, at Elks Hall, 192 Westminster street. About 1888 three other As- semblies were organized. These are Narragansett, No. 41, meeting in Odd Fellows Hall. Plainfield street; Roger Williams, No. 137, in Prescott Post Hall; and Mechanics, No. 141, at No. 70 Weybosset street. Providence Lodge, No. 14, of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, meets weekly in Elks Hall, 192 Westminster street. It was organized November 13th, 1881, and duly chartered February 19th, 1883. The Lodge is claimed to be one of the wealthiest in the order, and to have one of the finest lodge rooms in the country. The Ancient Order of United Workmen is represented in this city by two Lodges. Providence Lodge, No. 3, meets at 21 Weybos- set street. It was organized in December, 1882. Narragansett Lodge, No. 4, was organized about 1884. It meets twice a month, at Narragansett Hall, Olneyville. The Order of iYlfredians is a secret order " intended to provide for the welfare of born subjects of the lineal descendants of King Alfred [of England | and those descended from branches of the same stock which have thrown off the political allegiance, but who rejoice to be bearers forward and the amplifiers of that glorious civ- ilization inaugurated by Alfred." The order was established in Rhode Island in 1873. It is represented in this city by Brigade No. 1, meeting at 41 AVestminster .street; Brigade No. 2, at Narragansett Hall, High street, and Brigade No. 3, at Alfredian Hall, Wanskuck. The latter was organized two or three years since. This order has no insurance feature, but pays weekly sick benefits. The Order of the Sons of Saint George is an organization of re- cent introduction here. Three Lodges have within a few years past been organized here. These are Beaconsfield Lodge, No. 186, meet- ing twice a month at Prescott Post Hall; Peabodv Lodge, No. 184, in HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 675 Weaver's Hall, 1071 High street, and Mayflower Lodge, No. 209, at Alfredian Hall, Wanskuck. The United Order of the Pilgrim Fathers is represented here by Narragansett Colony, No. 80. This is of recent origin. The pres- ent officers are: James C. Gregg, governor; Arthur E. Barrows, secre- tary. Providence Caledonian Society was organized November 1st, 1870. It meets twice a month, at 13 Market Square. Providence Caledonian Club was organized in July, 1879, and chartered February 19th, 1883. It holds monthly meetings. These are secret, benevolent organiza- tions, paying weekly benefits to sick members. The Order of Scottish Clans is similar in its scope and purposes to the societies last mentioned, but extending to the insurance prin- ciple in addition. Scotchmen by birth or ancestry are here united, and one of the objects of the society is to cherish fond recollections of old Scotland and its customs. The Grand Clan of Rhode Island was organized January 19th, 1886. Clan Cameron, No. 7, the only subordinate society in Providence, is now under the leadership of Alexander McMurtrie, whose title is chief. The Beneficial Order of Luciliuswas organized in Providence May 5th, 1885, and chartered by the General Assembly April 15th, 1886. The objects of the society are to aid its members in sickness and dis- tress, and to promote the principles of friendship, fidelity and charity. The growth of the society has not been rapid. The United Order of the Golden Cross admits both sexes to mem- bership, and furnishes the benefits of insurance to its members. Members are prohibited from using intoxicating liquors as a beverage. There are three local societies of this order in Providence, called Commanderies. These are Northern Star, No. 44, instituted February 18th, 1879, which meets in Valentine Hall, 346 High street; What Cheer, No. 124, instituted March 9th, 1881, which meets at 41 West- minster street; and Roger Williams, No. 324, organized a year or two since, and meeting in Wayland Building. The Improved Order of Red Men is represented in this city by three councils, subordinate to the Great Council of Rhode Island. This is a new organization. King Philip, No. 1, meets at Elks Hall, Westminster street; Pettaconsett, No. 3, meets at Freedom Hall. Eddy street, South Providence; and Wamsitta, No. 7, meets in a hall at the corner of Cranston and Winter streets. There are two societies of the Order of Harugari in Providence. Germania Lodge, No. 266, D. O. H., was organized April 18th, 1872. This was the first in Rhode Island. It meets twice a month at 98 Weybosset street. Chernsker Lodge, No. 315, D. O. H., was organ- ized July 4th, 1874. It meets semimonthly, at 56 Westminster street. The Providence German Benevolent Life Association, a society whose scope and purposes are indicated by its name, was organized 076 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. June 5th, 1871. It has about 200 members. Meetings for business are held at Turner Hall, twice a year. Other German societies are the Turner Society, which meets at Turner Hall, corner of Niagara and Atlantic streets; Providence Liederkranz, which meets at their hall once a month; Providence Lodge, No. 78, I. O. of Free Sons of Israel, which meets on the second and fourth Sundays of each month, at 98 Weybosset street: Haggai Lodge, No. 132, I. O. of B'Nai B'Rith, having for its object the union of Israelites in humane and brotherly labors, which was organized in 1869; the Ladies' Hebrew Benevolent Association, which meets monthly at 98 Weybosset street; three Lodges of the Independent Order of the Sons of Benjamin, viz., Judah Touro, No. 59, Abraham, and Sons of Benjamin, all of which meet at 98 Weybosset street; and Providence Lodge, I. O. of O. F. S., No. 80, which meets at the same place. There are also a large number of temperance organizations in the city, the object of which is to promote social improvement as well as to strengthen the sentiment in regard to the use of intoxicating drinks. Of these we may mention the Women's Christian Temperance Union, having its headquarters at 23 Butler Exchange, and having at present the following set of officers: Mrs. George F. Martin, president; Mrs. C. W. Field, Mrs. S. Clough, Mrs. M. E. Humphrey, and Miss A. M. Brown, vice-presidents; Mrs. W. E. Gladding, recording secretary; Mrs. W. L. Barnes, corresponding secretary; Miss Allie E. Parker, treasurer. This society opened the '■ People's Coffee House," at 227 Eddy street. February 23d, 1882. The Young Women's Temperance Union is in active operation. The Independent Order of Good Templars is represented in Providence by four Lodges, as follows: Providence, No. 3, at Park Street church, weekly; Star, No. 7, at 159 Westminster street; Crystal Wave, No. 8, at 1055 High street; and Prosperity, No. 12, at 98 Weybosset street. Belonging to the Grand Council of Templars of Rhode Island there are two Councils — Fra- ternity No. 1, at 275 High street; and Union, No. 4. Connected with the Grand Temple of Honor are North Star Temple, No. 5. meeting at 13 Market Square; Unity Temple, No. 9, at 275 High street; Wash- ington Social, No. 2, at the same place, and Golden Crescent Social, No. 6, at 13 Market Square. There are also in the city four Divisions of the Sons of Temperance, viz.: Victory, No. 3, at Olneyville; Provi- dence, No. 2, at 159 Westminster street; South Providence, No. 11, at Eddy street and Potter's avenue; and Excelsior, No. 16, at 275 High street. CHAPTER XXIV. PROVIDENCE CITY— BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. Albert Lee Anthony. — Eli Aylsworth. — Joseph Banigan. — Jerothmul B. Barnaby. — William B. Blanding. — Obadiah Brown. — Henry R. Barker. — John Park Campbell. — Henry C. Clark. — William Corliss. — Perry Davis. — Daniel Eugene Day. — Charles Fletcher. — William A. Harris. — William S. Hay ward.— Thomas J. Hill. — William Henry Hopkins. — Hiram Howard. — Oliver Johnson. — Benjamin Brayton Knight.— Robert Knight. — Herbert W. Ladd. — Henry Lippitt. — Isaac M. Potter. — Fitz James Rice. — Gilbert F. Robbins. — Elisha H. Rockwell. — Samuel Stearns Sprague. — Royal Chapin Taft. — Harvey E. Well man. — Henry B. Winship. Albert Lee Anthony, vice-president and treasurer of the J. B. Barnaby Company of Providence, R. I., is the son of Jonathan C. and Submit A. (Lee) Anthony, and was born at Somerset, Bristol county, Mass., April 26th, 1847. The public schools of his native town and a three months' course at a business college afforded him his only aca- demic opportunities, and at 16 years of age, reliant and reliable, with a firm purpose to deserve success whether he won it or not, and with- out other capital than the forces abiding in his own character, he left the paternal roof to shift for himself. For more than four years, with true Yankee versatility, he turned his hand to whatever offered. Farming in summer, book canvassing and teaching a country school in winter, first engaged his attention. He naturally drifted to Prov- idence, the principal city in the neighborhood, where, in the sum- mer of 1868, he made a short-lived venture in the grocery business, and the next summer essayed the intelligence line, with disastrous results, for in it this precocious business man of 22 exchanged his money for experience, and with less than nine dollars in his pocket, again launched upon the world in search of a fortune. After various experiences he entered the employ of the great manufacturing house of A. & W. Sprague, as a clerk in one of their mill stores, and with them he remained for three years, and until their failure, at which time he had risen to be assistant agent, in charge of all their seven stores. This proved to be the turning point in his fortunes, for here he attracted the attention of the great clothing firm of J. B. Barnaby & Co., with whom he had been brought into business relations, and when he found himself without a situation, early in 1874, he was promptly taken into the employ of this latter firm as a 678 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. bookkeeper. In January, 1884, he was admitted a partner in the con cern, and in June, 1889, when it was incprporated under the name of the J. B. Barnaby Company, Mr. Anthony was elected secretary and treasurer, and a few months later, upon Mr. Barnaby 's death, he also became vice-president. The confidence reposed in Mr. Anthony's integrity and ability was well illustrated by Mr. Barnaby making him, by will, one of the trus- tees of his estate, which approximated a million dollars. The J. B. Barnaby Company is one of the most extensive ready-made clothing concerns in New England, having large establishments at Providence,. Boston, New Haven, Bridgeport, Kansas City and Fall River; and Mr. Anthony has charge of the financial department of all these. He is also one of the directors of the Barnaby Manufacturing Company of Fall River, one of the largest manufactories of ginghams in the United States, auditor of the Roger Williams Loan and Savings Association of Providence, and one of the appraisers of the Providence branch of the National Mutual Building and Loan Association of New York. Mr. Anthony is a thoroughly self-made man; possessing a calm, equable temperament, acquired by self-mastery rather than by natural endowment, a cheerful, genial disposition, industrious, methodical habits, and a patient, persistent perseverance that will overcome every obstacle, as continual dropping of water will wear away a stone; he is an admirable representative of New England character. He possesses the characteristic Yankee taste for societies, and belongs to the Odd Fellows, Knights of Honor, Royal Society of Good Fellows, and the Order of the Iron Hall, in some of which he has attained prominence. He has taken an active interest in the Royal Arcanum for many years; was the first regent of Unity Council, one of the largest Councils in Rhode Island, and has held some office in this Council each year since it was formed in 1879. At the formation of the Grand Council of the state in 1890 he was chosen to be the first grand regent by acclamation, and is filling the office with signal ability. He is promi- nent in the Masonic fraternity, having attained the 32d degree in Rhode Island Consistory and been at the head of his Council, Chapter and Commandery. He is now deputy grand master of the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters of Rhode Island and representa- tive of the Grand Council of Pennsylvania. He is grand scribe of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons in Rhode Island and represen- tative of the Grand Chapter of Illinois. He has been auditor for several years of the Freemasons Hall Company, which owns the Masonic Building in Providence. September 9th, 1874, he married Anna Elizabeth, only daughter of James W. and Sarah J. ( Amsbury) Bullock, by whom he has two children, a son and a daughter, altogether composing an intelligent, happy and loving family. He is now in the prime of manhood, and successful in business. His relations with friends and companions are HISTORY OF PROVIDENXE COUNTY. 679 pleasant, and life opens before him with bright prospects of winning wealth and honors.""" Eli Avlsworth furnishes a notable example of men, who, by dili- gence, economy and integrity, have risen from poverty to honor and wealth. He loves to relate to his children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren the story of his early years. He was born in Foster, R. I., June 6th. 1802, in an un-clapboarded house of two un plastered rooms, with two windows, no cellar, and a chimney of stones and clay. A married uncle and aunt — his father's sister and his mother's brother — lived in the same house. The father possessed a small piece of land, enough to make him and his oldest son voters under the old charter by which the state was then governed. Only by unremitting toil and constant frugality was he able to meet the wants of a family which finally numbered 12 children. The boy Eli did not enjoy the advantage of schools until he was nine years of age. They were then few and from one to four miles away. He went to school one summer, and afterward for three or four months in the winter. Whatever other education he obtained was gained in practical life. When ten years old he earned his first money, except perhaps a few cents occasionally for an odd job. He found employment for the month of July in a hay field, and in pay- ment received four silver dollars. In the autumn following he found a job digging potatoes, his compensation being every tenth bushel. His share, 16 bushels, he sold for two dollars. These six dollars he handed to his mother, requesting her to keep them for him, playfully adding: " I always intend to have money." He has them still, and frequently boasts of his promise to his mother. After the age of eleven years Eli never lived at home. He was hired at farm work in the summer, giving the proceeds tohis father to aid in the maintenance of the family. Three years, barefooted and coarsely clad, he worked eight months at one place, and in the winter went to school, doing chores for his board, and paying his own tuition bills. Rising at mid- night to chop wood as he sometimes did, that he might get to school, was no easy way to get an education. When 17 he was allowed to reserve one-half of his wages, and out of the summer earnings he clothed himself and loaned ten dollars to his grandfather. The note then given was repeatedly renewed, and after the death of the maker, in 1843, he received twelve and a half cents on the dollar. " I felt well paid," he says; " I took care of them." The love and sympathy shown the struggling boy were repaid in the care of the aged pair by the prosperous man. He also took care of his father and mother when sickness and age came upon them, and * Saturday afternoon, December 13th. 1890. about 2.30 p.m., a destructive fire broke out in the store of the J. B. Barnaby Company, which burned the building to the ground. The corporation, nothing daunted, secured temporary quarters, and ere the ruins had fairly cooled off were on deck again with a full assortment of goods and ready t<> attend to the wants of their numerous customers. 680 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. aided in the support of the younger children. At 18 he obtained a clerkship in a store for a year, retaining his entire wages, when an- other was obtained in a store where jobs of weaving by hand were given out to the people of the vicinity. The failure of this trader gave him the opportunity of entering business for himself. He was 20 years old, and just married to Miss Martha Bennett, a lady of ad- mirable character, and a member of the Christian denomination. He had a capital of $140. He purchased a building, and with the help of the neighbors, in country fashion, moved it to the desired lo- cation, where it was literally placed " on a rock." When completed it had cost $108, to be paid "in goods." He then went to Providence and sought the counsel of Mr. Randolph Chandler, an old merchant of the city, whose wise advice he implicitly followed, and returned home with a thousand dollars' worth of goods, mostly bought on credit. He worked hard, sometimes starting at two o'clock in the morning with butter, eggs and other produce for Providence, return- ing at night with a load of new goods. The business was so well man- aged that the first year's profits amounted to $900. For four years his house rent cost him six dollars per annum. Mrs. Aylsworth was a most efficient helper, even bringing her cradle to the store that she might the more readily serve as clerk. For 11 years his stock of goods embraced a supply of liquors, as was at that time the prevalent custom of country merchants. But he noticed the mischievous effects of drinking habits upon the community. His children were growing up around him, and he determined that they should not be drunkards. vSo he sold out the business, and soon afterward opened a strictly " temperance store," which at that time was a novelty in trade. From that time he has been an uncompromising foe of intemperance. Mr. Aylsworth thus became one of the substantial men of the town. He did some farming and also something in buying and selling real estate. His neighbors and townsmen trusted him. He was made a justice of the peace, and deputy sheriff, and held other offices. In L838 he was made judge of the court of common pleas of Providence county, being associated with Hon. Thomas Burgess and Judges Daniels, Potter and Armstrong. Meanwhile, as wealth was increasing and honors were falling upon him, he was called in 1837 to bear the loss of the wife of his youth and the mother of his nine children. Three years later he married Maria Fairman, a lovely and excellent woman, and a member of the Baptist church. In 1841 Judge Aylsworth sold his store and removed to North Foster and settled on a farm. But he soon found it expedient, in order to save a debt of $700, to purchase three lines of stages running be- tween Providence and Danielsonville, Conn., which rendered necessary his removal to the latter place. After six months he removed again to Brooklyn, just across the river. There was then but one church in I )anielsonville, the Congregational. The place was growing and there HISTORY OF PROVIDENXE COUNTY. 681 was ample room for another. It so chanced that a Methodist local preacher, by the name of Wheeler, came into town and opened a series of meetings in the conference room of the church, which resulted in about 200 professed confessions. It soon became manifest that a large number. of converts desired to be organized into a Methodist society, and another place of worship must be found. The judge, though not a Methodist, promptly gave them sympathy and help. He at once hired for their use the ballroom of the hotel, the only available room in the town that was of suitable size, stipulating for the closing of the bar on Sundays and at all times of service. But the room proved not large enough, and for a time the depot freight house was secured. He resolved on the erection of a Methodist church. He found four men of like spirit with himself, who joined him in the work. A lot was bought, the lot on which the present church stands, and a contract was made by which the edifice was to be erected and when completed, to the turning of the key, the price agreed upon was to be paid. This was done. The pews were then sole}, and the proceeds were enough to reim- burse the projectors of the enterprise and leave a surplus, which was turned over to the young society. It is only just to say that for this fine success the Methodists of Danielsonville are chiefly indebted to Judge Aylsworth. He was made one of the first board of trustees, and was kept in that position for some years after he left the state. In July, 1842, he was called to mourn the loss, by consumption, of his devoted wife, and remained 14 months in lonely widowhood. He then married Miss Eliza Angell, of Scituate, R. I., a lady of beautiful char- acter and well fitted for her new position. She has been for many years a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and still lives to bless his home. In 1850 Judge Aylsworth removed to Providence, where he was well known and had many friends. His excellent judgment and judicious management of the interests intrusted to him soon brought him plenty of business. He was for a year director of the Atlantic Bank and was the first president of the Jackson Bank. In the same year, 1854, he became a member of the first board of directors of the Mechanics' Savings Bank and of the loaning committee, and for nearly 2() years was its vice-president. His directorship continued until 1878, when he declined a reelection. During this entire period, in full compliance with the spirit of the law of the state, forbidding officers of savings banks becoming indebted to the bank, he would allow no paper bearing his name, even as an endorser, to be accepted. In three years the bank was flourishing and successful, standing in the first rank of such institutions. In 1856 he was elected president of the Westminster Bank, which position he still holds. He has been engaged in many real estate transactions, owning at different times property in six states — Rhode Island. Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, Iowa 682 HISTORY OF PROVIDENXE COUNTY. and Pennsylvania — it being- distributed in 14 towns and three cities. Judge Aylsworth has for the past 50 years carried insurance on all his property, the policies sometimes amounting to as much as $100,000, yet strange to say he has not sustained a single loss. In political life Judge Aylsworth has had few ambitions, yet in 1854, 1866 and 1867 he was honored with a seat in the general assembly of Rhode Island, and in the last two years was a member of the important committee on finance. He has always been on the side of liberty and right. In the presidential election of 1824, the first after he attained his majority, he cast his vote for John Ouincy Adams. He affiliated with the whig party, as in his judgment the most in accordance with human freedom and the best interests of the country. He was always an anti-slavery man, and when pro-slavery ism entered on its struggle for the control of the nation, his whole soul revolted and he heartily joined the republican party at its organization in 1856. He has been all his life an habitual abstainer from intoxicants. He is an intense hater of tobacco in all its forms. He has been a member of the Mathewson Street Methodist Episcopal congregation since his removal to Providence, and is a contributor to every good movement. The Judge, although in his 89th year, is a remarkably well pre- served man. His faculties are as keen as they were 50 years ago, and he still personally superintends all his many business affairs. His descendants are quite numerous, there having been in all 68. He had born to him 13 children, six of whom are now living. The living- grandchildren number 24, and the great-grandchildren 20. Joseph Banigan. — The subject of this sketch was born in the County Monaghan, Ireland, June 7th, 1831), his parents being Bernard and Alice Banigan. It may be mentioned as a coincidence that his mother bore the same name before her marriage. When but six years of age his family found it necessary to leave Ireland, and taking him with them, settled in the city of Dundee, Scotland. Here they remained for two years, and soon after embarked for America, mak- ing the city of Providence their home, where they have since resided. The lad spent one year at the public schools, and when but nine years of age sought and obtained employment in the factory of the Xew England Screw Company. Later he served three years as an appren- tice to the jeweler's trade, and until the age of 21 worked as a journey- man. On attaining his majority Mr. Banigan engaged with John Haskins in the manufacture of rubber bottle stoppers, and soon after removed to Boston as superintendent of the works located at that point. The business was afterward organized as the Goodyear India Rubber Bottle Stopper Company, with Joseph Banigan as manager, in which capacity he continued until 1866, in the meantime erecting a new factory for the company at Jamaica Plains. Even at this early age he gave ample evidence of the executive ability subsequently de- veloped to such a degree as to place him at the head of the rubber HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 683 manufacturing business of the world. He is acknowledged not only by the manufacturers of rubber goods, but also by the dealers in crude rubber to be a master in every branch of the business. In 1866 he organized the Woonsocket Rubber Company as a co- partnership, consisting of Lyman A. Cook, Simeon S. Cook and Joseph Banigan. A small, two story stone mill was leased for the manufac- ture of mechanical articles, with Mr. Banigan as buyer, superinten- dent and salesman. The following year the company was reorgan- ized as a stock company, and under his management the business progressed even beyond the anticipation of those who already recog- nized his executive ability. Year after year additions were made to' the original building, until it was finally deemed advisable to erect a mill embodying in its structure all that was possible in the way of economical and labor-saving appliances. It is conceded that the mill at Millville, Mass., is the model rubber factory of the country, but even this has proved inadequate to the requirements of the business, and another factory is in process of erection at Woonsocket, which when completed will be the largest rubber shoe factory in the world. It may be of interest to mention that of all those engaged in the manufacture of rubber goods, Mr. Banigan is the only one who has thus far realized the importance of dealing directly with the rubber gatherers in Brazil for the supply of crude rubber, which he did by going to Brazil and establishing a house in Para. He is at present the largest individual importer of rubber in the United States. His mastery of detail and far reaching comprehension may be understood when it is mentioned that he is obliged to carefully follow the fluctuations in exchange in Brazil and the causes which affect it, in order to buy a block of rubber to advantage or to refrain from buying, as the case may be. He also finds it necessary to follow the exports from and imports to this country to accurately determine the balance of trade and thus regulate his purchases of exchange on London, to meet the drafts of his agents in Para. Mr. Banigan has also various other business interests. He is the- president of the Bailey Wringing Machine Company, of the American Hand Sewed Shoe Company, of Toledo, Ohio, of the Providence Evening Telegram Publishing Company, and director in the Seamless Rubber Company of New Haven, the Providence Cable Tramway Company, the Glenark Knitting Company and the Providence Board of Trade. Apart from those he is actively engaged in the woolen business, being- seven-eighths owner of the Lawrence Felting Company, Millville, Mass. While achieving success in his business enterprises he has not been unmindful of the claims of charity, as a liberal contributor to benevolent institutions of every denomination. In May, 1884, he com- pleted the erection of a Home for Aged Poor, at Pawtucket, which was on its dedication placed in charge of the Little Sisters of the Poor. In 684 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. his generosity Mr. Banigan knows no race or sect. His mind and heart are broad enough to take in all of God's unfortunates. As a re- cognition of his philanthropic impulses he was especially honored by Pope Leo XIII., who created him a Knight of the Order of St. Gregory the Great, the members of which form the immediate body-guard of his Holiness. That this honor was worthily conferred those who have enjoyed his munificence will gratefully attest. In 1860 Mr. Banigan was married to Margaret, daughter of John F. Holt of Woonsocket, by whom he had four children: Mary A., wife of W. B. McElroy; John J., William B., and Alice, wife of Doctor James E. Sullivan. He was a second time married November 4th, 1878, to Maria T. Conway of New York city. Jerothmul Bowers Barnap.y, the founder of The J. B. Barnaby Company, was one of 14 children of Stephen B. and Lucy H. (Hatha- way) Barnaby, and was born at the Barnaby homestead October 27th, 1830. The family is descended from James Barnaby, who was at Ply- mouth as early as 1660. In 1725 Ambrose Barnaby moved to Freetown, Mass., near Fall River, where he purchased a portion of the estate now known as the Barnaby homestead, which at present is owned by the heirs of Stephen Barnaby, the father of the subject of this sketch. Mr. Barnaby was educated in the country schools at first, supple- menting this work with a course of instruction at Pete's Academy, an institution then in existence near Fall River. He was 16 years old when he left school and became a clerk in the employ of his brother- in-law, William H. Ashley, at Steep Brook, near Fall River. When 20 years old he entered the clothing store of Andrew N. Dix, at Fall River, where he remained about two years. October 27th, 1852, he came to Providence and opened a store at 15 South Main street, where he continued in business very successfully for 17 years. Then he re- moved to larger and more commodious quarters, which had been spe- cially fitted up for his business, in the new Woods Building, corner of College and South Main streets, in 1869. During this year also the firm of J. B. Barnaby & Company was formed, Mr. Henry B. Winship becoming a member of the copartnership. Success followed the new firm, as it had followed its senior member, and they were compelled to remove again in 1876 to still larger and more eligible quarters, which they secured in the new Dorrance Building, located on Dor- rance, Westminster and Middle streets. From that time to the present the firm has not only popularized itself by certain unique and attrac- tive devices for drawing public attention, but in the legitimate expan- sion of its business it has stretched forth to several other cities, where large stores under the firm's management are also operated. In 18S4 the firm was enlarged by the addition of three members — Messrs. Walter A. Scott, George H. Grant and Albert L. Anthony, who had been clerks under the old management. On January 1st, 1881), Mr. Barnabv retired from the business, with which his name had been ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ■ HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 685 honorably connected for over a generation, leaving the large clothing concern that he had established in the hands of his late partners. Mr. Barnaby also engaged in enterprises outside of Rhode Island, among them the Barnaby Manufacturing Company of Fall River, which is engaged in the manufacture of ginghams, and in which he was a di- rector and one of the largest owners. He erected the first iron front building in the state. It was located at the corner of Westminster and Union streets, and was built in 1870. In 1872 he built the Bowers Block, and subsequently the Conrad Building, one of the finest edifices devoted to business in the city. In politics Mr. Barnaby was a democrat. In former years he paid more attention to politics than during the latter period of his life, ow- ing to the multitude of business affairs. In the first place he was a member of the city council from the old Seventh ward from 1870 to 1870, and for several of the latter years of this period he was succes- sively selected for chairman of the joint committee on finance of the city government. In 1875 he was elected to the general assembly from this city, and served for one year. The year 1877 saw him nominated as the democratic candidate for governor. His opponent was ex-Gov- ernor Van Zandt, republican and prohibitionist. A highly exciting campaign resulted in Mr. Barnaby's defeat by 454 votes out of a total of 24,456. The next year he was made the democratic candidate for congress in the Second district, though his residence was in the First district. Honorable Latimer W. Ballou, the republican candidate, out of a total vote of 10,427, defeated Mr. Barnaby by 717 votes. On the death of his brother, Mr. Abner J. Barnaby, in 1882, who was a mem- ber of the democratic national committee from Rhode Island, Mr. Bar- naby was elected to that position, and he was twice reelected, the sec- ond time in the spring of 1888. Mr. Barnaby was married September 15th, 1857, to Josephine A. Reynolds, daughter of Joseph and Rebecca (Anthony) Reynolds, of this city. They had three children; Mabel, wife of John Howard Conrad, of Chicago, 111.; Hattie A., who died in 1879; and Josephine Maud. After an illness of several years, Mr. Barnaby died on the morning of September 19th, 1889. The flag on the Board of Trade Building was placed at half-mast on the day of his death in tribute to his memory. Mr. Barnaby became a member of the Board of Trade February 26th, 1887. He was a regular attendant and a large contrib- utor to Grace church. He was buried September 25th, 1889. William B. Blanding. — In reviewing the names of those who have been, and are prominent, enterprising, respected citizens of Provi- dence, that of Blanding is one not to be last mentioned. The subject of this sketch, William B. Blanding, has in everyway upheld the hon- ored name of his ancestors, who settled in this country at an early date. The first trace we find of them is at Plymouth, but subsequently they removed to Rehoboth, Mass., having been among its earliest set- 686 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. tiers. Colonel Christopher Blanding was an officer of the revolutionary- army, and his son William, until his death at Providence in 1845, en- joyed the companionship of Mary R. (Bullock) Blanding. To them, August 2d, 1826, was born William Bullock Blanding. The public and private schools afforded Mr. Blanding a good edu- cation. When 18 years of age he entered, as a subordinate, the drug store of Edward T. Clark, at 59 North Main street, Providence, and soon attained a proprietary interest, succeeding to the business in 1849. To-day r this is the oldest drug store in Providence. His increasing- trade necessitated the establishment of a branch house, and in 1873 he bought the stock of Dyer Brothers, on Weybosset street, where he has since carried on an extensive business, and he also manufactures med- ical preparations. In 1882 he became proprietor of the drug store at 375 High street, and July 1st, 1890. associated with his only son, Wil- liam (). Blanding, the firm style becoming Blanding & Blanding. Mr. Blanding's business career has been attended with success, and he is recognized as one of the oldest and most prosperous merchants of the state. Since the organization of the State Board of Pharmacy in 1870, he has been one of its members, and for the past six years has held the office of president. Of other associations in which he has held important offices, we may mention the Rhode Island Pharmaceu- tical, having been its president; vice-president of the American Phar- maceutical Association, and first vice-president of the National Whole- sale Drug Association. In 1853 Mr. Blanding became a member of the United Train of Artillery, for ten years held a lieutenant's com- mission, and is now a member of the Veteran Association connected with that organization. He has long been identified with the Masonic order, having joined Mt. Vernon Lodge, No. 4, of Providence, in 1854. He was one of the organizers of What Cheer Lodge, No. 21, in 1857, being its first mas- ter, and serving two years in that office. He also held various po- sitions in the Providence Royal Arch Chapter. In 1855, the order of Knighthood was conferred upon him by St. John's Commandery, and he was generalissimo of the same from 1858 to 1861. In I860 he was one of the founders of Calvary Commandery, and was its commander in L865-6. He has been senior grand warden and deputy grand mas- ter in the Grand Lodge of Masons, and generalissimo of the Grand Commandery of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. He has taken all the degrees in the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, including the 33d, which was conferred May 6th, L863. In politics Mr. Blanding is a democrat, and has always taken an active and prominent part in matters relating to the interests of the party, but never accepted any public offices until he was elected a member of the city council for the years 1885, '86 and '87. He was a representative in the general assembly in 1S87-8, which position he filled with dignity and efficiency. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 687 November 13th, 1851, Mr. Blanding united in marriage with Mary A., daughter of Oliver and Electa A. (Bosworth) Remington, of Provi- dence. One son, William O., has been the fruit of their union. In brief, Mr. Blanding may be described as a man of modest and genial manners, kind disposition, thorough in all undertakings, and loved most by those who know him best. Obadiah Brown, a well known farmer throughout New England, and a member of the state board of agriculture, was born in the town of North Providence, November 30th, 1823. He is a descendant of Chad Brown, who came from Salem to Providence in 1637 (the year after Roger Williams) with his wife Elizabeth and his son John. Chad Brown was contemporary with Roger Williams and whether he was the first pastor of the church, as Moses Brown says, or the first after Roger Williams, has been a disputed point. He was a man of excellent character, and held various appointments in the community. On May 14th, 1770, John Brown, great-great-grandson of Chad Brown, laid the corner stone of University Hall, the name of which was changed to Brown University in 1804. Governor Elisha Brown, son of James, was a great-grandson of Chad Brown. James Brown, grand- son of Chad Brown, was one of the founders of the commercial house of the Browns, and his son Joseph Brown, the great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch (born May 5th, 1701), lived in North Provi- dence on lands now owned by Obadiah Brown. The lineal descent is as follows: Chad 1 , John 2 , James 3 , Joseph 4 , Andrew 5 , Richard , Obadiah 7 . Andrew Brown had three wives, but there was issue only by the first, Dorcas Knight, whom he married June 27th, 1773. His son, Richard, was born June 17th, 1789. Richard married Penelope, daughter of Joseph and Hannah Farnum, February 23d, 1812. Their children were: Sarah Ann, Martha Ann, Dorcas K., Mary Jane, Obadiah and Joseph Farnum. Richard Brown was a well-to-do farmer, and a man of force and character. He held various offices of honor and trust, among which was that of representative of his town to the general assembly of Rhode Island. He died in 1840, at the age of 51, leaving Obadiah, then a youth of 17 years, in charge of the farm. Penelope was born April 12th, 1793, and died July 24th, 1869. Her father was a Quaker. He owned the grist mill and forge at Georgiaville, also extensive tracts of land in that vicinity. Obadiah Brown was raised a farmer. His educational advantages were limited to the common district school, and even those were terminated, in early life, by the death of his father. From necessity he has been in management of the interests of the homestead from his youth, and to his share of this property he has added other posses- sions, comprising the beautiful site upon which he built his handsome residence in 1849. This house stands on Chalkstone avenue, on an elevated piece of land, commanding in extent one of the most delight- ful views in the county. 688 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Mr. Brown is distinctively a farmer in the best and broadest sense of that term, and as a leader in agricultural pursuits, his career empha- sizes the greater possibilities of those more intelligent husbandmen, who supply the world with the substantial products of life. As a farmer, he has secured prominence throughout New England because of his eminent services rendered to stock raisers, and to the producing class, and also because of the high positions held in both state and county agricultural societies. Almost from his youth he has been identified prominently with the Rhode Island Society for the Encour- agement of Domestic Industry, as also was his brother, Joseph Brown, who succeeded him in the vice-presidency and in the presidency of the society, both of which offices were held by each of the brothers for several years. In 1863 Joseph Brown entered into co-partnership with Mr. Andrew Winsor, under the style of Winsor & Brown, well known and extensive lumber dealers of Providence. In 1884 Mr. Obadiah Brown became a member of the state board of agriculture, and still holds that position, his efficiency being recog- nized by every one. He has devoted much time to raising and im- proving fine stock. His barn, a model of convenience, built in 1851 and adapted for housing cattle, is at the present time full of some of the finest Ayrshires, of his own breeding, found in New England, and the many gold medals and first premiums received in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and other states bear testimony to his good judgment in this matter. At the Dairy Show, Madison Square Garden, New York, in 1888, first prizes were awarded him on some stock now in his barn. Politically Mr. Brown is a republican, and socially he is a very pop- ular man, and has held his share of the public offices. In 1855, 1856, and again in 1857, he was representative from the town of North Providence to the General assemblv of Rhode Island, under the guber- natorial administrations of Governors W. W. Hoppin and Elisha Dyer. In 1873, before the town was divided, he was elected state sen- ator from North Providence, and reelected in 1874, being the last sen- ator of the old town before his part of the town was annexed to the city. In 1884 the city elected him representative to the general as- sembly again, and he served on some of the more important commit- tees of the house. During this official career, the public spirit of the man was manifest when the city of Providence made him commis- sioner of public highways. Subsequently he was appointed a member of the public board, and in these capacities his broad views have crys- talized and become a part of our magnificent institutions, and are monuments in themselves of his fitness for holding offices of trust and responsibility. September 18th, 1849, he married Amey R. Angell, daughter of Na- thaniel and Asha (Smith) Angell, who is a descendant of Thomas An- gell, the ancestor of one of the most influential families in the state. O^t/otf^ stms-**-. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 689 She was born August 8th, 1827. They have had six children, of whom the following are living: Anna M., Mabel, Adelaide V. and Florence. Henry R. Barker, mayor of Providence city, is in every respect a representative man. He comes of an old and honorable family who were connected with the settlement of the Rhode Island colony and have always held positions of trust and importance in their respective communities. The first American ancestor was James Barker. He and his father sailed from England (1634) in company with Nicholas Easton. His father died during the voyage, and James, a boy 11 years of age, was cared for by Nicholas Easton, and subsequently removed to Newport, R. I. James' mother was Barbara Dungan, granddaughter of Lewis Latham, falconer to King Charles I. He died in 1702, after having served in public office many years. The genea- logical table prepared by John Austin enumerates the offices held as: corporal, ensign, member of the general court of elections, commis- sioner, assistant (member of upper house) for nine years, deputy (member of lower house) for twelve years, and deputy governor. We have not space to trace the line to Mayor Barker's parents. His father, William C. Barker, was a native of Newport, and came to Providence when 12 years of age. He was a member of the common council from the organization of the city government in 1832, to 1836, when he was elected one of the board of aldermen and remained in that body two years. At the time of his death (1850) he held a government office under the administration of President Buchanan. His mother's name was Sarah A. (Jencks) Barker, of Smithfield, R. I. Mayor Barker was educated in the public schools of his native city, passing through every grade from primary, and graduated from the high school in 1859 with creditable rank in his class. The following- year he was engaged as clerk for the Providence Mutual Fire Insur- ance Company (organized in 1800), and soon won the favor and esteem of his employers. When President Lincoln summoned the North to rally in defense of the capital, Mr. Barker, though still under age, enlisted as sergeant of Company I, of the Tenth Rhode Island Regi- ment. Having been honorably discharged at the expiration of the regiment's term of service, he returned to Providence intending to reenlist. Ashe entered the office of the Providence Mutual Insurance Company Mr. Joseph T. Snow, the secretary, greeted him as follows: "You must not go back to the army, Mr. Barker. One of us must remain to take care of the business, and as I have enlisted you are the man." He was accordingly installed as assistant secretary, and for upward of a year had full charge of the affairs of the company, then carrying insurance to the amount of about $12,000,000 in Providence and throughout Rhode Island. Mr. Barker was afterward elected secretary and subsequently president of the corporation, which office he still holds. The amount of business done by the company has 44 690 HISTORY OF PROVIDE^XE COUNTY. doubled in the past 20 years, and much of the prosperity is due to Mr. Barker's careful management. It is now in a very flourishing condition. With the Grand Army of the Republic Mr. Barker has always been an interested and active member. He is a charter member of Slocum Post, No. 10, and is still in active membership. In this Post he held the office of first adjutant, and served five successive terms as commander, and upon retiring from the command was elected quar- termaster, which position he still holds. He was elected commander of the Department of Rhode Island in 1879, and has represented the Grand Army of the state in several national encampments. He took a prominent part in the national encampment held in Boston in 1871, when General Burnside was elected commander-in-chief. When upon the death of General Burnside it was determined to erect a monu- ment to his memory, Mr. Barker was appointed on the committee and rendered valuable and efficient service in securing the necessary funds for its erection. At the dedication of the statue he was the chairman of the committee of arrangements and presided at the dedicatory exercises. Mayor Barker's municipal service began in 1873, by representing the Ninth ward in the common council. He remained in the council seven years, the last one of which he was unanimously elected presi- dent of that body. He served on several important committees, and was chairman of the committee on education from 1875 to 1878, inclu- sive. In the latter year he was appointed chairman of the committee on the dedication of the city hall, and also rendered valuable service as chairman of the committee on the erection of a new high school. In this position he devoted a great deal of time, closely following the work of the erection of the building from the day of its inception to its completion. In 1870 Air. Barker was promoted to the board of 'aldermen. He brought into that body the influence which his long and efficient service in the common council merited. He was appointed to the joint committees on police and railroads, and was chairman of the aldermanic committee on police. The election of Mr. Barker as chair- man of the committee on police was a tribute to his discretion and energy at a period which called alike for rare tact, prudence and firm- ness in the direction of affairs pertaining to that department, as may be seen by reference to the history of the Providence police. Mr. Barker amply justified the confidence exhibited in his judgment and abilities, and the following year continued on the same committees. He was unanimously elected president of the board of aldermen in 1882, and was a member of the joint committee on the city debt and the city engineer's department, and also the aldermanic committee on streets. At the close of 1882 Mr. Barker retired from public life in order that he migfht e'ive more attention to the erowine business with which ^l^lHi ffo* C4U;' ' HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 691 he had been connected since youth. The public eyes were more than once turned toward him as a fitting candidate for mayor but Mr. Barker was not a man to strive for elevation. He did not affect to despise public office or to hold in light esteem those trusts which are in Rhode Island certainly the evidence of honorable repute and of standing in the community. But he felt that the people had his record to judge from, and that upon their judgment it was his duty to wait. His nomination and election by a decided majority proved that faith- ful service had not been forgotten, and that his fellow citizens believed him to be the right man to whom to trust the leadership of the munic- ipality. Their trust was not misplaced, as in January,- 1891, Mayor Barker finished a term of office which has been as highly satisfactory and efficiently filled as any in the annals of mayorality. Space forbids a complete account of the measures proposed and carried through by him, but a few of the more important may be noted. In his first inaugural address he called attention to the press- ing need of some method of public industrial instruction by which young men, in connection with other studies, should learn the general principles of the mechanical arts and trades. This recommendation he kept before the attention of the council so vigorously, and he was so aided by the consensus of opinion among the broadest minded educators of the city, that an appropriation of $70,000 was made to carry out his suggestion. In connection with this educational work Mr. Barker called attention to the need of an appropriation for the public library of the city. Hitherto this most useful of public institu- tions had been carried on by private contributions. Now $7,500 is annually devoted to its maintenance. He proposed the reduction of the number of the members of the school committee, and that body is now composed of 33 instead of 63 members as formerly, and busi- ness is greatly facilitated by this concentration. His most important service to the city's interest, aside from his strenuous efforts as well as success in securing rights of way for the development of a plan for a. comprehensive sewerage system whereby many thousands of dollars were saved to the city, lay in the direction of more improved terminal facilities for railroads. From the day of his inauguration he was in complete accord with the railroad managers, and by his conciliating measures, with a due regard for the rights of the people, the interests of the city were strictly guarded and those of the railroads promoted as well. Plans were soon adopted and work is well under way which will give Providence railroad facilities unsurpassed by any city in the country. The aggressive and business like methods used by Mr. Barker have- made him and his work appreciated, his characteristics being uniform courtesy, unfailing generosity, intense local pride, unswerving justice. He is president of the Boston Investment Company, a corporation with assets of more than two and a half millions of dollars; is also 602 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. president of the Rhode Island Investment Company; has been for nearly ten years vice-president of the Roger Williams Savings Fund and Loan Association of Providence, and is a director in the Industrial Trust Company of Providence. He is a prominent member of the Masonic brotherhood. In 1862 he became a Mason, and was an officer in St. John's Lodge during the same year. He is a charter member and past master of Corinthian Lodge, and is a member of the Providence Royal Arch Chapter, and of Calvary Commandery, Knights Templar. In the latter body he has recently declined a reelection as commander. Mayor Barker's marriage relations have been most pleasant. He married in October, 1864, Annie C, daughter of Stephen A. Tripp, of New Bedford, Mass. Their union has resulted in two children: Henry A., who is at present with his father in business, and Jessie L., who is attending school. John Park Campbell, one of the four Campbell brothers engaged in business in Rhode Island, sons of Winthrop and Susan Dorrance (Gordon) Campbell, was born December 28th, 1822, in Voluntown, Conn. The history of this branch of the Campbell family runs back to Scot- land, and counts many highly worthy names in the various profes- sions and all the walks of life. Robert Campbell, born in Scotland in 1673, with his wife Janet and children: Charles. John, Sarah, Mary, James and Robert, emigrated to New England, and settled first, in 1719, at New London, Conn., and shortly afterward at Voluntown, being among the first settlers in this last region, then a wilderness, where he and his family were the chief actors in founding the Presbyterian church, organized in October, 1723. This worthy planter, the father of a very worthy family, died February 14th, 1725, in his fifty-second year. Robert's son, John, known in history as Doctor John, on account of his professional skill, born in 1698, married Agnes Allen and had children; Jean, Sarah, James, Agnes, John, Moses, Martha and Moses. This second John, well known as Deacon John, born September 23d, 1728, married Mary Ferguson, June 2d, 1748, and died December 4th, 1808, having children: George, Ann, Janet, Alexander, John and Rebecca. This third John, who became a captain, born in 1758, married Jean Campbell and had children: Daniel (a doctor), Rebecca, Winthrop, Olive, Lydia and James. He was a solid farmer and of a stalwart type of character. He was a soldier in the revolution and shared the bitter winter at Valley Forge. He died in 1840. Winthrop, a son of this last John, born December 16th, 1786, mar- ried Susan Dorrance Gordon, March 6th, 1814, and had children: Hora- tio Nelson, Daniel Gordon, Mary Gordon, Rosanna Stewart, John Park and Jane Ann (twins), James Monroe, Rowena and Emma Dor- rance. He was a devoted, enterprising, successful farmer. He and C X0 ■ (/■ < HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 693 his family were in high repute for intelligence and virtue, and all his children rose to usefulness and honor. He died February 25th, 1867. John Park, after a course of education in his excellent home and in the public schools, chose to enter upon a business career, and first and last, was associated with his enterprising brothers, Horatio N., Daniel G. and James M. His training in industry, economy and in- tegrity in his pure New England home, that had withal a genuine Scotch air, prepared him for fidelity and success in whatever he might undertake. He first removed in June, 1840, to Westerly, R. I., and engaged as a clerk in the mercantile house conducted by Mr. Rowse Babcock, Jr., who was also a large and distinguished manufacturer, in which store his brother, Horatio N., had been for four years. In October of the same year Mr. Babcock removed his business to the corner of Broad and Main streets, into a new and larger building, and received as a business partner, Horatio N., forming the firm of H. N. Campbell & Co. John P. entered as clerk in the new house, and so continued till 1850, when he became a member of the firm. The house dealt in merchandise, manufacturers' supplies and wool. He rose to promi- nence in business by his activity, tact and good judgment. In the spring of 1855 he retired from the firm of H. N. Campbell & Co., and forming a co-partnership with his brother James M., re- moved to Providence, where, under the firm name of J. P. & J. M. Campbell, was established a wholesale house, dealing in wool and cot- ton. The ability of the partners built up a sound and prosperous bus- iness. This firm continued till 1865, when James M. withdrew to en- ter upon other engagements, and a new firm was formed including Daniel G., bearing the name of J. P. Campbell & Co. At this point the tide of business was somewhat changed, adding to the trade in wool that of manufacturing woolen goods. First the firm took the well-known Belleville Mill in North Kingstown on lease. This mill was improved and run to good advantage. Later, in 1876, the firm bought the mill property at Potter Hill, in the northern part of Westerly, ever after known as the Campbell Mills, one of the best woolen factories in Rhode Island. Here the firm nearly doubled the size and capacity of the mill, and did a profit- able business. In 1887 John P. bought out the interest of his brother Daniel G. in the Belleville Mill, and enlarged the mill, adding new machinery, making a first-class fancy cassimere mill. Of this mill James R. Wilson, a capable young man, being brought up in the mill, is now the agent, and owns in it a small interest, Mr. Campbell own- ing the balance, and being treasurer. The Campbell Mills at Potter Hill are now incorporated, John P. being president, and Daniel G. be- ing treasurer; Daniel A. Taylor being the agent or manager at the f>94 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. mills. John P. and Daniel G. also bought in 1884 the Riverside Mill in East Providence, a new plant which they have equipped with 10,000 spindles for working cotton. In 1888 John P., in connection with B. B. & R. Knight, bought the Cranston Print Works property, in Cranston, once owned by the Spragues, and organized the business under the name of the Crans- ton Print Works Company, the business being that of bleaching, printing and finishing cotton goods. Mr. Campbell was chosen presi- dent. Thus his hands as a manufacturer are very full, but all his inter- ests, on account of his ability, reliability and fidelity, are prospered. Through all monetary crises he has steered his affairs wiselv and safely, his word being equal to gold. Interested in all religious af- fairs, he still keeps up his regard for the church of his ancestors in Connecticut by annually contributing to its support, as do also his three brothers. Mr. Campbell is a member of the Providence Board of Trade, hav- ing been one of the first to organize and establish that body. For about twenty years he has been a director in the Second National Bank, Providence. He became a director in the Industrial Trust Com- pany of Providence soon after its formation, and is a director in two insurance companies. He was married February 25th, 1873, to Jessie H. Babcock, of Liverpool, England. She was born in Glasgow, Scotland, while her father, Benjamin F. Babcock, of Stonington, Conn., was engaged there in a branch of a banking house with his brother Samuel D., then in New York. Politically, John P. began life with the old whig party, but on the formation of the republican party hastened to its banner, under which he has bravely stood in peace and in war, never, however, seeking or accepting office. With voice and hand and purse he has upheld all public interests and kept in view the common welfare. Associated with the leading men in the state, he has justly been accounted a man of deep principle, sagacity and strength. Reared in the pure air of a Presbyterian home, he soon became a decided Episcopalian, uniting with Christ church in Westerly, and afterward with Grace church in Providence. In this last he is esteemed both as a supporter and an or- nament. Here, too. his wife is very active. In short, his career has been one of large honor to himself and his family, and of special credit to the state of Rhode Island. He is still in the full tide of business. Henry C. Clark was born November 28th, 1822, in Providence, where he has since resided, with the exception of a few years spent in California and abroad. During his travels he sailed around Cape Horn to the gold regions in 1849, where he adapted himself to the situation, following the occupations of a laundryman, boatman, boat- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 695 builder, miner and merchant. After receiving his education in the public schools of his native city, in 1841 he was employed in the coal business of Jackson & Clark. His merit was soon made manifest, and later he became a partner, the firm becoming Jackson, Clark & Co. Continuing in this line the name of the firm has been S. Clark & Co., Clark & Coggshall, Henry C. Clark, Clark & Webb, Tucker, Swan & Co., and at present the Providence Coal Company, which is the largest in the city if not in the United States. From the small sale of 1,000 tons annually, under Jackson & Clark, the business has grown to its present vast proportions, the Providence Coal Company selling more than 275,000 tons in a single year. Mr. Clark has invented many devices for handling and storing coal, which are universally adopted. He was first to plan and erect large pockets for the rapid discharging, storing, and cheapening the handling of coal, their present capacity being 40,000 tons. He invented and put into use a tub, which under the direction of one man, fills it- self in the vessel with coal, and distributes its contents over an in- clined railway into the pockets. It is then drawn from the bottom through a trap into carts, ready for delivery, completely doing away with cars, barrows, and the labor and other unnecessary expenditures attending the old way. He invented and patented a device for the easy dumping of loaded carts by means of a screw, also a latch to keep the tail-boards of carts in place. His many inventions being very valuable, several enterprising individuals have patented portions of his work as their own designs. The yards and apparatus of the Prov- idence Coal Company are of the most approved style. The pockets and mill are fitted with water pipes and sprinklers for protection against a repetition of the disastrous fires which twice destroyed the pockets. Mr. Clark has also been largely interested in the salt, grain and hay business, being the owner and operator of a large mill estab- lishment in that line. With strong anti-slavery and temperance proclivities, he took an early and active part in legislation, having been a member of the city common council, board of aldermen, state legislature, and was the pro- hibition party's candidate for mayor. He is firm in his convictions of right and wrong, outspoken in their defense, and persevering in maintaining them, having repeatedly, before the inter-state commerce commission and courts, defeated large corporations in their claims. William Corliss, the inventor and manufacturer of the famous burglar-proof known as the Corliss Safe, was born in the town of Greenwich, Washington county, N. Y., November 5th, 1835. His fa- ther, Doctor Hiram Corliss, was an eminent physician and surgeon, who remained active in his profession to the age of four score years. The oldest of his four sons was George H. Corliss, the renowned in- ventor and manufacturer of the Corliss Engine, the subject of this sketch, William Corliss, being the youngest. Mr. Corliss received his 6DC) HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. education at the Greenwich Academy and at Fort Edward Institute, Fort Edward, N. Y. Upon invitation of his brother, George H. Cor- liss, he came to Providence in 1856 and began his business education under the direct and personal tuition of his brother, who was 18 years his senior. Becoming a member of his brother's household, and entering the draughting room at the engine works, they were almost continuously in each other's company. So close a relationship with such a person as George Ff. Corliss — a man of untiring energy, indom- itable will and of rare genius — could not fail to be of great and lasting benefit to the younger brother — nor did it. In 1858 the engine build- ing firm of Corliss & Nightingale was changed to the Corliss Steam Engine Company. In 1862 William Corliss was made vice-president, and from 1863 to 1871 was treasurer, being entrusted by his brother, who was president, with the general management of the vast business of that company. In 1862 the city council elected Mr. Corliss water commissioner to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Moses B. Lockwood. The other members of the board were Joseph J. Cooke and Charles E. Car- penter. These commissioners were charged with the duty of con- structing water works and introducing water into the city of Provi- dence. The labors of this commission were completed in 1876, and the works, costing something over four and one-half millions of dollars, were turned over to the city. Mayor Doyle in his annual message, 1877, closes his reference to the work of this commission in the follow- ing language: " The work thus planned and executed in the two de- partments " (water and sewage) "under the supervision of Moses B. Lockwood, Joseph J. Cooke and Charles E. Carpenter, and by William Corliss as a successor of Mr. Lockwood, has already received the highest encomiums, from the most eminent talent engaged in the construction of water works and sewers, both in this country and Europe; and its great excellence will be more and more apparent as it is tested by use. These gentlemen retired from office, Messrs. Cooke and Carpenter after a service of more than seven years, and Mr. Corliss of four and one-half years, with a record for unimpeachable integrity and faithfulness to duty too rarely found in public servants of the present time, and for which the generations to come will hold them in grateful recollection." The life work of Mr. Corliss is to provide means by which portable property may be made absolutely secure from fire and burglary. His attention was first directed to this subject by circumstances that would seem trivial, but which ultimately changed his whole course of life. While treasurer of the Corliss Steam Engine Company, and acting as a director in a national bank, Mr. Corliss first discovered and recog- nized the utter inability of all known safes to withstand the attack of burglars, and he easily made plain that fact to his associates and oth- ers. Having made this discovery and fully realizing the vast import- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 697 ance of the subject, as strikingly illustrated by the imperative needs of the bank for which he was making the investigation, the question naturally arose— " Is it not possible to make a burglar-proof?" The answer to this question is written in the years of study and toil de- voted to this subject by Mr. Corliss. It is written in the thousands and tens of thousands of dollars that have been expended by him in various experiments; it is emphasized by Mr. Corliss' abandonment of the steam engine business, in order to follow out and accomplish this great work; and it is finally answered affirmatively by the production of that unique and wonderful structure known as the Corliss Burglar- proof. Very rarely do we see anything that so little resembles all else that has preceded it. A r ery seldom do we find such a radical depart- ure from established methods and practice. The difficulties that confronted Mr. Corliss in the production of his safe were not such as could be easily surmounted. Some years were spent by him in experimental research before he was able to de- termine upon the material best adapted to its construction. After this point was settled, it was found that there was no machinery known by which this material could be successfully worked, therefore it de- volved upon Mr. Corliss to work out this problem also; to this end he was obliged to invent special machinery and devise means by which his safe could be manufactured. His familiarity with machine shop practice and his engineering experience were excellent qualifications for such an undertaking. His general knowledge of mechanics, to- gether with his instinctive inventive' faculties and a determination that could not be dismayed by any obstacle, finally resulted in the de- sired consummation, and the Corliss Safe stands to-day a perfected structure, affording absolute security against all practical methods of assault by either mobs or burglars. In 1883 the Corliss Safe Company, of which Mr. Corliss is president, purchased several acres of land at Auburn, a suburb of Providence adjoining Roger Williams Park, and erected their manufactory upon the line of the New York, Providence & Boston railroad. These works have attracted much attention from the public, on account of the gen- eral appearance and character of the buildings erected, and from en- gineers and practical men, because of the interior arrangement and special machinery there introduced. The peculiar characteristics of Mr. Corliss, both as a man and as an engineer, seem to pervade every department, and the Corliss Safe Works, with their beautiful grounds and substantial buildings, are regarded by all who visit them as a model establishment. Corliss Burglar-proofs are now being built of various sizes, from safes having an available capacity of 6 cubic feet, weighing 8,500 pounds and costing $2,000, to those having a capacity of 50 cubic feet, weighing 32,000 pounds and costing $8,000; and when it is stated that plans are already matured for making safe deposit vaults upon this 698 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. system of construction, that will weigh from 75 tons to 300 tons each, some idea may be formed of the magnitude of the enterprise. Perry Davis, widely known as the author of the renowned " Pain Killer" medicine, was born in the town of Dartmouth, Bristol county, Mass., July 7th, 1791. He was the son of Edmund and Sarah Davis, being the eldest of three children by this marriage. Four years after his birth his parents moved to Westport, in the same county, where they resided during the period of his youth. His early educational advantages were meagre. When he was 14 years of age he seriously injured one of his hips by falling through a raft upon which he was at work, and by this accident was not only made a cripple for life but rendered peculiarly liable to colds, followed by fevers and kindred diseases, to many of which he became a prey in succeeding years. From sickness he suffered greatly and was brought down with fevers which had their regular run on 24 different occasions. " With physi- cians, however," says a contemporary writer, " he was abundantly blessed of the regular scientific stamp, and by them has submitted 64 times to the use of the lancet, not to mention other accompanying remedies administered for his diseases." In 1838 he removed to Paw- tucket, R. I., and during this year invented a mill for grinding grain; and the next year removed to Taunton, Mass., for the purpose of enlarging and facilitating the business of putting up these mills. While in Taunton he studied the effects of certain drugs upon the human system, and experimented in their uses until he had com- pounded a medicine capable of curing his own maladies. In 1841 he removed to Fall River, Mass., where on July 3d, 1843, he was burned out, and then located in Providence, among strangers and in poverty stricken circumstances. He opened his Pain Killer manufactory in his own residence, be- ing assisted by his wife and daughter in the work. Everything seemed to be against wind and tide, but Mr. Davis was not a timorous man, and he persevered faithfully. One sad event brought the stranger t<> the city into sudden notoriety. One day while at work, a large can oi alcohol in use caught fire, and the sudden flame of the burning liquid in its rapid ascent to the ceiling enveloped Mr. Davis, burning his body to the bone. Mrs. Davis and his daughter, Mrs. S. Dennis, were left powerless in their attempts to rescue the sufferer, and rushed to the street for aid. When help arrived the flesh on his arms and hands hung in shreds, the thick fleshy portions on his hands falling off. His face was one solid burnt sore, and his kidneys were so injured that he passed nothing but blood for nearly two days. The family pleaded for a physician, but Mr. Davis was inexorable and said if his medicine could not save him he would go with it. The Pain Killer was used as directed. The sufferings of the patient were terrible. No one thought he could survive, and the second night following it was supposed he was dying, but he finally passed off into a quiet sleep, HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 699 and from that time began to gain. In four weeks from that time he drove a wagon to Apponaug. The first Pain Killer taken to Boston Mr. Davis carried in a basket on his arm, walking there and back. He called on the druggists, but they shrugged their shoulders and said they could not sell it without the assistance of advertising and that they made mixtures equally as good themselves. After canvass- ing the city with but little success, and at last discouraged, he went among the crowd upon the street and to each poor, sick, lame person he met he handed a bottle of Pain Killer. This done he returned home more discouraged than ever. In the meantime his medicine at home grew more popular every day and soon afterward the cholera made its appearance in the United States and Pain Killer was suddenly brought into general notice by the astonishing cures of this dreadful disease which it effected. Orders now began to come in to such an extent that Mr. Davis had to cast aside his pestle and mortar and commence the manufacture of Pain Killer upon a larger scale. It was now found that each bottle given away in Boston and elsewhere, had created a demand for many more; the sale increased from day to day, while everybody who used this wonderful compound was either writing or telling his friends of its powers in relieving pain and suffering. It was soon after its discovery that Perry Davis' Pain Killer was introduced into a factory at Provi- dence, and the employees there found it a cure for all those little ills and numberless hurts or accidents which factory hands are constantly subject to. In various ways the medicine became advertised until now it is used by every people on the Globe and known everywhere. The North American Indians prize it above gold. The miners of South Africa and Brazil have christened it the " Miners' Friend," while the natives of India and other warm climates find it a sure antidote against the bite of the most poisonous reptiles. The Hudson Bay Company, whose business reaches out through all the vast territory between Alaska and the coast of Labrador, are among the largest dealers of this article. In 1866 Perry Davis & Son opened in London, England, a branch depot for the exclusive sale of their Pain Killer in Great Britain. Extensive agencies also have been opened up in China, India, Japan, Turkey, Australia, Africa, New Zealand and other countries both in the new and old world, until now the manufac- ture and sale of this medicine exceeds that of any other. Mr. Davis' liberality has also contributed largely to the advertisement of this medicine. Missionaries to heathen lands, especially those of the Baptist church, have been furnished medicines free of charge to take with them. This alone has brought the remedy into great notoriety with the natives of heathen lands. When a young man Mr. Davis became converted to God, and from that time till his death lived a consistent Christian life. He was bap- 700 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. tized by Elder Job Borden of the First Baptist church in Tiverton, R. I. In church work Mr. Davis was also active. He was very liberal with his money to all classes of society, and was a generous, kind hearted man to the needy and distressed. On the day of his burial the streets about his door were lined with the poor and the needy of the city, who loved him for the many benevolent acts of his life. Although almost in poverty himself till after 50 years of age, he always gave freely and sometimes of all he had to others in distress. His generous nature would respond to every call, and for a consider- able length of time no appeal which was made to him was refused. His donations to the church were extensive. He first built a chapel on Broad street, iibed for several years; then the little chapel on Stewart court, then called High Street church; then the Stewart Street church, which cost him $36,000. He himself was an earnest preacher and was ordained to the ministry November 0th, 1853. October 8th, 1813, he married Ruth, daughter of Pardon and Pris- cilla Davol, a member of the same church with himself, and kindred in spirit, as may be inferred from the fact, that on the evening of their wedding day, both bride and groom attended and actively par- ticipated in the exercises of a meeting for prayer and conference, held at the residence of one of the deacons of the church. Together they not only travelled the path of "the life which now is," but that " also of the life which is to come," along which, as the sequel shows, "the happiest of their kind whom gentle stars unite," they pleasantly journeyed, sharers in each others' sorrow, and mutual helpers of each others' joy. For a period of nearly thirty years their course of life seemed, in one view, to flow in rugged channels, with whirls and eddies. Clouds of sorrow thickened around them. Ad- verse winds impeded their progress. The multiplied anxieties of sickness, destitution and pinching want, at times legion-like darkened their pathway; and " bowed down by weight of woe," with the man of ancient times, they could look up to the eternal throne, and cry out to Him who sits thereon, " All thy waves and thy billows have gone over us." Mr. Davis died May 12th, 1802, and Mrs. Davis died October 31st, 1872. Edmund, their only son who grew to manhood, died in 1880 in the 57th year of his age. He was a splendid business man, one of the best financiers in the state. Mrs. Sarah Dennis is the only one of his children now livino-. Daniki, Eugene Day, merchant, son of Deacon Harvey and Olive (Dorrance) Day, was born in Killingly, Conn., on May 28th, 1820. His grandfather was the Reverend Israel Day, 40 years a settled pastor in South Killingly, Conn., 'who was a descendant, in the fifth generation, of Anthony Day, who came from England and settled in Gloucester, Mass., in 1645. He is also a descendant of the Reverend Samuel Dor- rance, the first settled pastor in Sterling, now Voluntown, Conn. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 7<>1 Mr. Day pursued the ordinary course of study in the common schools and academy of his native town until he was IS years of age, when he became a teacher, and taught successfully for eight years. He then entered into business in Danielsonville, Conn., with W. C. Bacon, and in a few years opened a flour, grain and provision store. In 1852 he removed to Providence, R. I., and began business in flour and grain on Peck's wharf, on Dyer street. In the same year Mr. S. S.. Sprague entered into partnership with Mr. Day, and by their energy, practical methods and careful management, a large and prosperous" business was established, the firm name being Day & Sprague. In 1856 they removed to South Water street, and the sons of both mem- bers of the firm became partners, and the firm name was changed to Day, Sprague & Co. In 1866, to accommodate the increase of busi- ness, the wharf property occupied by Spellman & Metcalf, on Dyer street, was purchased. In 1876 the firm was dissolved. Mr. Day pur- chasing the entire property, and, with his sons, Henry G. and Charles R., under the firm name of Day, Sons & Co., continued the business at the old location. Extensive improvements have been made to the original plant, and to-day the house is the oldest and largest in its line of business in the city and state. The business is supplemented by warehouses and elevators in Macon county, 111., where purchases of grain are made direct from the farmers and shipped to different parts of the country. In the interest of good government, Mr. Day was nominated and elected by the republican party as state representative, and served his constituents faithfully for six years, during five of which he was chair- man of the important committee on finance. In 1875 Mr. Day was nominated for the office of lieutenant governor by the independent republican party, in recognition of his personal worth, his experience in public affairs and his firm adherence to temperance principles. In the exciting election which followed Mr. Day received a plurality of votes, running ahead of the nominee of the regular republican con- vention by about 1,200 votes. As there was no election by the people, and as the issue was decided by the house of representatives, Mr. Day was not elected. From this time Mr. Day was an honored and useful member of the city council of Providence until the year 1880, when he declined a reelection. During this time he was an active member of the joint standing committee on finance and water. Important acts were introduced and supported by Mr. Day in relation to the in- troduction of water and sewers into the city of Providence, and for the establishment of a sinking fund for the state of Rhode Island. He was one of the original commissioners of the sinking fund for the city of Providence. He was elected in 1873, and retains this responsible position. In his business career Mr. Day has become widely known for his capacity as a merchant, and for his honesty and uprightness of char- 702 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. acter. These characteristics have made his services valuable, and he has been called upon to fill important positions connected with bank- ing and financial institutions. Only two positions of this kind has he accepted. In 1870 he became associated with the Commercial National Bank as director. In 1855 he was elected president, which office he holds at the present time. In 1877 he was elected a director of the People's Savings Bank, and in 1888 was chosen to be one of the vice- presidents of the institution, and is still in office. Mr. Day united with the Congregational church in West Killingly in 1843. In 1852 he became a member of the Richmond Street Con- gregational church of Providence, then under the pastorate of the Rev- erend Jonathan Leavitt, D. D.,and when this organization was merged into the Union Congregational church, he became a member of this body. He was elected deacon in 1889 to fill the unexpired term of the late Theophilis Salisbury, and was reelected in 1890 for the full term of six years. In social life Mr. Day's genial and hospitable disposition has wide recognition and appreciation. Although he had few early advantages, in youth being dependent upon his own exertions, yet by industry, perseverance and natural force of character, he has earned an honor- able position in the community, and is held in high esteem as a citi- zen, and as a stable member of his church, of which he has been a faithful and liberal supporter, and of gospel institutions of every kind, of education and of charity. Mr. Day was married in 1844 to Lydia Read Wilbur, daughter of Enoch Wilbur, of Raynham, Mass., who died in 1886, leaving four children: Sarah Adelaid, married to Edward W. Eames, of Buffalo, N. Y.: Henry Gould, married to Mary H. Love, of Providence; Charles Read, married to Emma J. Braman, of Cambridge, Mass.; and Olive Dorrance. Charles Fletcher, president of the Providence Worsted Mills, is now, in the various mills of which he is the principal owner, the lar- gest consumer of wool in the United States. Eminent, as a manufac- turer in the textile industries of the country, his record is somewhat remarkable. It would indeed be difficult to find a case parallel with his, wherein such large results, in so short a period, have been attained in manufacturing pursuits. Mr. Fletcher began at the bottom of the ladder, and is now recognized as one of the foremost manufacturers in our great country. As late as 187.") we find him beginning business for himself for the first time in a very small way, with an indomitable will, and greater capacity for labor than money for capital, and now because of constant and increasing demand for his special fabrics, the little mill in which he began, with its limited equipments, has given way to a whole plant of large buildings, in which he has in operation at this time 45 sets of woolen cards, 36 sets of worsted cards, 28 worsted combs and 52 woolen mules, having, with other spinning machinery, HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 703 an aggregate of 52,800 spindles and 420 looms for weaving worsted suitings for gentlemen's wear, also overcoatings and ladies' cloakings. Charles Fletcher was born in Thornton, near Bradford, Yorkshire, England, November 29th, 1840. He is the son of Richard and Ann ( Drake ) Fletcher, the father being the owner of a large variety store at that place. Charles Fletcher received his education in the public schools of Thornton, attending night schools after he began work in the mills. When 17 years of age the mills stopped, and he sought and obtained employment in the mills at Bradford. He remained in Bradford till 21 years of age, though he had completed his apprentice- ship at the age of 17 years. In 1804 he came to this country and was employed one year in the Pacific Mill at Lawrence," Mass. He then returned to England, but in 1867 set sail again for America, locating this time in Providence, where he still remains. Mr. Fletcher began his career here in the Valley Worsted Mill, in charge of one department of the work, and afterward as superinten- dent of the worsted department. He remained in this capacity nine years. The operations of the mill under his management were very profitable, enabling the proprietors, who were embarrassed by debt when he commenced, to pay off their obligations two years afterward. At the close of his superintendency for them, the mills were on a strong financial basis, and earning a large interest on the capital invested. Late in the summer of 1875, Mr. Fletcher determined to undertake the manufacture of worsted yarns on his own account. Accordingly he hired the small stone mill on Valley street, known as the Rising Sun Paper Mill, from Anna Richmond, trustee of the Richmond estate, and at once ordered from England a Noble comber and the necessary subsidiary machinery for the manufacture of worsted yarns. Work was begun early in 1876, Mr. Fletcher himself superintending the operation of the machinery with the utmost diligence during working hours, devoting the evenings — often far into the night — to correspondence and the keeping of his books and accounts. He also personally sold the product of his mill, making occasional visits to the various large cities of the country for that purpose. Severe as was his routine of labor already, at the earnest solicitation of his former em- ployers, he also exercised supervision of the work at the Valley Worsted Mills. The success of Mr. Fletcher as a manufacturer is due wholly to the superior class of worsted goods he placed upon the market. In con- sequence, a demand for his yarns was created beyond the capacity of his facilities, necessitating the erection and equipment of new build- ings, especially designed and adapted to the worsted manufacture. Accordingly, on the 1st of October, 1878, he purchased the mill and land, in area about 24,000 feet, having a frontage on Valley street of 175 feet, and he has since increased the area by a purchase from the Richmond Land Company and others, so that it now measures 213,000 704 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. square feet, with a front on Valley street of 852 feet. On this prop" erty he erected six large mills, a building for the offices of the com- pany, and numerous small buildings. Mill No. 1, erected in 1879, is 210 by 58 feet, four stories high; No. 2, erected in 1881, is 263 by 57 feet, four stories high, with basement; No. 3, erected in 1884, is 215 by 63 feet, four stories high, with an extension 36 by 36 feet, four stories high, and an ell 47 feet wide and four stories high; No. 4, erected in 1884, is 252 by 46 feet, four stories high; No. 5, erected in 1886, is irregular in shape, having an average length and width of 130 by 45 feet, and a height of two stories. In 1890 Mr. Fletcher erected a group of mills on Valley street, the largest one being 278 by LOO feet, four stories; another 120 by 80 feet, three stories high; and south of this building, called the Annex, a storehouse especially for the storage of wool, 140 by 60 feet, four stories high. In addition to the above, engine and boiler houses, dye house, storehouses, etc., have been erected as needed. In July, 1883, Mr. Fletcher associated with himself four of his most faithful and efficient employees, putting to their credit in the aggre- gate, $100,000 of the stock, with the privilege of paying for it from the profits of their shares, allowing their regular salaries still to continue, and organized the Providence Worsted Mill Company, under the gen- eral laws of the state, with a cash capital of $500,000. In 1886 this capital was increased to $1,000,000. December 31st, 1880, he purchased from the Lonsdale Company the mills and tenements at Manton, R. I. He then added a new mill, and sold the property to Horace Kimball. July 5th, 1883, he purchased the estate of the Providence Thread Company, in what had been known as the village of Simmonsville, and established an important industry, giving it the name of the Thorn- ton Worsted Mills, naming it after the village of his birth, and put it under the immediate superintendence of his son, Joseph E. Fletcher, by whom it was operated till 1888, in which year the Thornton Wors- ted Mill Company was formed. In 1883 Mr. Fletcher purchased from Charles H. Whipple the mill privileges next below that now occupied by the Thornton Worsted Mills, and erected a mill, which he leased in 1884 to the British Ho- siery Company. Mr. Fletcher also became interested in the manufac- ture of a fabric woven of cotton yarns, under a patent granted origi- nally to John Gujer, of Philadelphia, May 18th, 1858. Subsequently an improvement was granted to Seth W. Baker, of Providence, Sep- tember 4th, 1866, and on the 30th of January, 1883, a patent for an ap- plication of this fabric was granted to Mr. Fletcher, for the manufac- ture of aprons for carding, combing and drawing machines, used in preparing the sliver of wool fiber. In 1886 Mr. Fletcher purchased the Narragansett Hotel. He was also one of the original instigators and builders of the cable street railroad now in successful operation in the city of Providence. The above is but a meager outline of the grand career of Mr. Fletcher's life, and his life seems but commenced.. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 705 William A. Harris. — The great ancestor of the subject of this sketch. William Harris, came to America from Bristol, England, in the ship " Lyon," in company with his brother Thomas and the world renowned Roger Williams. He was one of the first settlers of Provi- dence in 1636, one of the twelve to whom Williams deeded land in 1638, and one of the 12 original members of the First Baptist church. Sub- sequently he had a long controversy with the founder of the state, which was characterized by a good deal of warmth on both sides. William Andrew Harris was born in Woodstock, Conn., on the 2d day of March, 1835, the family consisting of three sons. His parents came to Providence while he was a child, and after remaining until 1840 they removed to North Adams, Mass. At the age of 11 he returned to Providence, where he has since resided. After having attended the Fountain street grammar school for about three years, the principal being Mr. Albert A. Gamwell, a famous teacher in his day, he entered the high school in 1849, where he remained until the spring of 1851, when he left to attend a boarding school at South Wil- liamstown, Mass. While attending the hig-h school he was one of the carriers of the Providence Journal, retiring therefrom, as he well re- members, on the anniversary of Washington's birthday, February 22d, 1851, he playfully remarking to one of his young companions who asked what the cannon-firing was for. that it was because he had got through carrying the Journal. And here it may be remarked that to have been a carrier of the Providence Journal in its early days is a dis- tinction which gives a justifiable degree of pride to many of the prom- inent citizens of the "City of Roger Williams." Young Harris, during the winter of 1851-2, remained at home practicing drawing. In March of the latter year he entered the Union Bank of Providence as clerk, where he remained three years. In 1855 he engaged in the emplov of the Providence Forge and Nut Company, now known as the Providence Tool Company, as draughtsman. The following year he accepted a similar position with the Corliss Steam Engine Company. Here he remained eight and one-half years. On the 1st of August, 1864, he began building the Corliss engine on his own account, paying the inventor, the late George H. Corliss, a stip- ulated royalty. At first he occupied an old building on Eddy street which was used during the " Dorr War" as the headquarters of Thomas Wilson Dorr's adherents. For four years Mr. Harris carried on busi- ness here. In 1869 he exhibited one of his " Corliss Engines" at the American Institute in New York city. The New York Tribune, in describing it, gave it the name of the " Harris-Corliss Engine." Since 1870, the date when the patent on the Corliss engine expired, Mr. Harris has manufactured it, with his own and other patented improve- ments, under the name originally given it by the Tribune. Mr. Harris started his present extensive works on the corner of Park and Promenade streets, west of the Union railroad station, on the 45 706 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 17th of November, 1868. The premises occupy nearly 150,000 square feet of valuable land. The buildings, constructed expressly for the business, consist of a machine shop, blacksmith shop, iron foundry, brass foundry, pattern shop and pattern storehouse, and other struc- tures. A large force of skilled workmen, varying with the fluctua- tions of business from 200 to 400, is employed in the establishment, the most amicable relations at all times existing between the employer and the employees, " strikes" being an unheard of thing here. A large part of the machinery and tools were invented and made espec- ially for these works, the product of which consists of stationary engines varying from 20 horse-power to 2,000. The establishment, when run to its full extent, is capable of turning out half a million dollars' worth of merchandise annually, which is shipped to all parts of the United States, and to Cuba, Mexico and Spain. Fifty years ago a prominent feature of the arts and trades through- out New England was the apprentice system, a thing now almost un- known. But in Mr. Harris's establishment this commendable feature is still kept up. Briefly stated, the system, as devised by him and im- proved and perfected by the experience of years, makes his works a manual or industrial training school of the best and most practical kind, covering a period of three years, that being the term of ap- prenticeship. During this time the learner is thoroughly taught to execute every part of the complex w r ork in the best manner, so that when his apprenticeship is ended he is the master of a good trade, and can, if he chooses, find employment where he learned the busi- ness. A large proportion of the workmen employed by Mr. Harris have thus been instructed under the direct supervision of his superin- tendent and foremen, thereby securing skilled mechanics and a total exemption from the friction which so often exists between employer and employed. Every man in the establishment thoroughly under- stands wdiat is expected of him, and upon compliance therewith merits and receives the approbation of the proprietor. In the war of the rebellion Mr. Harris entered the service of his country as a member of the 10th Regiment, Rhode Island Volunteers, and after serving the full period of his enlistment he received an honorable discharge. He is a much esteemed comrade of Prescott Post, No. 1, G. A. R., of Providence; served as an aide-de-camp on the staff of Commander-in-Chief Rea; was chosen a member of the council of administration of the Department of Rhode Island at the annual encampment in 1800; and at the annual encampment in 1891 was chosen as delegateat-large to the national encampment to be held in Detroit, Michigan, in August, 1891. In politics Mr. Harris is a republican. He has represented his ward in the city council, and for four successive years (1882-6) he was chosen representative to the general assembly. He married, September 8th, 1859, Eleanor F. Morrill, of New HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 707 Hampshire. They have two sons, Frederick W. and William A., Jr. Mr. Harris is a Unitarian in religious belief, and has for many years been a regular worshipper at the First Congregational chureh in Providence. As a citizen he is widely known throughout the state and universally respected by all classes. By his uprightness of character and other sterling qualities he has won an honorable position in business and social circles in the city where he has so long resided. William S. Hayward was born in Foster, R. I., February 26th T 1835. His early youth was spent on a farm while attending the pub- lic school. In 1847 he went to Old Warwick, R. I., where he engaged in farming, attending the district school during the winter months. Removing to Providence, his present home, in 1851, he obtained em- ployment in a baking establishment and followed that business until 1858, when he purchased an interest with Rice & Hayward. Two years later he became a partner under the firm name of Rice, Hay- ward & Co. In 1863 Mr. Hayward bought the entire interest of the firm, and continued alone in business until 1865, when Mr. Fitz James Rice again became his partner, which copartnership has existed until the present time. An extended notice of such a well-known es- tablishment would be superfluous. We suffice to say its prosperity is largely due to Mr. Hayward's sterling qualities, which insure success, whether in business or at the head of a municipal corpo- ration. His fellow citizens were not long in recognizing this fact, and in consequence he was called upon to fill many positions of honor and trust. In 1872, Mr. Hayward was elected to the common council of the city of Providence, and annually reelected until 1876. During his terms of office in this branch of the city government, he served on many important committees, acting as chairman of the committee on fire department, public parks, etc. We may here mention that Mr. Hayward has always been a supporter of all measures for the benefit of the city and people, and has contributed much of his time and means to the furtherance thereof. The beautiful fountain which adorns the center of Hayward Park was his present to the citizens of the city of Providence in 1889. In 1876 he was elected a member of the board of aldermen, and in 1878 was chosen its president, which office he held three years. In November, 1880, Mr. Hayward was nominated and elected mayor of the city of Providence, succeeding Honorable Thomas A. Doyle. He brought to that office the ripe experience of a long training in the common council and board of aldermen, a sound judgment, and an enterprising spirit, and it is unnecessary to say his position was filled to the entire satisfaction of the community. After serving as mayor for the years 1881, 1882 and 1883, he declined a renomination for the office. 708 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. The following notes are from newspaper articles published after his valedictory address. Providence Journal, January 5th, 1884: "The pleasant words of thanks to Mayor Hayward, which accompanied the close of his legislative functions, have much more than an official and perfunctory significance. They indicate not only the warm feeling of personal respect and regard of his associates, won by unfailing kindliness and impartiality, but that of the community as well, for a high order of administrative ability, sincere devotion to the public welfare, and a graceful courtesy and dignity worthy of the chief mag- istrate of the city." The Providence Evening Press. January 7th, 1884, gives an extended editorial. Among other things it says: " The valedictory address of Mayor Hayward, delivered before the city council, to-day, very prop- erly is confined to a brief summary of some of the more important operations of the various departments of the city government during his term of office, which has embraced the past three municipal years. It informs us that the net city debt has been decreased during that period $593,646.43." After referring to other matters in the address,, it sums up as follows: " Such is a brief summary of the matters treated in the valedictory address of His Honor, Mayor William S. Hayward, now ex-mayor of the city of Providence — than whom no more honest,, upright, well-meaning man, ever occupied the mayoral office of this or any other city in the land. He has given twelve years of an honest man's life to the service of the city in one and another of the differ- ent branches of its municipal government, and retires to-day to pri- vate life crowned with the enviable, imperishable honor of a well spent public career, and laden with the grateful thanks of his fellow citizens." The Providence Evening Telegram, January 7th, 1884, says: "At noon to-day Mayor Hayward performed the last official act of his ad- ministration, and bade farewell to the halls of municipal legislation. There was a tinge of sadness to his final parting words, for during the three years he occupied the mayoral office he had endeared him- self to all officials of the city government, and to our citizens gen- erally by his faithful discharge of duties, courteous and affable man- ners." Honorable Thomas A. Doyle again succeeded to the mayoralty after the retirement of Mayor Hayward. The following is a quota- tion from his inaugural address of January 7th, 1884: "In declining to be a candidate for reelection to the position to which his fellow citizens would have again cheerfully called him, Honorable William S. Hayward closes a term of service highly honorable to him, and creditable to the city. In assuming once more the position of private citizen, he takes with him not alone the esteem of a large number who have been associated with him during his twelve years of service in the municipal government, but he has won the respect of the citizens ■'■■■.■..• ' . ' HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 709 of Providence, whose interests he has honestly guarded and always endeavored to promote." Mr. Hayward is president of the Bank of America, and is a direc- tor in the Citizens' Savings Bank and the National Eagle Bank. In 1885 he was elected a representative in the state legislature and was reelected in 1886. He was appointed a member of the state board of charities and corrections by Governor Bourn, January 23d. 1884, and was reappointed by Governor G. P. Wetmore in 1886, and is still in office. He has been a member of the committee on buildings and repairs, and for five years chairman, during which time many new buildings have been erected at the state institutions, notably the new alms house, a structure 730 feet in length, and with accommodations for 400 people. Mr. Hayward is a member of the Masonic fraternity, of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, Franklin Lyceum, Providence Light Infantry, Squantum Club, and other societies and organizations. He married November 9th, 1859, Miss Lucy Maria Rice, daughter of Fitz James Rice, Esq. Thomas j. Hill is one of the oldest and most active of the busi- ness men in Providence. He is the son of Cromwell Hill, a native of Rehoboth, Mass., who removed to Pawtucket, R. I., about the year 1800, soon after his marriage with Cynthia Walker. Mr. Hill was born at that place March 4th, 1805. He obtained an ordinary school education, and after working a few years with his father and in the mills of Pawtucket, entered the machine shop of Pitcher & Gay, with whom he remained nine years as journeyman and apprentice. In April, 1830, he went to Providence and took charge of the machine shop connected with the steam mill then owned by Samuel Slater. A few years later he purchased a two-fifths interest with his employer. They then associated in business under the name of the Providence Machine Company. Mr. Slater, died in 1835, and his interest was sold to other parties. Under the management of Mr. Hill the business im- proved rapidly until 1845, when it became necessary to have larger quarters. New buildings were erected, and the following year Mr. Hill became sole proprietor of the Providence Machine Company. In 1867 a charter was obtained by him for the corporation, but it was not until 1874 that the company was organized, with Mr. Hill as president and treasurer, his son, Mr. Albert Hill, as secretary, and Mr. George Hazard as manager and agent. In 1837 he bought the Lee Mill at Willimantic, Conn., and for several years operated it in the manu- facture of thread and machinery. Observing an opportunity for manufacturing in Lewiston, Maine, he associated himself with a number of Boston capitalists, who organ- ized the Bates Manufacturing Company, and built extensive cotton mills. At that place, in 1850, Mr. Hill erected a foundry and rented a 710 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. » machine shop, where he built machinery for the mills, associating himself with Mr. Samuel W. Kilvert, a former foreman in his foundry at Providence. About ten years later he sold this plant. In 1859 he bought the Peckham Mills, at East Greenwich, R. I., and started there what is now known as the Bay Mills. This mill he afterward gave to his two sons. The Providence Dredging Company was organized by him in 1866, and a year later he organized the Rhode Island Malleable Iron Works, and in 1874 the Providence Pile Driving and Bridge Com- pany was established by him. Subsequently he founded the village of Hill's Grove, on the N. Y., P. & B. railroad, and in 1875 he started a cotton mill there of upward of 20,000 spindles, which he named Elizabeth Mill, a compliment to his wife. Besides being a large manufacturer, Mr. Hill has been prominently identified with various banking institutions and insurance companies, and has held several positions of trust and responsibility. He has been president of the Lime Rock National Bank for over 35 years, and vice-president of the City Savings Bank from 1850 to 1884, of which he was also one of the board of trustees. He was a member of the Providence city council during the years 1848-52, 1855-6, and 1878. Mr. Hill has also served as a member of the general assembly of Rhode Island. He is a member of the Rhode Island Historical So- ciety, and of the Rhode Island Agricultural Society. Mr. Hill has been married three times: first, October 12th, 1825, to Betsey Brown, daughter of Sylvanus and Ruth Brown, of Pawtucket, who died May 9th, 1859; second, December 9th, 1861, to Olive L. Farn- ham, daughter of Stephen and Hannah Farnham, of Canterbury, Conn., who died November 16th, 1866; and third, August 9th, 1869, to Elizabeth C. Kenyon, daughter of John H. and Ruth Kenyon, of War- wick. R. I. By the first marriage there were six children: James Brown, Abby Ann, William Wallace, Albert, Amanda Elizabeth and Thomas Henry, three of whom died in infancy. There were no chil- dren by the other marriages. William Henry Hopkins, coal merchant, belongs to one of the old and prominent families of New England. His ancestor, Joseph Hopkins, married Martha Wnaley, supposed to be a daughter of the regicide judge of Charles II. John Hopkins, son of Joseph, settled in West Greenwich and died there in 1791. Jonathan Hop- kins, son of John, married Mary, daughter of Robert Whitford of East Greenwich, in April, 1760. In 1781 he moved to Jamestown, R. I. Their sons were: job, Oliver, Fones and John. Oliver Hopkins, the father of the subject of this sketch, was a successful farmer, owning 8d acres of land of what is now Conanicut Park, and where he lived from the time he was 17 years old till his death in 1852. He was a licensed preacher of the Baptist church, in the town of Jamestown. William H. Hopkins, son of Oliver and Rhody (Hathaway) Hop- kins, was born at Jamestown, R. I., April 7th, 1817. He received but '/// HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 711 a common school education, but by native ability, energy, tact and perseverance, he has risen to prominence as a citizen of the state. In the fall of 1831 he first came to Providence and set himself to work to learn the jewelry trade. He remained in this business from 1835 to 1840, and was the first to use steam power in the manufacture of this line of goods. About this time his father's health greatly declined, and he went back to Jamestown to take charge of the farm. Outdoor ex- ercise proved healthful to him, and when he returned to the city he engaged in the teaming business. In 1849 he formed a partnership with Jacob Manchester, under the firm name of Manchester & Hop- kins, for the sale of masons' building materials, curbstone and coal, with general team work. The business of the new firm increased so rapidly they were obliged to seek new quarters, and they accordingly purchased 52,000 square feet of land in what at that time seemed to be an out-of-the-way place on Eddy street. Their equipments from the Dorrance street wharf were now moved into the new yard, where their facilities for handling coal, together with their methods of doing business, soon secured for them the largest retail trade, in that line, then carried on in any of the states of New England. In 1S64 Mr. Gorham Park Pomroy and Mr. John H. Hopkins, both clerks in the establishment, were admitted as partners, and the firm became Man- chester, Hopkins & Co. June 30th, 1871, Mr. Manchester died and the firm became Hopkins, Pomroy & Co., Mr. Edgar Arnold Hopkins being subsequently admitted as a partner. In 1878 they disposed of their brick and lime business to Manchester & Hudson, their former clerks, since which time they have confined their own energies to the coal trade. The company now occupy two extensive wharves, covering an area of nearly four acres. They operate nine engines, nearly 100 horses, carts and wagons, and own blacksmith and wheelwright shops for doing their work. Mr. Hopkins possesses an inventive mind, and at his suggestion, the best coal tub then in use was improved, manu- factured and patented by Focht & Warren of Reading, Pennsylvania, and was universally used until recently without an attempt at im- provement or change from its original design. He was the first to bring into use the four wheeled cart, now seen everywhere, and on which he would not, in consideration of our poor beasts of burden, take out letters patent. He was the first to build " pockets" for the storing of coal, and his plans were copied by persons who came to see them from all portions of the East and West. He was the first person, when in the jewelry business, to use steam power in the manufacture of jewelry, and his generous nature is such, that he has permitted his inventions to be used without royalty to himself. In 1865 Mr. Hopkins purchased a handsome summer residence and about 60 acres of land in Seekonk, Mass. The farm has since that time been increased by various purchases until it now embraces 325 712 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. acres of beautiful meadow lands. It is situated about two miles from the city of Providence, and has on it four houses for his farmers, together with cattle, horse and carriage barns, and other equipments for a first-class, well regulated place. At each barn is a large wind- mill for pumping water upon the lawns, and for his stock at the barns. He has also a large steam engine for cutting and steaming fodder, and a large refrigerator in the creamery for cooling milk. Under his skill much of this land, once but dense swamps and worn out pastures, has been reclaimed and enriched, till now it is a beautiful and a fertile piece of property. Four thousand feet of vitrified pipe, and a large amount of tile and stone drain have been laid for underdraining it, and it is under a high state of cultivation, producing the best crops of all kinds of grain. In 1876 a fire broke out and consumed the barns and 65 head of the finest Jersey cattle in the state. The new barn was immediately rebuilt, being 60 by 145 feet, covering the foundation occupied by the four barns that were burned. Under this large barn he has eight silos, each of which holds over 35 tons of provisions for his cattle. Mr. Hopkins has held numerous offices of trust in the gift of the people. From 1856 to 1864 he was councilman from the Fifth ward, and chairman of the committee on highways, a position involving a great tax upon his time and much prudence in management. From 1866 to 1871 he was alderman from his ward, and in 1871, 1872 and 1873 was elected to the general assembly. In the legislature he was chairman of the committee on charities and corrections. In May, 1874, he was appointed by Governor Howard a member of the board of state charities and corrections, which has in charge all the state eleemosynary and reformatory institutions, and was re-appointed by Governor Lippitt in June, 1875, for six years. Acting in this capacity without compensation, he has rendered important service to the state and humanity. Mr. Hopkins was active in the formation of the board of trade of Providence, of which he was vice-president for two years, and a member of the committee of council for several years. He was a director of the Charitable Fuel Association, and the Providence Aid Society, one of the directors of the Union Horse Street Railway Com- pany many years, and is a member of the Mechanics' Association, the Rhode Island Historical Society, the Rhode Island Society for the Encouragement of Domestic Industry, and the Providence Horticul- tural Society, in all of which he has held offices. He is also a director of the Bristol County Agricultural Society. In his official life he was always on the alert, in search of invention and improvement, and was the first to urge the introduction of the fire alarm, and the building of Point street bridge. In 1836 Mr. Hopkins joined the Six Principle Baptist church of Providence, called the Roger Williams church, which has since passed out of existence. He now attends the Broad Street Christian church, HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 713 and for several years was the president of that society. He was one of four in Providence to aid in the organization of the Free Soil party, and afterward of the republican party. He married June 29th, 1836, Susan Arnold Ellis, of Warwick, R. I., daughter of Halsey Ellis. They have had seven children: John Henry, who married first, Minnie Lawrence, and second, Ella Irons; Rhoda Hathaway, who married John Adams; Edgar Arnold, who married Anna Millen; Amy Elizabeth, who married Earl H. Potter; Susan Adelaide, died young; Ella Arrazine, deceased; Hattie Leverne, who married Frank Chaffee, and died December 29th, 1879. Hiram Howard was born in Woodstock, Conn., November 26th, 1834. He was educated in the district schools of his native town, and in the academies of Eastford, Ashford and South Woodstock, Conn., and Webster, Mass., and when 18 years of age he came to Providence and obtained employment with the firm of Moulton & Rodman as bookkeeper. His desires being more metropolitan than could be gratified in his adopted city, he went to New York and engaged with T. B. Bynner, a jobbing jeweler, remaining in his employ until 1858, when he was admitted to a partnership, the name of the firm being- changed to T. B. Bynner & Co. He remained a member of the con- cern until 1861, and then enlisted in the Second Regiment Artillery, New York Volunteers, and was honorably discharged after three years' service. He again engaged with T. B. Bynner in 1864 as trav- eler, was soon admitted into the firm, and remained a partner until 1874. From March 1st of that year until January, 1875, he was with the firm of A. L. Kotzow & Co., selling their product of solid gold chains. He then formed a partnership with Mr. Nicoud, under the firm name of Nicoud & Howard, importers of watches, which relations lasted until 1880. But during the meantime, in the year 1878, Mr. Howard com- menced at Providence, in a small way, the manufacturing jewelry business, under the firm name of H. Howard & Co., making a line of sets, which during those days were so popular with the trade. Thus when he relinquished his partnership with Mr. Nicoud, he had a busi- ness started which required his undivided attention, It had always been the desire of Mr. Howard to be at the fountain head, for as long ago as he had relations with Mr. Bynner, he worked persistently to get the consent of his partner to enter the manufacturing business, wishing to offer to their customers goods of their own designs and make, rather than depend upon the skill of others to produce the ar- ticles they could handle. In 1884 his son, Stephen C. Howard, was admitted a partner in the business, and the firm name adopted was Howard & Son, remaining the same ever since. Mr. Howard has been connected with manufacturing about twelve years, starting small, and doing a safe, steady and wonderfully increasing business. In the fall of 1885 the firm conceived the idea of adding a separate 714 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. branch to their line of production, and The Sterling Company was formed, which since the start has been a ready means of increasing their sales and bringing the concern into the acquaintance of a new- line of customers separate entirely from those purchasing the Ameri- can lever cuff and collar buttons. When Mr. Howard started in the manufacturing business he stated that his ambition was to be at the head of an establishment where 150 hands were employed. This wish has been more than realized, for during the last year the firm have had in busy times upon their pay- roll, exclusive of their office force and salesmen, 180 operatives. Mr. Howard was married April 18th, 18.*)4, to Miss Mary Kenyon, a native of Providence, and the daughter of the late Stephen C. Ken- yon. His son Stephen is the only child they had. Mr. Howard has been connected with the Manufacturing Jewelers' Board of Trade since its organization, and has been a member of its board of directors. Mr. Howard is a member of Eureka Lodge, No. 243, F. & A. M., of New York city, also of the Reform Club of the same city. Oliver Johnson, son of Elisha and Asee (Albro) Johnson, was born at East Greenwich, R. L, June 14th, 1799. His paternal ancestor in this country came from Wales and settled on the island of Rhode Island, where, in company with his brother, he commenced the busi- ness of fulling and dressing cloth, which he had pursued in his native country. He subsequently removed to that part of East Greenwich now called Frenchtown, where he purchased a tract of land (part of which is still owned by the Johnson family) and erected a mill and dwelling house. Benjamin Johnson, the grandfather of Oliver, served for some time as judge of the common pleas court, and at the time of his death was one of the judges of the supreme court of Rhode Island, which position he had occupied for several years. Mr. Johnson's ma- ternal ancestors w T ere of French descent. He was educated at the common school in his native town, and Washington Academy at Wickford. At the early age of 15 he began to teach school, and thus worked his way through the academy, and was enabled to acquire a good education. He continued to teach until he was 23 years of age. In 1822 he quit teaching, and, with Whipple A. Arnold, engaged in general merchandising at Centreville, R. I. After being thus asso- ciated for about two years the partnership was dissolved, and Mr. Ar- nold continued to carry on the business alone. He next opened a variety store in a building owned and occupied by Doctor Sylvester Knight, and having a desire to learn the drug business, added drugs and medicines to his stock. For some time he was assisted by Doctor Knight, and studied with him until he had acquired a thorough knowl- edge of the drug business. He continued in business at Centreville until 1833, and a part of the time while there kept the Centreville Hotel, and also engaged in cotton manufacturing with John J. Wood. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 715 In April, 1833, he removed to Providence, where he has since re- sided. The year of his removal to Providence he and Doctor Knight opened a wholesale drug store on Weybosset street, where they con- tinued until the death of Doctor Knight in 1841. The stock and fix- tures of this store were then sold to Grosvenor & Chace, of Providence, and Mr. Johnson afterward opened a store for the sale of drugs, gro- ceries, cotton, cotton goods and manufacturers' supplies, at the present site of the Journal office, where he continued in business alone, and succeeded in building up a large and profitable trade. In 1846 he re- moved his business to 13 Exchange street, and has continued there until the present time. In consequence of increased trade, his store has been greatly enlarged, and now extends through to Exchange place. In 1852 he associated with his son, William S. Johnson, and the firm continued as Oliver Johnson & Son until 1859, when Benja- min W. Spink, who had for several years been in Mr. Johnson's em- ploy, was also admitted as a partner, and the business has since been continued under the firm name of Oliver Johnson & Co. They also have a large building on the corner of Eddy and Elm streets, where they grind white lead and colors. Mr. Johnson is at present the oldest wholesale druggist in the state, and, though not now an active partner, being over 91 years of age, still retains a relish for the activity of business, and may be seen almost every day at his desk in the counting room. His uprightness of character and business qualifications have won for him the esteem of his fellow citizens, and caused him to be called upon to fill various public positions. He was justice of the peace and notary public in Warwick for some time; in 1841, '52, '53, '54, 'o6 a member of the city council of Providence, holding while there the offices of chairman of the committee on education, chairman of the committee on highways, and was instrumental in locating and purchasing the present site of the city hall. He has been for several years a member of the school board. He was a representative in the general assembly of Rhode Island in 1854, '55 and '57, holding there the office of chairman of the committee on corporations, and was a member of the two conventions in 1841, called for the purpose of drafting the constitution of the state. He has been a director in several insurance companies; was a director of the City National Bank from 1834 to 1848, and has been a trustee of the Mechanics' Savings Bank since 1864, having been one of the incorporators in 1854. He has also been a director of the Westminster Bank several years. He has been an active and prominent member of the order of Freemasons since June 7th, 1823, at which time he was initiated in Manchester Lodge, No. 12, at Coventry, R. I. Notwithstanding the religious and political persecution to which Freemasons were subjected during the anti-Masonic movement, Mr. Johnson remained firm in his adherence to the order. He was twice called before the church 716 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. of which he was then a member to answer the charge of being a Free- mason; but the charge was withdrawn. He received all the decrees in Ancient Masonry, and the orders of Knighthood, and was honored with the highest offices in the gift of the fraternity. He was elected grand master of Masons by the Grand Lodge of Rhode Island in L855-6; (grand commander) eminent commander of St. John's (En- campment) Commandery in 1859; and grand high priest of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Rhode Island in 1860. He has received in all 44 degrees and orders, including the degrees of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rites. On the 6th of July, 1816, when 17 years of age, he joined the First Baptist church in Exeter, R. I., and has since been a member and prominent leader in many other churches. He has been twice married; first to Hannah S. Davis, daughter of Ezra D. and Mahitable (Reynolds) Davis, of Davisville, R. I., Septem- ber 5th, 1824. She died May 24th, 1862, aged 57 years. They had two sons: William S. and Edwin A. Johnson. He married, second, February 23d, 1864, Cordelia M. Stanwood, daughter of Solomon and Jane D. (Hamoor) Stanwood, of Ellsworth, Maine. Mr. Johnson was for many years a member of the standing committee of the Rhode Island Society for the Encouragement of Domestic Industry, and has given considerable attention to agriculture, having for some time owned a farm on Coweset bay. in Warwick. Benjamin Brayton Knight, manufacturer, senior member of the firm of B. B. & R. Knight, was born in Cranston, R. I., October 3d, 1813. He is the son of Stephen and Welthan (Brayton) Knight, with whom he spent his early life, assisting his father on the farm. His educational advantages were limited to an attendance of a few terms at the district schools, during the intervals of labor, until he was 16 years of age. From 1831 to 1833 he served as an operative in the Sprague Print Works at Cranston, and then resumed farming for two years. In 1835 the initiative movement of his business career was begun. At this time he purchased a small building near the Sprague Print Works and opened a general grocery. In 1838 he removed to Providence, and with Olney Winsor and L. E. Bowen, under the firm name of Winsor, Knight & Co., engaged in the wholesale and retail grocery business. In 1842 Mr. Knight purchased Mr. Bowen's interest and continued the business alone until 1847, when his brother, Jere- miah Knight, became associated with him, under the style of B. B. Knight & Co. Subsequently D. T. Penniman, under the firm name of Penniman, Knight & Co., associated with him in the flour and grain trade, their stand being in the Amasa Mason Block on Dyer street, Providence. ( )ne year afterw r ard Mr. Knight purchased Mr. Penni- man's interest and continued alone for about four years, doing a large and successful business. In 1840 he sold his interest in the grocery business to his brother Jeremiah, and in 1852 he sold one-half of his flour and grain interest to' his brother Robert, and at the same time HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 717 purchased of the latter one-half interest in the Pontiac Mill and Bleachery, when the firm name of B. B. & R. Knight was formed. They soon afterward retired from the flour and grain business, and have since devoted their entire time to the manufacture of cotton goods. Of the immense business carried on by B. B. & R. Knight, now the largest of its kind in the world, we will presently speak. Aside from the manufacturing interests, Mr. B. B. Knight has served the public efficiently as a legislator and as a member of the city govern- ment of Providence. He has been twice elected to the general assembly. He served as alderman in the city government of Providence from the Sixth ward in 1865, 1866 and 1867, and was chairman of the finance committee while a member of that body. He has been president of the Butchers & Drovers Bank ever since its organization, July 2d, 1853, with the exception of about one year, and is a director in differ- ent insurance companies. He has been twice married; first, in 1842. to Alice W., daughter of Elizur W. Collins, of Johnston, R. I., who died February 8th, 1850; and second, in December, 1851, to Phebe A., daughter of Abel Slocum, of Pawtuxet, R. I. There were three children by the first marriage: Henry, Mary W. and Walter (all deceased); and three children by the second marriage: Alice Spring, Henry Eugene (deceased) and Ade- laid Maria. Robert Knight, manufacturer, and a member of the firm of B. B. & R. Knight, was born in Old Warwick, R. I., January 8th, 1826. In his childhood his father, Stephen Knight, moved his family to the town of Cranston, and the lad was put to work in the Cranston Print Works when but eight years of age. He remained here but two years, and then became an employee in the cotton mill in Coventry, owned and operated by Elisha Harris. He remained here till 17 years of age, part of the time working 14 hours a day for $1.25 a week. Early in 1843 he went to Providence and entered the employment of his brother Benjamin, as a clerk in his store. Being desirous of securing an edu- cation, he staid at this place but two years, and then, through the aid of a friend, spent the 18 months following in the Pawcatuck Academy at Westerly, R. I. He next taught a district school in the town of Exeter, R. I., for four months, and in 1846 was employed by John H. Clark as a clerk in his factory store at Arnold's Bridge, now Pontiac. Mr. Clark was subsequently elected to the United States senate, at which time the cotton mill and bleachery were leased to Zachariah Parker and Mr. Knight for $5,000 a year. October 4th, 1850, Parker & Knight purchased the whole property from Mr. Clark for $40,000. The next year Mr. Knight bought his partner's interest and gave the village its present name of Pontiac. Mr. Knight is distinctively a business man, never having held any public office, but devoting his time exclusively to his business. Janu - ary 1st, 1867, he was elected one of the directors in the National Bank of Commerce, of Providence, and held that office to January 8th, 1884, 718 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. when he was elected its president, which office he now holds. October 7th, 1874, he became an incorporator in the People's Savings Bank, and was elected director at the same time. October 4th, 1876, he was elected vice-president of this institution. January 17th, 1876, he was elected a member of the standing committee, and January 21st, 1884, was elected president, which office he now holds. He has also been connected officially with several insurance companies and other bank- ing institutions, and is now a director in the N. Y., P. & B. R. R. Company. Mr. Knight married, March 5th, 1849, Josephine Louisa, daughter of Royal A. and Hannah C. (Parker) Webster, of Providence. They have had nine children: Josephine E., Robert W. (deceased), Webster, Franklin (deceased), Harriet (deceased), Clinton Prescott, Sophia, Edith, and Royal (deceased). The business organization of this firm and their enormous interest is as follows: Benjamin B. and Robert Knight are the presidents and treasurers of their several corporations; the firm of B. B. & R. Knight are the agents; Edwin Knowles is the financial secretary of the firm in charge of the Providence office and the accounts of 17 of the mills; Dexter N. Knight, brother of B. B. & R., is in a similar position as secretary of the Hebron Company, comprising the Hebron, Dodgeville and Grant mills; Fred. B. Burt is the secretary of the Clinton Manufac- turing Company; Henry A. Fifield is assistant secretary to the firm, in charge of the accounts of the cotton and finished goods; William E. Wall is agent of the firm for the sale of the goods at the principal store in Worth street, Xew York. Hebron Mill, Hebronville. Mass 19,652 spindles. Dodgeville Mill, Dodgeville. Mass 21,300 ( rrant Mill, Providence, R.I 9,056 50,008 Si i mi \ A. Knight, brother of B. B. & R.. Providence, R. I., general man- ager, with resident superintendents at each of the above mills. The Natick Mills (2), Natick, R. 1 85,984 spindles. Webstep Knight, agent. Quern of the Valley Mill, Knight's Station. R. I.... 15,000 The Royal Mills, River Point. R. 1 50,000 Prescott C. Knight, agent. Pontiac Mills, Pontiac, R. 1 27,926 Pontiac Bleachery, capacity, 132 tons per week. White Rock Mills. Westerly. R. 1 27, 500 Clinton Manufacturing Company, Woonsocket, R. L 20,581 Readville Mills. Hyde Park, Mass 19,000 Fiskville Mill, Fiskville. R. I 4,500 The Arctic Mill, Arctic. R. I 37,000 Lippitt Company Mill, Lippitt. R. 1 10,500 Jackson Mill, Jackson, R. 1 4,912 Manchaug Company. Manchaug, Mass 52,000 354,903 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNT V. 719 D. M. Thompson, Providence, R. I., general manager, with resident superin- tendents at each of the above mills. The total number of spindles owned and operated by this firm is 4(14,911. The total number of looms is 10,956. The employees of the firm number nearly 7,000 persons. The following contribution of " G. M.," as addendum notes to the biographies of the Messrs. Knight, is at the request of the publishers. The subject is presented so fully, that the usual history of their opera- tions, as we had prepared them, are deemed to be unnecessary, and therefore omitted. The article is from the pen of a prominent man, who is familiar with the subject. It is of unusual interest, because of the character and the principles included in the illustrations. To the publishers of the History of Providence County. In response to your request, the following is submitted as "adden- dum " to your biographies of Benjamin B. and Robert Knight, and your brief statement of the organization of the business interests of the firm of B. B. & R. Knight, whose unparalleled success, it is suggested to the writer, is worthy to be recorded, with such comment thereon as may be of interest to the present, and of value to the generations to follow. " The people doth delight to honor " whomsoever, through meritorious achievement, are entitled to recogni- tion for distinguished service. It is a human impulse freely, cheer- fully and spontaneously given in recognition of merit, the product of genius and acquired ability, as it may be exhibited in the achieve- ments of the soldier, statesman, jurist, philosopher or philanthropist; it is none the less due in respect to men who have in a preeminent de- gree distinguished themselves as leaders in the important fields of commercial and manufacturing industry. It is not given to all men that they shall be endowed with the spirit of genius, or that they shall possess the qualities of mind requisite to successful leadership in the important fields of domestic industry. It is intended for the best good of society, since the diversified interests of a community are best promoted by such subdivisions of labor as will secure advancement upon all of the lines of useful work. A proper knowledge of the lives of distinguished men, their hab- its, methods, struggles, the sacrifice of personal comfort and pleasure, the constant and unremitting effort, the indefatigable labor and econ- omy necessary to their success, would do much toward the enlighten- ment of those persons who profess to believe that wealth is unjustly distributed. A just appreciation of the true relation of capital and labor is necessary to the security of property, and the perpetuity of the free institutions of our country. The inviolability of contract, and the recognition of vested rights constitute the bulwark of civilized existence. Education and a diffusion among the people of important economic truths, will do much to avert a serious danger which threatens the 720 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. quiet, peaceful condition of society through the antagonisms of labor and capital, so often produced by the agitations of demagogues. These various conditions are significant of momentous results. The conse- quences of such a strife no man can measure. The civilization of the present day is the grandest spectacle the world has yet seen. It is a superstructure of vast and magnificent pro- portions, yet beneath its foundations are the quicksands of ignorance, intemperance, avarice, prejudice and passion, held thus far in place by materials and forces of a diametrically opposite nature; these must be strengthened by education upon broad and specific lines, until a higher standard of intelligence shall prevail, in which character, in- tegrity, temperance and morality shall be universally recognized as the safeguards of civilization. A just conception of individual duty as a component part in the structure of society, is a factor of safety that should be inculcated and maintained with zealous care. This is especially true in a nation within which all men are upon terms of equality before the law, where the son of the peasant or common la- borer, born in obscurity, living in a log cabin in the wilderness, or in a thatched cottage upon the borders of civilization, or within the crowded walls of the densely populous cities, may justly aspire to attain unto the most exalted positions of trust, honor or profit, within this, the most glorious country upon the face of the earth. The expe- riences of the past, during all of the years in the life of this republic, furnish the most abundant testimony in corroboration of the fact that honest and intelligent labor is sure of its reward. The biography and the history which records the success of emi- nent men, if rightlv studied and considered in thelisdit of all of the general conditions of life, must be of inestimable value as an incen- tive tending to encourage others to greater ambition, while at the same time it will serve to reconcile them to the acceptance of what- ever conditions may result after faithful and honest effort. A just appreciation of the grave responsibilities that are imposed upon the possessors of great wealth, who are actively engaged in the important industries, would remove very much of the jealousies and discontent hereinbefore referred to. Earnest, honest labor, economy, and a con- tented mind will produce the very ideal of happiness, and it is within the reach of all men, while the possessor of great wealth — though he may enjoy all of these —is through his enormous responsibilities, the servant of the people. The subjects of your biographical sketch, the Messrs. B. B. & R. Knight, to whom these "addendum" notes refer, are both of them remarkable men. Their lives and wonderful business careers are worthy of note, since their labor and skill have contributed so largely to the welfare of the state, and to the people in the communities effected by their great enterprise. The unparalleled success and the enormous possessions of the Messrs. Knight are of especial significance, since < ^ --% HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 721 their great achievement has been the result of their own individual and mutual effort. It is the product of the labor and genius of two men, skillful masters of their professions, thoroughly conversant with all of the details of their business, to which they have devoted their lives and energies without diversion therefrom during a period of over 40 years. Their success in one of the most important of the domestic indus- tries (the manufacture and finish of cotton goods) is remarkable, since it is without a parallel in the history of the world. Singular and im- pressive as this statement may appear, it is nevertheless a veritable fact. It is not an abnormal condition, neither is it a question of chance or accident. It is an exhibition of " cause and effect," in which superior natural and acquired abilities, an almost boundless ambition, steady, systematic yet herculean effort, all blended and united in con- sistent action, have produced their legitimate result. Your statement of the several manufacturing properties and num- bers of spindles, of the Messrs. Knight, convey to those unfamiliar with the subject but a slight conception of the vast magnitude of the busi- ness interests and operations of this firm. In a comparison of their interests with the large manufacturers of Europe, it should be remem- bered that the cotton manufacturers of England buy the yarn and weave the fabrics, while those who produce the yarn are cotton spin- ners, and are seldom engaged in the so-called manufacture. In the American system are united all of the operations of the manufacture, which include the carding, spinning and weaving. The principal and more important interests of the Messrs. Knight, briefly summarized, are as follows: They operate and manage, as agents for the several corporations of which they are the sole owners —except a limited interest in the Hebron and Clinton Companies— 21 cotton mills, aggregating the enormous capacity of over 400,000 spin- dles, with all of the preparatory and finishing machinery, and nearly 11,000 looms, from 30 inches to 102 inches wide, making sheetings, shirtings, print cloths, three, four and rive shade twills and fine cam- brics. They are the owners of the renowned " ticket " or trade mark, " Fruit of the Loom." The great demand for this grade of goods re- quires the operation of 4,500 looms. They are also bleachers and fin- ishers of cotton goods. The bleachery at Pontiac has a capacity of 22 tons of goods per day, which amount is equal to only about 60 per cent, of the production of their mills. Preparations are in progress for the improvement, reorganization and enlargement of this bleach- ery, to double its present capacity, at an early day. Their vast prop- erty consists of 15 villages, absolutely separate and independent of each other, except in their general management (as shown in the statement before named). Of the aforesaid 21 mills, 16 have been ex- tensively enlarged, reorganized and thoroughly repaired during the past eight years, requiring the expenditure of nearly five million dol- 46 722 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. lars. It is believed that they are unsurpassed in respect to the excel- lence of their operations and product. The annual consumption of cotton is nearly 53,000 bales, from which are produced yarns from No. 24 to No. 60. The annual product of all the mills in cloth, considered upon the basis of the " Fruit of the Loom," would, in lineal length, amount to 77,500,000 yards, which would encircle the globe over If times. If this were reduced to the basis of yard wide goods, it would be nearly twice around the earth. If the yarn required in the production of the cloth, as above cited, were extended as a single and continuous thread, it would encircle the earth over 12,000 times These figures are strikingly suggestive of the wonderful, nay, even marvelous progress of the past hundred years, since the period when cotton yarns were the product of the hand spinning wheel. The actual product of the mills of the Messrs. Knight is considerably more than the aforesaid 77,500,000 yards, since (3,500 looms are weaving goods of other varieties, the productions of which are from ten per cent, to more than double the aforesaid " Fruit of the Loom." Three of the villages, viz.: Lippitt, Fiskville and Jackson are upon the north branch of the Pawtuxet river; they each have valuable water powers. The mills are small, having an aggregate capacity of about 20,000 spindles. It is generally understood that it is the inten- tion of the Messrs. Knight to improve these properties in the near fu- ture, by the erection of new mills, adding from 75,000 to possibly 100,- 000 spindles, in which event they would reach the enormous capacity of 500,000 spindles, and over 14,000 looms. All of their mill properties, except in Providence and Woonsocket, comprise large tracts of land. The farms are stocked with work cat- tle, young stock, and about 300 milch cows. The farm and mill ser- vice requires about 120 horses. The farming is a large interest, and it is operated mainly for the purpose of giving employment to the heads of families who would otherwise be without work, or obliged to seek employment elsewhere. The hay crop the past year was about 1,200 tons. The principal crop is potatoes, with a considerable amount of corn, oats and vegetables. About 25,000 tons of ice is gathered annu- ally, the larger part of which is sold to dealers in Providence. Stores are maintained, where it is intended that the employees can secure goods of all description, of the best of their several kinds, at as low a cost as can be procured elsewhere, one of the chief objects be- ing to secure to the employees every advantage and privilege that can be obtained under the most favorable circumstances. In all of the villages there are competing stores, and employees exercise their free choice as to whom they will give patronage. The influences of the stores as conducted by the several corporations of this firm are of unquestioned benefit to the communities, since they secure a healthy competition, and thereby protect the buyers, who are in large part the HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 723 •employees of this firm. The stores are conducted upon the same care- ful system as in the case of the mills. There is one general manager of all the stores, Mr. J. S. Paige, with headquarters at the Providence office. The very large business in the aggregate sales of these stores constitutes the most ample testimony as to their utility. The Messrs. Knight own about 1,700 tenements, which are occu- pied by their employees. These tenements are principally double cottages of seven rooms for each family. They possess every conven- ience for comfortable living, and each house has from 8,000 to 10,000 square feet of land. All of the two story, four family houses, built some years since, and according to the custom of former times, with a single entrance, and with the stairs and halls for the common use of the several families, are being remodelled as rapidly as possible, and made to conform to modern ideas of correct living, to wit: that the apartments for the use of families shall be in absolutely indepen- dent groups, having no communication within the interior, and there- fore strictly private. Other important improvements are in progress and in preparation, with the purpose of making the villages in the highest degree healthful, pleasant and attractive for comfortable resi- dence. The Messrs. Knight own the controlling interest in the Cranston Printing, Dyeing and Bleaching Works at Cranston, R. I., formerly the property of the A. & W. Sprague Manufacturing Company, and one of the largest in the country. They have also other large inter- ests, both as a firm and individually. The firm of B. B. & R. Knight are also merchants, independent of all other operations and interests hereinbefore cited. Their principal store is on Worth street, New York. They also have agencies in Bos- ton, Hartford, Philadelphia and Baltimore, the operations of all being directed from their central office in Providence. They have no ac- counts with commission houses upon which they can draw. They sell their own goods, and carry the accounts of all of their customers. In this connection, it is worthy to observe the general policy and method pursued by this firm in the conduct of its multifarious and enormous interests. The principal raw material used is cotton. This is bought in the beginning of the season, a full year's stock is put into the store- houses of their several mills, involving an outlay of capital of about $2,500,000. This also applies in a measure to the general supplies, in- volving a large investment in stock. Aside from the foregoing, there is the stock in process of manufacture, and the large stock of goods in process of finishing, and the goods in the store-house; subject to the varying demands of the trade, seldom less than a quarter to a half million of dollars, and not infrequently amounting to the value of several millions of dollars in times of business depression. The firm do not stop their mills or curtail their production, however serious .and threatening the financial conditions may be. In times when con- 724 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. fidence seems almost an abandoned hope, and many important interests are suspended or their operations are contracted, the Knight Mills are always in operation. It has been their policy upon such occasions to make their largest improvements and most exten- sive outlays. The savings which they are enabled to make at such periods is generally equal to the earning- capacity of the mills under prosperous business. It is doubtless true that their example has been of much value, tending to support and strengthen confidence so im- portant to commercial prosperity. This policy in periods of depres- sion has been of exceeding value to many interests dependent upon them, and the result is a confirmation of the wise and judicious direc- tion which is apparent in all of their vast operations. It is impossible to give in this brief sketch any more than a super- ficial outline. The nearer one may approach to a definite comprehen- sion of the business interests of this firm, the more fully will it be realized that they are not only unparalleled in their magnitude, but it will also appear as almost incredible that such enormous interests can be the product of single lives, and vet — as hereinbefore stated- such is the fact, and the men whose genius, ability, economy, thrift and business sagacity have produced this almost phenomenal result are to-day in the vigor of health, and in the personal management of their enormous business operations exhibit no signs of abated energy or loss of interest. I cannot conclude this sketch without a notice of the interest mani- fested by this firm in matters outside of the simple operations of their mills. In several of their villages they have built churches, in others large halls for the pleasure and benefit of their employees, as also for use in religious service. It is to be observed also that they contribute liberally to the support of Christian work, irrespective of their denomi- nation; their aid has been extended to Protestant and Catholic. At Hebron there is a fine church built by them for the Methodists. At Natick they are rebuilding in the most thorough, liberal and conven- ient manner the Baptist church and vestry. At Pontiac there is an Episcopal church which is worthy of especial notice. It is one of the finest in the state, a beautiful example of modern church architecture; its interior is of elegant design, tastefully decorated and most liberally furnished. It has a fine pipe organ, indirect steam heating, and a gas plant for lighting. There are beautiful memorial windows which adorn both chancel and transept. A large and spacious parish house of three stories adjoins the church building. The basement is fitted with a large hall, kitchen, and all of the conveniences and appliances for cooking tributary t<> the pleasures of social gatherings. It has also a full and complete equipment for gymnasium exercises. The second floor lias ;i large vestry hall for Sunday school services, with a fine organ and two large class rooms. From one of these there is an entrance to the rector's studv, and thence into the altar within the K Aj~- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 725 chancel. From the other class room there is an entrance on one side into the vestry, and upon the other into the beautiful auditorium of the church. The third floor has a large hall and two smaller rooms, all of them fitted and furnished complete, with a library for reading rooms, and also for the use of the society in its various circles for charity work. With the completion of the rectory it will present as charming a spectacle of liberality and deep interest in Christian work and in the welfare of the employees of a corporation as can well be conceived. This church, with its several appendages and complete equipment, is the munificent gift of the Messrs. B. B. & R. Knight, and built in 1888 at a cost of about $25,000. These few examples fittingly illustrate the spirit and fore-shadow the purposes of this firm in respect to questions of a public interest, so closely inter- woven into their business management. The importance and the value of such work as this cannot be over-estimated. The interest thus exhibited is worthy of the highest commendation. The benefi- cent effects to result therefrom will be far reaching, and involve great good to both benefactor and the beneficiaries. The benefactions of illustrious men throughout the world have by their munificent gifts contributed inestimable benefits to the people. The aid thus extended has assisted to unlock the treasure house of knowledge, to develop the arts and sciences, to bring into subjection the forces of nature, and render possible the advancement of the inter- est of all classes of the people, as now visible in the present age. Benefactors include, also, those who have attained preeminent dis- tinction as leaders m the fields of literature, science, the mechanic arts and commerce. It is the aggregation of these forces, utilized in the direction of the active labor of the people from day to day, assisted by capital representing the accumulated savings of labor in the past, that is essential to the prosperity of the people. Benefactions differ in 'magnitude, and are manifest in a variety of forms. The possessor of great wealth is a benefactor, in such degree as he may devote his capital and labor in the building up of the great industries that give permanent and safe employment to the people upon the basis of a just compensation. It is especially in this role that we must regard nearly all men during the activities of their busi- ness career. It is in this light that the interests and the personal character of the subjects of this sketch are to be considered. The magnitude of their business operations and their financial success are without a parallel in the world, when considered within the lines of their field of work. The confidence reposed in them respecting the security and permanence of their business operations, and the appre- ciation and regard for their experience and judgment in the direction of such vast financial interests, as also in the counsels of the boards of direction, and in the positions of chief executive management of 726 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. several of the large banking institutions, constitute a factor of safety- even in a community of great wealth, as in the city of Providence,, where success has crowned the efforts of other men in an eminent degree. A history of the lives and business career of these two brothers would be one of unusual interest to the present, and the generations to follow them. The contributions of their energies and labor have been of value to the world. They are men who have come up from the ranks, they have seen all sides and phases of life, from poverty to the possession of enormous wealth. The route over which they T traveled is free and open to all. They have by fair, honest effort, attained unto the position which they now occupy. They are of simple habits, without ostentation or show. The interest in their employees as exhibited in the liberal plans, now in process of execution, respect- ing the order of their villages, the comfort and pleasure of the people, provision for amusement, education, church work and charities, all of which are rendered in a quiet, unassuming manner, but with a just and liberal spirit. These are evidences of a desire and purpose on their part to advance the interest of the communities where their mills are located, that must be of great value in the promotion of order, good feeling, and reciprocal interest to all concerned. They are men of strong convictions, powerful in the natural re- sources of both mind and body; the traits of their character are pre- eminently positive. They are possessed of an indomitable spirit, an iron will, a courage that never falters. Difficulties, however formid- able, do not restrain them; whatever their judgment approves, and they believe to be right, they enter upon with a determined spirit, and pursue it until the object is accomplished. Beneath the shield of these strong forces, which have made their success, there are other qualities in their character equally deserving of mention, which have been concealed, it may be, from the public view, by the force of the circumstances which surround them. They are men of deep sym- pathies and tender hearts. x\ll who have had the privilege of intimate personal acquaintance, or social relations, must have recognized these as strongly marked. There are many who have been the recipients of their favor in influence, financial assistance, or charity 7 , who knew not from whence it came, or the hand which bestowed it. The subjects of this review, who now occupy a position of such vast influence and power, were born of poor parents, trained and nur- tured by loving hearts, the principles constituting the foundations of their lives, inculcated through the teachings of a Christian mother, from necessity placed at work when very young, with but limited ed- ucational advantages. Benjamin B. upon the farm, then into the print works, from thence into the store, where he acquires the experience and practical knowledge which laid the foundation of his career as a HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 727 merchant and financier. Robert in the mills at the age of eight years, working fourteen hours a dav for a trifling sum, several years later receiving but $1.25 per week, possessed of the same spirit of ambition which appears so conspicuously in later life, he is enabled to surmount many of the difficulties surrounding his boyhood, and we find him as a teacher in a district school, later as a clerk in the office of John H. Clark, at Arnold's Mills, subsequently purchased by him and given its present name of Pontiac. His labor and training in the mills gave to him the necessary practical knowledge as a manufacturer, to which must be attributed in a large measure his subsequent success. Both of these brothers combine with their technical knowledge rare qualities of administrative ability, the result of great native tal- ent and training. Adding to these the great energy, the indomitable will, the steady industry and consistent labor, the careful attention to the most minute details of their business, constitutes the essential ele- ments which have secured their unparalleled success, and placed them in the preeminently distinguished position which they now occupy. The tribute of praise or commendation bestowed upon distinguished men in public life is the expression of the heart and judgment of the people, prompted by the beating pulse of a reciprocal interest. The benefactor becomes the beneficiary of the people's favor and honor. This reciprocity of interest strengthens confidence, opens up a wider field for usefulness, gives an added zest to human effort, and enables all of the forces to be utilized in the highest degree for the public wel- fare. It is upon lines parallel to these in principle that a just and proper recognition should be awarded to all men, who though in pri- vate life, have preeminently distinguished themselves by great or ex- traordinary achievement. The biography, or history of men, is of real value only when considered in the spirit of a just desire to profit by the lesson their example teaches. Its relation to men still in the greatest activities of their life, and in the very zenith of their power and influence, is especially significant. In the sense of their import- ant relation to the great industrial interests which contribute so much to the public advantage, they are public men; hence it follows that whatever tends to the establishment of a reciprocity of interest and good will between the people and such men of the people, who, through their genius and great ability, have become possessed of vast wealth and power, must inevitably result in the largest measure to the public and the best good of the people. It is with this feeling and a recognition of the principles herein suggested, that I desire to pay a just tribute of respect to Benjamin B. and Robert Knight, whose names and power, now so widely known and recognized, are henceforth to become a great and controlling in- fluence in the industrial and financial interests of the state of Rhode Island. G. M. 728 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Herbert W. Ladd. — Among the younger men of Rhode Island, none is more widely or favorably known than the subject of this sketch. In the numerous public positions which he has filled, he has discharged the duties in a manner highly creditable to himself, and to the fullest satisfaction of those who called him to service. Herbert Warren Ladd, son of Warren and Lucy (Kingman) Ladd, was born in New Bedford, Mass., October 15th, 1843. He was edu- cated in the public schools of New Bedford, and was graduated from the high school of that city in 1860. Shortly after his graduation he entered a wholesale dry goods house, where he remained a year, when, in 1861, he accepted a position on the New Bedford Mercury. His abilities were at once recognized, and he soon became one of the most efficient reporters and correspondents of that paper. As a writer he was clear, accurate and graphic, and his letters to the Mercury from various points in the South and West during the war for the suppres- sion of the rebellion were of exceptional merit and interest. The first Sunday newspaper published in New England, outside of Boston, was an extra Mercury issued by him to announce the battle of Freder- icksburg. In 1864 he re-entered the dry goods business in Boston, with White, Brown & Co., then the largest importers of foreign dress goods in the United States. In the spring of 1871 he came to Providence and founded the extensive dry goods house now widely known by the name of the H. W. Ladd Company, of which he is president, and with which he has been prominently identified a score of years. Here his ability as an organizer first manifested itself, the business of this large retail establishment being conducted with as much system and attention to details as that of any railroad or steamship corporation in the country. Although engrossed with a large and constantly increasing busi- ness, he has always taken a lively interest in public affairs. He was the founder, and for three years president, of the Providence Com- mercial Club, an organization which embraces in its membership the representative men of the city and state, and the reputation of which is widely extended by reason of the large number of distinguished men from all parts of the country who have attended its gatherings and spoken on topics which were engaging public attention. He was also one of the organizers of the Congregational Club, one of the most flourishing institutions of its kind in New England. For two years he was vice-president of the Providence Board of Trade. As presi- dent of the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, he devised the present systematic and efficient organization of that philanthropic association. When he assumed the presidency, the institution was literally " without house or home," the children en- trusted to its care being provided for as best they could be under the circumstances. But, notwithstanding the pressure of his own busi- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 729 ness, he remained at the head of the society until, by his persistency of purpose and untiring energy, it was enabled to procure a spacious house in a pleasant location, making for the little ones a home of which the city and state may well be proud. No worthy charity is ever brought to his attention without meeting a quick and generous response. Numerous other organizations, among which may be mentioned the Young Men's Christian Association of Providence, of which he is a member, and to which he is a large contributor, the Providence Press Club, and the Rhode Island Choral Association, have experienced the benefit of his personal enthusiasm and liberal public spirit. He is also a prominent member of the Hope Club and other social organi- zations, and a director in the Atlantic National Bank of Providence. Though frequently invited to the same position in larger financial in- stitutions in the city, he has never been able to give to them the time which he felt that their importance demanded. In the movement for enlarged and better railway terminal facilities for the city of Provi- dence he has always taken a deep interest, and the plans adopted are very nearly identical with those advocated by him in 1884. Although repeatedly urged, it was not until the spring of 1889 that he consented to become a candidate for any office in the gift of the people. His uniform reply was: " I am a business man, and not trained in the" school of politics." But that year, in response to the earnest solicitations of the republicans of Rhode Island, he allowed his name to be used as a candidate for governor, and was unanimously nominated in the convention. The republicans had hardly an even chance for electing their ticket. There was no choice of governor by the people, but he was elected by the general assembly. To the office of chief magistrate of the state he brought the same energy and pub- lic spirit which had characterized him in his private business. There was no portion of the state's affairs with which he did not at once make himself intelligently familiar; and without any disparagement to his long line of honorable predecessors, it may be truthfully stated that Rhode Island has never had a more progressive governor, one who better understood its wants and made provision for meeting them. He inaugurated public improvements which, when fully com- pleted, will reflect great credit upon his sagacity and foresight, and entitle him to be forever remembered with gratitude by his fellow- citizens. In his annual message to the general assembly he called attention to the necessity of a new and better state house in Providence. Ap- pended to the message were engravings of the modern capitol build- ings of twelve different states, thus strikingly illustrating Rhode Island's poverty in this respect. A commission, of which Governor Ladd was made chairman, was immediately appointed to recommend a suitable site and obtain plans and estimates for a new building 730 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Another matter in which Governor Ladd became deeply interested was the establishment of a state home for disabled and indigent vet- erans of the war of the rebellion. In Governor Ladd the old soldier has always had a firm friend, and as chairman of a commission ap- pointed by the general assembly, he was largely instrumental in securing for this purpose, as a gift from the town of Bristol, the Greene farm comprising upward of one hundred acres. The formal transfer of the land by the president of the town council to Governor Ladd as the representative of the state, was made a notable event in local history. The formality was observed with great ceremony and according to ancient custom, a handful of sod, as a token representing the metes and bounds, being given and received as emblematic of the gift from town to state. The state militia also had cause for gratitude to Governor Ladd, for to him is due the credit of obtaining the new uniforms which were so much needed. Moreover, a visit to Washington was the occasion of a personal interview with the secretary of war in the interests of the state militia, the result of which was a valuable addi- tion to the arms of the Rhode Island troops. The condition of the roads in the state also received attention in the governor's message, and suggestions were made as to how they might be improved. After referring to the great necessity which existed for an intelligent reform in road making and road keeping, and the advantage to the state of a uniform road law, he remarked: ' To keep well built roads in good repair, under intelligent super- vision and single authority, is not costly; a poor road is costly under all circumstances." As the result of calling attention to this subject, in many parts of the state an improvement in the management of the highways is already perceptible. Manv other matters of a practical nature received attention in this message, and that they commended themselves to the legislature is evidenced by the fact that, notwith- standing the house of representatives was democratic, 2,000 extra copies of the message were ordered printed by that body. During the summer of 1881) Governor Ladd resided at Newport, where he had the honor of entertaining President Harrison and other distinguished guests. Later, ex-President Cleveland was a guest at " Maycroft." He also entertained Admiral Brown de Colstoun and other officers of the French flagship "Arathusa," who, with other naval and military officers stationed at Newport, as well as some of its most distinguished citizens, visited Providence, where a banquet was served, after which they inspected some of the important manufacturing establishments in the city. As an illustration of the watchfulness of Rhode Island's interests which characterized Governor Ladd's administration, it may be men- tioned that while at Newport attention was called by him to the fact that at Narragansett Pier an opportunity was furnished for making HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 731 one of the finest ports on the Atlantic coast, enabling European steamers to land passengers in New York several hours quicker than by the present ocean route. Being deeply interested in the location of the World's Fair in 1893, he invited the business men and representatives of business associa- tions from all parts of the state to a conference in Providence in the fall of 1889. An interesting discussion of the subject was had, and representatives from New York, Chicago and Washington were pres- ent, who advocated the claims of their respective cities. The agricul- tural interests of the state received a good deal of attention from Governor Ladd, and the Farmers' Institute meetings during his term proved a great success. The experiment station at Kingston also had reason to appreciate his assistance. During his term Governor Ladd assisted in laying the corner-stone of the new building of the Provi- dence Young Men's Christian Association. The crowning act of Governor Ladd's official life occurred in con- nection with the 121st annual commencement of Brown University, he being present as the state's representative. At the conclusion of the alumni dinner, and before the more formal post-prandial exercises began, President Ezekiel G. Robinson announced to the large assembly that he was authorized to state that His Excellency had decided to present to the university an astronomical observatory and its full equipment. This announcement was received with the wildest enthu- siasm. Never was there a more gratifying surprise to the students, alumni and friends of the university than this munificent gift of Governor Ladd, and for which all Rhode Islanders and the sons of Brown, wherever located, justly felt a deep sense of gratitude to the public spirited donor. Others have followed his noble example of generosity, and the university has received a fresh impetus therefrom. In the spring of 1890 Governor Ladd's administration of the state's affairs received emphatic endorsement by his unanimous re-nomina- tion, but, owing to dissensions and disagreements as to party policy, for which he was in no way responsible, the republicans suffered defeat. Governor Ladd married. May 25th, 1870, Emma Frances, daughter of Caleb Gerald and Elizabeth Holmes Burrows, of Providence. Of six children, only tw r o are living: Elizabeth Burrows and Hope. Mrs. Ladd died just as her husband entered upon his duties as governor. Henry Lippitt was born in Providence, R. I., October 9th, 1818. He is descended from John Lippitt, who came to Rhode Island in 1638, two years after its settlement by Roger Williams, and was the first of the name who arrived in this country. In 1647 he was one of the committee appointed to organize the colony under the parliamen- tary charter. The ancestors of the subject of this sketch were among the pioneer cotton manufacturers of Rhode Island. In November, 1809, Christopher and Charles Lippitt, Benjamin Aborn, George Jack- 732 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. son and Amasa and William H. Mason organized the Lippitt Manu- facturing Company, with a capital of $40,000. Christopher Lippitt was the first agent of the company. Their mill, which was erected in 1807, in what is now the village of Centreville, in Warwick, was the third in the state. The yarns were first woven by hand looms into cloth, but in 1820 power looms were introduced into their fac- tory. Warren Lippitt, son of Charles and father of Henry, was in early life a sea captain, but subsequently entered into business in Provi- dence as a cotton merchant, having also a branch house in Savannah, Ga. Henry received a good English education at the academy in Kingston, R. I. Shortly after leaving the academy he entered into mercantile business, and from that time to the present he has been actively identified with the commercial and manufacturing interests of the state. He is also connected with a number of the leading financial institutions in Providence, as well as various corporations outside of manufacturing. He is president of the Silver Springs Bleachery and Dyeing Company, and his eldest son, Charles Warren Lippitt is treasurer and agent; and is also president of the Lippitt Woolen Company, and has been since its organization in 1865. Mr. Lippitt has always taken a lively interest in public affairs, and been intimately connected with every enterprise calculated to en- hance the prosperity and general welfare of the people. Some 15 to 18 years ago, seeing that the city was sadly in need of better hotel accommodations and a first-class opera house, he took hold of the matter in earnest and with a determination to succeed. After several years of active and persistent effort the result was the present beautiful opera house and the magnificent Narragansett Hotel, which arc indeed an honor to the city. It is but just to say that the accom- plishment of these two enterprises is due more to the individual exer- tion of Mr. Lippitt than to that of any other citizen. He was treasurer and president of the hotel corporation until it was sold to Mr. Charles Fletcher, and has been president of the opera house association since its formation. He was one of the organizers and the first vice-president of the Providence Board of Trade, and its second president for three years. He was active in reorganizing the Providence Marine Corps of Artil- lery in 1840, and in 1842 was elected lieutenant-colonel of the corps, after serving in the various subordinate positions, and commanded a portion of the company armed and drilled as infantry through the " Dorr War " in 1842. In 1861, on the outbreak of the war of the re- bellion, he was appointed by the governor of the state enrollment commissioner for Rhode Island, and it was in consequence of his ener- getic action that the quotas assigned to Rhode Island were so promptly filled. He was governor of the state in 1875 and 1876, serving through both terms with distinguished ability, and took an active part in , HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 733 honoring- Rhode Island at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876. His high character for financial ability and integrity is signally illustrated by the fact, that at no time during the past fifty years has his annual business ever amounted to less than $500,000, and fre- quently it has exceeded $4,000,000; and during that long period, not- withstanding the many financial disturbances that have occurred, he has never failed, nor even been obliged to ask for an extension of time on his commercial paper. He is universally esteemed in busi- ness circles as an energetic, frank, outspoken man who can be always relied upon. He married, December 16th, 1845, Mary Ann Balch, daughter of Doctor Joseph Balch. They have had eleven children, six of whom, three sons and three daughters, are now living. Isaac M. Potter, son of John and Mary (Arnold) Potter, was born in Scituate, R. I., August 23d, 1833. He is the youngest of eight chil- dren, six of whom are now living. His father was a descendant in the seventh generation of Robert Potter, who came from England in 1628, settling in Salem, Mass., but later removed to Rhode Island, where he became one of its distinguished founders. Colonel Potter's maternal ancestor in America was William Arnold, who settled in New England about the year 1636, and soon afterward removed to Providence, R. I., being an associate of Roger Williams, and one of the thirteen original grantees of " Pawtuxet Purchase." The ancestry of William Arnold may be traced back to the eleventh century, when one of the Arnolds, king of the Britons, reigned and built Abergavenny and its castle. The descendants of William are very numerous, and we find from the " Potter Genealogy " of their making matrimonial alliances with the Williamses and Watermans. Colonel Potter was educated in the public schools of his native town and at Lapham Institute, North Scituate, and also took a business course at Scholfield's Commercial College, Providence. When 19 years of age he was apprenticed to a manufacturing jeweler in Providence, with whom he remained about four years, gaining there the first prac- tical knowledge of the business which has been his life occupation. Having earned enough to start in business for himself, in 1856, Colonel Potter associated with Albert W. Delnah in the manufacture of jew- elry. Prosperity attended this enterprise, and they continued together until the spring of 1861, when the civil war commenced. Business was then stopped, and both partners enlisted in the service of their country. Mr. Potter at once enlisted as a private in Company C, First Regiment, Rhode Island Volunteers, with which he proceeded to Washington, D. C, and took part in the first battle of Bull Run, serv- ing faithfully with his regiment until it was mustered out of service. The following winter he received a commission from Governor Sprague to raise a company for the Third Regiment of Rhode Island Heavy 734 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. Artillery; but before the company was completed the urgent call for troops took him south. While there he was in active service at the -capture of Fort Pulaski, Ga. Later he was ordered to join the expedi- tion against Charleston. " They landed on James island June 9th, 1862, and on the 16th of the same month, at the battle of Secession- ville, one of the hottest engagements of the war, Lieutenant Potter was severely wounded in the right wrist, while leading his men against the enemy's works. After the battle he received a sick leave and re- turned home." His wound was quite serious and required the best of surgical skill to save his hand, only the partial use of which he has since regained. He resigned his commission as first lieutenant, and having partially recovered from his wound, accepted, November 20th, 1862, an appointment as captain in the Fifth Regiment, Rhode Island Infantry. This regiment was then stationed at Newbern, N. C, but ■Captain Potter did not join them until February, 1863, having in the meantime been engaged in recruiting in the state. Soon after arriv- ing at Newbern he was stricken with yellow fever and narrowly es- caped death. In April, 1863, General John J. Foster,' commanding the department ■of North Carolina, went to Little Washington to inspect the garrison and defenses, and was besieged by the enemy. Colonel Sisson volun- teered the services of the Fifth Regiment to go to his relief. They •embarked on board the " Escort," a common side-wheel steamer, taking a quantity of ammunition which was placed on the lower deck. The officers and men not on duty were ordered below so a> to insure their safety as far as possible. Captain Potter was placed in command -of a picked company of sharpshooters stationed on the main deck. The pilot steamed safely through the passage in the blockade, grazing only once on the piles. They passed three formidable batteries at short range, and arrived in Little Washington without losing a man. If a shot or shell had struck the boiler or ammunition undoubtedly most of those aboard would have been lost. The " Escort " returned to Newbern the next day with General Foster on board. In passing the batteries the pilot was shot through the head and killed. Perhaps the running of the blockade for the relief of Little Washington ranks .as one of the most hazardous and brilliant achievements that occurred during the war. The 44th Massachusetts, one of the besieged regi- ments, feeling deeply the services rendered, presented the Fifth with a beautiful silk flag. Captain Potter, with a few others, received special mention by Colonel Sisson in his official report, for the able performance of duty; and the general assembly at its May session in I 863 passed a resolution of thanks to Colonel Sisson and the officers and men of the regiment for the gallantry and heroism displayed in the siege for the relief of General Foster. Captain Potter remained with his regiment until the close of the war. February 27th, 1865, he was appointed major and soon afterward ■.f.^t&l HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 735 brevetted lieutenant-colonel. When peace was declared, he again took up his former business, associating himself with Fred W. Symonds in Providence. They continued successfully in partnership for three years, when Mr. Symonds sold his interest to John M. Buf- finton, and the firm style has since been Potter & Buffinton. Their specialty is solid gold goods and they rank among the best manufac- turers of the state. Colonel Potter was chosen a representative to the general assembly of Rhode Island in 1875, and reelected in 1876, serving the first year on the committee on militia, and the second year as chairman of the joint standing committee on executive com- munications. He is a member of the G. A. R. of Rhode Island and was a delegate to the national encampment held at Dayton, O., in 1880. He was also a delegate in 1880 to the national republican con- vention, and one of the presidential electors from Rhode Island in 1884. He has been for several years a member of the board of trade, also member of the What Cheer Lodge since 1860. Colonel Potter married October 28th, 1875, Josephine Elizabeth, daughter of William H. and Alphileda (Lyon) Arnold of Providence. They have had one child, Gladys A., born December 4th, 1883. A strict business man, yet generous of nature, genial in companion- ship, and commanding of presence are Colonel Potter's chief charac- teristics. He has won the high respect of the citizens of Providence, and though he holds an enviable position socially his main enjoyment is his home and family. Fitz-James Rice was born in Barre, Mass., July 1 4th, 1814, and is the son of Micajah and Lucy (Bannister) Rice. During his infancy his parents removed to Framingham, Mass., his father's native town. The progenitor of the Rice family in America was Edmund Rice, who lived in Berkhamstead, Hertfordshire, England, and in 1638 came to this country with his family and settled in Sudbury, Mass. Phineas Rice, the paternal grandfather of Fitz-James, was a lieutenant in the continental army during the revolutionary war. When the English parliament, previous to the revolution, closed the port of Boston to commerce and navigation, he rendered the country a great service in transporting, by means of ox teams, valuable merchandise from New York to Boston. Fitz-James Rice lived in Framingham, Mass., until he was 17 years of age, when he went to Medfield, Mass., where he spent four years in learning the baking business in the establishment of W. P. Balch. After completing his apprenticeship he went to Fall River, Mass., where he remained one year. In 1837 he removed to Providence, and was employed in the bakery of Benjamin Balch for five years, at the end of which time he entered into business for himself. In 1849 he formed a partnership with George W. Hayward, formerly an apprentice with him at Medfield, and laid the foundation of the extensive and profita- ble business now being carried on by the firm of Rice & Hayward, 736 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. their establishment being one of the largest of the kind in New Eng- land. In 1800 William S. Hayward, son-in-law of Mr. Rice, was ad- mitted as a member of the firm. In 1863 the partnership was dis- solved, and the business transferred to William S. Hayward. In the division of the property of the firm, the real estate came to Mr. Rice as a part of his share, which he leased to Mr. Hayward, who carried on the business alone for two years, at the expiration of which time Mr. Rice again became associated with him under the old firm name of Rice & Hayward, and this partnership still continues. In 1868 Mr. Rice was elected a member of the Providence city council and reelected in 1869. He joined the High Street Congrega- tional church in 1856, during the pastorate of Reverend Doctor Wol- cott. This church afterward united with the Richmond Street church, and is now called Union church. In 1877 he became a life member of the Young Men's Christian Association of Providence, in which he has for many years taken a deep interest, and to which he has liberally contributed both of his time and means. He is particularly interested in missionary work, and for a number of years has been a member of the Board of Commissioners of Foreign Missions, and is a member of the Pomham Club. He is also a prominent Mason, having been a member of the What Cheer Lodge of Freemasons since 1857, and is a Knight Templar in Calvary Commandery. Mr. Rice has been twice married; first December 25th, 1837, to Elizabeth Cook of Fall River, who died in 1872. By this union there were five children: Lucy M., George A., Arthur G., Caroline C. and Lizzie J., the first two of whom are the only ones now living. In 1874 he married Mrs. Rebecca R. Cook, widow of William B. Cook, of New Bedford, Mass. Mr. Cook was a brother of Mr. Rice's first wife. During his long residence in Providence, extending over a period of more than 50 years, Mr. Rice has always resided on Christian hill in the Sixth ward. He is highly esteemed for his business capacity, social qualities and benevolent disposition. Gilbert Francis Robbins was the son of Abel and Julia A. Rob- bins, and was born in the town of Burrillville, R. I., August 26th, L838. His early life was passed in his native town, attending school there until the age of 17 years, when he entered the East Greenwich Academy, where he obtained a practical business education. He afterward returned to Burrillville and engaged in business for a few years, leaving there in 1860 and removing to Providence to engage in the clothing business with his brother-in-law, Mr. Serrill Mowry, at No. 4 Washington Row, which they carried on with success in the same location for 23 years. At that time (1884) they admitted Mr. Marcus M. Inman, another brother-in-law, to the firm, changing the firm name to Mowry, Robbins & Co., and then removed to a more commodious store on the corner of Westminster and Dorrance streets. Mr. Robbins became the mayor of Providence while carrying on busi- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 737 ness at that location, and brought his connection with the firm to a close practically, at the same time his last mayoralty term ended. The most interesting part of the life of ex-Mayor Robbins, by far, was political. He was a strong republican, and much interested in public matters, and especially in improvements for the benefit of public good in the city, during his term of office. In 1879 he was elected a member of the common council from the Seventh ward, serving until 1882, when he was elected alderman of the same ward, and in 1883 w r as reelected and received the honor of president of the board, serving in that position until the death of ex-Mayor Doyle, in June, 1886, when he became acting mayor of Providence, serving as such until the close of the year, when he was elected mayor with all power, and was reelected in 1888. The year 1881) drew his public life to a close, for he retired from the office of mayor. He was a member of several secret societies, and had risen to the honor of a Knight Templar in St. John's Lodge of Freemasons. He was most prominently connected with the order of Odd Fellows, and was honored with the highest offices in its power to bestow, in all of which he served with marked ability and fidelity, which won for him the same esteem and respect which he received in his political life. In religious preference he was a Universalist. Ex-Mayor Robbins married Mrs. Susan Olive Whipple, daughter of Manning Arnold, of Burrillville, who survives him. They had no chil- dren. He was a self-made man and his private life was above reproach. He died September 27th, 1889, his removal lamented by the city he had so faithfully and loyally served, as well as by a host of friends all over the state, who respected him for his honorable career and manly character. His mortal remains rest in Swan Point Cemetery, Providence. Elisha Hutchinson Rockwell, the present managing agent of the Merchants and Miners Transportation Company's Providence, Norfolk and Baltimore steamers, was born in the town of Lebanon, Conn., October 16th, 1829, and is the fifth son of Jabez and Eunice (Bailey) Rockwell of that town, who were the parents of ten sons and three daughters. He is a descendant of William Rockwell, who came from England in 1630 and settled at Dorchester, Mass. His father, Jabez Rockwell, was a man of force and character, to whom the subject of this sketch is not a little indebted for the vitality of life and the spirit of energy which he possesses. At the age of eight and a half years he was placed on the farm of Timothy E. Metcalf, of Lebanon, Conn., for a term of three years, compensation to be food, clothing and four months' schooling each year. At the expiration of this time he was placed on the farm of David S. Woodworth, of the same town, for two years, the compensation to be the same as received before. When 15 years of age he was employed in the woolen mill of Henry Gillette, of Bozrahville, Conn., but two years later accepted a 47 738 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. better position in the woolen mill of the Rockville Manufacturing- Company, of Rockville, Conn. After remaining there two years, he apprenticed himself to his brother, John M. Rockwell, Norwich, Conn., to learn the trade of lettering monuments and tombstones. At the end of two years he purchased the third year and left his trade to accept a clerkship on the steamer " Charles Osgood," which was the beginning of a career which has since been marked with prosperity and success. This steamer was built in 1850 to run in opposition to the Norwich and New London Transportation Company's line of steamers, but was transferred to the regular line before starting. Mr, Rockwell remained here IS months. His service must have been very acceptable, for at the end of this time, in 1852, when but 23 years of age, he was called upon to take the New York agency of the Nor- wich and New London Transportation Company, which operated a line of freight steamers plying between Norwich, New London and New York, and he filled this position, to the satisfaction of his em- ployers, five years. This line was discontinued November 1st, in the year of the panic, 1857. January 1st, 1858, the steamers " Charles Osgood" and "Osceola" were started as an opposition line between Norwich, New London and New York, Mr. Rockwell being appointed the New York agent. He held this position 18 months, when he was engaged by Mr. William P. Williams, of New York (the originator and manager of the Neptune Steamship Company's line to Providence, R. I., and outside direct line to Boston), as their agent of the line to Providence and Boston, with his office at 15 State street, Boston, for the Providence line, and at Central Wharf, Boston, for the outside direct line. The civil war broke out before the steamers were placed on the route designated, and they were chartered by the United States government for transports. Mr. Rockwell continued with Mr. Williams to the end of a two years' engagement. He then became a partner in the shipping and commission house of Bently, Smith & Co., at 72 South street, New York, where he remained one year. He was then reengaged by Mr. Williams for two years as agent for the Neptune Steamship Company for their line to both Boston and Providence direct from New York, at first taking the agency at Boston for the outside line direct to New York, with his office at Central Wharf, and also for the inside line via Providence, with his office at 15 State street. The steamers of the outside line were sold to the Metropolitan Steamship Company, and the management was therefore changed, and Mr. Rockwell retired from the agency, but continued with Mr. Williams until the end of the term of two years. In 1867 he received an appointment as agent of the Providence and New York Steamship Company at Providence, R. I., succeeding Mr. J. B.Gardiner. He filled this position six years, four years under the management of the late Benjamin Buffum, and two years later under that of William Sprague. C^~£_--i^z<2V,^L <^*C 2; total, 446. During the year 161 were received, 2 escaped (1 re- turned), 79 were discharged, 51 died, leaving a total remaining Janu- ary 1st, 1880, 476 persons. Through the enlargement of the hospital of the asylum more will be done than has hitherto been possible for HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 767 the comfort of the patients who are physically ill or infirm from old age. In common with other asylums for the insane, a trial has been made without restraints, which so far has proven successful here. Larger accommodations for patients physically as well as mentally ill having become a necessity through increase of numbers, the gen- eral assembly, at the January session, made an appropriation for add- ing two wings, one for either sex, to the hospital of the asylum for the insane; and an appropriation was at the same time made for a two story addition to the cottage for excited patients, the first story to be used for dining rooms and store-rooms, and the second as an "assem- bly room," or hall, where religious services, as well as readings, lec- tures, concerts, etc., are held. Additions to hospital. — " The hospital wings measure, each, 72 by 36 feet, and each contains for patients, one room 19 by 32 feet, with re- cess 14 by 16 feet; one room 13 by 22 feet; one room 10 by 14 feet; two rooms 10 by 15 feet, each; one room 7 by 10 feet; a bath room 6 by 14 feet; a clothes room 5 by 10 feet, and a room for the supervisor, 11 by 17 feet. On the second floor, within the roof, are four well- lighted rooms, namely, two 14 by 20 feet each, and two 15 by 22 feet each, for patients or attendants as they may be needed; with a bath room for attendants, 8 by 10 feet, a store-room 11 by 18 feet, and clothes closets, etc." The addition to cottage for excited patients contains dining rooms and the assembly rooms, and measures 84 by 48 feet. On the first floor is a dining room for each sex 29 by 44 feet; two store-rooms, one 10 by 18 feet, the other 10 by 2.*) feet, and an office for the supervisor, 10 by 18 feet. The assembly room on the second floor measures 44 by 80 feet, including the platform, which is 18 feet in depth. Four separate stairways lead to the assembly room. The state workhouse and house of correction was established in L868. In 1873, the fifth year of its existence, 566 persons (the largest number ever enrolled) were committed. Of the 521 persons com- mitted in 1888, 273 were common drunkards. The number of women committed for prostitution in 1888, including under this head com- mon prostitutes and night walkers, was 39. Tramps committed under the special law for this class, were more numerous in 1888 than during at least the two years preceding, their number, 24, having been somewhat above the average since the law was passed in 1880. Indoor work for both women and men is provided, the skilled in- mates doing the repairs of the institutions to a large extent, and the women making the clothing, washing, cooking, etc. The men work largely out of doors. Men from the workhouse and house of correc- tion excavated the cellars for the buildings at the asylum for the in- sane, which have been described. The state prison was established in 1838. During that year rive persons were committed. The following is from the report for 1888: 768 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. " The labor of the prison and jail has been largely utilized, as before,, in making boots and shoes and in working upon wire goods under contract. The contract with Mr. George Campbell, who employs about a dozen men upon wire goods, has been renewed for another year upon the same terms as heretofore. About 40 of the jail men have worked without the grounds in cultivating the 30 acres of land set apart for this purpose, and in preparing the prison sewage field. The warden reports that they raised all the vegetables used at the in- stitution during the year, the crops having amounted in value to over $4,000. The same men also cleared nearly two acres of land in the valley of the brook which runs just north of the prison, improving at the same time the slopes by grading, terracing and seeding with grass. The repairs upon the buildings have largely been done by the inmates. " An iron dark cell has been set up in the basement of the prison. It is for confining any convict who may require discipline and who is at the same time so noisy that, when placed in a dark cell in a wing over night, he disturbs his neighbors. The cell measures six feet, eight inches in length, four feet in width, and six feet, four inches in height. It is made with double walls of sheet iron, the space between being filled with sand to deaden sound." The statistics for the year 1888 are as follows: number committed January 1st, 1888, men, 89; women, 3; total, 92; committed during the year, 69; discharged, 38; pardoned, 2; transferred to the insane asy- lum, 1; in prison January 1st, 1889, 120. " After the war of 1812 there prevailed throughout the country, and more particularly in New England, a very strong feeling against im- ported articles, more especially woolen goods and cloths. Congress was trying to pass acts to assist the agricultural and mechanical indus- tries of the nation, and our own state legislature was doing what it could to encourage home manufactures. It was this feeling of inde- pendence, this growing desire to produce from the land and out of the factories all that was required for home consumption, that led the pro- gressive thinking men to devise and form plans to create and maintain organizations for the purpose of encouraging the farmer and manu- facturer. This feeling grew throughout the land until it took tangible shape in the form of a National Convention for the Promotion of Agricultural rind Mechanical Industry, held in New York, in the winter of 1818. This convention received the support of congress, and invitations were sent to all of the states to send delegates. At this convention plans were laid for the forming of societies to hold annual fairs and offer premiums of reward to farmers and manufac- turers. New York state took the lead, and in 1820 had thirteen organ- izations formed. New England was next to follow. Societies were formed at Providence, Hartford, Worcester, Essex and Brighton. The Rhode Island Societv for the Encouragement of Domestic Indnstrv HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 769 was formed February 25th, 1820, at a meeting of citizens held at Blake's Hotel, or as it was more generally known, the Old Manufac- turers Hotel, and stood where the What Cheer Building— that has changed its name to the Providence Washington — now stands, and the first Fair and Cattle Show was held in Pawtuxet, in October of the same year, which attracted a great deal of attention. " It was the custom in those days to send delegates' about the coun- try to visit the fairs and learn what they could about conducting them. It was considered quite an honor to be a delegate, and when the dele- gations arrived they were received with great dignity and were given a prominent place in the procession and at the table, and their judg- ment was much sought after. The meetings of these men, and the friendships formed did very much toward keeping up the interest in the Cattle Shows. " The annual dinners were deemed of great importance, and the invitations ' to walk in the procession and dine with the committee,' were highly appreciated. Among the exhibits at these fairs were woolen cloths, straw bonnets and hats, twilled Nankin cloth, counter- panes, braided carpets, butter, cheese, cider, hogs and cattle. " The most prominent feature was the exhibition of cattle, and it was from the fact that so many were exhibited that they were called Cattle Shows. " Ploughing matches excited the most interest, and a pair of cattle that won in a well contested match, 'gained as great a reputation as a successful trotting horse in a race in after years. At this time there were no races and no premiums offered for horses. The ploughing matches continued until they almost became a race. One account states that one-eighth of an acre was ploughed to the perfect satisfac- tion of the judges in 14 minutes and 5 seconds. As many as eight teams would enter at a time, and the cheering and applauding of the friends of the respective teams would be very enthusiastic. " Great encouragement was given to the raising of young stock, and cash premiums were given from the meagre treasury for steers and calves. Great pains were taken to procure imported stock, and committees were formed to petition Congress to remove the duties on all importations of stock. A great deal of attention was given to the growing of grasses, and seed was in much demand, and premiums were offered for any invention or improvement of a farming utensil by which the labor of any branch of industry may be economized, the utility of said invention to be attested by the signatures of two respect- able farmers. The.se early fairs were usually held on two days, Wed- nesday and Thursday. The first was given to the receiving of ex- hibits, the addresses by prominent men, singing of national and patriotic songs, annual dinners, and judging by the committees. An auction or public vendue was always held upon the last day of a fair. The auctioneer was appointed by the legislature, and no commission 49 770 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. was charged to persons entering articles for exhibition. Some of the prices paid could not be taken as a standard for their true value, for swains purchased the handiwork of their sweethearts at high prices; for example, one straw hat made by a handsome lady was run up by her admirer to the sum of $30. " It was upon the last day that the annual horse trade was made. Many were the men who drove miles to be present and take part in those trades, and any undesirable animal with tricks, faults or unsound- ness, was taken to the cattle shows to be exchanged. It was here that the strong men delighted to gather and perform great feats of strength. Wrestling was one of the more prominent features, and it is said of one who stood 6 feet 8 inches in his stockings, that he threw all comers for one whole afternoon — that some tried to tire his strength, but he lasted until the sun went down. "Pulling sticks was then very much indulged in by heavy men, and when two of these giants sat down for a contest the fact was heralded all over the grounds, and even women crowded about and took sides and encouraged their favorites. Lifting stiff heels was practiced by the younger men, and a man who could lift one of his own weight was considered very strong. " The legislature appointed every member of the committee, a constable for the days of the fair with full power to act, and it very soon became known that Rhode Island Cattle Shows were among the best managed in the country, a reputation that has always been sus- tained." BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. Hugh B. Bain, born in Kinderhook, N. Y., in 1820, is a son of Bastian Bain and is of Scotch descent. He was educated in the public schools of Columbia county, N. Y. He came to Providence in 1845 and was en- gaged in the wholesale and retail grocery business ten years, then en- gaged in the real estate business. He moved his office to Cranston in 1880. He is a large real estate owner both in Providence and Cranston. He is one of the directors of the Jackson Bank of Provi- dence. He has been twice married. His first wife was Sarah A. Shaw, of Providence, by whom he had one child, Anna. His second wife, Sarah B. Williams, is descended from Roger Williams. They have three children: Hugh W., Edward B. and Lewis H. Mr. Bain is a democrat. He has been town treasurer of Cranston five years, elected the last four times without opposition. He has been chair- man of the school committee for six years. Squire Baker, born in Cranston in 1812, was a son of Henry Baker and grandson of Thomas Baker, all residents of Cranston, and farmers. He was married in 1842 to Celia, daughter of Varnum Holden of Massachusetts. Her mother was Parmelia A. Warde. Squire Baker had two children: Henry V., born in 1843, a Baptist minister in Ver- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 771 mont, and Amelia W., born in 1846, wife of W. P. Larkin. Squire Baker died February 23d, 1886. Israel F. Brayton, born in Scituate in 1806, is a son of Israel and Lydia (Fiske) Brayton, grandson of Freeborn and great-grandson of Francis Brayton. Francis Brayton was born in 1740, settled in Coventry and established Washington Village, then called Brayton's Mills, building a saw and gristmill there. Freeborn was a blacksmith and was a forger in the gun shop located there at that time. Israel F. Brayton is a farmer. For 50 years he carried on a freight and ex- press business between Hope and Providence. He was married in 1827 to Marcelia Ralph. They had three children: David, Lyman and Andrew. Lyman is living. His wife died in 1840 and he was mar- ried again in 1849 to Mary Wilson of Coventry. They have one son, Israel W. James M. Brayton, born in Scituate in May, 1817, was a son of Israel and Lydia (Fiske) Brayton and grandson of Freeborn and Marcy Brayton. He was married in January, 1844, to Julia A., daughter of Deacon Horace Battey of Scituate. They had four children: Lydia F., Charles A., Frederick E. and Lula E. Mr. Brayton died in January, 1889. Walter F. Brayton, born in Cranston August 8th, 1857, is a son of Nehemiah and Lydia (Searle) Brayton, and grandson of Lodowickand Betsey Brayton. He was educated in the Friends' School of Provi- dence, and is a farmer. He was married in 1885 to Harriet F. Briggs of Cranston, daughter of W. R. and Hannah G. (Johnson) Briggs. They have one son, Robert M. Mr. Brayton was elected member of the general assembly from Cranston in 1889 and reelected in 1890. He is a republican. Mr. and Mrs. Brayton are members of the Baptist church of Oak Lawn. The former has been superintendent of the Sabbath school and is now deacon of the church. James A. Brown, born in Smithfield, R. I., July 24th, 1817, is a son of James and grandson of James. Mr. Brown is a farmer. He was married in 1852 to Eliza S. Thornton. She died in 1878. They had four children: Ella A., William L., Abbie A., and Hattie L., all married. James M. Cornell, born in Warwick, R. L, March 16th, 1843, is a son of Mason Cornell, who is a cousin to Governor Cornell, of New York. James M. came to Cranston with his father in 1848. He has been engaged in agricultural pursuits all his life. He has been as- sessor of taxes, and also school trustee for a number of years. He married Margretta Fiske, of Cranston. They have one son, Mason E- Cornell. William J. Cross was born in St. Lawrence county, N. Y., in 1883. He removed his family to Providence in 1879. He has been conduc- tor on the N. Y. P. & B. railroad for the past ten years, and has been a railroad man all his life. He was formerly a conductor on the Hart- 772 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. ford, Providence & Fishkill railroad, now known as the New England railroad, and was in their employ 20 years. He came to Auburn in 1884. He married Ellen M. Pierce, of Needham, Mass., in 1854, and they have three children. His son, William P. Cross, is clerk of the United States District court. William J. Cross was elected to the gen- eral assembly in 1888, and to the town council of Cranston in 1890. James Donahue was born in Ireland in 1830, came to America in 1850, and settled in Cranston, R. I. He married Winnie Giblin in 1857. They have six children: John F., Dominick, James H., William F., Joseph and Peter. Mr. Donahue engaged in the market garden- ing business when he settled in Cranston in 1850. He has about twenty-five acres of land under cultivation, with a hot house 20 by 100 feet and 000 sash. He raises seven acres of tomatoes and about the same of early peas. This hot house is used for lettuce in winter and for plants in the summer. He employs nine men through the sum- mer season. John Dudley, born in Danville, Vt., in 1829, is a son of John, and grandson of John. He came to Woonsocket, R. I., in 1848. then went to Smithfield, afterward came to Providence and engaged in the jew- elry business. He came to Cranston in 1875. He represented the town of Cranston in the council two years. He was married in 1851 to Adelia M. Harris, of Smithfield, R. I. They have an adopted daugh- ter, Hattie S. She married Henry F. Campbell. Mr. Dudley is a member of the Congregational church of Elmwood, and Mrs. Dudley is a member of the Free-will Baptist church of Auburn. Rodney F. Dyer, born in Cranston, R. I., in 1810, is a son of Reu- ben, and grandson of John, whose father, Charles, was a son of William and Mary Dyer, who came from England in the " Mayflower." Mary was hanged on the Boston Common for preaching the Quaker doc- trine. Rodney F. Dyer has held the office of state senator from John- ston, and has been in the councils of both Johnston and Cranston. He is a republican. His son, John Dyer, who died January 23d, 1889, was also state senator from Johnston in 1883. Rodney F. Dyer mar- ried, November 10th, 1831, in Cumberland, Barbara Arnold Jillson, daughter of Wiley and Lucina Jillson. They have had eight children, five of whom are living: Sarah E., Lydia B., Rodney F., Jr., Mary P. and Elisha. Mr. Dyer has been a successful man in business, and is a large real estate owner. Rodney F. Dyer, Jr., born in Cranston in 1841, is a son of Rodney F. and Barbara Dyer. He is engaged in the pork packing trade. The business was established in 1875. His brother, John, was associated with him until his death, January 23d, 1889, since which time he has continued alone. He does an annual business of $250,000. He mar- ried, in 1879, Mary E., daughter of Fenner and Sally Potter. She was born in Johnston, R. I. They have no children. Mr. Dyer is a member of Mount Vernon Lodge of Masons of Providence, of the Chapter and HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 773 Commandery. He has been master of the Lodge, and has held sev- eral offices in the Commandery. George A. Field, born in Plainfield, Conn., July 29th, 1847, is a son of Augustus E. and Barbara S. Field, grandson of Jeremiah, whose father, Thomas, was a son of William, who was born at Fields Point. George A. Field came to Cranston in 1881. He was educated at the common schools. He was elected to the town council of Cranston as a republican in June, 1889. He married Harriet A., daughter of Henry Fenner, of Cranston. They have four children: Carrie B., Georgiana, Henry E. and Minnie F. Mr. and Mrs. Field are members of Union Congregational church of Providence. Marcellus J. Flanders, born in Maine in 1837, is a son of John and vSophia J. Flanders. His great-grandfather was one of the pioneers of Maine. Until 15 years of age his life was spent upon his father's farm in Maine. The next five years he was employed in a ship yard in Maine. At the age of 20 he came to Rhode Island and for several years he was employed in the states of Rhode Island, Connecticut and Maine. In 1862 he came to Providence and engaged in the grocery and market business for himself, where he continued until he closed out in 1875. He came to Cranston in 1873 to the farm he now owns and occupies. He was married in 1867 to Carrie A. Jones, of Provi- dence, daughter of William and Caroline Jones. They have two chil- dren: Nellie S., born in 1869, and Willie J., born in 1873. Mr. Flanders has held the office of highway commissioner, was three years in the town council of Cranston, and has been for nine consecutive years trustee of his school district. Chester A. Gallup, born in Cranston in 1868, is a son of Denison E. and Fidelia Gallup. The first ancestor of the Gallup family came to America, from England, in 1630 and settled in Boston. Chester A. Gallup was educated in the public schools of Cranston, and is a gradu- ate of the Bryant & Stratton Business College of Providence. He was the first dealer in coal and wood in Auburn, which business he recently sold, and is now engaged in painting. He is a member of the order of Odd Fellows. Arthur Given is of Scotch-Irish descent and was born in Wales, Me., February 27th, 1841, on the farm where his parents and grand- parents had lived for many years. He lived and worked on the farm until 18 years of age, when he received as his paternal legacy the three remaining years of his minority. Up to this time he had attended the district school one term each winter and had been to the " Semi- nary " two terms. Alternately he worked out and attended school at Maine State Seminary, Lewiston, Me., where he was fitted for college in 1862, when 21 years of age. He at once enlisted and served nine months in the Twenty-third Maine Regiment of Infantry, commanded by Colonel William Wirt Virgin. In the fall of 1863 he entered Bates College at Lewiston. Me., and graduated first in his class in 1867. 774 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. After serving- as principal of the Literary Institution at New Hampton,. N. H., for one year and as principal of Maine State Seminary at Lewiston, Me., for two years, he entered the Cobb Divinity School at Lewiston, from which he graduated in 1872. He at once assumed the pastorate of the Essex Street Free Baptist church, Bangor, Me. In March., 1875, he became pastor of the Free Baptist church at Green- ville, R. I. In February, 1881, he assumed pastoral care of the Free Baptist church at Auburn, R. I., and at the same time of the Free Baptist mission at Arlington. A church was organized at the latter place and needed a pastor of its own, so after serving them something over two years Mr. Given resigned and gave his whole time to the Auburn interest. He served this church until December, 1885, and to him they are indebted for the church edifice at the corner of Elm- wood and Park avenues, and for their present prosperity. He resigned the pastorate of the Auburn church to accept the position since held, that of treasurer of the Free Baptist Foreign Mission, Home Mission and Education Societies, with his office at x\uburn. He has held several positions of trust and responsibility in the religious denomi- nation with which he is connected. He has for several years been one of the trustees of Bates College, and is one of the thirteen corporators of the Free Baptist Printing Establishment in Boston. In April, 1889, he was elected by the republicans first representative to the general assembly from the town of Cranston. December 22d, 1868, Mr. Given was married to Lura Durgin, of Sanbornton, N. H. They have one surviving child, Helen Louise Given. Amos L. Greene was a son of Benjamin, grandson of Gideon. He was born in West Greenwich, R. I., in 1833, came to Providence in 1857, and died in 1873. He was married in 1855 to Angeline F., daugh- ter of Nathan O. Scott, of Coventry, R. I. She survives him. They had two children: Frank A. Greene, born in 1803, and Nellie S. Greene, born in 1868. Frank A. is in the Merchants' National Bank, Provi- dence. George N. Greene, born in Stonington, Conn., in 1825, is a son of George and Mary (Noyes) Greene, and grandson of Isaiah Greene. He came to Providence in 1840 and was in business there until he moved to the farm he now owns near Oak Lawn. He has one of the best paying farms in Cranston, keeps 75 cows and about 25 head of other cattle, and sells hay cut from it, beside 115 acres of improved land. He was married in 1855 to the daughter of Levi Wood, of Provi- dence. They had 11 children, 10 of whom are living. William Henry Hall, real estate broker, was born in the city of Providence, R. I., June 12th, 1837. His parents, James S. and Eleanor Ryder (Snow) Hall, raised a family of three children, two daughters and one son, of whom William was the second child. In early life he attended the public schools, and at the age of 14, desiring to learn a trade, he entered the employ of a large cigar manufacturer, and in six HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 775 months' time learned the business, and became as expert a workman as any employed* in the house with years of experience. The con- finement, incident to the business, impaired his health to such a de- gree, that for two years his life was despaired of by his friends. Un- daunted by ill health, and ambitious of engaging in business on his own account, besides believing that active employment would prove the best method of recovering and retaining' good health, at the age of 17 years, he borrowed from a friend the small capital of $47, and securing credit for the necessary materials, erected a small building, 11 by 20 feet, on the south side of Broad street, next east of Summer street, where he opened a small store for the sale of fruits, confec- tionery and periodicals. When he had completed his building, he had just seven dollars of his borrowed capital left to purchase his first stock with, all of which he placed in the store window to attract cus- tom. But being liberally patronized, and his venture proving success- ful, before long he was able to pay the debt he had incurred in start- ing his new business. By constant and strict attention to business, and unremitting econ- omy, he soon began in a small way to accumulate money, notwith- standing he was assisting in the support of his parents at that time. As his health improved, he also became more ambitious, and desiring to pursue a mercantile career, entered Scholfield's Commercial Col- lege, from which he received a diploma on April 21st, 1859. Having obtained a position as bookkeeper with Charles W. At wood, a large lumber dealer of Providence, he sold out his business in the store and rented the building to the purchaser. He remained with Mr. Atwood about four years, and then became bookkeeper for William H. Grat- wick & Co., of Albany, N. Y., a large wholesale lumber house at that time. The Marietta and Vinton County Coal and Oil Company hav- ing offered him the position of secretary and treasurer of that organi- zation, he accepted the situation and returned to Providence early in 1865, and held that position until the business of the company was closed up. On December 24th, 1866, Mr. Hall was married to Cleora N., daughter of William L. Hopkins, one of the chief promoters and or- ganizers of the society in Providence, known as the Sons of Temper- ance. He was a descendant of Thomas Hopkins, from whom was de- scended Governor Stephen Hopkins of Rhode Island, a signer of the declaration of independence. In 1866, Mr. Hall began operations as a real estate broker, and his phenomenal success in this line of business is due to his energy, in- tegrity and business ability. But had he been less persistent in the beginning, he could hardly have succeeded at all, as the business of real estate brokerage at that period was completely monopolized by the influential and long established house of A. B. Dike and Mayor Thomas A. Doyle and associates. By experience obtained in the lum- 776 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. ber trade, and by intuition, he was well qualified for the undertaking, and in due time succeeded in establishing for himself an enviable reputation, and he is now regarded as one of the leading brokers in this line of business. Mr. Hall has been very successful also in acquiring much valuable property. In 1873 he purchased the Joseph Sweet estate in Cranston, now Edgewood, and since then at great expense of time, labor and money, has transformed this once unpretentious homestead and its grounds into one of the most imposing and elegant residences in the town. In 187(3 he erected a business block known as Hall's Building on Weybosset street. In December, 1890, he was elected president of the Central Real Estate Company incorporated with an authorized capital of $2. 000, 000, divided into shares of $100 each, organized for the purpose of bringing within the reach of people of moderate means a class of investments heretofore monopolized by the wealthy, viz., first-class business blocks located on the principal streets in pros- perous and growing cities, from which class of investments so much wealth has been accumulated in this country and handed down from parents to children. Mr. Hall's long experience and great success in the management of real estate influenced the prominent gentlemen connected with the management of this company in choosing him for its first president. Mr. Hall has been a candidate for various elective offices thirteen times, and was never defeated. He was an active and influential mem- ber of the town council of Cranston for six years; was town treasurer one year, and declined a reelection. He was the first treasurer of the town to inaugurate the system of publishing, in pamphlet form for distribution to the tax-payers, an itemized statement of the annual expenditures on behalf of the town, which was received with much satisfaction. He was a member of the house of representatives of Rhode Island from 1880 to 1881 inclusive, and a member of the sen- ate for the two succeeding years, and was again renominated, but de- clined longer service as senator. He was the first republican senator elected from the town of Cranston. While in the assembly, he served as chairman of the joint committee on accounts and claims, and as second on the senate committee on corporations. While in both houses of tlie assembly, he established a reputation as an excellent debater of governmental and economic questions. Zachariah llevwood, born in Accnngton, Lancashire county, Eng- land, in L805, came to America in 1831, and settled in Johnston, R. I., working as a calico printer. He removed to Cranston in 1884. He was married in 1839 to Alice, daughter of John Waterman of Smith- field. They have no children. Mrs. Heywood's mother was a Hoyle. Her father came to this country from England. ( )rlando S. Hill, born in Foster, R. I., August 10th, 1845, is a son of Colonel William and Miriam (Place) Hill. He came to Cranston HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 777 in 1866. He learned the trade of carpenter and millwright. He was elected justice of the peace in 1878 and held that office four years. He was elected to the council in June, 1889. He was married in 1882 to Ann M., daughter of George W. and Ann M. Whitehead, of Crans- ton. They have no children. Mr. Hill is a democrat, although his name for councilman was on both tickets. He is a Mason and an Odd Fellow. Peleg G. Kenyon, born in Richmond, R. I., in 1832, is a son of Thomas E., who is still living in East Greenwich, grandson of Solo- mon, and great-grandson of George. Peleg G. Kenyon came to Cranston in 1876. Previous to this he was engaged in steamboating upon the Western rivers. He was elected a member of the town council of Cranston in 1884, and is now one of the three commissioners of assessment for laying out roads and streets under the betterment act. He has been twice married; first to Sarah A. Spencer of East Greenwich in 1857. They had three children: Katie B., Henry G. and Thomas G. Mrs. Kenyon died in 1863. He married in 1874 Jane G. Davenporte of Louisville, Kentucky. They have no children. Jonathan King, son of Henry King, was born in Cranston in 1824, and is a successful farmer near Howard, Cranston, He married Abby M. Baker of Warwick, and they have two children: Henry W. and Gilbert E. Lewis S. Knight, born in Warwick, R. I., May 16th, 1822, is a son of Layton Knight and Betsey Stafford. He owns one of the finest farms in Cranston. He has been twice married; first to Nancy Nicholas in 1849. They have three children living: Edward N., Albert T. and George O. Mrs. Knight died in 1871 and he married in 1871 Waity Ann Brown, daughter of Samuel and Mary (Maguire) Brown. Her mother was a Coggswell, daughter of General Coggswell. A sister of Mrs. Knight, Miss Susan A. Brown, lives with them. Robert Lawton, born in Newport, R. I., February 12th, 1819, is the eighth son of Robert and Sarah (Anthony) Lawton, grandson of Robert, and great-grandson of Robert, who came to Rhode Island from England at an early date, with his two brothers. Mr. Lawton came to Cranston from Newport at an early age with'his elder brother, the late Honorable Elisha A. Lawton. In 1843 he moved to his present farm on the Plainfield pike road. By his patient and untiring industry and excellent management, the farm has been improved in extent and productiveness. He has been a member of the Rhode Is- land Society for the Encouragement of Domestic Industry for 30 years. He has a thorough love for farm life and enters into its duties with the spirit of an enthusiast, devoting his thought and labors to the one purpose of his life. Every improvement in agriculture, or its implements, finds in him a willing investigator, and if approved by his judgment, it is adopted by him. Mr. Lawton married May 12th, 1845, Sarah A. Chace. They had one daughter, Mrs. John E. Bowen 778 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. of Olneyville, R. I. Mrs. Sarah A. Law ton died in 1849. He married for his second wife Susan A. Jordan. They had no children, and Mrs. Lawton died August 1st, 1874. He married April 10th, 1877, Carrie E., only daughter of the late Thomas Hazard Watson, of South Kings- ton, R. I. They have two daughters: Frances W., born September 11th, 1881, and Sarah E., born June 20th, 1884. Stephen Mathewson, born in Foster, R. L, in 1822, is a son of Wil- liam and grandson of William Mathewson. He is a self-made man and by his industry has accumulated a fine property. He came to Cranston in 1838. He first started the omnibus business between Cranston Print Works and Providence when he was 28 years old, and followed this business for 20 years, when he sold out to the horse rail- road company; then he followed farming until 1877, when he estab- lished the ice business. He has ice houses with a capacity for 15,000 tons and does an annual business of $20,000. Walter H. Matteson, born in Coventry, R. I., in 1857, came to Provi- dence in 1883. He is the son of Henry and Angeline (Rouse) Matte- son, and grandson of Asher Matteson, all of Coventry. R. I. Walter H. is the eldest of three children, one of whom is dead. He was em- ployed by the New York & New England Railroad Company as station agent at Hop River, Conn., from 1870 till 1882, and was then trans- ferred by same company to Andover, Conn. He has been in the ser- vice of the New York, Providence & Boston Railroad Company since 188:), first in Providence as clerk for the general freight agent, and came to Auburn in 18So as station agent of that place. He was mar- ried in 1879 to Eliza J., daughter of James and Elizabeth Hope, of Fall River. They have two children: Minnie A., born in 1880, and Susie E., born in 1882. Sylvester K. Merrill, born in Phenix in 1840. is a son of Sylvester K. and Alma R. (Tillinghast) Merrill, of Kent county, R. I. They were old and representative families of that county. Sylvester K., Jr., came to Providence when he was but 16 years old and engaged in the jewelry business with the firm of C. W. B. Bennett, and remained with them until he was of age, then he worked at the trade until 1872, when he went into the business for himself in Providence, and con- tinued until 1SSS, at which time he moved the factory to Pawtuxet. The firm consists of Sylvester K. Merrill and Robert E. Budlong. The latter entered the firm July 1st, 1884. They are engaged in the manu- facture of gents' lockets and charms, etc., and do business amounting to $100,000 annually. They use only first quality rolled plate in manu- facturing these goods. Sylvester married Harriet G. Codding, of Providence, R. I. They have one daughter, Edith, who married Mr. Robert E. Budlong. Charles W. Patt, born in Providence, November 9th, 1822, is a son of David and grandson of Jonathan Patt. His mother was Freelove Williams, daughter of John, and granddaughter of John. She was HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 779 the seventh generation from Roger Williams. Charles W. Patt settled in Cranston in 1842, commenced the market gardening business in 1845 and has made a success of it. He has under cultivation 20 acres, and does an annual business of $15,000, employs 12 men in the summer and seven in the winter. His hot-house is 30 by 325 feet, and is devoted to raising lettuce in the winter and cucumbers in the spring and summer. Mr. Patt was married April 22d, 1845, to Cyntha, daughter of Robert Grinnell,' of Cranston. They have five children: Maria L., William H., Mary A., E. Josephine and Edward B. Mr. Patt commenced business for himself when 11 years old. He has held the office of town councilman in Cranston 12 years, and has been assessor, road commissioner and school trustee. John B. Perry, born in South Kingstown in 1824, is a son of Robert and Mary Perry. His father was a cousin to Commodore Perry, and his grandfather was Niles Perry, of Perryville. John Perry came to Providence about 1845, and engaged in the foundry business until 1863, when he engaged in the fish trade, in which business he is still engaged. He married, in 1854, Georgiana, daughter of George McDon- ald. They have three children, all grown up: George V., Robert L. and Gracie L. Henry M. Phetteplace, born in Burrillville, R. I., June 23d, 1812, is a son of Asahel, and grandson of Eliakim. His mother was the daugh- ter of Captain James vSmith, of Smithfield. Henry M. came to Provi- dence in 1837, engaged in the machine business, and was connected with the American Screw Company a number of years. He came to Cranston in 1880. He was three times married; first to Harriet Smith, daughter of Appleby Smith, of Smithfield, R. I. They had one son, Henry S. Phetteplace. His second wife was Joanna Sayles, daughter of Orin Sayles, Esq., of Franklin, Mass. They had one daughter, Clara V. His third wife was Ellen J. Sayles, daughter of Welcome Sayles, Esq., of Burrillville, R. I. They have one son, Thurston M., born in 1877. Caleb Y. Potter, born in Richmond, R. L, in 1806, is a son of Joshua and Deborah Potter, and grandson of Smiton Potter. He came to Cranston about 1840, and is engaged in farming. He is a large real estate owner in Auburn. He came there when it was a wilderness, and by his untiring industry has earned a worthy place in the history of Auburn. He married Frances J. Dye in 1836. They have three children: Daniel N., Caleb A. and William F., all married. Mr. and Mrs. Potter are members of the Free-will Baptist church, of Auburn. Ferdinand Potter, born in Providence, December 11th, 1812, was a son of Captain Anson Potter and Hannah F. Howard, and grandson of Captain Mowry Potter. He was a real estate dealer, and owned a large amount of real estate in both Providence and Cranston. He died October 20th, 1886. He was a man of noble and upright charac- ter, and just in his dealings with all men. His widow and her three 780 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. children continue to live in their home in Cranston. Ferdinand Pot- ter was twice married; first in 1843 to Mary Reid, who died in 1859. They had three children. He married in 1800 Helen Macmillan, of Providence, daughter of Hugh and Marion Macmillan. They had four children, three of whom are now living. The children by the first marriage were: Ferdinand, Jr. (deceased), Marion and Anson H. Those by the second marriage were: M. Helen, Byron T., Charles A. and Flora E., who died in 1882. Charles A. Potter is a teacher in Brown University, of analytical chemistry. William F. Potter, born in Cranston, R. I., December 25th, 1849, is the youngest son of Caleb Y. and Frances J. Potter. He married An- toinette E., daughter of William F. and Antoinette Chace, of Provi- dence, in 1882. They have three children: Clarence L., Earl H. and Frances J. William F. Potter was appointed the first postmaster of Auburn in 1877, and resigned in 1883, when his brother, C. A. Potter, was appointed. Mr. Potter was educated in the common schools of Cranston, at the business college of Bryant & Stratton, and at Ladd's High School in Providence. He engaged in the grocery business when he was 19 years old, and after one year at this he went in com- pany with his brother, Caleb A. Potter, farming at Auburn. After seven years of farm life he went into the boot and shoe trade in Prov- idence, and ran a grocery store at the same time in Auburn. He con- tinued this business until 1882. After spending a year in Chicago, he commenced the business of painting. He deals in paints, oils, var- nishes, window glass, wall paper, etc. Mr. and Mrs. Potter are mem- bers of the Baptist church of Auburn. Richard U. Rhodes, son of James Rhodes, was born in Providence October 12th, 1812, and came to Pawtuxet in 1879. He married Louisa Butty, who died December 10th, 1888. They had six children, only three of whom are living: William B., George H. and Elizabeth A. Richard U. was inspector of vessels in the government employ a num- ber of years. Three of his sons were in the war of the rebellion. One son, Robert, was killed in the navy. He was a first lieutenant; Wil- liam B. was a major, and George H. was captain. Thomas H. Rhodes, born in Pawtuxet in 1835, is a son of Captain I 'cleg, and grandson of Benjamin Rhodes. His mother was a Chap- man. He married, January 1st, 1862, Carrie A., daughter of Stacy W. Remington, of Cranston. They have three children: Edward S., born L864; Thomas H., Jr., born 1870, and Arthur A., born 1872. Thomas H. Rhodes was the founder, in 1872, of Rhodes, on the Pawtuxet, as a pleasure resort. It is well known throughout the state. He has been in the town council one term. Joseph L. Sanders, born in Providence December 18th, 1849, is a son of Olney L. Flis grandfather bore the same name. His mother's maiden name was Jane A. Scott. He was educated in the Providence public schools. He is a machinist by trade, and served his time with HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 781 the Providence Machine Company, later had charge of repairs at the Rhode Island Locomotive Works for several years, and for 14 years prior to 1888 was superintendent of the Corliss Safe Company. At that time he gave up business on account of failing health. From January, 1889, until the fall of that year, he was traveling agent for this company, but owing to poor health was again compelled to retire. He is now engaged in the real estate and insurance business at Auburn. He has held various public offices in the town of Cranston, was elected assessor of taxes in 1888 for three years, and was elected to the town council in 1889 by the unanimous vote of both parties. He was ap- pointed postmaster at Auburn August 5th, 1889. He was married in 1883 to Isabella Baker, of North Providence. They have two children: Leon S. and Eleanor M. Huldah F. (Chace) Smith is a daughter of Henry and Mary D. Chace, and granddaughter of Allen. Her mother was a Briggs. The Chace family were formerly from Massachusetts. Her father came to Rhode Island when he was a young man, from Swansea, Mass. He had two sons and one daughter: Henry A., Guilford W. and Huldah F. He was a carpenter and builder, and built the house that is now the home of his daughter, Huldah F. Smith. She married James A. vSmith. Her brother, Henry A. Chace, died in 1884. He had been in the employ of the Boston & Providence railroad for 30 years, and for 20 years had been assistant superintendent. He was well known in Providence. He had been grand master of the Grand Lodge of I. O. O. F. of Rhode Island. He was a member of Adelphoi Lodge, F. & A. M., of Providence. William H. Sweet, born in Foster, R. I., in 1853, is a son of Matthew and Amey L. Sweet, and grandson of Augustus, all natives of Foster. William H. came to Providence and Cranston in 1872, learned the trade of carpenter, became a contractor and builder, and settled in Auburn. He built the school house at Pocasset, near the state insti- tutions, and many of the fine residences of Auburn, and remodeled the Baptist church at Pawtuxet. He married in 1880 Ida M. Tilling- hast of Connecticut. They have one child, Harold A., born in 1882. The Sweet family is one of the old families of Foster. William H. is a member of the I. O. O. F. of Auburn. Eleazer Tandy, born in Newport, N. H., July 20th, 1838, is a son of James and Betsey (Lewis) Tandy and a grandson of James Tandy. His father was the youngest of a family of ten children. The family are remarkable for their longevity. In 1867 they met together and their combined ages amounted to 785 years. James Tandy, Jr., was born December 31st, 1799, and is still living and enjoying good health. His elder brother lived to the age of 94 years and 10 months. An aunt of these brothers lived to the remarkable age of 105 years and 3 months. The Tandys are of Welsh descent. Eleazer Tandy has been engaged in the wholesale milk business in Boston and Provi- 782 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. dence for 33 years. He served through the war of the rebellion, en- listing- in 1861 in First Massachusetts Infantry of Boston. He was in the first and second battles of Bull Run, the siege of Yorktown, the battles of Williamsburg and Fair Oaks and the seven days fight before Richmond. He was also in the battles of Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Wilderness and Spotsylvania. He was wounded in the second battle of Bull Run. He settled in Cranston in 1871. He was a member of the town council two years, and of the general assembly one year. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., the F. & A. M., the Order of Red Men and the G. A. R. He was twice married; first to Rosella H. Bas- sett of Cambridge, Mass. She died February 16th, 1862. He married for his second wife Susan M., daughter of Samuel and Abby West- cott, of River Point, R. I. They have three children: James E., born 1872; Erwin W., born 1874, and Howard B., born 1877. Henry Greene Tucker, deceased, state senator from the town of Cranston at the time of his death, April 25th, 1887, was one of the purest, noblest, and most upright of men. He was the son of Captain James Tucker, for many years a seaman, and his wife, who was a Miss Greene, both of whom were descended from early settlers of the town. Mr. Tucker was born in 1821 in Pawtuxet village in the town of Cranston, in which village and town he passed his youth, went through the struggles of a long, busy and active life, and died at 66 years of age, a much lamented and greatly respected citizen. He was one of the prominent business men of the city, and for some time was at the head of the firm of Tucker & Swan, prominent coal merchants of Providence city. At the time of his retirement in 1882, he was re- garded as having been a most successful business man, and one whose life had been of great benefit to his contemporaries. Mr. Tucker enjoyed the utmost confidence of his fellow citizens. He was a staunch democrat, and his party often called him into posi- tions of trust and responsibility, and in his election to these various offices, he was materially aided by all parties. He was a liberal man, having broad views, and consequently became a leading factor in all movements looking to the public good. He was a member of the town council, to which position the citizens of Cranston elected him for several terms. At the time of his death he was a member of the senate, and had been a member of that body in 1867, '68, '71 and '72. He was a representative of the town in 1864, '67, and in 1871-2. Mr. Tucker was not a partisan in any sense of the word, farther than the convictions of his political opinions. He was very unobtrusive in life — was quiet, calm and self possessed, easily approached, very benev- olent, doing many a generous deed in a way that left the aided party ignorant of his benefactor. He was a model husband and father. Probably no married life was ever more felicitous than his, and in his home he has been missed the most. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 783 Mr. Tucker left an interesting family, consisting of a widow and five children, who greatly revere his memory. Of the children, Rhodes G. Tucker lives in Brooklyn, N. Y.; Mrs. W. G. Northup, Minneapolis, Minn., and Zachariah R. Tucker, Providence. R. I. Joseph and Sarah live at home. Joseph Watson, born in Uxbridge, Mass., in 1815, is a son of James Watson who came from England. Joseph came to Cranston about 1854. Mr. Watson in his younger days worked in the Print Works, but for the past 40 years he has been engaged in agricultural pursuits. He married Eleanor K. Peirce, and has five children living-iGeorge F., Albert A., John P., Abby J. and Mary E. Mrs. W T atson died in 1857. George F. Watson, born in Cranston, R. I., in 1844, is a son of Joseph and grandson of James, mentioned in the preceding paragraph. He was married in 1866 to Ellen W. Barber. They have had three children, all of whom are deceased. Mr. Watson is a farmer. He en- listed in the Second R. I. Infantry in 1864 and served one year. Jonathan M. Wheeler, born in Warren, R. I., September 8th, 1817, is a son of Jonathan, and grandson of Russell Wheeler. His mother was a daughter of Alexander Mason, who was a judge of the common pleas court in Bristol county. Mr. Wheeler came to Crans- ton in 1864 from Warwick, where he served as member of the legisla- ture two years. In 1861 he enlisted as captain of Company A, in the Fifth Rhode Island regiment and served one year. He was in the battles of Roanoke, Newbern, Kingston, Whitehall, and at the cap- ture of Fort Macon, where was captured a fine rebel flag, and he brought it home to Rhode Island, and presented it to Governor Sprague. This was the only rebel flag ever brought to Rhode Island. In 1866 he was elected town clerk of Cranston, and held that office until 1888. He has held the office of judge of probate 20 years, being the first and only incumbent of that office in Cranston. He was mar- ried April 3d, 1843, to Adaline M., daughter of Walter Lawrence. They had three children, all of whom are deceased. Emma L. was born June 13th, 1844. Mr. Wheeler was a candidate for lieutenant governor in 1885 and led his ticket by a handsome majority in his town of Cranston, where he was best known. He was also a candidate for the Forty-eighth Congress on the democratic ticket. Elisha Whitaker, born in Johnston, R. I., in 1833, is a son of Elisha A. and grandson of Amos Whitaker, all of Johnston. He came with his parents when he was two years old to Cranston. When he was only 21 years old he went to California, where he engaged in the gold mines, and after remaining there 13 years returned to Cranston and settled on the farm of his father, which he now occupies. He belongs to Ashland Lodge, I. O. O. F. He was married in 1870 to Adaline A., daughter of William Fenner of Johnston. They have had ten children, six of whom are now living: Cora R., Elisha A., Nora D., 784 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. William A., Emma L. and Fred. His grandfather, Amos Whitaker, was a colonel in the war of 1812 and lived to be 83 years old. James S. Williams, born in Cranston August 24th, 1810, has lived all his life within a half mile of where he now resides. He received a common school education and in his younger days taught school. He was in the jewelry trade 15 years in Providence, and has been a farmer nearly all his life. He was many times offered different offices, but refused only such as would not interfere with his business interests. He held the offices of town councilman and assessor a number of terms. In the spring of 1890, when in his 80th year, he was nomi- nated for representative, and also urged to accept a nomination as assessor, both of which he declined. He married Julia A. Williams, of another branch of the Williams family. He is a direct descendant of Roofer Williams in the seventh generation. CHAPTER XXVI. THE TOWN OF JOHNSTON. Description. — Early Manufacturing. — First Town Officers. — Highway Districts. — Schi u ils. — Johnston in the Rebellion. — Town Farm. — Horse Detective Society. — Prominent Families. — Olneyville. — Merino Village. — Hughesdale. — Manton. — Thornton. — Upper Simmonsville. — Graniteville. — Centerdale. THLS town was taken from Providence and named in honor of Augustus Johnston, March 6th, 1759. Mr. Johnston was attorney general from 1758 to 1766. He donated to the town a set of record books. The population of the town in 1782 was 096. Its popu- lation now is upwards of 7,000. It is bounded north by Smithfield, northeast and east by North Providence and Providence, south by Cranston and west by Scituate. Olneyville, the largest village, is situated in the southeastern portion of the town. Following is a list of the names of the most important points of interest in Johnston: Villages. — Olneyville (Johnston side), Thornton, formerly Simmons Lower; Simmons Upper; Morganville, formerly Almyville; Centerdale (Johnston side); Greystone (Johnston side); Hughesdale, formerly Dry Brook; Walsh's; Pocasset Bleachery, for- merly Waterman's Grist and Saw Mill; Manton, named after Edward E. Manton (Johnston side), formerly Tripptown; Merino; Graniteville. Hills. — Neutakonkanut, from which may be enjoyed a very delightful view; College, Snake Den. Streams — Woonasquatucket; Pocasset; Simmons; Dry Brook. Rocks. — Pocasset Falls; Iron; Snake Den Ledge; Bear Ledge; Thurber Ledge. Reservoirs. — Simmons; Almy's; Slack (Johnston side); Dry Brook; Moswansicut (Johnston side). Historic. — Johnston Elm was noted for its size. The tree was ruined by the September gale of 1869, and was removed in 1873. In 1858 its measure- ment was taken, when its girth one foot from the ground was 40 feet, six feet from the ground 2S feet, and the girth of its two branches, respectively, 14^ and 14 feet. On the Angell farm, near the site of this elm, are several springs, one of which is noted for its mineral waters. There are also an Indian burying ground, a soapstone quarry and a place where Indian pottery was manufactured. Shells imbedded in the earth indicate the site of an Indian village. Bear ledge, before named, furnished the columns and facades of the Providence Arcade. Snake Den ledge furnished the materials for the First Congregational church of Providence. 50 786 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. The following interesting sketch, bearing on the early manufac- turing of the town of Johnston, is taken from Book of Records No. 2, page 243, Providence, November 20th, 1788: " It must give pleasure to every friend of the arts and manufactures of our country to be informed that the Slitting Mill, erecting in the neighborhood of this town, upon an improved plan, will be completed within a few weeks, that the carding and spinning machines used in Great Britain, &c. in manufacturing cotton stuffs, are introducing into this town by some public spirited gentlemen — and the domestic manufacturing increase daily, as there are few families in town but that are making cloth of different kinds. All the weaving looms in town (of which there are great numbers) are of consequence fully employed. While we with great satisfaction take notice of these mat- ters, we cannot help mentioning the spirit of enterprise which appears to actuate our merchants, who (under the very great disadvantage of not being able to command their property which they have credited out i are now (in addition to the ship "General Washington," sailed from here in December last for Canton) fitting out two large ships for the Indian Ocean, and a number of other vessels to different parts of the world." An act for dividing the town passed the general assembly March 15th, 1759. By the authority of this act Colonel Christopher Harris called a meeting of the freemen of the town for the election of officers, on April 18th, 1759, the meeting being held at the house of Benjamin Belknap. Thomas Owens, Esq., was chosen moderator; Mr. Owens and Captain John Waterman were chosen to represent the town in the general assembly, to be held at Newport; Thomas Owens, town clerk; Abraham Belknap, town sergeant; Richard Fenner, Charles Water- man, Daniel Eddv, John Waterman, Jr., and Dean Kimball, council- men; Josiah Thornton, town treasurer; Charles Waterman, Benjamin Belknap and Samuel Smith, overseers of the poor; Charles Waterman, Daniel Eddy and Joseph Waterman were elected town auditors, and to settle accounts and divide the poor with the town of Providence; Charles Waterman and Gideon Brown, assessors of rates and taxes, at 2d. per pound; William Alverson and William Harris were appointed to value the estates for qualification for freemen; Consider Luther, Benjamin Belknap and Joshua Remington, fence viewers; William Alverson, first constable, and Captain Josiah Thornton, second con- stable; William Henry, William Harris, William Alverson, Peleg Wil- liams, John Brown and Abraham Belknap, way wardens; Captain Daniel Sprague, Lieutenant John Waterman and Amos Westcott were appointed a committee to view and find a place to set a pound on. Book No. 1, of the town records, begins with the year 1772, the first part of the records being lost. At this time the subject of high- ways was taken up and discussed in a town meeting held at the house of Richard Eddy, July 25th, 1772; present, Edward Fenner, Thomas HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 787 Angell, Noah Atherton, Andrew Harris, Richard Eddy and Seth Tripp. It is found by the records of this meeting, that there were then in the town 13 road districts, which we give in full, because of the list of names with localities mentioned therein. "John Watermans Destrect To Begin at the fork of the Rhode by David Browns house and extend westerly on Plainfield Rhode &c. The names of those who were to work on this highway were as fol- lows: David Brown, Christopher Thornton, Richard Fenner, Arthur Fenner, Charles Fenner, Amos Williams, Samuel Dyer, James Dyer, James Randall, Josiah Stone, Joseph Waterman, Isaac Waterman, Isaac Arnold, Henry Arnold, Noah Thornton, Job Salisbury, Richard Fenner, Jr., Joseph Fish, Ephraim Fish, Thomas Fenner, and all other persons within this district (No. 1) not named in any other. " George Beverlys Destrect to begin at the river by Peleg Rhoads house, and to extend westward as far as James Hoyles house, and like-wise the rhode that leads to Randalls Saw mill, the rhode that goes by John Beverlys and Esquire Williams untill it comes to the head of the lane above T. Williams, and the rhode from Henry Stra- vens, by Capt. Spragues as far as said Spragues northermost corner. And his men to work on sd ways .... are Peleg Rhoads, Edward Sheldon, Esq., John Beverly, Stephen Hammon, Joshua Remington,' John Remington, Caleb Remington, Iseral Carpenter, Nicholas Car- penter, Benjamin Waterman, Peleg Williams, Esq., Zebedee Clemence, James Mathewson, John Ruttenburgh, Joseph Randall, Henry Stra- vins, Jr., Dan'l Sprague, Esq., Ebenezer Sprague. Esq., Rufus Sprague, Jacob Lockwood, John Tripp, Jesse Beverly and all other persons within this Destrect not named in any other. " Andrew Harris', Esq., Destrect to begin at the fork of the Rhode by David Brown's house, and to extend westward to the West End of the Bridge by Peleg Rhoads house, and likewise the Rhode that goes by Reuben Spragues, as far as the northermost corner of Capt. An- gell's land. And his men to work sd ways are Thomas Angell, Thomas Harris, Jr., John Thornton, Elihu Thornton, Charles Thorn- ton, Reuben Sprague, Christopher Harris, Amos Westcott, Thomas Harris, Thomas Clemence, Samuel Kilton, and all other persons, &c. '• William Latham's Destrect, To begin at the fork of the Rhode by David Brown's house, and to extend eastwardly to Providence line, and also the rhode over Rocky Hill to Cranston line, and his men to work on sd ways are Reuben Lake, Solomon Thornton, Edward Fen- ner, Stephen Thornton, William Borden, Gideon Brown, Nehemiah Sheldon, Joseph Borden, Jr., Abner Borden, and all others, &c. " ( )badiah Browns Destrect, to begin at Smithfield line and to extend down Killingly Rhode to a grate Rock by Belknap's dam-bars, and his men to work on sd way are Rufus Hawkins, Reuben Brown, Job Waterman, Benjamin Waterman (son of Job), William Hawkins, John- athan Arnold, Jr., Barah McDonald, Thomas Arnold, John Brown, 788 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. William Paine, Jeremiah Waterman, Charles Waterman, Reuben King, Emor Olney, Nathaniel Day, and all others, &c. " Richard Thornton, the 3d Destrect, to begin at Plainfield road by Nehemiah Sheldon, and to extend northward as far as Hope Hawkins gate and his men to work on sd way are Richard Borden, Benjamin Waterman, Joshua Greene, Joseph Thornton, and all other persons, &c. " Daniel Thorntons Destrect, To begin at Killingly Rhode by Esquire Eddys pot ash, and to extend westward on the new highway to Esquire Sprague's way so call'd, and his men to work on sd way are John Waterman, Esq., Job Waterman, William Waterman, and all others, &c. " William Harris Destrect To begin at James Hoyles house, and to extend westward to Scituate line, and Taking in Robert Williams Rhode, and his men to work on sd way are Samuel Smith, Wm. Whitiker, Joshua Kimball, Jonathan Fisk, Zebedee Mitchell, Esaih King, Sr., Dan'l King, Jeremiah Sheldon, William Mathewson, Richard Mathewson, and all others, &c. " Joseph Bordens Destrect To begin at Con. Angell northermost his land and to extend by Esq Harris Gate to Killingly Rhode and his men to work on sd way are Henry Harris (son of Josiah Harris), Josiah King, William Borden King, and the heirs of Henry Harris deceased and all other persons, &c. " Isaac Winsors Destrect, To begin at Rhode by Rufus Hawkins, and to extend westward on the new highway to the head thereof, and his men to work on sd way are John Mathewson, Daniel Mathewson, Noah Mathewson. Iseral Mathewson, jr., William Mathewson, Elder Samuel Winsor, Rufus Hawkins, Jr., and all other persons, &c. " Capt. Seth Tripps Destrect to begin at Grate Rock opposite Bel- knap's Dam bars, and to extend down sd way to a chesnot stump, near the lower end of Richard Clemence wall, and also to take the new highway that goes from meeting house to Daniel Thorntons and his men to work on sd way are Daniel Waterman, Jeremiah Hopkins. Abraham Belknap, Jacob Belknap, Phillip Potter, Andrew Aldrich, John Sweet, Jeriah Hawkins, Jonathan Thornton, William Antrum, and all others, &c. " Daniel Mortons Destrect, To begin at a chesnot stump, near the lower end of Richard Clemence 'wall and to extend to the river at Tripps Town, takemg in one half of the Bridge at sd river, and his men to work on sd way are Caleb Vensent, Nicholas Vensent, Job Potter, William Warnor, Richard Eddy, Ephraim Pearce, John Cary, and the heirs of Anthony Olney Deceast, and all persons, &c. " Consider Luther's Destrect To begin at Ebenezer Spragues, Esq., and to extend to Plainfield Rhode, and the Cross Rhode from Joseph Fisk to Scituate line, and his men to work on sd ways are Josiah Pot- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 789 ter, Capt. Iseral Angell, Daniel Williams, William and Oliver Wil- liams, and all other persons, &c." Highway appropriations for 1888 were $6,000. The first meeting of any school committee of which any record can be found was on the 2d of June, 1828, and was holden at the inn of Resolved Waterman, at which 12 members were present. The Hon. James F. Simmons was elected chairman and Lyndon Knight secre- tary. On the second Saturday in August the town was divided into ten school districts, and on the first Saturday in September, 1828, the school houses were located and with few exceptions they remain as then located. The highest appropriation made at this time to anyone district was $42, and the lowest $88, and by the records it is found a committee of three members was appointed to visit each school. In 1831 two schools were established in District No. 4, on account of the distance the pupils had to walk to attend the one which was situated at the extreme south side of the district, a house being hired for the use of the second school at 25 cents per week while in actual use. June 9th, 1832, a new district was formed from parts of districts 2, 3 and 5, and was called No. 11. A school house was located and the proper machinery put in motion for the accommodation of the inhabit- ants of that locality. About this time the wages were cut down, as ladies were receiving $1.25, while male teachers received $2.50 per week. In 1837 the town's appropriation had increased to $350, and the state appropriation to $274.84. February 8th, 1841, Districts 12 and 13, one at Graniteville and the other at Dry Brook (now Hughesdale), were formed. In January, 1844, District No. 14 was established in the western part of the town and was composed of Districts 4 and 6. At this time the appropriation w r as over $1,100 from all sources. Under the new school act of 1846 the number of committee men was cut down to three. September 3d, L850, at a special meeting of the committee, an application from Dis- trict No. 7 (Manton) was received and approved for a district tax of $1 .2<>0, for the purpose of building a new school house. In November, L852, District No. 3 (Simmons Upper Village) voted to follow the lead ■of No. 7 and build a house. About the year 1866 the village of Merino had established a school, which relieved that of No. 1, and in 1867 District No. 15 was formed and a four-story school house erected. District No. 13 in 1868 erected a commodious structure at an expense of over $4,000, and in 1869 District No. 16 was formed, consisting of Merino village and a small territory surrounding the same. March 4th, 1871, an attempt was made to have district lines abol- ished, which attempt proved abortive and the old system prevails. July 1st, 1871, under the new law a superintendent was elected. In the spring of 1872 the commissioner held the first teachers' institute ever held in the town, which proved successful, stimulating the friends of education to renewed exertion. June 21st, 1873, Districts 6 and 14 790 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. were consolidated and were to be known as District No. (5. During the summer of 1878 the school house in No. 1 was raised and a story put underneath, making a four-room building. In the spring of 1875 the boundaries of several districts were changed. Appropriations for 1888 were $7,000. The town of Johnston took a conspicuous part in the great rebel- lion of 1861-5. From the reports we find the following record: In the 1st Regiment of the state there were 6; 2d Regiment, 40; 3d Regiment, 35; 4th Regiment, 22; 5th Regiment, 33; 7th Regiment. 16; 9th Regi- ment, 10; 11th Regiment, 4; 12th Regiment, 19; 1st Cavalry, 24: 2d Cavalry, 6; 3d Cavalry, 9; Battery A, 6; Battery B, 4; Battery C, 4; Battery E, 3; Battery F, 5; Battery G, 7; 14th Colored Regiment, 1. Only one or two were drafted, as the town was ready to fill its quota of men at all times. Land was bought for the town farm, of A. W. Winsor and wife, in 1862, at a cost of $3,800, consisting of two lots, in all 45 acres and over. At the present time the home for the poor is in a fair condition and with the many improvements that have been made the paupers of the town are comfortable. The average number of paupers kept at the farm during the year 1887-8 was five. The total cost of running the farm and care of the paupers from June 1st, 1887, to May 28th. 1888, was $3,190.80. The total receipts from the farm, etc., were $2,103.87. Of this last amount $1,603.18 was received for milk sold; $848.14 for produce, etc.; $157.50 for cows sold. The Fruit Hill Horse Detective Society was organized July 3d, 1830, and although not in this town, the territory embraces Johnston, which has always taken a lively interest in the enterprise. Since its organization 750 names have been enrolled as members, and so effect- ive has been this institution that but one or two horse thieves have escaped from their vigilance. The treasurers of this society have been: Jeremiah Angell, William Westcott, Joseph Westcott, Robert Dcvereux, 1843 to 1867, since which time Robert W. Devereux has filled the office. The other officers are: George F. A. Beane, president; William Phillips, secretary: George W. White, collector. Mr. White has been collector over 40 years. Captain Arthur Fenner, a lieutenant in Cromwell's army, was born oi a highly respectable family in 1622, and appeared m Providence about 1645. February 27th, 1649, he was included among the six men for the trial of causes. On October 3d, 1649, Robert Williams and Thomas Harris gave him a receipt in full for his purchase money, 30 shillings, he having full and equal right in the plantation. He was among the early settlers of the town of Providence. About 1654 he bought of William Barrows meadow land at Neutaconkanut. He afterward increased this farm to 218 acres, his land lying to the south and west of the hill, and he later increased his possessions in the towns of Johnston, Providence and Cranston to 500 acres and over. " His HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 791 castle," says Reverend J. P. Root, " was built immediately after the war of 1675-6, probably on the site of his burned house, nearly oppo- site to the locality where the Red Mill in Simmonsville now stands, and on the Cranston side of the road, close by the burial place where the tombstone of his son Thomas and others of his descendants may still be found. It has for generations been known as the Fenner Castle." Many of the descendants of Captain Arthur Fenner, who was buried in the old cemetery near the site of Fenner Castle, settled in the towns of Johnston and Cranston. The children of Arthur and Mehitable Fenner were: Thomas, born 1652; Arthur, Freelove, Bethiah, Phebe, and Sarah, buried November, 1676. Thomas married first Alice Ralph, second Dinah Borden. He was a major during the Indian war of 1676 and proved a brave soldier. He was a valuable citizen and exerted a wide influence in the Providence plantations. He was deputy in 1683, '91, '95, '97, '99, 1704 and 1705. He held the office of governor's assistant from 1707 to 1717, except in 1714. He died February 27th, 1718. Thomas and Alice Fenner had one child, William. The children of Thomas and Dinah (Borden) Fenner were: Mehitable, Freelove, Thomas. Mary, Joseph, Richard, Sarah, Arthur, Eleazer and John. Of the children of Captain Arthur Fenner, Freelove married Gideon Crawford April 13th, 1687; Bethiah married Robert Kilton; Phebe married Joseph Latham; Arthur married Mary Smith, daughter of John Smith the miller. He died April 24th, 1725. Many of the descendants of the above settled in this town and vicinity. Chad Brown came to Providence with his wife Elizabeth in 1638. His son John, who was about eight years of age at the time, accom- panied him. He was the elder of the Baptist church on North Main street. He had five sons: John, James, Jeremiah, Judah or Chad, and Daniel. John resided at the north end of Providence, and married Mary, daughter of Obadiah Holmes, second pastor of the First Baptist church at Newport. James, the second son of John, lived on the homestead and married Mary, daughter of Andrew and granddaughter of William Harris, one of the original six who came to Providence in 1636. He was born in 1666, and died October 28th, 1732. His wife Mary died August 18th, 1736. Joseph, the third son of James, born May 15th, 1701, married Martha Field, lived in North Providence, and died May 8th, 1778. He had a son, Gideon, who settled in Johnston, on Plainfield road, two miles from Olneyville. Mr. Charles Brown, his great-grandson, now occupies the place. Gideon married Ruth, and had a son Nathan, who occupied the homestead. He was born in the year 1772, and died in 1848. He married Susan Thornton, daughter of Daniel. His second wife was Susan Smith, daughter of Job. Their children were: William, who married Sallie Fenner; Abby, who married Edmond Fisk; Daniel, who died May 1st, 1879, married Abby Fenner; Ruth, Nathan, 792 HISTORY OF PROVIDE1SXE COUNTY. Jr., Susan, Sarah, Gideon, Phebe, Isaac. All the children settled in the town of Johnston. Jeremiah Williams, Jr., was born July 7th, 1736, and died about the year 1810. He was the ancestor of the Williamses who settled in the town of Johnston. In a previous chapter his lineage back to Roger Williams is given. Jeremiah, 2d, married Bethiah Williams August 9th, 17.56. Their children were: Andrew, Huldah who married Pardon Fenner; Othoniel, married a Field and was drowned in Ver- mont; Jeremiah, 3d, married Amy Knight; Stephen, born July 15th, 1763. married Annie Knight; Catharine, born 1765, married Uriah Eddy: Waterman, married Delaney Potter; Mary, married first a Wil- liams, second William Eddy; Anthony, married and settled in Chester, Mass; and George, went to the state of New York. Huldah Williams, daughter of Jeremiah Williams, Jr., married Pardon Fenner. Their children were: Asahel, born in 1781, married Abigail Alverson; Phebe, settled in Pawtucket, was the wife of Doctor Niles Manchester, died January 23d, 1860, in the 73d year of her age; Arthur, born in 1792, died in 1825; and Abby, born January 17th, L800, married Daniel Brown, son of Nathan, died May 1st, 1879. The children of Daniel Brown and Abby Fenner were: Adelia, Albert, Eliza, Pardon Fenner, who married Helen Angell, daughter of Elisha O. Angell, and Florinda. The children of Pardon F. Brown are: Arthur, Caroline and William Niles. Olneyville is the largest village in the town, of Johnston. It is situated in the extreme southeast corner of the town, the greater section of the business part of the place being over the line in the city of Providence. The place was named in honor of Colonel Chris- topher Olney, who owned a tract of land in this vicinity and was a noted officer in the revolutionary war. He was born in 1745, the vil- lage was named for him in 1785 and he died in 1S09. He built mills and established himself in business here about the time the place was named. He was a descendant of Thomas Olney and his wife, Mary Small, who came from England in 1635. Mary, the daughter of his son Epenetus, married Nathaniel Waterman in 1692, and their son John Waterman (born 1709) and his son John Waterman, Jr., became conspicuous in the history of the town. The Waterman family above mentioned are descendants of Richard Waterman, who came from England in 1629 and was one of the twelve persons to whom Roger Williams deeded land obtained from Canonicus and Miantinomi. Richard Waterman was also one of the Gortonites arrested by the authorities of Massachusetts and arraigned in Boston. His son, Nathaniel Waterman, married Susanna Carder in 1663. His son Nathaniel married Mary Olney May 9th, 1692. Their children were: Bethiah, Nathaniel, Joseph, Zuriel, Sarah, Mary and John. Resolved Waterman, a son of Richard the settler, married Mercy, daughter of Roger Williams in 1659. Richard Waterman, a HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 703 descendant of the first Richard, established a paper mill in Olneyville in an early day. Colonel Nathaniel Proctor settled on Valley street on a site now owned by the Snow family in an early day. His sons, John and Nathaniel, worked in an old paper mill. John engaged in the grocery business. His brother. Captain Russell Proctor, father of Walter Proctor, owned a large property in the place and was an old man when he died in 1838. James Kelley was another distinguished man in the place, but of a later date. He was a very careful man and was bookkeeper for a long time in the' mills. He was in the war of 1812 and was wounded at the battle when Washington city was burned by the British. He and Henry Snow became associated in business, Mr. Snow succeeding him in the drug trade. Harrison Gray came to the village in April, 1838. from Fruit Hill. He was a blacksmith and had learned his trade at Worcester, Mass., in 1826. After coming to this village he carried on the business till the latter part of 1873. He was married in the fall of 1840 to Polly, daughter of William Smith, well known to many people of this vicin- itv. At the time he came here John Waterman kept a large store, owned the mill property here and manufactured cotton goods. The Waterman property consisted of two mills (on the city side) called the Eagle Mills. Thev were afterward called the Harrison Mills. In 1851 the Atlantic Mills were erected on this site. John Pettev, great-grandfather of James L. Pettis, was born in Hel- burn Woods, near Dartmouth, Mass., November 11th, 1732 (old style), and was married to Rachel, daughter of Judge Benjamin Miller, cf Warren. R. I., in 1755. He was a shoemaker. In 1705 he bought a house lot on the corner of Snow and Broad streets, and after framing his house in Warren, R. I., moved it there by boat and put it together. He died in 1815 in Providence. James M. Pettis, his grandson, so well known to the people of Johnston and vicinity, was born January 22d, 1783. on High street, in a house a little west of Stewart street. He was the son of Daniel Pettev (the name was so spelled till that time), who was a revolutionary soldier, and was captured and confined in the old Jersey ship at New York. Mr. Pettev was a cooper by trade, and was constantly kept at work on the ship. One day he and another workman decided they would attempt to escape, knowing that death from the yard-arm of the ship for the adventure would not be much more certain than that from vellow fever and other diseases which were daily carrying off the men by the score. Having decided what they would do, they got into a rowboat by night and put to sea, getting well out into the har- bor before their flight was discovered and pursuit made. Their ef- forts were now redoubled, but the boat of the enemy, with three .armed soldiers, was soon upon them. The British boat was pushed 794 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. alongside, when Pettey pushed it away. In the struggle which en- sued, the boat of the British was capsized, when the crew attempted to climb in that of the fugitives, but as fast as they swam to and laid hands upon it for that purpose, contrary to warning, Mr. Pettey chop- ped off their fingers with his axe, and in the confusion verv easily escaped. His son, James M. Pettis, was a carpenter by trade, and built many houses now standing in Olneyville. When a boy he would tramp over this region hunting and setting his traps for game. In 1803 he came to the place and began clerking for his uncle, Samuel Harring- ton, who kept a store where J. O. San Souci's store is now. Not liking the business, he left the store and went back to his trade. In 1807 he built the house now owned and occupied by David Andrews, out of old Oliver Williams' barn. In 1812 he built the house beside it, the one now occupied by Mrs. Albert Waterman, who has just raised it one story higher, and made a store room of the first floor. In 1826 James M. Pettis built the house now owned and occupied by his daughter, Mrs. Ednah H. Bradford. Mr. Pettis died Februarv 16th, 1871. Among other old houses now standing, erected by Mr. Pettis and others, should be mentioned the two just opposite Harrison Gray's, near the railroad station. The second one from the station is very an- cient, being at one time the property of the Williamses. Alfred An- thony's house was built about 1840 by John, son of Harvey Kelley. Governor Samuel Ward King built his house here in 1842. He was then governor of the state, and his house is a fit monument to com- memorate the Dorr war. Mr. King was town clerk many years. His sun, Charles King, is living in the city, and the heirs of Arthur Kim- ball own the property here. Nathan B. Harris owns the house Wil- liam Smith erected in 1839 or 1840. It passed into the hands of Lake & Harris, and at the time of their division of the property in 188o. it fell to the lot of the latter, who moved it back and erected the present house on its site in 188n. Harrison Gray built his house in 1845. Samuel A. Irons built the store now occupied by Thompson & Co. soon after the war. The Odd Fellows' Building, on Plamfield street, was erected in 1887. The American Multiple Fabric Company's mill, in Olneyville, was formerly used as a batting mill. The present company was originally organized by Seth W. Baker, the inventor of the process by which goods are manufactured, and upon being chartered under the state laws in 1873, the corporation was called the S. W. Baker Manufactur- ing Company, under which title the business was carried on until 1884, when the present corporate name was assumed. Charles A. Fletcher is president of the corporation, and William A. Wilkinson, agent and treasurer. One branch of the work done at this mill is the production of textile hose for the use of fire companies. They also HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 795 manufacture the Baker patent evaporating- horse blankets and other similar goods. Trading was begun in the village of Olneyville very soon after settlement was made here, and from that time business has steadily increased. The old paper mill, owned and controlled by Richard Waterman, the old forge and foundry, and some other minor industries created a center here evidently as early as the revolutionary war, though the first stores of note were carrying on business after this time. Samuel Huntington, John Waterman, John Proctor and his half-brother, Captain Russell Proctor, were all doing business in the place early in the present century. Samuel Huntington was here in 1803, and probably years before and after. John Waterman made a purchase of land here in 1796. He started his mills in 1812, and he had a large store and was doing a thriving business in 1838, when Harrison Gray came to the place. Waterman was among the most prominent traders at that time. He kept where Nathan B. Harris now carries a line of goods, and the latter, too, has been a trader for many years in the place. Mr. Waterman lived to be very old, dying at the age of 93. He was buried at the foot of Broadway. Eli Messen- ger, a Mr. Tillinghast and Nathan B. Harris all traded at this stand. Mr. Harris has been in business in the village for a third of a century. He was of the firm of Lake, Harris & Co., then of Lake & Harris. In 1880 he moved to his present quarters, and Mr. A Lake started up in the building owned by the Kimballs, where he is now. He came to the place in 1866, and has been a prominent merchant ever since. The Union store was kept by Charles Franklin. This property is now owned by the Atlantic Mills, but no store has been kept in that place since Mr. Franklin's day. John Proctor, and after him his half- brother, Captain Russell Proctor, kept store on the site or near where Russell Proctor now has a place. Captain Russell Proctor died in 1838 and was followed by Walter R. Proctor and he by Henry Proctor. Benjamin Anthony and his brother Jerome B. Anthony succeeded, and after them Henry Anthony, a brother of Alfred Anthony, kept store where Fred. San Souci keeps a shoe store now. A Mr. Holloway traded here at one time and also made clothing while running his business. Robert K. Atwood came to the village in 1856 and began clerking for William Harris in a grocery and provision store. Mr. Harris was succeeded in this store by Charles Abbott, whose success- ors have been Albert Burgess, E. J. Beane, S. C. Jamison and San Souci. Mr. Atwood began the meat market and grocery business in 1867 and continued trading on the Johnston side till 1884, when he moved across the line where he is now. When he came to the place 34 years ago Benoni Mathewson had the hotel, Francis Cummingshad a grocery store on Plainfield street, the Proctors, Anthony, and others also before mentioned were doing business. Dry goods w T ere carried as part of the stock, in the earlier stores,. 796 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. with hardware, groceries, etc. Mrs. H. McKinley was among the earliest traders in this specialty of goods, and is trading still. About ten years ago she crossed the line and is now in the city. She has been a very successful business woman, and is now the oldest trader in Olneyville. Mrs. Clarke began in 1852, and carried on a successful business until recently in the millinery line. George E. Boyden car- ried on the most extensive store in the place for many years and was a very successful merchant. He sold to Mr. Allen. Robert Melvin keeps the store now, and has been there a number of years. He traded formerly in the Irons Block, where Thompson & Co. are now doing business. The drug trade was begun here in the old fashioned way by James Kelley about the year 1846 or 1847. The stock was limited to a few general articles, which in the strictest sense of the term would not now require much of a pharmacist to compound. Mr. Kelley occu- pied the building now used by B. A. Smith, one of the oldest structures apparently in the place. He was succeeded by Mr. Snow, and he by Jacob Mott, Jr., who carried on business about 15 years. In 1885 he was followed by John Knowlton, and he gave up possession to the present proprietor in February, 1889. E. T. Luther was virtually the first druggist in Olneyville. He came to the place in 1865 and on January 26th started up at the stand where he has since carried on a successful business. When Mr. Luther came to the place 25 years ago, Nathan Harris was grocer, Stephen Whipple and Robert Macmillan had a meat market, Benjamin Mathewson the hotel, Abel Reynolds a fish market, John Hart a livery stable and Mrs. Clarke a millinery store. At that time John Wade, blacksmith, Harris Brown, wheelwright, John Gaddin, segar manufac- turer, Harris & Gray, old blacksmiths, and Samuel Anthony, coal merchant, were all doing business in the place on the Johnston side. Jacob Mott was the next druggist after Luther, and remained in trade at the Kelley stand. There are now three drug stores in the village (Johnston side), G. R. Parker, who started up in the Odd Fel- lows building in 1886, being the third one. The Olneyville Times was established in J 887, and with the exception of the Rhode Island Citizen, is the only paper ever published in the place. The Citizen was established a few years ago by Benjamin Evans, and was continued but a short time. The Times is a local paper, and is published by Sibley & Johnson, both men of experience and ability, the former having been previously connected with the Star and the Press of Providence, and the latter being a practical printer by trade. They also publish the East Providence Record, which was established by Mr. Sibley in 1885, Mr. Johnson coming into the firm upon the starting of the Times in 1887. The firm have a well equipped job office, and print and publish other papers, giving em- ployment to five hands constantly. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 797 The Olneyville Free Library and Reading Room was started as a reading room, principally through the efforts of Reverend William Davis about the year 1877. Mr. Davis, it will be remembered, was the subject of Boston's municipal vengeance a year or two ago for preaching on the street one Sunday. For this act he was confined in jail for some time. The library has been mainly supported and kept by ladies. A few years ago the Library Association was formed and incorporated, with the following officers: George C. Calef, president; Thomas B. Stockwell, vice-president; Mrs. L. Leavens, secretary; Walter Brownell, treasurer, and H. H. Richardson, librarian. There are now in the alcoves of the library 2,200 volumes. Applicants for books have the privilege of visiting the alcoves for themselves, an un- usual but by far the best method in vogue. The amount required each year for its support is about $500. An appropriation of $200 was made by the town May 28th, 1888, for this purpose. There are three secret societies in the village of Olneyville, one of which, the Knight of Pythias, has recently been instituted. Manufacturers' Lodge, No. 15, I. O. O. F.. was first instituted in Hopkinton, February 19th, 1851. In February, 1859, the charter was returned to the Grand Lodge, and on April 26th, 1870, the charter was revived and returned to Olneyville with 23 members, who were drawn from Eagle, Canonicus and Hope Lodges. The first officers were: N. G., Sheldon P. Sprague; V. G., W. A. Phillips; R. S., Thomas Ball; P. S., Edgar D. Stearns; treasurer, James Davis. Woonasquatucket Encampment, No. 10, was instituted and char- tered June 28th, 1873, with seven charter members. The first officers were: C. P., Thomas Ball; H. P., Edgar E. Stearns; S. W., Matthew Tennent; J. W., Dennison Harden; R. S., Edward J. Collins; F. S., Seth Mitchell; treasurer, Cyril S. Carpenter. The following account of the Olneyville Baptist church is taken principally from a history of the society prepared and published in 1878. The conversion of the first pastor of this church occurred in 1820, and in 1827, on the erection of the meeting house, Mr. Cheney accepted an invitation to occupy its pulpit regularly. The attendance and interest increased, and November 7th, 1828, a covenant was pre- pared and accepted by five brothers and six sisters: Martin Cheney, Peter Place, Cyrus Williams, William Chaffee, John Peyton, Ruhama Angell, Prudence Baxter, Anna Buffington, Sarah Ann Williams, Can- dace Irons and Wealthy Latham. Martin Cheney was at this meeting chosen pastor, clerk and treasurer. April 3d, L830, Stephen Barton succeeded as clerk, and Peter Place as treasurer. At the same time Peter Place and Cyrus Williams were chosen to act as deacons, serv- ing until March, 1832, when they were succeeded by Horace Read and Samuel Thompson. In February, 1832, Mr. Cheney was again chosen clerk, and Mr. Bucklin was chosen treasurer. In November of the 798 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. same year Jordan Taylor was chosen clerk, and in May following he succeeded Mr. Thompson as deacon. In 1886 the society purchased a dwelling house for the pastor on Atlantic street, where he resided until his death. In 1837 and 1838 seasons of extensive revivals were enjoyed, which added much strength to the church. At a special church meeting, October 14th, 1837, Daniel P. Dyer and Ralph P. Devereux were elected deacons, and were in- stalled in January following. In the spring of 1843 a protracted meet- ing was held for a number of weeks, during which a large number of persons made a profession of religion. At a church meeting held in March, 1847, a resolution was passed giving its approval to Brother George T. Day as a minister of the gospel, he having, a short time previously, commenced his labors in that capacity. In January, 1851, Cornelius S. Sweetland was chosen clerk, and in March, 1854, he was succeeded by Andrew H. Waterman, and one year later William H. Bowen became clerk. January 4th, 1852, Reverend Martin Cheney, the beloved pastor of the church, died, and in the same month the church and society called to the pulpit Reverend George T. Day, who was installed as pastor in July following. Under his care the church continued to prosper until his resignation in March, 1857. In 1857, the original covenant, pre- pared by Mr. Cheney, under which the church was organized, was carefully revised. A call was extended in May, 1857, to Reverend D. J. B. Sargent to become pastor, which was accepted. He came to his labors with im- paired health, which after a few months gave way completely. In September leave of absence for six months was granted him in the hope that rest and a warmer climate might restore him to health, but the time fixed for his return proved to be the time appointed for his departure to the skies. His brief ministry was long enough to endear him to his people, and to teach them the value of his life. In March, 1858, Reverend M. J. Steere was called to the pastorate, but soon afterward resigned, and subsequently joined the Second Uni- versalist church of Providence. About this time the house of worship was extensively repaired and rededicated. In August of this year A. A. Harrington became clerk of the society. The church remained without a settled pastor for six months, during which time the pulpit was supplied by Reverend A. J. Davis, of Lowell, Mass. In the spring of 1851) Mr. B. F. Hayes of New Hampton, N. H., was invited to preach and was subsequently requested to become the permanent minister. He was ordained July 27th, 1859, and was installed in April of the next year. Mr. Hayes resigned his office after a profitable pastorate of four years. In March, 1864, Reverend J. A. Howe commenced his services as pastor and continued to serve until August, 1872, when he resigned to accept the chair of Systematic Theology in Bates College. The death of Deacon R. P. Devereux occurred June 13th, 1866. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 790 For 29 years he had filled the office of deacon, endearing himself to the people. In July, 1866, A. A. Harrington was elected deacon and J. D. Hubbard treasurer and trustee. Brother Harrington declined to serve permanently, but consented to fill the position until another should be chosen. The church created about this time the office of assistant deacon, and chose J. D. Hubbard and Stephen Stone to serve in that capacity. This office was discontinued when these brethren, together with Thomas Sawyer, who had been chosen to the place, were set apart to the office of deacon April 2d, 1873. In September, 1872, Brother William F. Davis was invited to be- come pastor. He began his labors October 1st and was ordained November 20th. He remained pastor until May, 1875. During this period a mission was established in Johnston about one mile west of the church, which resulted in the building of what is now known as Pettis Avenue chapel, at an expense of about $3,000. The chapel was dedicated January 12th, 1876, Mr. Davis conducting the dedica- tory services. Deacon D. P. Dyer died June 10th, 1875, aged 82 years. Reverend A. L. Gerish, of Pittsfield, Maine, was called to the pastorate in December, 1875, and assumed the pastoral relation Feb- ruary 1st, 1876. The present pastor is Reverend J. W. Parsons. A new house of worship was erected in 1884. The present membership of the society is about 300. The Merino Mills are located at Merino village. The manufactur- ing interest was started there by John Waterman, who built the orig- inal mill in 1812. This property was burned in 1841, and the present structures were erected in 1851. Mr. Waterman manufactured woolen goods at first, but after a year or so changed to cotton. In 1847 the property was bought by the Franklin Manufacturing Company, con- sisting of Henry P. Franklin, Charles A. Franklin and Amos D. Smith. The present company, of which Peleg J. Congdon is presi- dent and treasurer, came into possession in 1884. They manufacture cotton goods, operating 30,000 spindles, and giving employment to 325 hands. The capital stock of the company is $200,000. They manu- facture annually goods to the amount of about $270,000. The village of Hughesdale takes its name from Thomas Hughes, who came there in 1849, and during the next year established what is now somewhat extensively known as the Hughesdale Chemical Works. Mr. Hughes came from Manchester, England, to this countrv in 1839. He was a specialist in the printing and dyeing of cotton and silk goods, and located in Pawtucket, R. I. In 1846 he married Mary A., daughter of Nathan Smith, one of the first block printers who came to this country. He began the manufacture of dye stuffs soon after he located in Hughesdale and continued the business till his death in 1883. His children were: Theodore S., William H., Thomas F., Oscar L., Harold E., and Alfred E. In 1871 Thomas Hughes or- ganized a stock company, the style being the Hughesdale Manufactur- 800 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. ing Company, to manufacture chemicals. In 1886 Theodore S. Hughes and his brother, William H. Hughes, succeeded to the business. In May, 1868, a great flood swept the village out of existence, and the mills were then rebuilt by Thomas Hughes on agrander scale than before. The post office was established here in 1876 by Theodore S. Hughes and kept in his store. The Hughesdale Congregational church was established in 187? under the charge of the Reverend Doctor Taylor. The village of Manton lies principally in North Providence. ( )f those who settled early on the Johnston side of the stream may be mentioned John Tripp, who came from Cranston as early as 1700 and took up a tract of land bordering on the village, and the Waterman^, who occupied lands, part of which covers the site of W. H. Carpenter's store and vicinity. The Watermans owned a little carding mill, after- ward converted into a button factory, and probably T)0 years ago moved back and used as a tenement house. Mrs. Jeremiah King occupied it first as a dwelling. It now stands on the hill and is owned and occu- pied by Mrs. Catherine Dolan. It formerly stood near the river below the store, and was in all probability erected during the revolutionary war or soon afterward. Robert Devereux came to the place as early as 1824, and was for many years overseer of the Manton & Kelley Mill on the other side. He purchased property of Cyrus Stone in 1828, and in that house John Tripp, Jr., married his wife, as early as 1800. Mr. Tripp died in 1861, over 8<> years of age. Colonel Peter Briggs was a large landholder in this part of the town, and was a blacksmith by trade. His son, Peter J. Briggs, ran the hotel at one time. Henry M. Sessions, father of Henry M. Sessions, Jr., came here in 1830; both of them have been prosperous farmers. Mr. Sessions settled on the farm of Andrew Angell, known originally as the Whipple place. The Mantons were old settlers also. Edward and Jeremiah Manton owned considerable property in this vicinity, and the place after the establishment of a post office was changed from Tripp-town to Manton, in honor of that family. The name was changed just before the late war. There is but one store in the village on the Johnston side. It was erected by E. A. Whipple during the late war. It was occupied by various parties till 1880, when W. H. Carpenter, the present occupant, took possession, since which time he has controlled a good trade. St. Peter's Protestant Episcopal Society erected a church building in the place in 184."). It was a wooden building, and gave way to the present stone structure erected in 1857, Reverend W. H. Mills being the rector at that time, to whose efforts the parishioners are indebted for the house of worship. The building is of the Gothic order, after designs by Mr. Frank Mills. It stands on land originally owned by the Harris family. This land was given the church by Susan, .HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 801 daughter of Nathan Brown. The first wedding in this church was that of Pardon F. Brown, a grandson of Nathan Brown, to Miss Helen Angell, November 14th, 1850. The rectors of this society have been as follows: Reverends Daniel Henshaw, Andrew Croswell, Doctor W. F. Childs, David Lumsden, W. H. Mills, Thomas L. Randolph, Benjamin F. Chase, Samuel H. Webb, W. I. Magill and Thomas H. Cocroft, the present rector. E. O. Angell has been senior warden and treasurer of this society for many years. A. T. Mansfield is the junior warden. W. S. Steere is Sunday school superintendent. The society is very prosperous and has lately made improvements on the building at the expense of $700. There was formerly a Free-will Baptist society in the village of Manton. This society worshipped in the old depot building, but the church was always weak, and it eventually became extinct. The Cal- vinist Baptists have just erected a building, and under the leadership of John Perrington are making some progress. They formerly wor- shipped in Lee's Hall, and later in the depot building, which they sold to the railroad company in 1874 for $800. Their new chapel cost $4,000. They have no regular pastor yet. John Perrington is the Sabbath school superintendent. There has been a hotel in Manton since about the year 1830. The tavern was probably erected at that time by Harry Hoyle, who stayed long enough in the business to make for himself a name as an old- fashioned tavern keeper. He was followed by Peter Briggs, son of Colonel Peter Briggs, who also entertained the traveling public with good dinners and lodging for the night. Mr. Briggs also kept store, the principal article for sale and barter being West India goods, the other name for rum. Following Mr. Briggs came Charles Dewey, about the year 1854-5. He formerly worked for Pardon F. Brown in the sash and blind factory. After him came Henry C. Peckham, Charles Hall, James Phillips and Henry Mowry, the present occu- pant. The Greek Hotel, or the old Elm House, a noted old tavern stand, is on the Hartford Pike, about one mile from the village of Manton. It is on the stage route from Providence to Danielsonville. Eminent horsemen made this house their headquarters in days gone by, and it has been a favorite resort of politicians. It is said that a number of Rhode Island governors have been nominated in this hotel. One of the first landlords was a Mr. Williams, succeeded by Harry Smith, Colonel Knight, George Crump, Thomas Kilton, Ben Brownell, James Eddy, George Cook, a Mr. Shattuck, Levi Phillips, J. Farnum and Daniel Greene. May 1st, 1889, O. F. Knowlton became the landlord. Mr. Knowlton was born in Vermont in 1835. In this vicinity of the town Benjamin Hawkins, who was a connec- tion of Harry Hoyle, Albert C. Greene and Mary Tourtellot, children 51 802 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. of Ray Greene, and the house of Phebe Brown, once the headquarters of General Nathaniel Greene, are all names of note. Thornton was originally called Simmonsville, in honor of James F. Simmons, who built a mill here as early as 1835, and established a store at the same time. The mill stood on grounds now occupied by the British Hosiery Company. The property was sold first to John Whipple, and passed next into the hands of his brother Charles H., who sold it to Charles Fletcher. About the year 1839 Daniel Brown erected a wooden mill used for grinding grain. About 1847 it was destroyed by fire. In 1849 it was rebuilt with stone. Daniel Brown died in 1827, and his estate was sold by Pardon F. Brown, in 1882, to M. P. Simmons. In 1884 Charles Fletcher erected the present mills, now owned and operated by the British Hosiery Company. A wooden mill was built here in 1827 by Daniel Brown for a machine shop. Brown & Fisk operated the shop for some time after, when it passed into various hands, and was used for different purposes. It is now owned by Charles Fletcher, and is used for a shoddy mill. Robert Wright Cooper, well known as the president of the British Hosiery Company, is a native of Manchester, England, having been born in that city September 2d, 1844. His parents were Francis A. and Maria (Wright) Cooper, both of whom were of old English families. Owing to the illness of his father, Mr. Cooper was com- pelled to leave school at an early age, and seek his fortune unaided. At the age of 14 years he obtained a position as apprentice in a large wholesale warehouse, and being industrious as well as quick to learn, was, at the age of 17, commissioned to travel as salesman. In 1863 he made his first voyage to America, and shortly afterward connected himself with a large hosiery manufacturing house of Nottingham, England, and for 20 years following, made many trips to this country, traveling on an average over 25,000 miles a year. As a salesman few, if any, have been more successful than Mr. Cooper. He was the first to represent, in this country, English hos- iery direct from the manufacturer, this class of goods having pre- viously been sold through commission houses. The large houses in the principal American cities, with which he has had dealings, will re- member Mr. Cooper as one of the most genial, agreeable and accom- modating of salesmen, yet at the same time one of the strictest busi- ness men. Early in his connection with the Nottingham house, Mr. Cooper was made a member of the firm, and for several years shared the prosperity he had so largely helped to produce. In the year 1879, an opening presenting itself, he withdrew from this concern, and es- tablished a business of his own under the name of R. W. Cooper & Co. Owing, however, to the severe competition of Germany, with its cheap labor, the business was not a financial success, and American friends invited Mr. Cooper to leave England and locate his business HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 803 in the United States. This invitation Mr. Cooper considered favor- ably, and on his succeeding- in securing the necessary financial back- ing from New York capitalists, he made arrangements to remove to this country. Mr. Cooper arrived at Simmonsville, R. I. (now named Thornton), December 24th, 1884, with a valuable plant of English hosiery machinery, and a force of 120 skilled English work people, many of whom had been in his employment in England. Business was at once commenced under the name of British Hosiery Company, and in 1885 an act of the state legislature was obtained, incorporating the company. The mill buildings and cottages for the workers had been erected by Mr. Charles Fletcher from plans suggested by Mr. Cooper, and were leased to the corporation for a term of years with the option of purchase. On January 1st, 1891, taking advantage of this option, the company purchased from Mr. Fletcher the mill prop- erty, cottages and about seven acres of land, and very soon intend making extensive alterations and additions to meet the growing re- quirements of their trade. The industry of making full-fashioned cashmere and cotton hosiery was entirely new to this country, and very great difficulty was experi- enced in getting the proper materials and help to carry on the busi- ness successfully. For upward of four years, Mr. Cooper contended against almost insurmountable difficulties, devoting on an average 15 hours a day to the business, and with indomitable perseverance and tenacity of purpose overcoming obstacles that would have discouraged a man of less sanguine temperament. Finding at last it was useless to hope for an adequate return for the outlay and labor necessary to carry on a successful business, unless the company could make their own yarns, in 1888 an additional mill was erected, in which the spin- ning of cashmere and worsted yarns is carried on, so that now the manufacture of cashmere hosiery, from the wool in the grease to the finished product, is all done on the premises under the personal superintendence of Mr. Cooper. Until the passing of the present tariff laws, it was found impossible to manufacture cotton hosiery with any degree of success, but now under the fostering care of the pro- tection granted to manufacturers of this class of goods, the British Hosiery Company have begun making cotton hose, and are now put- ting in new machinery, and expect very soon to double their present production. At the present time the company has in its employment nearly 400 hands, with a pay roll of about $12,000 per month, an aver- age per capita that will compare favorably with the wages paid by any other corporation in Rhode Island. Mr. Cooper is one of the most generous of employers, and has done everything in his power to make comfortable the surroundings of the work people, most of whom are English, as the industry being new to this country, the necessary skilled labor could not be procured here. They have a resident pastor for their church, an institute and library 804 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. which are well patronized, and cottages are ready furnished for the help. Athletic sports are encouraged and developed. The British Hosiery Company's cricket and football teams, each of which has Mr. Cooper for its honorary president, are too well known to require any description here. Through Mr. Cooper's help and encouragement, a full brass band has also been formed among the employees, which is a source of great help and pleasure to the villagers in their social en- tertainments. Mr. Cooper was the first to introduce the Saturday half-holiday in this state, the mill, from the commencement, having closed down for the week every Saturday at 1 p.m. This, combined with the weekly payment of wages, affords time and opportunity to the help to do their shopping in reasonable hours, and also to en- gage in the various sports and pastimes suited to their individual tastes. It may safely be assumed that the British Hosiery Company, under the skillful management and guidance of Mr. Cooper, is going to make itself felt for good in this community, and at present it stands unrivaled in America in its own particular line of business. In 1863, Mr. Cooper was married to Miss Louisa Card, of Dorset- shire, England. Their union has been blessed with 12 children, of whom six daughters and three sons are living. The eldest son, Oliver, is now learning his father's business. Mr. Cooper is a man of temperate habits, a total abstainer from all kinds of intoxicants and tobacco, and to this he probably owes much of his robust health, and the ability to transact personally the many business affairs that call for his attention. The Thornton Worsted Mills are now owned by a stock company of which William A. Shaw is president and Walter C. Eames treasurer. They purchased the mill in 1887. The capital stock of the company is $200,000. They manufacture worsted yarns and do an annual business of $300,000, employing 200 hands. They own 24 tenement houses and three-eighths interest in the Thornton Reservoir. Mr. William A. Shaw married Frances Fawcett, and they have five children. Dexter F. Phetteplace came from Connecticut about the year 1842 and began the manufacture of sash and blinds. He sold out to Tripp & Lewis, who employed a dozen hands or more. Mr. Abel Tripp built the original wooden church of St. Peter at Manton. Pardon F. Brown succeeded to the business in 1848. His first job was the mak- ing of the sash, doors, and window frames for the Merino Mills and the next job was for the Delaine Mill, employing from 12 to 15 hands. He removed to Manton in 1851, where he continued till 1869. The shop was not occupied afterward as a sash and blind factory. Upper Simmonsville was formerly a thriving manufacturing vil- lage principally laid out and built up by James F. Simmons, a son-in- law of Samuel Randall. Mr. Simmons was a man of political promi- nence, having been United States senator two terms. The manufac- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 805 ture of cotton goods was carried on till the great freshet of April 13th, 1840, swept everything away, since which time there has been nothing there. The following is quoted from a newspaper account of the flood: " Perhaps the worst catastrophe of the flood kind that ever afflicted this state was the great Simmonsville flood, which happened on the morning of April 13th, 1840. Simmonsville was then one of the most flourishing factory communities in the state and several hundred people found occupation in its mills. The owner of the mill property was James F. Simmons. He it was who started the first factory in this part of the state, and by improvements and enlargements had succeeded in making it a very valuable property. The water power was derived from two dams, the upper and the lower, as they were called, and situated in the upper village. The combined areas of the two dams was about two hundred acres, but they were badly built, and probably still worse looked after considering the amount of water they contained. They were not fed by any regular running stream, but by springs and small rills, the water from which was stored in these reservoirs. The upper dam was the reservoir proper while the lower, the one near the mills, was the storage place for water in immediate use. " The eleventh and twelfth days of April, 1840, were remarkable for the vast amount of rain that fell. Continuously, for more than 24 hours, rain came down in torrents. It seemed as though the heavens had opened and solid sheets of rain allowed to fall. The consequence of this was, the surface drainage running into the upper dam was more than the structure could withstand, and in the early morning on the thirteenth the whole of the earthen embankment gave way and the waters rushed down to the lower dam in a column upwards of ten feet high, carrying everything with it. The lower dam being a much weaker structure could no more withstand the force of the rush than a reed can stand before the wind without bending. What happened then is best told by Major William A. Pirce, whose father had charge of the mill in the lower village at that time, now Thornton. Major Pirce says: "Our family lived on the Plainfield road, over the store, near the mill in the lower village. The Saturday night and Sunday previous it had been raining in torrents, and on Monday morning, between 5 and 6 o'clock, about the time for the people to get ready for their work, the alarm was given. I was awakened from sleep by hearing shouts of ' The dam's burst ! the dam's burst !' and I at once jumped up and looked through the window looking out into the road, and there I saw a man called Steve Baker, on a white horse, driving up the road at a fearful rate shouting the warning cry. Instinctively I then ran to the other window which overlooked the stream, and I was just in time to see the first of the flood. It looked like a great solid, 806 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. but movable wall. I was just in time to see the column strike the first of the buildings after its destructive course in the upper village. This was a slaughter house on the opposite side of the stream from our house. It caught the building so pat that it went over as grace- fully as any one could wish to see, and sailed down the stream. Every- body quitted their houses, not realizing what was coming, but fortu- nately no further harm was down in the lower village, except the carrying away the underpinning of what was then known as the ' Cidar House.' The upper dam was first to give way, and then the lower one. Two houses which stood in the plat between Mr. Sim- mons's house and the mill were found to have disappeared, they hav- ing been taken clear off their foundations. On the opposite side of the stream there stood only a short time before a large .store, a block printing shop, a shoemaker's shop, a storehouse and several houses, all of which were carried clear away. In the houses several families lived, many of the members of which perished. The lower mill of the upper village was known as the 'Sucker Head,' and that mill was almost entirely destroyed. Immense rocks and trees and vast quan- tities of gravel were carried down by the impetuous torrent, and de- posited from a mile to two miles down the course of the stream. " Among the families who suffered through this awful affair was one named Whittemore, who had removed into the house but 13 days previous. Eight out of this family were drowned. Six out of an- other family named Angell were also among the dead; a Scotchman, whose name I do not at this moment remember, and John Hoel and his wife were among the drowned, and one more, making 18 in all. The body of one of the victims of the flood was not found until about the middle of the following June. A woman named Mrs. Addy was carried down the stream in one-half of her house. She was in bed an invalid and could not help herself. Her bed caught against an ob- struction, and she was saved and lived to tell the story of her narrow escape for more than a third of a century afterward. The dead were taken to the school house in Simmonsville. Mr. Simmons had a fine horse in the barn when it was carried away, and strange to say, that horse succeeded in getting out of the flood alive, after being carried about a mile, and although it was covered with bruises, it recovered and lived to die of old age. This event was the death blow to the manufacturing business in the upper village. Mr. Simmons's losses were very great when measured by the standard of those days, and he could get no insurance on his property. He tried hard to fight against the loss, but he had to succumb to it." ( rraniteville is a small village in the northeastern portion of the town, lying partly in North Providence. Daniel Angell settled here in colonial times and built the gambrel roof house still standing. His son, Olney Angell, who was 84 years of age when he died in 1856, was born in that house. EmorJ. Angell, his grandson, built the HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 807 house where he now resides in 1846 or 1847. Another house was built by Mr. Angell, about the time the Angell homestead was erected. It was occupied by Daniel Mowry and is now the residence of Larned Dean, his son-in-law. Nelson Barnes erected his homestead in this place, where John W. Barnes now resides, in 1844. The house now occupied by Doctor Charles A. Barnard was erected by Doctor Isaac W. Sawin, who lived there and practiced medicine 15 years in the place. It was next occupied by Doctor John Budlong, who prac- ticed medicine 17 years in the place, and finally by Doctor Barnard, who moved into it in 1878. Samuel Sweet, the founder of the Baptist church here, was of an old family and a prominent settler in the place. His daughter, Mrs. Mary Burrows, occupied the old homestead. Elisha iVngell and Daniel Sweet built the house now occupied by Ed- win H. Farnham. The principal business in the place is carried on in the mills on the opposite side of the stream. They were erected by James An- thony, Joseph Westcott and Mr. Whipple, and burned in 1875. They were rebuilt and are now owned by the Campbells. There is one small store in the place, the business being carried on by Reuben Wyans. Paris Whitman had a store there in 1843. The building was burned a number of years ago. The Baptist church in this place was erected in 1849 by Daniel Sweet and others. Daniel Sweet preached here a number of years. Follow- ing various other supplies, Reverend S. S. Barney supplied the pul- pit six or seven years, but no settled pastor was engaged till Reverend N. H. Farr took charge in 1884. He remained till 18S8, when he was succeeded by the present pastor, Reverend C. W. Griffin. The deacons are Philip Sweet and Daniel O. Mathewson. George E. Olney is church clerk. Deacon Daniel O. Mathewson is Sabbath school superinten- dent. The church has a membership of about 60. Centredale lies on both sides of the river, principally in North Providence, where most of the business is done. A station was erected there in 1874, and in 1876 a company of men consisting of Philip Aid- rich, Frederick Aldrich and Henry Arnold, erected the store build- ing which Arthur A. Lee has occupied since 1883 for the Centredale Mineral Water Company's place of business. The building was used for a store by Philip Aldrich. The Centredale Mineral Water Com- pany manufacture all kinds of summer drinks, such as ginger ale, etc., and give employment to six hands. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. Emor Jackson Angell, a representative citizen of Johnston, R. I., was born in that town, March 9th, 1821. Daniel Angell, his grand- father, lived on lands now owned in part by him, and built his house there, which is still standing, years before the revolution. The farm, consisting in all of about 200 acres, was divided between two 808 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. sons, Olney and Daniel Angell. Olney Angell, the father of Emor J., built an addition to the house before the year 1800, and used it for a time as a hotel. He died in 1856, at the advanced age of 84 years. A few years after his decease, his wife died at the age of about 80 years. Her name was Abby Cozens. She was the«daughter of John Cozens. Mr. Emor J. Angell attended the common district school until 13 years of age, when he went into the store of Paris Whitman as clerk at $30 a year, with the privilege of going to school three months each year. He remained here and in a store in Providence till 17 years old, his wages increasing in the meanwhile to $108 a year. He next became employed on the farm as a common hand for his half-brother, Philip Angell, and subsequently for his two half-brothers, Philip and Olney Angell, beginning at $11 a month, but finally receiving $1(3. In 1843, having decided to learn the trade of a stone cutter, he became apprenticed to his half-brother, Elijah Angell, at one dollar a day, continuing in his employ for one year. He continued as a stone cutter for different parties, working for Nathaniel Sweet two years and for Daniel Sweet seven years, the latter of whom he bought out and continued the business himself from 1854 to 1875. During those years of apprenticeship and of labor as a common hand, he would work in the quarry in the summer season and spend the more inclement portions of the year cutting timber in the woods. Mr. Angell carried on an extensive trade for 20 years, employing most of the time 20 hands and more. He supplied many cities with stone for various purposes, shipping as far as New York and Baltimore. He began operations in Bear Rock Ledge in 1861, and during the winter of 1867 and 1868 quarried 6,000 feet of curbstone, from that locality alone. The columns in the Arcade at Providence were quarried from this ledge. Mr. Angell is a democrat. He w T as elected in 1862 as a member of town council, and served in that capacity for about ten years. In 1864 he was elected representative to the general assembly of Rhode Island, and filled that office in all, five years, being elected five differ- ent times. He is a popular citizen of his town, and was never de- feated while running for office. June 30th, 1842, he was married to Prucia Ann Mowry. She was a daughter of Abial and Lydia Mowry of Smithfield. Their children are: Emor H., the successor of his father; Lyvonia A., Amos J. and Lydia F. Emor H. married Almira Briggs, and has seven children living. Lyvonia married Alexander W. Harrington, who resides on the old homestead, but is doing business in New York. They have six children living. Amos J. married a Ballard and has three chil- dren living. He is a stone cutter in the town of Smithfield. Lydia F. is dead. Mr. Angell is a remarkable man physically. During his whole life, he has never been sick, requiring the services of a physician. He is a prohibition democrat, and has never drank anything but water HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 809 during the past five years, and now at 70 years of age, is able to com- pete with the most agile and supple among youthful men in running, jumping or leaping, or in other healthful sports. Ethan B. Arnold was born in Johnston in 1823, and was a son of James, and grandson of Philip Arnold, all born in Johnston. He married in 1849 Laura M., daughter of Asahel Paine. She survives him. Mrs. Clarissa Atwood, widow of Hiram Atwood, was born in Prov- idence in 1832. Hiram Atwood was born in Johnston in 1819, and was twice married, his first wife being Mercy A. Mann, by whom he had five children. She died in 1857. He was married in 1863 to Clar- issa, daughter of John M. Cargill. They had three children: John C, Edmond C. and William W. Hiram Atwood died in 1870. He was at one time state senator from Johnston. Robert K. Atwood was born in Boston, Mass., January 9th, 1837, and came to Johnston in 184.") with his uncle, William L. Latham. He first started in business in the firm of Davis & Atwood, in the meat and vegetable trade in Johnston. This firm continued business until 1881, when Mr. Atwood sold out, and in 1882 became a member of the firm of R. S. Rouse & Co. After two years trade, then he again sold out and engaged in business by himself in June, 1884, in the meat and vegetable trade. He was married in 1860 to Frances Knight, of Providence. Mr. Atwood was one of the first policemen under the new system. He served as representative from Johnston in 1879. George F. A. Beane, a prominent business man of Johnston, was born in Scituate, R. I., October 24th, 1849. He received the bringing up of a farmer lad, attending school in the winter, and in summer as- sisting his father with the many duties connected with the sowing and the reaping of harvests. In 1862 he entered the Lapham Institute, and occupied his spare time assisting the local farmers with their work. In 1865 he came to Johnston, and was for a time in the grocery store and counting room in the village of Merino, then in the employ of Taft & Aldrich, in a store now occupied by Nathan B. Harris on Olneyville Square. In 1872 he entered the real estate business in con- nection with Mr. Pierce, but in the year following obtained employ- ment in a wholesale grocery on Broad street. In 1877 he engaged in the coal, wood and livery business on Plainfield street. In 1887 his business had so increased that he was under the necessity of enlarg- ing his facilities, when he erected a large building 200 feet long, which extends from street to street, and where an annual business of $50,000 is now carried on. Mr. Beane's public life has been one of constant activity. He is a republican, and has been chairman of the republican town committee for 12 years, and is a member of the state central committee, for some years highway commissioner for district No. 1, and he is now serving the second year as a member of the town council. He belongs to the 810 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. I. O. O. F.. is grand high priest of the Grand Encampment of the state, and a member of the Patriarch Militant; past chancellor com- mander of Ivanhoe Lodge, No. 19, K. P.; member of Nestill Lodge, No. 37, A. F. & A. M.; president of the Fruit Hill Detective Society; treasurer of the Olneyville Business Men's Association; foreman of the Rough and Ready Volunteer Fire Company; one of the building committee of the Odd Fellows Hall in Olneyville, and chairman of the building committee of the first engine house now in process of erec- tion in the town of Johnston. Mr. Beane is a son of Constant and Olive L. (Aldrich) Beane. She is a descendant of Thomas Angell, who came to this country in the " Mayflower," and is a cousin of Doctor Thomas Angell, president of Ann Arbor University. June 14th, 1873, Mr. Beane was married to Miss i\bby L. Angell, daughter of the late Stephen and Phebe L. ( Winsor) Angell. She died August 14th, 1888. Their children are: Louisa A., Josephine A., William H. and G. Fred. January 1st, 1891, Mr. Beane was married to his second wife, Mrs. Ida L. McAlister, daughter of Captain W. F. Marshall of Bear River, Nova Scotia. Job Belknap, born January 20th, 1837, is a son of Emor, born in 1793, and grandson of Abraham. Job married Anna Waterman in L863. They have three children: Frederick W., Abby E. and Emery P. Mr. Belknap has been a surveyor of the highways 22 years. He commenced farming when he was 15 years of age. His son Frederick runs a milk cart, and for the past eight years has not missed a trip. Daniel Bishop, born in Johnston in 1820, is a son of Zepheniah and Mary Bishop. Zepheniah was a son of William. Daniel Bishop married Laura A. Phillips, of Smithfield. They had five children and thirteen grandchildren. Mr. Bishop has lived on the farm he now occupies in Johnston 42 years. John A. Brayton, son of Boylston and Freelove Brayton, was born in Smithfield in 1836. He commenced the manufacture of shoddy in Smithfield, and worked at it five years, then ran the mill for wool scouring and picking waste wool up to 1887, when he retired from, business. He married Ella G., daughter of Ira Winsor, of Johnston, in 1878, and has two children: Mary A. and Florence A. Charles A. Brown, born in Johnston, R. I., in 1821, is a son of Nathan Brown, Jr., whose father, Nathan, was a son of Gideon. Charles A. has been a successful business man, was a millwright 30 years, and then a farmer. He now holds the office of councilman in Johnston. He is unmarried. His sister, Ann F. Brown, keeps house for him. Elisha W. Brown, born in Johnston October 23d, 1819, is a son of Augustus and Mary W. Brown. The father of Augustus was Elisha Williams, of the fifth o-eneration from Roger Williams. Elisha W. Brown was married in J 842 to Marv A. Davis. She died in 188o. £/#zi£ RTOTYPE, E. BIERSTADT, N. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 811' Gideon Brown, born April 9th, 1833, is a son of Cyrus and Sarah Brown, the former born in 1791. They had seven sons and four daugh- ters. Cyrus was a son of Gideon, Sr. They were all born in Johnston, R. I. Cyrus Brown, soon after the war of 1812 was colonel of state militia, and in 1843 was state senator. Gideon, Jr., was married in 1862 to Ada E., daughter of Benedict Aldrich. They have one daughter, vSarah A., born in 1867. The father of Mrs. Brown, Benedict Aldrich, is living with his son-in-law, Gideon Brown. He is 97 years old, and the oldest Mason in New England. He was made a Mason in 1814, in Friendship Lodge, No. 7, of Chepachet, and has taken the past mas- ter degree. Phebe Brown, born in 1809 in Johnston, is a daughter of Nathan and Susan Brown, who had ten children. Phebe was the youngest daughter. Nathan Brown died in 1831, and Phebe has since lived on the farm she now occupies. William M. V. B. Brown, born in 1834, is a son of Cyrus and Sarah Brown. He was married to Ellen M. Davol in 1877, and they have four children. Walter S. Brownell, born in Little Compton, R. I., in 1820, was a son of Jonathan and grandson of Sylvester, he a son of Jonathan, he a son of George, he a son of Thomas, who came over with his father, Thomas, from Derbyshire, England, to this country not far from 1660. Thomas, Jr., was a deputy to the general assembly under the royal charter in 1664. The mother of Walter S. was Elizabeth Hall Sim- mons, sister of the Honorable James F. Simmons, of Johnston, R. I. The grandmother of Walter S. was Mercy Church, who was great- granddaughter of Captain Benjamin Church. Walter S. Brownell married Delana A. Pirce in 1846. They had ten children, seven of whom are living: Walter S., Jr., Willie P., Samuel F. M., Delia, Abbie E., Hattie L., and Harry. Walter S. came to Johnston in 1837. He was appointed the first postmaster of Johnston, at Simmonsville, in 1847, and held the office two years; was elected town clerk in 1861, served two months, and then went to Washington and was clerk in the Interior Department two years, and in the War Department a part of a year, under Quartermaster General Meigs, then returned to Johnston and was appointed assistant assessor in the internal revenue of the 2d District, R. I., and served ten years. He was appointed postmaster at Olneyville by President Arthur and served four years.. He was elected town clerk about .six years, and was elected president of the town council for about 13 or 14 years, and also was elected an assessor of taxes for many years in the town of Johnston, and held many other offices, such as justice of the peace, notary public, trustee of school district No. 15, and treasurer for many years of the First Free Baptist Society of Olneyville. He is now deputy sheriff of Prov- idence county, and assessor of town taxes for Johnston. 812 HISTORY OF TROVIDENCE COUNTY. George Clinton Calef, senior member of the firm of Calef Brothers, is a native of Vermont, and was born in Washington, that state, June 19th, 1837. He was the son of Cutting S. and Martha Paine Calef, and was brought up on a farm. His father wasale a ding business man, but died at the age of 47, when George C. was seven years old. His wife, Martha H., belonged to one of the first families of Barre, Vt. She was born in 1801. and died in 188."). Their children were: Ezra P., Warren H., Alden D., Ira C, Ouincy O., Miraette A., Elmer Norton, Cutting S., George C, Martha, Lucy A. and John F. Ezra went to Illinois, Alden to Boston, Ira to Providence, Elmer N. to Oregon, Cutting S. and George C. to Providence. Martha died when young. The others settled in Washington. Elmer N. died in Oregon, in December, 1890, leaving a wife and 12 children. Cutting vS. died in Washington, Vt., but had always resided in Providence. George C. Calef remained on the farm until he was 21 years old, receiving in the meantime a common school education, with a few terms at an academy. In 1858 he came to Providence and began working for Abner Gay, Jr., in the market business on the corner of 'North Main and Thomas streets, and in 1859 Ira G, Cutting S. and George C. Calef became successors to Gay, and the business has con- tinued at the old stand, and under the same name (Calef Brothers) ever since. In connection with this enterprise in Providence, which is the largest family market now in the city, the house has also done much western business with Chicago. They also have a branch store at Lonsdale, and employ in all from 20 to 25 hands, in a business which amounts to $200,000 annually. Mr. Ira Calef in time retired from the firm, and was succeeded by Charles H. Jefferds. After the death of Cutting S. Calef and the retirement of Charles H. Jefferds, Clarence Kingsbury and Louis A. Gladding were admitted into the firm. Mr. Calef also owns a large livery stable on Battey street, Providence, in which over 50 horses are kept. Mr. Calef has taken great interest in educational work, and has been trustee of the Manton school district for ten years, and still holds that office. Through his efforts, largely, the first high school was established in Johnston. He has been a member of the town council, is a member of the executive committee of the Butchers and Marketmen's Association, an active member, and one of the executive committee of the Sons of Vermont, president of the Manton Building and Improvement Association, president of the Olneyville Free Li- brary Association, and chairman of the building committee, and has taken great interest in securing the elegant and costly building now in process of erection, to be devoted to library and other uses. The improvements at Manton are largely due to his influence and enter- prise in securing Pawtuxet water, street lights, telephone communica- tion, curbed and graded streets and horse cars. Air. Calef has always had a good opinion of real estate, and has invested largely in that f^C^^r ~r .. born L852; Byron, L853, and Phebe (>.. 18(50. all married. Philip L. Mathewson, son of Isaac and Patience (Olney) Mathew- son, was born in Providence in 1824. Isaac and Patience had three children. Patience died in 1824. Isaac married for his second wife Eliza Arnold, by whom he had two children. Philip L. married Sarah B., daughter of Jeremiah Thornton, of Johnston. They have no chil- HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 817 dren. Mr. Mathewson has been in the town council, and a member of the general assembly one term. He lives on the Deacon Olney farm in Johnston. William H. Mathewson, born in 1867, is a son of William H.. Sr. (who died in 1887), and Mary F. Westcott, daughter of Joseph West- cott. William H., Jr., the only son, married Nellie V. Burchard, daughter of Horace E. Burchard, of Johnston. William H., Jr., car- ries on a large vinegar manufactory and a farm. He owns the old Mathewson store. Alvin M. Mowry, born in Smithfield in 1855, is a son of Simon and Nancy Mowry. He came to Johnston in 1887 and is a wholesale and retail milk dealer. He married in 1879 Ida E., daughter of Edward E. Hale. They have two children: Alice M., born 1881, and M. Ethelyn, born 1884. Mr. Mowry is a member of the Baptist church of Georgia- ville. Mrs. Mowry is a member of the Episcopal church of Olney- ville. Harlan A. Page, born in Glocester in 1842, is a son of William Page of the same town. He enlisted in 1862 and served through the rebellion. He came to Johnston in 1866 and engaged in building and contracting. He has built nearly 100 houses in the vicinity of Olney- ville. He was married in 1867 to Emma R. Randall, who died in 1868, leaving a son. He next married Sarah R. Mathewson, who died in 1873, leaving a daughter. He married Malvina S. Mathewson in 1874. She died in 1882, leaving a son and daughter. In 1883 he married Sarah A. Garnett. They have had three children, one of whom died in 1888. Mr. Page is a member of the I. O. O. F. He was a member of the town council in 1884 and 1885 and assessor of taxes previously in Johnston. He was on the committee to build the Free-will Baptist church, Plainfield street, and is one of the committee of house at the present time. Simon S. Page, born in Glocester, R. I., in 1S34, is a son of William and Mary (Steere) Page. He came to Johnston in 1877. He learned the carpenter trade in his younger days and after coming to Johnston became a real estate dealer. He has held several offices. In 1880 he took the United States census for the town of Johnston; in 1885 he took the town census. He has been justice of the peace, assistant trial justice, special constable, deputy coroner, and on committees of the town, two years water and light commissioner and assessor of taxes six years, trustee of school district No. 15 five years, and also a member of the school committee, and is now notary public. Mr. Page has been twice married, his first wife being Mary E. Hudson, granddaughter of Doctor Samuel Hudson of Cranston. They had two children, a daughter and son, the daughter is now living. Mrs. Page died in 1868 and he married in 1870 Corlista A. Bachelder. They have four ckildren. Mr. and Mrs. Page are members of the Free-will Baptist church of Olneyville. He was superintendent of the Sunday 52 818 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. school five years, and has been superintendent of four other Sunday- schools. He is now teacher of a Bible class. Leander W. Peckham, born in Westerly, R. I., April 21st, 1846, is son of Daniel and and Betsey M. (Clark) Peckham. He came to John- ston in 1871 and engaged in the manufacturing business, first in the Brown Mill at Thornton. In 1885 he leased the mill from Mr. Fletcher, known as the Bag Mill. He employs 30 hands. He does an annual business of from thirty to forty thousand dollars. Mr. Peckham mar- ried Josephine A. Bennett of Johnston, in 1879. Alva O. Pike, born in Johnston in 1852, is a son of Thomas and Phebe (Harris) Pike, and grandson of Isaac Pike. Thomas was born in Connecticut in 1822, married in 1850, and had two sons and two daughters. Alva O. married in 1883 Adaline E., daughter of George G. and Sarah Pierce of Providence. Waldo M. Place is a son of William H., who was a son of H. N. F. Place and he a son of Dutee Place, who was born in Glocester, R. I., November 25th, 1783, and lived to be nearly 103 years old. William H. Place married Adelaide J. Steere, daughter of Smith Steere of Glo- cester, and Waldo M. is their only child. Welcome A. Potter born January 17th, 1810, in Cranston, is a son of Benjamin, born August 11th, 1774, died 1853. He was a cotton manufacturer. He had ten children, of whom only two are living- Asa K. and Welcome A. Welcome A. married Maria M. Pettis August 18th, 1839. She was a daughter of James M. Pettis of Johnston. They have one son, Benjamin J., engaged in the furniture trade in Providence. Mrs. Potter died in January, 1890. James B. Randall is a son of James B. and Amanda Randall, grand- son of Samuel Randall and great-grandson of Captain James Randall. His grandfather, Samuel Randall, was known as Judge Randall. James B. Randall Jr., lives on the old homestead in Johnston where he and his father were born, and which has been in the Randall family over 150 years. He married Sarah E. Mead, of Elmira, N. Y., and they have three children: William M., Sadie F. and Harry T. Mr. Randall belongs to the Independent Order of Good Fellows of Olney- ville. Ethan T. Sheldon, born in Johnston in 1847, is a son of Angell, Jr., and grandson of Angell, all natives of Johnston. Mr. Sheldon is a milk and ice dealer. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. and of the Rough and Ready Fire Company. He married in 1871 Esther, daughter of William and Ellen Walch. They have four children living: Newell 15., Rowena, Dora and Mary B. Benjamin F. Smith, born in Glocester in 1830, is a son of Benja- min. He was married to Almira R. Olney in 1851. They have four children: George A., born 1852; Ella F., 1858; Ann A., 1861, and Frank E.. 1869. Almira R. Smith was born in 1827. Benjamin and Almira have ten grandchildren. HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 819 Nicholas S. Smith, son of James W. and Sarah A. Smith, was born in Johnston in 1834. His father, James, was born in 1804, and his mother in 1804. Nicholas S. married Sophia, daughter of Olney Angell. They have two children: Clarence A., born 1868, and Eva M., born 1867. Stanton J. Smith is a son of James W., whose father, Nicholas, was a son of Benjamin, all born in Johnston. James W. had two sons: Stanton J., born 1831, and Nicholas S. Stanton J. married for his first wife, Susan J. Corbin. They had four children. Mrs. Smith died in 1868. In 1870 he married Sarah E., daughter of Henry Daven- port, of New Jersey. They have one son, Henry D., born in 1880. Mr. Smith has served eight terms in the town council, and one as member of the general assembly. He is a member of Roger Williams Lodge, No. 32, F. & A. M., of Centredale. William M. Smith, born in Johnston in 1808, is a son of Harry Smith, who was born in 1783. Harry was a son of Benjamin. Wil- liam M. Smith's mother died when he was three years old. Her name was Lydia Manchester. William M. Smith was married in 1846 to Eveline G. Marble, who died in 1869. He married in 1871 Amey A., daughter of William Eddy. Mrs. Charlotte Steere is the widow of Benedict Steere, and lives with her brother, William Sheldon. He was born in Johnston in 1817, and is a son of Angell and Eunia Sheldon. They had 14 chil- dren. William Sheldon married Julia A., daughter of Harry Smith, in 1842. They have four children, all married and settled in Rhode Island. Byron O. Sweet, son of Joseph Sweet, was born in North Provi- dence in 1864, and came to Johnston in 1888. He is a milk dealer. He married Maggie T. Walsh in 1884. They have two children: Fan- nie L. and Madeline M. Daniel Thornton was born in 1798 in Johnston, and had seven children. Eliza S. and Sylvania (Mrs. Carrie E. Brown), sisters, live on the Thornton homestead. Their brother, Albert O. Thornton, lives in Johnston. Daniel Thornton was born, married and died in the same house now occupied by his daughters. Elijah W. Thornton, born in 1828, is a son of Jeremiah, born 1786, he a son of Solomon, he a son of Daniel. Elijah W. married in 1859 Zilpha E., daughter of Olney and Almira Angell. They have four children: Sarah J., Fenner A., Emory C. and Alfred M. There have been seven generations of the Thorntons born in the house Elijah W. now occupies. On his farm stands the largest and oldest apple tree in the state, nearly five feet through and 250 years old. Miss Ann E. Thurber, born in Johnston in 1836, is a daughter of Ira and Amey Thurber, both born in Rhode Island, the former in 1806, and the latter in 1808. They had three daughters and three sons. The sons are in California. Miss Ann E. owns the old home- 820 HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. stead. The father of Ira was Esquare Thurber. The mother of Ann E. is living-. She married Ira Thurber in 1831. She lives with her daughter, Eleanor B., who married Ephraim A. Winsor in 1861. They have two children. Esquare and his brother Samuel both served in the revolutionary war. Frank W. Tillinghast, born in Richmond, Washington countv, R. I., in 1859, is a son of William B. Tillinghast. He graduated at Bos- ton University Law School in 1883, came to Johnston in 1886, and en- gaged in the manufacturing business at Thornton, purchasing the Brown Mill. He was married to Grace G., daughter of Thomas C. Peckham. They have one son, Carl K. Mr. Tillinghast is a member of the Providence Bar. He was elected member of the legislature from Johnston in 1889. Charles E. Tourtellot, born in Scituate in 1849, is a son of Asa, who was born in the same town in 1805, and married Eliza L., daughter of Elder Joseph Manchester. They both died in 1887. Eliza was born in 1811. They had three sons — Asa M., Charles E. and Edwin A. — and six daughters. Charles E., Mary M. and Abbie F. live together on the homestead where the father died. The other daughters are: Phebe R.. wife of Nehemiah R. Angell; Sanondess A., wife of Ethan A. Jenks; Angeline E., wife of John S. Paine, and Elizabeth W., wife of William R. Wilder, all living. Henry S. Turner, only son of Henry B. and Mary J. Turner, was born May 1st, 1858, in Johnston. He married Sadie F. Eaton, of Connecticut, in 1887. He has held the office of town councilman, and was elected member of the general assembly in 1889. He is a republican. Alba Wade, born in 1819, is a son of Jonathan, and grandson of Willard, all born in Glocester, R. I. Jonathan had eight children. Alba came to Johnston in 1861. He married Maria Mann. They have six children. James H. Walch, born in Cranston in 1851, is a son of James and Elizabeth Walch. He came to Johnston in 1854 with his parents. He engaged in the ice trade in Olneyville in 1876 and does a wholesale and retail business. He married Louise E. Stokes in 1876. They have two children. Mr. Walch is a republican. He held the office of town councilman in 1884, 1885 and 1886. He was elected member of as- sembly in 1887 and 1888, and served in the committee on printing and military. Abraham A. Waterman, born in Johnston, is a son of Christopher and grandson of Resolved Waterman. He was married in 1869 to Sarah A. Rogers of Johnston, daughter of Abner B. Rogers. They have six children. Calvin T. Waterman, born in Johnston in 1816, is a son of John, 2d, whose father William, was a son of John. John, 2d, married Mercy Randall. They had five children. Calvin T. married Amey, a daugh- HISTORY OF TROVIDENCE COUNTY. 821 ter of Stephen and Marcy (Sweet) Belknap. They have two children: Anna M., born 1843, and Stephen B., born 1850. Edward H. Waterman, brother of Calvin T., was born September 28th, 1820, and was the youngest son of John, 2d. He has had four wives. His first wife was Marcy Belknap. They had one son, James H. (deceased). She died in 1847. His second wife was Laura J. Trowbridge; his third wife was Esther Belknap,' by whom he had one son, John E. (deceased); and his fourth wife was Sarah Belknap, daughter of Benjamin Belknap. They were married in 1863 and have one daughter, Mary F., born in I860. Mr. Waterman has two grand- children who live on the farm with him, James E. and William M. Waterman. George W. White, born in Xew Hampshire in 1826, is a son of Williams White of New Hampshire. He came to Johnston in 1846, and married in 1848 Eunice L., daughter of Ephraim Winsor of Johns- ton. Thev have five sons and one daughter. George W. has been a member of the general assembly two years and is employed a large share of his time in settling estates. Leroy A. White, born in 1853, is a son of George W. and Eunice L. White. He married in 1886 Alice M., daughter of John Bentley of Providence. They have two daughters: Claribel E., born in 1886, and Alice M., born 1889. Mr. White has been in the town council and highway surveyor. Alfred A. Williams, born in Providence in 1834, son of Earned and Sarah A. Williams, came to Johnston in 1856 and married Sarah Hendrick in 1855. They have five children: Alfred H., Sarah A., Hattie C, Olney H. and Earned. Mr. Williams is a market gardener. He has been member of the general assembly several times as a re- publican. Anson P. Winsor, born April 20th, 1845, in Johnston, is a son of Ephraim and Rhoda T. (Brown) Winsor. Ephraim had four children, of whom Anson P. was the youngest. Anson married Georgiana, daughter of Nelson and Martha Ballou, in 1882. They have no children. Henry A. Winsor, son of Elisha and Lucy Winsor, was born in Glocester in 1848. Elisha was born in 1821. He had six children, of whom Henry A. is the eldest. Elisha was a son of Isaac. Henry A. married Emma C, daughter of Martin Winsor in 1871. They have six children: Edith F., Bertley T., Lucy B., Jennie E., Chester P. and Isabel A. J 928