Oass E^E^ Book .\N 2 V9^ jik^ HISTOKIOAL SKETCHES CHURCHES OF WARWICK, RHODE ISL>AI^r). OLIVER P. FULLER. TO WHICH IS ADDED A KECOHD OF PERSONS JOINED IN MARRIAGE IN THAT TOWN ELDER JOHN GORTON. 1754 TO 1792. PROVIDENCK SIDNEY S. lUl>Ea 1880. HISTORICAL SKETCHES ^f CHURCHES OF WARWICK, RXIODE ISLAINTD. OLIVER P. FULLER. TO WHICH IS ADDED A RECORD OF PERSONS JOINED IN MARRIAGE IN THAT TO^\^ ELDP:R JOHN GORTON. 1754 TO 1792. ,..t..,. ^1 '**I»M4*«*' PROV^IDENCK SIDNEY S . U I 1) K 1{ 1880. d^.A' Tn Ifixeh. These sketches ori^inall.v formed the appendix to the History ofWarwick, Rhode Ishiiid, by the same aiitlior. The records of these societies date far back into the early history of the Colony, and are brought down to a ver^^ recent period. To this edition has been added tlie Kecord of persons joined in marriage by Elder John Goiiton, in the town of Warwick from 175-t to 17'Ji'. They are two hundred and eighty-one in number, and are of great value in tracing the genealogy of families living in Warwick and to some extent throughout the State. HISTORICAL SKETCHES CHURCHES IN WARWICK, RHODE ISLAND. INTEODTJCTION. The early ecclesiastical history of the town of Warwick is involved in much obscvirity, and no reliable evidence exists of the formation of any independent church for about three-fourths of a century after the first settlement in 1642. That a respectable portion of the first settlers were Christian people there is no doubt. In 1639, John Greene, Richard Waterman, Francis Weston, Ezekiel Holliman, Wm. Arnold and Stukely Westcott, then residing in Providence, united with six others in church relation, and " agreed to support in faith and practice the principles of Christ's doctrine." These six men, whose names are above-mentioned, were among the earliest settlers of this town, three of them being among the original purchasers of the land. Before uniting in church relations at Providence, they had become " con- vinced of the truth of believers' baptism" by immersion, but had not had the privilege of practicing according to their faith. There was no minister of like sentiments, who had been immersed, to administer the ordinance of baptism, and to meet the difficulty they selected Ezekiel 2 CHUECECES OF WARWICK, E. I. Holliraan, a " pious and gifted man," to baptize Roger Williams, which was accordingly done, when Mr. Wil- liams in turn, baptized Mr. Holliman and the others. This was the origin of the First Baptist Church of Provi- dence. Three years later, one-half the constituent mem- bers of that church settled witliin the limits of this town. There were others besides them who were professed Christians.* Though it does not appear that there was an organ- ized church in the town for a considerable period, there are evidences that Holliman, Waterman and their associates who united in the formation of the church at Providence, still retained their membership in that body, visiting it as often as they found it convenient, but holding meetings of worship in their own town as a branch of the mother church. We have found no posi- tive evidence of this, however. Rev. John Callender, then pastor o( the First Baptist Church at Newport, in his iamous centennial discourse, published in 1738, al- luding to the First Church of Providence, says : " This church shot out into divers branches, as the members increased, and the distance of their habitation made it inconvenient for them to attend the public worship in town Several meetings were fixed at different places, and about the time the large township of Providence became divided into four towns,! these chapels of ease began to be considered as distinct churches, though all * On March 13, 1G39, at the General Court in Boston, "John Smith, for (iistiubinj; the iDublic iieace, by combinitg witli others to hinder tlie orderly gathering of a church at Weynioiith, and to set up another there, contrary to the orders here establishecl, and the constant iirac- tice of all our churches, and for undue procuring tlie hands of many to a blank for that purpose, is fined £.0, and committed during the pleasure of the Court or the Council."— j^oss Col. Hec. 1, 252. The name, John Smith, is a little confusing. Whether it was the same person of that name who became an early resident of this town, and was President of the Rhode Island Colony in Kifi), I am not able to decide. After the above experience from the Massacliusetts Court, he would have been likely to seek more hospitable regions. It is known that some of the Weymouth faction came to lUiode Island. •t This was in January, l1?,Q-\.— Arnold, Vol. 11, 102. INTRODUCTION. are yet in a union of counsels and interests."* On a subsequent page, he says: "There are in the nine towns on the main land, eight churches of the people, called Baptists, one in every town except East Greenwich, where there is, however, a Meeting House, in which there is a metting once a month.f In a note he adds the names of Manasseh Martyn and Fiancis Bates as the elders of the Warwick Church. Elder JMartyn was or- dained to the ministry in 1725, though the earliest records of this church extant bear the date oi 1741. J Allowing that the church here existed as a branch of the First Church at Providence up to the time of the division of the town of Providence, or about the that time, the interval, during which we have no records of a distinct church would be accounted for. If they were only a branch church, their records would probably be merged in those of the Providence Church. § It is well known that the doctrine of laying-on-of-hands, was * Branch churches, with certain delegated powers from the mother church, among which were the privileges of celebrating tlie com- mnnion and admitting members, have been common in Six Principle churches from time immemorial. Tlie membership of such "Branches" was recorded with that of the parent church. See ac- counts of the Crompton Church and the Bethel of that order on subse- quent pages. t In 1730, says Backus, "there were thirteen Baptist churches, most of them small, who held annual associations to promote disci- pline and communion among them upon the six principles in Hebrews VI." — Backus Hist, of the Baptists. t Knight's History, p. 273. § On Friday, May 28, 1873, occurred the centennial anniversary of the opening of tlae First Baptist Church of Providence, when an interest- ing and valuable address was delivered by Hon. Samuel G. Arnold, From this address we make the following extract: ''The clmrch rec- ords begin in April, 1775, preceded by a list of iiiembers admitted from December, 1774, during the great revival, to June 30, 1782. Prefixed to the regular records, there is a 'Histoi-y of the Baptist Church of Christ in Providence, Bhode Island, being the oldest Baptist Church in America,' with an introduction prepared in 1789, by John Stanford, minister, tlien temporarily acting as pastor of the church. This is a brief summary of such events as could then be collected respecting the history of the church for a hundred and fifty years, froar its foun- dation in 1G39. Mr. Stanford's original manuscript of twenty folio pages, is preserved in the archives of the Society, and has very properly been copied into the first volume of the Church records. In CHURCHES OF WARWICK, E. I. held by the First Church of Providence,* in a lax manner at its beginning, but it " became afterwards a term of communion, and continued so until after Dr. Manning came among them ; he prevailed with the church to admit to occasional communion those brethren who were not convinced of the duty of coming under hands ; but very few such were received as members till after his death. On August 4, 1791, the church had a full meeting, when this point was deliberately considered, and a clear vote was gained to admit members who did not hold that doctrine. But notwithstanding this vote, the laying-on-of-hands, not as an ordinance, but as a form of receiving new members, was generally practiced until after the death of President Manning.f The first church of Warwick was of the Six Principle order. The alternative of supposing a branch church during a period of three-fourths of a century as existing here, would be that of supposing the strong personal influence and peculiar religious opinions of Samuel Gorton, who was a preacher, and sustained a rehgious meeting during this time, prevented the formation of any church, or the holding of any meetings that were not in accordance with his views. At first we were inclined to this view. But upon further research and consideration, the alternative was rejected. That Mr. Gorton held a meeting during this time is probable, but that the nucleus of the church, which assumed an independent existence about the year 1725, had existed many years previous as a branch of the First Church, Providence, seems worthy of credit. Some account of Samuel Gorton and of his peculiar 1828, a small pamplilet was printed under the direction of the late Nicholas Brown, then President of the Society, containing the charter and by laws, together with the 'minutes of the early proceedings of the Society from its first recorded meetings till 1793, when Dr. Gano was called to the pastorate.' In this tract of sixteen pages, are pre- served a complete transcript from the records for the first sixteen months and the more important entries till the calling of Dr. Gano." * Benedict's Hist. Vol. I, 487. tDr. Hague's Historioal discourse, p. 107. INTRODUCTION. religious views, seem appropriate in this connection as belonging to the ecclesiastical history of the town. Though no church was formed in connection with his ministrations, he exerted a powerful influence upon the religious views of the colony. Benedict, in his history, says: "Callender, Backus and others who have spoken of Gorton's religious opinions, acknowledge that it is hard to tell what he believed, but they assure us that it ought to be believed that he held all the heresies that were ascribed to him. The most we can learn is, that in alle- gory and double-meanings of scripture he was similar to Origen ; in mystical theology and the rejection of ordi- nances, he resembled the Quakers ; and the notion of visible churches he utterly rejected/' That he held all the heresies that were ascribed to him, as intimated by Dr. Benedict, is hardly to be credited, as some of them that were published during the life of Gorton in " Mor- ton's New England Memorial," were distinctly disa- vowed by Gorton himself. The remark of Dr. Benedict is too sweeping, and does not accord with the statement of Callender, who says: "There are sufficient reasons why we ought not and cannot believe he held all that are con- fidently fathered upon him. For it is certain, that, what- ever impious opinions his adversaries imputed to him, and whatever horrid consequences the}^ drew from the opinions he owned, he ascribed as bad to them and fixed as dreadful consequences upon their tenets ; and at the' same time in the most solemn manner, denies and disa- vows many things they charge him with ; above all, when he is charged with denying a future state and judg- ment to come, both in theory and practice, he peremp- torily and vehemently denies the charge, and solemnly appeals to God and all that knew him, of the in- tegrity of his heart and the purity of his hands ; and avers that he always joins eternity with religion, as most essential. And that the doctrine of the general Salva- tionists was the thing which his soul most hated. [Answer to Morton's Memorial, — Calender, p. 92]. Calender further says : "He strenuously opposed the *2 10 CHURCHES OF WARWICK, R. I. doctrines of the people called Quakers. I am informed that he and his followers maintained a religious meeting on the first day of the week for above sixty years, and that their worship consisted of prayers to God, of preach- ing, or expounding the scriptures and singing of psalms." Dr. Benedict says : " He was a leader of a religious meeting in Warwick above sixty years." This state- ment is incorrect, as he died in 1667, or twenty-five years from the founding of the town. The statement of Callender will come nearer to the truth " that he and his followers " maintained a meeting for that length of time. No church was organized by him or his followers, but stated seasons of worship were held upon the Sabbath in which the gospel was dispensed freely to all who would listen to it. Among his chief heresies were the rejection of an organized visible church and the ordinances con- nected with it ; and from these peculiar views and those of minor importance which grew out of them, sprang most of the trouble between him and the other religious sects. Morton in " New England's Memorial," gave a summary of Gorton's religious opinions, which was pub- lished during Gorton's life. Gorton wrote to Mr. Morton denying some of the charges made against him in this book, especially that he had ever asserted that there was " no state or condition after death," and says : " I appeal to God, the judge of all secrets, that there never was such a thought entertained in my heart." He further says in answer to another charge : " we never called sermons of salvation, tales ; nor any ordinances of the Lord, an abomination or vanity ; nor holy ministers, necromancers ; we honor, reverence and practice these things." In this letter he refers to a book pubHshed by Mr. Winslow, which referred also to his sentiments, of which Gorton says he had read but little, but was in- formed by Mr. Brown, who had been a commissioner for the United Colonies, that "he would maintain that there were forty lies published in that book." The let- ter may be found in the Appendix to Judge Staples' edition of Simplicities' Defence. INTRODUCTION. 11 Without attempting to state the religious views of Gorton with any degree of precision, it may perhaps be safely said that the essential gospel truths, as held by the great body of evangelical christians of the present day, were those that were held and preached by this somewhat singular man. That the difference that existed between his opinions, with the exception of those specially noted, and those of Williams and others, was rather im- aginary than real, and grew out of the peculiar way in which he expresssd them, is evident. His published works are marvels of curious composition, with sen- tences so long and complicated, that it would make a school-master's blood run backwards, to analyze and parse them. Among these works the reader is referred to his " Incorruptible Key," printed in London, in 1647 ; "Saltmarsh returned from the Dead," printed in 1655; "Antidote against pharasaical Teachers," and "Anti- dote against the common Plague of the World ; " ■' Sim- plicities Defence against a Seven Headed Church Policy," published in England, in 1646. These, with a manu- script commentary on the Lord's Prayer, of more than a hundred pages, now in possesion of the R. L Historical Society, will furnish the curious reader with ample ma- terial for studying the religious tenets of the man. His *' Simplicities Defence," is an historical narrative of the difficulties between the early settlers of this town and the colony of Massachusetts, growing out of the attempts of the latter to extend its jurisdiction over the lands and persons of the former. The account is written in his peculiar style, but is regarded as a fair account of the origin, progress, and issue of the unhappy controversy. Several valuable letters that passed between the parties during the time, are included in it, with much of a rambling theological character, in which the author de- lighted to indulge. The work is dedicated to the Earl of Warwick, whose friendly aid was received and duly acknowledged, and whom, as we have already stated. 12 CHURCHES OF WARWICK, R. I. the settlers honored by giving his name to their town.* Gorton was a man of acknowledged native talent, and •with all his literary abstruseness and theological com- bativeness, exerted a large and for the most part a salutary influence in the community. When his opin- * A.S a matter of curiosity, and as indicating Gorton's method of thought and style of composition, we give the following title pages to two of his works, his "Incorruptible Key," and his "Saltmarsh re- turned from the Dead." "An Incokrctptible Key, composed of the CX Psalme wherewith you may open the Rest of the Holy Scriptures: Turning itself only according to ihe Composure and Art of that Lock, of the Closure and Science of that Great Mysterie of God manifest in the Flesh, hut jus- tified only hy the Spirit which it evidently openeth and revealeth, out of Fall and Resurrection, Sin and Righteousuess, Ascension and Descension, Height and Depth, First and Last, Beginning and Ending, Flesh and Spirit, Wisdom and Foolishness, Strength and Weakness. Mortality and Immortality, Jew and Gentile, Light and Darkness, Unity and Multiplication, Fruitfulness and Barrenness, Care and Blessing, Man and Woman, All Suffering and Deficiency, God and Man. And out of every unity made up of twaine, it openeth that great two-leafed Gate which is the sole Entrie into the city of God of New Jerusalem, inlo ivliieh none hut the Jdnq of Glory can enter : and as the Porter openeth the doore of the Sheepfold, by which whosoever entereth in, is the Shepherd of the Sheep: See Isa. 45, 1; Psal. 24, 7, 8, 9, 10: John 10, 1, 2, 3; Or, (according to the signification of the word translated Psalme) it is a pruning knife, to lop off from the church of Christ all superfluous Twigs of earthly and carnal commandments. Leviiical services or Ministry and fading and vanishing Priests or Ministers, who are confii-med by Death as holding no correspondency with the princely Dignity, OfSce and Ministry of an Melchisedek who is the only Ministry of the Sanctuary and of that true Tabernacle which the Lord pitcht and not Man. For it supplants the Old Man and implants the new: abrogates the Old Testament or Covenant and confirms the New into a thousand generations, or in generations for- ever By Samuel Gorton, Gent, and at the time of penning hereof, in the place of Judicature (upon Aquethneck alias Road Island) of Providence Plantations in the Nanhygansett Bay, New England. Printed in the yeere 1R17." "Saltmaksh Retukned from the Dead, in Amicus Phllalethes : or the Resurrection of James the Apostle out of the Grave of Carnal Glosses for the correction of the universal Apostacy which cruelly hurried him who yet liveth. Appearing in the Comely Ornaments of his Fifth Chapter in an exercise, June 5, 1654. Having laid by his grave clothes in a despised village remote from England, but wishing well and heartily desiring the True Prosperity thereof."— JiacA;«e'5 Life of Gorton in Spark's Am. Biog. That such language may have been perfectly intelligible to Gorton himself, we have no disposition to doubt; that it may have conveyed more to his contemporaries who Avere acquainted with the circum- stances that called it forth, and had become familiar with such forms of exjiression, than to us, may be true. That it lacks a little of that perspicuity, which in modern times is regarded as an excellence in writing or speaking, is quite evident. INTRODUCTION. 13 ions on civil or religious topics were opposed, he showed much of that quaUty that might be termed, " otherwise- minded ness," and, at times, exhibited a " superfluity of naughtiness," but otherwise was of a generous and sympathetic nature, and inclined to award to others the same liberty of thought and expression which he claimed for himself We close this account of him with an extract taken from the manuscript Itinerar}'^ of Dr. Styles, a former clergyman of Newport, i.nd afterwards President of Yale College, as given by Judge Staples : "At Providence, Nov. 18, 1771, I visited aged Mr. John Angell, ae. 80, born, Oct. 18, 1691, a plain, blunt-spoken man; right old English frankness. He is not a Quaker, nor Baptist, nor a Presbyterian, but a Gortonist, and the only one I have seen. Gorton now lives in him, his only disciple left. He says he knows of no other and that he is alone. He gave me an account of Gorton's disciples, first and last, and showed me some of Gorton's jmnted books and some of his manuscripts. He said Gorton wrote in heaven and no one can understand his writings, but those who live in heaven while on earth. He said that Gorton had beat down all outward ordinances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper with unanswer- able demonstrations. That Gorton preached in London in Oliver's time, and had a church and living of £500 a year offered him, but he believed no sum would have tempted him to take a farthing for preaching. He told me that his grandfather, Thomas Angell, came from Salem to Providence with Roger Williams, that Gorton did not agree with lioger Williams, who was for outward ordinances set up by new apostles. I asked if Gorton was a Quaker; as he seemed to agree with them in rejecting outward ordinances. He said no; and that when George Pox (I think) or one of the first Priends came over; he went to Warwick to see Gorton, but was a mere babe to Gorton. The Priends had come out of the world some ways, but still were in darkness or twilight, but that Gorton was far beyond them, he said, high way up to the dispensation of light. The Quakers were in no way to be com- pared with him; nor any man else can, since the primitive times of the church, especially since they came out of Popish darkness. He said Gorton was a holy man; wept day and night for the sins and blindness of the world ; his e3^es were a fountain of tears, and always full of tears — a man full of thought and stud}^ — had a long walk out through the trees or woods by his house, where he constantly walked morning and evening, 14 CHURCHES OF WARWICK, R. I. and even in the depth of the night, alone by himself, for con- templation and the enjoyment of the dispensation of light. He was universally beloved by all his neighbors and the Indians, who esteemed him not only as a friend, but one high in com- munion with God in heaven> and indeed he lived in heaven." In preparing tlie following accounts of the churches, the author communicated with the pastors or some lead- ing members of the several churches now existing in the town, inviting them to furnish a brief sketch of their respective churches, for publication. In several instances the invitation was accepted, and in others the records of the churches were kindly placed in his hands to enable him to furnish the accounts. He regrets that in a few instances, either from a loss of the records or lack of interest in the subject, on the part of those to whom he applied, he has failed to receive the desired informa- tion concerning several. Where the accounts have been prepared by others, due acknowledgement has been given. In the other cases, where church records have been kindly placed in his hands from which to make up the accounts, such accounts have received, in each case, the approval of some one or more of the leading mem- bers of the church, to whom they were submitted before publishing : OLD BAPTIST CHURCH, OLD WARWICK.* This church, which has had for the past thirty years merely a nominal existence, is the oldest one in the town, having j^robably existed as a branch of the First Baptist Church of Providence, nearly or quite a half century before it assumed an independent existence. The earliest records of the church bear the date of 1741, though the origin of the body as a distinct and indepen- dent church, must have been as early as 1725. Backus' history mentions it in 1730 as then existing. Previous * The six principles, or doctrines, held by this church may be found in Hebrews vi., 1, 2. OLD BAPTIST CHURCH, OLD WARWICK. 15 to that date, and reaching back to about the time of the first settlement of the town, it probably existed as a branch of the First Baptist Church of Providence, of which several of the oriirinal settlers of the town were constituent members. Hence the history of the body previous to the organization as a separate church would be incorporated with that of the First church of Provi- dence. As there are no original records of this latter church extant, previous to April, 1775, it is impossible to determine the exact status of the body ]3revious to that date. In 1730, the church at Old Warwick con- sisted of 65 members, under the pastoral care of Elder Manasseh Maitin.* Elder Martin having served the church as pastor upwards of 30 years, died March 20th, 1754. He lies buried in the cemetery near the site of the Meeting House where he preached. A heavy slab half embedded in' the earth, with his name and date of death, marks the spot. His widow, who afterwards be- c the wife of Elder Charles Holden, lies beside him. On the 18th of June, 1744, ( hv. ammett was ordained as colleague of Mr. Martin, and seems to have extended his labors be3^ond the immediate precincts of Old Warwick, gathering many into the church from remote regions. He served the old church " upwards of six years," according to the inscription upon his tomb- stone, dying in the 48th year of his age. He lies buried also, in the yard of the old meeting-house. On June 16, 1757, Charles Holden was ordained pas- tor of the church, and continued to preach until old age and its infirmities compelled him to relinquish his post. He was ordained in the 62d year of his age, and died June 2Cth, 1785, in his ninetieth year. He lies buried in a quiet spot, some thirty or forty rods west of the res- idence of John Wickes Greene, Esq. Elder Holden had a son and also a crandson named Charles. Amonsr * See " Tlie Historv of the Genieral or Six Principle Baptists in Europe and America," by Elder Iticiiard Knight, puhlislied in 2827. Elder Knight was the esteemed and useful pastor of the Scituate cburch. 16 CHURCHES or WARWICK, R. I. his lineal descendants was the late John Holden, of Crompton, father of the late Thomas R. Holden, of Providence. Previous to the declaration of American Independence, it was customary for ministers, following the old English custom, to pray for the king in their public worship. One Sabbath after the Declaration, while the Elder was praying, forgetting for the moment the change that had taken jjlace in the political condi- tion of the country, he reached the place where the usual petition for the king came in, and before he was aware he uttered it — " we pray for the king and all in authority " — when suddenly checking himself and hesi- tating he added with emphasis — Hiving in Rhode Island! " The limiting clause of the petition thus forcibly ex- pressed, established his patriotism. In his will, Elder Holden made provision for the liberation of his several slaves. Dimmis was to have her freedom on the de- cease of her master, and her youngest son was given her until the age of twenty one, when he was to be free. His slave Dinah was to be set at liberty at eighteen years of age, and Prince, Cato and Morocco, when they reached the age of twenty-one, provided they behaved properly up to those ages. A small bequest was made to each of them in addition to their freedom. Benjamin Sheldon was ordained assistant to Elder Holden, June 18, 1778, by Elders Holden, J. Wight- man, John Gorton and Reuben Hopkins. October 10, 1782, Abraham Lippitt was ordained as an assistant elder in this church, by Elders Nathan Peirce, John Gorton* and J. Wightman. About the year 1793, Elder Lif pitt removed to the West, and the following year the church called Samuel Littlefield to the pastoral * Elder John Gorton was the pastor of the church at East Green- wich, for many years, and preached in a meeting house that stood not far from the shore, but which has been demolished many years. He was a descendant of San)uel Gorton, one of the first settlers of the town, and the great-grandfather of Mrs. Wm. B. Spencer of Phenix. He ofticiated at the marriage of General Nathaniel Greene. An old booki)efore me, owned by Mr. Henry W. Greene, the leaves of which OLD BAPTIST CHURCH, OLD WARWICK. 17 office, and he was ordained February 17, 1794. He continued to preach until about 1825, when he had a paralytic shock which laid him aside from active life. The old meeting-house, a sketch of which is given in the engraving, was built by this church at an early date, and is probably the earliest one built in this town of which any knowledge at present exists. It was taken down in the spring of 1830. It was in a ver}' decayed THE OLD MEETING HOUSE, OLD WARWICK. (From a pencil sketch by Mrs. C. W. Colgrove. ) condition when demolished. Its size was about forty feet square, with two doors, one on the side facing the Conimicut road, a double door, and one fronting Meet- are partly of the " Stamp " paper of the times, and bound, in sheep' skin, with a brazen clasp, contains the records of 281 marriages, in Elder Gorton's writing. The first marri ige, that of Anthony Low and Phebe Greene, bears the date of January ], 1754, the last, that of George Finney and Hanahretty Matthews, daughter of Caleb Mat- thews, May 4, 1792. The Warwick and Coventry Baptist Church was organized at the house of Caleb Matthews, October 21, 1805. 18 CHURCHES OF WARWICK, R. I. ing-House road, so called. In the rear was a burying ground, owned by the Low family. The building was without bell or steeple. Its internal arrangements were peculiar : the platform for the preacher was raised some two or three feet, with a small desk for the Bible to rest upon, and in the rear were seats for the preacher, the deacon and the constable. The deacon usually lined oft the hymns for the singers. There were three large square pews in front of the platform, and their occupants were supposed to be entitled to special respect. Other pews ranged along tlie sides of the building, with one long pew for the deacon's family. The seats for the congregation generally, were rude benches. There were galleries on two sides of the house with stairways lead- ing up to them from the audience room. The whole in- terior was open to the roof. Before the old house was given up, it had become so dilaj)idated, that the case of the Hebrew sanctuary mentioned by David in the eighty-fourth psalm Avas repeated — " the sparrow hath found a house and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of Hosts " — and meetings Avere held in the school-house. A farewell service was held in it October 4, 1829, and is still remembered by some who were present, and from whom the writer has received these items.* Elder Wm. Manchester on that day baptized, at a place called the "new bridge," Mary Almira and Louisa Waterman. It was sold soon after, and a portion of the materials worked up into the dwelling-house that now stands nearly opposite the residence of John Holden, Esq. Their new house, the one now occupied by the Shawo- met Baptist Church, was dedicated in 1829, Elder Wm. C. Manchester pi'eaching the sermon, from Gen. xxviii. 17. The pastor at the time was Eldej' Job Manchester, who had been ordained October, 1828. He was from Coven- try, and had married a daughter of the late Thomas Staf- * John Wlckes Greene, Esq., a former member and clerk of the old clutrch, and others . OLD BAPTIST CHURCH, OLD WARWICK. 19 ford, one of their leading members. He is said to have been an able minister, and by his liberal and enlightened views prepared the way for the future enlargement of the church. An extensive revival was enjoyed during the year 1829, in which twenty-two persons united with the church. In 18 13 he resigned his charge and removed to Providence, where he united with the Stewart Street Baptist Church. He died August 9th, 1859, aged 75.* In 1830, in a letter to the " General Meeting," they re- ported fifty-four members. Their prospects from this time began to wane, their members were gradually re- duced by death and dismission, until dependent upon occasional supplies in preaching, they became disheart- ened and finally gave up their meetings. They have had only a nominal existence for many years. Mr. Daniel Arnold, of Crompton, who died last year, left legacies to this church, and to those at Crompton and Birch Hill, which has brought to light the existence of a few mem- bers, who claim to be the church; their names are Benoni Lockwood, Aurelia Weaver, Lucy A. Lockwood, and Eliza T. Lockwood. As there was some doubt existing as to the ownership of the land upon which the house was built, the town, at a meeting held April 15, 1829, made the following pro- vision, viz. : . " Whereas certain public spirit Individuals in the Town of Warwick, have it in contemplation to erect a Meeting House for the worship of Ahnighty God, in that Section of the Town usually called Old Warwick, and on Laud near the school house which Land is represented to have been originally reserved by the proprietors for the purpose of Education and as a tanning field; and doubts have arisenWhelherthe Town may not possess an Interest in said Land either by Escheat or some other title, Kow therefore with the intention of promoting a project so Laudable by perfecting the title of the Individuals aforesaid * Elder Job Manchester was a skillful mechanic as well as an able pastor and preacher. A« early as 1816 he invented a power loom, for weaving cotton cloth, and in 1818 made some improvements on the Bed Ticfc or Twilled work, looms. He was a practical machinist. See Transactions of the R. I. i>ociety for the Encouragement of Domestic Industry for 18G4, pp. 61-76. 20 CHURCHES OF WARWICK, R. I. " It is voted, That it shall be the duty of the Treasurer of the Town whenever a Meeting House aforesaid shall have been erected to Release on the part of the Town all Eight and Title to that part of the Lot whereon it may be placed. It being understood that the same is lo Include a piece of Ground Eight rods square." OLD BAPTIST CHURCH AT APPONAUG. At a church meeting held at Old Warwick, of which Elder Manasseh Martin was pastor, Dec. 6, 1744, Ben- jamin Peirce and wife, Ezrikham Peirce and wife, Edward Case and wife, John Budlong, and such others as wished to form a church at the Fulling Mill, of the same faith and order, were granted leave. Several members from East Greenwich united with them, and the church was duly organized. Benjamin Peirce was ordained their minister. They eventually erected a meeting house, " on an eminence East of the village of Apponaug which commanded an extensive prospect of this village, river, islands and surrounding country." It stood nearly oppo- site of the present residence of C. R. Hill, Esq. There is a tradition that it was built at the suggestion of Elder Peter Worden, who in 1758-9 had built a house of worship in Coventry, " 28 feet long by 26 feet wide and two stories high," and preached in it many years and afterwards settled in Apponaug. It is said that this house was of the same dimensions as the one in Coventry which became known in later times as the Elder Charles Stone meeting house, Elder Stone having been the suc- cessor of Elder Worden. Mr. Worden was born near Westerly, June 6, 1728, and is represented as a man of large stature, with a powerful voice, and a useful rather than a very intellectual man. After leaving Apponaug, he removed to Cheshire, Mass., in 1770, where another edition of " 28 by 26" without revisal or improvement was erected, and where he continued to hold forth the word of life. He died in 1808, in his 80th year. He preached in Coventry and Warwick nineteen years. OLD BAPTIST CHUECH AT APPONAUG. 21 The church became involved in difficulty owing to some change in the religious sentiments of Elder Pierce, and diminished in members and was finally dissolved, and " their meeting house went to decay for many years." At what precise period this occurred does not appear, but it was previous to the revolutionary war. Elder Knight, in his history, makes no mention of any other pastor than Elder Peirce, in connection with this church, and it is probable that the connection of Elder Worden was of short duration. Of the subsequent his- tory of Elder Peirce the writer has no knowledge. The Peirces furnished a number of Elders to the church in different places. Elder Nathan Peirce was settled over the Rehoboth church many years, and till his death in 1794. Elders Preserved Peirce and Philip Peirce, brothers, were ordained in the same church about the year 1800. The latter soon after removed west. Soon after the close of the revolutionary war another church was organized. The date of the organization is given by Elder Knight in one part of his work as 1785, and in another as 1792. As we have had no access to the original records we are unable to settle the point. David Corpe, a member of the East Greenwich church, from which the new one was set off, was ordained their pastor. They occupied the old house, which was repaired and made comfortable. Elder Corpe, becoming advanced in years and reduced in pecuniary means, resigned his trust and removed to an estate which he held in the northwest part of the State. Elder Spooner was his successor, having been appointed by the yearly meeting to supply them with preaching once a month. The tide of prosperity turned against them, and in 1805 the church followed the example of its predecessor and l)e came extinct. The old meeting house, after resounding with the mes- sages of the Gospel ftjr many years, finally lost its iden- tity more than fifty years ago, and a portion of it may be found in a private residence a few rods north of the spot where it originally stood. There are a few persons now *3 22 CHURCHES OF WARWICK, E. I. living who remember it, as the place where in their childhood they were accustomed to assemble on the Sab- bath and listen to the lengthy discourses of the early preachers. THE BETHEL SIX PRINCIPLE BAPTIST CHURCFI. This church is a grandchild of the Old Warwick Church. The Coventry or " Maple Root " Church * was set off from the latter church, May 17, 1744, though the latter church does not appear to have been formally or- ganized until Oct. 14, 17B2. The church for many years and until 1857, was known as the Phenix Branch of the Maple Root Church. While sustaining this rela- tion to the Maple Root, worship was conducted in the Ark Wright school house and the private houses in Phenix, until the school house was built in the latter place in 1827, when the building was used one Sabbath per month until the church built a meeting house. Elder Thomas Tillinghast preached many years in the old Arkwright school house, and when the Phenix school house was built, divided a monthly Sabbath between the two school houses. In 1838, they built a meeting- house in Phenix, which was the second house built in that village for exclusive religious purposes. The build- ing committee were Dea. Johnson, Wm. C. Ames and Robert Levalley. The house was built by John R. Brayton, now of Knightsville, who built the Tatem Meeting House previously. The house was about sixty feet long, thirty-six wide, with eighteen feet posts, and is said to have cost about 13,000. This was a large sum in those days, and,as it proved, a lai*ger one than the church was able to pay, and the debt incurred resulted in dis- aster to the church. After struggling along for many * This church is usnally, now, called the^" Maple Root Church." Elder Knight, the historian of the denomination, calls it the " May- pole" Root Ciiurch, and I am informed by Dea, Andrews, it is so des- ignated in the earliest records of the church. BETHEL SIX PRINCIPLE BAPTIST CHURCH. 23 years the church became somewhat divided and weak- ened, and their house was sold at public auction to Dr. McGreggor for |1,000, who afterwards sold it to Cyrus Manchester for $1,100. On Sept. 25, 1851, it was again sold to \Vm. B. Spencer, Esq., who finally converted it into tenements, for which purpose it is still used. The last pastor of the Phenix Branch Church was Elder Stephen Thomas, whose denominational senti- ments underwent some change, and in the year 1851, he closed his labors, and subsequently became pastor of the present Baptist Church at Natick. Elder Thomas after- wards became pastor at Holme's Hole, now called Vine- yard Haven, where he died a few years ago. The church was now houseless and pastorless, and continued in an un- settled condition until it gathered up its little remaining strength about the year ] 857, and made arrangements for the building of a new house of worship at Birch Hill. In June, 1857, a petition signed by ninety-four per- sons, members of the " Maple Root" Church in Coven- try, setting forth that they had " for a long time been known as the Phenix Branch of said Coventry Church," and had now erected a house of worship at Birch Hill, was presented to the said Maple Root Church, praying that they might be organized into a separate and inde- pendent body. Among the petitioners were Elders Benjamin B. Cottrell, Henry B. Locke and Nathaniel W. Warren. On the third of the following month the petition was granted, and on the twenty-sixth of that month, they were duly organized as a distinct church. Elder Thomas Tillinghast, preached, Ephesians H, 19, 20, 21. Elders B. B. Cottrell, H. B. Locke and N. W. Warner participated in the exercises. At this point the records, which have been very well kept by the several clerks, begin. On Saturday, August 22, 1857, Elder Thomas Til- linghast, was chosen pastor, and V/anton A. Whitford, clerk. On Oct. 31, 1858, " Elder B. B. Cottrell, Dea. Benjamin Essex and W. A. Whitford were appointed trustees to receive and hold in trust a deed of a lot of 24 CHURCHES OF WARWICK, R. I. land on Birch Hill in Warwick, appropriated for a meet- ing house for said church and denomination." The house was regarded by some as too small, and at a meet- ing held Jan. 9, 1859, a proposition was made to enlarge the " Bethel," by an addition of twelve feet to its length, and Dea. Essex, Henry Remington and W. A. Whitford, were appointed a committee to make the alterations. The funds for making the proposed addition did not seem to be forthcoming, and the committee hesitated to commence the work of building under the circumstances, and on the following October were instructed to make the addition " forthwith," on the front of the house. The addition was accordingly made and a debt incurred, which became a serious obstacle to the prosperity of the church. The building had to be mortgaged, and was in danger of following in the steps of the previous house at Phenix. Faihng to obtain funds by subscription, the money was subsequently raised by festivals held about ten years ago under the direction of Mrs. Bowen A. Sweet, one of the members, the amount of -1675 being raised, more than sufficient to clear the house of debt. Previous to the year 1860, the covenant meetings were held at Arkwright every other month, and the communion monthly at the Bethel, subsequently it was voted to hold the communion services once in three months at Ark- wright. On March 25, 1860, Wanton A. Whitford, was ordained as a deacon. Previous to the ordination the candidate was questioned as to his religious views, and also his views on the subjects of Temperance and Slavery. " The wife of the candidate was then called upon to express her mind in regard to her becoming a Deacon's wife, when she arose and expressed a willing- ness to do her duty in that respect." April 28, 1861, Henry Remington, a member of the church, was or- dained to the gospel ministry, and afterwards became assistant pastor. April 16, 1864, Bowen A. Sweet was elected church clerk, in which position he has continued to the present time. At a covenant meeting held August 28, 1804, a letter BETHEL SIX PRINCIPLE BAPTIST CHURCH. 25 was sent to the Association, in which it is stated that they had had no pastor since the death of Elder Thomas Tillinghast, that the church had been passing through severe trials, and giving as their statistics the following: Dismissed by letter, 4 ; excluded, 4; dropped, 4 ; dead, 1; Total, 138. Oct. 23, 1864, Elder Samuel Arnold was unanimously elected pastor, and accepted the position. At a meeting held Jan. 26, 1868, Elder Arnold, upon petition of several members of the Bethel Church, re- siding in Swansey, read the following resolution, which was adopted : " Voted and resolved, that the Brethren and Sisters of this church, residing in the State of Mas- sachusetts, be set off as a branch of the same, to be called the Swansey Branch, together with such others as shall become associated with them, with the privilege of receiving and dismissing members and holding com- munion." Number of members in September, 1874, 115. Elder Samuel Arnold still continues the pastor of the church, though living in Providence, and preaching at the Bethel but once a month. Elder Nathaniel W. Warner lived at Natick, where he died August 6th, 1858. Elder Henry B. Locke died November 10, 1865. Elder B. B. Cottrell, also one of the constituent mem- bers of this church, is at present the acceptable pastor of the Tabernacle Church in Fiskeville. By his efforts a Meeting House was built at a cost of about $1,700,' which was dedicated July 24th, 1873, and a church soon after organized. Dea. Benjamin Essex, who has resided in the vicinity for the past twenty-six years, and is also one of the constituent members of the church, still serves the church as deacon, and continues as prompt and punctual in his religious duties, as the " Regulator " that hangs in his workshop, and ticks away the time in measured beats from year to year. The late Daniel Arnold, of Crompton, bequeathed to this church a por- tion of his personal property, but the exact amount the church will receive is not at present known. 26 CHURCHES OF WAUWICK, R. I. CROMPTON SIX PRINCIPLE BAPTIST CHURCH. In the winter of 1841, six persons who subsequently united with others in the formation of this church, com- menced holding meetings in the old Centreville school- house. Their meetings were interesting, and a revival soon followed, which resulted in the conversion of about thirty persons who were baptized most of them into the fellowship of the Maple Root church, in Coventry. Elder Heniy B. Locke had come from the southern part of the State and united with the Maple Root Church, and seems to have been a successful laborer with this little band of brethren. Before the middle of April he baptized the thirty converts, who united with the Maple Root church. April 23, 1842, a petition was presented to the Maple Root church, signed by thirty eight per- sons, praying to be set off as a Branch Church. The prayer was granted, and Elder H. B. Locke was chosen pastor, C. A. Carpenter, deacon and William Rice, clerk. Elder Locke remained the pastor until November 1843, and was followed by Elder William P. Place, who con- tinued in office until April 19, 1857, and then re\noved to Pennsylvania, remaining there about a year and then returned to Rhode Island. Soon after the brethren were set off from the mother church in (Coventry as a branch, they united their efforts to secure a peimanent place for worship. Mrs. Sarah Remington, widow of James E. Remington, gave them a lot of land consisting of about a quarter of an acre, on certain conditions, among which were, that the church should build a meeting-house upon it within six months, keep it in good repair and use it, or allow it to be used only for religious purposes, failing in which, the lot was to revert to the grantor, her heirs, assigns, &c. The deed, which is dated December 26, 1843, further pro- vided " that said house shall be open and free for all religious societies, when not occupied by said branch of CONGREGATIONATi CHUECH, ElVEE POINT. 27 the Crornpton Mills Six Principle Baptist Society." The house was dedicated September 7th, 1844. The church continued as a branch of the Maple Koot, until April 10, 1846, when it was formally organized as an independent church. On September 6, 1845, it united with the yearly Conference. November 28, 18u0, WiUiam Rice was ordained as a deacon. At the conclusion of Elder Place's labors, Elder Locke was recalled to the pastorate, and remained two years, when he died. Elder Wilcox preached two Sabbaths a month, for several years and until his last sickness. In the spring of 1868, Elder EUery Kenyon became pastor, and continued until January 16, 1871, when he resigned. Sunday May 15, 1870, Wm. R. Johnson was baptized, and on the same day was ordained to the ministry, the ordination services being conducted by Elders Kenyon, Arnold and Wilcox. On March 23, 1871, the church unanimously elected Elder Wm. R. Johnson as its pas- tor and he continued thus until the present year. The church at present is without a pastor, though enjoying the preaching of Elder Slocum. William Rice, C. A. Carpenter, C. M. Seekell and William Price have served the church as deacons ; William Rice, E. W. Sweet, John Wood, Sheldon H. Tillinghast, Wm. P. Place, as clerks. The present clerk, is Eben W. Sweet. The late Daniel Arnold bequeathed to this church a ])ortion of his personal property, the exact amount of which, has not yet been determined. COJSGREGATIONAL CHURCH, RIVER POINT. On the 7th of February, 1849, an ecclesiastical council convened at the meeting-house, at River Point, for the purpose of organizing an Evangelical Con- gregational Church. After the usual preliminaries, the council voted unanimously in favor of the project, and organized the following persons as a church, viz. : John L, Smith, Jeremiah K. Aldrich, Brighara C. Deane, 28 CHURCHES or WARWICK, R. I. Mary Greene, Phila B. Deane, Priscilla G. Seagraves, Hannah L. Sweet, Lucy Hill, Hannah Hall and Susan E. Smith Eev. George Uhler at the time of the organization of the church, appears to have been preaching in the place, and was engaged by the church as its " stated supply," although he is spoken of in subsequent records as' the pastor of the church. He continued his labors until ill health induced him to relinquish his position, June 12, 1863. On the following June IBth, a call was extended to Rev. S. B. Goodenow, at a salary of $700, which was accepted, and Mr. Goodenow entered upon his work the first Sabbath in December 1853 ,and remained until June 5, 1856, when he resigned and went to Ulster, N. Y. From this time, the church having become somewhat Aveakenecl by loss of quite a number of its members, was without regular pastoral labor until 1867, with the ex- ception of about nine months in 1856, when Rev. Mr. Woodbury officiated as a supply. Rev. George W. Adams was installed joastor of the church, September 30, 1867, and died after a somewhat prolonged sickness, December 9, 1862. Mr. Adams was a sound theologian and an excellent pastor, and was beloved b}^ the church and community. He was a dili- gent student and prepared his sermons with much care. We remember hearing him say that he had sixty fully written sermons that he had never preached. His death most deeply afflicted his family. Rev. Mr. Williams, who had been supplying the church during the pastor's illness, continued to preach until February, when seve- ral of the pastors connected with the Rhode Island Congregational Association kindly volunteered their ser- vices in supplying the pulpit until the last Sabbath in April, in order tlmt the salary of the deceased pastor might be continued to his bereaved family. On Feb. 6, 1864, the church b}^ an unanimous invita- tion engaged the Rev. J. K. Aldrich to supply the pulpit the following year. This arrangement continued until August, 1867, when Mr. Aldrich removed to East WARWICK AND COVENTRY CHURCH. 29 Bri(]gewater, Mass., to assume the pastoral care of the Union Congregational Church in that place. Mr. Aldrich was during this time, as for several years pre- viously, also, Principal of an English and Classical School in. the vicinit}''. He was followed by Rev. Lyman H. Blake, who received a call from the church Oct. 6, 1867, and was ordained and installed as pastor on Nov. 14th, following. Mr. Blake continued the pastor until Oct. 3, 1869, when he resigned to assume a pastorate at Rowley, Mass. Since then the church has been without a settled pastor, though enjoying during most of the time the ministrations of the word from various minis- ters, as " stated," or occasional supplies. Like nearly all churches it has had its seasons of adversit}'" as well as of prosperit3^ One hundred and twentj^-five persons have had their names enrolled upon its list of membership, sixty-two of whom were received on their confession of faith in the Redeemer, and the remainder by letters. Ten have died while members, two were excommuni- cated, and fifty-eight dismissed to unite with other churches, leaving the present number (April, 1875) fifty- five. John L. Smith and Henry Harris have served the church as deacons, and Jeremiah K. Adams, George T. Arnold and Thomas M. Holden as clerks. The records of this church have been unusually well kept, some of its clerks not only recording the ordinary business of the church, but also the births, marriages and deaths of those connected with it. THE WARWICK AND COVENTRY BAPTIST CHURCH.* The house of worship connected with this church is located in the village of Crompton. The legal title of the society, which is composed of such persons as are elected from the male members of the church, none others being eligible, is, The First Baptist Society of * Tlie account of tins church is from a recent discourse of the pastor, in couamemoration of the seventieth anniversary of its organization. 30 CHUKCHES OF WARWICK, E. I. Warwick. The society possesses and controls the church property. The church is one of the mother churches of the town, having formerly embraced within her parish boundaries the territory now shared by about a score of churches of various orders which she has seen spring up around her. For this reason a somewhat extended account of her origin and progress may perhaps be allowed. Three periods may be noticed. The first, extending from the organization to the building of the " Tin Top " meeting-house in Quidnick, in 1808 ; the second, from that event to the building of the meeting-house in Cromp- ton, in 1843 ; and the third, from that year to the pre- sent time. The first period embraces only about two and a half years of time, and was of an unsettled, migratory char- acter, in \Ahich the church wandered about from place to place seel)mer"s Town, London; was licensed to preach in October, 1830, and labored as a local preacher in London and vicinity uulil September, 18.33, when he sailed for this country. Was ordained as pastor of the Baptist Church in Catskill, N. Y., January 14, lb34; become pastor at Tru- mansburg, K. Y., January 1, 18-".5, from which place he came to this church. From here he went to the Third Church in North Stonington, Conn., and has continued to labor in that State ever since, (with the exception of two years at Agawam, Mass.,) having been settled as pastor at Willimantic. Central, Thompson, Tolland, and other places. In 1873 he resumed the pastorate at Tolland, where he now resides. Mr. Dowling probably closed his labors as pastor a short time previous to his taking a letter from the WARWICK AND COV-ENTRY CHURCH. 37 church, as during the interval preceding the settlement of the next pastor, Rev. Dr. D. W. Phillips, now Presi- dent of the Nashville Institute, in Tennessee, but then a student of Brown University, supplied the church for about six months, preaching at the Tin Top and the Store Chamber. Dr. Phillips recently revisited the scene of his early labors, and preached for the church on the second Sabbath of June of the ju'esent year, receiving a contribution from the church and Sabbath school of 172 00 for the work in which he is engaged. The sixth pastor was Rev. Thomas Wilkes, who united with the church November 8, 1840 ; closed his labors August, 1842. Mr. Wilkes subsequently removed to the city of N'ew York, where he ministered to a congregation of Swedenborgians. His ministry there appenrs to have been of short duration. The three principal members of his congregation, from whom he received his i:)riucipal pecuniary support, it is said, failed him; one died, another failed in business, and the third removed from the city. Of his subsequent history I have no knowledge. January 16, 1842, six persons were dismissed to unite with others at Phenix to form a new Baptist church, and the pastors and three delegates were appointed to attend the council to be held there on the 20th of that month. As we look over the records to learn what measure of prosperity attended the efforts of the church during this second period of its history, we conclude that God blest their efforts abundantly. There were special seasons of refreshing, to which we shall refer hereafter, and seasons of spiritual drought ; times when they were led to rejoice, and others when they were in heaviness. Up to this time the church had a large field to cultivate com- pared with its present limited one. Previous to 1840 there was no other church of the same order in any of the villages about us. Since then the churches at Phenix, Natick, Coventry Central, the present Quidnick Church, and the one at Old Warwick, have all been organized. The population was, also, almost entirely native, where now it is so largely foreign. 38 CHUBCHES OF WARWICK, K. I. The third and last period of its history, extending from 1843 to the present time, is more generally known, and will he considered briefly. On February 21, 1813, a special church meeting was held in Centreville, but at what house the record does not indicate. At this meeting among those present, now living among us, and as interested in the present progress of the church now as at that time, were Bro. Albert H. Arnold and Deacon Alfred Dawley. " Bro. John Allen made a proposition to the church that he would build a meeting house for them on condition that the church would build a vestry to place the house upon." The -church voted to accept the offer. An agreement Avas then made as follows, Bro. Allen agreed to build a house of wood, " 40 by 50 feet, paint and furnish the same in modern style excepting cushions and lamps." The church agreed to purchase a lot and build a vestry in a style to correspond with the house, furnish it with cush- ions, lamps, bell, furnace, and also to fence the lot. The agreement was faithfully carried out, and the house in due time solemnly dedicated to God. The lot cost ig'n, and from this time until they disbanded, the chu)-ch was pastoiless. On November 5, 1871, the church met in covenant meeting, and expressed its deep sorrow at the recent death of Deacon Uriah Eddy. On November 6, 1871, " ca council of ministers were present to confer with the church in regard to the propriety of uniting with the Ap[)onaug Church. A quorum not being present, the meeting was adjourned to meet at tlie church Sunday next, at 2 o'clock P. M. November 12,1871, church met according to appointment, and voted to adopt ihe following resolution'^;: To a(li)pt the recommendatious of the council held at the previous meeting, to wit: — To unite witli tlie Apponaug Church in a body, so many as can feel it a duty to di) so. Voted, That a list of tlienonresideut members be transferred to tlie non-resident list of the Apponaug Church, in order that none by this act be left withoul church connection. Voted, Thau 11 C. Budlong be authorized to draw up a paper for the members of this church to sign as an application of membership in the Apponaug Church. Voted, That H. C. JJudlong present to the Appomug Church the records of this church, with a list of applications to that church; also, a li->t of all who have taken letters, and a list of non resident members of our church, and recommend and pray them to lake them under their especial watch-care, and influ- ence them, as soon as their whereabouts can be learned, to unite with some evangelical church." In accordance with the above recommendations, a WARWICK AND EAST GREENWICH CHURCH. 63 portion of the church anited with the Free Baptist Church at Apponaug, and others with other churches, and the body ceased to be a distinct cliurch. The meet- infr-house, which was owned by stockholders, was sold to the colored church, on the Plains, — they having lost their house by fire, — for iSOO, who removed it, in 1873, to the site of their former house, where it now stands. WARWICK AND EAST GREENWICH FREE-WILL BAPTIST CHURCH. The meeting-house of this church is situated on the Plains, about half a mile north of the village of Appo- naug. From the records of the church and other sources, we subjoin the following account of its origin and history : Previous to the building ol their meeting- house, the church, which was organized December US, 1841, worshipped in various places, but chiefly in the meetnifj-house a mile north, near the " High House." Rev. Geo. Champlain was the pastor, and continued in this relation for some fifteen years. About the time of the " Dorr war," the lai'ger portion of the members were on the side of the " law and oider " party, and the church worshipping in the meeting-house to the north- ward were hugely of the numbei' known as " Liberty men." As a consequence of the disagreement in politics between the two churches, the privilege of holding meetings in the meeting-house was denied Mr, Champ- lain and his church, and measures were taken to build for themselves a house of woiship. Gov. John Brown Francis, Judge Dutee Arnold and Geo. T. Spicer, Esq., now of Providence, but then of Pontiac, interested them- selves in their behalf, and a subscription was staited tO' raise the necessary funds for the erection oi" a meeting- house. The subscription paper was drawn up by Gov. Francis, and is still preserved. The following are e^^tracts from this paper: *' This house is to be consecrated to the use of the Free-Will' 64 CHURCHES OF WARWICK, R. I. Baptist Church of Warwick and East Greenwich, of which George Champlain is now the elder, and Joseph Babcock, deacon; subject, however, to ttiis condition, viz.: That the seats shall be free for all the worshippers of that conj^rejration, and that no pews shall be erected therein. iTis understood, likewise, that the lot whereon the building is to be located shall be conveyed to ihe above society, but not until au act of incorporation is first obtained." Appended to the paper are the follownig names of those who subscribed $20 or upwards, viz.: Judge Dutee Ar- nold, in behalf of himself and his daughter Marcy, $-30 ; Hon. William Sprague, in behalf of himself and his daughter, Mrs. Susan Hoyt, $75 ; Gov. Francis, in behalf of himself and his daughter Anne, $75 ; John Carter Brown, of Providence, |50 ; C. & M. Rhodes, $25 ; George T. Spicer, $20. The land on which the house was built was given by Stephen Budlong to the church. The house was built in 1844, at a cost of $1,275. This house was used until August, 1872, when it was totally consumed by fire. The present house, which is the same one that originally stood near the *' High House," and was subsequently removed to Pontiac, was purchased by this society the same year their house was burnt, for $800, and removed to its present position. The relation that those who have preached sustained to the church is not very clearly defined in the records, so that it is difficult to tell by them whether those who preached were formally recognized as pastors or only supplies. The church has not always, if ever, been able to support a pastor, and has, consequently, been obliged to secure such preachers as were able to support them- selves wholly or in part. Among those who have preached to the church for the longest periods, were Elder George Champlain,* Elder E. Bellows, Elder * Elder Champlain become well known thr )ughout the town as qniie an able preacher. He was a man of iimre ilian u^ual natural ability, autl a forcible speaker, and many anecdotes are told respecting him that reveal his keenness and ready wit,. It is said tnat on« time some of his hearers cumplained. to him that he was too personal and. CENTRAL FEEE-WITiL BAPTIST CHURCH. 65 Peter Noka, Elder Benjamin Roberts, Elder Durfee, Elder John Dixon, and the present pastor. Elder Wm, Devereaux, who has preached to them for several years past. The following persons have served the chnrch as deacons, viz.: Joseph P. Babcock, Job Frye, James B. Waite, Henry E. Sambo, Geo. Champlain, Jr., Samuel S. Bliss, Jeremiah G. Dailey, Thomas H. Brown, Harri- son G. O. Lincoln, and others. The following persons have served the church as clerks, viz.: James B. Waite, Henry E. Sambo, Thomas H. Knowles, Wm. H. Briggs, Samuel B. Eddy, John F. Champlain, John O. Lincoln, Albert G. Lippitt and John P. Gardner. CENTRAL FREE-Wn.L BAPTIST CHURCH OF WARWICK. This church was organized by Rev. Benjamin Phelon, who, on the third Sabbath in August, 1835, baptized and formed into a church the following individuals, viz.: Alexander Havens, Wm. Harrison, William D. Brayton, Thomas W. Harrison, Elizabeth Wickes, Catherine Westcott and Mary E. Wilbur. Their first deacon was Alex. Havens, and their first clerk, Wm. D. Brayton. Rev. Benjamin Phelon, now of Providence, was their first pastor, and preached for them at this time about two years and a half. He was followed by Rev. Thomas S. Johnson, who was called to the pastorate of the church in October, 1837, and remained about two years. severe in his preaching. He replied: " When I am preaching I shoot right straight at the devil, every time, and if any of you get between me and the devil, yon will be liable to get hurt." While preaching he would sometimes get quite animated, and his gestures on such occasions would be more forcible than elegant. He occupied the old "Tin Top " atQuidnick for awhile, after it was given up by the church th^t built it, and, it is said, he would sometimes, while preaching there, jump so high that the audience in front of the pulpit could see his knees. To do this he must have gone uj) more than three feet into the air. Elder Champlain had some failings, but possessed many excellent qualities. 66 CHUBCHES OF WARWICK, R. I. Rev. J. S. Mowry was the next pastor, and commenced his labors November, 1840, closing them in May, 1842. He, in turn, was followed by Rev. Martin J. Steere, who remained three years. In April, 1849, the church invited Rev. Mr. Phelon to become again their pastor, which invitation he accepted, and he continued to preach until September, 1869. After this. Rev. J. A. Stetson supplied the pulpit for several months, and until the Rev. E. P. Harris was called to the pastorate. Mr. Harris remained about six months. The present pastor, Rev. George W. Wallace com- menced his labors in September, 1870.* The number of members at the present time is eighty- seven. THE NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH. The following interesting communication, giving the origin of this church, is from Hon. Simon Henry Greene. The personal allusions of the venerable gentle- man to his own experience, though perhaps not designed for publication, will not detract from the interest with which it will be perused : RiVERPOiNT, R. I., April, 1875. Rev. O. p. Fuller. Dear Sir, — Mr. Artemas Stebbins who was well known in Warwick as a Methodist Circuit preacher, about the year 1812, was probably the first to make known the New Church Theolog}^ in the town. My home was then in the locality of the town now called Centreville, with my mother, Mrs. Abigail Greene, a de- voted, worthy member of the Methodist Church. My father was Job Greene, who died in 1808. In the autumn of 1811, I was placed at a school from home, returning in 1812. I was emploj^ed in business * The sketch of this church is furnished by its pastor, Eer. G. W. Wallace. NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH. 67 in Hartford, Conn, in 1813, returning home again in 1814. In 1815-1 engaged in business in Providence, where I married in 1822, and resided there until 1838, wlien my business required a removal of my family to Warwick, my native town, and a removal was made accordingly, to where we still reside. You will thus see how the link which had connected me with Centreville was severed, and how the most inti- mate relations with that locality, as to me, were measur- ably suspended. I had notwithstanding, some knowl- edge at different times of Mr. Stebbins, his whereabouts and his occupation. I heard of him, not far from the year 1815, as travelling and vaccinating for the kine pock, then having the title of Doctor, and that he had visited Centreville on such a mission. And if my recol- lection is right, he was then teaching the doctrines of the New Church, — and it is not unlikely he may have preached them publicly at Centreville. Years after- wards I heard of him as settled in Swanzey, Mass., where I believe he died. I do not know that he ever became a minister of the New Church, to preach regu- larly, or indeed at all, anywhere. He was probably the first man to make a declaration of the doctrines of the New Church — called by Swedenborg " The Heavenly Doctrines of the New Jerusalem," in the town of War- wick. My own attention was attracted to acquire a knowl- edge of the doctrines, while living in Providence, at about thirty-five years of age, but the ideas contained in them were so new to my mind, that I made slow pro- gress in learning ; my former theological notions block- ing the way for the entrance of the new truths. I had been religiously inclined from an early age, and had read much of theological works, but with all my expe- rience and observation, I could not settle into a rational, satisfactory "belief in any of the systems of theology which had fallen under my notice, until the writings of the profoundly learned and eminent scholar and christian, Emanuel Swedenborg, fell in my way. Apparently by 68 CHURCHES OF WARWICK, R. I. accident, but really by the ordering of the Divine Prov- idence, I came in contact with a few individuals in Providence who were " receivers of the Heavenly Doc- trines," and who held regular meetings for worship and for instruction, at Union Ha.ll, near Westminster street, on which occasions a sermon was read by some one of the members. Occasionally a visit was made us by a minister, who preached and administered the sacraments of baptism and the holy supper. We became members of the Bridgewater, Mass., Society of the New Church, and the pastor. Rev. Samuel Worcester, rendered to us occasional pastoral care and services. His brother like- wise, now Dr. Thomas Worcester, then the pastor of a New Church Society in Boston, visited us and preached in Providence. Samuel has been dead several years. Thomas is now living in Waltham, Mass., retired from active life, to much extent, in the ministry, on account of advanced age and impaired health. Both of them were sons of Rev. Noah Worcester, one of the earliest and most noted Unitarian Clergymen in the United States. The sons, however, were compelled wholly to repudiate the peculiar theology of their father I engaged with Mr. Edward Pike, in the firm name of Greene & Pike, to do business in Warwick, in 1828, which copartnership arrangement continued until his death in 1842. I had conversations with him and his brother David, who is still living, on the subject of the New Church doctrines. They became much interested in them, and procured the " True Christian Religion," the final work on Theology of Swedenborg, and of a great number of volumes previously written and pub- lished by him, which they read and became convinced of the truth of those doctrines. I became a member of the Bridgewater Society of the New Church in 1836. In consequence of the interest the Messrs. Pike and I felt to have preaching in Warwick, Rev." Samuel Wor- cester was invited to preach in Warwick, and he did so at the " Lippitt & Phenix School House," on the 14th of April, 1837, to an audience of about 175 persons. Many NEW JERUSALEM CHURCH. 69 interested listeners to New Church teachings were present. Mr. Edward Pike and his brother David soon afterwards visited Rev. Mr. Worcester's home, and were' baptized by him at Bridgewater on the 7th of May, 1837. In due time others were baptized by Mr. Worcester here in Warwick, and a little band were associated together to hold regular meetings on the Sabbath day for worship then held, and now continue to be holden, in a house built by Greene & Pike, to be used for the double pur- pose of a school-house and a house for public worship. In 1838, I removed with my family to Warwick, and it was arranged, the pastor co-operating, that I should be appointed and authorized to act as a leader in public •worship, in which capacity I have officiated to the present time, — to wit : to the year 1875, — a term of nearly thirty-seven years, being now in the 77th year of my age. It is obvious to a New Churchman,' that the New Jerusalem which John saw " coming down from God out of heaven," is indeed leavening the whole world with the Divine love and the Divne wisdom, raising it by those sublime principles to higher and more exalted spiritual, heavenly states. Those heaven-descended quaUties infused into the minds of men enlighten their paths, and say unto them in the benignity of perfect love — " this is the way, walk ye in it." But alas! men generally do not believe that it is the Lord in His second coming, " in the clouds of heaven," who is now standing at the door of their hearts — their affections — and knock- ing for them to open the door, that He may enter in with His love and wisdom, and establish His glorious king- dom there, — they do not believe that all who have died since the world began have been raised from death unto life, and have been judged, and have become associated in the spiritual world with those in similar states with themselves — whether those states be evil, or whether they be good. " Evil is of hell, and good is of heaven." " The life of man is his Zove." If the love be evil, the life is hellish. If the love be good, the life is heavenly. Yours truly, SiMON Hekry Greene. •7 70 CHURCHES OF WARWICK, E. I. friends' meeting, old WARWICK* The first " Monthly Meeting " of the Society of Friends held in Warwick, on record, was at the house of John Briggs, in 1699. Meetings were held subse- quently at the house of Jabez Greene, and probably until their meeting-house was built. The Greenwich Monthly Meeting then embraced the towns of Provi- dence, Greenwich, Kingstown and Warwick. The fol- lowing is from the records of the " Monthly Meeting :" "At Greenwich Monthly Meeting of Friends, held 4 month, 4th, 1716, it was proposed to build a meeling-house at Warwick,, and two Friends were appointed to lay the proposition before the Quarterly Meeting, and also the Yearly Meeting." Three months later the Monthly Meeting decided to build the meeting-house. The records do not inform us when the house was built, but it appears to have been built before the land upon which it stood was purchased, probably by permission of the owner, and with the understanding that a deed of it would be given. On the "ninth of 3d month, 1720, Benjamin Barton sold to Samuel Aldrich, Thomas Arnold, Jabez Greene, Joseph Edmonds and Thomas Rodman, for <£45, current money, one and a half acres and thirty -five rods " of land, " being that piece or parcel of land on which stands a certain meeting-house in which ye people called Quakers usually meet in Warwick aforesaid." The Friends were never numerous in the town, but held meetings in the house at Warwick frequentlj^ during the last century ; for the last fifty years only occasionally has the house been occupied. The old meeting-house was so much injured by the September gale of 1815, that it was taken down the following year, and a portion of its timbers were used in the erection of the present * For a portion of the items in the above account, I am indebted to the venerable Perez Peck, of Coventry. EPISCOPAL CHUBCH, COWESETT. 71 modest structure. The old house was considerably larf^er than the present one, and was two stories hio^h, Loyd Greene, an approved minister of the Society of Friends, and a resident in that vicinity, gave the Society the sum of |500, the interest of which was to be ex- pended in keeping the house in repair. This money they deposited in a savings bank, and by the dishonesty of the cashier they lost about one-third of it about ten years ago. The interest has. since been allowed to accu- mulate to the amount of the original sum. Loyd Greene sold his farm at Old Warwick, and removed to East Greenwich, where he became disheartened, and wandered back one day to his old home, and hung himself in the barn which he formerly owned. He is remembered as an upright, conscientious man. The old. meeting-house has been thoroughly repaired during the past season, and is one of the oldest buildings in the State occupied by the Friends'for their religious meetings.* EPISCOPAL CHURCH, COWESETT. The items respecting the church in which Rev. Dr. James McSparran, Dr. Fayerweather, and others, offi- ciated once a month, are gathered chiefly from the in- teresting work of Mr. Updike. " On the 2d of September, 1728, a lot of ground situated at equal distances from the present village of Apponaug and East Greenwich, and between the post road and the present Ston- ington railroad, was conveyed by the Rev. George Pigot to the Society in London for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, for erecting a church according to the establishment of churches by law in 2sew England. A church was accordingly erected, — a wooden building, two stories in height, with a steeple and spire, fronting the post road. After remaining unoccupied a long time, in a ruined state, it was taken down, about the year 1764, by inhabitants from Old Warwick, for the * Their first house at East Greenwich was built in the year 1700, and the first meeting held in it was on the " second of seventh month," of that year. They continued to worship in it until the year 1806, when they erected the one they now occupy. 72 CHURCHES OF WARWICK, R. I. purpose of erecting a church there. The materials having been conveyed to the shore, were scattered and lost during a storm which arose soon after. Annmlierif graves, pr'>baJ)ly of individuals connected with the church., are still to l.e seen upon the lot. The Rev. George Pig 't reside 1 in Warwick a number of years, and twned a track "f land there. He proba- bly obtained the means of erecting the church." When the congregation of Trinity Church, Newport, built their new church in 1726, they gave their old building to the people of this denomination living in this town, and, according to tradition, it was floated from Newport to this place. From the abstracts of the Missionary Society, under whose patronage the Episcopal clergymen in this State then acted, we learn that Dr. McSparran officiated monthly in Warwick, from 1741 to 1757, and Mr. John Graves from 1762 to 1783, the former receiving for his services the sum of <£50 ; the latter, .£15. The house stood on the corner of the street that leads down to the " Folly Landing,'"* on the site of the house erected a few years ago b}^ Edwin Bovven. The grave- yard was just south of Mr. Bowen's house. There were inscriptions on but two of the stones, those of Capt. John Drake and his wife. The Captain, as appears from the inscriptions on the stone erected at his grave, died January 29, 1733. His wife died July 23, 1738. The remains, with the grave stones, were removed to the old Caleb Ladd burial lot, about an eighth of a mile to the northward, many years ago, b}^ Mr. Jonathan N. Peirce, who owned the lot at the time. This lot subsequently came into possession of David Greene, who sold it to Rufus Spencer, who bequeathed it to his daughter, Mary Spencer. Mary Spencer, by will, gave it to the Society of Friends at East Green- wich. On February 1, 1808, as per deed of that date, Nicholas Congdon, Darius P. Lawton, Perez Peck, Beriah * The origin of this terra is as follows: Josiah Baker put up a house near the shore and kept a sort of tavern, which became known as '' Baker's Follj\" The term " Follj'" became applied to the wharf also, and for awhile the railway station near it was so called. EPISCOPAL CHURCH, OOWESETT. 73 Brown, and others, in behalf of the Society of Friends, sold this lot and land adjoining, amounting to fifty acres, "being the same as conveyed to them by Mar}- Spencer, late of Greenwich, daughter of Rufus Spencer," to Jonathan N. Peirce for the sum of ^2000. A portion of this tract was sold a few years ago to Amasa Sprague for $12,000. A portion on which the old meeting-house stood, Mr. Peirce sold to Mr. Bowen, as above stated. Mr. Peirce, at the ripe age of eighty-three, resides upon a portion of his purchase made in 1808, having removed his house from the opposite side of the road when he sold the land to Amasa Sprague. The following are extracts from the church records, with biographical comments by Mr. Updike : " April 11, 1736. Baptized at Cowesett, (Warwick Church), by Mr. McSparran, two children, viz.: Rebecca Pigot, daughter of Edward Pigot, and Charles Dickenson, son of Capt. John Dickenson." " Edward Pigot was the brother of the Hev. George Pigot, and was a physician, — came to Warwick soon after his brother, but remained but a few years after his brother removed to Salem." " Sept. 7th, 1739. Dr. McS. preached at the church in War- wick, and admitted Mr. Le valley to the sacrament of the Lord's supper." " The Mr. Levalley here mentioned was probably Peter Levalley, who died in Warwick iu 1756, and was the ancestor of the Levalleys in Warwick and Coventry." " Dec. 14, 1745. Dr. McS. preached Moses Lippit's funeral sermon, and buried him in his own ground in Warwick. He died the l'2th, about 11 o'clock in the foreuoou." '' June 8, 1746. Dr. McSparran baptized by immersion a young woman named Patience Stafford, daughter of Samuel Stafford, of Warwick, and then from Mr. Francis' rode to the church, read prayers and preached there." " April 21, 1750. Baptized by Immersion, in Warwick, Elizabeth Greene, wife of Eichard Greene, and by affusion, Welthan Lippit, wife of Jeremiah Lippit, a sister of said Richard." " Saturday, June 12, 17ii6. Dr. McSparran administered bap- tism by lotvil immersion to two young women at Warwick, viz.: Elizabeth Greene, jun. daughter of Richard Greene and Eliza- beth, his wife, and to Sarah Hammett, daughter of an Ana- baptist teacher, some time ago dead." 74 CHURCHES OF WARWICK, R. I. " July 23, 1756. As I came home from Providence, I took Warwick in my way, and baptized by immersion one adult, named Phebe Low, daughter of Fliilip Greene, Esq., of War- wick, and wife of one Captain Low." " Philip Greene was the grandson of Deputy Gov. Greene, and the father of Col. Christopher Greene, of the revolution, and married Elizabeth Wickes, sister of Thomas Wickes." About the only relics connected with the old church known to exist at present, are a portion of its records, and a Bible and prayer book, given to the church by the " Society in London for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts." These latter fell to the possession of a Mrs. Lippitt, who lately died in Providence. The books are probably now in possession of the nieces of Mrs. Lippitt. ST. Philip's church, crompton. At a meeting of several persons, desirous of forming a Christian congregation in communion with the Pro- testant Episcopal Church, held in Crompton Mills, War- wick, on the 27th of May, 1845, the Rev. James H. Eames was appointed chairman, and Mr. David Updike Hagan secretary. After due deliberation it was decided to form a religious society to be known " by the name and style of St. Philip's Church." The following per- sons were appointed wardens and vestrymen : Frederick Pfawner, senior warden ; David Updike Hagan, junior warden ; VVm. C. Gregory, James Crawford, James H. Clapp, Thomas Tiffany, vestrymen ; David U. Hagan, vestry clerk, and James H. Clapp, treasurer. The vestry were instructed to procure " a lot or lotts for the use of this congregation as soon as the sum necessary to effect it shall be subscribed." The present lot on which the meeting-house is situated was purchased and the house built during the year. It was consecrated by Rt. Rev. J. P. K. Henshaw, Bishop of the Diocese of Rhode Island, January 1, 1846. The house was never completed according to the design, which contem- plated a tower and vestibule on one of its corners, with ST. Philip's church, crompton. 76 other ornamentation. The cost of the house in its present form was $1200. Previous to the building of the church, religious ser- vices were held in the " Store Chamber " for about a year. Rev. J. Mulchahey, now assistant rector of Trinity Church, New York, and Rev. Daniel Henshaw, son of the Bishop, and now rector of All Saints Memorial Church, Providence, officiating on alternate Sabbaths. The first baptism recorded on the church records is that of a child of Thomas Hampson, December 19, 1843. The following is the list of the rectors : Rev. J. Mulchahey; C. E. Bennett, since deceased; G. W. Chevers, deceased ; E. W. Maxey, now in New York State; D. Potter, now of Cambridge, Mass.; R. H. Tuttle, now of Connecticut ; Silas M. Rogers, now settled in South Lee, Mass.; Robert Paul, in New York State; James S. Ellis, now in Wilkinsonville, Mass., and Thomas H. Cocroft, the present rector. The Rectory was built by Mr. Cady Dyer for his private residence, and subsequently sold to the Diocesan Convention that holds the church property. The rectors have been accustomed to hold religious services also in some of the other villages, where missions have been established, as at Fiskeville, Scituate and Phenix. At the latter place, Benjamin C Harris built a small Gothic building, known as " Little Kock Chapel," which was used awhile for Episcopal services.* In Jan- uary, 1861, when Rev. Mr. Rogers became the rector, he found a debt of 11300 on the Rectory, which he suc- ceeded in reducing to 8440. Mr. Rogers closed his term of service in August, 1867. During the time, he " bap- tized 111 infants, children and adults ;" 45 persons were confirmed ; 69 pe3-sons were buried, and 27 couples mar- ried. In 1873, the church was found to be greatly in * This building was afterwards purchased by the Catholics, through the agency of Rev. Mr. Gibson, pnstor of St. Mary's, Crompton, for $400. The lot was given by Mr. Harris. It was used for religious services until about the time their present church was obtained, and^ then sold. 76 CHUECHES OF WARWICK, R. I. need of repairs, and in July and August of that year, it was repainted on the inside, the walls were frescoed, and a new carpet purchased, the cost of the repairs amount- ing to about $400, part of which was contributed at home and the remainder in Providence. After the resig- nation of Mr. Paul, in 1870, the rectorship remained vacant until Easter of 1873, when the Rev. James S. Ellis, of Delaware, was appointed rector and missionary, who continued in office until July 1, 1874, when the house was closed for some months. Rev. Mr. Cocroft commenced his labors in the spring of the present year. ALL SAINTS PARISH, PONTIAC,* This parish was organized April 9, 1869, when the following officers were elected : Senior Warden, Stephen N. Bourne ; Junior Warden, John P. Olney ; Treasurer, John F. Knowles; Clerk, John P. Olney; Vestrymen, Samuel Black, Samuel Preston, Henry Owen, John Gildard, Edwin R. Knight, William Wooley, Isaiah Wilde, Thomas Evans, Charles S. Robinson, William A. Corey, John F. Knowles. The services of the Protestant Episcopal Church were held in All Saints Chapel for the first time on Sunday, April 1, the Rev. L. Sears, of St. Bartholomew's Church, Cranston, reading as far as the creed, and the Rev. Robert Paul], of St. Philips Church, Crompton, the remainder of the service, the sermon being preached by the Rev. D. O. Kellogg, of Grace Church, Providence. The first rector, the Rev. E. H. Porter, commenced his labors in the parish July 4. There were then found to be but five regular communicants of the Protestant Episcopal Church connected with the parish, though at the first administration of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, there were fifteen participants, most of whom were members of other evangelical churches. * The account of this church is furuished by John P. Olney, clerk. METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHES. 77 After a year of remarkable growth and prosperity, the Rev. Mr. Porter resigned the rectorsliip of the parish in July, 1870, which resignation took effect October 1. The Rev. H. K. Browse, formerly of Pennsylvania, was the next rector, remaining in the parish until September 4, 1872, when his ill-health compelled him to give up his pastoral work an 'I send in his resignation Rev. Wm. H. Williams took charge of the parish in December, 1872, and remained till April 1, 1875. The number of regular communicants actually resident in the parish April 1, 1875, is 36. The Sunday School numbers 102. The amount of funds raised for the sup- port of public worship, and other church and Sunday School purposes, during the year ending April 1, 1875, was 11,488 14. The Messrs. B. B. & R. Knight, of Providence, ten- dered to the parish in 1869, for church purposes, a room neatly fitted up with sittings and chancel furniture, and also a dwelling for its rector, both free of rental, and also have always been liberal subscribers to the fund for the minister's salary. METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHES. There are two flourishing churches of the Methodist denomination in the town, both having their origin in the earl}^ part of the present century, but the writer has not been successful in obtaining official accounts of either. One of them, which is probably the older, is located in the village of Centreville, and the other at Pheiiix. They were supplied for many years, or as late as the year 1825, and perhaps later, by circuit preachers only, and the records of that period are not in possession of these churches. The " Warwick Circuit " included not only these villages, but also those of East Greenwich, Wickford, PlainMeld, Conn., and other places, and the preachers were accustomed to pass from one to the other in rotation, on horseback, preaching in school-houses and private dwellings as they had opportunity. In 1830-1, 7S CHURCHES OF WARWICK, R. I. the church at Centreville built their meeting-house, and ten years later the church at Phenix were also in posses- sion of a house of worship. But the records of both, as I am informed, for many years subsequent to these dates, are not now in their possession, nor do they know what has become of them. . Many interesting items con- nected with their origin and progress would have been gathered from the older members and presented in this connection, but for the expectation cherished to the latest moment, that they would be furnished in connection with such information as could be obtained from existing records by some one connected with the churches who is more thoroughly conversant with their histor3^ SECOND ADVENT CHURCHES. There are two churches of this order in the town, the older one located in the village of Arctic, and the other at Natick. The church at Arctic held its meetings at first in Odd Fellows' Hall, in the 3^ear 1858. The meet- ings were conducted by Elder George Champlaiu, a colored preacher, who was for about fifteen years the pastor of the Warwick and East Greenwich Free- Will Baptist Church on the Plains. He was assisted by Elder E. Bellows. The meetings at the hall resulted in the conversion of quite a number of persons, fourteen of whom were baptized by Elder Champlain on the 26th of February, 1858, and sixteen on March 14 following. On the evening of April 6, a church was organized at the house of Josiah Taylor, consisting of twelve persons. After the organization, Josiah Taylor and William Smith were chosen deacons, and John P. Babcock clerk and treasurer. Elder Champlain was chosen pastor. It was arranged to have public religious services every third Sabbath at Odd Fellows' Hall. The business and covenant meetings were usually held at the house of Deacon Taylor. On the evening of August 14, 1858, Elder Champlain's resignation of the pastorate was accepted, and Elder E. Bellows was chosen his successor. CATHOLIC Churches. 79 On October 15, 1858, Alanson Wright was chosen deacon in place of Deacon Smith, who had resigned to go to another part of the country. On November 6, 1858, A. C. Greene was chosen clerk, in place of John P. Babcock, resigned. At a meeting held February 26, 1860, the subject of building a house of worship was considered. It was ascertained that about $600 had been subscribed for this 6bject, and by vote of the church it was decided to pur- chase of Mr. Alexander Allen, for the sum of illOO, a piece of land 65 feet front by 120 feet deep, as a site for the building ; that the house should be 31 feet by 46 feet, 14 feet posts. C. Spencer, Isaac Andrews and Alanson Wright were appointed a building committee, with instructions "to erect the house immediately. The land was accordingly purchased of Mr. Allen and the house built. The first meeting — one for business — was held in it on the evening of May 12, 1860. At a meet- ing held October 19, 1862, Rice Knight, Elisha B. Card and Oliver Crandall were chosen deacons. The last meeting, the proceedings of which were recorded upon the church book, was held December 19, 1863, at which time it was voted to give up the forenoon services and substitute the Sabbath School. Elder Augustus Durfee has been the pastor for some years past, preaching one Sabbath per month. The church has not been able to support a pastor much of the time, and it has been fre- quently without a regular pastor, depending upon such supplies as they were able to procure. The church at Natick was organized May 24, 1874, with twenty members. The present number is twenty- three. Spencer H. Shippee and Silas Mitchell were chosen deacons. They hold their meetings in Smith's Hall. Elder Elisha B. Card is the pastor and clerk. CATHOLIC CHUECHES. The following communication respecting the churches of this order in Crompton and Phenix is from Rev. Mr. 80 CHURCHES OF WARWICK, R. I. Gibson, the esteemed pastor of the Cathohc Church in the former village : Crompton, Oct. 14, 1875. Reverend Sib — In response to your expressed desire for some infor- mation respecting the progress of CathoUcity in Cromp- ton, or in my parish, I have collected a few facts and items which I submit to you, hoping they may be of service in the correct compilation of the work you are preparing for publication. I cannot better commence to narrate the few facts and items I have collected in reference to the history of the Catholic Church in Crompton, than by referring to a work entitled " Sketches of the Establishment of the Church in New England," published in 1872 by Rev. James Fitton, the first pastor of the church in Crompton, and by whom the first church was commenced on Sep- tember 23, 1844. It relates in condensed form nearly all the important matter concerning its establishment, and I will quote entire the " Sketch " under the heading of the Church of our Lady of Mount Carmel, Crompton : " Apart from Pawtucket, the largest number of the faithful in any town contiguous to the city, and who were considered as belonging to the charge of Sb. Peter and Paul, Providence, were at Cromi^ton. This place having been attended monthly, and the hard-working and industrious operatives in the factory, among whom were those having families of little ones, being anxious to have a place where they might assemble on Sundays, and willing to contribute according to their means, an acre of land was secured September 23, li'4:4. A small church, a frame building, was immediately erected, and as the location selected was on the hill side of the village, overlooking the country for miles distant, it was styled the ' Church of our Lady of Mount Carmel.' The congregation of Crompton and its neighborhood Nvas confided to the special care of Rev. James Gibson, who attended occasionally, as his duties at olher stations permitted, till August, 18'51, when assuming its sole charge he added seven and three-quarters acres to the original purchase, thus making eight acres and three-quarters of land, all enclosed within a substantial stoue wall. Besides which, for the better accom- modation of the congregation, he has added twenty by tifty- eight to the church, making it one hundred and eight by fifty CATHOLIC CHURCHES. 61 feet, independent of Sanctuary and Sacristy, twenty by twenty- one, and its tower twelve by twelve, square, and forty-five feet high, with a sweet-toned bell of over 1400 pounds weight. He has al?o built a pastoral residence of thirty by twenty-eight feet, tastefully and conveniently arranged, and a school-house, eighteen bj'^ forty feet, wherein to gather the little ones of his spiritual charge. He has also lately secured, on what is known as Birch Hill, a very fine building, over thirty-one by forty-five feet, erected originally for a select high school, which he has converted into a neat little church, with its porch of eight by ten and sacristy twelve by fifteen feet." The aboye is a very clear and correct statement, and there is little to be added up to the time of the publica- tion of the " Sketches." I would, however, remark that the immediate successor of Rev. James Fitton was Rev. Edward Putnam, aud one or two others, who occasion- ally attended the Crompton church, until tlie appoint- ment of Rev. D. Kelly, who was the first local, resident priest, and remained in Crompton about nine months, when he was removed and the present pastor assumed the charge. Since 1844 there has been much progress, and many improvements in the foregoing sketch. The original parish under the charge of one priest only, has increased to such an extent, that it has been divided into five sepa- rate parishes, each one with its handsome church and resident priest. Besides the church of St. James in Birch Hill, in 1870, two acres of laud was purchased in Centreville for the erection of a central church at some future time. There is a fine Hall on the grounds, which at present is used for meetings of St. Mary's Brass Band, St. Mary's Temperance Society and other public meetings and social gatherings. The Cemetery, too, adjoining the Crompton church deserves especial mention. It has been extensively en- larged, improved and adorned in various ways, so that what was originally a crude mass of stones and natural rubbish, has become a lovely retreat, and a beautiful place of christian burial. 82 CHURCHES OF WARWICK, R. I. There have been other minor improvements, but suf- ficient has been mentioned to show the wonderful pro- gress of the Catholic church in Crompton since the erec- tion of the " small church " on the hill- side of the village. Respectfully, J. P. Gibson. PHENIX CATHOLIC PARISH. This flourishing parish, once a part only of the Cromp- ton church was made into a separate parish in 1858 and placed in the charge of Rev. Dr. Wallace, now pastor of St. Michael's church, Providence. He remained there about seven years. During the first year or two, the cathoUc church there was a small building called the Rock Chapel, being built on a solid rock foundation. It was formerly an Episcopal chapel, and was purchased by Rev. J. P. Gibson of Mr. Benjamin C. Harris for the purpose of converting it into a Catholic chapel. Mr. Harris very generously gave the foundation and ground around, and made no charge except a moderate one for the building alone. But this chapel very soon was inadequate to the wants of the increasing number of parishioners, and Dr. Wallace sold it, and purchased of the Baptist society the church now under the charge of Rev. John Couch, who resides in Phenix, and has been pastor there since the removal of Dr. Wallace. J. P. G. In addition to the foregoing, for the accommodation of the large number of French Catholics, a large and hand- some church edifice was erected last year near the Cen- treville railroad station, 112 x 60, which is not yet com- pletely finished ; the large and convenient vestry being at present used for religious services. It is called St. John's church, and Rev. Henry Spruyt is the pastor in charge. At Natick, too, within the past three years, a church has been erected to accommodate the catholic residents of that village, and the resident pastor. Rev. Mr. Reviere, SUMMARY. 83 preaches to two distinct congregations at different parts of the day — to one in English and to the other in the French language. There has also within the past year, been erected in Apponaug a neat church by Rev. Wm. Halligan, of Greenwich. These comprise the five Catholic parishes of this town. SUMMAEY. Of the twenty-eight churches that have existed in this town since its settlement in 1642, five have become ex- tinct. Of those still existing, three are of the Six Prin- ciple Baptist order ; four are Baptist; two Free Baptist ; one Congregationalist ; one Friends ; one New Jerugalem ; two Methodists ; two Adventists ; two Episcopalian, and five Roman Catholic ; making the present number twenty- three. Besides these, there have been several mission stations established, for longer or shorter periods, and several halls have been used at different times for reli- gious services. ■J I MARRIAGES ELDER JOHN GORTON, OV WARWICK. The list of marriages by Elder John Gorton of Warwick, cover a period from January 1, 1754, to May 4, 1792. The list as here given was printed in a newspaper, the Pawtuxet Valley Gleaner, published at Riverpoint, R. I., during the summer and fall of 1879. In his introduction to the first portion the editor said : "They are 281 in number. The names of the parties married and the dates of their marriages Avere recorded in this book by Mr. Gorton, who is supposed to have been the only Elder residing in Warwick at that time. He was pastor of the Six Principle Baptist Church, and lived in a gambrel roof house, now stand- ing, and located near the East Greenwich line, on the main road leading from Apponaug to Greenwich." The value of this list as a contribution to the history of the people of the town of Warwick is apparent at a glance. Anthony Low and Phebe Greene, both of Warwick, married January 1, 1754. Peleg Rice and Annie Remington, both of Warwick, married May 19, 1754. Samuel Sweet and Mercy Potter, both of Warwick, married September 23, 1754. Stephen Greene and Mary Rhodes, both of Warwick, married October 24, 1754. 86 MARRIAGES BY ELDER JOHN GORTON. Caleb Hill, of North Kingstown, and Mercy Stafford, daughter of Stutely Stafford, deceased, of Warwick, married March 23, 1755. Peter Levalley and Mary Haines, both of Warwick, married May 11, 1755. John Low and Sarah Wicks, both of Warwick, married October 26, 1755. John Healy, of Providence, and Ellis Lockwood of Warwick, married July 25, 1756. James Warner and llebeckah Low, both of Warwick, married January 6, 1757. Benjamin Spencer, sou of Walter, of East Greenwich, and Sarah Low, of Warwick, married January 20, 1757. Charles Holdea and Hannah Martin, both of Warwick, married January 23, 1757. Pardon Daly, alias Ralph, and Mary Hathaway, both of War- wick, married March 2, 1758. Joseph Wickes and Bridget Price, both of Warwick, married June 22, 1758. Peleg Salisbury, of Cranston, and Mercy Sweet, of AVarwick, married December 14, 1758. George Wightman, Jr., of Warwick, and Rachel Wood, of East Greenwich, married February 11, 1759. Thomas Remington, sou of Daniel, of Warwick, and Freelove Nichols, of East Greenwich, married in East Greenwich, August 23, 1759. William Soul and Susauna Stafford, daughter of Joseph Staf- ford, Jr., of East Greenwich, married in Greenwich, September 27, 1759. Bartholomew Hunt, of North Kingstown, and Phebe Clark, of Warwick, married December 30, 1759. John Spencer, son of Richard, and Experience Lyon, daughter of John Lyon, both of East Greenwich, married in Greenwich, February 21, 1760. William Cowper, son of James Cowper, Jr., deceased, and Thankful Davis, daughter of Samuel Davis, both of East Green- wich, married in Greenwich, March 20, 1760. MARRIAGES BY ELDER JOHN GORTON 87 William Hookey, son of Stephen Hookey, of Newport, and Mary Wiglitman, daughter of George Wightman, of North Kings- town, married in said Kingstown, April 17, 1760. Hopkins Cook, son of Ebenezer Cook, and Annie Arnold, daughter of John Arnold, both of East Greenwich, married July 31, 1700. Smitera Wilcox and Bethany Tallraan, both of Warwick, mar- ried September 22, 17G0. Nicholas Simmons and Elizabeth Bacheldor, both of East Greenwich, married November 6, 17G0. Samuel Wightman and Amy Laton, both of East Greenwich, married December 4, 17G0. Caleb Bentley and Martha Foster, daughter of Thomas Poster, of Warwick, married June 14, 1761. Thomas Boorman and Sarah Stafford, both of East Green- wich, married August 2, 1761. Joseph Whitford and Desire Havens, both of Warwick, married October 9, 1761. Thomas Stafford, of Warwick, and Rebeckah Hill, daughter of Thomas Hill, of North Kingstown, married in said Kingstown, February 4, 1762. Thomas Tillinghast, son of Philip Tillinghast, of East Green- wich, and Mary Hill, daughter of Thomas Hill, of North Kings- town, married in said Kingstown, May 27, 1762. Benjamin Bently and Barbara Pearce, bothof East Greenwich, married November 21, 1762. Robert Brattle, of Newport, and Susanna Pearce, of East Greenwich, married in said Greenwich, January 2, 1763. David Corpes and Susanna Essex, both of Warwick, married February 6, 1763. Benjamin Wood, of East Greenwich, and Margaret Price, of Warwick, married March 13, 1763, Gideon Spencer and Phebe Burlingame, both of East Green- wich, married in East Greenwich, July 24, 1763. John Lille and Hannah Mott, daughter of Stephen Mott, both of East Greenwich, married in Greenwich, November 24, 1763. 88 MARRIAGES BY ELDER JOHN GORTON. Henry Tibbitts, son of Henry Tibbitts, and Hannah Reming- ton, daughter of Thomas Remington, both of Warwich, married December 15, 17G3. Tones Rice, son of Randall Rice, and Susanna Havens, daughter of Alexander Havens, deceased, both of Warwick, mar- ried February 16, 1764. Jonathan Nillse, son of Samuel Nillse, of West Greenwich, and Avice Rice, daughter of Henry Rice, of Warwick, married Feb- ruary 23, 1764. Sawdey Rouse and Hannah Sweet, both of East Greenwich, mai'ried in Warwick, April 8, 1764. Thomas Gorton, of West Greenwich, son of Benjamin, and Susanna Pearce, daughter of Capt. John Pearce, of East Green- wich, married in Warwick, May 27, 1764. William Warner, son of John Warner, and Waity Sweet, daughter of William Sweet, of East Greenwich, married in War- wick, Julys, 1764. John Glaiser and Freelove Sherman, daughter of Benoni Sher- man, of East Greenwich, married in said Greenwich, September 2, 1764. William Havens, son of Alexander Havens, deceased, and Deliverance StaflFord, daughter of Joseph Stafford, Jr., both of Warwick, married in Warwick, September 9, 1764. William Wood, son of William, of Scituate, and Lydia Dowd, of Warwick, married in Greenwich, October 31, 1764. Thomas Wilbour, son of Thomas Wilbour, of Swansey, in county of Bristol, and Mary Gorton, daughter of Samuel Gorton, doctor, of Warwick, married in Warwick, December 2, 1764. Mial Salisbury, son of Martin Salisbury, of Cranston, and Ruth Greene, daughter of Deacon Thomas Greene, of Warwick, mar- ried in Warwick, December 9, 1764. Waterman Tibbitts, son of Henry Tibbitts, and Mercy Water- terman, daughter of John Waterman, deceased, both of War- wick, married December 13, 1764. John Bently, of Exeter, and Lucy Vanghn, of East Greenwich, married in Greenwich, April 28, 1765. William Arnold, son of John Arnold, of East Greenwich, and Alse Wilcox, daughter of Stephen Wilcox, of Warwick, married May 2, 1765. MARRIAGES BY ELDER JOHN GORTON. 89 Jonathan Bennett, son of William, of East Greenwich, and Alse Greene, daughter of Nathaniel Greene, of Coventry, married in Warwick, May 12, 1765. David Arnold, son of Josias Arnold, deceased, and Waity Llp- pitt, daughter of Moses Lippitt, both of Warwick, married in Warwick, August 29, 1765. Stutely Wickes, son of Benjamin Wickes, deceased, and Eliza- beth Greene, daughter of Deacon Thomas Greene, botli of War- wick, married December 26, 1765. Oliver Gardner, son of Isaac Gardner, of East Greenwich, deceased, and Mercy Gorton, daughter of William Gorton, of Warwick, married September 25, 1766. Joseph Mott, son of Stephen Mott, and Martha Spencer, daughter of Thomas Spencer, both of East Greenwich, married July 7, 1768. llichard Essex, son of Hugh Essex, of Warwick, and Mary Aylesvvorth, daughter of Arthur Aylesworth, of North Kings- town, married in said Kingstown, July 24, 1768. Jeremiah Aylesworth, son of Arthur Aylesworth, and Phebe Allen, daughter of Jonathan Allen, both of North Kingstown, married in said Kingstown, July 24, 1768. Richard Fry, son of Thomas Fry, and Sarah Arnold, daughter of John Arnold, both of East Greenwich, married in said Green- wich, August 14, 1768. Benjamin Tiffing, son of Benjamin Tiffing, of Warwick, and Mary Oliu, daughter of Henry Oliu, of West Greenwich, married November 6, 1768. John Allen, son of Thomas Allen, and Mary Gould, daughter of Daniel Gould, deceased, both of North Kingstown, married iu said Kingstown, January 26, 1769. William Rice, son of Thomas Rice, and Mayplet Remington, daughter of Thomas Remington, both of Warwick, married Jan- uary 29, 1769. Robert Reynolds, son of Robert Reynolds, of Exeter, and Annie Reynolds, daughter of James Reynolds, deceased, of East Greenwich, married in said Greenwich, Feb. 15, 1769. Holden Rhodes, son of Holdeu Rhodes, and Susanna Wall, daughter of John Wall, both of Warwich, married March 12, 1769. 90 MARRIAGES BY ELDER JOHN GORTON. "William Wood, sou of William, and Ruth Gortou, daughter of Samuel Gorton, (doctor), both of Warwick, married July 5, 17G9. William Vaughn, son of George Vaughn, and Elizebeth Hack- stone, daughter of Thomas Hackstone, deceased, both of East Greenwich, married in said Greenwich, December 17, 1769. Elder James Wightman, son of John Wightman, deceased, and Susanna Eldred, daughter of William Eldred, both of East Green- wich, married in said Greenwich, January 5, 1770. William Giles and Lydia Hazard, both of Warwick, married June 24, 1770. Job Pierce, son of Capt. John Pierce, and Temperance Greene, both of East Greenwich, married in said Greenwich, July 1, 1770. Jonathan Greene, son of James Greene, of Coventry, and Lydia Nichols, daughter of Jonathan Nichols, both of East Greenwich, maiTied in said Greenwich, October 7, 1770. Henry Albro, son of Samuel, and Abigal Albro, daughter of John Albro, married September 29, 1771. Stephen Greene, son of Elisha Greene, of East Greenwich, and Elizabeth Wightman, daughter of George Wightman, of North Kingstown, married in said Kingstown, December 1, 1771. James Tripp, son of Israel Tripp, of Warwick, and Mercy Clark, of said Warwick, married in Warwick, January 30, 1772. George Tillinghast, son of Philip Tillinghast, of East Green- wich, and Mary Greene, daughter of Job Greene, of Coventry, married in Coventry, May 28, 1772. George Nichols, son of Jonathan Nichols, of East Greenwich, and Rachel Allen, daughter of Robert Allen, deceased, of War- wick, married August 16, 1772. Henry Reynolds, son of Henry Reynolds, of West Greenwich, and Jemima Wightman, daughter of George Wightman, of War- wick, married September 27, 1772. Welcome Arnold, son of Jonathan Arnold, of Smithfield, and Patience Greene, daughter of Capt. Samuel Greene, deceased, of Warwick, married February 11, 1773. Benjamin Vaughn, son of Samuel, of East Greenwich, and Mary Bennett, daughter of William Bennett, of Warwick, mar- ried March 14, 1773. Arthur King, and Eunice Allen, both of East Greenwich, mar- ried April 4, 1773. A MARRIAGES BY ELDER JOHN GORTON. 91 William Greene, son of Rnfns Greene, and Mary Sheffield, daughter of Caleb Sheffield, both of East Greenwich, married in said Greenwich, April 18, 1773. Stephen Pierce, son of Thomas, and Lydia Rice, daughter of Peleg Rice, both of East Greenwich, married iu said Greenwich, April 25, 1773. Gideon Casey, son of Gideon Casey, and Mehitabel Baker, daughter of Johu Baker; of Glocester, both of Warwick, married April 25, 1773. Thomas Fry, son of Thomas Fry, Jr., and Mary Pearce, daugh- ter of Thomas Pearce, both of East Greenwich, in the county of ^ Kent and colony of Rhode Island, married in said Greenwich, July 25, 1773. Randall Rice, son of Nathan, and Rebekah Mendon, both of Warwick, married October 6, 1773. Augustus Mumford, son of William Mumford, and Ruth Fry, daughter of John Fry, deceased, both of East Greenwich, mar- ried December 25, 1773. Joseph Joslyn and Hope Campbell, both of East Greenwich, married in said Greenwich, January 11, 1774. Francis Cory, son of William Cory, and Hannah Soul, daughter of Samuel Soul, both of East Greenwich, married in said Green- wich, March 27, 1774. Nathaniel Greene, son of Nathaniel Greene, of Warwick, in the county of Kent and colony of Rhode Island, and Catherine Little- field, daughter of John Littlefield, of New Shoreham, in the county of Newport, married July 20, 1774. Thomas Healey, son of Joseph Healey, of East Greenwich, deceased, and Penelope Mott, daughter of Stephen Mott, mar- ried June 11, 1775. Giles Pierce, son of Thomas Pierce, of East Greenwich, and Elizabeth Pierce, daughter of Caleb Pierce, of Warwick, deceased, married October 13, 1775. John Singer Dexter, of Cumberland, in county of Providence, and Mary Pearce, daughter of Major Preserved Pearce, both of East Greenwich, married in said Greenwich, November 2, 1775. Samuel Millard, of Warwick, son of Nathaniel Millard, de- ceased, and Sarah Jerauld, daughter of Doctor Dutee Jerauld, of Warwick, married January 29, 1776. w 92 MARRIAGES BY ELDER JOHN GORTON. James Murray, of East Greenwich, and Elizabeth Scranton, daughter of Daniel Scranton, of Warwick, married February 13, 1776. John Shaw, Jr., sou of Johu Shaw, of East Greenwich, and Sarah Pratt, daughter of Jedediah Pratt, married Augusts, 1776. Robert Spencer, son of Caleb Spencer, of East Greenwich, and Ruth Shaw, daughter of Johu Shaw, married in Greenwich, September 9, 1776. Ezra Simraous, of Swanzey, in Massachusetts, son of Bial Simmons, and Susanna Burlingame, daughter of Josias Bur- lingame, deceased, both of East Greenwich, married in said Greenwich, November 6, 1776. Arnold Stafford, son of Capt. Joseph Stafford, and Phebe Sprague, daughter of Rowland Sprague, both of East Greenwich, married in Greenwich, December 2, 1766. Samuel Pierce, son of Samuel Pierce, and Hannah Jerauld, daughter of Dutee Jerauld, both of Warwick, married December 22, 1776. Philip Pierce, son of John Pierce, and Mary Mumford, daugh- ter of Stephen Mumford, both of East Greenwich, married in said Greenwich, February 20, 1777. Chandler Burlingame. son of Josias Burliugame, deceased, and Sarah Henshaw', daughter of Samuel Henshaw, deceased, both of East Greenwich, married in said Greenwich, March 26, 1777. Benedict Arnold, son of Stephen Arnold, of Warwick, and Lydia Weaver, daughter of George Weaver, of East Greenwich, married in said Greenwich, April 6, 1777. Thomas Rice, son of Thomas Rice, and Rosanna Blanchard, daughter of John Blanchard, deceased, both of Warwick, mar- ried April 17, 1777. William Tallman, sou of James Tallman, of Warwick, and Desire Clark, daughter of Benjamin Clark, of East Greenwich, married in said Greenw'ich, July 3, 1777. William Sprague, son of Rowland Sprague, of East Greenwich, and Hannah Jenkins, married in said Greenwich, September 14, 1777. Slade Gorton, son of Samuel Gorton, of Warwick, deceased, and Mary Whitford, daughter of George Whitford, married December 11, 1777. MARRIAGES BY ELDER JOHN GORTON. 93 John Allen, son of William Allen, of Dartmouth, Mass , and Sally Lanforcl, daughter of Thomas Lanford, of East Greenwich, married in said Greenwicli, December 18, 1777. Joseph Manchester, son of Matthew Manchester, of North Kingstown, and Mary Arnold, daughter of Stephen Arnold, of Warwick, married December 21, 1777. Rejoice Bryan, son of Stephen Bryan, of Bermuda, and Asenah Spencer, daughter of Thomas Spencer, of East Greenwich, mar- ried in Greenwich, December 23, 1777. Edward Pierce, sou of John Pierce, aud WaityBriggs, both of East Greenwich, married February 8, 1778. Gorton Jerauld, son of Dr. Dutee Jerauld, and Phebe Rice, daughter of Henry Rice, both of Warwick, married February 22, 1778. Major Samuel Ward, son of Hon. Samuel Ward, late of West- erly, deceased, and Phebe Greene, daughter of William Greene, of Warwick, married March 8, 1778. Caleb Stutson, son of Jedediah Stutson, and Abigail Walker, daughter of John Walker, both of Warwick, married March 12, 1778. William Searle, son of Capt. Richard Searle, of Cranston, and Catherine Greene, daughter of Capt. Benjamin Greene, of War- wick, married in said Cranston, April 23, 1778. Jonathan Salisbury, son of Jonathan Salisbury, of Scituate, deceased, and Sarah Soul, daughter of Samuel Soul, both of East Greenwich, married in Greenwich, June 14, 1778. Capt. Abijah Lewis, of Hopkinton, son of Nathaniel Lewis, of Charleston, deceased, and Mary Fry, widow of the late Thomas Fry, and daughter of Thomas Pierce, of East Greenwich, mar- ried June 21, 1778. John Little, son of William Little, of South Kingstown, and Mary Pierce, daughter of Daniel Pierce, of East Greenwich, married in said Greenwich, August 8, 1778. Joseph Arnold, son of Caleb Arnold, and Sarah Stafford, daughter of Stutely Stafford, both of Warwick, married Septem- ber G, 1778. Christopher Weaver, son of Peleg Weaver, of East Greenwich, and Phebe Greene, daughter of Ebenezer Greene, deceased, of Warwick, married October 25, 1778. I 94 MARRIAGES BY ELDER JOHX GORTON. Charles Greene, sou of Ilufus Greeue, of East Greeuwich, and Phebe Sheffield, of Warwick, daughter of Benjamin Sheffield, of Jamestown, deceased, married December 6, 1778. Lieut. Edward Slocura, son of Ebenezer Slocura, of Tiverton, in Newport county, and Almy Lawton, daughter of Isaac Law- ton, deceased, of East Greenwich, married in said Greenwich, December 30, 1778. Lieut. Daniel Pierce, son of Thomas Pierce, and Lucy Bent' ley, daughter of William Beutley, both of East Greenwich, mar- ried in said Greenwich, January 10, 1770. Solomon Wanton, of Tiv^erton, Newport county, and Hannah Eranck, of Johnston, Providence county, married January 14, 1779. Benjamin Franck, (Negro soldier), and Sarah Wilbour, both of Johnston, Providence county, married January 31, 1779. Gideon Manchester, son of Matthew Manchester, of North Kingstown, and Elizabeth Levalley, daughter of Peter Levalley, of Warwick, married March 28, 1779. Stephen Greene, son of Rufus Greene, and Patience Wall, daughter of William Wall, deceased, both of East Greenwich, married April 11, 1779. Asahel Hooker, son of John Hooker, in the Centennial Bat- talion, and Almy Godfrey, daughter of John Godfrey, deceased, of East Greenwich, married April 11, 1779. John Wilson, sou of Jeremiah Wilson, deceased, of South Kingstown, Kings county, and Thankful Cooper, widow, daugh- ter of Samuel Davis, of East Greenwich, married in said Green- wich, May 9, 1779. Nicholas Arnold, son of .Joseph Arnold, of Warwick, and Han- nah "Vaughn, daughter of Christopher Vaughn, of East Green- wich, married in said Greenwicli, June 24, 1779. Edward Sweeden, son of Caleb Sweeden, and Naomi Sweet, daughter of Mrs. Anna Sweet, both of East Greeuwich, married October 10, 1779. Thomas Pearce, son of Samuel Pearce, of Tolland, Conn., and Martha Jerauld, daughter of Dr. Dutee Jerauld, of Warwick, married October 10, 1779. / d MARRIAGES BY ELDER JOHN GORTON. 95 Philip Arnold, son of Benjamin Arnold, and Roby Gorton, daughter of Jonathan Gorton, both of Warwick, married Feb- ruary 3, 1780. Rhodes Greene, son of Stephen Greene, of Warwick, and Phebe Vaughn, daughter of Christopher Vaughn, of East Greenwich, married in said Greenwich, February G, 1780. Benjamin Gorton, son of Dr. Samuel Gorton, and Thankful Whitford, daughter of George Whitford, both of Warwick, mar- ried March 30, 1780. John Davis, son of William Davis, and Desire Scranton, daughter of Fones Scranton, of North Kingstown, both of East Greenwich, married iu said Greenwich, June 25, 1780. Stephen Briggs, sou of George Briggs, and Huldah Gorton, daughter of Nathan Gorton, both of Warwick, married August 27, 1780. Caleb Westcott, son of Nathan Westcott, and Susanna Greene, daughter of Caleb Greene, both of Warwick, married September 10, 1780. John Sprague, son of Rowland Sprague, and Deliverance Pearce, daughter of Daniel Pearce, both of East Greenwich, mar- ried in said Greenwich, September 24, 1780. Levi Peckham, son of Samuel Peckham, deceased, of Middle- town, Newport county, and Sarah Tripp, daughter of Samuel Tripp, of East Greenwich, married in said Greenwich, September 24, 1780. Joseph E. Tillinghast, son of ElishaTillinghast, of Providence, deceased, and Miss Hermoiue Brown, of East Greenwich, daugh- ter of James Brown, of said Providence, deceased, maiTied iu Greenwich, December 5, 1780. John Remington, son of Thomas Remington, and Mary Til- linghast, daughter of Samuel Tillinghast, both of Warwick, mar- ried December 17, 1780. Samuel West, son of Samuel West, of Westerly, and Elizabeth Spencer, daughter of Milford Spencer, of East Greenwich, mar- ried in said Greenwich, January 17, 1781. Thomas Westcott, son of Nathan Westcott, and Mercy Arnold, daughter of Caleb Arnold, both of Warwick, married February 4, 1781. 96 MARRIAGES BY ELDER JOHN GORTON. Thomas Fostei-, son of Thomas Foster, deceased, of East Greenwich, and Alse Greene, widow of the late Amos Greene, and daughter of James TaUraan, of Warman, married March 18, 1781. Samuel Allen of Pomfret, in county of Windham, in Connecti- cut, son of Caleb Allen, of Prudence, county of Newport, and Welthan Holden, daughter of Charles Iloldeu, Jr., of Warwick, married April 22, 1781. Heni-y Keynolds, son of Thomas Reynolds, of East Greenwich, and Millew Arnold, daughter of Mrs. Mary Arnold, of Warwick, married May 6, 1781. Benjamin Congdon, son of Joseph Congdon, and Sarah Hawks, daughter of Thomas Hawks, both of East Greenwich, married in said Greenwich, May 10, 1781. Prince Brown, of Coventry, (Negro), and Elizabeth Lovell, of Warwick, married October 3, 1781. Joseph Chace, son of Abraham Chace, of Warwick, and Lucy Arnold, daughter of Oliver Arnold, of East Greenwich, married December 16, 1781. James Greene, son of James Greene, of Nausauket, in Warwick, and Phebe Warner, daughter of Thomas Warner, deceased, mar- ried January 6, 1782. Caleb Sprague, son of Rowland Sprague, of East Greenwich, and Lois Cassel, daughter of John Cassel, of Warwick, married in said Greenwich, February 3, 1782. Thomas Hughes, son of Joseph Hughes, of Newport, and Wel- than Greene, daughter of Col. Christopher Greene, deceased, of Warwick, married in said Warwick, Februai-y 27, 1782. Edward Stafford, son of Stutely Stafford, of Warwick, and Almy Aldrich, of Cranston, married in said Cranston, March 21, 1782. Olney Stone, son of John Stone, deceased, and Phebe Arnold, daughter of Simeon Arnold, both of Warwick, married April 25, 1782. Christopher Beutly, son of William Bently, and Elizabeth Mumford, daughter of Stephen Mumford, both of East Green- wich, married in Greenwich, July U, 1782. WM MARRIAGES BY ELDER JOHN GORTON. 97 Samuel Itice, sou of Peleg Rice, and Eleanor Pearce, daughter of Daniel Pearce, both of East Greenwich, married in Green- wich, September 1, 1782. Jonathan Pearce, son of Daniel Pearce, and Elizabeth Coggs- hall, daughter of Benjamin Coggshall, both of East Greenwich, married in Greenwich, September 1, 1782. Earle Morey, son of John Morey, of North Kingstown, and Mary Gorton, daughter of William Gorton. Jr., of Warwick, mar- ried September I, 1782. Hezekiah Gorton, of Voluntowu, Conn., son of Joseph Gorton, of Warwick, and Mrs. Asa Potter, of Warwick, married Septem- ber 12, 1782. Joseph Gorton, son of Nathan Gorton, and Cynthia Havens, daughter of William Havens, both of Warwick, married Septem- ber 15, 1782. Henry Rice, sou of Henry Rice, and Susanna Jerauld, daughter of Dr. Dutee Jerauld, both of Warwick, married September 22, 1782. Daniel Wightman, son of Elisha Wightmau, and Lydia Car- penter, daughter of Wilber Carpenter, both of Warwick, mar- ried October 6, 1782. Thomas Warner, son of Thomas Warner, deceased, and Mary Hill, daughter of Nathaniel Hill, deceased, both of Warwick, married November 24th, 1782. Charles Lippitt, son of Christopher Lippitt, of Cranston, de- ceased, and Penelope Low, daughter of Col. John Low, of Warwick, married January 12th, 1783. Spicer Miller, son of Nathaniel Miller, and Elizabeth Fairbanks, daughter of Jonathan Fairbanks, both of Warwick, married January 30th. 1783. Nathaniel Stone, son of Samuel Stone, of (Cranston, and Mercy Gorton, daughter of William Gorton, jr., of Warwick, married March 23d, 1783. Job Laytou, sou of Isaac Laytou, of East Greenwich, and Barbara Johnson, daughter of Eliza Johnson, married in said Greenwich, May 15th, 1783. James Miller, son of Nathan Miller, of Warwick, deceased, and Betsey Burlingame, daughter of William Burlingame, de- B 98 MARRIAGES BY ELDER JtDHN GORTON. ceased, of P^ast Greenwich, married in said Greenwicli, July 31st, 1783. Peleg Weeden, sou of Caleb Weeden, and Sarali Boyd, daugh- ter of Andrew Boyd, of East Greenwich, married iu said Green- wich, August 31st, 1788. John Brushel and Darkis Fry, both of Warwick, married September 29th, 1 783. David Greene, son of Rufus Greene, of East Greenwich, and Euulce Hopkins, daughter of Jonathan Hoplvins, of Middletowu, in the county of Newport, married in said Middletown October 30th, 1783. Prince Limas (Negro) and Mercy Austin. (Indian) both of East Greenwicii, married in said Greenwich November 30th, 1783. Christopher Potter, son of John Potter, and Elizabeth Baker, daughter of Oliver Baker, both of Warwick, married in said Warwick, December 14, 1783. Pero Mowry and Margaret Spencer, (blacks) both of East Greenwich, married in Greenwich, December 28th, 1783. Caleb Hill, son of Caleb Hill, of North Kingstown, and Sarah Greene, daughter of Thomas Greene, of Nausauket, in War- wick, married January 4th, 1784. John Bennett, of Warwick, and Sai-ah Burliugame, daughter of Edmou Burlingame, deceased, of Cranston, married in War- wick, February 24, 1784. John Weeden, son of Caleb Weeden, and Hannah Finney, daughter of Jabez Finney, both of East Greenwich, married in said Greenwich, February 29, 1784. Samuel Gould, son of John Gould, deceased, of Newport, and Sarah Ann Campbell, daughter of Archibald Campbell, of East Greenwich, married in said Greenwich, March 28, 1784. Edmund Arnold, son of Job Arnold, and Phebe Arnold, daughter of Philip Arnold, botii of Warwick, married May 2, 1784. Reuben Arnold, son of James Arnold, deceased, of Warwick, and Phebe Johnson, daughter of Eliza Johnson, of East Green- wich, married July 2, 1784. Jonathan Tibbitts, son of Thomas Tibbitts, and Rebekah Tillinghast, daughter of Samuel Tilliughast, both of Warwick, married in said Warwick, July 2.5, 1784. MARRIAGES BY ELDER JOHN GORTON. 99 Nicholas Greene, sou of Sylvester Greene, aud Elizal)elh Greeue, daughter of Dr. James Greeue, deceased, both of East Greenwich, married in said Greenwich, September 12, 1784. Philip Arnold, son of Philip Arnold, aud Dinah Kice, daughter of Oluey Kice, deceased, both of Warwick, married in said Warwick, September 20, 1784. Jonathan Andrews, sou of William Andrews, of Barriugtou, in county of Bristol, aud Susanna Miller, daughter of Nathan Miller, of Warwick, married in said Warwick, October 31, 1784. Giles Greene, son of Giles Greene, of Warwick, and Rhoda Aruold, daughter of William Arnold, jr., married January 6th, 1785. Daniel Carpenter, son of Wilbur Carpenter, and Phebe Wight- mau, daughter of Eiisha Wightman, both of Warwick, married March 17th, 1785. Joseph Carder, son of John Carder, of Warwick, deceased, and Esther Sheldon, daughter of Elder Benjamin Sheldon, of Cranston, married March 27th, 1785. Thomas Hall, sou of Abiel Hall, and Mercy Rice, daughter of Fones Kice, both of East Greenwich, married insaidGi'eenwich, March 29th, 1785. Silas Baker, sou of Moses Baker, and Patieuce Brown, daugh- ter of Joseph Brown, both of Warwick, married in said War- wick, March 31st, 1785. Oluey Baker, and Sarah Arnold, daughter of Gideon Arnold, both of Warwick, married in Warwick, April 3d, 1785. John Joyce, son of John Joyce, deseased, aud Elizabeth Rem- ington, daughter of Thomas Remington, both of Warwick, married May 29th, 1785. Henry Remington, sou of Thomas Remington, and Margaret Levalley, daughter of Peter Levalley, both of Warwick, mar- ried September 18, 1 785. Jeremiah Bailey, son of William Bailey, of East Greenwich, and Roby Miller, daughter of Nathan Miller, of Warwick, mar- ried in Warwick, September 22, 1785. Charles Holden, son of John Holden, of Warwick, aud Mary Gorton, widow of Edward Gorton, jr., of said Warwick, de- ceased, daughter of Jabez Greene, of Warwick, deceased, mar- ried in Coventry, September 22, 1785. 100 MARRIAGES BY ELDER JOHN GORTON. Isaac Pierce, son of Thomas Pierce, of East Greenwicli, and Sarah Vaughn, of East Greenwich, daugliter of George Vaughn, of Dauby, Vermont, married in Greenwich, September 27, 1785. Benjamin Weeden, son of Caleb Weeden, deceased, and Mary Smith, daughter of John Smith, both of East Greenwich, mar- ried in Greenwich, October 2, 1785. Richmond Springer, son of Lawrence Springer, of Tiverton, deceased, and Elizabeth Rhodes, daughter of Charles Rhodes, of Cranston, deceased, both of Warwick, married October 16, 1785. Thomas Bennett, son of Benjamin Bennett, and Mary Garzie, daughter of Capt. John Garzie, both of East Greenwich, mar- ried in Greenwich, November 17, 1785. William Gorton, son of Dr. Samuel Gorton, deceased, and Sarah Whitford, daughter of George Whitford, both of War- wick, married November 24, 1785. Daniel Wicks, son of Capt. Thomas Wicks, deceased, and Sarah Whitford, daughter of George Whitford, both of War- wick, married November 24, 1785. Dutee Weaver, aud Almy Andrews, daughter of Edmund An- drews, deceased, both of East Greenwich, married in Greenwich, November 28th, 1785. William Rice, sou of Olney Rice, deceased, and Tabitlia Bud- long, daughter of John Budlong, both of Warwick, married December 8th, 1785. Isaac Peckham, son of Joseph Peckham, of Middletowu, county of Newport, and Ruth Tripp, daughter of Samuel Tripp, of East Greenwich, married in Greenwich, December 9, 1785. Thomas Rice, son of Henry Rice, and Sarah Arnold, daughter of Philip Arnold, both of Warwick, married December 11, 1785. Moses Pierce, son of Thomas Pierce, and Sarah Bentley, daughter of Benjamin Bentley, deceased, both of East Green- wich, married in Greenwich, December 25, 1785. Samuel Sweet, son of Benjamin Sweet, deceased, and Hannah Carpenter, both of Warwick, married in said Warwick, February 2, 1786. Christopher Andrews, son of Philip Andrews, and Freelove Rice, daughter of Job Rice, both of Warwick, married February 5th, 1786. MARRIAGES BY ELDER JOHN GORTON. 101 Sj'lvester Hazard, son of Dr. Robert Hazard, deceased, of South Kins^stown, and Elizabeth Greene, daughter of Richard Greene, of Potoworaiit, in Warwick, married March 5th, 1786. Martin Nichols, son of Robert Nichols, and Deliverance Brown, daughter of Daniel Brown, deceased, both of East Greenwich, married in Greenwich, April 2d, 1786. Thomas Remington, son of Thomas Remington, of Warwick, deceased, and Sarah Cook, widow of Silas Cook, of Warwick, deceased, and daughter of Joseph Crawford, of Providence, de- ceased, both of Warwick, married May 7tli, 178G. Peleg Wightman, son of Elisha Wightman, of Cranston, and Sarah Carpenter, daughter of Wilbur Carpenter, of Warwick, married July 30, 1786. Jonathan Potter, son of Ezra Potter, of Scituate, and Jemima Glazier, daughter of John Glazier, both of East Greenwich, married in Greenwich, August 6, 1786. Pierce Salisbury, son of Mial Salisbury, of Cranston, and Jemima Spencer, daughter of Gideon Spencer, of Warwick, married September 2, 1786. Gideon Wilcox, son of Smitem Wilcox, of East Greenwich, and Mary Lilly, daughter of John Lilly, married September 4th, 1786. William Gorton, son of Benjamin Gorton, and Hannah Wight- man, daughter of Philip Wightman, both of Warwick, married October 1, 1786. William Greene, son of Benjamin Greene, and Celia Greene, daughter of William Greene, late Governor, both of Warwick, married November 7, 1786. Anthony Arnold, son of Stephen Arnold, of Warwick, and Eunice Andrews, daughter of Jonathan Andrews, of East Green- Avich, married in Greenwich, Decembers, 1786. Esek Barton, son of Stutely Barton, of Warwick, and Eliza- beth Warner, daughter of Ezekiel Warner, of East Greenwich, married in Greenwich, December 6, 1786. Anthony Arnold, alias Rice, and Ruth Arnold, daughter of William Arnold, 3d, both of Warwick, married January 4, 1787. William Collins, son of Samuel Collins, of Warwick, deceased, and Lydia Sweet, widow, daughter of Caleb Weaden, of East 102 MARRIAGES BY ELDER JOHN GORTON. Greeuwich, deceased, both of Greenwich, married in Greenwich, January 7, 1787. Joseph Cory, son of Oliver Cory, and Esther Garzie, daughter of Capt Garzie, botli of East Greenwich, married in Greenwicli, April 5, 1787. Caleb Weaver, son of Abiel Weaver, and Freelove Gammet, daughter of Isaac Gammet, both of Warwick, married April 7, 1787. Jonathan Austin, of Scituate, son of Pasqua Austin, of Exe- ter, deceased, and Mehitable Casey, widow, of Warwick, and daughter of John Baker, of Glocester, married July 22, 1787. George Thomas, son of Samuel Thomas, of North Kingstown, deceased, and Martha Aylesworth, daughter of Philip Ayles- worth, deceased, of East Greenwicli, married August 19, 1787. Samuel Brown, son of Daniel Brown, deceased, of East Greenwich, and Mary Greene, daughter of Richard Greene, de- ceased, of Potowomut, Warwick, married October 22, 1787. John Coggeshall, son of Benjamin Coggeshall, of East Green- wich, and Mary Weaver, daughter of Thomas Weaver, of New- port, deceased, both of Warwick, married December 24, 1787. William Cezer, of Providence, and Barshaby Rice, of War- wick, married in Warwick, February 3, 1788. Lowry Church, son of William Church, and Mary Arnold, daughter of William Arnold, both of Warwick, married March 2, 1788. Christopher Arnold, son of Stephen Arnold, of Warwick, and and Phebe Andrews, daughter of Edmund Andrews, of East Greenwich, deceased, married in Greenwich, September 18, 1788. William Levally, son of Peter Levally, and Phebe Dexter, daughter of Benjamin Dexter, both of Warwick, married Sep- tember 25, 1788. John Arnold, son of Joseph Arnold, and Hanneritte Jerauld, daughter of James Arnold Jerauld, both of Warwick, married October 5, 1788. Wightman Sweet, son of Benjamin Sweet, deceased, and Elizebeth Wickes, daughter of Stutely Wickes, both of Warwick, married October 12, 1788. MARRIAGES BY ELDER JOHN GORTON. 103 Pierce Reynolds, son of Shibnah Reynolds, and Anne Button, daughter of Rufus Button, of Hopkinton, both of East Green- wich, married October 15, 1788. Daniel Tillinghast, son of Pardon Tillinghast, of Exeter, and Mary Weaver, daughter of Peleg Weaver, deceased of East Greenwich, married in Greenwich, October 26, 1788. Andrew Boyd, and Elizebeth Spencer, widow, and daughter of William Sweet, both of East Greenwich, married in Greenwich, December 9, 1788. Peter Sprague, son of William Sprague, of Cranston, and Mury Carpenter, daughter of Wilbour Carpenter, of Warwick, married February 19, 1789. Clemmont Weaver, son of John Weaver, deceased, and Cyn- thia Spencer, daughter of Thomas Spencer, deceased, both of East Greenwich, married March 13, 1789. James Gould, son of John Gould, of Newport, deceased, and Bethany Bently, daughter of Benjamin Bently, both of East Greenwich, married in Greenwich, March 15, 1789. David Gorton, son of Joseph Gorton, and Elsie Whitford, daughter of George Whitford, both of Warwick, married March 19, 1789. Richard Arnold, son of Thomas Arnold, and Honour Havens, both of Warwick, married March 19, 1789. Stutely Stafford, son of Stutely Stafford, deceased, of War- wick, and Freelove Potter, daughter of Zuroy Potter, of Crans- ton, married in Cranston, March 26, 1789. Joseph Card, sou of Richard Card, and Sarah Andrews, daugh- ter of Benoni Andrews, both of East Greenwich, married in Warwick, April 30, 1789. John Miller, son of Nathan Miller, of Warwick, and Sarah Potter, daughter of Robert Potter, of East Greenwich, married in Greenwich, May 15, 1789. James Tiffany, son of Thomas Tiffany, of Warwick, and Elize- beth Card, daughter of Joseph Card, of East Greenwich, mar- ried in Greenwich, May 21, 1789. Simmons Spencer, son of John Spencer, of East Greenwich, and Amey Briggs, daughter of Joseph Briggs, of Warwick, married June 7, 1789. 104 MAKltlAGES BY KLDER JOHN GORTON. Caleb Brayton. son of Francis Rraj'^ton, of Coventry, and Anno Arnold, daughter of Stephen Arnold, of Warwick, married June 25, 178'J. Pompey Mumford, and Sabin Allin, both of East Greenwich, married August 19, 1789. Burris Lippitt, (Negro), and Mary East, daughter of William East, both of Warwick, married September 10, 1789. Kufus Barton, son of Stutely Barton, of Warwick, and Mercy Card, daughter of Joseph Card, of East Greenwich, married in Greenwich, September 10, 1789. Isaac Hall, son of William Hall, and Susanna Keynolds, daugh- ter of Shibnah Reynolds, both of East Greenwich, married in Greenwich, November 22, 1789. Anthony liice, son of Holden Kice, deceased, and Martha Cook , daughter of Capt. Silas Cook, deceased, both of Warwick, mar- ried in Warwick, January 3, 1790. Caleb Jerauld, sou of Doctor Dutee Jerauld, and Roby Arnold, daughter of Caleb Arnold, both of Warwick, married in Warwick, January 19, 1790. Alexander Havens, son of William Havens, and Anne Ladd, daughter of Capt. John Ladd, deceased, both of Warwick, mar- ried January 31, 1790. Joseph Baker, sou of Joseph Baker, and Sarah Wightman, daughter of Capt. Reuben Wightman, both of Warwick, married February 28, 1790. James Levally, son of Christopher Levally, deceased, of War- wick, and Sarah Aylsworth, daughter of Richard Aylsworth, both of East Greenwich, married in Greenwich, March 15, 1790. Samuel Stone, son of Samuel Stone, of Cranston, and Hannah Sweet, daughter of Thomas Sweet, of Warwick, married March 18, 1790. Weedeu Eldred, son of Thomas Eldred, deceased, of North Kingstown, and Mercy Comstock, daughter of Job Comstock, of East Greenwich, married in Greenwich, June 22, 1790. Jonathan Nichols, son of Benjamin Nichols, and Mary Wight- man, daughter of Philip Wightman, deceased, both of Warwick, married June 27, 1790. MARRIAGES BY ELDER JOHN GORTON. 105 John Waterman, son of William Waterman, of Warwick, and Phebe Weaver, of East Greenwich, daughter of Jonathan Weaver, married in Greenwich, July 4, 1790. David Greene, of Warwick, and Countes Reynolds, of East Greenwich, (colored), married in Greenwich, July 18, 1790. Benjamin Carpenter, son of Wilber Carpenter, and Mary Burk, both of Warwick, married August 29, 1790. Harris Arnold, son of Philip Arnold, deceased, of Warwick, and Hannah Weaver, daughter of Jonathan Weaver, of East Greenwich, married in Greenwich, September 19, 1790. Doctor Jeremiah Greene, son of Col. Christopher Greene, deceased, of Warwick, and Lydia Arnold, daughter of Colonel William Arnold, of East Greenwich, married in said Greenwich, October 7, 1790. James Low, and Elizabeth Sambo, (Blacks), living in War- wick, married October 14, 1790, Othniel Wightman, son of Philip Wightman, deceased, of Warwick, and Sarah Arnold, daughter of Oliver Arnold, de- ceased, of East Greenwich, married in Greenwich, November 4, 1790. Abraham Pierce, and Welthan Spiwood, (Blacks), both of Warwick, married November 9, 1790. Fones Spencer, son of Michael Spencer, and Sarah Spencer, daughter of Benjamin Spencer, deceased, both of East Green- wich, married in Greenwich, November 14, 1790. Welcome Spencer, sou of Griffln Spencer, and Mary Morris, widow, and daughter of Thomas Landford, deceased, both of East Greenwich, married March 21, 1791. Samuel Budlong, son of Samuel Budlong, of Warwick, and Waity Salisbury, daughter of Nathan Salisbury, of Cranston, married in Cranston, April 3, 1791. Cyrus Arnold, son of Simeon Arnold, of Warwick, and Anna Allin Potter, daughter of Zuriel Potter, of Cranston, married in said Cranston, April 14, 1791. Elisha Wightman, Jr., son of Elisha Wightman, of Cranston, and Elizebeth Arnold, daughter of Stephen Arnold, of Warwick, married June 19, 1791. Cato Holden, and Sarah King, both of Warwick, married in North Kingstown, July 10, 1791. 106 MARRfAGES BY ELDER JOHN GORTON. Sion Arnold, sou of Oliver Arnold, deceased, and Phebe Arnold daughter of Stephen Arnold, both of Warwick, n.arried July lo' 1791. J 7 . David Tarbox, son of Samuel Tarbox, deceased, of East Greenwich, and Sarah Johnson, daughter of Major John John- son, of Coventry, married in Coventry, July 17, 1791. Samuel Remington, son of Reuel Remington, and Almy Arnold daughter of Thomas Arnold, both of Warwick, married July 17, Richard Burk, son of William Burk, and Mary Greene daugh- ter of Caleb Greene, both of Warwick, married July 17, 1791.* Lawton Spencer, son of Capt. Gideon Spencer, of Warwick and Martha Miles, daughter of Jonathan Niles, of East Green- wich, married August 7, 1791. Joseph Reynolds, son of Thomas Reynolds, and Sibyl Spencer both of East Greenwich, married in Greenwich, Augusts, 1791. ' Wanton Rice, son of Henry Rice, and Mercy Gardner, both of Warwick, married October 2, 1791. John Fry, son of Richard Fry, and Hannah Gorton daughter of Mary Gorton, both of East Greenwich, married in Greenwich October 2, 1791. ' Daniel Brown, son of Clark Brown, and Margaret Bri^-s daughter of Ebenezer Briggs, both of East Greenwich, mar!-red in Greenwich, October 30, 1791. Ishmael Rhodes, of Warwick, and Martha Newfield, of Crans- ton, married November 20, 1791. George Finney, son of Jabez Finney, and Hauahretty Mathews daughter of Cobb Mathews, both of East Greenwich, married ij Greenwich, May 4, 1792. I H Mr '07