History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II, Part 102

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton)
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1464


USA > Massachusetts > Worcester County > History of Worcester County, Massachusetts : with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men, Vol. II > Part 102


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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James D. Adams.


Cyrna Larned.


Julius N. Bellowe.


Albert S. Moffit.


Josiah C. Brown.


Elliot F. Mckinstry.


Edwin A. Martin, corp.


Amos P. Newton, Jr.


George Bacon.


Antonio Phillips.


William Biggs.


Francis C. Pope.


Nelson Bartholomew.


Lyman Phipps.


Edward Booth.


William Robbins.


Daniel V. Childs.


Vernon F. Rindge.


Jacob L. Childs.


Edwin F. Rindge.


Edwin Cudworth.


George O. Raymond.


Win. II. N. Cady.


Amos H. Shumway, sergt.


George W. Cross.


Jerome P. South wick.


Joha Dore.


Bernard Schmidt.


George P. Davis.


Cheater J. Smith.


Jamee 11. Davie.


Valentine Snter.


Alfred W. Davis.


Samuel C. Smith.


Stephen Eager.


Felix Sherbino.


Edward Ennis.


George Shortsleeve.


Patrick Eliott.


Luther C. Torrey, sergt.


Francis A. Fletcher.


Joho Toomey, corp.


Albert Foskett.


Samuel Thompsou.


llerbert N. Fuller.


Conrad M. Tower.


Joho Tully.


Rufus Vickers.


Patrick Hogan.


Christopher Vickers.


Patrick Holdeo.


Charles H. Wheelock.


Jamee Hiltoo.


George S. Williams.


Joseph Jenoison, Jr.


Albert S. Williaois.


Heury Kock.


In order that some idea may be obtained of the representative men in the various generations, the following list of Representatives to the General Court is added :


1721. Richard Moore.


1743. Samnel Davie.


1722. None. 1744. None.


1723. None. 1745. None.


1746. None.


1725. None.


1747. None.


1726. Ebenezer Learned. 1748. None.


1727. None.


1749. Benjamio Davis.


1750, None.


1729. None.


1751. Ebenezer Learned.


1730. Ebenezer Learned.


1752. Duncan Campbell.


1731. Nove.


1753. Same.


1754. Same.


1755. Same.


1756. Edward Davis.


1757. Same.


1736. None.


1758. Duncan Camphell.


1737. None. 1738. None.


1760. Same.


1739. None.


1761. Same.


1762. None.


1740. None.


1741. None.


1763. Edward Davis.


1742. None.


, 1764. Josiah Wolcott.


1732. None.


1733. None.


1734. None.


1735. None.


1759. Edward Davis.


Joseph E. Fellows.


Heary C. Ilayden.


1724. None.


1728. Noue.


Estes E. Baker.


James O. Bartlett.


1315


OXFORD.


1765. Same. 1766. Same.


1813. Same.


1814. Same.


1767. Edward Davia.


1815. Same.


Solomon D. Kiog, of Sutton ... .1866


Under the apportionment of 1866 the towns of Douglas, Webster, Dudley, Oxford and Millbury constituted the Sixteenth Worcester County District, and until the next apportionment were represented as follows :


Solomon D. King, of Suttoo .. .1867


Benjamin A. Corbin, of Webater, 1867


Henry E. Rockwell, of Millbury 1867


Lament B. Corbin, of Oxford 1868


Silaa Dunton, of Millbury 1868


W o. D. Jones, of Douglas. 1868


George J. Sanger, of Webster 1869


James M. Cuoliff, of Sutton 1869


Marcus M. Lutber, of Douglas 1869


Cbarlea H. Page, of Webster 1870


John Rhodes, of Millbury. 1870


Moses W. McIntire, of Oxford. 1870


Wm. L. Davis, of Dudley. 1871


Edwin H. Hutchinson, of Sutton .1871


Thomas H. Meek, of Douglas. 1871


Horace I. Joslin, of Webster .. 1872


E. Harris Howland, of Oxford. 1872


Irving B. Sayles, of Millbury .. 1872


C. D. Morse, of Millbury 1873


Andrew J. Waters, of Webster. 1873


Samuel W. lleath, of Donglas 1873


James B. Williama, of Douglas .. 1874


George llodges, of Oxford 1874


Wm. Abbott, of Snttoo, 1874


M. M. Hovey, of Sutton 1875


C. W. Duggan, of Millbury 1875


E. F. Smith, of Dudley .. 1875


Frederick T. Chase, of Webster 1876


Francis Bugbee, of Webster. 1876


Georga F. Daniels, of Oxford. .1876


Under the apportionment of 1876 the towns of Spencer, Charlton, Southbridge and Oxford consti- tuted the Thirteenth Worcester District and were represented, until the next apportionment, as fol- lows :


George F. Daniels, of Oxford. 1877


Isaac B. Martin, of Southbridge .. 1877


Calvio D. Paige, of Southbridge 187S


James 11. Ames, of Spencer 1878


Samuel C. Paine, of Oxford, 1879


George D. Woodbury, of Charlton 1879


John W. Bigelow, of Spencer. 1880


John M. Cochran, of Southbridge 1880


Isaac L. Prouty, of Speocer 1881


Samuel C. Hartwell, of Southbridge. 1881


Isaac L. Prouty, of Spencer. 1882


George H. Taft, of Charitoo. 1882


Benajalı B. Bugbee, of Southbridge 1883


Albert Tyler, of Oxford 1883


Joseph W. Temple, of Spencer. 1884


Francis L. Chapin, of Southbridge. 1884


Allen L. Joslin, of Oxford 1885


Henry G. Lamb, of Oxford. 1885


Joseph L. Woodbury, of Oxford 1886


Jamea Holmes, of Spencer. .1886


Under the apportionment of 1886 the towns of Webster, Oxford and Auburn constituted the Eighth Worcester District and have been represented as fol- lows:


Henry Brandes, of Webster .... .1887


Joho J. Allen, of Anburo 1888


Lyman R. Eddy, of Wabater 1889


The twenty-first article of the amendments of the Constitution was adopted by the Legislatures of 1856 and 1857 and ratified by the people in 1857. Under the apportionment mnade in accordance with that amendment, Oxford, Sutton and Millbury constituted the Twenty-fifth Representative District of Worces- ter County and were represented, until the next ap- portionment, as follows :


Hosea Crane, of Millbury. 1858


Samuel J. Woodbury, of Suttoo .. 1858


Ira Merriam, of Oxford. 1859


Hosea Crane, of Millbury 1859


Seth Daniela, of Oxford, 1860


George Hodgea, Jr., of Oxford. 1860


Horace Armaby, of Millbury 1861 Wm. A. Hill, of Sutton. 1861 Horace Armsby, of Millbury 1862


Mosea Stone, of Oxford. 1862


Moses S. Johnson, of Oxford 1863


Jason Waters, of Suttoo. 1863


Laooard Spaulding, of Millbury 1864


Jason Waters, of Sutton. 1864


Archibald Campbell, of Oxford 1865


Horace Waters, of Millbury .. 1865


Charlea A. Angell, of Oxford. 1866


1768. Same.


1816. Same.


1769. Sama.


1817. Sama.


1770. Same.


1818. Same.


1771. Sama.


1819. Same.


1772. Joseph Learned.


1820. Same.


1773. Same.


1821. Same.


1744. Ebenezer Learned,


1822. None.


1745. Edward Davis.


1823. None.


1746. William Campbell.


1747. Edward Davis.


1825. None.


William Hancock.


1826. Richard Olney. .


1778. William Hancock.


1779. Edward Davia.


1780. Same.


1781. Nooa.


Richard Olney.


1782. None.


1783. Ebenezer Learned.


1784. Jeremiah Learoed.


1785. Same.


1832. Sama.


1786. Sama.


1833. None,


1787. Same.


1834. None.


1788. Same.


1835. None.


1789. Same.


1836. Stephen Barton.


1790. Same.


Benjamin F. Campbell.


1791. Same.


1837. Nona.


1792. Same. .


1838. Sylvanus Harria,


1793. Same.


Francis Sibley.


1794. Jamea Butler.


1839. Same.


1840. Ebenezer Rich.


179G. None.


1797. None.


1798. Sylvanua Towo.


1799. Same.


1843. Israel Sibley.


1800. Same.


1844. Jaaper Brown.


1801. Sama.


1845. Erastus Ormsby.


1802. Sama.


1846. David Barton.


1803. Sama.


1847. Jonaa Bacon.


1804. Sama.


1848. None.


1805. Same.


1849. Paul Perkios.


1806. Sama.


1850. David Wait.


1807. Abijah Davia.


1851. Albert A. Cook.


1808. Same.


1852. Thomas Appleby.


1809. Abijah Davis.


1853. Emory Sanford.


Jamea Butler.


1854. David Barton.


1810. Abijah Davis.


1855. James M. Sanford.


1811. Same.


1856. George W. Hartweil.


1812. Same.


1857. Lameut B. Corbio.


Alexander C. Thurston.


1841. Same.


1842. Emory Sanford.


1795. Same.


1827. Jonathan Davis.


1828. Same.


1829. Jonathan Davis.


1830. Ira Barton.


Alexander Da Witt.


1831. Same.


1824. Nooe.


1316


HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.


Besides the above, there are some who were con- nected with the town in its earliest years, or who have been its native or adopted sons, of whom special mention should be made. The original grantees in 1682 were Major Robert Thompson, William Stoughton and Joseph Dudley. Major Thompson was a member of the first corporation established in England for the propagation of the Gospel among the Indians in New England. He was the third president of the corpor- ation and thus became especially interested in New England affairs. It was through his influence that the emigration from England of the French refugees took place, and through him that the French settle- ment in Oxford was made. He received a grant of five hundred acres of land from the Massachusetts Province in acknowledgment of his friendship for the colony. This grant was laid out in the territory east of Woodstock, which afterward became the north part of Killingly in Connecticut, and in 1731 the General Assembly of that province granted to Joseph Thompson, the grandson of Robert Thompson, two thousand acres near the grant of his grandfather. The name of the North Parish of Killingly was first called Thompson's Parish and finally incorporated as Thompson.


William Stoughton, one of the grantees with Major Thompson, was born in England in 1631, and died in Dorchester, July 7, 1701. He graduated at Harvard in 1650, and after studying theology went to Eng- land and was a fellow of New College, Oxford, but ejected at the restoration. He returned to New England in 1662, and entered with spirit into public affairs. From 1676 to 1679 he was an agent of the Massachusetts Colony in England, and in 1692 was appointed chief justice of the Supreme Court of Jnd- icature, a position which he held until 1701. He was also Lieutenant-Governor from 1692 to 1701, and act- ing Governor during the absence of Sir William Phipps in England. He was a benefactor of his alma mater, one of whose dormitories, named after him, was built at his expense.


Joseph Dudley, the third grantee, was a son of Gov. Thomas Dudley, and was born in Roxbury July 23, 1647. He graduated at Harvard in 1665, and after studying theology, entered on a political career. In 1686 he was appointed President of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, but when superseded by Andros, soon after went to England, and after his return, in 1690, was appointed chief justice of New York. At a later date he was appointed Lieutenant- Governor of the Isle of Wight, in England, and in 1702 Governor of Massachusetts, which office he held until November, 1715. He died in Roxbury, April 2,1720.


The Frenchman through whom the grantees secured the immigration of the Huguenots to New England, and their settlement at Oxford, was Gabriel Bernon, from Rochelle, in France. He was born in that city April 6, 1644, and was a man of large estate.


He was imprisoned two years on account of his relig- ious opinions, and afterwards went to Holland, from whence he came to New England. It seems to have been through his exertions that the colony at Oxford secured a foothold, and with his means that a grist- mill and saw-mill and wash-leather mill were built of the territory. Mr. Bernon lived at various times in Boston and Newport and Providence, in which last place he died February 1, 1736.


Among those of later years deserving a place in this narrative are Ira Moore Barton and Alexander De Witt.


Mr. Barton was born in Oxford, October 25, 1796, and graduated at Brown University in 1819. He studied law with General Bridgham in Providence, Hon. Levi Lincoln in Worcester, Sumner Barton in Sutton, and at the law school in Cambridge, where he received the degree of Bachelor of Laws in 1822. He was admitted to the bar in September, 1822, and represented his native town in the General Court in 1830, 1831 and 1832. In 1833 and 1834 he was a member of the Senate, and in 1836 was one of the commissioners for revising the statutes. In the last year he was appointed judge of probate, and removed to Worcester. In 1844 he resumed the practice of law, and died in Worcester, July 18, 1867.


Alexander De Witt was born in New Braintree, April 2, 1798, and bore the family name of Witt, which was changed by statute to the name by which he was known during the whole of his public life. His school education was exceedingly limited, and most of the time during the first fourteen years of his life was spent about his home and on the farm. At the age of fifteen he entered the employ of the Merino Manufacturing Co. in Dudley, and remained four years. In 1818 he went to Franklin, and en- tered, as clerk, the office of a cotton manufactory, and in 1819 formed a partnership with Nathaniel Miller in the manufacture of cotton thread. In 1820 he leased a mill in Foxboro', and continued in the same business, keeping at the same time a country store. In that year he married Mary, daughter of William Makepeace, of Franklin, and, in connection with his father-in-law, a third mill was built by him, and run with success until 1823. In that year he removed to Oxford, and, in connection with his three brothers, Stearns, Hollis and Archibald, built a thread-mill, and carried on the manufacture of thread for twenty years. He was afterwards engaged in both the cotton and woolen business. In 1837 he removed to Boston, where he carried on for three years a commission business in cotton and woolen goods, still holding his interest in the mill erected by himself and brothers. In 1840 he returned to Ox- ford, and by this time had established a reputation for ability, honesty, shrewdness and good judgment in business affairs. Originally a Democrat, he had become a Whig after the removal of the deposits by Jackson, and in 1842, 1844 and 1850 he represented


1317


OXFORD.


Oxford in the General Court. In 1851 and 1869 he was Senator, and in 1853 was a member of the Con- stitutional Convention. In 1856 and 1857, as a Re- publican, he represented the Worcester South District in Congress. Few men have been connected, in re- sponsible positions, with more institutions, financial and industrial. For twenty-six years he was a di- rector in the Merchants' and Farmers' Insurance Co. of Worcester; for twenty-seven years a director in the State Mutual Life Insurance Co .; for twenty years either president or trustee of the Mechanics' Savings Bank of Worcester; twenty-one years con- nected with the Oxford Bank, and five years its president ; twenty-five years connected with the Worcester and Nashua Railroad Company, and three years its president; seventeen years a director of the Providence and Worcester Railroad Company, and twenty-five years director in the Norwich and Worcester Railroad Company. The writer of this sketch knew him, and remembers him well as one of the most striking personages within the range of his acquaintance. A man of large frame, somewhat portly, with a florid complexion, a good head and a freedom of dress, he resembled Colonel Thomas H. Benton in appearance, and, like him, attracted atten- tion in every assembly of men of which he was one.


The territory of Oxford, originally containing forty-one thousand two hundred and fifty acres, has been enlarged and contracted at various times until, at the present date, it measures not far from fifteen thousand acres. In 1732 Oxford South Gore was annexed, and in 1735 a tract known by the name of the Paul Dudley farm was taken within its bounda- ries. The next change in the boundaries of the town was occasioned by the incorporation of the town of Charlton. The following petition was the basis of the act incorporating that town :


To His Excellency, William Shirley, Esq., Governor and Commander- in-Chief, the Honorable Council and the House of Representatives in General Court assembled at Boston, the 27th day of March, 1754.


The petition of the subscribers inhabitants of the town of Oxford in the Conuty of Worcester, most humbly sheweth that your petitioners being in the west part of Oxford aforesaid, labor under great difficulties, by reason of the distance we live from the place of public worship; it being more than ten miles from the meeting-house to the west bounds of the town and about two miles from the east hound. Some of us at- tend public worship at Dudley and some at Sturbridge on Lord's day, and have no privilege from Oxford on this account, and are yet al- ways taxed to all the charges of the town and have been for more than sixteen years past; but to encourage us in getting a town or district of the west part of the town, they voted at a town-meeting on the 17th of May, 1750, to set off the west part of Oxford within two miles of the village line, in case a number of those residing in the Gore would join with us.


We then thought, and do now think, that if the village took two miles from the west part, we should be greatly wronged.


We then applied to the Honorable Court for relief, but met with opposition from the Board; we were disheartened, and as we had get timber for a meeting-house and were much encouraged by the gentle- meu owuing land here, who offered to give the glass and nails, but being taxed so high for building the meeting-house and firnishing it in the best manner, equal to, if not better, than any in this country : and many of us not knowing anything of the the towu-meeting when the grant was made and our paying to the support of schoole in the town and having but little benefit therefrom amongst us and having


such large herds of cattle brought among ue breaking into our im- proved lands and destroying our corn and grass and living so far from the town pound as ten miles and almost impossible to drive cattle there ; all these things considered, we fear we shall be undone without the help of the Court, for we petitioned the town to vote ns off last March meeting, but nothing was acted upon it.


Your petitioners therefore humbly pray your Excellency and the Honorable Conrt would be pleased to take our distressed circumstances under your wise consideration and erect us into a town or district, or otherwise relieve your petitioners ae in your wisdom you shall think best and in duty bound shall ever pray.


William Altou.


Nathaniel French.


Edward Mackintire.


Nathan Mackintire.


Ebenezer Mackintire.


Thomas Mackintire, Jr.


Thomas Mackintire.


Jesse Mackintire.


Job Mackintire.


Daniel Mackintire.


Edward Chamberlain.


Nathaniel Blood.


Ebenezer Lamh.


John Henry.


Joseph Clemence.


John Olds.


John Dresser.


Elisha Putney.


Samuel Scott.


Jonathan Clemence.


Edward Willard.


James Butler.


Amos Newton.


Benjamin llobbs.


Richard Dresser.


Adam Johnson.


Samuel Streeter.


Joseph Twiss.


James Lamh.


George Pike.


John Davidsou.


Thomas Hawkins.


Philip Clemence.


Richard Blood.


Samuel Rogers.


Ebenezer Fosket.


Paul Rich.


The report of the committee of the General Court, to whom the petition was referred, was as follows :


The Court's Committee having considered all the circumstances. re- commend a district to be made; beginning at the south line of Ox- ford one mile west of the village line, so called; thence northerly par- allel with the line of said village to Leicester south bound ; thence west with Leicester and Spencer south bounds, until it comes within one mile and a quarter of Sturbridge east bound; thence running one mile and a quarter westerly to Oxford northwest corner ; thence south- erly by Oxford westerly bound to Dudley northwest corner ; thence with Oxford south bound to the point of beginning.


(Sigued) JOHN GREENLEAF.


The Gore referred to in the above petition was a triangular tract of land containing ten thousand acres which was finally annexed to Sturbridge, Charlton and Oxford. The village also referred to in the petition was eleven thousand two hundred and fifty acres set off from the original grant for the village of Oxford. In accordance with the above report an act of incorporation was passed November 21, 1754.


The next change was effected by the act incorpora- ting the town of Ward, now known by the name of Auburn. A parish had already been established and the act of incorporation provided


That the said parish now to be incorporated into a town hy the name of Ward shall be hounded as follows, viz .: Beginning at a heap of stones in the line between Sntton and Oxford, and from thence running north thirty-five degrees east upon the Sutton line twelve hundred and forty- four rods to a heap of stones ; from thence north sixteen degrees west upon Worcester line two hundred and eighty-eight rods to a heap of stonee ; from theuce north thirty-two degrees west upon Worcester line eighty rods to a heap of stones ; from thence north eleven degrees west upon Worcester line one hundred and seventy-fonr rods to a heap of stones ; from thence west three degrees south partly on Worcester and partly on Leicester lines, nine hundred and twenty-four rods to a heap of stones ; from thence south forty-three degrees west on Leicester line three hundred and twenty rode to a gray oak tree; from thence north thirty-three degrees and thirty minutes west upon Leicester line five hundred and sixty rods to a heap of stones; from thence partly on a


1318


HISTORY OF WORCESTER COUNTY, MASSACHUSETTS.


gore and partly on the Oxford line five hundredand sixty-seven rods to a heap of stones ; from thence east forty degrees south on Oxford line three hundred and fifty-eight rods to a white pine tree ; and from thence east six degrees sonth upon Oxford line three hundred and seventy rods to the first meutioned heap of stones ; which described plot of ground contains eight thousand three hundred and forty acres, and is hereby erected into a town by the name of Ward.


On the 5th of January 1789, it was enacted that Isaac Moffet, Elijah Learned and Ephraim Segars, of Charlton, with their polls and estates, be annexed to Oxford, and on the 18th of February, 1793, it was enacted that Jonathan Kidder, Samuel Blanchard and Arthur Dagget, of Sutton, be also annexed, with their polls and estates, to Oxford. On the 6th of March, 1832, the town of Webster was incorporated and its territory was described in the act as "in the south- erly part of the county of Worcester, comprised within the following limits, that is to say beginning at the southwest corner of said territory where the line between Massachusetts and Connecticut inter- sects French River ; thence running easterly by said line to the southwest corner of Douglas ; thence north- erly by the line which divides Douglas from Oxford South Gore until it intersects the line between Oxford and Douglas ; thence due west two and three-fourths miles and thirty rods to a stone monument about eighty-eight rods west of French River ; thence south- erly in the direction of a stone monument in the line of Oxford and Dudley, near the house owned by Dan- iel Greenwood and Samuel Slaterly to the middle of said river ; thence southerly by said river to the first- mentioned corner." The last change in the territory and boundaries of the town was made by the passage of an act March 22, 1838, annexing to Oxford "the tract of unincorporated land in the county of Wor- cester called Oxford North Gore, and bounded north by the town of Leicester, west hy the town of Charlton, south by the town of Oxford and east by the town of Auburn."


The population of Oxford has gradually fallen off during the last fifteen years. In 1875 it was 2938, in 1880, 2604 and in 1885, 2355. This is partly ac- counted for by the decline in the shoe business. This decline seems to be shared by all the smaller towns, while the larger towns, in which lahor is more easily obtained and the facilities for manufacturing are great- er, are sensibly gaining. With good railroad commun- ications, lying, as it does, on the Norwich &Worcester Railroad, by which markets are easily accessible, there seems to be no reason why the town should not soon regain its former business and secure a permanent career of prosperity. There must be a time when the depletion of New England communities, caused by the attractive features of the West, must cease, and a reflex tide must follow the final filling up of Western cites and towns. Everything must in the end find its level, and the draining process must cease when the places to be filled reach a point higher than their source.


Besides the Fire Department, with its apparatus and


other property of the town already mentioned, the town has a Town Hall, built in 1873 at a cost of twenty-five thousand dollars, which took the place of the older structure on the old Common, built in 1839. Among the institutions of the town is the Oxford National Bank, with a capital of one hundred thousand dollars, organized January 2, 1865, as the successor of the old Oxford Bank, incorporated February 8, 1823. It occupies a building of its own in the central village, built in 1856. It is a well-man- aged, conservative institution, and affords such bank facilities as the business of the town requires.


In closing this necessarily superficial sketch the writer cannot omit saying that the interesting career of Oxford deserves a more thorough portrayal than is possible within the space allotted in these volumes. He sincerely hopes that the investigations which have been exhaustively made by Mr. George F. Dan- iels and the large amount of material he has collected may at no distant day be the means of giving to the citizens of the town and to the world a complete and worthy history.


BIOGRAPHICAL.


WILSON OLNEY.


Wilson Olney, son of Richard and Abigail ( Wilson) Olney, was born in Providence, Rhode Island, Janu- ary 10, 1802. He was the fourth child and oldest son in a family of seven sons and six daughters.


The Olneys of Rhode Island trace their descent from Thomas Olney, who, with his wife and two infant sons, in company with other emigrants from the town of St. Albans, Hertfordshire, England, came by the ship " Planter" to New England in 1635 (see Hotten List of Emigrants, 1600-1700, p. 45).


Thomas appears to have settled first at Salem, in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. But in the year 1636-37 he was excommunicated by Salem Church " for uniting in the errors with Roger Williams" (Winthrop's Hist. N. E., vol. 1, p. 43, note ; Hutchin- son's Hist. Mass., vol. 1, p. 371); and he accordingly followed Williams to Providence, where we find him mentioned as early as June, 1637, as one of the set- tlers to whom land had been allotted; and in an agreement, dated October, 1638, made between the several inhabitants of the town of Providence, he is named, with Roger Williams, as one of the thirteen persons " being now incorporated into our town of Providence;" and in 1647 he, with Williams and others, was a member of the Committee of the town of Providence, which, with committees from other towns, was to meet at Portsmouth in May, 1647, " for the purpose of organizing a Government" (see R. I. Colonial Records, vol. 1, pp. 17, 20, 27, 42).




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