USA > Rhode Island > Washington County > Narragansett > A history of the Episcopal church in Narragansett, Rhode Island, including a history of other Episcopal churches in the state > Part 1
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Gc 974.502 N16u 1149700
M. L
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 00084 6631
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/historyofepiscop00updi_0
Manchester
This troat Halsey please accept this +the accompagne volumes with my sincere respecto. The fact that you have our work of my t'astien + have anquetest for another this be os gratis. -fying to him as to myself I feel assured that you will. Megold with indul alice any deficientes, when I amy to your that it was router after manly seventy years had
1
IB Updike
Man
REV. JAMES MC, SPARRAN, D.D.
HISTORY
OF
THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH,
- IN
NARRAGANSETT, RHODE - ISLAND;
INCLUDING A HISTORY OF OTHER EPISCOPAL CHURCHES IN THE STATE ;
WITH AN APPENDIX,
CONTAINING A REPRINT OF A WORK NOW EXTREMELY RARE,
ENTITLED, AMERICA DISSECTED," BY THE REV. J. MACSPARRAN, D. D.
WITH NOTES CONTAINING GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL
ACCOUNTS OF DISTINGUISHED MEN, FAMILIES, ETC.
BY WILKINS UPDIKE.
Nem-Dork :
HENRY
M. ONDERDONK,
10 JOHN-STREET.
1847.
Gc
974,502
N/ou
7
3
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1847, BY WILKINS UPDIKE, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New-York.
W. H. B. Smith's Print, Churchman Office, 11 Spruce-Street, N. Y.
INDEX.1149700
Page.
Abolition of Slavery in R. I. 168, 322 Bernon, Gabriel 40, Family 41, 164 Abstracts of the Reports to the Propagation Soc. 446
Acadia, notice of, by Dr. McSpar- ran 520
Albro, Samuel and John 40
Allen, Frederic 523
Allen family, 59
America Dissected-a rare work of Dr. McSparran's-see intro- ductory notice and appendix, 246 ,483
Andrews, James 411, John
413
Angell family
73
Bowen, Bishop
422
Anthony, John 254 Bowers, Rev. James 363
Arnold, Rev. Jonathan
163
Bowler, Hon. Metcalf
419, 431
Arnold family,
109, 110, 126, 164|
Astor, Wm. 411
Astrology, ancient belief in 349
Auchmuty family, ·
148
Auchmuty, Rev. Sam.
150
Sir Sam.
Babcock, Dr. Joshua 307, Rev. Luke 312, Col. Henry 311, Capt. George W. 121, family,
Badger, Rev. Moses 415, 439
Bahamas,
485
Bailey, Rev. Mr. 356
Balfour, George 40, 125
Barbadoes
484
Bardine, John
411
Bass, Bishop Edward
307
Battle of Trenton, account of
273
Beach, Rev. Mr. 401, 464
Beaven, Mr. pamphlet 240
Belcher, Gov. Jonathan 497
- Bells for churches, brought from England 393, 435
Bennet, Sam. 875, Cornelius 400
Burge, Rev. Lemuel 363-4
Burleit, John 411
Bermudas, described by Dr. Mc. Sparran 483 Burlingame, Roger 375
Bernard, Gov.
290
Byles, Rev. Dr.
Page
Berkley, Bishop 59, 120, 176, 290, 306, 394, 523, his family 396 -- 7 Bishop chosen in R. I. 406 Bisset, Rev. Mr. 345, 349, 402, 475 Blackburne, Rev. J. L. 423, con- troversy with him about rights of clergy 423
Blodget, Wm.
109
Books sent by Society from Eng-
land.
393, 456, 458, 469
Bours, Rev. Peter 291, John 311, 404 Bowden, Rev. Mr. 415
Bradstreet, Dudley
450
Bray, Rev. Dr. 471
Brayton, Wm. D. 369, Hon. Geo. A. preface
Brenton family 220, 317, 342, 400, 507
152 Bridge, Rev. Christopher
.
35, 38
Bristed, Rev. John
443
Bristo', church at
433, 473, 512
180, 307 Bronson, Rev. Abraham 407
Brown, John C. preface, James 53, Joseph 53, Nathaniel 46, 53, 84, Daniel 96, Rev. Oliver, notice of 118, Rev. Marmaduke 344, 345, 402, 469, 473, 475, Hon. Arthur and his works 346, Rev. Arthur 409, 454-5, 519, Gov. George 319, family 131, 212, 319, 372,
382, 408, 411
Brownists, sect of 500, 501, 518 1 Bull, Hon. Henry 202, 392
Bullock, Israel 411 Burr, Aaron 95
354 |
1
viii
INDEX.
Page .!
Caner, Rev. Dr. 354, 356, 413, Rev. Henry . ¥477,506 Canonchet, poem on death of the Sachem 224
Carolina North, colony, described by Dr. McSparran when a colo- ny, episcopacy established there by charter-population 489, ex- ports of 490
Carolina, South, colony, described by Dr. McSparran, rice being un- enumerated in the British tariff, they export it to all parts of Eu- rope 487, English church estab- lished there by law 488, exports of 488
Carpenter, Willet and family 59,
279, Rev. James H.
369
Carter, Rev. Mr.
485
Cary, Col. Henry letter to
483
Case, John
266, 275, 331
Center, James
221
Coit, Dr.
305
Champlin, Chr. 110. Christopher G. 111, George 112, Col. Chr. 512, family 110, 180
Channing, John
359
Charra, Rev. Mr.
409
Charlestown, church at 512
Chase, Sam. 411, 414, John 422,
family
109
Checkley, Rev. John
205, 410
Christ's Church, Westerly, histo- ry of 366
Church, in Newport 35, 39, 62, 146, 370, 392, 446, 455, 473, 511 in Providence 57, 409, 446-8
451, 514
at East Greenwich 366, 512
66 at Westerly 365
at Charlestown (formerly Westerly) old church 512
66 at Kingston 367
66 at Wakefield 368
at Warwick old church 369, 394 at Bristol 433, 473, 512
at Warren 444, 473
Church, St. Paul's at Narragansett first built 35, 271, 447-8, 450, 511, purchase of glebe 274, law- suit about church property with the Congregationalists 68, 70, 527, on division of the town fell in North Kingstown 39, 364, used
Page.
as barracks in revolution 360, building taken down and remov- ed to Wickford 362-4, picture of 273, incorporated 364, parish di- vided in 1832, 363, (see McSpar- ran, Fayerweather, &c.)
Church at Tower Hill built, 363-4 Church, persecutions of the, by the Congregationalists 83, 207, 436 - Church, sufferings of in revolution 150, 265, 267, &c.
Clap, Rev. Thomas.
506
Clarke, John I. 419, Rev. A. H. 410, Rev. A. L. 415, Rev. Wm. 357, Rev. Mr. 440
Clergy, controversy about rights of 423
Climate of Narragansett, 191, 524, frequent thunder &c. 524, cold winter of 1740, 191, 201, 525 Coddington, Wm. 509, 36, 164, 306
Cole family, history of
104, 411
Cold winter of 1740,
191, 201, 525
Connecticut described by Dr. Mc-
Sparran as a colony 501, govern-
ment 502, trade
507
Constitution of U. S. history of a- doption by R. I.
Controversy, see episcopacy.
Copley, the painter
359
Crane, Rev. Silas A.
367
Cranston family,
184, 321
Crawford, Gideon
411
Crocker, Rev. Nathan B.
423
Cutler, Timothy 90, 96, see epis- сорасу.
Dehon, Rev. Theodore
298, 406-8
Dexter, Col. John S.
384
Dickinson, Charles 40, John 121,
148, 332, 371
Dixon, Hon. N. F.
161
Dorrance, Wm. T.
409
.
Doyle, Rev. Mr.
537
Dudley, Thomas
509
D'Wolf, Rev. Erastus
361, 367
Eames, Rev. James H.
369
East Greenwich, church at 366, 512
Elliott, Rev. Joseph
506,507
Episcopacy, introduction of in A- merica 96, 139, 393, 361, 405, 421, controversy about, occasion- ed by Dr. McSparran's sermon
ix
INDEX.
Page.
238, 527, rights of the clergy 424, church in R. I. was friendly to
Fayerweather, Rev. Sam. minister at St. Paul's 269, 270, 291, 308, 354, 356, 468, his death and will
358
Field, Joseph
411
Fines, Charles 509
Fitch, Rev. James 505
Fitton, John
Fogg, Rev. Mr.
360
Folker, Rev. Patrick H.
363
Francis, Abraham
372, 375
French settlers in Narragansett, 41, 60, 280, see Bernon, Lucas
Frontbeck, Rev. Mr.
357,412
Fry, Sarah 378 Holden family 372, 376
- Gage, General
Gardiner, Dr. Sylvester 126, 282, 523, Robert H. 129, Rev. John® S. J. 130, 357, 406, Walter C. 362, family 68, 114, 125, 163, 186, 188, 212, 282, 330, 354, 382 Georgia colony, described by Dr. McSparran, character of first settlers 486
Gibbs, Elizabeth
126
Gidley, John 116
Goddard, 153, Prof. Wm. G. 156, 478, and preface
Goffe, regicide 350
Gorton, Samuel, sect and opinions 17, 72, 376, 382
Gossip, ancient meaning of the word 347
Graves, Rev. Matthew 262, 412,
John 264, 353, 412, 439, 466
Green, John 23, Col. Christopher 1
and his services 384, Gen. Na- thaniel 386, family 133,372, 377, Albert G. poem on death of Co- nonchet 224
Griswold, Bishop 440
Guy, Rev. William
39,449, 450
Haly, Capt. Nathan 160
Hallowell, Robert
126
Hamilton, Marquis of, his land grants 517
Page.
Hanging, the worst use men can be
put to
491
the revolution
245
Fales, Rev. Thomas F.
444
Harwood, Lieut. Andrew A. 347, 367 Hathaway, Rev. Mr. . 444 Hazard, George, Mayor of Newport 321, Nathaniel 321, Thomas one of the first abolitionists 322, Jon- athan J. 328, Hon. Benjamin 478, Gov. Jeffrey 329, Isaac P. 515, family 179, 184, 247, 249, 275, 283, 321, 343
431 Helme family
134, 165, 279, 336
Hill, John 512, Hannah 110, James
354
Hillhouse, Hon. James A. 505, fam-
· ily
504
Hispaniola, piratical settlement at 485
Hitchcock, Col.
373
563 Honyman, Rev. James 46, 62, 145, 393, 400, 409, 446, 451, 464, Hon. James 343 Horses in Narragansett-see Pa- cers.
Hopkins family
237, 352, 411
Howard, Joseph 213, Martin
220
Howland, John
372, 384, 431
Hudson, N. Y. settlement from R.
Island
132
Huguenots in R. I. 506, see Ber- non, Lucas.
Hull, Stephen
422
Humphreys, extracts from his his- tory 455, and passim.
Hunter, Hon. Wm.
478
Hutchinson, Anne and family
105
Indians in R. I. character and his- tory of 9, 221, supposed by Smi- bert and Wolf to be Tartars 523, war of 1675, 381, and see Co- nonchet and Richard Smith.
Jansen, Rev. Louis 367
Jarvis, Rev. Mr.
414
Jefferson, Benjamin
347
Jenckes, Gov.
53
Jenny, Dr. 495
Johnson, Rev. Samuel 96, 451-2, 463, Isaac 509, Madam 506 Kay, Nathaniel 393, endows a school at Newport 397, 473, gift
Hamilton, Robert 483 to Bristol church 436, 445
Hammett, John 377, 380 Keith, Rev. Mr. 349
Handy, Maj. John
212 Kendal, Rev. Thomas
118
X
INDEX.
Page,
King family
King's Province, name given to
Narragansett
24
Mason, Maj. John
505
King's Church
409
Kingston, church at 367
Knight, Madam, her journey thro' Narragansett 10
Koltredge, John 40
Latten's poems 349
Laurens, Mr.
506
Lawsuit with Congregationalists 68, 70, 527
Lay-readers, remarks on the prac-
tice
527
Leaming, Rev. Jeremiah 267, 400,463
Levally family 371
Lewis, Enoch 515
Lillibridge, Thomas
40
Limerick, Rev. Paul letter to 526
Lippit, Moses and family 371-7, 391 Lockyear, Rev. Mr. 392
Logwood trade
484
Low, Phebe 384, Anthony 391
Lucas. Augustas and family 280, 505 Lyon, Rev. John 318
Magell, Robert
411
Maine province, described by Dr.
McSparran
520
McSparran, Rev. James 46, 62,
448, 450, his family 63, 68, 119, 274, 448, 450, 495, 526, 532, goes to England 191, sermons of 191, 214, 238, controversy about the . priesthood, see Episcopacy. Rea- sons for preaching his sermon on the priesthood 527, death of his wife 258, his opinion of the Irish Union 530, his charity 532, anti- cipates his aprroaching death, and desires to be remembered at his native place 527, commences the church at New London 503, his death 259, 467, 522. portraits of him and wife 523, his " Amer- ica Dissected" 246, and see in- troductory notice and appendix. Intends to write a history 523, 530, origin of the name of Mc- Sparran 63
Marchant, Wm.
184
Maryland colony, described by Dr.
McSparran, church of England
provided for there
492
Massachusetts colony, described by Dr. McSparran 518, education 519
Merriam, Rev. C.
407
Knowles, Henry
371
Merritt, John
411, 413, 475
Ministers in Massachusetts sup- ported by taxes 436, see' Perse- cution.
Ministry land lawsuit 68, 70, 527
Minturn family
.
131
Moffat, Dr. Thomas
221, 252, 341
Moody, Samuel
356
Moore, Rev. Wm. H.
367
Moravians in Georgia 486
Mumford family
134, 145
Myles, Rev. Samuel
90
Narragansett country, history of 9, boundaries disputed 19, climate ·of-see climate. Named King's province 24, education in 183, 280, state of society among the the early planters 174, 182, 333 378, 432, agriculture 174-9, 324, 448, 514, see Slavery. Corn hus- kings 185, church-see Church. Pacing horses, see Pacers.
Mac Rae, Col. .
114, 126
Nash, Rev. Sylvester
366
Nason, Benjamin
347
Negroes in R. I. 168, election
177
New England, described by Dr.
McSparran
500
Newfoundland
521
New Hampshire, described by Dr. McSparran, its importance to Eng. navy 519
New London, origin of church
there
503
Newman, Rev. Wm.
366-7
Newport, church at 35, 392, 511, 473
New Providence, pirates at
485
New York colony, described by Dr. McSparran 498, immense grants of land 499, products 499, church there 499
Nicknames, practice of
247
Nicholson, Gov. Francis 62, 392,
488, 520
Niles, Rev. Sam. and family 36, 73,
Rev. Wm. W.
367
Ninigret, Indian Sachem 221, Sa-
1
Page. 371
INDEX.
Page.[
chem George
512
Reed, Rev. John and family
Page.
283
Oliver, Rev. Thomas L. 415 Religion in the colonies-see their
Olney, George
Orem, Rev. Mr. 50, 410, 434, 450
Oxford settlement in Mass. 43,60
Pacing horses
490, 514
Paget, Henry
411
Paper money 516, tender 420, 328
Parker, Bishop 357
Peck, Rev. Francis 363, 444
Pennsylvania colony, described by
Reynolds family
248
Rhodes, Wait
372
Rhode Island, settlement of-see Introduction, described by Dr. McSparran 507, Quakers there 510, church there 511, products 514, see political history-revo- lutionary history-church. Richardson, Wm. 240
Robinson, Gov. 515, Rowland 125, the unfortunate Hannah 188, Matthew 184, 275, 280, 359, 506, . family 133, 179, 188, 212, 319
Rogers, Rev. Wm.
416
Rome, George
333
Rouse, Rev. John H. 363
Saffin, Hon. John 277
St. Luke's church at Tower Hill 364
St. Pauls
364
St. Luke's at East Greenwich
266
St. Peter's
367
St. John's Providence
409
St. Michael's
433
Salstonstall, Richard 509, Win-
throp 305, Com. Dudley
311
Sayre, Rev. James
404
Scott, Wm. 188, Rebecca 237
Scotch settlers
252,319
155 Seabury, Bishop and family 104,
134, 406
Sergeant, Rev. Mr.
356
Sessions, Gov. Darius
298, 382
Pratt, Rev. James 365 Sewall, Rev. Dr. 354
Providence, church at . 409, 514
Punderson, Rev. Mr. 456, 512
Singing-old practice
435
Slavery in Rhode Island, history of 168, attempts to instruct slaves 175, abolition of 168, 322, 530, in Virginia 491
Puritans disclaimed, seceding from church of England 508, perse- cute Episcopalians 83,207, 436, 510, persecute settlers of R. I. 376 Quakers in Pennsylvania 494, in Smibert the painter 523, his opin- jon that the Indians were Tar- tars 523-see Berckeley. Rhode Island 322. 510 Questman, meaning of the word 69 Ray, collector 46 Smith, Col. Sam. his conduct at
419
names.
Remington 134
Reports of the propagation society,
abstracts from
445
Revolutionary history 121, 150, 221, 231, 291-9, 315, 327, 372, 379, 383, 403, 413, part of church men in 241-5, 436
D. McSparran, Quakers there 494, church there 495 mass al- lowed there 495, Irish settle there 495, exports and manufacture of linen 496, education 496
Perry, Com. O. H. 112, 330
Persecutions of church by puritans 83, 207, 436, in the revolution 150, 265-7
Pierce, Isaac B.
363
Phillips, George 509, family 40,120
Pickett 50
Pigott, Edward 371, George 56, 213, 37,0 409, 474, 451
Pirates at New Providence
485
Political history of R. I. Gov. Wan- ton and Sessions protest 299, 320 paper money party 328, Conven- tion to adopt U. S. Constitution 328, only instance known in R. I. of changing a popular leader after the old English fashion 229, excitement against Tories 333, Gov. Brown 319, Hon. B. Hazard 478
Pollen, Rev. Thomas 261, 401, 465
Pollock family 117
Post Office, history of
Potter, Gov. Sam. J. 321, Judge William and family 231-8
Powell, Mr. 47, 134, 165
Sidesmen
422
xi
xii
INDEX.
Fort Mifflin or Mud Island 386-7, Page
Gov. John 377, Rev. William 360, 405, 439, author of office of institution for ministers 361, Rev. Mr. Smith of New Providence 485 Smith, Richard-one of the first settlers 15, 119, 182 Society for propagating gospel 393,
See Books, Humphries, abstracts.
-
Stamp act
221
Stanton family
179
Stafford family
375
Stevenson, Wm. letter to
532
Stewart, Matthew 212, Gilbert the
painter, born in Narragansett,
picture of his birth place and history 252, Col. William
486
Sturgeon, Mr.
495
Sweet, family of bonesetters, histo- ry of 94, Dr. Sylvester 350
Sweeting, Mr.
411
Talbot, Silas
386
Taylor, George
411, 413, 457
Thayer, Major
386
Thompson, Ebenezer
419
Torrey, Rev. Joseph
74, 117
Townsend, John
382
Tower Hill Church
364
.
Tourtellot family
60
Trenton battle 373
Trinity church, Newport 392
Trumbull, James H. 160
Updike, Daniel Atty General 119, Dodowick 281, Daniel 289, fam. ily 107, 118, 153, 163, 281-8
Usher, John 51, 343, 434, 452, 473 Vail, Rev. Thomas H. 366
Veates, Roger
402
Viets, Rev. Mr.
414
Vinton, Rev. Francis 365 -- 8, 392, 408
Virginia colony, described by Dr.
McSparran, settlers 490, exports
of tobacco 491, slaves in 491,
Page.
convicts transported from Eng-
land to 491, Irish settlement in 492
Wakefield church
368
Walker, Capt. W.
205
Walter, Rev. Mr.
354
Wanton family, history of 295
Ward, John .
407
Warren, church at
444, 473
Warren, Sir Peter 499, Rev. Jo- seph 362 Warwick old church 369, 394, 470 471, 476
Washington, Gen. at the battle of 'Trenton 373
Watson, Hon. Elisha 368, family 327
Watts, Rev. Mr.
457
Weeks, Rev. Joshua W.
294
Westcott, Mercy
375
Westerly, church at
365, 512
Whalley, Jeremiah 350, Theoph- ilus, believed to be one of the regicide judges 350, family
350
Wheatley, Rev. H.
450
Wheaton, Rev. S.
408
Wheeler, Rev. W.
402, 414, 439
Whipple, Oliver 523, Colonel 48,
409, family
128, 372, 411
Wickes, Thomas 125, 300, family
381-4
Wickford, church at
362-4
Wilkinson, Jemima history of 233, 285, William 53, Samuel 53, Philip 219, family 236
Willett family history 125, 276, 350
Wilson, Mr. 117, Rev. James
421
Winsor, Mr.
53
Winthrop, Hannah and John 359, Gov. John 509
Wolf, the traveller, believes the In-
dians to be Tartars
523
Yale College, Berckeley's gift to
396, 504
ERRATA.
Page 495, third line of the note, for father read brother. 1 Page 166, the foot note should come in as a part of the text at the end of the first paragraph on page 167.
1
NOTICE,
IT will be seen that a large portion of the following 'work is writ- ten upon the plan of selecting extracts from the records of St. Paul's Church, in Narragansett, kept by Dr. McSparran and his succesors, and appending to these by way of notes in smaller type, all the in- formation the author could collect from other sources. These re- cords give very full accounts of every thing which happened in his own Church, and also of his visits to other churches. By so doing, he has been enabled to introduce much information relating to family and political history, and the state of society and manners, which he hopes will be interesting.
Dr. McSparran's " America Dissected" having become extremely rare, he concluded to reprint it entire at the end of this work. It was originally printed at Dublin, in the year 1753. The title is,-
6 " AMERICA DISSECTED, being a full and true account of all the Amer- ican Colonies, shewing the intemperance of the climates, excessive heat and cold, and sudden violent changes of weather ; terrible and mischievous thunder and lightning ; bad and unwholesome air, de- structive to human bodies ; badness of money ; danger from ene- mies ; but above all, to the souls of the poor people that remove thither, from the multifarious wicked and pestilent heresies that pre- vail in those parts. In several letters from a Reverend Divine of the Church of England, Missionary to America and Doctor of Di. vinity : Published as a caution to unsteady people who may be tempted to leave their native country. Dublin : Printed and sold by
xiv
NOTICE.
S. Powell, Dame-street, 1753." This title was probably prefixed to it by the printers and not by Dr. McSparran himself,
The Author's acknowledgments are due to the many friends who have aided him in the progress of this work, and particularly to the late Professor Goddard and Professor Gammell, Hon. George A. Brayton, and Hon. E. R. Potter, for valuable assistance in the course of its preparation and publication.
KINGSTON, R. I., June 20, 1847.
PREFACE.
THE material for authentic history lies hidden with the separate actors in an age, and is to be found in the records of individual life. The historian owes to the biographer all the truth, and much of the beauty, wherewith he informs and delights the reader. Bi- ography is the grammar of historical literature, essential alike to ac- curacy and to ornament, which the young scholar learns from neces- sity, and the mature student resorts to for refreshment and pleasure. The personal anecdote and private adventure, that biography lends to history, fling a charm over the annals of a people, which interests the mind and engages the heart. For it is biography which intro- duces us to our forefathers, and hands us a chair at their fireside, and makes us familiar in their households. lt teaches us to love them as children ; while we feel honored by them as by friends communing with us on equal footing. Thus, biography draws closer the bonds that tie together the generations into one family, and causes us to feel those bonds to be strong, which selfishness is evermore persuad- ing us are weak. Hence, biography is one of the instruments in furthering the design of God in establishing His church, wherein he would gather his children into their spiritual brotherhood. At least, it claims and deserves an elevated rank amongst generous and civil- izing influences. The biographer, then, who has been spending his hours in collecting the relics of individual life, and who, like the Author of this volume, has formed into shape the scattered memo- rials of our ancestors, does good and laudable service, not to the historian only, but to man. In the name of history, I thank him, for these early annals of our country ; as a fellow-citizen of Rhode Island, I rejoice in his illustrations of our native State. As a church- man, 1 honor his enterprise of embalming the names and actions of those faithful servants of Christ, whose eminent labors planted the seeds of the Gospel, which divine grace hath since blessed to such vigorous growth and abundant fruitfulness.
The present volume owes its origin to a vote of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Rhode Island, passed in the Con-
xvi
PREFACE.
vention of 1840, on the motion of the present writer ; who, as chair- man 'of the committee appointed " to draught a History of the Church," had the good fortune to be associated with the author, to whom was assigned the church in Narragansett. While each mem- ber of the committee gladly set himself to rescue from oblivion the local traditions, which were registered, either in the memory of the aged or in the records of neighboring parishes, they were both sur- . prised and gratified to learn that so rich materials were awaiting the Author's research, and that he would give to his portion of the work, such elaborate and persevering industry as appears in this volume.
This successful issue of the original design excites the laudable pride of the Author's associates, and fills our hearts with devout gratitude to HIM, " from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed."
Yet our congratulations are solemnized by the painful recollec- tion of the decease of one of our companions, the late William G. Goddard, LL. D., of St. John's Parish, Providence, late Profes- sor of Belles Lettres in Brown University-who was deeply inter- ested in the project and progress of this volume, and who, by his generous nature and refined taste, was pre-eminently qualified, both to appreciate the Author's work, and to aid in the execution of it .- Had he have been spared to this day, none more than he would have rejoiced in its completion, and none would have coutributed more liberally, from an ample fortune, to extend its circulation.
It is a pleasure, however, to record the fact, that, one who knew him well, John Carter Brown, Esq., has given the author a substan- tial memorial of Professor Goddard, as well as a proof of his own liberal mind, in subscribing munificently to multiply copies of this work.
In conclusion, the writer invokes the Divine blessing on the vol- ume now committed to the press ; that it may recall to memory the tokens of former benefits and awaken fresh efforts to secure renewed favor from on High, upon our beloved church and country.
F. VINTON.
BROOKLYN, N. Y., June 1st, 1847.
INTRODUCTION.
IN giving a history of the Church in Narragansett, I have thought it advisable, in an Introduction, to give a sketch of the extent of the country, its early settlement, and the claims of other colonies to its territory ; and that a passing glance of the various controversies and conflicts relative to its possession and jurisdiction, its erection by the King into a distinct and sovereign gov- ernment, independent of Rhode Island, by the style of the King's Province, and its final re-union, would not be an uninteresting retrospect to those who are fond of looking at the past.
The Narragansett country was anciently bounded, westerly by Pawcatuck river, southerly by the Atlantic, easterly on the Narragansett bay, embracing the islands, and on the Seekonk river, northeasterly on the Black- stone river, and northwardly and northwesterly as far as the present bounds of Rhode Island extend, and how much farther in that direction cannot now be ascer- tained. The Wampanoags, Nipmucs, and other tribes of Indians more easterly and northerly, were tributaries
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INTRODUCTION.
to them, but threw off their allegiance after the arrival of the English.
Respecting the name of Narragansett, Roger Wil- liams states, " that being inquisitive of what root the denomination of Narragansett should come, I heard Narragansett was so named from a little island between Petaquamscutt (which was the name of a large rock near Tower Hill, and was afterwards given to a river in South Kingstown, dividing Tower Hill from Boston Neck, and emptying into the sea) and Misquamicut (westerly) on the sea and fresh water side. I went on purpose to see it, and about a place called Sugar Loaf Hill, (a high conical mount at Wakefield,) I saw it, and was within a pole of it, but could not learn why it was called Narragansett." There are a number of islands in the Point Judith Ponds, but which was pointed out to Mr. Williams as the Narragansett Island, is not now known, and no island now bears that distinctive name.
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