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ANNALS OF CENTERDALE
ITS PAST AND PRESENT
1636-1909
Fc 74.502 133a 134400
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01067 1748
*
7
FRANK C. ANGELL.
ANNALS OF CENTERDALE
In the town of
North Providence, Rhode Island
Its Past and Present
1636-1909
BY FRANK C. ANGELL
" He that wishes to be counted among the benefactors of posterity must add by his own toil to the acquisitions of his ancestors."-Rambler.
Copyright, 1909, BY FRANK C. ANGELL
PRESS OF H. L. FREEMAN COMPANY CENTRAL FALLS, R. I.
1134400
IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY
FATHER AND MOTHER I AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATE THIS BOOK.
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/annalsofcenterda00ange_0
VILLAGE OF CENTERDALE (SMITH STREET).
-
PREFACE.
Truth needs not many words, but a false tale a large preamble.
In presenting this volume to the public I do so with the full appreciation that it will be, to a large extent, of local interest.
In answer to the question why I undertook the task of writing the history of the little New England village, I would say that I was prompted to do so from a feeling of regard and admiration for the old-time residents of the village, when each and every one had the welfare of his neighbor at heart-smiling upon his successes and sym- pathizing with him in his adversities.
Again I would answer, that most people have within their hearts an indescribable feeling of love or regard for the place of their birth or the home of their adoption,-" be it ever so humble,"-the place where they have beheld the rising and the setting of the sun for more than half a century, and have watched with pride the planting and growth of the various industries and institutions around their homes.
In undertaking the task I did so fully realizing that the task of the historian is a difficult one, even when it is, as in the present instance, the recording of events relatively small and unimportant in themselves to the general public, but interesting subjects of thought and conver-
xii
ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
sation to those who have known the village in later times, and whose lives are or have been connected with the history of Centerdale by birth or residence or by family ties more or less distant.
I believe I am right when I say that I am not alone in liking to hear the story of the first settlement and growth of Centerdale, to know who were the first to make their homes here, who built the first house, and, as time went on, to know when and how came to be established the first industry, the first schoolhouse, church, hotel, and other public and private houses and buildings which go to make up a typical New England village.
Neither is it too much to hope that those who come after us may with to glance back along the lines of the early days of Centerdale, and learn something of its early history.
In my endeavor to carry out the plan of presenting as faithful and true an account as possible, it has been neces- sary to depend entirely upon original research. In doing so I have made use of not only all the public and private records, old deeds, diaries, and account books obtainable by me, but also of family and village tradition in so far as the latter might be made to square with indubitable historical facts. And from these sources, with much hard work of searching records and the even harder task of unaccustomed authorship to contend with, I present this volume to the public, asking indulgence for its imperfections. F. C. A.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
Introduction
PAGE. I
CHAPTER II.
Original and Subsequent Land Owners 1636-1909 4
CHAPTER III.
The Colonial Saw-Mill
19
CHAPTER IV.
The First House-The Epenetus Olney Homestead 23
CHAPTER V.
The Revolutionary Powder-Mill
30
CHAPTER VI.
Highways (with map)-The Old Colonial Road-The Powder- Mill Turnpike (now Smith Street)-The Farnum Turnpike (now Waterman Avenue)-Mineral Spring Turnpike (now Mineral Spring Avenue)-The Woonasquatucket River Road (now Woonasquatucket Avenue) 39
CHAPTER VII.
Transportation-Teaming with Horses and Oxen-Stage- Coach Days-Steam Railroad-Electric Cars . 49
xiv
ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
CHAPTER VIII.
The Spinning Mill-The Cotton Mill-The Worsted Mill . 58
CHAPTER IX.
Schools 66
CHAPTER X.
Churches-The Baptist Meeting House-St. Alban's Church (Episcopal)-The Centerdale Methodist Church-St. Lawrence Church (Roman Catholic) 77
CHAPTER XI.
The Village Tavern 97
CHAPTER XII.
The Country Cobbler-The Harness Maker 116
CHAPTER XIII.
The Village Blacksmith Shop-The Wheelwright Shop-The
First Livery Stable I21
CHAPTER XIV.
The Village Butcher 132
CHAPTER AV.
The First Store-The Post Office
138
CHAPTER XVI.
The War Record
. 147
CONTENTS. XV
CHAPTER XVII.
Union Library I59
CHAPTER XVIII.
Fraternal Orders and Musical Organizations-The Roger Williams Lodge, No. 32, A. F. & A. M .- Woonasquatucket Lodge, No. 53, I. O. of G. T .- Enterprise Temple of Honor, No. 26-The Centerdale Cornet Band-The Young American Fife and Drum Band 169
CHAPTER XIX.
Various Industries-The Pharmacy-The Spectacle Maker The Plane Manufacturer-The Undertaker I77
CHAPTER XX.
The Town Hall, or the Seat of the Town Government
.
. 183
CHAPTER XXI.
Biographical Sketches 187
CHAPTER XXII.
Lydia Wilcox
192
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION.
B EFORE we tell the early history of the village of Centerdale, let us for a moment turn our thoughts back to a time long before the country was known to the white man; to a time when only the native Indian roamed the primeval forests, whose solitude was broken only by the rustling of the leaves of the forest trees, the howling of the wild beasts, or the fierce war-cry of the red man.
Let us picture in our minds the country as formed and fashioned by nature's hand; behold it, in all its picturesque beauty, before the pioneer's axe had hewn the stately trees that grew upon the hillside; see it before the plow- share had torn from the fields their soft green mantle.
Let us in our reverie stand for a moment upon the moss- covered banks of the beautiful Woonasquatucket, whose waters flowed with peaceful current beside the hill and through the vale, and trace its winding course along the path nature seemed to have carved for it; around the foot of the verdant hills, and down through the valley and the green meadows.
Let us pause for a moment and listen to the rippling of the little brooklets as they come prancing down the hillside, looking, in the glow of the setting sun, like silver ribbons dropped from the sky, hurrying along to join their larger companion, who was silently moving on to mingle with the headwaters of Narragansett bay; while here and there along the banks of the stream we see the
ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
wigwam of the Indian, while not far away we discern the dusky form of the red man, whose watchful eye and attentive car are ever alert to the dangers that constantly beset his home, and unconscious of the fact that soon the intruding pioneer will cause him to retire farther and farther into the wilderness, and that their cherished hunt- ing grounds ere long will be transformed into busy com- munities: the intense silence which had reigned for cen- turies will soon be broken by the clanking of the loom or the rumble and roar of the swiftly moving train.
But how soon was this change to come about? As the sturdy pioneers pushed their way back into the country, the surrounding scene seemed to change like the shifting scenes of a play-house.
The native Indian, unused to the white man's ways, withdrew to more quiet sections of the country: the beautiful Woonasquatucket, whose waters for centuries had flowed untrammeled to the sea, was soon curbed in its course and made to lend its strength to turn the heavy millstone, and to force the saw through the oaken log to provide material for the settler's home.
The forests ere long were changed into fertile fields: roads constructed where only the narrow Indian trails were found: and the settler's cottage had taken the place of the wigwam of the Indian.
But let us see if we can tell the interesting story of WHO were the first settlers of this vicinity, WHOSE axe felled the first tree, WHOSE plowshare turned the first sod. who built the first house, WHOSE hand first harnessed the waters of the Woonasquatucket, WHO and when was started the first business enterprise, WHO first labored in Christ's vineyard, and caused to be erected the first church.
3
INTRODUCTION.
To be able to answer all or any of the questions would be both pleasing and interesting.
But time in her rapid flight has drawn the curtain behind several generations, and among those who have passed away were many who helped to make the history we are about to tell, leaving behind them bright illus- trations of a Christian life, and examples of their energy, thrift, and patriotism.
After the lapse of more than two hundred and sixty years one is obliged to rely more or less upon tradition and reminiscences for information pertaining to many unrecorded events and personages of those early days; but these should be accepted only when they are in harmony with recorded facts.
Traditions and family legends are often, however, of historical value; even though they may not be strictly correct in all of their details, they furnish the key to unlock the door to the information we are seeking, and with their aid the old colonial records can be read with a clearer understanding; for many of the records of the early days of the colony are very obscure and indefinite, though undoubtedly clearly understood at the time. Espe- cially is this the case with the land transfers, and in such cases family tradition and reminiscences lend valuable help to a clear understanding of that which is obscure in the colonial records.
CHAPTER H.
THE ORIGINAL AND SUBSEQUENT LAND OWNERS OF CENTERDALE, 1636-1909.
A FTER Roger Williams and his little band of fol- lowers, consisting of Thomas Angell. Joshua Verin, John Smith (the miller), William Harris, and Francis Wiekes, had landed upon the shores of Providence Plan- tations, they settled upon land previously secured. or purchased, by Roger Williams, from the Indians.
In purchasing the land from the Indians. Roger Wil- liams was only carrying out one of the principles he always advocated while at Plymouth and Salem, as well at the Providence Plantations: that the Indians were the true and rightful owners of the land they occupied, and were the only ones who could convey a title to them; that the patent or grant from the king of England could convey no title to them to any one, nor could any foreign potentate lawfully give away their territory.
There does not appear to be any written document conveying the land from the Indians to Roger Williams until March 24th, 1638, when the following deed, or memo- randum, as it was called, was given and signed by the two great chieftains Canonicus and Miantonomo, chiefs of the Narragansett Indians:
"At Nanhiggansick the 24th of the first month com- monly called March in the second year of our plantation or planting at Mooshausick or Providence. Memo- randum: that we Caunaunicus and Meauntunomi, the
5
LAND OWNERS OF CENTERDALE.
two chief sachems of Nanhiggansick, having two years since sold unto Roger Williams, the lands and meadows upon the two fresh rivers called Mooshausick and Woon- asquatucket, do now by these presents establish, and confirm the bounds of those lands, from the river and fields at Pawtucket, the great hill of Neotaconkonitt, on the North-west, and the town of Mashapauge on the west. As also in consideration of the many kindnesses and ser- vices he hath continually done for us, both with our friends of Massachusetts, as also at Quinickicutt and Apaum or Plymouth, we do freely give unto him all that land from those rivers reaching to Pawtuxet River, as also the grass and meadows upon said Pawtuxet river,
"In Witness where of we have hereunto set our hands
"The mark of
Caunaunicus
"The mark of
Meauntonomi
"In the presence of
"The mark of Seatash
"The mark of * Assotemenit
" 1639 Memorandum 3ยช mo 9th day. This was all again confirmed by Miantonomi, he acknowledged this his act and hand up the streams of Pawtucket and Paw- tuxet without limits, we might have for our use of cattle "Witness hereof
"ROGER WILLIAMS
"BENEDICT ARNOLD"
This deed, or memorandum, is the first or earliest land conveyance found recorded in the early records of Provi- dence, and without doubt the earlier sale spoken of in this deed was a verbal agreement.
6
ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
During the summer of the same year that Roger Wil- liams arrived he was joined by six others, who arrived in time to receive their allotment in the first division of land.
After the first division of land into home sites, and six- acre lot of meadow land, the balance of the land lying upon the Mooshausick and Woonasquatucket rivers to the limit of the grant was called the common, and in- cluded all land not sold or allotted to any of the settlers, and extended north up the Woonasquatucket river seven miles from Fox Point to a bound called the seven-mile line, which is about where the Smithfield line is now located.
As the colony increased in number, and personal safety became more secure, the pioneers naturally pushed their way back into the country a few miles from the Providence settlement, and took up land from the commons; and as this practice grew, it became evident that a more business- like method of conveying land titles must be had in order that confusion might not result, and a committee was appointed with full power to sign deeds of land in behalf of the colony, this committee consisting, in 1669, of John Throckmorton, Arthur Fenner, and Henry Brown. The writer has in his possession one of the deeds executed by this committee in 1669. The deed is written upon parch- ment, and is yet in a fair state of preservation for a docu- ment so old, but very few of these deeds being now in existence.
Among those to thus push out into the common land and take up holdings therein were Thomas Angell, John Smith. Epenetus Olney, and Richard Pray, and these men appear to have been the pioneers in the settlement of that
7
LAND OWNERS OF CENTERDALE.
portion of the Woonasquatucket valley which afterward became known as Centerdale.
Of these, Thomas Angell came from England in 1631 when he was a lad of some 12 or 13 years, and apparently in charge of Roger Williams, whose protege he seems to have been, not only accompanying the founder of Provi- dence from England to Boston, but later making one of the party of five who came with Roger Williams from the Massachusetts colony in 1636.
When the first division of land was made among Provi- dence settlers Thomas Angell received, in common with the others, a six-acre lot of land, although he was clearly too young to sign the civil agreement entered into by the other members of the pact, but which he signed afterwards. His lot, however, was number two 'on the division list, and included the land on which the First Baptist Church of Providence now stands, and a part of the section traversed by Angell street.
Thomas Angell married and had two sons, John and James; and five daughters, Amphillis, Mary, Deborah, Alice, and Margaret. He died in 1695; but during his life he had taken up several tracts of land, and one of these claims he gave to his grandson, James Angell, son of John Angell, who soon afterwards sold it to his brother, John Angell, Junior. This farm was located on the west side of the Woonasquatucket river, and included the land near the present railroad crossing, at Centerdale, ex- tending along the west side of the river nearly to the Smithfield line as now laid out. This farm contained about 200 acres, and covered the present site of the village of Graniteville as well as a portion of Centerdale.
By deed dated July 26th, 1728, John Angell, Jr., con-
8
ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
veyed a part of this farm to his son Stephen, who became, by the death of his father in 1744, the owner of the whole farm, where he lived and raised a large family, nine boys and two girls. One of these boys, John Angell, was among the first to enlist in the Revolutionary War, having promptly joined General Warren, at Bunker Hill, where he assisted in throwing up the embankments at that place and took part in the battle which followed. He served in the Continental Army throughout the war, and received the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Stephen Angell died in 1772 and willed the place to his son William, who afterwards disposed of it to his brother Daniel. After Daniel came into possession of the farm he, in 1774, erected the house, now standing in Granite- ville, and generally known to local people as the Olney W. Angell place.
When Daniel Angell died, May 9th, 1810, he gave the farm to his son Olney; and upon the death of Olney Angell, in 1856, he dying intestate, his son Olney W. Angell purchased it: the farm, in the meantime, having been divided into a number of small farms and home sites, leaving less than one-half of the original farm to be disposed of in this manner.
Upon the death of Olney W. Angell, February 5th, 1879, he, too, dying intestate, it passed to his children, who still. 1909, hold it in common with each other. And thus we have a complete line of ownership of a large tract, from the original grant from the Indians to Roger Williams, down to the present day.
One of the objects in tracing this tract of land, which is largely in the village of Graniteville, is that the southerly or lower end of the farm is a portion of the territory of
10)
Land of Richard l'av
and of John Smith
Land of Epepetus Olney
Land of John Whipple
1
-
.
Smith Street
Woonasquatucket Joe
Woonasquatucket River
Land of Thomas Angell
MAP OF THE ORIGINAL CLAIMS OR FARMS
ANNALS OF CENTER DALE.
11
LAND OWNERS OF CENTERDALE.
Centerdale, and upon this part was erected the Colonial Powder-Mill, an account of which will be given in another chapter; and upon this farm was also erected the second house built in the village of Centerdale.
The original proprietors of the land on the east side of the river where the village of Centerdale is located were John Smith, Epenetus Olney, and Richard Pray. To establish the exact boundary of the several allotments would be impossible, but by patient research a map of the original farms has been prepared for this work; and reference thereto will serve to give a general idea of their location. No claim is made, for this map, of absolute accuracy in regard to scale; but the street lines are correct, and the boundary lines of the farm are as near correct as they can be made, after the lapse of about 250 years, with the very indefinite land records of the first 100 years as a guide. And to one unacquainted with old land- marks and local history, the reproduction of a map of the claims of the original owners would be a difficult, if not impossible, task.
In taking up a farm from the original rights, or the commonings as they were called in the early days of the colony, the idea is suggested that the settlers were familiar with the old saying, "git a plenty while ye are gitting," for the farms in those days contained 100, 200, and some- times 300, acres, and usually every man owned several farms in different parts of the colony.
The land where the business center of the village of Centerdale is located was taken up from the commonings by John Smith, about 1680; but which of the many John Smiths it was who secured this land is not easy to deter- mine, because John was a favorite name with the Smith
12
ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
family in those early days, as at the present time, the name occurring so often that some designation, or title, was often used to denote the John Smith referred to as John Smith, Senior; John Smith, Junior; John Smith, "Mason;" John Smith, "Miller;" John Smith, "Carpenter;" and, sometimes, plain John Smith.
However, it is certain that John Smith (probably the miller) took up this land, and also that he had a son John Smith; and when John Smith, Senior, died, a portion of his estate lying upon the east side of the Woonasquatucket river was given to his son John Smith, Junior. This farm contained 160 acres, and was bounded as follows: Starting at a point on the Woonasquatucket river a few rods beyond the present junction of Waterman avenue and Smith street, and running in an easterly direction 320 rods, or nearly one mile; thence running in a southerly direction So rods, or one-quarter of a mile: thence running in a westerly direction 320 rods to the river; thence fol- lowing the river in a northerly direction to the first-men- tioned bound. (See map.)
John Smith, while he was still living, gave the farm to two of his sons, Philip and William, who owned it jointly.
After the death of Philip, his wife, Sarah Smith, was appointed administratrix upon his estate, and as Philip Smith owed his father a considerable sum of money, she turned over his half, or share, of the farm to his father to secure him from loss of the money loaned. This share was that part lying upon the Woonasquatucket river, and is where the village of Centerdale is situated.
March 15, 1736, John Smith sold the farm to John Whipple, who probably bought it on speculation, for he soon afterwards, on January 6th, 1737, sold the same to
13
LAND OWNERS OF CENTERDALE.
Nathaniel Day, who came from Attleboro, Massachusetts, and who made it his homestead place until his death. The house is still standing, and is a little distance north of the line of Mineral Spring avenue, nearly opposite the junction of Brown street, and is now the property of Charles A. Brown.
James Angell, son of Stephen, who was great grandson of the original Thomas Angell, mentioned in this chapter, and brother of Col. John Angell of Revolutionary fame, won the hand of Amey, daughter of Nathaniel Day, and they were married February 1, 1760. The enterprising and industrious habits of this young man so greatly pleased his wife's parents that, in 1770, Nathaniel Day deeded one-half of his farm to his son-in-law, and in 1772 he gave him the other half of the farm, together with other lands, including one-eighth of the saw-mill property, standing on Richard Coman's land, stating in the deed of gift that he did so from the great love and confidence he had in James Angell.
Upon the death of Nathaniel Day, James Angell and his wife continued to live upon the homestead, and there eleven children were born to them; the two youngest, James and Nathaniel, being, however, the only ones who remained permanently in this locality and were directly and prominently identified in the future progress of the village.
Upon the death of James Angell, Senior, he gave the homestead farm to his youngest son, Nathaniel, who con- tinued to live upon it until his death, August 14, 1872; or, to be exact, upon such part of it as he had not disposed of during his lifetime. After his death the remainder of the farm was platted and sold for home sites; the plat being known as the Nathaniel Angell plat.
14
ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
Nathaniel's brother, James, not receiving any part of his father's property, like many other enterprising young men, started out to make his own fortune, and learned the carpenter's trade, serving his apprenticeship with his brother Emor, and was considered an expert carpenter. In 1824 he purchased from his brother Nathaniel a por- tion of the homestead place, this purchase being the part which now constitutes the business portion of the village of Centerdale. He continued to own and improve this part of it until his death. in 1870, when he gave it to his youngest son, James Halsey Angell; and at the latter's death, in 1890, it passed to his two sons, George F. and Frank C. Angell, the last-named having still in his pos- session a large part of the estate. Thus we have a com- plete line of ownership of the central part of the village, from the Indians in 1636 to the present time (1909).
The land adjoining the Smith claim on the north (see map) was taken up from the original rights by Richard Pray; but it is impossible to determine the exact date, as he was an extensive land owner and took up land from the commonings in different parts of the colony. the de- scriptions of which, as given in the deeds, are so confusing and indefinite that many of the claims are impossible to locate.
But it is certain that Richard Pray was in the colony and bought land as early as 1652, and his name does not appear upon the record as living in this section later than 1714. It appears that he sold his claim here to Richard Coman, in 1700. This Richard Coman died in 1716: but the name of Richard seems to have been a favorite one with the Coman family, for it was handed down through several generations, and the last member of the family to
15
LAND OWNERS OF CENTERDALE.
own this land was named Richard; the name of Coman, however, finally disappearing from the records of this section about the year 1825.
In the year 1810, when cotton-spinning by water-power was still in its infancy, William Bellows and Jonathan Congdon foresaw the advantages offered by the Woon- asquatucket river, and bought a portion of the land owned by Richard Coman, including the saw-mill and grist-mill privileges, together with the adjoining land owned by Nathaniel Angell, James Angell, and others, with the right to raise the dam. They, however, for want of capital, and knowledge of the business, abandoned the idea of erecting a mill, and March 8, 1812, sold the land to Israel Arnold.
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