USA > Rhode Island > Newport County > Newport > Annals of Trinity church, Newport, Rhode Island, 1698-1821 > Part 1
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ANNALS-
OF >TRINITY CHURCH<
>NEWPORT, R. I .<
*GEORGE *CHAMPLIN *MASON
1800
Glass
BX 5930
Book NG778 1698-1821
REV. JAMES HONYMAN.
ANNALS
OF
TRINITY CHURCH,
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.
1698-1821.
BY
GGEORGECC HAMPLINMM ASON.
SEND
GRACE
1769 .I.
GEORGE C. MASON, NEWPORT, R. I. 1890.
BX 5980 . N67TZ 1698-1821
In Exchange Brown University MAY 10 1932
THE EVANS PRINTING HOUSE, Fourth and Library Streets, PHILADELPHIA.
At a meeting of the Vestry of Trinity Church, held August 28th, 1888, the following action was taken :
"The Vestry, having learned that the Senior Warden, Mr. George C. Mason, has written the Annals of Trinity Church, covering the most interesting periods in its history : Voted : that a committee be appointed to extend to Mr. Mason an invitation to publish in book form the mate- rial he has collected with so much assiduity, and to take such steps as they may deem expedient, to raise by subscription the means necessary to carry out the wishes of the Vestry, as here expressed ; that body having no power to appropriate money for this purpose."
Voted : That the Rector and V. Mott Francis, M.D., be that com- mittee. Died 1 7. 1907
GEO. C. MASON, EsQ.
Dear Sir: Having received by subscription the amount which you deemed necessary for the publication of the Annals of Trinity Church, we desire to carry out the wish of the Vestry of the Church, as expressed at their meeting, held on the 28th of August, 1888, and ask you to pro- ceed to the work of publication.
Very sincerely yours, G. J. MAGILL, V. MOTT FRANCIS,
Committee.
Newport, Dec. 12th, 1889.
PREFACE.
THIS volume, prepared as time and opportunity offered, is a transcript of the records of Trinity Church, Newport, Rhode Island, from its in- fancy at the close of the Seventeenth Century, down to Easter Monday, 1821, and covers the most interesting periods in its history. With the text, which is given with fidelity, there are copious explanatory notes and short sketches of the men who, in their day and generation, were in some way connected with the Church.
In the earliest book of records there are gaps, the result of inexper- ience on the part of those who kept them, and which now cannot be filled. A more serious loss was that of a volume, covering the years just preceding the Revolution and the time the British troops were on the island. When the war broke out the minister was the Reverend George Bisset-a good and faithful pastor, who had evidently entered upon his duties as his life-work. In common with other clergymen of the Church of England in America, at that date, he held that allegiance was due to the king, and remained on the island when the enemy took possession, preaching to the troops as he had preached to his own people. When the British left he went with them. It is probable that not knowing with whom to leave the record book he took it with him for safe keeping, and in this way it was lost. The other records have been preserved. While they are of great value, particularly to those who have occasion to search for confirmation of marriages, baptisms and deaths, there does not appear to be anything in them to warrant the printing of minutes of a later date than are here given.
The edition is limited to three hundred and fifty copies.
ANNALS OF TRINITY CHURCH.
CHAPTER I.
1698-1719. 1
D OWN to the closing years of the seventeenth century no footing had been obtained in America by the Church of England, nor had any attempt been made in New England to gain one, till May 30, 1686,1 when the liturgy was read in public for the first time in Boston. Ten more years elapsed before there was much promise of a church there.
Rhode Island was even more backward. The founders of the State, and the first settlers of the island of Rhode Island, were Baptists, who were divided among them- selves; and when Quakerism was introduced it met with great success. Here was the field the Quaker had looked for, but which, till then, he had not found ; here there was no persecution, no whip- ping at the cart-tail, or other methods to extort obedience to spiritual rulers. The heads of the people, the Coddingtons, Cranstons and
1 The Rev. Robert Radcliffe came over in the ship that brought a com- mission for Joseph Dudley as Governor of Massachusetts, and landed in Boston May 15, 1686. He made application for a place in which to hold religious service, and was allowed the use of the library room in the Town House. There he held the first service, and on the 15th of the following month a church was organized.
2
IO
ANNALS OF TRINITY CHURCH,
Wantons were Quakers when the first missionary of the Church of England was sent here, and the statutes had been so framed as to give freedom to all in matters of conscience. The consequence was, that in 1700 one-half of the inhabitants were Quakers, who owned nearly one-third of the meeting-houses.
But the church had a zealous advocate in Sir Francis Nicholson, who found a field white unto harvest when he came to America, on a mission quite apart from it. He was Lt .- Governor of New York, under Sir Edmund Andros, successively Governor of Virginia and Maryland, and, later, the active agent of the Crown in the effort to wrest Canada from the French. But with all his public duties, he had time and means to give to the church, and his influence was exerted in her behalf. He had occasion to come to Newport, and it is the received opinion that he secured the services of the Rev. Mr. Lockyer, who began to preach here about 1694, and soon drew around him a little flock. For four years the work had gone on under Mr. Lockyer, of whom it is to be regretted that we know so little, and the desire to have a church edifice and a settled minister had steadily increased.
May 26, 1699, Richard, Earl of Bellomont, arrived at Boston, as Governor of Massachusetts. He soon took up his residence in New York. A few weeks after his arrival he came to Newport, and although he was received with the respect due to his rank, and every hospitality was extended to him (for which he returned thanks in a letter to Governor Cranston), he, evidently, had but very little respect for a people who entertained so many conflicting views on the sub- ject of religion. But those who were hungering for spiritual food, knowing he was a good churchman, did not hesitate to address to him the following petition, September 26, 1699 :
"To his Excellency, Richard, Earl of Bellomont, Captain-General and Governor-in-Chief in and over the province of the Massachu-
II
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.
setts Bay, New York, New Hampshire and the territories thereon depending in America, and Vice-Admiral of the same :
The humble Petition of the people of the Church of England now residing in Rhode Island :
Sheweth,
That your Petitioners and other inhabitants within the Island, having agreed and concluded to erect a church for the worship of God according to the discipline of the Church of England, and tho' we are disposed and ready to give all the encouragement we possibly can to a pious and learned Minister, to settle and abide amongst us, yet by reason we are not in a capacity to contribute to such an Honble maintenance as may be requisite and expedient :
Your Petitioners, therefore, humbly pray your Lordship will be pleased so far to favor our undertakings as to intercede with his Majesty for his gracious letters to this Government, on our behalf, to protect and encourage us, and that assistance towards the present maintenance of a Minister among us may be granted, as your Ex- cellency in your great wisdom shall think most meet, and that your Excellency will also be pleased to write in our behalf and favor, to the Lords of the Council of Trade and Plantations, or to such Ministers of State as your Excellency shall judge convenient in and about the premises.
And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, &c.
GABRIEL BERNON,2 WM. BRINLEY,
PIERE AYROULT,3
ISAAC MARTINDALE,4
THOMAS FOX, ROBERT GARDNER,5
GEORGE CUTTER, THOMAS PAINE,
WM. PEASE, THOS. MALLETT,5a
EDWIN CARTER, ROBT. WRIGHTINGHAM,
FRA. POPE, ANTH'Y BLOUNT.
RICHARD NEWLAND, THOS. LITTLEBRIDGE.
2
was born at Rochelle, France, April 6,
Gabriel Bernon. 1644, which place he left just before the revocation of the edict of Nantes, and fled to England, where he resided some time-was there as late as 1687-and came to America the following year. After a residence of about ten
I 2
ANNALS OF TRINITY CHURCH,
The petition was forwarded to the Board of Trade by Lord Bellomont, October 24, 1699, and was read on the 5th of the follow- ing January. In his letter to the Board, endorsing the petition,
years in Boston, where he landed, he removed to Newport, and was here active in founding the church ; his name appearing first in the above list of petitioners. He was twice married. His first wife, Esther LeRoy, died in Newport, June 14, 1710, aged 56 years. From Newport Mr. Bernon removed to Providence, where he was equally active in founding a church. His next remove was to South Kingston, where he resided for a time. He died in Providence, February 1, 1736, where he was then making his home, in his ninety-third year, and was buried under St. John's Church. He was a good man-one whose whole life was given to the extension of Christ's Church on earth. Arnold, in his history, says : " He was buried with unusual marks of respect." Gabriel Bernon's second wife was Mary Harris, granddaughter of William Harris, the friend of Roger Williams. She died February 1, 1735-6, aged 92 years. 3
Pierre Ayrault was also a Huguenot, a native of Angers, France. He was a physician, one of the settlers of French Town, East Greenwich, and was recognized as a man of influence. He died about June 4, 17II. 4 Major Martindale had command of the Island Regiment in 1702.
He was true to the Colony, as appears by his reply to Governor Dudley, who, claiming that Rhode Island was included in his Vice-Admiralty jurisdiction, demanded that the troops of the Colony should be placed under his command ; but was told by the Major that he should not call out his men without an order from the General Assembly or the Governor -an answer so foreign to the one that was expected that Dudley im- mediately left the Island.
5
1
Ros gardner
was Naval Officer and Collector of the Port of Newport. His grave- stone in the churchyard bears this inscription :
" Here lieth interred the body of Mr. Robert Gardner, Esq., who was one of the first promoters of the Church in this place; he survived all his brethren, and had the happiness to see this church completely finished. He was Naval Officer and Col- lector of this Port for many years, also employed in the affairs of this Colony, and discharged his trust to satisfaction. He died ye Ist of May, 1731, the day of his birth, aged 69 years."
I3
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.
Lord Bellomont says: "I send your Lordships the petition of several persons in Rhode Island for a Church of England Minister, and a yearly maintenance for him. I hope your Lordships will please to patronize so good a design, and will obtain his Majesty's allowance of a competent maintenance for such a minister. It will be the means I hope to reform the lives of the people in that Island, and make good Christians of 'em, who are at present all in dark- ness." 6
That the application was favorably received and acted upon, is shown by the following reply to some other communication sent to the Society at about the same time :
Rhode Island, 29th Sept., 1702.
Honored Sirs :
We cannot forbear expressing our great joy in being under the patronage of so Honorable a Corporation through whose pious endeavours with God's assistance, the Church of England hath so fair a prospect of flourishing in these more remote parts of the world, and amongst the rest of her small branches, ours also in Rhode Island. We therefore, Honored Sirs, beg leave to tell you that we look upon ourselves as under your pious care, and accordingly pre- sume to trouble you with small account of our affairs. Our Church is but young : it not being four years yet compleat since we began to assemble ourselves together on that occasion ; upon which account
5a Near the centre of the graveyard there is a stone, the oldest in the grounds, bearing this inscription, under a skull and cross-bones :
" Here lyeth interred the body of Thomas Mallett. He came from Great Marlow, in ye County of Buckingham, Old England, and departed this life in the year of our Lord 1704, on ye 16 day of January, and in ye 56 yeare of his age.
" He was a father to the fatherless."
In his will, dated December 8, 1703-4, Mallett gave to the church forty shillings, and twenty shillings to the minister, to preach a funeral sermon. 6 " Arnold's History of Rhode Island."
I4
ANNALS OF TRINITY CHURCH,
the number of such men as can be relied upon to defray the charges of it, is but small at present ; altho' there is a good many that con- stantly attend our worship regularly. The place wherein we meet to worship is finished on the outside, all but the steeple, which we will get up as soon as we are able; the inside is pew'd well altho' not beautified; we have also got an altar, where we have had the communion administered twice to our great joy and satisfaction, chusing rather to partake of that Holy Sacrament without those necessary conveniences that the tables in England are furnished with, (well knowing that they add not to the worthiness of the guests) rather than be without it, not but we are sensible they add much to the decency and order of it. The place wherein we live is one of the Chief Nurseries of Quakerism in all America, but now we have some reason to hope that the Reverend Mr. Keith,7 by God's assist-
7 Reverend George Keith, who travelled through parts of the country between 1702 and 1705, had been himself a Quaker, but was now in Holy Orders. He had arrived in Boston in June, 1702. Of a visit to Newport he makes record August 2d of that year :
" I preached again at the Queen's Chapel, and next day set out from Boston, accompanied with the Reverend Samuel Myles, one of the Minis- ters of the Church of England congregation there, and we arrived in New- port, in Rhode Island, the next day, where we were kindly received. Mr. Lockyer, the Church of England Minister there, and divers others of the Church, came from Newport and met us at the ferry, and conducted us to the Town and place of lodging. Mr. Talbot stayed at Boston, to officiate in the Church there for Mr. Myles, until his return.
" August 6, I went to the Quaker Meeting at Newport, on Rhode Island, accompanied with Mr. Myles, Mr. Lockyer, and many other persons belong- ing to the church there.
" After one of their Preachers had spoken a long time and came to an end, having perverted many Texts of Scripture . . . . I began to speak, standing up in a Gallery, opposite a Gallery where their Teachers were placed, who were many. . . But I was instantly interrupted by them very rudely, and they were very abusive to me with their ill Language, calling me Apostate, &c., and they threatened me with being guilty of the breach of the Act of Toleration, by which they said their Meeting was authorized.
15
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.
ing his skill on that disease hath pretty well curbed (if not quite stopped) so dangerous a gangrene. Their behaviour to us outwardly is almost as civil as is consistent with their religion. Although slily and underhand, we are sensible they would pinch us in the bud. But thanks be to God who hath putt it past their power; in that he hath not only raised up a queene that is truly a nursery mother, but hath blessed us also with the protection of so honorable a Corporation ; two such encouragements as (by the assistance of God's grace) are able not only to invigorate our endeavours towards the promotion of God's true Religion and Worship, but flushed us likewise with the hope of our Success. Thus, Honor'd Sirs, we have
" Mr. Myles said I ought to be heard, I being a Missionary unto these American parts, by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, and sent on purpose to endeavor to reduce the Quakers from their Errors ; the whole Society hath a Patent from the Crown of England, and not to hear me, nor suffer me to speak, was a Contempt of Supreme Authority.
" Mr. Keith then appealed to Governor Cranston, who was present, but who avoided the difficulty.
" The Governor at this went away, and Civily said to me he thought I had done better to have stayed till they were done. I told him then they would be gone, as they had served me at Lynn, at Hampton and at Dover." [Then] "one of the Speakers who was the Deputy-Governor took out of his Pocket a Printed abusive Paper, full of lies, having no name to it, and began to read it in the Meeting on purpose to drown my Voice, that I might not be heard. The title of it was One Wonder more ; or, George Keith, the Eighth Wonder of the World. ... Mr. Myles said it was an Infamous Libel, without a name to it, and it was a shame for such a man as he, being Lieutenant Governor, on purpose vilely to defame him. After he had done another Quaker Preacher, who had been formerly their Governor, began to preach.
" At last the first speaker made a long Rambling Prayer, full of Tau- tologies and vain Repetitions and presumptuous Boastings, as their manner is." .... [Then] "all the Preachers went away and many of the Quaker Hearers, but many of them also stayed. . .. I had now full liberty without any interruption to speak, perceiving the Auditory gener- ally desirous to hear me."-Annals of King's Chapel.
I6
ANNALS OF TRINITY CHURCH,
laid before you the circumstances of our Church, delivering them into your hands to do for us what you think best, only begging Leave to assure your Honors that whatsoever favors you are pleased to bestow upon us towards the Promotion of our Church, shall be accepted with the humblest Gratitude and seconded with the utmost of our abilities, and so we remain Honor'd Sirs.
Your most Obedient Servants to command,
JOHN LOCKYER.
WM BRINLEY
Wardens.
ROB'T GARDNER
The outgrowth of this letter was the sending of the Reverend James Honyman to Rhode Island, as a missionary, in 1704, by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts.
In " An Historical Account of the Incorporated Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts," mention is thus made of the sending of Mr. Honyman to Rhode Island :
" The Church Wardens of Rhode Island wrote to the Bishop of London, and to the Society, in the year 1702, declaring their early zeal, that tho' they had not assembled themselves to worship God after the manner of the Church of England above four years, they had built a handsome church. The Society resolved to send a mis- sionary hither, both on account of their being the first, and also a numerous people, settled on a flourishing island. The Reverend Mr. Honyman was appointed in 1704. He discharged the duties of his mission with great dilligence, 'tho' the Island was full of persons of many persuasions, especially Quakers, the Governor himself being such ; yet by his prudent behavior he gave offence to none and gained many to the Church. He continued there till the year 1708, and then came to England upon his own private affairs, but returned soon to his cure again. There were three little towns on the continent, Freetown, Tiverton, and Little Compton, which had requested a Missionary of the Society. Mr. Honyman was directed to visit them by turns on week days till they could be supplied with
17
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.
a minister. Mr. Honyman frequently crossed over to them, and preached to them in a meeting house which he obtained the use of and which was commodiously situated in the centre of the three towns. He said that the people at first, tho' very ignorant and rude in religious matters, were yet very grave and attentive at Divine Worship. He performed this laborious duty for several years."
The next entry in order on the records is " A List of Persons 'Baptised by Mr. Honyman before he went to England last." [1708.]
Grown Persons .- Robert Lawton, Benj. Shearman, Gorsham Wooddell, John Brown,8 Robt. Hicks, Sam'l Albro, Sam'l Davis, James Little, Wm. Barker, Jeremiah Wilcocks, Isabel Albro, Pene- lope Cuttler, Elizth Brown, Mary Shearman, Elizth Lawton, Ruth Wooddel, Penelope Stanton, Mary Carr,9 Sarah Pope, Bethia Beer, Bethsheba Banks, Susannah Wooddel, Katharine Thurbor, Sarah Bull, Hannah Bowdish, Mary Goulden, Deborah Hicks, Mary Hicks and Elizabeth Head."
To the above there is added a list of thirty-five children baptized within the time named.
Mr. Honyman had apparently no difficulty in preserving harmony in the church while in the immediate charge of the parish; but during his absence in England there was evidently some discord that was only removed on his return, as appears by the following entry :
" A Vestry Held at Trinity Church In Newport on Rhode Island, June ye 20th 1709, The following Resolutions were Agreed to.
8 John Brown was Captain John Brown, who settled in Newport in 1661, and died here October 20, 1731. He married Elizabeth Cranston, daughter of Governor Samuel Cranston. She was born in 1661 and died June 3, 1756. After the death of Captain Brown she became the second wife of Rev. James Honyman.
9 Mary Carr married Wm. Gardner, and was the mother of Caleb Gardner.
I8
ANNALS OF TRINITY CHURCH,
"That to Prevent Any Contrivance that may tend to ye Defeating or Disapointing Any of ye Councils or Designs of this Vestry that Nothing Concluded in it Be Discovered by Private Whispers or open Cabals but that all business Relating to the Church be trans- acted with a becoming Secrasie. That as far as Possible both ye Names and Nature of Factions and Parties Be Banished and for- gotten.
"That no Member of this Vestry as such shall for ye Future Espouse Any Private Quarrell.
" That all Persons belonging to this Vestry being Summoned by y® Minister to Convene and Absenting themselves shall be Punished in A fine for ye use of the Poore to be Inflicted at ye Discretion of ye Vestry unless Reasonable Cause of such Absenting be Assigned of which ye said Vestry is to be ye Judg.
" That all Letters sent by ye Vestry or Received by them upon ye Account of ye Church be Preserved in A Common Register.
" That ye Queen's Most Excellent Majy be Addressed in favor of ye Expedition to Canada. That ye Lord Bishop of London be most Humbly thanked for His Great Care of our Bell, that a Proper Person be Employed About seting up ye Bell.
"That ye Money Left by Collet Nicholson in ye Gover's Hands be forthwith Received by ye Church Wardens for ye use of ye Church at ye Appointment of ye Vestry.
"That ye Money in ye Hands of ye Revª Mr Miles of Boston Given by Collet Nicholson for ye use of this Church be forthwith demanded by ye Church Wardens And Receipts ordered by them upon Payment which money is Also to be Immediately Laid out for ye use of ye Church at ye Appointment of ye Vestry.
" That there be immediate Care taken of ye Glass for ye Church Windows now in ye hands of ye Glasier be put in Without Delay.
"That ye Books10 belonging to ye Library of ye Church which have been Lent out be all called in & Public notice of this be given to those who have them By Placards Affixed to the Church
10 Many of the books that made a part of the library at that day are in a fair state of preservation, and all that are left of the collection are stamped on the cover in gold letters, " Belonging to ye Library in Rhode Island."
19
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.
Dores & when they are come in a Survey be made of ye said Library.
"That untill a Vestry Room is fitted up Wherein to keep ye Vestry Books & utencils of ye Church they be Committed to ye care of y® Church Wardens."
JAMES HONYMAN NICHOS LANGE Church THOS. LILLIBRIDGE Wardens. WILLIAM GIBBS.
Whatever this disaffection may have been, some account of it must have gone to England, for on the same day the Minister and Wardens addressed the following letter to the Bishop of London :
Newpt on Rhoad Island
June ye 20th, 1709.
May it Please your Lordship.
We Being Extremely Sencible of ye unhappie Consequence of those Devisions which have like to have Prove so fatall to our Infant Church Have Agreed that Nothing Relating to this Church shall be transacted nor Representations made but by ye Joynt Consent of ye Minister Churchwardens and Vestry of this Church And of this Agreement we most Humbly beg your Lordship to take Notice to Prevent all future Differences & Private Applications.
" We have by Your Lordship's Good Care our Bell safely Brought to our Hands for which we Return our most sensible Acknowledge- ment, And which will Not Only be A Most Beautiful Ornament to our Church But A Lasting Monument of Your Lordship's Pious & Parental Care of your Hopefull Nurseries Abroad. We most Humbly Beg ye Continuance of your Lordship's Countenance & Pious Encouragement unto
May it Please Your Lordship Your Lordships Most Obedient And obliged Servants
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