USA > Rhode Island > Bristol County > Bristol > Celebration of the two-hundredth anniversary of the settlement of the town of Bristol, Rhode Island : September 24th, A.D. 1880 > Part 1
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BI-CENTENNIAL
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GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01067 1714
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/celebrationoftwo00mill 0
CELEBRATION
OF THE
TWO - HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY
OF THE
SETTLEMENT OF THE TOWN OF BRISTOL,
RHODE ISLAND,
SEPTEMBER 24TH, A. D. 1880.
R ODE
ISL
BRISTO
ND
VIRTUTE
ET INDUSTR
SETTLED,
1680
" A people which takes no pride in the noble achieve- ments of remote ancestors, will never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descend- ants."-MACAULAY.
COMPILED BY
WILLIAM J. MILLER.
PRINTED BY THE PROVIDENCE PRESS COMPANY,
PROVIDENCE, R. I.
PREFACE.
1146760
The compiler of this book was content to let it pass to the reader, without comment A preface was not contemplated. But as the last pages are passing through the press, suddenly, almost without warning, the hand of death has fallen upon Prof. J. LEWIS DIMAN. As to him-his acceptance of the post of "Historian of the Day," and his matchless address-so large a share of credit is due for the great success of our late Bi-Centennial celebration, the writer feels impelled to make note of the sad event. Few who saw and listened to Prof. Diman as he delivered the address on the 24th of September last, will forget that radiant face. His whole soul was engrossed in his theme and the occasion, and the writer knows that the day was to him a most enjoyable one.
It is hard to realize that he is dead-inexpressibly sad to think that his useful life, so full of promise for good to the world, has ended. His death will be felt as a personal bereavement by thousands not of his " kith and kin."
The following notice of his death-a portrayal of his pure life and transcendent merits-was published in the Providence Journal of Friday, February 4th.
BRISTOL, R. I., February 7th, 1881.
PROF. J. LEWIS DIMAN.
" It is not often that such a thrill of surprise and sorrow is experienced in our community as was felt last evening, when the sad tidings passed from mouth to mouth that Prof. Diman was no longer numbered among the living. A few days ago, he walked amongst us, full of life and vigor, cheering us with his pleasant face, enlivening us with his genial talk, edifying us with his stores of rare and useful learning; and now, in the very bloom of life, when there seemed so much left for him to do,-which
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PREFACE.
no one else amongst us could do so well as he,-the hand of death has sud- denly sealed his lips.
" The shock of this bereavement has come upon us so unexpectedly, and with such overwhelming weight, as to entirely unfit us for doing anything Ilke justice to his character. No man living In this clty or State could be counted his superior. On great occasions, when we were called to revive the memories of the past, or to be informed In respect of current events, It was to Prof. Dlman that we Instinctively turned as the man best fitted for the work. Of late years, it has seemed as though no event in the records of Rhode Island could be duly commemorated unless he was will- Ing to tell the story and 'adorn the tale.' He was distinguished abroad as well as at home, not only as a consummate master of history, but also as one of the profoundest philosophical thinkers of the day. His lectures In Boston and Baltimore attracted the attention and respect of the thoughtful and the learned of all classes, and brought honor not only to him, but to the State of which he was so distinguished an ornament. There was hardly any class of subjects which he was not competent to handle. He had read a great deal, and carefully digested all that he read. His resources were always at command ; his thoughts never lacked utterance ; his style was compact, clear as crystal, and adorned with chaste and appo- site Illustration. He used no superfluous words, and yet never failed to make llmself Intelligible, no matter how recondite the subject that he treated. The college students to whom he lectured, the private classes which he met from week to week, the smaller band of personal and inti- mate friends who crossed weapons with him in the social circle, will all remember his words and cherish his memory when the flowers of many a summer have bloomed and withered over his grave.
" Ils character was known and read of all men. He was transparent as the day, and no deceit or guile was found in him. He was constitutionally incapable of a mean or dishonorable or selfish act. He never appeared to be in the slightest degree conscious of his own mental greatness, and never showed the faintest Indication of personal vanity-not even by self- depreciation. He could not help knowing of what he was capable, but he did not look down upon others because they were his inferlors. He was willing to learn anything which the humblest man was competent to teach hlm.
" Holding, as he did, very positive opinions of his own, and always ready to give his reasons for the bellef that he had adopted, he was sin- gularly tolerant of those who differed from hlm. He had a very broad as well as a very accurate mental vision ; and If he ever seemed to be incon- sistent In his views, It was because he took In a larger sweep of the hori- zon than most men. He was a very generons-minded as well as generous- hearted man, and looked under the surface, to find the gralus of truth that might lle concealed beneath forms and formulas which he rejected. Honest error he could ablde, whlle he despised mere sham and pretense. His sunny face was an Index of the bright and genial soul that he carried in
vii
PREFACE.
his bosom. He was, in the best sense of the words, good company. It was a pleasant thing to meet him on the sidewalk, as we did only the other day, and have him propose a long stroll, which, under the spell of his presence, was sure to seem very short. He was a sympathetic companion, and entered heartily into the views and experiences of those with whom he mingled.
" There were few important stations in society which he could have failed to occupy with honor. If he had given himself to statesmanship, his power would have been felt throughout the land. If he had confined himself entirely to what is called polite literature, what he wrote, 'tlie world would not willingly have let die.' If he had adhered exclusively to the profession for which he was bred, he would have taken rank with our most accomplished and influential preachers. 'Whatever he touched, he adorned,' and he laid his hand upon a great many rich and rare depart- ments of knowledge.
" Prof. Diman was a true and sincere follower of his Master, Christ, not a very rigid dogmatist, not a hide-bound ecclesiastic, not a man to hurl anathemas at the heads of those who did not in all points think as he did, but he had the loving, gentle, kind and charitable spirit of Him whom he served from his early youth, and in whose arms we believe he now rests in peace. How we shall all miss him ! He leaves a void that will not soon be filled. It is hard to conceive that one, in whom there was so much of life, has now so suddenly ceased to live. 'We cannot make him dead.' And he is not dead. He has only left the earthly tabernacle, in which he dwelt, and passed on to a higher and grander existence. Such men can- not die. He lives here on earth in the work that he has done, and in the noble impressions he has made upon the lives of those who were brought within his influence. But it is very sad to think that we shall see him no more in our daily rounds and hear his words no longer. We feel that not only has a great man fallen in Israel, but that we have lost a friend and a brother. In many a household tears are shed to-day as the tidings come to them that he has passed away. A dark shadow lies across the threshold of the dwelling, which, for many years, was made so bright and cheery by his presence, and the widow and the orphan mourn 'with a grief too deep for tears.'"
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF PROF. DIMAN.
[The following sketch, which we believe had received the approval of our lamented friend, we are permitted to use, through the courtesy of the representatives of the National Biographical Publishing Company, at whose instance it was prepared.]
viii
PREFACE.
PROF. J. LEWIS DIMAN, D. D., second son of Byron and Abby Alden (Wight) Diman, was born in Bristol, May 1, 1831. In his cariy youth he enjoyed superior advantages for mental culture and discipline, which he diligently Improved. He was prepared for college by the Rev. James N. Sykes, a Baptist clergyman settled in the place, and at the age of sixteen he entered Brown University. From this institution of learning he was graduated with honor in 1851, having assigned to him for Commencement the " Classical Oration." Soon afterwards he went abroad, travelling extensively on the continent, and spending several years at the universities of Halle, Heidelberg and Berlin. Returning he entered the Theological Seminary at Andover, Massachusetts, where he was graduated in 1856. In the fall of this year he was settled as pastor of the First Congregational Church in Fall River, and again in 1860, as pastor of the Harvard Church in Brookline Mass. In 1864 he was appointed Professor of History and Political Economy in Brown University, filling a vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Prof William Gammell, LL. D. Here he has distin- gnished himself by his devotion to his work and by his rare scholarship and attaimnents. In 1870 he was honored with the degree of Doctor of Divinity conferred upon him by the Board of Fellows of the University. In 1873 he was elected a corresponding member of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Mr. Diman has often been called upon to deliver ser- mons, addresses and lectures on important occasions, many of which have been published. Among these may be mentioned a sermon, delivered October 16, 1867, in the Chapel of Brown University, at the request of the Faculty, in commemoration of Rev. Robinson Potter Dunn, D. D., for many years Professor of Rhetoric in the University ; " Historical Basis of Belief," one of the Boston Lectures, delivered in 1870; " The Alienation of the Educated Class from Politics," an oration before the Phi Beta Kappa Society, at Cambridge, Mass., delivered June 29, 1876: An Address delivered at Portsmouth, R. I , July 10, 1877, at the Centennial Celebra- tion of the Capture of Gen. Prescott by Lieut. Col. Barton. This was afterwards published with notes, forming No 1 of Rider's Rhode Island Historical Tracts. An address delivered October 16, 1877, upon the occa- sion of the dedication of the monument in commemoration of the life and services of the venerated founder of the State, In Roger Williams Park. An address at the dedication of the Rogers Free Library, at Bristol, deliv- ered January 12, 1878. Twenty lectures on the Thirty Years War, deliv- ered in 1879, before the professors and students of Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md. Twelve lectures before the Lowell Institute, Boston, delivered in the spring of 1880. He delivered the address at the two hundredth anniversary of his native town in the fall of 1880, which address has since been published with the proceedings. Mr. Diman has also furnished leading articles for the Providence Journal, North American Review, and other papers and periodicals. His article entitled, " Religion in America, 1776-1876," published in the January number of the North American Review, attracted universal attention. He edited " Jolm Cot- ton's Answer to Roger Williams," in Vol. 2 of " Publications of the Nar- ragansett Club," and also "George Fox Digg'd out of his Burrowes," constituting Vol. 5 of the same " Publications." He also furnished one of the sketches in the memorial volume entitled " Brown University in the Civil War."
Mr. Diman married May 15, 1861, Emily G. Stimson, of Providence, only surviving daughter of John J. and Abby M. (Clarke) Stimson. Four children are the fruits of this union.
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BI-CENTENNIAL OF BRISTOL.
THE DATE SELECTED.
The Mount Hope lands, so called, which were incorporated into the township of Bristol, covered the southern portion of Mount Hope Neck and the peninsular of Poppasquash, and were first known to the English settlers of New England by the beautiful Indian name of Pokanoket.
The " Great Deed" of conveyance from Plymouth Colony to the four original proprietors, was made on the fourteenth day of September, 1680, "and in the thirty-second year of the Reigne of our Soveraigne Lord King Charles the Second, over England," etc.
The contracting parties were, "Josiah Winslow, Esq., Gov- ernor of his majesty's Collony of New Plymouth, in New England ; Thomas Hinckley, Esq., Deputy Governor, Wil- liam Bradford, Esq., Treasurer, all of the aforesaid Collony, on the one part ; and John Walley, Nathaniel Oliver, Nathan- iel Byfield, and Stephen Burton, all of Boston, in the Collony of the Massachusets in New England aforesaid, Merchants, on the other part." The consideration was "Eleven hun- dred pounds of currant money of New England." And for this sum the parties of the first part " by these presents doe fully, freely, clearly, and absolutely give, grant, bargaine, sell, aliene, enfeoffe and confirm unto the said John Walley, Nathaniel Oliver, Nathaniel Byfield and Stephen Burton, and to their heyres & assignes forever, all that tract or parcell of
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BI-CENTENNIAL OF BRISTOL.
Land, situate, lying and being within the aforesaid Collony of New Plymouth, commonly called and known by the name of Mount Hope Neck & Poppasquash Neck, with all the Islands lying neare or about the said Neckes, not exceeding five acres, and not already legally disposed of."
The date of the " Great Deed" (September 14, 1680, ) was accepted as the beginning of the settlement of the town, and its two hundredth anniversary, September 24, 1880, (changed from the old to the new style of reckoning time), was desig- nated as " the day we celebrate."
In the Town Clerk's office, in Bristol, is an old folio book, bound in leather, and showing marks of age, wherein is recorded a copy of the "Great Deed," from which the fore- going extracts are taken. The book also contains other deeds and conveyances, covering common, ministerial, and school lands, and the streets of the town, together with arti- cles of agreement, and contracts between the first settlers, which are of deep interest. In it also may be found a record of the proceedings in town meeting from the first settlement to the close of the year 1718. At the end of the proceed- ings of the last recorded town meeting, is the following :
" Thus endeth the First Book of Records,* of the town of Bristol ; Faithfully transcribed by Richard Smith, who was chosen and duly authorized for that purpose by the Freeman of said Town.
"Bristol, April 27th, A. D. 1826."
Mr. Smith adds this on the following page of the Book :-
"MEMORANDUM.
" Richard Smith, the First Recording Town Clerk for the Town of Bristol, was born in the city of London, in the year 1643. In the year 1673, came over to New England with his
* These Records were copied from a small book that is still in existence in the Town Clerk's office, and is doubtless the first record book of the town. It is very much worn, and fragments are missing from many pages.
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BI-CENTENNIAL OF BRISTOL.
little Family, and settled in Boston, and from thence with his Family to Bristol, Nov. 9th, 1680, where he erected a dwell- ing House at the South West corner of the eight acre square bounding West on Hope street, and South on Constitution street, in which he resided until his Death, which was in the year 1696.
"Samuel, Son of Richard, was Born June 24th, 1683. Died November 18th, 1766.
" Richard, Son of Samuel, was Born May 25th, 1720. Died February 6th, 1813.
" Richard, Son of Richard, 2d, was Born April 16th, 1753.
" Samuel, Son of Richard, 3d, was Born Oct. 8th, 1787. Died June 23d, 1801.
" All the above named, excepting the ancestor (Richard Smith), was born in Bristol, within the space of five Rods square, and all of them died in the same space, excepting Richard the 3d (the transcriber of this Record Book), who is still living, this 16th Day of April, 1827, and has left a blank, to be hereafter filled up by some Friend."
Then follows this :
" Richard Smith the 3d, the transcriber of this Book, died October 17th, A. D. 1832, in the 80th year of his age. And the 'Friend' who has filled up this 'Blank ' is William Throop, who, perhaps, will never perform a similar office for a more worthy Citizen.
" October 17, 1832."
Col. William Throop was appointed Town Clerk in 1832, and gave many years of faithful service in that office. In 1847 the present careful and efficient Town Clerk, Peter Gladding, Esq., succeeded him, and has served continuously in that capacity to the present time. Mr. Gladding could very appropriately add a similar endorsement to the worth of his immediate predecessor, the late William Throop.
BI-CENTENNIAL OF BRISTOL.
INITIAL MOVEMENT FOR A CELEBRATION.
The first movement for a due observance of the two hun- dredth anniversary of the settlement of the Town, was a pre- liminary meeting held at the office of S. P. Colt, Esq., on the evening of March 15th, 1879.
Quite a number of citizens were present, and after organ- izing and exchanging views on the subject, a committee was appointed to confer with the Town Council, at their meeting on Monday, March 17th, and request them to call a meeting to consider the subject of a celebration of the day.
William J. Miller, Samuel P. Colt, Chas. A. Greene, Isaac F. Williams, Bennett J. Munro and Le Baron B. Colt, constituted the committee.
The action of the Council, as appears of record, was as follows :
" TOWN COUNCIL, Monday, March 17th, A. D. 1879.
"Upon the representation of William J. Miller, and others, asking that the Council call a meeting of citizens, to take steps to lay before the town a method of celebrating the two hundredth anniversary of the settlement of the town : - The Council voted to call such a meeting at the Town Hall, on Tuesday, March 25th, at 8 o'clock in the evening, and that said meeting be advertised in the Bristol Phenix.
" A report of the meeting in Town Hall is copied from the Bristol Phenix of March 29th, as follows :
"Last Tuesday evening a 'Citizens' Meeting' was held in Town Hall, in pursuance of a notice given by the Town Council, in the Phenix of last Saturday, 'for the purpose of taking into consideration the appropriate celebration of the coming 200th anniversary of the settlement of the town.' The meeting was called to order by Wm. H. Spooner, Esq., President of the Town Council, at 8 o'clock. Le Baron B. Colt, Esq., was elected Chairman, and Wm. T. C. Wardwell, Esq., Secretary.
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BI-CENTENNIAL OF BRISTOL.
" William J. Miller, Esq., after explaining the object of the meeting, and expressing himself as being very much inter- ested in the matter, suggested that a committee be appointed to draft resolutions to be presented to the citizens at their next annual town meeting, held for choice of town officers and other business of the town.
" On motion of Mr. Edward S. Babbitt, it was unanimously voted as the sense of the meeting, that the 200th anniversary of the settlement of the town, which will occur in the autumn of next year (1880), be celebrated in an appropriate manner.
" It was also voted that a committee of seven be appointed to draw up a series of resolutions relative to the proposed celebration, and lay the whole matter before the town meet- ing, which will be held on Saturday, April 12th, requesting the town, in its corporate capacity, to take action thereon. The committee chosen consisted of Messrs. W. T. C. Ward- well, Le Baron B. Colt, Wm. J. Miller, Edward W. Brun- sen, James M. Gifford, J. Russell Bullock, and Augustus O. Bourn.
"Brief and appropriate remarks were made by Messrs. Wm. J. Miller, Charles H. Spooner, Le Baron B. Colt, Edward S. Babbitt, Isaac F. Williams, W. T. C. Wardwell, Samuel P. Colt, Wm. H. Spooner, John H. D'Wolf, Augus- tus O. Bourn, and Rev. James P. Lane.
" There was a large attendance at the meeting, a consid- erable interest manifested in the proposed celebration, and the proceedings throughout were quite spirited and very harmonious."
" IN TOWN MEETING, April 12th, 1879.
"The following resolutions on the celebration of the two hundredth anniversary of the settlement of the town of Bristol, were presented by Le Baron B. Colt, Esq., which, after some pertinent remarks by him, were unanimously adopted : -
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BI-CENTENNIAL OF BRISTOL.
"WHEREAS, the year 1880 will mark the two hundredth anniversary of the settlement of the town, and,
" WHEREAS, the great deed of sale of the tract of land then commonly called and known by the name of Mount Hope Neck and Poppasquash Neck, from Plymouth Colony to John Walley, Nathaniel Oliver, Nathaniel Byfield and Stephen Burton, the four original proprietors of the town of Bristol, bears date September 14, 1680, O. S., corresponding to September 25, N. S., and
" WHEREAS, at a public meeting called by the Town Coun- cil, of the citizens of Bristol, in the Town Hall, on the 25th day of March last, it was unanimously resolved, that the town should celebrate, in an appropriate way, the approach- ing two hundredth anniversary of its foundation, and in furtherance of this object, the said meeting appointed a com- mittee of seven, to draft resolutions and present the subject to the next annual town meeting for such action as it might deem proper to take, now, therefore,
" Resolved, That we, the citizens of Bristol, in Town Meet- ing assembled, mindful of the goodly heritage received from the fathers, and desirous of keeping in grateful remembrance the wise forecast and sterling qualities of the men who founded here a town, and laid it out in all its fair propor- tions, do hereby set apart the 25th day of September, A. D. 1880, to celebrate the bi-centennial of its settlement, and do hereby constitute and appoint an executive committee of forty-five, to take the whole matter into consideration ; the committee to have full power to take such preliminary steps as may be found necessary and expedient, and to report such action as they have taken and such plans as they have agreed upon to the next annual Town Meeting.
"Resolved, That we cordially invite the co-operation of all the citizens of the town in this undertaking, that we may have a celebration worthy of the descendants of the men who founded it, and of its whole past history."
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BI-CENTENNIAL OF BRISTOL.
The committee of forty-five was duly elected as follows :
William H. Spooner,
Lemuel A. Bishop,
William T. C. Wardwell,
Samuel M. Lindsey, Lemuel W. Briggs,
Henry Goff,
Isaac F. Williams,
Samuel S. Drury,
Charles A. Greene.
John B. Pearce,
Edward W. Brunsen,
Le Baron B. Colt,
Messadore T. Bennett,
Benjamin L. West,
Josephus Gooding,
Bennett J. Munro,
Nehemiah Cole,
Otis Munro,
Jonathan D. Waldron,
Samuel W. Church,
William Bradford,
Solon H. Smith,
J. Howard Manchester,
Herbert M. Howe, Samuel Norris, Samuel P. Colt,
A. Sidney D'Wolf, Charles D'W. Brownell, James M. Gifford,
William J. Miller,
Seth Paull,
Charles H. R. Doringh, Robert S. Andrews,
ยท Edward S. Babbitt, James Lawless, William R. Taylor.
The first meeting of the " Bi-Centennial Committee of forty-five," was held at Town Hall, on Saturday evening, June 28th, 1879, and steps were taken for a permanent or- ganization. Frequent meetings were held during the year, and several entertainments were given in Town Hall in aid of the bi-centennial fund.
At the annual town meeting held April 10th, A. D. 1880, the report of the committee upon the bi-centennial celebra- tion was presented, read, and ordered to be recorded, as fol- lows :
Benjamin R. Wilson, Ambrose E. Burnside, J. Russell Bullock, Thomas F. Usher, John Collins, Charles F. Herreshoff,
Joseph B. Burgess, Augustus O. Bourn,
Horace M. Barns,
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BI-CENTENNIAL OF BRISTOL.
"The committee upon the bi-centennial celebration, ap- pointed at the last annual town meeting, in compliance with the resolution empowering them to take such preliminary steps as may be found necessary and expedient, and to report such action as they may have taken, and such plans as they may have agreed upon, to the next annual town meeting, beg leave to report :
"That soon after their appointment the committee met and organized by the selection of the following officers and sub-committees :
" President-Le Baron B. Colt.
"Vice Presidents-Samuel W. Church, Jonathan D. Waldron, William R. Taylor, James Lawless, James M. Gifford.
" Treasurer-Henry Goff.
"Secretary-William H. Spooner.
"Executive Committee-Chairman, William J. Miller ; Secretary, Edward S. Babbitt; members, Messadore T. Bennett, Edward W. Brunsen, Samuel P. Colt, John Col- lins, Charles A. Greene, Wm. H. Spooner, Solon H. Smith, William T. C. Wardwell, Isaac F. Williams.
"Committee on Correspondence-Chairman, Bennett J. Munro ; members, Charles D'W. Brownell, J. Russell Bul- lock, Edward W. Brunsen, Edward S. Babbitt.
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