USA > Rhode Island > Kent County > East Greenwich > History of the town of East Greenwich and adjacent territory, from 1677 to 1877 > Part 1
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Gc 974.502 Ea7g 1142584
M. L
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01067 1797
S
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/historyoftownofe00gree_0
18 77
001.25.
VIEW OF EAST GREENWICH.
HISTORY
OF THE
Town of Fast Greenwich
R.I.
AND
ADJACENT TERRITORY,
FROM
1677 TO 1877.
BY D. H. GREENE, M. D.
Probidence : J. A. & R. A. REID, PRINTERS AND PUBLISHERS. 1877.
COPYRIGHT : DANIEL H. GREENE. 1877.
Preface. 1142584
NAPOLEON has somewhere said that a history of an army could not be written till the history of its regiments had been written.
This holds equally good with the history of a Union like ours. If you would tell its story truthfully you must go back to its first elements. It is by seeing what each town and .village had done, that we arrive at a satisfactory narrative of what each state has done. Thus the office of town historian is a very important office. It gathers up with minute accuracy the incidents of town and village life, and prepares them for the hand of the historian, and what is even more important, it tells you the story of their great men; their "guiltless Cromwells " and their mute "inglorious Miltons." It is only by the means of preliminary labors like these, that a general history of the United States becomes pos- sible. The volume which we here offer to the public, is one of these ele- mentary volumes which requires industry, zeal, and candid criticism ; to all of which I venture to lay claim. I have grown enthusiastic over anec- dotes and details which have no place in general history, but without which local coloring is lost and truth disguised.
Such as it is I offer this volume, ( the result of many laborious days), to the kind acceptance of my fellow townsmen.
Contents.
JUustrations.
TOWN OF EAST GREENWICH,
COUNTY COURT HOUSE,
GREENWICH ACADEMY,
Frontispiece. Opposite page 40. Opposite page 203.
PAGE.
PREFACE,
·
3
CHAPTER I.
SETTLEMENT OF THE TOWN,
9
CHAPTER II.
EARLY LEGISLATION,
29
CHAPTER III.
MANUFACTURES,
51
Pottery,
51
Calico Printing,
52
Saltpetre Works,
57
Card Manufacture,
57
Tanneries,
59
Hats,
59
Cotton Manufacture,
61
Woolen Manufacture,
62
Print Works, 62
Brass Foundry,
63
Coir Brushes, 64
Machine Shop,
65
6
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER IV.
PAGE.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES -- FRIENDS, . 66
Friends' Boarding School,
102
CHAPTER V.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES-CATHOLIC CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF CHRIST,
111
CHAPTER VI.
JEMIMA WILKINSON,
128
CHAPTER VII.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES-EPISCOPALIAN,
140
CHAPTER VIII.
1
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES-SIX PRINCIPLE BAPTIST,
.
147
CHAPTER IX.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES-METHODIST EPISCOPAL,
149
CHAPTER X.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES-FREEWILL BAPTIST,
.
151
CHAPTER XI.
RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES-MARLBORO STREET CHAPEL,
155
ROMAN CATHOLIC, . 156
LUTHERAN, 156
FRENCHTOWN BAPTIST,
. 156
CHAPTER XII.
PHYSICIANS,
157
Thomas Spencer, 158
Thomas Aldrich, 158:
Duty Jerauld, 159
Joseph Joslyn,
160.
Peter Turner, 161 .
Charles Eldridge,
163,
7
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XIII.
PAGE.
166
Jacob Campbell,
167
James Mitchell Varnum,
169
Joseph L. Tillinghast,
176
Albert C. Greene,
176
Nathan Whiting,
177
William G. Bowen, 177
Joseph Winsor,
177
William E. Peck,
178
CHAPTER XIV.
KENTISH GUARDS, .
. 179
CHAPTER XV.
KENT ACADEMY,
202
CHAPTER XVI.
THE REBELLION-THE LADIES' SOLDIERS' AID SOCIETY, .
. 225
CHAPTER XVII.
THE REBELLION-THE LADIES' FREEDMEN'S AID SOCIETY,
.
237
CHAPTER XVIII.
MISCELLANEOUS, 246
Extract from the Diary of Daniel Howland,
246
Founding of King Solomon's Lodge of Masons, 251
Commerce and the Fisheries, 251
Stonington Railroad, 253
Fire Engine, 254
Free Library, 254
Rope-Walk, 255
General Barton's Expedition,
256
Newspapers, 260
Lodges and Societies, 260
Mineral Spring, 260
New England Normal Institute of Music, 261
Centennial Hymn,
263
LAWYERS, · Archibald Campbell,
166
CHAPTER I.
SETTLEMENT OF THE TOWN.
THE Town of East Greenwich dates from 1677, having been incorporated October 31st of that year. In June, 1678, the name of the town was changed to that of Ded- ford, but the former name was restored in 1689.
The boundaries of the township were nearly the same as at present, with the exception of the western line, which extended further than the present line runs. The settle- ment of the village was begun at an early period after the incorporation of the township. The excellence and safety of the harbor was a strong inducement for men of energy and business habits to settle on its shores.
At the General Assembly held for the Colony at New- port, May, 1667, it was
" Ordered that a certain tract of land in some conven- ient place in the Narragansett country, shall be laid forth into one hundred acre shares, with the house lots, for the accommodation of so many of the inhabitants of this Colony as stand in need of land, and the General Assembly shall judge fit to be supplied.
" In pursuance of said act of the General Assembly, this present court do enact and declare, that the said tract of land be forthwith laid forth to contain five thousand acres, which shall be divided as follows: Five hundred acres to be laid in some place near the sea, as commodious as may be for a town, which said five hundred acres shall be divided into fifty house lots, and the remainder of said five thousand acres, being four thousand five hundred acres, shall be divided into fifty equal shares or great divisions, and that each person hereafter named and admitted by this Assembly, to land in the said tract, shall have and enjoy to him and his heirs and assigns forever, in manner and form and under the conditions hereafter expressed, one of
2
10
HISTORY OF EAST GREENWICHİ.
the said house lots, and one great division, containing in the whole one hundred acres.
" And further this Assembly do enact, order and declare, for the services rendered during King Philip's war, the persons here named that is to say : John Spencer, Thomas Nichols, Clement Weaver, Henry Brightman, George Vaughn, John Weaver, Charles Macarty, Thomas Wood, Thomas Frye, Benjamin Griffin, Daniel Vaughn, Thomas Dungin, John Pearce, Stephen Peckham, John Crandal, Preserved Pearce, Henry Lilly, John Albro, Samuel Albro, Philip Long, Richard Knight, John Peckham, Thomas Peckham, William Clarke, Edward Day, Edward Rich- mond, Edward Calvery, John Heath, Robert Havens, John Strainge, John Parker, George Browne, Richard Barnes, Samson Balloo, John Remington, Jonathan Devell, Benja- min Mowrey, Joseph Mowrey, William Wilbore, James Eyles Pearce, James Battey, Benjamin Gorton, Henry Dyre, John Knowles, Stephen Arnold, John Sanford, William Hawkins and John Houlden, are the persons unto whom the said tract of land is granted, and who shall possess the same, their heirs and assigns according to the true intent and meaning of this present grant.
" And to the end, that the said persons, and their succes- sors, the proprietors of the said land, from time to time may be in the better capacity to manage their public affairs, this Assembly do enact and declare that the said plantation shall be a town, by the name and title of East Greenwich, in his Majesty's Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, with all the rights, liberties, and privileges whatsoever, unto a town appertaining; and that the said persons above mentioned, unto whom the said grant is made are by this present Assembly and the authority thereof, made and admitted the freemen of the said town, and they, and so many of them as shall be then present, not being fewer than twelve on the said land, required and empowered to meet together upon the second Wednesday next, and constitute a town meeting, by electing a Mod- erator and a Town Clerk, with such Constables as to them shall seem requisite; and also to choose two persons their Deputies to sit in General Assembly, and two persons, one to serve on the Grand Jury, and one on the Jury of Trials in the General Court of Trials, and so the like number and for the said Court.
" And to the end that the said Plantation may be speedily
11
SETTLEMENT OF THE TOWN.
settled and improved according to the end of this present in the granting thereof ; be it enacted and ordained that each person mentioned in this present grant, shall, within one year after the publication thereof, make on his house lot, by building a house fit and suitable for habitation ; and in case any person who hath any of the said house lots shall neglect or refuse, by himself or assignee to build accord- ingly, he shall forfeit both the house lot and greater divis- ion, to be disposed of by any succeeding Assembly as they shall see cause.
" And further, this Assembly do enact and declare, that if any person unto whom the said land is granted, by this present act, shall, at any time within one and twenty years after this hereof, sell, grant, make over, or otherwise dis- pose of any land or lands hereby granted unto him, or unto any other person or persons interested in the said planta- tion, that then the said person or persons whatsoever, without liberty had been obtained from the General Assembly, that then the said person or persons so selling or disposing of the said land shall lose all other lands whatever, that he is possessed of in the said plantation, and also the lands so disposed of, to be and remain to this Colony.
" And further, it is enacted by this Assembly, that the freemen of said town shall make, and lay out convenient highways from the bay up into the country throughout the whole township, as shall be convenient for the settlement of the country above and about the said township."
The original settlers expected from the advantageous situation of their town, in the centre of the Colony, as well as from the excellence and safety of its beautiful harbor, that the place was destined to become large and flourishing, and perhaps ultimately the colonial emporium and seat of the government. So impressed were they with this idea that they provided for its realization when planning and laying out the village by making the principal streets wide and straight, and giving them lofty and high-sounding names.
Main street, running north and south through the cen- tre of the village is sixty feet wide; as are also King street, Queen street, and London street, running at right angles from Main street to the harbor; while Marlboro, Duke and other short streets are only half as wide. The village is situated on a small bay, which is a portion of Narragansett Bay. The harbor is completely landlocked, so as to be per-
12
HISTORY OF EAST GREENWICH.
fectly secure from all heavy winds; no rocks or sand bars impede its entrance, or render its navigation unsafe in any direction. Its shores are remarkably bold, so that vessels of all kinds can approach very near, and the water deep enough for almost any craft which navigates Narragansett Bay. Formerly it was celebrated for its menhaden fishery, but of late years these fish have become very scarce. One hundred years ago oysters were so abundant in our bay, the inhabitants were in the habit of laying in an hundred bushels each for winter consumption, although they are so scarce here now. East Greenwich up to the present time has always been celebrated for the excellence and abundance of its clams and quahaugs, but now these cheap and wholesome shell-fish, the chief dependence of the poor, have become as scarce as oysters.
The numerous establishments for summer resort in our vicinity, have made such great calls on our clam-banks to supply the wants of the vast number of visitors to those places, where the principal food served up consists of baked clams and chowder, that the supply is failing. Escalops are very abundant, and at the present time they furnish (in the season) the principal food of a large portion of the people of our village. Abundance of the very finest fish are caught in our harbor during the spring and summer months; scup, tautog, mackerel, flatfish, bluefish, sucker- tearg, and a number of other kinds of fish afford an abund- ance of cheap and wholesome food. During the winter, when the ice is sufficiently thick and strong, immense quantities of eels are caught with spears through holes cut in the ice. Vast flocks of water-fowl frequent our harbor during the months of September and October, affording fine sport to the lovers of fowling and fishing.
Very few places in New England possess advantages equal to East Greenwich. Its climate is mild and remark- ably healthy, owing to its location, the village being built on the side of a lofty hill, facing the southeast, protected from the cold north and west winds by still more high grounds in the interior, and is near enough to the Atlantic Ocean to re- ceive the benefit of the warm air from the Gulf stream brought by the southeast wind, before it has become cooled by passing over a large tract of snow. A number of delicate plants and shrubs live through the winter in the open air in East Greenwich, which in other places in the same latitude can be preserved through the winter season only in green- houses.
13
SETTLEMENT OF THE TOWN.
It is evident that the early settlers of the village gave their attention to the business of ship building, as it appears that when laying out the original plan of the town, they set apart two locations for ship-yards, to belong exclusively to the town ; and of course under the control and direction of the proprietors' committee. One of these yards was located at the foot of Queen street, and the other near the railroad station, now owned and occupied by Mr. Benjamin Crompton as a coal wharf. At this latter place large brigs and schooners were built and launched ; at which period the tide flowed far above where the depot now stands, but from natural causes the valley has since been filled up, and what was then a salt marsh, covered with thatch and overflowed twice in every twenty-four hours, is now covered with houses or laid out in streets. After laying out the requisite number of streets to accommodate the house lots, certain portions of land were reserved for public use. The triangular piece of ground at the junction of Duke and King streets, now occupied by the Steam Grist Mill and a few dwelling houses, was originally intended for a market, and was to become the property of any person who should erect upon it a building of certain specified dimensions, containing a certain number of stalls and chopping blocks.
Another piece of land near the railroad station, on the first plat is called the Exchange. What idea our forefathers had of an Exchange, whether a building of that name was to be erected there, or the square itself was so called, is now uncertain ; however, it has long since been built upon and occupied for other purposes.
In the year 1709 the boundaries of East Greenwich were enlarged by an addition of thirty-five thousand acres of land on our western border, which this old deed will show was acquired by purchase :
" Know all men by these presents, that we Weston Clarke and Randal Holden, Richard Greene and Philip Tillinghast being a Committee appointed and fully empowered by the Governor and Company of this her Majesties Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations to dispose and make Saile of the vacant lands in the Narragansett country belonging to said Colony, have for and in consideration of the sum of One Thousand and one hundred pounds Current Money of New England in hand already well and truly paid to us who have Received the same, in behalf and for the use of the Governor and Company aforesaid of and at
14
HISTORY OF EAST GREENWICH.
the hands of Benjamin Barton, Thomas Fry, James Carder, John Spencer, Benjamin Greene, Pardon Tillinghast, John Waterman, Thomas Nichols, John Nichols, Malachy Roades, James Greene and Simon Smith, all inhabitants of Warwick and East Greenwich in the Colony above said, have bargained, sold, conferred, made and passed over from the Governor and Company aforesaid, and their successors forever a certain tract or parcell of land being part of the vacant lands belonging to this Colony, lying in the Narra- gansett Country, within the Jurisdiction of this Colony, westward of East Greenwich, butted and bounded on the north by Warwick's south bounds; bounded on the East by East Greenwich bounds, and Jones his purchase bounded on the South beginning at the Southwest corner of Jones his purchase and so to run due West, parallel with War- wick's South bounds aforementioned until it comes to the Colony line that divides this Colony from Connecticut Col- ony, and bounded on the West by the said dividing line between said Colonys, containing by Estimation, thirty-five thousand acres, be the same more or less, all which together with the priviliges and appertanences within the bounds abovesaid we have sold as abovesaid unto the afore named persons, to them and every of them, their and every of their heirs, Executors and Administrators, and assigns for- ever jointly and severally to have and to hold forever the which we will warrant forever against the Governor and Company of the Colony above said and their successors or any other person or persons whatsoever lawfully laying claim to the above bargained premises or any part or par- cel thereof, by, through or under them the said Governor and Company or their successors under what pretence soever, in witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seales this thirtieth day of June, in the eighth year of her Majesties reign Ann by the grace of God queen of Great Brittain, Ireland and France, Anno que Domini Nostri, 1709. .
WESTON CLARKE,º RANDAL HOLDEN,º RICHARD GREENE,º PHILIP TILLINGHAST.º
" Signed, sealed and delivered . in the presence of us, JOSEPH SMITH, SAMUEL SWEET.
." The day and year above written the Committee acknowledged this to be their act and deed before me,
JOHN ELDRED, Clerk."
15
SETTLEMENT OF THE TOWN.
According to this old deed, thirteen individuals owned what is now the Town of West Greenwich.
DIVISION OF THE TOWN.
In the year 1740 the township was divided into the towns of East and West Greenwich, as the following en- try on the town records will show :
" Propositions for setting off the westerly part of said town into a township by itself, as set forth in a petition now lying before the General Assembly. The Moderator put it to vote whether they would give consent for the set- ting off the westerly part of said town, as aforesaid, or not, and the vote was in the affirmative by a very great majority."
It appears that the inhabitants residing in the easterly part of the township were very willing to get rid of their western neighbors, by the exultant manner in which they recorded their vote.
By an entry bearing date 1741, it appears that every town in the Colony was entitled to draw a certain sum out of the General Treasury of the Colony. It appears that East and West Greenwich at that time belonged to the County of Providence.
From the town records we make the following ex- tracts :
" We, the subscribers, being Committees appointed by the Towns of East and West Greenwich, in the County of Providence, to proportion the Interest money to be drawn out of the General Treasury of the Colony, by the aforesaid two Towns; we, having considered the premises, do mutually and unanimously agree and order that out of each and every one hundred and fifty pounds, to be drawn as aforesaid out of the said Gen- eral Treasury, the Town of East Greenwich draws Eighty Five pounds and seven shillings, and that the Town of West Greenwich draws Sixty Four pounds and thirteen shillings, and so proportionally for greater or lesser sums, in confir- mation of which we have hereunto set our hands, in said East Greenwich, the Thirty First day of July, A. D. 1741.
JOHN SPENCER, JOHN GREENE, BENJ'N SWEET, East Greenwich.
THOMAS SPENCER, JOHN JENKENS, THOMAS FRY, JR., )
Committee for
Committee for
West Greenwich,"
16
HISTORY OF EAST GREENWICH.
"We, the subscribers, being the committee appointed by East and West Greenwich, in the County of Providence, do proportion the money now in the Town Treasury of said East Greenwich, and the poor in said Towns between the aforesaid Towns, now order and agree that West Green- wich shall draw one Hundred and Eighty Nine pounds and three shillings out of the Town Treasury, including Cap- tain Spink's bond for their whole proportion of the money now in the Treasury of said East Greenwich, and that West Greenwich be at one half of the charge in keeping and maintaining the widow Elizabeth Low, in meat, drink and lodging and washing and apparel for the future, and to take effect at the division of said Towns. As witness, our hands at East Greenwich aforesaid, this Thirty First day of July, A. D. 1741.
.
JOHN SPENCER, JOHN GREENE,
Committee for
BENJ'N SWEET,
East Greenwich.
THOMAS SPENCER,
Committee
JOHN JENKENS, for THOMAS FRY, JR., West Greenwich."
In the year 1742 is the following entry relating to the loaning out the money in the town treasury. Money must have been more abundant in the treasury at that pe- riod than at present, for the greatest trouble now is to collect sufficient to defray the current expenses of the town :
" Voted, That the Clerk put in the notification that no- tifies the next Quarter meeting, that there is a proposition for letting out the money in the Treasury if any to spare."
In the year 1745 is the following entry :
" An act for drawing money out of the Town Treasury, for purchasing tickets in the Lottery ordered by act of Assembly, for the building of a bridge at Weybosset in Providence.
" Voted,-That there shall be Ninety pounds in money forthwith drawn out of the Town Treasury, for the pur- chase of Thirty tickets in said Lottery, and that Jonathan Price and John Pearce, shall be, and are hereby empowered a Committee to draw said sum and purchase said tickets, and the said Committee upon drawing said money, shall give their receipt to the Treasurer for the same, and the said Treasurer is hereby ordered to deliver the said money, to the said Committee; and be it further empowered, that
17
SETTLEMENT OF THE TOWN.
the said Committee are hereby ordered to manage the whole affair, for, and in behalf, and for the best benefit and behoof of said Town, and that the said Committee, shall lodge the numbers of the said tickets with the Town Treasurer, which they shall purchase with said money."
Only imagine such wholesale gambling with the people's money ! We presume, however, they were satisfied with one operation of this kind, as the following entry will show there was a loss instead of a gain :
" Voted, That the return of the Committee that man- aged at the Lottery at Providence, for said Town Bridge, be received; and that the said Committee deliver the Twenty Nine pounds and five shillings drawn in said Lot- tery, for said Town, to the Town Treasurer, and that the Town Treasurer deliver them the receipt for the money, they drawed for that use, and that the said Committee deliver the return accepted by said Town to the Treasurer."
The County of Kent was set off from the County of Providence, and East Greenwich selected for the county town June the 15th, 1750, according to the record which says :
"The General Assembly passed an act Incorporating East Greenwich, West Greenwich, Warwick and Coventry into a County By the Name of Kent, and East Greenwich Chosen for the County town through Great Opposition, as a part of Warwick, and Providence in general doing their utmost endeavour to stop their proceedings."
The " great opposition " of Warwick was owing to the local jealousy of the two Towns, as Warwick wished to be the county town, and have the court house and jail located at Old Warwick, which was then considered the capital of Warwick, and ought to be now. The citizens of East Green- wich agreed to furnish a lot and build a court house and jail, upon the condition that the General Assembly and the courts should be held here.
The first court house and jail were both small and incon- venient, and in 1805 were so much out of repair that the Legislature appropriated a sum sufficient to build the pre- sent court house and jail. The old jail building is now a dwelling house, standing on the corner of Marlboro and Queen streets, and owned by Mr. William N. Sher- man. The present court house stands on the site of the old one, and is a large and handsome structure. It
18
HISTORY OF EAST GREENWICH.
formerly contained the most beautiful court room in the State, but it has been altered and changed so often that it now has no resemblance to its former appearance.
The following entry shows that the first allusion to the court house is an abstract from the town records in 1750 :
" At a quarterly meeting at the County House in the County of Kent November the 27th 1750 .-
" Voted, That the Quarter meeting, and all other quar- ter meetings, shall be held in the County House in said East Greenwich.
" Drawed for the Grand Jurors to attend the first Supe- rior Court of Common Pleas, and General Sessions of Law, to be held in East Greenwich, in the County of Kent, within and for said County, on the second Tuesday of Jan- uary next, Wm. Sweet, Silas James, Thomas Madison and Colonel Peter Mawney."
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