USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > Glocester > A brief history of the town of Glocester, Rhode Island : preceded by a sketch of the territory while a part of Providence > Part 7
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II
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made a body corporate to hold property, to buy and sell not to exceed ten thousand dollars.
The Ponagansett Reservoir Company was incorporated in 1856 by a number of mill owners as an outlet for occasions of Ponagansett pond.
The Society of Domestic Industry was formed in 1820, and for the first few years held their annual meetings at Paw- tuxet. A number of persons from this town were interested in the society and patronized its yearly exhibitions. Jesse Tourtellott and Chad Brown were among the members of the standing committee from this town.
GRAVEYARDS.
Families at first lived some distance from each other, and the death of one of their number was deeply lamented. To have their remains deposited near by was a comfort in sor- row. The pleasantest spot of land near their home was the consecrated place for the dead. Later, families connected would join in a burial place. Not always were even rude stones put up to mark the last resting place. It is well known that the Quakers did not erect gravestones.
There are a great many small burying grounds scattered over the town. Some have been kept in good repair, so that the places of deposit of mortal remains are less forbidding. The following are among them : The Armstrongs, Browns, Irons, Sweets, Tourtellotts, Winsors, Wades, Potters, Steeres, Aldrichs and Waldrons. The Chepachet burying ground, north of the village, was consecrated about one hundred years since, and contains the remains of a large number of early settlers. Its care has been much neglected. Recently the Evans lot has been much improved. Some other owners of lots are intending soon to renovate theirs.
In early times the funerals of most of the families were so far from each other that they were great events. The people from all around were present. If a clergyman could not be present, some Christian brother would read a portion of
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Scripture and offer prayer. Sometimes it was the silent . prayer of the Friends. When the way was rough to the graveyard, the dead had to be carried on the shoulder bier ; if the way was long, rests were made and bearers changed.
The Chepachet Cemetery Association was formed in the year 1844, on the petition to the Assembly by John T. Fiske, Scott W. Mowry, Jervis J. Smith, Amasa Eddy, Otis Sayles, Brown Mowry and Frederick A. Squires to be incorporated. Said corporation has power to hold land not exceeding ten acres, to have a stock of $3,000, divided into three hundred shares at ten dollars per share, etc. The above cemetery is pleasantly laid out on Acote Hill, south of the village.
THE FRIENDS.
About 1643 there was a change of rulers in England. Episcopacy was abolished for a season, and Presbyterianism was established. There were many Dissenters, and among them was George Fox, the first public preacher of the so- called Quakers by their opponents. Fox took strong grounds against drunkenness, the vices of the times, the established mode of public religious worship, and rejected the sacrament ; he gave his testimony against oaths, against salaried minis- ters of the gospel, against tithes, and some other religious requirements. Their numbers rapidly increased ; they used the singular pronoun when addressing only one person, and refused to raise their hand to touch the hat when meeting persons of their own or higher standing .* Their society is governed by its own code of discipline. They are strong advocates of the Holy Scriptures; they helieve in the resur- rection of the just and the uujust. Great persecution fol- lowed the Independents throughout England, especially this
*A delegation of the Society of Friends called on Victoria, the Queen, soon after her coronation. They wore their broad-brimmed hats, which they never removed in honor of any person. But according to custom, on entering her presence their heads were uncovered by the " yeoman " of the guard, and as they were non-resistants, they submitted.
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sect. In consequence of these sufferings many families left their country and came to the American colonies. Among them was William Penn, a devoted Friend, who came to Philadelphia, and where to this day many of their noblest institutions are due to the benevolence of this sect.
On account of the religous freedom enjoyed under the jurisdiction of Roger Williams in the colony of Rhode Island, many families of Friends followed him from the Bay State colony, and their influence in the government from the 16th to the 17th centuries was great. In 1700 nearly half of the population of the island of Rhode Island were of the Friends persuasion. Their meeting houses for divine worship were plain and unadorned. Eight of the early governors of this colony were Friends, and in many towns they held offices of trust, as judges and legislators.
To Charles the Second, King of England, Rhode Island owes her great religious freedom, as in her second charter nothing is said against religious privileges. His brother James, who succeeded him, was not as favorable. Religious liberty was set forth, and the law of the colony first sanc- tioned the various religious opinions, which ever attend a transition state.
The settlers not knowing for the time what opening might be for them, scattered as they were in the wilderness, and believing that some time must elapse before they would be able to organize and have a regular place for public worship, had neighborhood gatherings in some one of their homes, for silent worship, unless otherwise moved by the Divine Spirit, as they felt impressed by their bountiful Benefactor. In 1791 a plain and substantial house of worship was built not far from the residence of the late Moses Cooper. Here for nearly one hundred years they met twice each week. Among their speakers were Smith Battey and his wife. Their quar- terly meetings are held in Smithfield and Northbridge, Mass. Their yearly meetings have been held in Newport until very recently, where they met their friends from different parts of the Union. As neighbors and citizens, their influence has
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had a strong moral and religious tone. They are true friends of education, and civil and religious liberty.
In 1783 a petition was presented to the Assembly by some Friends to manumit the slaves of this State. The subject was well discussed, and the committee appointed to take into consideration the petition were Thomas Wells, John Smith, of Glocester, Benjamin Howland, Stephen Steere, Joseph Noyes, Nathan Millar, and Abraham Lippitt. Though African slave trade was disapproved, no final action was taken until 1787, when, by vote of the Assembly, it was forbidden that the master of any vessel should purchase or transport any negroes for slavery, or for any citizen to cause said purchase. All children born after the above date were to be free.
In June, 1790, a society was formed for promoting the abo- lition of slavery in the United States, and for improving the African race. This society was incorporated with the names of one hundred and fourteen influential men of this State. From this town are the names of Hon. Daniel Owen, Rufus Smith, Esq., and John Brown, Esq. Several of the slaves born previous to the Revolution lived until 1830.
Among the Friends who were governors was Governor Hopkins, who signed with a trembling hand the Declaration of Independence. Until the war of the Revolution the holders of offices did not of necessity require any participa- tion in military affairs or war appendages. After the war these were required. Then the members of the Friends' Society declined any appointments.
William Penn says of the early public speakers of the Friends (they were both men and women) "that they were changed themselves before they went about to change others, their hearts were rent as well as their garments, not schemes of doctrine and verbal creeds, or new forms of worship, but leaving off in religion the superfluous, reducing the cere- monious and formal part, and earnestly pressing the substan- tial, the necessary and profitable part."
All that embraced the principles of Friends and attended their meetings regularly, were by their consent reckoned
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members, and their children. It is their great wish to incul- cate and influence by love and kindness. They have their rules of discipline. The person appointed as clerk is to. record what seems to be the manifestation of truth in their meetings .*
BUSINESS MEN IN 1885.
Auctioneers-John M. Eddy and H. S. Taylor, Harmony ; Samuel Steere, Chepachet.
Blacksmiths-Joseph Baraba and Daniel Mowry, Che- pachet ; Frank Steere, Harmony.
Box Makers-Hopkins & Houghton, West Glocester.
Butchers-C. A. Capron, E. Place, H. A. Sayles and Benja- min White, Chepachet.
Builders-A. W. Gorey, E. F. Keech and N. Taft, Che- pachet ; J. S. Evans, Harmony.
Coal and Wood Dealer-Walter A. Read, Chepachet.
Stoves-William Hawkins, W. A. Read and R. H. Wade, Chepachet ; C. W. Whipple, Harmony.
Fish Dealers-C. E. Brown and W. B. Shippee, Chepachet. Grist Mills-A. S. Peckham and Smith A. Steere, Che- pachet ; Dennis Paine, Harmony.
Hair Dressers-A. H. Harrington and John A. Staples, Chepachet.
Hardware and Cutlery-G. H. Davis, Chepachet.
Harness Maker-R. H. Wade, Chepachet.
Hotel .- H. R. Taft, Harmony Hotel, Harmony.
Insurance Agents-C. W. Farnum, William H. Hawkins and E. W. White (life), Chepachet.
*Rhode Island, in 1656, would not join the United Colonies in commend- ing to the courts to pass laws forbidding the Quakers to live within their jurisdiction; but appealed to England for aid to enable her to carry out. the principles of her charter.
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HISTORY OF GLOCESTER.
Jewelry and Watches-James W. Laney, Chepachet.
Wines and Liquors-R. H. Tobin, Chepachet. Lumber Dealer-Simeon Sweet, Chepachet. Masons-Joseph Holbrook, Joseph Page and Abram Smith, Chepachet ; James B. Coman, Harmony.
Painters-Seth Mowry, L. C. Rounds and E. Westcott, Chepachet.
Periodicals-James W. Laney, Chepachet.
Physicians-Albert Potter and E. A. Harris. Both are members of the Rhode Island Medical Society.
Book and Job Printer-F. H. Potter, Chepachet.
Saw Mills-Albert Peckham and George W. Steere, Che- pachet ; Dennis Paine, West Glocester ; A. B. Steere, Har- mony.
Stables-Randall Mowry, William R. Parkhurst and Harris Steere, Chepachet.
Tinsmith-G. H. Davis, Chepachet.
Tailor-M. H. Angell, Chepachet.
Wheelwright-Daniel Mowry.
Print Works-(1882)-M. J. Converse, Chepachet; Ste- phen S. Potter, Harmony.
GRADUATES IN BROWN UNIVERSITY.
Asa Aldis,
. 1796.
George H. Browne,
1 840.
Joseph Winsor, .
1 840.
Amasa S. Westcott,
1842.
George M. Angell,
1844
John K. Bucklin,
1861.
Stephen A. Cooke, Jr., 1861.
John W. Colwell,
1872.
Samuel L. Irons,.
1882.
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HISTORY OF GLOCESTER.
PROFESSIONAL MEN.
PHYSICIANS.
Levi Eddy, -- Dean, - Mason (lived in the Revolu- tion), Hazael Peckham, Daniel Bellows, Eleazer Bellows, - Sweet, Edward T. Waldron, Joseph Bowen (living in 1820), George Gary, Mowry S. Peckham, - Harrington, Allen Potter, Samuel Mowry, Jarvis Smith. Albert Potter and George A. Harris are the present physicians.
LAWYERS.
Asel Steere, John B. Snow, Charles F. Tillinghast, Samuel Ames, Samuel Y. Atwell, James M. Clark, George H. Browne, Horace Manchester, Ziba O. Slocum.
BAPTIST MEETING HOUSE AND SOCIETY IN THE VILLAGE OF CHEPACHET.
In 1814 a number of Christian men seeing the great need of having a house, aside from the school house and private dwellings, for regular religious worship and disci- pline, obtained a charter in October under the name of "The Christian Benevolent Society." The meeting house was not built until 1821, in the northern part of the village. In January, 1822, it was re-chartered as the "Chepachet Meeting House," the Baptists to hold the power to occupy it four Sundays each month, and the Universalists every fifth Sunday. The Rev. Mr. Pickering, from Providence, and the Rev. Adin Ballou, of Smithfield, sometimes sup- plied the desk on the fifth Sunday. After a few years their services were entirely given up. The lot was given by Mr. Amherst Kimball. The pews were sold previous to building the house, to pay the expense. The church was well proportioned, with a steeple and a good bell ; galleries were on each side and at one end, and the pulpit was at the other end. The cost was about $4,000. The following
HISTORY OF GLOCESTER. 89
named persons were pew owners: Thomas Owen, Esek Brown, Jr., Joseph Steere, Ahab Sayles, Amherst Kim- ball, Obadiah Smith. Olney Browne, Lyndon Smith, Ste- phen Willmarth, Jesse Tourtellott, Chad Sayles, Ira P. Evans, Stephen' Eddy, Jeptha Hunt, John B. Snow, James Sprague, Eber Phetteplace, Job Armstrong, Cyrus Cooke, Joel Paine, Amasa Eddy, Jr., Arnold Brown, James Wilder, Samuel Potter, Joseph White, John M. Hunt, Elisha Browne, Jr., Hezekiah Cady, Daniel Evans, Jr., Sayles Browne, Amasa Sayles, Arnold Owen, Lawton Owen, Ara Hawkins, Elisha Winsor, Duty Evans, Scott C. Armstrong, Clovis H. Bowen, Jedediah Sprague, and Nelson Eddy, with the grant to hold property not to exceed thirty thousand dollars, etc.
In the articles of association, under the name of "The Proprietors of the Chepachet Meeting House," it was stated that every pew holder on the ground floor had a right to vote at all meetings of the society. Eight owners of pews on the ground floor constituted a legal meeting for business.
A small organ has been furnished. The house has been kept well repaired. It is on a fine lot of land, and has a good shed in the back part of the yard.
BAPTIST SOCIETY AND SUNDAY SCHOOL.
A Free Baptist Church was organized in the village of Chepachet in the year 1825, Rev. Reuben Allen, pastor. He was followed by the Rev. Joseph White, Zachariah Jor- dan, Arthur Ross, Maxcy Burlingame and John Pratt. The Rev. D. Curtis supplied the pulpit in 1838, 1839 and 1840. He superintended the Sunday-school - seventy-five scholars. Since then the pulpit has been supplied by Rev. Ami Brad- bury, I. M. Purkis, A. H. Morrill and Rev. John Rodgers, the present pastor. The church has generally had from fifty to seventy-five members. A monthly conference. has generally been sustained. The clergymen that have supplied the pul- pit have usually been the first class in the denomination.
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HISTORY OF GLOCESTER.
The first Sunday-school reported from this town was organ- ized in 1828, at Chepachet, in connection with the Baptist church at the meeting house. Job Armstrong was the Superintendent, and Dr. George Gary, Secretary. The school in the above year was made auxiliary to the Rhode Island Sunday-school Union. The following is the report sent to the Union and printed in the annual report :
" CHEPACHET SUNDAY SCHOOL, IN GLOCESTER, 1828." "Our school commenced on the first Sunday in June last, and contin- ued five months. The average number of scholars were fifty, taught by four instructors. Upwards of two hundred chapters in the Bible have been committed to memory by the scholars. Fine progress has been made in reading. Our prospects are truly flattering.
GEORGE GARY, Secretary."
The above school has been continued to the present time, usually in a prosperous condition. Mrs. Miranda Sprague and the present Superintendent, Deacon Smith A. Steere, and many others, have devoted much time to the interest of the young in this school. There are about seventy-five scholars in the school, and a well-selected library.
SUNDAY SCHOOLS.
In the summer of 1829 a Sunday-school was organized in the sixteenth school district, in the Brown school house ; Clark Phetteplace, Superintendent. The school continued six months-forty-five scholars. A library of fifty small vol- umes from the Rhode Island Sunday-school Union was pur- chased, and many religious tracts distributed. This school, during about six months in the warm season, was kept up for fifteen years. It was auxiliary to the Rhode Island Sunday- school Union. In 1831 the interest in religious instruction of the youth was increased by agents sent out by the Rhode Island Sunday-school Union. During 1832 and 1833 there were Sunday-schools organized and successfully cared for in the Central school house, the Harmony school house, the old Winsor meeting house, Pine Orchard, Robert Steere district,
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Jefferson district, Winsor school house and Richmond dis- trict. Most of these schools were kept open only in the warm season. In these schools, from the reports it is inferred that competent teachers were generally secured, and that there was a good degree of interest in learning the Bible les- sons. In seven of these schools there were well selected libraries, varying from 50 to 150 volumes, purchased from the Rhode Island Sunday-school Union. Eight of these schools were auxiliaries to the Rhode Island Sunday-school Union. For nine or ten years, about four hundred and thirty-five scholars were in these schools.
Superintendents of Sunday-schools found recorded, not already named, are Aaron Wood, Abby Colwell, Riley Steere, Job Steere, Miranda Phetteplace, Mrs. Riley Steere, Susan M. Phetteplace, William S. Potter, Luther Waldron, E. A. Phetteplace, Emeline Keech, Christopher Winsor, Delia Irons, Mrs. L. Steere, Cyrus Eddy and Samuel Steere, Jr. After 1846 there was a Congregationalist church and Sunday-school organized at Chepachet. There is a small Free Baptist church and Sunday-school in the south part of the town ; fifty-four members in 1884. Forty members in the Sun- day-school. The late Rev. Charles Wade was a faithful pastor in this church for several years. The above society is partly in Glocester and partly in Foster.
There are two small Advent churches in the town. One at Clarkville, where Elder Eldridge has spent some time. The other in the northeastern part of the town. Sunday- schools, a part of the year, are sustained in the above two societies. At different times several preachers have supplied their desks.
EPISCOPALIANS.
The General Assembly was petitioned in February, 1818, "for the establishment and promotion of the worship of Almighty God in Chepachet, according to the discipline, rites, usages and ceremonies of the Protestant Episcopal
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HISTORY OF GLOCESTER.
Church, in the United States, and praying for an act of incorporation to enable them, with greater convenience, to effect their aforesaid purposes, and to manage and secure the property and funds of which they are now, or may hereafter become possessed." It was granted, and Joseph Bowen, Ira P. Evans, Job Armstrong, Anan Evans, Cyrus Cooke, Amasa Eddy, Joseph Steere, Asel Steere, Christopher C. Dexter, Amherst Kimball, Joseph Wilmarth, Jesse Tourtellot, Wil- liam Tourtellot, Jeptha Hunt, Russell Evans, Thomas Owen, Jr., Stephen Eddy, Esek Brown, Jr., Ara Hawkins, Benja- min Bowen, John Wood, Lyndon Smith, Ahab Sayles, Thomas Matheson, Jr., John Hawkins, and also such others as may hereafter be admitted as members, are hereby and forever created a body corporate and politic with perpetual succession, by the name of the church wardens, vestry and parish of Christ's church, at Chepachet, in Glocester," etc. (Schedule of the General Assembly, 1818.) Thomas Owen, Jr., and Anan Evans were delegates from Christ's church to the Episcopal Convention held at St. Paul's church, Paw- tucket, on the first Tuesday in June, 1818. Rev. George Taft, Deacon, while in college officiated occasionally at Christ's church, Chepachet. Mr. Taft continued his services as often as he could after his settlement at Pawtucket. Rev. Dr. N. B. Crocker, late of St. John's church, sometimes offi- ciated.
At the Episcopal Convention held at St. John's church, Providence, in 1819, Thomas Owen, Esq., and Joseph Bowen, M. D., were delegates from Christ's church, Glocester. The church service was in the hall of the Evans hotel, for which the society paid $45 per year.
For two or three years the interest in the church increased, and there was a strong prospect that a meeting house for the society might soon be built, but reverses came in the removal and passing away of several of the more active members. In 1836 the Rev. Louis Jansen was sent here by the Rhode Island Episcopal Convention, to hold the service of the church in the Baptist meeting house. He was
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HISTORY OF GLOCESTER.
well received, and had on Sundays large congregations. He made a report to the convention, June, 1837. He remained here one year. The Sunday-school was well sustained. His wife died here.
By the request of some of the residents in the village, the Episcopal Convention, in the autumn of 1864, sent the Rev. Samuel H. Webb to hold Episcopal service in the unoccupied Congregationalist meeting house. Services were held here about eight months. Persons interested did not feel able to build a church, consequently for the time being the services were closed.
CONGREGATIONALISTS.
In 1833, the Baptist meeting house in the village of Che- pachet not being permanently occupied, the Rev. Mr. Dun- ham was sent here by the Rhode Island Congregational Con- sociation. He supplied the pulpit about one year. An interesting Sunday-school was sustained. His health failed him, and he was obliged to leave to get rest.
In 1845, Orin F. Otis, a graduate of Yale College and of Union Theological Seminary, was called to preach to a small Evangelical Congregational Society in the village. The society was organized by an ecclesiastical council appointed from the several churches of the Rhode Island Consociation. William R. Waterman, Jonathan Tourtellot, Scott W. Mowry, Lawton Owen, Orin F. Otis and others petitioned the Gen- eral Assembly to be created a body politic and incorporate forever. It was granted. A church was formed with ten members. Mr. Otis was ordained and installed pastor of the church in March, 1846. During this year a very neat, convenient and well-proportioned meeting house was built, with a good bell for the size of the house, and a fine yard, with a shed in the back part of the yard. A small organ has been furnished. Mr. Otis was pastor of this church until 1864, when, by his own request, he resigned and went to live in Providence. At the time he left, there were about twenty mem-
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HISTORY OF GLOCESTER.
bers in his church. He was a devoted Christian, and always ready for every good word and work. A well organized Sun- day-school was well sustained. The church for about six years was without a pastor. The pulpit was generally sup- plied by various clergymen. The Rev. Mr. Arnold, from Elmwood, was here some months. In 1870, the Rev. Mr. Scott was settled as pastor. He was active in all church interest, and was here about six years when he resigned by request. The following June the Rev. George L. Dickinson was called to the pastorate. He was successful in the church and Sunday-school several years. In May, 1879, the Rev. H. E. Johnson, the present esteemed pastor, commenced his labors with the church.
Miss Ruth Irons, Church Clerk ; Stephen Irons, Superin- tendent of the Sunday-school, which has been well sustained since the church was organized. The meeting house is kept in excellent repair by the society. Recently a fine stained glass window has been put in the meeting house, given by Miss White to the society.
LIBRARY.
The Union Library Company in Glocester was organized in the year 1794, and the following named persons petitioned the General Assembly for a charter, viz. : William Tourtellot, Timothy Wilmarth, Jesse Armstrong, Benjamin Hawking. Solomon Owen, Jesse Potter, Jonathan Knapp, Thomas Owen, Jr., Stephen Winsor, Arca Phetteplace, Simeon Smith, David Crossman, Asahel Keach Anan Evans, Seth Hunt, Benjamin Phetteplace, Eleazer Bellows, Cyrus Cooke, Sim- eon Steere, Jonathan Harris, Esek Harris, Duty Salsbury, Daniel Owen, Oliver Owen, James Mason, Daniel Owen, Jr., John Aldrich, Elijah Armstrong, Joctan Putnam, Joseph Hines, Seth Ross, Stephen Wilmarth, Oliver Smith, Peter Hawkins, Joseph Bowen, Samuel Steere, Asa Barlow, Elisha Field, Stephen Brown, Mark Steere, Asel Steere, Robert Dur- fee, Jacob Smith, Jonathan Paine, Anthony Place, Stephen Val-
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let, Jedediah Sprague, Abraham Fisk, Nicholas Keech, Ahab Sayles, Benjamin Paine, Amasa Eddy, Thomas Brown, Daniel Smith, Ebenezer Felch, Obadiah Smith, James Potter, Wan- ton Potter, Esek Smith, Joseph Wilmarth, Esek Sayles, Wil- liam Steere, Jr., Penelope Armstrong and Richard Steere, Jr .. The charter granted gave to the Library Company "power to hold land and tenements, to buy and sell, but not to exceed the sum of $5,000, said company to have annual meetings to choose three directors, a librarian and a treasurer."
The library contained several hundred well-selected books, especially in history. It was owned by shareholders, and very much read by some families. Names of shareholders : Thomas Owen, Ira Phetteplace Evans, Duty Evans, Amherst Kimball, Dr. Joseph Bowen, Mowry Smith, Abraham Win- sor, Eber Phetteplace, Jesse Tourtellot, Solomon Owen, Asel Steere, Richard Steere, Duty Smith. The book-case con- taining the library was kept in a private school house in the village of Chepachet. The librarian was to have the book- case opened every Saturday afternoon for receiving and taking out books. After some thirty years, some of the share- holders moving away, some dying, and some becoming inef- ficient, the case the books were kept in needed repairing ; the school house it was kept in became old and shattered ; finally the shareholders decided to take the books and divide them. A great loss afterwards to the town.
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