USA > Rhode Island > Bristol County > Barrington > A history of Barrington, Rhode Island > Part 45
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WILLIAM ALLIN. Son of Gen. Thomas and Amy Allen, was born 1768; graduated from B. U. in 1790, in a class of twenty-two members, of which Moses Brown and Asa Messer were members. After graduation, Mr. Allin went to Alexandria, Virginia, and, on recommendation of President Manning, " for his sobriety and good abilities in the line of business," obtained a private school at Falls Church, Fairfax Co., Va., which he taught till November, 1791, when he engaged in surveying for the winter. In a letter to his father he writes for " Webster's Spelling Books, and English Grammars," three of each, and, if the season has been fruitful, " 1 or 2 barrels of your best late made cyder and a barrel of apples." Mr. Allin returned to Barrington, studied law, and was admit- ted to the Rhode Island Bar as counsellor at law. He practised law and attended to business affairs of the farm, taking an influential and honor- able position in town affairs. On the death of his father, in the year 1800, he succeeded him as associate manager with Joshua Bicknell of the Barrington Meeting House Lottery, to which he gave much time and energy. He was chairman of the committee for carrying the free school act into operation in the year 1800. He was elected as a Representa- tive to the General Assembly for the years 1805,-6,-7,-8,-9,-10, 16,-17,-19,- 20,-21. He was also town clerk of the town during the years 1816,-17,- 18,-19,-20,-21,-22,-23,-24,-25,-26, 29. Mr. Allin was also a justice of the peace and held other minor town offices. He was a capable and faithful public officer, and sought in all his relations to serve his townsmen and state honestly and efficiently. He was a good surveyor, and many of the lines of farms and highways in the town were located by him. He died Jan. 4, 1827, in the 59th year of his age, and was buried at Drownville, in the Allin yard.
MATTHEW ALLIN. Son of Matthew and Ruth Allin, and brother of Gen. Thomas Allin, was born in Barrington, in 1745, and, like his brother, Thomas, was an active and energetic man, interested in public affairs ; was a member of the Barrington Militia Company, with so good a military training that, at the opening of the Revolution, he was chosen Captain Lieutenant (the rank of Captain) in Gen. Nathaniel Greene's brigade, Col. Church's regiment of the Army of Observation. He marched to Boston, and was in camp and service at Roxbury and Cam-
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bridge until the evacuation of Boston. His letters breathe the spirit and devotion of the most heroic men of 1776. Captain Allin continued in the militia service for a considerable part of the war, but was occupied principally with personal and public business. He represented the town in the General Assembly in the year 17SS. Captain Allin died May 10, 1794, in the 50th year of his age. His widow, Bathsheba, died Sept. 19, 1789. Both are buried in the Allin yard.
WILLIAM EDGAR COLLEY. Son of Thomas and Mary E. Colley; b. Providence, Aug. 16, IS59; on father's side from Thomas, of the War of 1812; and Thomas, of the Revolution; on mother's side from Gov. John Cranston ; educated in public schools and at Mr. Cady's ; engaged in Y. M. C. A. work at age of nineteen; attended training school at Har- risburg, Penn .; Gen. Sec. of Y. M. C. A. at Worcester; and at Salem, Mass., 18So ; while there, m. Ruth W. Smith, dau. of W. H. and Martha Smith of Barrington; in ISS3, was made Secy. of Y. M. C. A. of Bridge- port, Conn .; while there, raised $200,000 for a building for the society ; was made State Y. M. C. A. Secy. for Conn., and over $500,000 was added to the Y. M. C. A. property of the State Associations while he held office, showing his ability and fitness for that work. He has spoken in the interests of young men in all the large cities of the country. Mr. Colley resigned Y. M. C. A. work to engage in banking business at Bridgeport, and later came to Providence, where he is doing a success- ful business. He is a member of the Masonic Fraternity, of the I. O. O. F., and the A. O. U. W .; is connected with several business associations, and is an able agent of financial corporations. Children, Richard Sayford, Robert House, and Dwight Townsend. Address, Providence, R. I.
JOSIAH KINNICUTT. Son of Daniel and Hannah (Kent) Kinnicutt, was born in Barrington, April 2, 1765; occupation, farmer and tavern keeper; married Rebecca Townsend, dau. of Solomon and Martha (Bourne ) Town- send, by Rev. Solomon Townsend, Nov. 8, 1787; Daniel Kinnicutt, Jo- siah's father, built and lived in a house at Happy Hollow, north and east of the present Town Hall. Josiah Kinnicutt bought the house and land near the Barrington River, about one-fourth of a mile north of the Cong. meeting-house, and made it a house for public entertainment. After the Revolution, the sign on the tavern post bore the picture of an American eagle with outstretched wings. The first post-office in Barrington was opened in this house, with Mr. Kinnicutt as postmaster, who held that office until his death, March 25, 1838. Mr. Kinnicutt brought the first anthracite coal into the town from Providence. It was called " stone coal," and was placed on top of a wood fire to burn. The chunk was so large, however, that it would not ignite, and the neighbors decided that hickory wood was good enough for them, and that they would not adopt " stone coal" for their fuel. This was in 1827. In 1825 Mr. Kinnicutt was chosen by the town to have charge of the hearse and house, a duty that was per- formed by him and his son George, as long as the town owned such a car-
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riage. He was chosen to represent the town in the General Assembly for the years IS34, '35, and '36.
NELSON A. MILES. Soldier; b. Westminster, Mass., August 8, 1839; academic education ; mercantile pursuits in Boston ; enlisted for the war, Sept. 9, 1861, as lieutenant in the 22d Mass. infantry; was commissioned Lieutenant-Colonel of the 61st New York Vols., May 31, 1862 ; made Colo- nel Sept. 30; was made Brevet Brigadier-General for gallantry at Chancel- lorsville; was advanced to full rank May 12, 1864; was made Major-Gen. Oct. 11, 1865; General Miles fought in all the battles of the army of the Potomac, save one, until the surrender of Lee. From 1869 to ISS7 he was engaged in the West against hostile Indian tribes, with remarkable suc- cess. He now holds the highest rank as Major-General of the U. S. Army, and is in command of the land forces in the war with Spain. Gen. Miles is a direct descendant of Rev. John Myles, the founder of the Baptist Church of Swansea, in Barrington.
HUGH COLE. Born about 1627; son of James and Mary Cole, Ply- mouth ; was registered at Plymouth in 1643 among " the males that are able to beare Armes from XVI Yeares old to 60 Yeares ; " was admitted a freeman of the town of Plymouth in 1657, and of Swansea in 1670; mar- ried (1) Mary Foxwell of Scituate, Jan. S, 1654.
Children :
James Cole, b. Nov. 3, 1655,
Hugh, Jr., b. March 8, 165S,
John, b. May 15, 1660, Martha, b. April 16, 1662,
Anna, b. Oct. 14, 1664, Ruth, b. Jan. S, 1666,
Joseph, b. May 15, 166S, Ebenezer, b. 1671,
Mary, Benjamin, b. 1678.
Married (2) widow, Elizabeth Cooke, Jan. 1, 1693; m. (3) widow Mor- ton, 169S; held offices as selectman, deputy, juryman for several years : was an accomplished land surveyor and a ship builder, and a large land owner.
In 1669 Philip sold to Hugh Cole and others, 500 acres of land in Swan- sea. This tract was on the west side of Cole's River, which took its name from Mr. Hugh Cole, who resided thereon previous to 1675. At the breaking out of the Indian war, two sons of Hugh Cole were made prisoners by the Indians and taken to Philip at Mount Hope. Philip, from his friendship for their father, sent them back with a message to Mr. Cole that he did not wish to injure him, but, as his younger warriors might disobey his orders, advised him to repair to Rhode Island for safety. Mr. Cole immediately made ready and started with all his family in a boat, when he beheld his house in flames. After the war, 1677, Mr. Cole returned and located on the east side of Touisset Neck, on Kicke- muit River in Warren. The farm he owned and the well he dug in 1677 are yet in possession of his lineal descendants. Mr. Cole was a member of John Myles's Church and was an influential man in town and church. He died Jan. 26, 1699, leaving a large descent to perpetuate the name and
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good qualities of their distinguished ancestor. Miss Asenath W. Cole, a descendant, lives on the ancestral land, and is loyal to the Cole history. I am indebted to her for other valuable historic material, which may be used later.
HORATIO GATES JONES. Son of Rev. Horatio Gates Jones and Deb- orah (Levering) Jones, was born Jan. 9, 1822; graduated from Univ. of Pennsylvania in 1841 ; was a lawyer by profession ; married Caroline V. Babcock, May 27, 1852; no children; was deacon of a Baptist Church in Philadelphia; trustee of Crozer Theolog. Seminary; manager of Baptist Publication Society; was chosen senator to State Senate (Penn.) in IS74, and re-elected in 1876 and IS78; he died March 14, 1893, in the room in which he was born, in the house in which he had lived all his life at Roxborough, Philadelphia, Penn. Mr. Jones was a man of rare natural gifts, which received excellent training and were consecrated to the noblest uses. In his profession, in social and church life, in politics, in business, and in official relations he was an active, benevolent, manly, Christian citizen. As Mr. Jones spent a considerable time of each year in Barrington, was deeply interested in all the interests of the people, and as he married a lady of Barrington descent, this brief biographical note is appropriately inserted.
SYLVESTER ALLEN. Son of Samuel and Ruth Allen; b. Sept. 16, 1778; m. Nancy Luther Feb. 15, 1807. Lived at the Allen homestead until 1830, when he moved to Providence, where he died Nov. 15, 1832, at the age of 54. Children : Martha Watson, b. 1809; Samuel, b. ISII; Joseph L., b. IS13; Cyrus ; Ezra Stiles, b. IS19; Nancy.
SAMUEL ALLEN. While Gen. Thomas Allin was the most distin- guished military character that Barrington produced in the Revolutionary period, Samuel Allen was the most prominent and useful to town and state in civil life. He was born in Barrington in 1739 and lived in the house near Barrington River, now occupied by Mr. Benson Bean. He belonged to one of the most influential families of the town, and early took an active interest in public affairs. In March, 1774, Mr. Allen was appointed on the Committee of Correspondence, and was in constant responsible service for his town and country during the war. In 177S he was elected as a deputy from Barrington to the General Assembly, continuing in office until 1790. He was also elected as one of the five jus- tices of the Court of Common Pleas for Bristol County, serving in that office 1778-1782, and as chief justice of the County Court of Common Pleas in 1790-1792. In 1790 Mr. Allen and Gen. Thomas Allin were mem- bers of the Convention which adopted the Federal Constitution. The two votes of Samuel and Thomas Allin made the majority of two by which this state became one of the United States. The vote stood 34 in favor to 32 against. Had either voted " no" the Constitution would not have been adopted. Mr. Allen continued to serve the town as one of its most useful citizens and was the town clerk from 1794 to ISO8. His tomb- stone at Prince's Hill bears the record that Mr. Allen "passed a life of
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THE HISTORY OF BARRINGTON.
useful labors both in public and private vocations." He died Oct. 22. 18OS, in the 70th year of his age. His widow, Ruth (Viall) Allen, died Nov. 7, ISII, aged 74 years. Children : Asa Allen, b. 1760, d. ISO5 ; Joseph Viall Allen, b. 1762, lost at sea in a hurricane Oct. S, 17So; Rachei Allen, b. 1765, d. IS47; Samuel Allen, b. 1768, d. IS27; Sylvester Allen. b. 1770, d. 1776; James Allen, b. 1772, d. 1774; Eunice Allen, b. 1775 ; Sylvester Allen, b. 1778, d. IS32; James Allen, Jr., b. 17So, d. 17S9.
BROWN, JOHN. The ancestors of the Brown families lived in the south and west of England, and emigrated to Boston and Plymouth between the years 1620 and 1692. Peter Brown, the first comer, was of Puritan stock. and came in the Mayflower, in 1620. He was young and unmarried at the time of his arrival, but before 1633, the date of his death, had married two wives, and two children had been born of each. Peter settled in Duxbury.
John Brown became acquainted with the Pilgrims at Leyden, prior to 1620. The year of his arrival in America is unknown, probably about 1630, as we find him elected a freeman in 1634, and in 1636 an assistant, an office which he held by annual election for seventeen years. He was at this time between forty and fifty years of age, as we find his son, James Brown, admitted as a freeman in 1636. Mr. Brown was a man of large intelligence, great energy of character, and deep and earnest piety.
He was a grand pioneer in the settlement of the towns on the west of old Plymouth. In 1636 he was a resident of Duxbury. We find his name among the purchasers of the tract of land called Cohannett, or Taunton, in 1637, and he with Miles Standish erected bounds around the purchase in 1640. Thither he had probably removed with his family before 1643, for among the fifty-four males subject to military duty in that year, his name stands first, followed by those of his two sons, John, Jr., and James.
During the same year he was one of the company to purchase Reho- both, and his interest in that township was the largest of any, amounting to £600.
Prior to June 9, 1645, he had removed to Rehoboth, for we find his name first, with six others, who were chosen to order the prudential af- fairs of that town for six months. His son James removed from Taunton with him, and his son John followed in 1647. In December, 1645, Mr. Brown, Sr., became sole proprietor of the section known by the Indians as Wannamoisett, and Wannamoisett Neck, (now Bullock's Point and Riverside), which originally included a portion of the present towns of Rehoboth and Swansea, with a large portion of Barrington, and the south part of Seekonk and East Providence. His name appears on all of the important committees of the town. Now he was chosen to carry on a suit at the Court, - afterwards " to make diligent search to find out the most convenient way between Rehoboth and Dedham,"-then he, with Mr. Peter Hunt, were ordered to go to Plymouth, " to make agreement about the Indian complaints," and various other records of public duties, which
WILLIAM EDGAR COLLEY.
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BRIEF BIOGRAPHIES.
indicate his prominence and ability as a citizen of the town and of the colony.
His liberal sentiments on religious affairs were positive, and as a colo- nial magistrate, he expressed his scruples as to the propriety of coercing the people to support the minister, and offered to pay all delinquencies from his own estates.
In 1643 the colonies of Plymouth, Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Haven united in a confederacy, styled the United Colonies of New Eng- land, for their common defence and welfare. Each colony sent two com- missioners to the meetings of this body. Mr. John Brown represented Plymouth colony for twelve years, and was associated in these delibera- tions with such men as John Winthrop, Gov. Haynes, Mr. Eaton, Mr Bradstreet, and Gov. Winslow. In this body he exercised a large influ- ence, and served the colony wisely and faithfully.
Mr. Brown died at Wannamoisett, April 10th, 1662. An obituary notice is given of him by Morton, in his New England Memorial, pp. 295, 296, 297 :
His burial place is probably in what is now known as the " Viall Burial Ground," on the Little Neck, in Wannamoisett, at the head of Bullock's Cove. My reasons for this belief are these: The locality is within the limits of Wannamoisett, which he purchased of the Indians, and also within the bounds of Ancient Swansea, which included a large por- tion of that purchase. It was upon his own estate, where family burial grounds were often located.
His widow, Dorothy Brown, was buried there; she died at Swansea, January 27, 1674, aged ninety years.
His daughter Mary and her husband, Capt. Thomas Willett, with other descendants, were buried in this ground, and the locality was formerly known as the " Brown Burial Ground."
Mr. Brown left three children - Mary, who married Capt. Thomas Wil- lett, John, Jr., who settled with his father in Rehoboth, and James Brown, who was one of the most influential men in the founding of Swansea, as well as one of the leading members of Mr. Myles's church.
THOMAS WILLIAMS BICKNELL. Son of Allin and Harriet Byron (Kin- nicutt) Bicknell; b. Sept. 6, 1834; named for Rev. Thomas Williams; Barrington schools till 1850; grad. Thetford Academy, Thetford, Vt., July, 1853; Amherst College, Freshman year 1853-4; grad. B. U. 1860, degree A. M.
Teacher. Seekonk, 1852-3; Rehoboth, 1853, 1855, and 1856-7; principal public schools Elgin, Ill., 1855-6; principal Bristol High School, 1860-Feb., 1864, and May, 1867 to May, 1869; principal Arnold St. Gram- mar School, Prov. R. I., from February, 1864, to May, 1867; Commis- sioner of Public Schools for Rhode Island June, 1869, to Jan., 1875; editor and publisher, Boston, from Jan. 1875, to 1893.
Editor. R. I. Schoolmaster, 1865 to 1875; founder and editor of The Journal of Education, New England and National; of the Primary
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THE HISTORY OF BARRINGTON.
Teacher, of Good Times, and the magazine, Education ; editor and owner of The Dorchester Beacon, IS75-1893.
Presidencies. R. I. Institute of Instruction, 1866-68; New England Pub. Co., 1875 to ISS6; American Institute of Instruction, IS78-79; organizer of National Council of Education in ISSo, and its president ISSO, SI, 82, S3; National Educational Association, ISS4; Interstate Com- mission on Federal Aid to Education ; R. I. Cong. S. S. Ass'n, 1872-75 ; Boston Sunday School Supts. Ass'n., ISSo-S2; Mass. Cong. S. S. Ass'n, ISS2-S6; International S. S. Convention, ISS4; Bicknell Family Associa- tion, and various other bodies.
Representative. Elected from Barrington to the General Assembly of R. I., 1859-60; elected from the 24th Suffolk District, Boston, to the General Court of Massachusetts, Nov., ISSS, and Nov., ISS9, serving two years.
Published Works. Life of William Lord Noyes, 1863; six annual reports as Commissioner of Public Schools, 1869-IS75; editorial and other matter in R. I. Schoolmaster, Bristol Phenix, The Journal of Edu- cation, Primary Teacher, The Magazine Education, The Dorchester Bea- con ; educational addresses on School Supervision, Federal Aid to Edu- cation, Civil Service Reform in Education, School Journalism, National System of Education, etc., etc .; historical addresses on John Myles and Religious Toleration, dedication of Town Hall at Rehoboth, also of Bar- rington, Historical Notes of Barrington, IS70; addresses at Bicknell Association, at Rehoboth, 250th anniversary celebration, IS94, etc., etc .; The History of Barrington, IS9S.
Travels. The United States, Alaska, Asia Minor, Austria, Bulgaria, Canadas, England, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hungary, Ire- land, Italy, Switzerland, Turkey.
Titles. A. M., from Brown University, 1860; A. M. honorary, Am- herst, Mass., IS78; LL. D., Drury College, Mo.
ALLIN BICKNELL. Oldest son of Joshua and Amy Bicknell; born in Barrington April 3, 17S7; farmer; joined the Congregational Church in Barrington, with about 70 others, 1820, and maintained a consistent Christian character for more than fifty years; succeeded his honored father, Judge Bicknell, as a deacon of the Congregational Church; was Captain of the Barrington Infantry and Lieutenant-Colonel of the Bristol County Reg. ; was a member of the town council for several years ; was a representative of the town in the General Assembly for the years 1842, 46, 49, and a senator from IS50 to 1854; m. (1) Harriet Byron Kinnicutt, daughter of Josiah and Rebecca Kinnicutt; m. (2) Elizabeth W. Allen, daughter of Gen. Thomas and Amy Allen; was industrious, generous, died Aug. 22, IS70, aged 83 years, 4 months, and 7 days. Children : Joshua, George Augustus, Daniel Kinnicutt, and Thomas Williams. His biographer, Dr. Babcock, thus speaks of him :
" For several years he was chosen to represent the people in both branches of Legislature, and performed these duties in a manner highly
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acceptable and useful. But public life was by no means his choice. His honest integrity, and his quiet, unobtrusive, healthy tone of life rendered him the admiration and delight of the private circle where, without osten- tatious parade or pretentiousness of any kind, he won the full confidence and esteem of those most intimate with him. His prudent and temper- ate care in the exercise of godly virtues, bore him on the even tenor of his way, and carried him beyond the bounds of fourscore years."
PAUL MUMFORD. Was the most distinguished citizen of Barrington, not of native stock. He came from Newport with his family and pur- chased the Hooker Low estate, in 1774, at B. Centre. His services in town and state are given in the chapter on the Revolution. He held the offices of town deputy, Colonial Commissioner, Justice and Chief Justice of the Sup. Court, Governor's Assistant, a delegate to the Colonial Con- gress, and lieutenant governor from IS03 to IS05.
Two members of the Mumford family were buried at Prince's Hill, a son, William, b. Feb. 3, 1770, and d. Nov. 24, 1776, and Mrs. Mary Mum- ford, his wife, b. Aug. 12, 1737; d. June 22, 1779. She was the daughter of Rev. John and Ann Mayclean, and was a woman of fine social quali- ties and great executive ability, conducting the affairs of the farm and dairy as well as her large household during her husband's absence. Judge Mumford sold his property in Barrington and returned to Newport about ISoo.
IRVING M. SMITH. Son of Nathaniel C. and Sally (Bowen) Smith ; b. July 15, 1852; drug business; m. Caroline W. Ketchum; children, Kenneth Valentine, Nathalie Church ; d. Dec. 1, 1895.
Mr. Smith was one of the most active, useful, and unselfish men Bar- rington has produced, and his early death may be traced to excessive, labors in local affairs, added to the cares of family and business. He was a natural leader and reformer and engaged in new projects with un- bounded zeal and faith in their success. He counted difficulties and oppo- sition as naught compared with the gains of successful plans. The town of Barrington was his idol, and he worshipped its history and traditions, and worked without stint for its advancement. He led in the organiza- tion of the Barrington Rural Improvement Association, and was its lead- ing spirit until his death. Through this association he led the way in securing the recognition of Arbor Day as a state holiday. The Rhode Island Business Men's Association owes its life to him and he was chosen its first president in recognition of his labors. The same is true of the . R. I. Rural Improvement Association. His example was contagious and inspired all to larger efforts, and there is scarcely a feature of the physical features of the town that has not in these busy years of his life felt some benefit therefrom. The present History of Barrington was undertaken at his urgent suggestion, endorsed by the town Improvement Association. His life work may be said to have been suggestive, administrative, and inspirational. His ambitions lay along the line of public service, and his name and reputation are secure.
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THE HISTORY OF BARRINGTON.
JOSHUA BICKNELL, (Zachary,1 John,2 Zechariah,8 Joshua, + Joshua,5) son of Joshua and Jerusha (Heath) Bicknell, was born at the house known as The Kinnicutt Tavern, in Barrington, Jan. 14, 1759. Amy Brown, his wife, was born at "The Ferry House," Aug. 1, 1762. Married April 18, 1782.
He entered public life when but a youth ; was a soldier in the Revolu- tion. During a long life served the town, county, and State in various official positions. He was a senator or a representative in the General Assembly of Rhode Island from 1787 to 1799; ISO2 to ISO5; ISO7, 'OS; 1823 to 1826. He served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Rhode Island from 1794 to IS37. The purity of his life, the integrity of his motives, and the justice of his opinions and decisions gave him the merited soubriquet of " Old Aristides." He was plain in his domestic habits, and, when unoccupied with public affairs, devoted himself to his farm, and especially to fruit culture, in which he took great pleasure. He united with the Congregational Church in Barrington, Nov. 5, 1So5, and held the office of deacon for many years. He was also Treasurer of the United Congregational Society from its formation in 1797, until his death in 1837, a period of forty years.
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