USA > Rhode Island > A history of Block Island : from its discovery, in 1514, to the present time, 1876 > Part 17
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26
234
HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.
pendence that it desired, bearing its proportion of State taxes, paying £29 in the year 1700, and relying upon the same protection from the colony accorded to other towns. In this respect it was sadly disappointed during the War of the Revolution. Though abandoned to the cruelties of · the enemy it ever maintained its principles of civil and religious freedom, and of self-government, and was none the less loyal at the close of that struggle than were other towns of the colony more highly favored. Its civil polity of exercising its own freedom in choice of its rulers; of maintaining religious freedom; and of unity with the colony, and the Republic at large, has remained kindred and cotemporary with the fundamental principles of the colony founded by Roger Williams. In 1783 it was granted the special privilege of choosing Ray Sands, a citizen of South Kingston, to represent the Island in the General Assembly, and also of subsequently choosing "any person, being a freeman in any town in the State, who is seized in his own right of a freehold estate in the said town of New Shoreham, to represent them in Gen- eral Assembly." This was granted on account of the inconvenience of passing from the Island to the main- land.
The following extracts from the ancient records of the Island are here given as illustrations of the foregoing, and as historical facts interesting also as items of antiquity.
TOWN OFFICERS.
TOWN OFFICERS IN 1676.
Peter George, Head Warden.
Simon Ray, Deputy Warden. James Sands, Assistant Warden.
Robert Guthrig,
66 Turmot Rose,
Robert Guthrig, Town Clerk.
235
TOWN OFFICERS.
William Tosh, Constable.
Trustom Dodge, Sen. Sergeant.
Quarterly meetings that year were held at the house of the head warden, Peter George; and a special court was called by John Williams. In 1674 there were thirty freeholders.
TOWN OFFICERS IN 1700.
Simon Ray, Head Warden. Joshua Raymond, Deputy Warden. Nathaniel Mott, Town Clerk. James Danielson, Sergeant. Edward Mott, Constable. Thomas Rathbone, First Townsman.
Job Card, Second Townsman.
In the year 1700 the freemen of the Island were be- tween thirty and forty in number, and the population varied but little from 200.
The freedom and independence of the Island were so great in 1692 that its inhabitants regulated the standard of their own currency. A parcel of land was then sold, and the following articles in payment were called specie. The amount to be paid was £175, and to be "In spetia hereafter mentioned, viz .: In pork at three pounds per barrel, in beef at thirty-five shillings per barrel; all such as shall pass the packer at Boston. Wheat at four shil- lings per bushel; barley at three shillings per bushel, all merchantable and clean; butter at sixpence per pound; tallow at fivepence per pound ; all new milk cheese at fivepence per pound." All of these articles were legal tender, at some price, and hence were called " spetia."
During the same year the authorities of the Island summoned a jury of inquest on the body of Tepague, an Indian from Long Island.
In the year 1701 the inhabitants banished from the
236
HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.
Island one William Preshur and his wife for their immor- ality, or poverty.
In 1708 the freedom of the ballot-box was enforced by the following act: "That all the freeholders and freemen of Shorum shall personally appear at each respective quarter meeting, and there to attend to business of the day according to the charter or privilege of Shorum, upon the penalty of five shillings for every officer's not appearing, and 2s. 6d. per day for each freeman's not appearing according to warrant."
During that year a poor tax of £24 was levied and raised by the town.
In 1721 the town, in the following act, is seen to have been in a measure its own legislature: "That if any per- son or persons shall go through any man's land and shall leave open either bars or gate, or shall go through any man's fence without leave of the owner thereof, the per- son so offending shall pay ten shillings and moiety to the informer and the other moiety to the town."
In March, 1683, the town donated four acres of land to a blacksmith, the first on the Island, by the name of William Harris. That year, too, it recognized the name " Great Salt Pond," in 1636 mentioned by Roger Wil- liams as the "Great Pond."
At the commencement of the Revolution the Island was virtually banished from the colonies, and left a prey for the enemy. The inhabitants foresaw the tempest gathering and sure to break upon them and made provis- ion to bear it manfully, and to retain their chartered rights which they had faith to assure them would be en- joyed by them again after the storm of war had passed over. Accordingly, on the 9th of January, 1776, they put upon record the following: " Voted and resolved that all the town records, and all the other papers in the Clerk's Office that relate to the town be immediately sent by the
237
REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD.
Town Clerk to Paul Niles, in Charlestown, requesting him by a letter to have care of them.
JOHN SANDS, Esq., Moderator. WALTER RATHBONE, Town Clerk."
REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD.
Charlestown lies directly north of Block Island, and is the nearest land to the latter.
During the long struggle for independence, the inhab. itants of Block Island, with no earthly ally, amenable to no higher civil authority than its own, except as claimed by Great Britain to belong to its crown, enjoyed and ex- hibited all the fundamental principles of a pure democ- racy. Whether familiar with any treatises of jurispru- dence, like those of Justinian, Vattel, or Blackstone- whether they had ever seen a civil code or not, they cer- tainly had a knowledge of human rights and duties, and they put that knowledge into practice in a manner that would have been a model for the sages of Athens and for the writer of our Declaration of Independence. The town records of this little, forsaken, war-pillaged Island in sight and hearing of the wrathful guns booming on the main, show a love of freedom and a faith in its attainment that were marvelous. The following may be taken as an index of the same, and also as an illustration of the clear and just views here entertained of the true civil polity for the attainment and maintenance of which they mutu- ally, man by man, laid their lives upon freedom's altar. They said,-
"At a Town Meeting held in New Shoreham, Aug. 14, 1779. JOHN SANDS, Moderator.
" Whereas the safety and well-being of society depend entirely under God upon the legal and strict administra- tion of justice, and the execution of good order and wholesome laws; and
238
HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.
"Whereas the critical situation of this Island is such, and in all probability will continue during the present contest between Great Britain and the United American States, as to render it impossible to have the same protec- tion and security from the laws of our country and the courts of justice established in this colony or State, as before the commencement of the present war which must in its consequences render the persons and properties of the inhabitants very insecure:
" We have therefore thought proper for the preserva- tion, protection, and security of our persons and proper- ties, to adopt the regulations contained in the following resolutions which we conceive to be warrantable upon the principles of self-preservation and the good of society."
The above preamble was followed by a series of resolu- tions of which the following is an abstract:
"First: That two assistant wardens be elected, and to have the same power as the head warden formerly had-the three to transcend the town charter, in judging of actions involving more than 'forty shillings,' and also in deciding upon criminal actions.
"Second : That said wardens be a civil court to deter- mine all civil and criminal actions without appeal ; and in trials for life said wardens to summon to sit with them six freeholders, making a court of nine, a majority of whom made the decision final, without appeal.
"Third: Said freeholders to be finable £20 each for absence.
"Fourth : That said court be guided by State laws as far as possible, except in trial for life, in which case pro- ceedings were to be 'according to law and evidence.'
"Fifth: When there were no laws to guide the wardens they were to act according to the best of their knowledge of the laws of the land."
To the above was added the following:
239
REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD.
" We do further resolve in the most solemn manner that we will at the hazard of our lives and fortunes give every assistance, aid, and support to the wardens, assist- ant wardens, and other civil officers, in the execution of their offices in the legal administration of justice, and in the execution of the laws of the land, and in the execu- tion of whatever regulations have been or may be adopted by this town for the preservation, protection, and support of the persons and properties of the good people of this Island."
During the same meeting at which the above was adopted by the citizens of Block Island, they proceeded to act upon town matters with as little apparent trepidation as though they were wielding the power of a nation, although they were trampling upon the crown of England, transcending greatly their colonial charter, and were liable any day to be invaded by a British fleet. On that day they said in their records:
" Whereas the native Indians being extinct in the town of New Shoreham that had claims in and to the land com- monly called and known by the name of Indian Land, situ- ate, lying, and being on the West Side, &c." This land was sold for town purposes.
All through the Revolution, town meetings were held, officers elected, good order maintained, real estate transac- tions occurred, marriages and deaths and births recorded, wills were made, the poor cared for, taxes assessed and collected, estates inventoried and recorded, and not a com- plaint of hardships, nor a word of doubt of ultimate triumph of our armies in the struggle for independence. After the war, families that had fled to the main returned, the old paths of civil order were resumed, the above rules of necessity were abrogated, the charter of 1672, and its subordinate laws have been followed, and Block Island
-
240
HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.
to-day bids fair to compete in good order, enterprise, and prosperity, successfully with her sister towns of the State.
THE MINISTER'S LOT OR LAND. ?
This is the name commonly applied to a portion of Block Island which was set apart, by the suggestion of Simon Ray, at the time of surveying the land for settlement, as a means of supporting the gospel on the Island. In the original compact of the first purchasers were included these words:
" That there should a quantity or portion of land be laid out for the help and maintenance of a minister, and so con- tinue for that use forever."
In that original survey made by the proprietors of the Island, in 1661, the portion above-mentioned was sur- veyed or laid out, and named, on the plot designating the various divisions, " Minister's Land," and it was also designated as "Lot 15." This land is located on the northerly part of the Island, and extends from the east shore of the Island to the east shore of the Great Pond, and contains about fifty acres. Mr. Simon Ray Sands has in his possession a copy of the original plotting of the Island for its sixteen proprietors, and said copy shows the boundaries of the Minister's Land.
In the year 1691, thus early, the town began to reap the avails of this land. In that year was made the fol- lowing town record, as a lease to Mr. John Dodge, leas- ing to him "the whole use of all the minister's share of uplands and meadow upon this Island, excepting the five acre meadow lott in Edward Ball's improvement; and he hath promised to pay to the town council for the use and benefit of this Island, the sum of forty shillings to be pay in current pay equivalent to money by the middle of next December ensuing."
At the same town meeting it was voted, "That John
241
THE MINISTER'S LOT OR LAND.
Dodge shall have the four-acre lott that belonged to the Minister's part, at five shillings per year for two years- or any other person. John Dodge refusing, William Rathbone to succeed him in it and to have said land two years, to pay five shillings per year, and to lay it plain, fit for mowing-to pay equivalent to money."
From the above we learn that nearly one hundred and ninety years ago the town recognized certain lots as the " Minister's Land," and that this land was in three divi- sions, one large lot, one of five acres, and another of four acres. The distinction also of "uplands," has reference to the large lot lying between the Neck road and the east beach.
In 1756, according to an old "memorandum of Block Island," in the 10th Vol. of the Mass. Hist. Col., this land for the support of the gospel received considerable atten- tion. It says: " There is a ministry lot on Block Island which rents for 4007., old tenor per annum. Mr. Max- field received part of it A. D. 1756." The four hundred pounds were equal to $50.00. Indeed, over a hundred years ago, this appropriation of land for the support of a minister on Block Island was so well known abroad that it gave character and name to the whole Island which was called by some, then, the " Ministerial Lands."
As there was no organized church to take the supervi- sion of this land, at the time of the settlement, the town assumed its supervision. And here, be it remembered, the first settlers were not all proprietors, the proprietors who donated said land. By a comparison of the names of the original donators of this land with the first settlers, it will be seen that one-half of the latter may have come as tenants, or as second purchasers, and these latter, by no subsequent act could change that first compact which ap- propriated the land and its avails. In other words, that appropriation was a grant for a specified purpose, and to
21
242
HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.
" continue for that use forever." This grant was like those made in England about one thousand years ago, and have been known as church property which may be rented, but not deeded away; nor can the avails of such land be law- fully appropriated to town or individual purposes instead of the one specified in the original grant.
It may be an interesting task, at some future day, to examine the Block Island town records to see what the town has done with the Minister's Land, and to ascertain how large a sum of principal and interest may have accum- mulated in the town's treasury as moneys received from the said land, moneys not used for the "maintenance of a minister." Under the town management parcels of said land have passed into the continued occupancy of individ- uals, and the income from the part still designated as the " Minister's Lot," has dwindled to the sum of about fifty dollars a year. This sum is divided between the two churches of the Island. No other so good land, and so beautifully located, on the Island produced so little in- come, or could be hired for the same money. Lands each side of it, of the same quantity, probably could not be rented for five times the sum of fifty dollars.
That a better use of this land could and should be made, is certain. According to the value of other lands, the Minister's Land ought to be worth $4,000, yes, much more than this, if that deeded away be included. This price, by those who would like to obtain the land, of course, be spoken of in the old words: "It is naught ! It is naught !" (Prov. 20: 14.) But when the price of land just over the fence is considered, the above state- ment will not appear extravagant. This land, like similar lands in other places, both in America and in England, can be leased for a term of centuries, although it cannot be deeded away, and most men would pay as much for a lease to run 999 years as for a deed.
243
THE MINISTER'S LOT OR LAND.
An effort was made in the year 1875 to secure a larger income from the Minister's Land. A meeting, on the 4th of May, 1875, was held at the First Baptist Church of Block Island, at which a historical sketch of the said land was presented by the pastor, and there thirty-six of its members signed the following: "We the undersigned, members of the First Baptist Church of New Shoreham, believe that the avails of the 'Minister's Lot,' originally numbered '15,' should be used for building a parsonage for said church, and for such other purpose as may be in harmony with the original grant of said lot No. '15,'. and we therefore mutually request a full attendance at a church meeting to be held on the 29th inst. at 7.30 o'clock, at our house of worship, then and there to take such action in the matter as may be deemed best for the cause of our Lord and Master."
Accordingly, on the 29th mentioned the church passed certain resolutions, and appointed a committee to carry them into action, an account of which may be seen on the church record.
No report has been made from said committee, and no parsonage is yet built, although two are greatly needed, and many persons desire to be free from any course that shall look like that of Ananias and Sapphira who " kept back part of the price."
CHURCHES OF BLOCK ISLAND.
UNORGANIZED ELEMENTS.
Pious families were among the first settlers of Block Island. Before they saw it they assigned a portion of its soil for a perpetual support of the gospel. The instruc- tions to the surveyor to set bounds to their homes also authorized him to bound the "Minister's Land." They were evidently kindred spirits of Roger Williams, with whom they associated freely. The historian Niles, a native of Block Island, personally acquainted with the first settlers, speaks in highest terms of the piety of four of the most influential of the earliest inhabitants. Of his grandfather, James Sands, he says: "He was the leading man among them." " He also was a promoter of religion in his benefactions to the minister they had there in his day, though not altogether so agreeable to him as might be desired, as being inclined to the Anabaptist persuasion. He devoted his house for the worship of God where it was attended every Lord's day or Sabbath." The "min- ister " here mentioned was the writer himself, Rev. Samuel Niles who was a Congregationalist, ordained at Braintree, Mass., in 1711. He preached on Block Island only as a licentiate. James Sands is above spoken of as an Ana- baptist, which meant then what the term Baptist does now, " and he did not differ in religious belief from the other settlers."-(Sheffield.) Mr. Sands, as the "leading man " of the Island, evidently had more influence as a Baptist than his grandson Niles had as a Congregationalist. Like Roger Williams, Mr. Sands defended the religious free-
245
FIRST MINISTER CALLED.
dom of those opposed to him in doctrine, as seen in his support of Mr. Niles. There were also others who planted the same seeds of freedom on the Island in the infancy of its society. They evidently believed that the doctrines and forms of religion were from God, and not from men, and that all Christians have a divine right to tell what they know of God's revelation to men without hinderance or permit from human orders.
The Rays, Simon, and Simon Jr., also exerted a power- ful religious influence on the early Islanders. Mr. Niles, their cotemporary, says of them: "He and his son, as there was no minister in the place, were wont, in succes- sion, in a truly Christian, laudable manner, to keep a meeting in their own house on Lord's days, to pray, sing a suitable portion of the Psalms, and read in good sermon books, and, as they found occasion, to let drop some words of exhortation in a religious manner on such as , attended their meeting." They were both what we now call " lay preachers," and continued to exert their salutary influence more than ninety years, the father until his death in 1737, and the son until he died in 1755, up to which period we find no record of an organized church on the Island. It was probably visited by missionaries occasionally.
The first invitation of a minister to settle on Block Island was given to Mr. Samuel Niles in March 1700, who was then a young man and graduate from Harvard College. The invitation was not from a church, but from the town, and is here presented as a mirror of the society here then.
FIRST MINISTER CALLED.
"NEW SHOREHAM, March the 7th, 1700.
" We, the inhabitants of said Island, being deeply sensi- ble of the great love of God in Christ Jesus in laying 21*
246
HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.
down his daily call to us to be providing for our souls to be fed with his heavenly manna, and for that end to be instructed by his word and to have our souls instructed and edified by him in his promises, that the word of God be preached and sounded forth in the purity of holiness according to the Scriptures. We, underwritten, being sensible that where we partake of the spiritual gifts be- stowed upon a teacher and minister of his word, so we ought to be liberal givers in our temporal, and for that end we have hereunto subscribed, do allot, and freely give up our right and interest in a certain piece of land being five or six acres more or less, as it shall hereafter be laid out by such men appointed for that end who are Simon Ray, Esqr., Joshua Raymond, Esqr., and Edward Ball, who after the laying out of the said land are ap- pointed to appraise the said land what it may be in value per acre, which said land we do freely give and bequeath the right and disposition thereof unto Samuel Niles and his heirs forever, for the use to build and erect a dwelling- house for him that he reside amongst us as a faithful minister and preacher of the gospel amongst us as God shall enable him, desiring God to endow him with the most great and largest gifts of His Spirit which may prove to the drawing of our souls and the souls of such as may come under the power of his ministry to God, and for that end and furtherance in souls, a work for his sus- tenance, we do acquit all claim to him said Niles and his heirs forever from any claim from us and our heirs for- ever to said land, and this said act to be a record of our gift as witness our hands. It is also to be understood that there is always and forever a drift-way through said land for egress and ingress to pass through by him said Niles and his heirs at all times forever, hanging of gates for that end that there may be a passing through as the
247
FIRST MINISTER CALLED.
way runs, or by the layers-out of said land may be set out for the use of the inhabitants of said Island."
This was signed by twenty-eight freemen, ten by "his mark."
On the following day Messrs. Ray, Ball, and Raymond, the committee appointed by the town, surveyed, or staked out the lot designated, lying east of the northerly part of the Fresh Pond, and Mr. Niles accepted a deed of the same, about seven acres in all. This land he retained several years after he left the Island, and sold it in 1716 for £105. He wrote his history of the Indian and French wars in 1760, and died in 1762. In that history he fre- quently speaks of Block Island, of its religious leaders up to the year 1755, but says nothing of a church on the Island. There probably was none during his life-time, although for more than a century the leading men here were truly Christian, some of whom were lay preachers, and meanwhile there were temporary preachers from abroad. Mr. Niles preached about two years on the Island, and with reference to the remarkable escape from injury of the three Sands families coming from their homes on Sands Point, L. I., to Block Island, as their vessel was fearfully shattered by lightning, and no one hurt, on the following Sabbath he preached from the text: " Were there not ten cleansed, but where are the nine ?" This was in the year 1702.
According to a memorandum of the Rev. Dr. Stiles, Mr. Maxwell received part of the rents of the "Ministry Lot," in the year 1756. In Sept., 1758, the Islanders " Resolved that Capt. Edward Sands, present town treas- urer, forthwith hire one hundred and twenty-four pounds in old tenor, and pay the same unto Mr. Samuel Maxwell for his serving as a minister in said town the last four months." We have learned of him but little.
There was a meeting-house on Block Island in 1756.
248
HISTORY OF BLOCK ISLAND.
In 1758 the town voted to board up the broken windows, which shows that it was unoccupied, and perhaps a mark for missiles.
In 1759, June 25th, the town voted a proposal to Rev. David Sprague to become their minister, offering him the use of the three ministerial lots, and also the use of the "proprietors' land thereto adjoining, running southerly as far as the south end of the Great Fresh Pond," during his service.
On the 28th of August, 1759, an amendment was made to a former vote, and it read thus: "So long as said David Sprague shall serve the inhabitants of the town by preaching to them the gospel of Christ according to the Scriptures of truth, making them and them only the rules of his faith, doctrine, and practice." This indicates clearly the persuasion of the people before they had an organized church.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.