USA > Rhode Island > Kent County > Greene > A history of Greene and vicinity, 1845-1929 > Part 3
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
Several other doctors have located in Greene for short periods of time, among them being Dr. Starkweather, Dr. R. L. Shea, and Dr. John Hoover who practiced here for several years and then moved to Voluntown, Connecticut.
At the present time Greene has no resident doctor, but is depen- dent on the doctors of Moosup, Connecticut, or Washington, Rhode Island, for medical help. There is room for a good doctor in Greene and its surrounding community, and one is badly needed in case of sudden severe sickness and accident. It is hoped that a doctor may locate here in the near future.
GREENE AND ITS POST OFFICE AND RURAL DELIVERY
In the early days of this community before Greene was settled few letters were written or received, and the receipt of a letter from abroad was an event to be talked about by the family
29
History of Greene and Vicinity
receiving the message, and it was also news for the immediate community.
There were no mail carriers in those days, and many of the farmers were dependent on their neighbors for the delivery of their letters and weekly newspapers. Newspapers were taken by only a few, and after being read by the family were lent to those in the neighborhood who were interested. Postage on letters was very high, and only such business letters as were necessary were sent away, most of the business being done by word of mouth. Good letter writers were few, one or two in a neighborhood doing whatever writing was necessary.
In the early days the mails were carried on the stages, which in this community ran over the Plainfield Pike from Providence to Norwich, Connecticut, by way of Plainfield. The first post office for this territory was located at Rice City, and was in charge of Col. Sanuel Rice as Postmaster. This continued until about 1860, when Whipple V. Phillips set up a store and post office under the home of Squire G. Wood, the mails having been transferred to the railroad baggage cars and daily mails received from both east and west and also sent out morning and evening by train. Daily news- papers began to appear, and as the business of the village increased the mails increased. Soon after this post office was established the farmers and others in West Greenwich made a bid for better mail facilities, and a post office called West Greenwich Centre was established, the late Pardon T. Bates being the first Postmaster, and holding the position until his death in 1896, when it was taken over by his son, John A. Bates, and remained under him until its discontinuance about a year ago.
At about the same time another post office was established at Escoheag Hill, which is still in service.
Soon after these two post offices were established, a mail route was opened to supply them with their mail, and the late Alexander Peck was the first mail carrier, making two trips a week, Tuesdays and Fridays. This was afterward changed to three trips a week, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays,-and this continued until the death of Mr. Peck.
Soon after 1885 this route was made a daily route, and Daniel Tillinghast, who had moved to Greene, was for many years the
30
History of Greene and Vicinity
mail carrier on this route. For several years now this route has been covered by Howard Trenn, each day.
Some years after 1885 another route was established, going north through Rice City, Moosup Valley and a part of Bowen's Hill. This route was first opened by the late Charles E. Howland, who covered it for many years. It has now been enlarged to cover twenty-five miles of territory. Norman Baxter of Crompton, R. I., has been the mail carrier for several years past and is at the present time.
After holding office at Greene for six years Mr. Phillips was followed by Leonard Tillinghast, who served as Postmaster for ten years. This was during the best years of Greene's existence. Business was flourishing, and during this time the mail service was increased to two mails a day each way.
Mr. Tillinghast was followed by Amasa P. Taber, who moved the office across the street under what was then the Masonic Hall. Mr. Taber finally removed to Almyville, Connecticut. Oliver Lewis was Postmaster for a few years.
In 1885 a petition was circulated by Curnel S. Brown, and in that year he became the Postmaster, which position he held for twenty-seven years. The post office was located at his home dur- ing all those years, with credit to himself, and the community was well served.
For a year and a half Stephen H. Potter was Postmaster, the post office being moved across the railroad to his store.
It was moved back to Curnel Brown's home, where it was kept until his resignation of the office, when it was removed across the railroad to a building owned by Charles Howland. Miss Alice M. Kettle was made Postmistress, which position she held for twelve years, until her resignation. Then Charles H. Arnold, storekeeper, became Postmaster, which position he is filling at the present time.
Almost from the beginning of a post office here the mails have been handled by the railroad company, for the first few years without sorting, being carried in the baggage car and handled by the baggagemaster of the train. Later mail cars fitted for the sorting of mail on the road were introduced and mail clerks made daily trips between Providence and Willimantic, Connecticut, handling the mails for each station on the route. A few years ago
3I
History of Greene and Vicinity
these mail cars were taken off, and now Greene receives her mail by truck twice a day, in the morning from the west and in the afternoon from the east. The Greene Post Office has, and always has had, very heavy mails, because of the two mail routes out of the village.
GREENE CAMP MEETING
No history of Greene and community would be complete without some mention of the Greene Camp Meetings which have been held for many years. The meetings for many years have been held some time in August, in the early years beginning on Friday and holding over two Sundays, the last Sunday being the big day of the meeting.
The first camp meeting was held in the summer of 1874 in a tent at what is known as Rider's Corner. The meeting was small compared with those of later years. The next year the Advents held another camp meeting at Coventry Centre in the pine grove back of the new town hall. Meetings were held here for five years, large crowds attending on the Big Sunday, so-called. This caused the association which had been formed to look for a larger and permanent place to hold their meetings. In 1880 the present site of the camp meetings was bought from the late Squire G. Wood. Two brothers, Henry and Asher Matteson of Anthony, were responsible for the deal for the association. This site is located about a quarter of a mile south of Greene, and comprises about fifty acres of land with a very fine grove of oak and chestnut trees. This was cleaned out and a large boarding house erected. The first year the services were held in a large tent furnished by Elder J. Bellows, one of the pioneers in the movement. That year and for several years after those who came to attend through the week or ten days of services stayed in tents. The preachers were taken care of in rooms over the boarding house. Soon after what was to be known as the Tabernacle was built, and the big tent was used for the other services. In the early years the attendance during the week was very large, as many as twenty or more tents being set up in a circle around the preaching stand. In later years cottages began to be built by those who came each year and the
32
History of Greene and Vicinity
tents began to disappear, and today few tents are used, most of those coming staying in their cottages or being cared for at the boarding house. In the early days and for many years the responsibility of feeding those present through the meeting and those who came on the big days was laid on Jason P. Hazard and his good wife. All were well cared for,-a great task in those days with twenty or more preachers to be fed and provided with rooms, besides those preachers who came from a distance for one or two days.
The presiding officer for many years, who was responsible for the services and preachers and all other details was Rev. P. S. Butter of Woodstock Valley, Connecticut. For many years he never missed a meeting and made an excellent presiding officer. Since his time several others have held this office,-Rev. W. C. Seyfert of Lafayette being the present elder in charge. It would be interesting to have a list of those who have preached to the thousands who have attended this camp meeting during almost half a century, but space will permit of mentioning only a few of the more prominent speakers.
For many years the Friday before the Big Sunday was made a Temperance Day, and on this day addresses were made on this subject by speakers from the W. C. T. U. and others in the fore- noon, and in the afternoon by Rev. Otis J. Range, a Methodist preacher from the New York East Conference, who came to Greene for nearly or quite twenty-five years to speak on this subject, and to preach once or twice on the Big Sundays to the immense crowds which always came on those days. Rev. Mr. Range was a very fine speaker and capable of holding a large crowd spellbound, anxious to hear what he had to say. Other preachers who will be remembered by those who attended in the early years were H. L. Hastings of Boston, Rev. Joseph Miett, Rev. Edwin R. Wood, Rev. Joseph J. Northup and many others of that time. In later years Rev. Mr. Hewitt and Rev. Wm. H. Durfee are remembered. Today the meetings are in charge of the younger set and conducted mostly by the younger preachers.
In the olden days the only ways of reaching the camp meeting were by train, horse and wagon, or afoot. The New England Rail- road, and later the New Haven Railroad, had the bulk of the
33
History of Greene and Vicinity
travel. Hence camp meeting days were busy days for all con- nected with the railroad. Reduced fares were the usual thing, and extra cars were run on all trains. On Big Sundays special trains were run from both directions, each train having from ten to fifteen cars all packed to the doors, which, with those who came by horse and wagon, many driving fifteen or twenty miles, made a crowd of several thousand upon the grounds between ten o'clock in the morning and four-thirty in the afternoon. It is safe to say that close to one hundred thousand people have attended Greene Camp Meetings since 1880, many coming every year for many years, others only a few times. Today the attendance on Big Sunday hardly reaches a thousand, where years ago it was ten or fifteen thousand. Times have changed. Today there are no special trains. All come by automobile. Other attractions call the crowds elsewhere, and the attendance through the week is not large. In a few years the camp meeting will probably be a thing of the past for Greene and the surrounding country. All of the older men and women who were so much interested are gone, and the young like to spend their vacations elsewhere or attend the large camp meet- ings where they can see and hear those whom they have not heard before. This year's meeting (1929) is to be held early in August, for five days, instead of the ten or more of former years. Many improvements have been made on the grounds, electric lights have been installed, all the buildings have been repaired and the grounds cleaned up, making it a very pleasant place to hold services. Many come out early and stay a week or two before the meeting and through the meeting. In the early years this meeting was strongly denominational. In later years it has become more of an educa- tional service, the preaching services being held evenings only and on the Sabbath.
GREENE VICINITY AND ITS INDUSTRIES
Probably the first industry to be established in this community was the Grist Mill at Hopkins Hollow, by Peleg Andrews, in the early fifties of the last century. The Grist Mill was a necessity in those days, for all the farmers within a radius of several miles raised each year several acres of corn to be ground into eating meal. Johnny cake and brown bread were the staple bread foods of those days,-and corn meal was needed for cattle, horses and chickens.
34
History of Greene and Vicinity
Flour was a luxury and was used only sparingly for pies and occasionally for white bread. A man who could grind good meal was bound to have plenty of business during the fall and winter, and more or less through the whole year. Mr. Andrews put in a dam and built a flume to furnish the water power for his mill. His pay for grinding was fixed by law as two quarts of corn from each bushel ground. He ground both eating meal and coarser meal for feeding.
Some time after his death William S. Pearce from New York State bought the Andrews Farm and Grist Mill, and made many improvements on the mill, putting in a batter and a cob breaker, thus saving the shelling of corn to be used as feed for horses and cattle, grinding both cob and corn together. He also purchased Western corn by the car, and ground it into meal for horses and cattle,-the first yellow meal in this community. He tended the Grist Mill for many years, and after his death it was run by the late John Brown for several years; until George G. Phillips came to live there, where he ground such grists as were brought in and began making a special kind of Johnny cake meal and putting it into packages to be sold at the stores. This was continued by Rev. Charles A. Meader. Since his removal the Grist Mill has been idle. It is now owned by Mrs. Edward E. Arnold.
At about the same time as the erection of the Grist Mill, a short distance down the river toward the bridge a saw mill was erected, to be run by water power, using an up-and-down saw to saw the logs into boards and timber. A shingle mill was also added, and the saw mill was operated by Joseph T. Hopkins, for many years assisted by his boys and sometimes by his girls, who packed shingles into bunches for shipment. This mill after some years was abandoned and rotted down. Only the older generation would know where it was.
Also about that time an acid works, located back of where Ambrose Hopkins then lived-now the home of John Matteson- was run for several years, making acid from wood. This was owned by Bela P. Clapp of Pawtucket, and later was abandoned for his larger plant farther south in West Greenwich.
In Greene the first industry was a saw mill and grist mill com- bined. There was a machine for sawing logs into boxboards, a
35
History of Greene and Vicinity
shingle mill, a machine for sawing staves, a sawing machine, and splitter for making short wood and kindlings.
In 1866 a company was formed, consisting of Whipple V. Phillips, Leonard Tillinghast, and Stephen H. Brown, to erect a building and equip it for carrying on the wood and grain business in Greene. The mill was erected in 1867 and stood where the house owned by Mrs. Arthur Dexter now stands. It was built with a high basement capable of holding one or more steam railroad cars to be loaded with kindling and short wood. A spur track was built from just west of the home of W. H. Brown, which crossed the road and followed the bank wall into the mill. The cars were taken back and forth by horse power from the mill to the switch, and then added to the freight train going east, sometimes each day, some- times every other day, according to orders. An office was estab- lished in Providence to take care of the selling. The mill was run by steam power, and a large engine and boiler were installed on the north end on the ground floor, which furnished plenty of power for both sawmill and grist mill which was also located on the ground floor. The mill furnished work for many hands, and several teams were employed in drawing logs, wood and so forth to be made into box boards, kindling, staves and shingles. For nearly twenty years this mill was in operation and furnished work for the village.
1134375
In 1877 a new industry was added to Greene and a new building erected just south of the mill. This was a horn jewelry shop, for making horn jewelry, combs, and so forth, from the horns of cattle. These horns were shipped here from the West in carloads, sawed into proper lengths, steamed soft, then split and pressed flat, sawed by machinery into patterns desired, colored and polished, ready for shipment. This industry was started in Greene by Goldsmith and Wheatley, a firm which came from abroad. The industry flourished for a few years and then removed to Provi- dence, R. I.
For a short time a blasting furnace for melting iron ore was in operation, the iron ore being taken from a mine in Foster and brought to Greene by team,-but not proving to be a paying operation the furnace was sold and the building was torn down.
There have been one or two local saw mills since the early days, -one a shingle mill set up by Herbert A. Stone on the west side
36
History of Greene and Vicinity
of the Buckshorn near George Scott's,-and another by a Mr. Wilcox from Bristol which was located on the site of the new library building. Later a saw mill was set up by John A. Brown. Its story will be told later.
We now go about a mile west on the Buckshorn River, to the junction of the road from Greene to Rice City and the Lewis Road, so-called, going southeast to Rider's Corner. The first in- dustry here was a grist mill. A small dam across the river was built some time in the early fifties, and a flume leading to the mill was put in. The first miller was the late Adelbert K. Greene,- for one year. He was followed by Wilbur T. Greene, who ran the mill for several years, and was followed by David Knight, who stayed a few years and then became the keeper of the Town Poor Farm at Coventry Centre. Hiram Peavey afterward bought the place and erected a machine shop for repairing machinery, but this not proving successful, and the house being destroyed by fire, Mr. Peavey moved to Greene. Mr. Simeon Webster was the next owner of this land, and he erected a small home and stayed here for several years. He removed to East Blackstone, Massachusetts, and the property was bought by the late Edward E. Arnold, who erected a building for an experimental station*, locally called the "Laboratory," which was very successfully conducted during the World War. During the building of this plant and afterward for several years work was furnished for many in the community. The work was stopped several years ago, but the building is still standing.
This completes the industries which have been in existence dur- ing the years and which have furnished work for many now long gone from us. The failure of W. V. Phillips & Company in 1879 brought to an end the industries in Greene and was a hardship to many, some losing heavily,-and the depression has lasted until the present time.
During the last forty years several firms have desired to locate at Greene, but no arrangements could be made, as those owning the land and privileges desired were unwilling to sell at reasonable prices, not thinking of the benefit to them and to the village later in increased population, increased business of all kinds, and greater land values. These opportunities probably will never come again to Greene and its surrounding territory.
*This station was operated by the Government.
37
History of Greene and Vicinity
GREENE AND ITS DISASTERS
During its existence Greene has had two disasters which caused injury to many and several deaths.
The first disaster was on December 25, 1868, in the store build- ing now owned by Sanford T. Briggs. The second story was then used as a hall, and the first story as a supper room, with a cellar below. Great preparations had been made for a Christmas tree, which was placed in the hall in the second story. The presents had been brought and placed on or near the tree in the west end of the hall. After the distribution of the gifts an entertainment was to be given, followed by supper downstairs. Jeremiah S. McGregor was to act as Santa Claus and he was present, dressed in an appro- priate costume,-with Caleb T. Wood and Leonard Tillinghast to act as distributors of the gifts to those present. The hall was crowded to the doors, ready for the work to begin, but just as they were to commence the accident happened. The floor immediately in front of the tree gave way, carrying those in front down to the floor of the supper room. The immense heft broke this floor, carry- ing down those in front into the cellar, with those in the east end on top of them. There was great excitement and at first it looked as though many must be killed and many more badly injured. A few were not carried down and these at once proceeded to the rescue of those who had gone down. This took quite a long time and it was feared that many at the bottom would be found dead or badly injured, but after all had been rescued from their drop into the cellar only one was found badly injured, although many were bruised and cut and some had fainted from excitement and suddenness of the fall. One lady died from the effects of the accident, but it was fortunate that no more were killed or badly injured,-and it was fortunate, too, that the floor broke far away from the stove in the hall, so that it was left standing. If this had gone down it is probable that all would have been badly burned, and that the building would have been destroyed with many of those in it.
The main cause of the disaster was the removal of several of the supports of the hall floor in the supper room below to make room for the supper tables, and the failure to replace them before the
38
History of Greene and Vicinity
large crowd entered the hall for the Christmas tree. Some are still alive who went down at this time, but most of them are not.
The second disaster, in 1895, was caused by the blowing up of a steam boiler through the ignorance of a fireman who was running the engine. The engine and mill was the property of John A. Brown, who had moved it from West Greenwich for the purpose of sawing slabs and wood into stove lengths for his own use and for sale. On this morning John A. Brown and Lyman Scott were engaged in bolting up slabs, and there were several others standing near, watching the work. The fireman, a young man whose name is forgotten, reported to Mr. Brown that the water was low in the boiler, and Mr. Brown, not realizing the condition of the boiler, ordered him to put in more water. The boiler plates next the fire had been steamed dry and were red hot, so that as the cold water reached them the explosion took place, destroying the engine and boiler, and causing instant death to John A. Brown and Lyman Scott and injuries to several more. The fireman received a broken arm; Lee Remington, then a small boy, a broken hip; Mr. Gladding a broken arm. The explosion brought many to the scene in a short time, and a bonesetter, Byron Sweet, of Jewett City, arrived a few hours after the accident. Parts of the boiler have never been recovered. By this accident two who had known Greene from its beginning were suddenly and without warning sent into the Great Beyond. We are thankful that no other bad accidents have to be recorded.
GREENE AND ITS WAR VETERANS
Greene and its surrounding country has always had freemen who were willing to fight for their country whenever there was need, and some of them have made the supreme sacrifice and have given their lives for their country's good and to uphold the Union.
At least one of these was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, Major Jonathan Nichols, who lies buried a few miles south of Greene on a farm once owned by him, now a part of the Arnold Farms, owned by the family of the late Senator Edward E. Arnold.
As far as is known, Greene had no veteran of the Mexican War of 1845 nor of the second British War of 1812.
39
History of Greene and Vicinity
But the war of 1861-1865 between the North and South was the call for many from this community to take up arms and to fight for their country, some in the Infantry, some in the Batteries, and some in the Navy. Many of these returned after the war and lived among us for many years,-and some never came back. The following list shows those who have lived in Greene or in a radius of a few miles :
CURNEL S. BROWN, served in the Navy
ALBERT W. ALDRICH, served in the Navy
JOB S. JORDAN, served in the Infantry
CHARLES T. JORDAN, served in the Infantry
WILLIAM T. JORDAN WILLIAM H. JORDAN
DAVID NICKERSON GEORGE REMINGTON
WILLIAM F. MATTESON ELISHA H. MATTESON
BOWEN M. MATTESON
JEREMIAH D. HOPKINS
JOHN A. BROWN LORIN M. SPENCER, of Rice City HENRY N. ARNOLD, died in battle
GEORGE H. ARNOLD, killed in battle
STEPHEN J. HARRINGTON AMASA P. TABER
There were not many in this community who took any part in the Spanish War of 1898, and only a few who were called to serve in the World War of 1914-1918,-Robert C. Dunbar and Albert J. Dunbar, sons of Rev. George H. Dunbar, and Harold N. Cap- well, son of Nelson G. Capwell,-who served three years across the seas.
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.