USA > Rhode Island > Washington County > Narragansett > A history of the Episcopal church in Narragansett, Rhode Island, including a history of other Episcopal churches in the state > Part 5
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Sir, your most humble and most affectioned servant,
GABRIEL BERNON,
With the approbation of the Church of Providence.
I return my respects unto you, and your lady and family, and myself and family will be glad to see you at our house at any time when you and yours will honor our town of Providence.
[LETTER FROM GABRIEL BERNON TO THE SECRETARY OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL IN FOREIGN PARTS. ]
SIR-We have received your letter of the 20th July, and we see that the venerable and Honorable Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, have appointed the Rev. Mr. Pigot, late
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minister of Stratford in Connecticut colony, to be Missionary to our town of Providence.
We are, to the highest degree, sensible and thankful for their speedy compliance, charity, generosity, and benevolence. We beg for their continued favor, with all respect, submission, and humility, as they are a good mother to the churches, to be pleased to let us represent our poor condition, for we are like children to parents, that want all their cares and assistance. And let us publish that our Providence town was first settled by Mr. Roger Williams and other gentlemen, banished and persecuted by Boston and Salem people for their reli- gion, and kindly received by the savage Indians, for which our town was named Providence, and all our hope is in God's providence for that, we have built a church that we have named King's Church, where we intend to obey, serve, and adore God, according to the Protestant Religion, and the Reformation by Edward VI., Cranmer, and the blessed Queen Elizabeth.
The gentlemen, Presbyterian ministers, are very busy and urgent to come into our town of Providence to preach ; they come often from Massachusetts and Connecticut governments, to solicit us to be our ministers, and they have sent us several letters ; they did raise a meeting house the other side of our river, to their charge and cost- that they have pulled down to build a big and greater, on our side of our river, that is not finished, so they preach in any house where they can, and for all that, they get but little ground.
Mr. Pigot may be a worthy gentleman, fit minister for our town, and for whom we have respect ; he hath married a lady of a good family, with fine land in the bound of Warwick, where he is build- ing a house, twelve miles from our town. Warwick is a consider- able town, betwixt his plantations and ours.
Our great business is to represent that we are, in our town of Providence,* ten thousand persons, besides the people round about us, belonging to Massachusetts government, that are willing to con- form to the National Church Episcopal of England. So we want the whole and entire ministry of a minister, and he shall have em- ployment enough to accomplish his mission. And then we shall do
* It will be remembered that at this time, the town of Providence included all Providence County.
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our utmost to contribute to his salary according to our ability-it is to be considered, that at present, we are but few that promote and maintain the church, a great many incline to it-all things go well for a beginning.
Sunday last Mr. Pigot did administer the sacrament in our church, but all was not finished ; on Monday following, we elected a vestry, to the satisfaction of all them that compose the church. The same day, Mr. Pigot went to Stratford to fetch his family. On his return, we shall see what step he will take to settle amongst us, and we shall give an account to the illustrious Society.
Sir, to be short and plain, all the world is in great consternation at present, at Popery's arbitrary power. Roger Williams, and all those that have settled in our Providence town, have been persecuted, bruised, and banished out of Massachusetts government, for not sub- mitting themselves to the arbitrary power of the Presbytery, and we fear nothing more than this arbitrary power of the clergy ; (Power before Popery,) did ruin the world, and since Popery, the arbitrary power of the clergy hath ruined Europe ; and it is plain, clear, ap- parent, and manifest, that the pretension of Popery, its arbitrary power, will ruin all the universe, if kings and legislators, (Chris - tians,) do not maintain their right and authority against anti-Chris- tians, &c.
We are in Providence town, settling the Church of England like children in infancy ; we are afraid of the clergy's arbitrary power. A good and orthodox minister will dissipate and remove all fears, and we pray almighty God that Mr. Pigot prove so.
The charity of our benefactors will pardon our fears, if we are but faithful to the National Church of England, true, loyal, trusty friends, and true subjects to our blessed, sacred, and august King George, to maintain with all our hearts and souls the supremacy of his crown ; and so we remain, with all veneration, subjects to the king, and to the eminent Society, faithful Episcopal churchmen, and unto you, sir, with respect,
Your most obedient and humble servant,
GABRIEL BERNON.
Providence Town, the 7th April, 1724.
We will extract a few more paragraphs from the work entitled " Huguenots," &c.
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" Dean Berkeley, then residing at Newport, in a letter to Mr. Ber. non, written in French, remarks, (after thanking him for his beau- tiful prose and his belle poesie,) 'Your reflections on the events of this world, show a very laudable zeal for religion and the glory of God.' Indeed, through all his trials, and they were many, Gabriel Bernon uniformly sustained the character of a Christian gentleman ; in his own words, it was his 'most fervent desire to sustain himself in the fear of God.' "
" After Gabriel Bernon had established himself in Providence, he again visited England, where he was presented at court."
" The first wife of Mr. Bernon was a French lady, Esther Le Roy by name, a daughter of Francois Le Roy, of Rochelle. She had a number of children, who came with her to America. He married a second time in this country, to Mary Harris, the grand- daughter of William Harris, who landed at Whatcheer with Roger Williams."
" The only son of Mr. Bernon died young, and he is now repre- sented by the descendants of a numerous family of daughters, who may be traced in some of the most respectable families in Rhode Island. There are many memorials preserved of him, such as several carved chairs, a gold rattle, the Psalm Book before mentioned, and an ancient sword, bearing date 1414. The gold rattle, Psalm Book, and other articles, are in the possession of Willet Carpenter, Esq., of Narragansett, and the sword in the possession of Mr. Philip Allen, the carved chair in the possession of Mr Zachariah Allen, (the great-grand-children of Mr. Bernon.) His memory is respect- fully cherished in the hearts of his descendants, who delight to dwell on the piety, learning, and sacrifices of their French ancestors. He died February 1st, 1736, in the ninety-second year of his age. His obituary notice was published in Boston, July 19, 1736, where he resided a short time before he came to Providence."
" On the first instant, departed this life, at Providence, Mr. Gabriel Bernon, in the 92d year of his age. He was a gentleman by birth and estate, born in Rochelle, in France, and about fifty years ago he left his native country, and the greatest part of his estate ; and for the cause of true religion, fled into New England, where he has ever since continued, and behaved himself as a zealous Protestant
à
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professor. He was courteous, honest, and kind, and died in great faith and hope in his Redeemer, and assurance of Salvation ; and has left a good name among his acquaintances. He evidenced the pow- er of Christianity in his great sufferings, by leaving his country and his great estate, that he might worship God according to his conscience."
" He was decently buried under the Episcopal Church at Provi- dence, and a great concourse of people attended his funeral, to whom the Rev. Mr. Brown preached an agreeable and eloquent funeral sermon, from Psalms xxxix. 4."
" Gabriel Turtellot was also a refugee. He was born in Bor- deaux, and came to this country with Gabriel Bernon, whose daugh- ter Marie, he married. He died at sea. Several very respectable families in Rhode Island are descended from him." Jesse S. Tour- tellot, a member of the Legislature from Gloucester, and cashier of the Franklin Bank, is a lineal descendant of the first emigrant. A number of Huguenot families came to Rhode Island soon after the revocation of the edict of Nantes. The Lucas, Ayraults, LeMoines, . Chadseys, Tourjés, Tarbeaux, Frys, Nichols, were among them.
The ruins of the fort built by Gabriel Bernon, in the town of Oxford, Massachusetts, are still visible. They are situated on the declivity of a lofty hill, and continue to be designated by the neigh- boring inhabitants as the " Old French Fort." The adjacent stream bears also the name of " French River," to this day. The walls of the old fort have been mostly overthrown, and, in the ruthless spirit of modern improvement in our country, which spares not reverently the monuments of antiquity, the materials have been removed, and used in the construction of the adjacent fences of the lot in which the ruins are located. Sufficient of the foundation stones, however, remain to mark out the limits of the fort, as it was originally built, and a mound of them has been piled up in the works. The walls of one of the angles still present a salient, bastion-like appearance to the eye of the visitor, indicative of the palpable fact of the military design of this only remaining piece of masonry, that survives to stamp the recollection of the Indian wars on the memory of the present in- habitants of the peaceful hills of New England.
The following sketch will afford a view of the outlines of the " Old French Fort," as they at present exist.
69 feet front.
Foundation stones of the wall.
105 feet front. Probably fortified by hewn logs.
J Jooo
1
100 feet front, probably fortified by hewn logs.
REMAINS OF THE OLD FRENCH FORT, IN OXFORD, In its present ruinous condition, As sketched by Z. Allen, In 1846.
Originally constructed For defence against the Indians, BY GABRIEL BERNON.
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88
15 feet.
Remains of Old Wall.
ees
57 feet.
15 feet
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Mound of stones.
Foundation stone. Lo
Stone.
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HISTORY OF THE NARRAGANSETT CHURCH.
The last entry made in the church records, by Mr. 1 Guy, is dated September 28th, 1718. From that date to April, 1721, the Rev. Mr. Honeyman, of Newport, occasionally performed divine services in the Narragan- sett Church, and administered the rights of baptism and the Lord's Supper.
On the 15th of June, 1720, the Society of St. Paul's, in order to procure the services of a missionary, sent three letters to Great Britain, one to the Lord Bishop of London, one to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, and one to the Hon. Francis Nicholson .* Pursuant to the request, the Rev. James McSparran was sent as a missionary to Narragan- sett. He arrived on the 28th of April, 1721.
At a meeting of the Vestry, in May, 1721, it was voted that, " whereas, April 14th, 1718, in the incum- bency of the Rev. Mr. Guy, a Vestry meeting was held in the Church of St. Paul's, in Kingstown, in Narra- gansett, when and where Mr. Samuel Phillips and Mr. Samuel Albro were chosen Church Wardens for that year, and Mr. Charles Dickinson, Mr. Gabriel Bernon, and others were chosen Vestrymen; and now, whereas,
* Gen. Francis Nicholson commanded the expedition that reduced Port Royal and Nova Scotia, in 1710. In 1711, he commanded the land expedition to re- duce Canada. He was the friend and patron of the Rev. Mr. McSparran. Soon after the year 1720, he was appointed by the crown, Governor of South Carolina, where he exercised an efficient government. He had previously been Lieuten- ant Governor of New York under Andros. He was the original founder and prin- cipal patron of Trinity Church, Newport.
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by the removal of the said Mr. Guy, there hath been a vacancy ever since, until April, 1721, when the Rev. James McSparran, the Society's Missionary, took posses- sion of said Church and commenced his. ministerial office, there hath been no Vestry or Church meeting here; it is therefore agreed, and unanimously voted by the members of the Vestry, present at an appointed meeting for regulating and bringing into better order the affairs of the church in the aforesaid parish of St. Paul's, that the aforesaid Wardens and Vestry be continued in their respective offices and places until the next and more immediate proper season for entering upon a new choice."
Mr. Archibald McSparran, in a letter to the author, dated Phila- delphia, March 19, 1842, says : " The McSparrans emigrated from Kintore, in Scotland, to Ireland at different periods ; the principal branch of them settled at the village of Dungiven, in the County of Derry, in the north of Ireland. My grandfather, Archibald, was brought to Ireland from Scotland by his uncle, Archibald, a clergy- man of the Presbyterian Church, about the year 1700, and settled at Dungiven. A large part of our family had come over long an- terior to this. They were the first that erected grist-mills in that neighborhood, the querns, (hand grist-mills, and used before the in- vention of wind and water-mills,) being then only known there. At this time they possessed the best lands round the village. From this place some emigrated to America. One branch I have discovered, reside at Erie, Pennsylvania. The McSparrans are a branch of the McDonalds of the Isles, who were distinguished by different epi- thets. When McDonald was carrying on his wars with the king of the country, our forefather paid his own troops from a bag borne by the military highlanders, in form of an apron in front, called a sporran, and was called by the chieftain McSparran, or son of the
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purse. Our forefathers have been on the disaffected side both in Scotland and Ireland, and, therefore, have been broken when we would not bend. When I received your communication, I thought you had been reading my Irish Legend, published in 1829. This work sold at ten shillings, British. You will find it in this country. - It was in publishing this work that I became acquainted with Doctor McDonnell, to whom you saw my letter on Natural History. I have a small work on the Greek, which I wrote for schools and col- leges, would be glad to have your advice regarding its sale or pub- lication."
Mr. James McSparran, in a letter dated Erie, Pennsylvania, Au- gust 5, 1842, says : " I would inform you that my father's ances- tors emigrated from Scotland to Dungiven, County of Derry in Ire- land, prior to the persecution of the Protestants by King James. My father's grandfather's name was Archibald. He had a brother whose name was James. Archibald was the eldest son, and lived with his parents on the homestead. James received a classical edu- cation, and studied for the ministry, and was sent on a mission to Narragansett about the year 1720. He married a lady at the place where he settled. After remaining some time in the country, he went to England on clerical duties, accompanied by his bosom com- panion. He died shortly after his return to this country"
The same day it was unanimously voted that a letter of thanks be written by the Church Wardens to the Society, for sending Mr. McSparran as a missionary to - them. It was read and approved, and directed to be sent by the first opportunity.
At this meeting of the Society, the Rev. Mr. McSparran exhibited the following exemplifications of canonical authority :
TRANLATIONS.
By these presents, we, John, by divine permission, Bishop of London, do make known [unto all men, that
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HISTORY OF THE NARRAGANSETT CHURCH.
on Sunday, to wit, the twenty-first day of August, A.D., 1720, in the Chapel within our Palace of Fulham, in the County of Middlesex, we, the aforesaid John, Bishop as aforesaid, solemnizing by the protection of Almighty God the sacred rites of ordination, have admitted and advanced James McSparran, Master of Arts at Glasgow, beloved by us in Christ, many ways to us commended for his praiseworthy life, and the gifts of his character and virtues, and in the study and knowledge of good let- ters, learned and sufficiently entitled, and by our exami- ners examined and approved, to the sacred order of Deacons, according to the usages and rites of the An- glican Church, in this behalf wholesomely made and provided, and him have then and there duly and cano- nically ordained Deacon.
In testimony whereof, we have caused our Episcopal Seal to be set to these presents. Given on the day and year aforesaid, and in the year of our translation the seventh.
JOHN LONDON.
SEAL. 8888
By these present we, William, by Divine Providence, Arch Bishop of Canterbury, of all England Primate and Metropolitan, do make known unto all, that on Sunday, to wit, the twenty-fifth day of September, A.D., 1720, in the Chapel in our Palace of Lambeth, we, the 8A
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HISTORY. OF THE NARRAGANSETT CHURCH.
aforesaid William, Arch Bishop as aforesaid, by the pro- tection of Almighty God, solemnizing a general ordination have admitted and promoted James McSparran, A. M. in the University (Academia) of Glasgow, beloved by us in Christ, to us for his praiseworthy life, and gifts of character and virtues many ways commended, and in the study and knowledge of good letters learned and suf- ficently entitled, and by us and our examiners examined and approved, (he having first subscribed all things in this behalf of right to be subscribed, and having sworn to all things required to be sworn unto,) to the sacred order of Presbyter, according to the usages and rites of 1 the Anglican Church, in this behalf wholesomely made and provided, and him then and there to the Priesthood have duly and canonically ordained.
In testimony whereof, we have caused our Arch Epis- copal seal to be set to these presents. Given on the day and year aforesaid, and in the year of our consecra- tion the fifth.
WILLIAM CANTERBURY.
SEAL.
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LETTER MISSIVE.
. a
We, John, by Divine permission, Bishop of
SEAL. 888 London, to our beloved in Christ, James McSparran, clerk, health and grace.
We grant and convey by these presents to thee, in
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HISTORY OF THE NARRAGANSETT CHURCH.
whose fidelity, integrity of character, knowledge of let- ters, sound learning and diligence, we have full confi- dence, (thou having first taken as well the oath touch- ing the acknowledginent of the supremacy of the Royal Majesty, according to the force, form, and effect of the statute of the parliament of the realm of Great Britain in that behalf, made and provided, as that concerning canonical obedience to us and our successors in all lawful and honorable things by thee to be paid and ren- dered; and having also subscribed the three articles set out in the thirty-sixth chapter of the book of constitu- tions or canons ecclesiastical, in the year of our Lord 1603, by royal authority published and promulgated,) our license and authority to discharge the ministerial office in the province of New England, in America, in the common prayer and other ecclesiastical services to the said office pertaining, according to the form prescribed in the book of Public Prayer, by the authority of the parliament of this illustrious realm of Great Britain, in that behalf made and provided, and the canons and constitutions in that behalf lawfully es- tablished and published, and not otherwise, or in any other manner ; such license to continue only during our good pleasure.
In testimony whereof, we have caused the seal which we are wont to use in such cases to be affixed to these presents.
JOHN LONDON.
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HISTORY OF THE NARRAGANSETT CHURCH.
Given in our palace of Fulham, in the county of Middlesex, on the third day of Oc- tober, 1720, and of our translation the seventh.
The Petaquamscut purchasers having laid off a tract of land containing three hundred acres, and marked it on their plat for the use of the "ministry," with- out designating which denomination , it was intend- ed to aid in the support of a minister, Mr. McSpar- ran wrote to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts on the subject ; to his communication the following answer was re- ceived :
LONDON, June 5th, 1722.
GENTLEMEN :- The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, having been informed by a letter from Rev. James McSparran, their missionary among you, that three hundred acres of land have been formerly laid out in Narragansett for the ministry, which might be forever secured to your church, if you would raise a sum of money to reimburse the present possessor what he hath laid out upon it, which is represented to amount to one hundred and fifty pounds your money, the society have therefore ordered earnestly to recommend
NOTE .- " May 22, 1722. The Rev. James McSparran was married to Miss Hannah Gardiner, daughter of William Gardiner, of Boston Neck, in Narragansett, by the Rev. James Honeyman, of Newport, in St. Paul's Church." Extract from the church records.
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to you the raising such a sum, for the purpose aforesaid, and they have the more reason to believe you will com- ply with the request, because you have always express- ed. your zeal and readiness (as much as in you lies,) to contribute towards the support of the society's mission- ary residing with you.
I am, Gentlemen, Your obedient serv't. DAVID HUMPHREYS. TO THE CHURCH WARDEN AND VESTRY,
NARRAGANSETT.
Thereupon the vestry appointed Charles Dickinson in the character of Questman, or assistant, to be joined with the Wardens, to commence a suit for the recovery of the ministerial farm in the Petaquamscut purchase. Thus commenced a controversy which extended over a period of thirty years, upon the question which of the contending parties, the Episcopalians or Presbyterians, or Congregationalists, were best entitled to these three hundred acres of land given "to the ministry " by the Petaquamscut proprietors. A detailed statement of the various trials and of the testimony on both sides would occupy a volume. The amount in contro- versy was of minor importance. In the progress of the controversy, other than pecuniary considerations opera- ted with great force. The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel had settled many Episcopal missionarise
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in the colonies, particularly in the northern ones. In this movement, the Congregational clergy perceived a design on the part of the home government, to spread Episcopacy, and establish Bishops in the colonies. These considerations excited the jealousy of all other denominations, and strengthened the perseverance, and inflamed the ardor with which the suit was conducted. Before the trial terminated, almost all the Episcopal and non-episcopal ministry became involved in its vortex. Pamphlets were published on both sides. Many of them were not deficient in bitterness, and it is fortunate for the credit of both parties, that but few of them sur- vived the fury of the contest.
The following brief statement of this irritating con- troversy contains all that antiquarian curiosity can desire at this distant day to know :
"In 1657, the chief sachems of the Narragansett country sold to John Porter, Samuel Wilbore, Thomas Mumford, Samuel Willson, of Rhode Island, and John Hull, Goldsmith, of Boston, Petaquamscut Hill, for six- teen pounds. Next year the sachem of Nienticut (Nyantic) sold some lands north of said purchase to the same purchasers. The whole purchase was about fifteen miles long, and six or seven wide. Afterwards they associated Brenton and Arnold-jointly they were called the seven purchasers .*
* Douglass' Summary.
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HISTORY OF THE NARRAGANSETT CHURCH.
" In 1668, five of the Petaquamscut purchasers (Porter being absent,) passed the following order ; ' that a tract of three hundred acres of the best land, and in a convenient place, be laid out, and forever set apart, as an encouragement, the income and improvement thereof wholly for an Orthodox person, that shall be obtained to preach God's word to the inhabitants.' It would seem that no deed or more formal conveyance was ever made. It was surveyed out, platted, and the words 'to the ministry,' entered on the draft .*
"From this proceeds the dispute, who is the Orthodox minister ? By the Rhode Island charter, all professions of Christians seem to be deemed Orthodox ; by one of the first acts of the Legislature, in 1663, all men profess- ing Christianity, and of competent estates, and of civil conversation, and obedient to the civil magistrate, though of different judgment in religious affairs, shall be ad- mitted freemen, and shall have liberty to choose, and be chosen officers in the colony, both civil and military.
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