USA > Rhode Island > Early Rhode Island; a social history of the people > Part 13
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A still is mentioned valued at £11. Christopher Helme Yeoman from a personal estate of £1274. 19. had ex-
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King's County, the Patriarchal Condition
pended £37. 9. for his wearing apparel. His cattle and swine were worth £497. 1., and his four negroes £195. This title of yeoman was occasionally used ; if used at all, why should it not have been used more frequently?
Wm. Gardner, of Boston Neck, had the large personal estate of £4945. 17., as well as his valuable lands. Dr. MacSparran married into this family. Mr. Gardner's clothing was valued at £78. 10., and his "Rought plate " £92. 8. Three beds and furniture at £40., one warming pan at £3. Pewter at £13. 7. There were spinning and linen wheels-no loom-and a large number of cattle, sheep and horses. The force of slaves was large, three Indians at £175., six negroes at £470., three negro women at £420.
Occasionally we get the details of a funeral. Caleb Hazard's was in 1725-6, and the cost of the coffin was £1., with stones to mark the grave at £2. The expenditure for rum at the ceremony was £1. 10. His son died soon after and the expenses were very closely scaled to mark two ranks of men. For the young man's coffin they paid 17s., and for the gravestones £1. 5. For rum to ameliorate the condition of the sympathizing neighbors, the family allowed only 6s.
Silver plate was becoming diffused among people of moderate means. The majority of inventories had a few spoons. In 1733, Jeremiah Clark, in a personal estate of £285. 10., had a small farming outfit, a loom and a spinning wheel, £8. 10. was in pewter. In plate, there were 10 silver spoons, a silver cup, one piece silver, two pieces gold (possibly coin), all valued at £20. The most expensive silver seal at a cost of f14. was worn by George Belfore. He was a trader, having £1350. in shop goods, in a personal estate of £4499. 9.
The widow Knowles, of moderate circumstances in 1734,
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1734]
A Widow's Outfit
allowed herself £25. 16. in linen and woollen clothing and in three beds with furniture £48. 14. In table linen and pewter ware there was £. 6. 6., in iron ware £5. She had a large bible at £2. 19., and her personal property was £167. 5. Bibles were becoming more frequent; in an- other case in 1734, there was £4. 5. in a bible and other books. Probably Doctor MacSparran would have said this improvement was due to the good influences of St. Paul's Church.
It is interesting when we can get at the details of a personal wardrobe. In 1735, George Webb 44 had a suit of " full cloath " at £5. 10., a suit of Duroy £4. 10. and other apparel costing £18. 10. In five pairs of shoes and one pair old boots, there was a value of £2. 13. His large bible was £3., but he was a citizen of the church militant, having two old cutlasses, a pistol and two guns. His personal estate was £253. 18.
Josiah Westcott, in a personal estate of £543. 16., had carpenter's and glazier's tools. With moderate furnish- ing in his house, he kept one cow and one mare without. He expended £40. upon his wardrobe, and better £5. for books.
Charles Higinbotham in 1736 varied somewhat from the customary dress of the small proprietors. To his apparel at £30. he added a hat and cane at £3., a pair of spectacles " sliper " and boots at 15s. He possessed the first recorded wig at £1. His riding horse, saddle and bridle were appraised at £25. and there was added £1. for portmanteau and bridle bitts. Knives and forks were 15s. He had £36. in 36 ounces of silver plate and £8. 10. in books, a respectable library for the time. Notwithstand- ing a comparatively small personal estate of £446. 2. he had in slaves a mulatto woman at £70., a " mustee " boy
44 South Kingston MS. Rec., Vol. III., p. 2.
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at £30., a similar girl at £20. Robert Hannah sported a watch at £10. He had silver plate, gold and silver buttons and shoebuckles, with a snuff box. There were four negroes at £225. in the personal property of £1207. 15.
John Smith, of the universal name, was evidently a poor person, though he lived in comfort on personal prop- erty of £55. 10. His apparel cost £2. 10., a small amount even for a laborer, and he had £3. 3. in pewter. One cow, four pigs and poultry afforded the basis of a good liv- ing, while two spinning wheels gave employment.
Elizabeth Gardner in 1737, a modest widow with prop- erty of £111. 17., expended on her wardrobe only £11. In pewter she had £2. and in one bible £3 .; in an old settle 12s., in a spinning wheel £1. There were four cows and one heifer at £44., and three mares, old and young, valued at £5. Mary Bunday's was one of the smallest estates recorded, with wearing apparel at £2. 16., buckles at 5s. and a testament at 4s.
In 1738 we have John Jullien, with a personal estate of £1605. 18. He had a watch and cane with hatter's " utentials " at £16. 13.
Honorable George Hazard in 1738, with a personal estate of £6288.16., brings us back to the semi-feudal pro- prietors. His house, built about 1733, was at the " Fod- dering Place " on the northeast shore of Point Judith Pond. Existing until a generation ago, it was a type of the good houses of that period. It was two stories high on the front of fifty feet, slanting to one story at the rear. Over the entrance was a fan light and above this a large arched window, giving light to the hall. This square hall had a handsome staircase of oak and a bal- ustrade. At the south end was the parlor, a very large room with the favorite Colonial buffet, where the silver
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Ways of Semi-Feudal Proprietors
1738]
plate was displayed. In the better houses these buffets were ornamental as well as pretentious, scrolled at top and back with quaint carvings. The house was given to his son George, Mayor of Newport.45 One suit of his clothes cost £61. 5. and other apparel £71. 2., while a sword, cane and horsewhip stood at £12. 10. Hazard was generally the name best dressed. In silver plate he was well sup- plied, including a tankard at £30., two porringers, salt cellar and 11 spoons at £49. 10. Of pewter articles he had the value of £8. 18., and in 11 silver buttons there was £1. 16. The clock was valued at £35., thirteen chairs, the first mentioned of leather, were £27., two oval tables £5., the inevitable joynt stool £1., a high case of drawers £9., a looking glass £6., and two more at £3. The general housefurnishing was ample. The first specified " drink- ing glasses " stood at 13s., with other glasses at the same rate. " Pipes and glasses also were 3s. Five punch bowls were £1. 15. Glasses again and stone ware were £3. 9. Teacups and saucers 10s. Bohea tea 14s. The honorable gentleman had books at £38. 6., as he should have had. A sailing boat and canoe were appraised at £41. There was a large supply of cattle, sheep and swine. Eight acres in corn stood at £44., one acre in wheat at f8., nine acres in oats at £27. In slaves there were four negro men at £440., one girl at £90., the time of a " mustee " boy at £25., do. of an Indian boy £28.
Betty Heeth, 1738-9, owned a pair of worsted combs at £2. 5., without spinning wheels. Evidently she combed and carded; if she spun also, she used her employer's wheel. In another case a spinner and weaver with linen wheel at £1. 10. and loom at same price, owned a " nat- ural pacing" mare and colt at £26., a low price. Her wearing apparel cost £15. 7. Silver shoe buckles and but- 45 Robinson, " Hazard Family," p. 24.
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tons, as well as the " wigg," were common, and punch bowls went along with tea cups and saucers. Ichabod Potter in 1739 had a fancy for " lingomvata," for a punch bowl of this with a sugar box was only 5s., while the two regular punch bowls were at £1. He had the favorite mortar of the same hard wood costing 15s.
A large bible with "y" Hypocriphy," one colony laws and other small books were worth £5.
Elizabeth Tefft, in 1740, with personal estate of £401. 12., was a typical woman in moderate circumstances. Her wearing apparel with two beds and bedding at £30. 10., showed that she cared more for silver than for dress and furniture. For in silver plate there was 7 oz. 3 pwt. 7 grains at £9. 17. 10., while in gold not specified there were 52 grains at £1.6. In brass ware she had £6.3., in iron £9. 11., in pewter £6. 11. Her stock comprised four cows and a calf at £51., one mare and yearling colt at £25., and three swine at £4. 5. She was a sensible and economical manager.
In 1738, we noted the effects of Hon. George Hazard, his elegant attire as he walked abroad; his fine display of punch bowls and drinking glasses at home; with a library suitable for a gentleman. Sarah his widow died in 1740 and her equipment was worthy of her station and her personal estate of £5324. 12. The comparative wardrobe of this husband and wife, enjoying what they wanted, shows clearly that the men dressed better than the women. Mrs. Hazard's clothing at £59. 12. was less than half the value of her husband's. In jewelry she excelled, though the outlay was not excessive. Her gold - necklace and locket cost £10. These gold beads- afterward so common in women's wear-were the first recorded. A gold ring, jewels and snuff box stood at £6. 10. Apparently gold rings were more often worn by
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How Wives of the Proprietors Lived
1740]
men than by women. The snuff box was a necessity ; for nearly a century ago everybody, men and women together, took snuff. The lady's riding horse, saddle and bridle cost £70. 12.
At the same time Toby Champlin, " an Indian man," stood at the other end of the social scale with effects at £36. 13. It was the humblest sort of an outfit, including scythes, tools, fishing gear, oyster tongs and an old horse at 5s. Ann Kelly was not as provident as Elizabeth Tefft, for in an estate of £16. 16. 6., she left £12. 7. 6. in wearing apparel. In 1741 a negro girl about two years old was valued at £40. In most cases the fair sex took care of their persons, though they were relatively more moderate than the wealthy men. In 1743, Mary Vileat,46 single, invested £33. 16. in her wardrobe from an estate of £113. 4. In one case we find 2160 lbs. of cheese at £135. The proprietor had 12 negroes. A negro boy nine years old was worth £70. Hour glasses appeared occasionally. In 1744 a chamber pot was appraised with a warming pan at £1. 7. It does not appear whether the convenience had changed from pewter to white stone ware, as was occurring elsewhere. A silver watch comes in at £25., with a pocket compass at £1. In 1746, Simon Ray was recorded " Gentleman " with one of the largest collections of books worth £32. 18. Courtesy treated him more kindly than circumstance, for his estate was only £74. 9. A clock at £55., with a better looking glass at £18., shows an advancing scale of housekeeping. Silver buttons increase, and were needed to match the shoe buckles. And wigs were well established. Silver plate was the frequent luxury turning into comfort, just as pew- ter was two generations previously.
In 1746-7 Jonathan Hazard Yeoman, with an estate 46 S. K. MSS. Rec., IV.
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King's County, the Patriarchal Condition
of £7971. had £78. in wearing apparel, while "the weoman's " was £22. 8. Only £2. for the bible and other books. He had twelve negroes to do his work and stored £100. worth of cheese in his "Great Chamber bedroom." In another inventory we may note the first definitely indi- cated white "stone chamber pot" at 5s., about one- quarter or one-fifth the value of the article in pewter. A small farmer wearing silver shoe buckles had £40. in carpenter's tools. In 1748, Benjamin Perry, with estate of £2935., gets a detailed record of his wardrobe, the first whole suit standing at £39. 10., the second at £32. 10., the third at £20. 17., with a pair of boots at £2. His walking stick was ornamented with an ivory head, and cost him 5s. His riding mare, saddle and bridle were £60., and his hunting saddle and bridle £5. There was a set of glazier's tools and " a still which goes by the name of Limbeck " at £10. Equipped with silver spoons, he had the somewhat unusual earthen-porringer, three at 3s., and a wooden candlestick at 3s. His were the first noted " beaker " glasses, two at 4s. Altogether, his life was out of the common way of a Narragansett proprietor.
In another case, the estate was £9943., the wearing ap- parel £142., with one looking glass at £20., another at £15. There were earthen cups and saucers and other arti- cles, including porringer, at 16s. Here was found the first recorded " Chany " ware, four bowls, four saucers, seven cups at £8. 10. Silver, as usual, with books at £3. Earthen ware in some degree took the place of pewter; very likely it served for the slaves, of whom there were seven in this instance. Wm. Gardner Yeoman had an estate of £1604. in 1749, while Ebenezer Nash Labourer had £48. 9. Another laborer was well to do with an estate of £310., of which £41. 8. was in his ward- robe, £9. 11. in carpenter's tools, and £1. 10. in a linen
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1750]
A Mulatto and a Governor
wheel. John Taulbary, mulatto, left estate of £35. 17. distributed in a significant manner. Against a gun at £4. 10. may be set two wheels at £2. A bedstead and bedding at £3., made him comfortable, as it was reinforced in cold weather with a warming pan, which was valued with " a how " at £2. 10. A fiddle at 10s., a teapot and drinking glasses at £1. 10., provided for the æsthetic sense of a lone darky, who was probably not lonesome.
After studying these varying grades of social develop- ment we rise to Governor William Robinson. His life was the culmination of the mid-century system of living in this nook of Rhode Island. Quaker by connection, born in 1693, dying in 1751, he inherited land and bought largely, leaving some 1385 acres to be divided among his sons. He had previously given them farms at their majority. In public life for 24 years he held responsible places ; being Speaker of the House for four years and Deputy-Governor 1745-1748.
Hon. William Robinson 47 inventoried a personal estate of £21,573. 5. to his widow and executrix Abigail. Here were large affairs entrusted to a woman. He dressed well for a Quaker from a wardrobe at £130., though not as well as his neighbors, the Hazards, such as were not Friends. His large house was on the site of the Welch villa just east of Wakefield. On the first floor were the great-room, great-room bedroom, dining-room, dining- room bedroom, store bedroom, northeast bedroom, Kitchen, closet, store-closet, cheese-room, milk-room, etc. There were sleeping-rooms corresponding above, but from the number of these accessible bedrooms, we may perceive that our ancestors did not like to climb stairs. In the open attic, weaving and spinning were carried on. There was
47 S. K. MSS. Records, Vol. IV., p. 335. Robinson, " Hazard Family," p. 34.
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ample bedding, and two beds and bedding at £150. stood in the " Great Room Bedroom." A clock at £145. and a large looking glass at £45. 14 chairs at £20. helped the furnishing. The silver plate "in the bowfatt" of the Great Room was worth £374. 8., the largest so far re- corded. The table outfit was sufficient, but not equal to that of the better sort of neighbors. "Chane " ware £25. Pewter plates £36. 10. Knives and Forks £4. Tin ware £1. 10. Iron £22. Earthen £5. Note four "small mapps " and one set " bruches " at £3., while the library and an old desk were appraised at £5. Evidently this planter and statesman did not trouble himself with book learning.
There were 4060 lbs. of cheese at £558. 5. and a good line of cattle and horses in the stables. He bred the pacers largely and always rode one when he superintended his farming. These fleet creatures took water readily. There were many streams to be forded, and after a storm the Pettaquamscutt especially would change its fords. If a slave could not find a safe footing, a good woman rider would swim the turbid stream. The Governor had 20 negroes, the largest number found in King's or the South County. The highest value for a negro was £500., and two more were £450. each, the highest woman stood at £320. There were debts on his books due him for £1316. The funeral charges of this magnate were £269. 17.
The wearing apparel of the respectable citizen in 1725 to 1750 cost from £14. to £40. in the depreciating cur- rency. It very rarely dropped below the first sum. As prices expanded under the inflation the amount went up to £75. and £95 .; for the Governor £130. and two of the well-dressed Hazards appropriated £142. and £184. The women dressed less expensively, expending generally less
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1750]
Slaves and Paper Inflation
than £25. The most extravagant only spent £59. and £70. We have noted the estates of George Hazard and his widow, for relative expenditure of the man and woman. This outlay for dress was materially lower than that pre- vailing in Providence at the same time. Books were scarce and little used among the people at large.
The price of slaves in King's County responded to the inflation of the paper currency in the second quarter of the century, quite as rapidly as any kind of property. There were more men than women enslaved, and descend- ants of the old Indian captives often appear. The rough average value of men and women was curiously equivalent, running from £107. to £108. for either sex. The number of slaves has been greatly exaggerated by tradition. Mr. Updike 48 says about 1730, "families would average from five to forty slaves each." The greatest number I have found in any inventory was twenty-in Governor Robinson's. Other wealthy estates had about a dozen each, never more.
The whole scale of living in the Narragansett country at this period has been equally exaggerated by tradition. They hunted foxes occasionally, raced their pacers on the smooth beaches and had good times as compared with Puritan colonists. They lived handsomely, even luxuriously, if we consider other agricultural communities in New England. But tradition has outrun the facts. Mr. I. P. Hazard and Shepard Tom having a fine romantic vein in their imagination, sketched freely. We should imitate their admirable romantic spirit, as far as we are able, in contemplating this interesting social period. But for digits and calculations, we must study the inventories and such absolute facts as remain.
48 Goodwin, Vol. I., p. 208.
4
CHAPTER VI PERIOD UNDER CHARTER OF CHARLES II. 1663-1730
T HE inherent fundamental right of religious liberty, for which Roger Williams had striven so earnestly, found also in the seventeenth century its official recogni- tion in law, first in the laws of 1647 of Rhode Island and then in the charter which Charles II. granted the colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations in 1663. The wide separation of the colonies from the mother- country did not make this liberty appear dangerous, though it was in such contradiction to the conditions in England. " Charles II. sought further in his aversion to the Puritans to favor as much as possible the colonies that had separated from Massachusetts." 1
The English commonwealth did much for our colony, but perhaps the easy-going King Charles did more. The definite promulgation of religious liberty in the charter adopted in 1663, with practical provisions for maintain- ing it as a common right of the citizen, placed the colonial government on a new basis. The crown being the neces- sary center in the course of legitimate government, it had come to be regarded as the source of polity. In Rhode Island, loyalty to the crown carried the right of freedom of conscience as well. This great principle gave power and progress to the little community. Whatever might be the defects in organization of such a heterogeneous people, they were gradually overcome by the new unify-
1 Jellinek, "Rights of Man and of Citizens," p. 69.
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1663] Freedom of Conscience Supported by Law
ing principle.2 The results of the visit of the Royal Com- missioners in 1665 justify this statement. Their wel- come was better here and they found a more concordant administration than in the neighboring colonies. The constant pressure of the neighbors on Rhode Island had been severe. The legitimate authority of the crown seemed light in comparison with the Massachusetts effort for dominion, regarded as tyranny.
Prosperous Newport was moving on. Coddington in his "True Love" mentions the good business of the Island shipping carried on with the Barbados. The enforced immigration of the Quakers gave economic prog- ress to Newport, as the direct result of persecution in Massachusetts and antipathy in Connecticut. A vigorous and thrifty element in the population, they " set up " their Yearly Meeting as early as 1661. By 1666 they received John Burnyeat, a distinguished missionary, and by 1672 George Fox and others 3 came to look up these prosperous brethren. In 1672 one of their number, Nicholas Easton, was elected governor.
Better houses of the type of Coddington's were being erected in 1665 to 1670. The pioneer or end-chimney design was giving place to the central chimney or more prosperous Connecticut form, with two or four rooms on each floor. The population of the colony in 1675 was 2500 to 3000. Providence and Portsmouth had about 200 houses each, Newport having as many as both.
2 Up to 1663 Rhode Island had been only a confederation of towns; Clarke now made it a kind of federal republic under the name of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.
3 The point of view controlled the conception and portrait of a Quaker in those days. Roger Williams set forth one Edmundson, an ex-soldier, then a Quaker preacher, "a flash of wit, a face of Brass and a Tongue set on fire from the Hell of Lyes and Fury."
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Period Under Charter of Charles II.
About the same time Pardon Tillinghast was building the first wharf in Providence; the beginning of an important commerce a generation later. Meanwhile the rich fields of the Island and afterward the Narragansett country were furnishing large exports for the West Indies and even for Europe. In 1674, Governor William Brenton bequeathed 1500 sheep. As William Harris reported,4 Newport could furnish wool to Europe. The Brentons farmed on a large scale, and the larger proprietors lived in a manner more manorial than was customary in New England. Elizabeth C. Brenton describes the outdoor equipment of the family in the spring of 1675. Six large riding-mares came to the door, three bearing side saddles. Three tall young women, daughters of the late Governor Brenton, prepared for the mount. Each lady wore a broadcloth riding habit, with high-heeled shoes. Her beaver hat was adorned with black ostrich plumes, and was turned up to show roached and powdered hair.
We have more detailed information of the smaller way of living among the farmers at Portsmouth. In 1667,5 Restand Sanford, a bachelor, with five brothers and one sister, makes his brother Samuel and sister Eliphel Straton his heirs. He gives legacies to Samuel, the executor, one mare, one silver cup, a bed and bolster, to sister Sara wife of Samuel a mare-colt and a five-shilling piece of gold, to each of her children a ewe lamb. To his brother Esbon, absent, he gives 4 ewe sheep ; but if he is not heard of in one year, the ewes should go to brother Samuel and sister Eliphel. Should Esbon finally return, he was to receive the ewes. The inventory summed up £35.3.10. Among the items were Indian corn on the ground £2., ten ewes and four lambs £5.16. Woollen apparel stood
4 Ante, p. 88.
" Records Portsmouth, p. 405.
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1668]
Way of Living at Portsmouth
at £5., three hats at 16s., four neckcloths and a cap at 7s. The library consisted of three books at 6s. 8d. One old bed and bolster was worth £3. and three small sheets and two shirts 4s. A bridle and saddle were valued at 16s., a mare and colt £7. One silver cup and spoon stood at £1.15.9.
Silver utensils came into use on the Island earlier than they were used in the Plantation of Providence.
Joseph Wayte, who was drowned, left a better estate amounting to £89.15.10. His woollen and linen clothes with his hats were appraised at £10. In pewter ware he had £1.10., in tin and brass £1.2., in iron £1.5., in wooden ware £1. A smoothing iron was 7s., a spinning wheel 8s., and four pounds of cotton yarn 10s. The com- fortable feather bed and bedding was worth £16., and a cup and six spoons 4s. Two guns and a pair of " Banda- leers " stood at £2., and two peaceful scythes at £2.16.
The bequest of Alice Conland 6 shows the growing in- terest in the Society of Friends, Ninth month, 1664. Her husband approving, she gave a stone house and land for " friends in the ministrey Cauled Quakers by the world, that they may be entertained therein, in all times to come Even for Ever." She gave also a featherbed, two pillows, three blankets and one coverlet, two pairs of sheets, two " pillowbers," two towels, one basin, one candlestick and one chamberpot.
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