USA > Rhode Island > Newport County > Jamestown > History of Jamestown on Conanicut Island in the State of Rhode Island > Part 3
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When the town was incorporated in 1678 it is doubtful if there were 150 people living on the island, but to these few, conducting affairs of the town was a responsibility which they assumed in a serious manner as can be seen by the voluminous records left for posterity. There were always expenses, particularly in connection with the roads, and the town was always in need of money. One of the sources of revenue was the granting of licenses for "retailing strong liquors" and "keeping houses of entertainment", as seen by the following:
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Act of Counsell 20th of May 1701 at the house of Stephen Remington
"The Clarke of the Counsel in the sd town is ordered to give Capt. Josiah Arnold a License to keep a house of entertainment he, the sd Arnold paying the Clarke 10 pounds for his License and give in bond to the Clarke on Recognizance.
"Johnathan Marsh has a License granted him to keep a house of entertainment for one hole yeare from the date above.
Also Stephen Remington is admitted to keep a house of entertainment for one hole yeare for the trouble of his house att town meeting."
In 1705 Thomas Parker paid 7 shillings 6 pence for a license but "Samuel Batty is admitted to Sell Drink for one hole year .... . it being in consideration of having the benefit of holding town meeting in his house". In 1729 at a council meeting at William Batty's house a license was granted to him but he had to pay 20 shillings. Down through the years licenses were granted to a great many, among whom we find Capt. Benjamin Sheffield, Thomas Fowler, John Remington, Thomas Spencer, John Clark, Thomas Eldred, William Martin, John Tennant, Abel Franklin, Ebenezer Slocum, William Hazard and many others. Many of these men operated a ferry or had a house near the ferry landing where people could wait for the boat. These ferries were only sailboats and often people would have to wait many hours for the boat to come in. The waiting passengers no doubt found such "houses of entertainment" very convenient and the "entertainment" very acceptable.
For many years after the incorporation of the town the only new people to come to the town were those who owned a piece of land and had decided to live there. A census taken by the Board of Trade in 1730 gave Jamestown 312 inhabitants. But around 1740 the records show that unknown people were coming in and members of the council were appointed to investigate them and see if they were likely to become a burden on the town. If they had a certificate from the town from which they came or had sufficient visible means of support, they were allowed to stay, but if these were lacking, they were called before the council for further questioning and if they could not convince the council that they would became desirable citizens, they were ordered to depart the town. If they could get someone to give bond for them they were allowed to stay. The town required a bond of 500 pounds.
A story has been handed down in the Watson family concerning the two brothers who came over from Narragansett to settle on Jamestown. They had neither certificate nor money and the investigating committee recommended that they be sent back to Narragansett. But somehow they convinced the council that they never would become a town charge and were allowed to stay. In the years following they prospered and eventually owned two large farms, one on the Beaver Tail road, now known as the Audley Clarke farm, at one time the Conanicut Golf Club. The other took in the entire north end of the island, from east to west shore, as far south as, and including, the Cajacet farm. An old letter of a sea captain states that, as he sailed around
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the north point, the meadows of the Point Farm looked like strips of velvet, they were so clean and well kept. The old Watson Homestead was standing up to 50 years ago, when it was burned to the ground.
But others were not so fortunate, particularly the Indians. Only a com- paratively few years previous, the Narragansett tribe was supreme in all New England. They had developed a social state of a kind, they had their settled villages, loved their children and their family life was beyond reproach. Then came the white man with a civilization they could not understand and a mode of living entirely foreign to theirs. Then came the Great Swamp fight, maneuvered entirely by the Masschusetts, Plymouth and Connecticut colonies, and their winter camp was destroyed and the tribe almost anni- hilated. Those escaping went to other inland tribes or to the white colonists of Rhode Island, whom they looked upon more as friends than enemies. The result is found in the records :
Town Council Oct. 26 1741
Where as Benjamin Sheffield haveing Complaining to the Council that Indian Antony and his Squaw Content and Daughter Remembrance Being Destitute of Sustinance Voted an act by this Council that ye said Council give Indenture of a Sartan Indian Gall Called Remembrance Daughter of Indian Anthony and his former Squaw coled Content unto Ebenezer Slocum and his wife Mary and Untall she arive unto the age of Eighteen years in a common form of Apprentice.
Town Council Oct. 2nd 1745
Whereas there was an order of the Town Council, made the sixteenth Day of June A. D. 1741, to bind a certain Indian Girl Remembrance, Daughter of Indian Anthony & his Squaw Content to Ebenzer & Mary Slocum and the Clerk of said Council was then ordered to give an Indenture of the said Girl to the said Slocum, but the said Clerk neglected the same. And whereas the said Ebenezer Slocum made complaint to this present Council, that the said Girl hath absented herself from his Service. He therefore prays that the said Girl may be bound to him according to said order of Council. It is therefore resolved that the said Girl be forwith bound to said Ebenezer & Mary Slocum, and with them to serve till she arive to the Age of Eighteen Years. In Consideration of which service, the said Slocum, shall provide all things needful & necessary for such an apprentice. And that when she shall compleat her Servitude, the said Slocum, shall give to the said Girl, one Suit of wearing Apparel worth Ten pounds beside her common wearing cloths, And the Clerk of the Council is ordered to sign the Indenture.
Town Council May 25 1749
Samuel Clarke Esq made information to this Council that a boy named Daniel Pettese (son of John Pettesc) is left upon his hands for a maintenance & therefore pray that the said boy may be bound to him as an apprentice till he shall arrive to the age of twenty one years that is from the first day of April 1749 to the first day of April 1763, which is granted, the said Clark learning the boy to read, and write and Cypher as far as the rule of three: and when he shall faithfully compleat his Servitude to discharge him with a good suit of cloths besides his common wearing apparel.
There also was a stern justice administered which is worthy of con- sideration even in our own times.
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Town Council Aug. 27 1754
Whereas Information has been made to this Council, that one Jack Marsh an Indian Man who is grown old and very decrepit, & utterly uncapable of Main- taining himself, and unless timely care be taken of him/ he will perish in the Winter Season, & whereas the said Jack has a son named Japhet, who lives in an idle dissolute manner taking no honest care to procure a Livelihood. And as it is the incumbent Duty of all Children, to contribute as much as in them lies, toward the Support of their aged Parents, it is therefore the Duty of the said Japhet to afford the s'd Jack his Father all the assistance in his Power. The Council taking the same into Consideration do vote and resolve and it is voted and resolved that the said Japhet be bound out by the Overseers of the Poor of this Town to the highest Bidder for the Space of one Year. And the money arising thereby to be appropriated for the support of himself and his aged Father.
Information being made to the Council, that an Indian Squaw named Betty Low is grown old & is very poor & helpless & hath need of the towns assistance and that the said Betty Low hath at a considerable expense brought up a grandson of hers, an Indian boy of between nineteen and twenty years of age named Ben Easton. It is therefore the oppinion of the Council, for the relief and Support of the said Betty Low in her weak condition, the said boy be bound out an apprentice by the overseer of the Poor of this town to such person as will give the Greatest Sum of money for him untill he shall arrive to the age of twenty one years and that in the mean time the said Overseer provide for the said Betty Low.
That there was misfortune among the white people is shown by the sad story of the family of Nicholas and Sarah Fowler, copied "verbatim ac littera- tim" from the records:
Town Council at house of Mr. Oliver Hazard May 23d Day A. D. 1761
Whereas Sarah Fowler, the wife of Nicholas Fowler, late of s'd Jamestown, did in her s'd husbands absence Privately, on the Twenty Second of this instant Past, at Night Move out of s'd Town, & carried away with her allmost all her s'd husbands house-hold Goods, & at the same time left to be maintained by the Town three small children poor & unprovided for And the Council taking the same into consideration do Vote & Resolve, and it is voted by this Council that the Overseer of the poor of s'd Town sign an Indenture of a Boy (Belonging to s'd Nicholas & Sarah,) Named Joshua Smith Cowel Fowler, unto John Hull of s'd Jamestown, & his heirs, Executors & Administrators, untill s'd Boy shall arrive to the age of Twenty-one years, that the s'd John Hull shall provide for s'd Boy During his s'd apprenticeship sufficient Meat, washing Lodging & Clothing & shall Likewise dur- ing s'd Term, Teach or Cause the s'd boy to be Taught to Read, write & cypher as far as the Rule of Three. And the Expiration of s'd term shall Discharge the s'd Apprentice with one good new Suit of Clothes from head to foot, Besides his Common wearing Apparel.
It was also Voted that the s'd Overseers like wise sign an Indenture of a Girl (the Daughter of s'd Nicholas & Sarah) named Elizabeth Fowler unto Standfast Wyatt, of s'd town his heirs, Executors & administrators, until s'd Girl shall arrive to the age of Eight-Teen years that s'd Wyatt provide for s'd Girl During her apprentice- ship sufficient Meat, washing, Lodging & Clothing, & shall During s'd Term Teach or Cause the s'd Girl to be Taught to Read & write, and at the expiration of s'd Term shall Discharge her, with one Good new suit of Clothes besides her Every day wearing apparrel.
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It is also Voted that Oliver Martin be, & he hereby is impowered Immediately to attach, and Take into his Costody all the Goods that is now in the house of Nicholas Fowler, and all Other Goods, That he shall have information of, Belong- ing to s'd Nicholas Fowler, and them to safely Keep in Costody for s'd Town untill further Orders from This Council & that there be a Receipt Granted for the Purpose.
It is also Voted by this Council that Azariah Tew one of the overseers of the poor of this Town, immediately Take and keep at the Charge of s'd Town, Ellenor Fowler, untill Further Orders from s'd Council.
Town Council, by adjournment at house of Mr. Oliver Hazard, May 26, 1761
It is voted that the indenture of Charles Fowler which his mother Sarah Fowler signed to John Case Esq of South Kingstown Bareing date of the Fourteenth Day of June, one Thousand Seven hundred and fifty Eight be confirmed to s'd John Case, by an indenture on the same and approved By s'd Council.
wee the subscribers do Decent from the above vote for the following reasons, to wit. That the s'd Sarah Fowler had no Lawfull rite to Bind out s'd Boy without her Husbands Consent, & now hath absented herself and left several small Children in a perishing condition, & whereas the s'd Charles is at this time capable of earn- ing Considerable more than his own living, & hath been Ever since he hath lived with s'd Master; we think all his wages over and above his Maintainance ought to be appropriated towards the supporting his Distressed Sisters, and the relief of s'd Town untill he arrive to the age of Twenty one years.
Edward Carr Daniel Weeden Jr.
It is voted that Tamesin Pugh take Ellener, the Daughter of Nicholas Fowler & Keep at the Charge of the Town, & that she be allow'd for the same Three pounds old Tenor p week so long as she shall keep her & that she have an old bed for s'd Child to lay on.
Town Council Aug. 25, 1761
Whereas Tamesin Pugh exhibited an account by her Charged against the town of Forty pounds Ten shillings old Tenor (for keeping of Ellener Fowler) and the s'd account being duly examined It is voted that the s'd account be allowed & paid out of the Town Treasury which was paid into the hands of Dan Weeden Jr. in the presence of s'd Council.
Town Council Jan. 2 1762
It is voted that Tamesin pugh have an Order to Draw out of the Town Treasury of this Town (as soon as their shall be a sufficient sum in s'd Treasury ) the sum of Thirty Nine Pounds old Tenor, the same being for keeping of Ellener Fowler thirteen weeks from the 25th of august Last with Ten Shillings Due to her for the Board of s'd Child Last quarter (Novemb 24 to)
Town Council March 27, 1762
Tamesin exhibited an account of £148 by her charged against the Town for Keeping of Ellenor Fowler from the 23 of may to the 23 of march following (at which time the s'd child Deceas'd) for mending her Cloaths, providing necessaries during her sickness, finding a Coffin & other things to bury s'd Child in, & the s'd acc't being duly Examin'd and a Just Ballance found due on s'd acc't of £68 -10s-oop It is voted that the same be & hereby is allow'd that the amount There of
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be paid the s'd Tamesin pugh out of the Town Treasury as in full of her acc't against the Town."
To meet expenses the town had income from licenses, rentals and sale of highways, rental of Artillery lot and taxes, or, as they called them, rates. At first levying rates was an easy matter. At the Quarterly Meeting they added up their bills and if there was not sufficient money to pay them, they levied a rate, as in the following :
Town Council-16th day of the 11th month 1704-5
Whereas the town is indebted unto Several persons and there being no money in the treasury to make satisfaction It is therefore ordered and enacted that there shall be a Rate made and assessed on the Proprietors and Inhabitants of this Town to the value of Six Pounds in money, each and every person according to proportion . .. and that the Rate makers are to warn the inhabitants to bring in the account of their ratable estate."
This method sufficed for a number of years but in the carly 1700's the colony began issuing paper money and values became so complicated that the rate makers had the added duty of visiting cach inhabitant and valuing the taxable property. It was the beginning of a period of violent inflation and the value of paper money fluctuated almost daily. Thus we find that in 1761 William Hazard, John Gardner and Benj. Carr charged the town 97 pounds 4 shillings (11/4%) old tenor for levying on the inhabitants the sum of 7816 pounds, old tenor. In another place it was ordered "that the Clarke demand of the Treasurer 1 piece of eight for to buy a cloth to make a bag to carry the books in". Thus we have old tenor, new tenor, hard money, legal money, to say nothing of the foreign money brought in by the vessels in the over-scas trade, which gives us references to Spanish Dollars, double Johannes, pistoles, guineas, picees of eight, moidores, shillings, farthings, mites and many others. On July 19,1689, it was voted "that the town Treasurer hire as much Lawful Money at 6 per cent as will be equivalent to one Hundred Pounds old Ten'r Reckoning Silver Spanish Mill'd Dollars at Eight pounds per picec." In 1780 the Town Council voted "that John Carr be allowed for warning the town the four quarter Meetings a salary of twenty-five Pounds old Ten'r reek- oning Dollars at 8 pounds per picee." In 1781 72 Continental dollars was equal to one hard dollar. So complicated and unsatisfactory was this that trading, wherever possible, was done by barter.
In looking over the town's records of disbursements, charges are found for building roads, assessments levied for Dr. John Clark and Roger Williams while in England, taking care of the poor, transporting undesirable people off the island and the ordinary town's expenses. It would seem that most council meetings held at members houses opened with a dinner, charges for which were allowed ranging from 6 to 17 pounds. Oliver Hazard charged 26 pounds 16 shillings for 17 dinners and one bowl of punch. In 1739 the council ordered the town to "pay John Hull for 5 weeks board for Jones and 8 quarts Rum at 2p-total 12 shillings". But the most unusual charge was when the town treasurer was put in jail.
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Town Treasurer in Gaol Quarter Meeting Jan. 18 1774
"James Carr Junr Town Treasurer presented an account by him charged against the town the same being for cash he paid to the Sherif for the fees on an Excision (action) served on him for the Colony rate, 9/ & his charges Going to Goal 6/ and the town Meeting taking the same into consideration do vote that the same be & hereby is allowed the amount thereof being fifteen shillings Lawful Moncy be paid the said James Carr Jr out of the town treasury."
From these records of the town's various activities we have a fair picture of those early years. Unfortunately, aside from these records, there seems to be little information available. An old newspaper clipping, writer unknown, states that in a census taken in 1730, by order of the King, "the population was found to be 321 in all, 222 whites, 80 negrocs and 19 Indians. This showed an increase of 115 souls in 22 years." It goes on to state that in 1775 the population was 556 (the Rhode Island Colonial Records give 568) made up of 394 whites, 130 negroes, 32 Indians. Of the latter 9 belonged to the family of Francis Dick, the only household entirely of Indians. From the detailed list given, the 394 whites constituted 67 families, 35 of which owned slaves. It is assumed that some of the Indians were bound by indentures. The larger slave owners were Samuel Carr 5, Edward Carr 4, Thomas Carr 8, Daniel Carpenter 5, Nicholas Carr 4, John Eldred 6, Jonathan Gardner 4, Isaac Howland 10, Edward Hull 10, Stephen Hazard 5, John Martin 5, Ger- sham Remington 4, George Tew 8, Joseph & Benjamin Underwood 6, Daniel Wceden 6, and Daniel Weeden Jr 8. Bristol Hull had 11 Indians.
In going over the records for those early days the names most often mentioned in administering the affairs of the town are: Batty, Brinley, Carr, Clarke, Coggcshall, Eldred, Fones, Fowler, Franklin, Gardner, Green, Grin- old, Hammond, Hazard, Howland, Hull, Knowles, Sheffield, Slocumb, Tew, Underwood, Weeden. Many of these names have been forgotten. Only 8 families are now living or holding land on Conanicut in the original family name who owned land at the time of the Revolution-the Arnolds, Carrs, Clarkes, Hammonds, Howlands, Hulls, Knowles and Wcedens.
In approaching the events that led up to the Revolutionary war it must be remembered that from 1730 Newport developed an ever increasing foreign trade and for many years previous to 1775 surpassed New York and Boston as a commercial center. Just previous to the war over 200 vessels were engaged in foreign trade and over 400 coasting vessels sailed from this harbor as well as a regular line of packets to London. Thousands of scamen thronged the docks, warehouses were overflowing, there were 17 manufacturers alone of sperm oil and candles, fortunes were made in the slave trade and the distilling of rum, and ship yards were scattered all along the shores of the bay. Great quantities of produce, particularly sheep and cheese were shipped from Narragansett, a great amount of which went to Newport via the ferries. Wealth was abundant and prosperity every man's portion. Jamestown could
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not help but share in this general condition and, that she was alert to bettering herself, is shown in the vote of the town meeting of December 26, 1767:
"It is voted that the Hon. Josiah Arnold Esq. William Hazard Esq. Oliver Hull Esq. Mr. Daniel Weeden, Mr. John Weeden, Capt. John Eldred, Capt John Gardner, & Mr. John Remington or the major part of them, be, & they hereby are apointed a committee to consider of the most Salutary measures to be Rccom- mended to this town, for incouraging Industry, frugality, & the Manufactures of this colony, as well to Discourage the use of British & foreign Manufactures and Super- fluities imported from abroad; & that they make Report of their procedings to this meeting which stands adjourned to the third Tuesday of January next."
But England needed money and as early as 1733 imposed an import tax on molasses. This was a severe blow to the importers. In 1731 New England imported sufficient molasses to distill 1,260,000 gallons of rum. This was shipped to Africa and traded for slaves who were mostly sold in the West Indies, where more molasses was bought to be brought to New England, mostly Newport, to be distilled into more rum. Little by little more taxes were levied and smuggling became an accepted, if not an honored, means of livelihood. To enforce these taxes and stop the smuggling, England sent revenue ships, and Narragansett Bay, with its large amount of shipping, became the center of their activity. In 1769 the armed sloop Liberty was sent to Newport from Boston to enforce these laws and collect import duties. She seized a Connecticut brig and sloop and brought them into Newport.
The mistreatment of the captain of the scized brig so angered the citizens of Newport that, by a subterfuge, they managed to get the Liberty's men ashore, after which someone went out and cut her cable and she drifted ashore. The citizens then seized all her small boats, dragged them up Long Wharf to the Common where they were burned. On July 31, 1769, the New- port Mercury printed the following :
"Last Saturday the Sloop Liberty was floated by a high tide and drifted over. to Goat Island, and is grounded near the north end, near the place where the pirates were hanged. What this prognosticates we leave to the determination of the astrolo- gers", and later, August 17," Last Monday evening, just after the storm of rain, hail and lightening, the Sloop Liberty was discovered to be on fire, and continued burning for several days".
Field, in his "State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations" says, "This was not in itself a great decd, but it stands in history as the first overt act of the impending revolution."
The Boston Tea Party occurred December 16, 1773, and on February 10, 1774, at a town meeting the following resolution was passed :
"Considering the Greate importance in Preserving to ourselves & Posterity our Indubitable & Inherent Rights do Vote and it is Voted and Resolved by this Meet- ing that for preventing any tea subject to a duty sent out by the East India Company being Landed in this town, we do Willingly and heartily Join in the s'd Resolves Containing N.N. nine, and to the utmost of our power will stand by and Support our Brethren in this and the sister Colony's in all such Just and Laudable Measures as may preserve to us our Just Rights and priveledges as Englishmen, and with
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thanks do highly applaud our Bretheren in this and the Sister Colony's for their Spirited & patriotic Resolution in their Early Standing forth to Curb the arbitrary Mandates of an overbearing Ministerial plan of Government tending to Slavery, that thereby we hope to maintain the Libertics of our Country, we do also return our thanks to the towns of Newport and Westerly in this Colony & that Edward Carr Esq., Benj. Underwood Esq., Capt. Edward Hull, Capt. Samuel Carr, Mr. John Eldred, Mr. Daniel Weeden Jr. & Mr. Painc Hammond or the major part of them be a Com'tte for this town to correspond with other Committees appointed in this & the sister Colony's & that to Govern themselves if they see fit agreeable to the Eight Resolves of the town of Newport, & that a Copy of the Proceedings of this Town Meeting be transmitted to the Committee of Correspondence for the s'd town of Newport.
Early in 1774 the Port of Boston was closed and Gen. Gage, commissioned as governor of Massachusetts, took possession of the town. On September 10, 1774, a resolution was passed at the Jamestown town Meeting "that a subscrip- tion be opened in the town for raising a sum of money or produce either in new milch cheese, fat sheep, or cash .... for supporting the poor of the town of Boston in the great American cause for Liberty."
The Revenue ships were increasingly active and quite often shots were directed at places on the island. Several years ago, when a trench was dug near the foundation wall of the Carr Homestead located at about the middle of the northern half of the island, a cannon ball was found buried in the ground about four feet deep. Experts pronounced it a Revolutionary cannon ball.
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