History of Jamestown on Conanicut Island in the State of Rhode Island, Part 8

Author: Watson, Walter Leon, 1878-
Publication date: 1949
Publisher: [Providence]
Number of Pages: 132


USA > Rhode Island > Newport County > Jamestown > History of Jamestown on Conanicut Island in the State of Rhode Island > Part 8


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10


69


.


Town Meeting May 15, 1733


"Voted that liberty is granted to any of the frecman of this town to build a School house on the Artillery Lott."


"Voted that there be allowed Twenty Pounds towards the building the School house above mentioned to be paid out of the Town Treasury."


Proprietors Records


"1739-John Hammett left town"


Town Meeting May 18, 1741


"Voted that Capt. Josiah Arnold Draw ye money that was formerly Given towards Building ye School house in Jamestown. Ye sum of Twenty Pounds."


You must draw your own conclusions, but it is not an impossible deduc- tion that John Hammett kept a private school and the town contributed his house rent, 10 pounds, towards its support; also that sometime before 1741 Capt. Josiah Arnold had built a school house on the Artillery lot and was paid the twenty pounds voted by the town. In support of this latter deduction is found an entry in the town's records for January 20, 1767, "The meeting do appoint John Weeden and Nicholas Carr to view building on said lot (Artillery Lot) to see what addition or repairs are wanting, if any, to make the same a suitable workhouse for to put the poor of this town in." It is therefor evident that if it ever was used as a school house it was abandoned as such before 1767.


At the Town Meeting for September 17, 1801 it was voted "that all the inhabitants to the southward of John Weaver Jr. shall be included in the southern district for the purpose of building a School house within said destrict, and that said School house shall stand in the Road Leading to the beach where formerly Stood a Fort unless the Inhabitants within said destrict can Find some more Convenient Place." This was known as the South School. It was a one room school, where one class recited while the other classes studicd, with one teacher teaching all grades-just another one of those "little red school houses" in which our forefathers received their education. Among the teachers remembered are Miss Querepil, Miss Laura Lutz (Mrs. Thomas Carr Watson), Miss Lucy A. Gardiner, Mrs. Scudder, Miss Lallah Morgan, now osteopathic physician in Providence, Mr. Louis Sanford, who later became an Episcopal Bishop of California.


As the village population increased the school could not accommodate all the pupils and a Primary School was built on the west side of Southwest Avenue, about where the office of the Jamestown Water Company now stands. Among the teachers remembered are Miss Helen Landers and Miss Nancy Cory (the late Mrs. George Barnes.)


Both of these schools were in continuous use until the new Carr Graded School was built in 1889. The Primary School building was given to the Philomenian Library and was moved to the Artillery Lot where it now stands.


70


The North School stood on the North Road at Carr's Lane. The first building was so close to the road that people riding by on horse back could reach in the windows. Later a new building was erected on the hill just to the west. It was in constant use until 1913.


Miss Edna Hammond taught there for many years. The building was sold to Miss Lucy Gardiner, who went to school there, and it was remodeled into a summer cottage. When the contractor, Mr. Ralph Hull, tore up the platform on which stood the teacher's desk he found an old sheet of paper on which he had solved a problem in arithmetic when he was a pupil there. It was marked 100.


While undoubtedly there were private teachers in the early years, this practice seemed to continue even after the schools had been established, as is shown by the following bills found in the Carr Homestead;


John Carr to


Wanton Weeden Dr.


1810 To 1/2 quarters tuition in simple reading at 10e per Quarter $0.88


To incidentals for firing .17


1.05


Mr. John Carr to Nathan Gardiner Dr.


March 14, 1815.


To the tuition of Son Peleg 5 weeks. .60


Son Thomas 1 week .17


.77


Credited by Leather


.29


.48


Peleg Carr to Robert H. Weeden Dr.


March 15, 1833


To the tuition of John E. Carr & Wm. C. Carr from Decem-


ber 1st to March 15-$2. per quarter is 4.66


To wood .88


5.54


In 1889 a new grammar school was built on South West Avenue, called the Carr School. Registration 80 with an average attendance of 43. The town appropriated $625. and received $409. from the state. In 1899 the registration was 151, average attendance 94. Eight teachers were employed. The town appropriated $2025. and the state $420. The Clarke School was built in 1923. The Carr School now takes kindergarten through the 4th


71


grade and has an enrollment of 183. The Clarke School takes grade 5 through the 8th and also has a Home Economics Room and a Manual Training room. Enrollment 115. 13 teachers are employed.


JAMESTOWN PHILOMENIAN LIBRARY


An old "History of Rhode Island" states that "The Philomenian Debat- ing Society was organized about the year 1828. The members agreed to pay one dollar a ycar toward a fund to start a library." Around the middle of the century the northern part of the island had two small libraries. One was known as the John J. Watson Library, very likely because the books were kept in his house. He then owncd the Capt. Painc farm and lived in the old farm house later known for many years as "Cajacet". The books were kept in a little cupboard and a list of the books was pasted on the inside of the door. The other library was at the home of Peleg C. Carr on Carr's Lane and was known as the "Jamestown Philomcnian Library Association." The books were kept in a cupboard at the head of the back stairs. This library was incorporated in 1847 under its original name.


In November, 1874, an informal meeting of those interested in forming a library at the village was held in Wm. H. Knowles' grocery store; those attending were Thomas G. Carr, John B. Landers, Thomas Carr Watson, Eunice B. Carr, Allen Gardiner, Wm. H. Knowles and Chas. E. Wccden. The two libraries were combined into the Jamestown Philomenian Library. By this combination and other book contributions, they were entitled to receive financial assistance from the State Board of Education. The books were kept in the home of Mrs. G. A. Clarke, who was the first librarian.


Mrs. Eben Tefft was appointed librarian in 1879 and the Library was moved to her house, known as the Patty Congdon housc. Soon after, the Library was moved to the rear of the Town Hall. Mrs. L. C. Hammond was appointed Librarian in 1889 and continued to serve until 1929, completing forty years of faithful service. Her daughter Edna served as assistant librarian. Mrs. Mary Hammond was then appointed librarian with Miss Clara Clarke as assistant, both serving until 1944 when Miss Clara Clarke, the present librarian, was appointed.


When the Carr School was built in 1889, the two school buildings were vacated and the Primary school building was given to the Association for a Library building. It was moved to its present site on Narragansett Avenue, in the south-cast corner of the original Artillery Lot.


Thomas Carr Watson was president for 45 years and Miss Sarah W. Carr was vice-president for about the same period. The present officers are Mr. Fred Caswell, president, Mr. Julian Collart, vice-president, Miss Clara Clarke, treasurer, and Mrs. A. W. Bowser, secretary. Miss Clara Clarke is librarian, assisted by Mrs. Louise Braman. In 1948 the library possessed 15,033 books- 12,968 adult and 2965 juvenile. The circulation of books for that year was 10,147.


72


Religious Societies


THE SOCIETY OF FRIENDS OR QUAKERS


W HEN Dr. John Clarke, William Coddington and their friends pur- chascd the Island of Rhode Island from the Indians and started the settlement at Pocasset, now Portsmouth, a compact of government was drawn up which rcad in part: "It is ordered that nonc shall be accounted a delinquent for doctrine." So well was this observed that Cotton Mather said, "It has been a Collusion of Antinomians, Familists, Anabaptists, Antisabba- tarians, Arminians, Soeinians, Quakers, Rantets, everything in the world but Roman Catholics and real Christians-though of the latter, I hope, there have been more than the former among them; so that if a man had lost his religion, hc might find it at the general muster of the opinionists." About 1648, George Fox founded the Society of Friends in England and, in spite of persecution and imprisonment, the society grew in numbers and they were zcalous in spreading their belief. In this country the only welcoming hand was extended by Newport; cven Roger Williams was active against them. As carly as 1656, Quakers had settled in Newport. Fox himself prcached therc in 1672, and by 1700 their teachings had affected the entire population of the island. The leading citizens werc active members of the society. As a natural con- sequenec the large majority of the settlers of Jamestown were Quakers. Their attendance at the Newport Meetings was infrequent and meetings werc soon held at members' houses on the island. An entry in the Newport Mcct- ing records reads, "At a man and womens mccting at yc house of Mathew Borden the 24th Day 12 mo, 1684 this meeting has thought fit with the approbation of Jamestown alias Quononoquott to sett a quarterly meeting at Nicholas Carrs in said town to begin the second day after our monthly mecting in the first month next." In 1693 Thomas Chalklcy preached on Jamestown. For the "14th of 4th mo 1709" the Newport records read, "it was proposed at this meeting by Representatives of Jamestown yt there is necessity of building a meeting house at Jamestown which is referred to next monthly mccting." The records for that mccting rcad, "yc 9th day ye 6 mo. 1709. This meeting doth give lcave for the Friends of Jamestown to build a meeting house on their island."


In the Land Evidence records for 1710 there is recorded a decd by Ebenczer Slocomb to the "land on which a meeting house stands where the people called Quakers are won't to worship." (scc under Old Houses- Ebenezer Slocomb) This definitely cstablishes that the first meeting housc was built 1709-10. Also by this deed the location is established on the north side of North Ferry Road, later Cemetery Lane, now Eldred Avenue, in what is known as the old cemetery. About 35 years ago funds were raised to elear up this old cemetery, which was all overgrown with brush and trecs. After


73


this was donc and the old grave stones set up and repaired, there, in the south east corner, directly in front of the entrance, was a clear space entirely free from graves, where, undoubtedly, stood the first meeting house.


The next twenty-three years passed without anything of particular inter- est except the general growth of the settlement. It has been previously noted that, as the numbers on the island increased, the center of population crept towards the south. This brought about the next change which is best told by the records themselves.


25 of the 10 mo 1733


"This meeting having had further conference concerning Jamestown meeting house, it is desired that the friends of that town do consider among themselves whether it may not be for the General Service and Benefit to Remove s'd meeting house or dispose of that and build another at some more convenient place and make a full return of their minds in that matter to our next Mo meeting and David Green is desired to acquaint the friends of Jamestown accordingly."


Newport 29th ye 11th mo 1733


"This meeting being informed that the persons that the deed of Jamestown meeting house was made to, are all deceased excepting David Green therefore this meeting doth desire David Green to make a deed of Conveyance of s'd house & the land belonging thereto to Daniel Weeden, John Hull, Tho Carr and David Green Jr. and make report to next monthly meeting.


"Whereas Jamestown friends are desirous to build a new meeting house on their Island and Nicholas Carr signified that he is willing to give as much land as is needful for that purpose and this meeting desires said Nicholas Carr to pass a deed of conveyance for the s'd purpose to Sam'l Clarke, Daniel Weeden, Tho Carr and John Hull and make report to next Mo meeting."


Newport 26th da 1 mo 1734


"Sam'l Clarke makes report that Nicholas Carr hath passed a deed of con- veyance of a quarter of an acre at Jamestown to set a new meeting house on, to the Persons nominated at a former Mo. meeting."


Portsmouth 27th ye 6 mo 1734


"This meeting doth desire Sam'l Clarke and Nicholas Carr to Remove the old meeting house at Jamestown to the place where is appointed to build the new meeting house and to build an addition or 18 foot leantew fashion with a chimney at the end and see what subscription they can get and make report to our next Mo. meeting."


Newport 26th of the 9th mo. 1734


"Nicholas Carr and Sam'l Clarke brought an acc't of charge for moving & building their meeting house amounting to £114 - 4 - 10 which is allowed and ordered to be paid by John Casey out of the meeting stock."


The deed of Nicholas Carr appcars in the Land Evidence Records for March 31, 1734, and by the boundaries given, we find the land is that on which the present meeting house stands. Pcacc and contentment reigned for many years. The remarkable growth and almost universal acceptance of the belief and teachings of the Society of Friends in Newport, Jamestown and Portsmouth is worthy of particular notice. The 19 men and their families who settled Pocasset (now Portsmouth) had all been banished from the


74


Bay Colony at Boston because of their religious beliefs. In 1639 this little colony divided and the settlement at Newport was started. Dr. John Clarke and his followers established a Baptist Church while William Coddington, Nicholas Easton, John Coggeshall and their followers formed a society called "Friends of Truth" whose beliefs were remarkably like those later held by the Society of Friends or Quakers. Newport was the only place where the Quakers from England could land but here they received a hearty welcome and found fertile ground for the spreading of their belief. Groups of Friends were soon organized and meetings were held in private houses. A Monthly Meeting was organized in 1658 and the New England Yearly Meeting in 1661. (This meeting was held annually at Newport until 1902.) In 1669 the Rhode Island Quarterly Meeting was organized. By 1743 the society had so increased in membership that it was not uncommon for 5,000 people to assemble from near and distant points to attend the New England Ycarly Meeting at Newport.


In 1775 the British fleet sailed into the harbor and took possession of Newport and the fortified parts of Jamestown. The effect of this occupation on the meeting house is again best told by the records.


Newport 26th. 3 mo 1776


"This meeting being informed that Friends have mostly moved from James- town therefore this meeting doth appoint Gould Marsh & Thomas Gould Jun. to inquire into circumstances of S'd Friends & the meeting there & report to next monthly meeting."


Newport 28th 5 mo 1776


"The Friends who had the care of the matter respecting friends at Jamestown made return which is accepted as followeth :


"Agreeable to appointment we have made some inquiry respecting the Meeting & Meeting House of Friends at Jamestown and were informed that some time in the tenth month that most friends belonging thereto left the Island whereby the meeting ceased and that the soldiers possessed themselves of the House which suffered considerably from them in which condition it still remains and but one family of friends as yet returned and settled on the Island."


Newport 25 of 7 mo 1776


"The Preparative Meeting of Newport informed that Friends at Jamestown had represented to them that they have for some time past laboured under some dis- advantage in regard to holding their Meeting at Private Houses and proposed for Friends approbation for their better accommodation whereupon we appoint Robert Dennis, Isaac Lawton, Richard Mitchell, Gould Marsh and William Almy to confer with Friends at Jamestown aforesaid, respecting the above."


The committee appointed to confer with friends at Jamestown respecting the building a meeting house reported as follows, viz,


Newport 26th of 9th mo 1786


"According to our appointment, we have conferred with the Friends of James- town respecting building a Meeting house at that place, and it is our Judgement that it may be well that there be one built, provided that it can be accomplished in the way by them proposed viz to procure Mon'ies by subscription to purchase


75


FRIEND'S MEETING HOUSE Photo, J. M. Watson


the material and to do the Labour at their own expense And think that a building 26 ft. by 20 of one story high, sufficiently capacious to accommodate them."


In the records of the Newport Meeting for the 24th of the 6th month 1788, it is stated that the money raised for building a new meeting house was not sufficient and it was voted that £7-11-5 pence be paid out of the general treasury. It is thus conclusive that the new meeting house, which is the one now standing, was built in 1786 or 1787.


As has already been noted, Jamestown reached the peak of its population about 1775. Then came the war and the meeting house was occupied by the British soldiers.


During these difficult times meetings were again held in the members' homes. After the war a new meeting house was built but many of the members had left the island, and the society failed to attain the strength it had before the war. However, so firmly was the Society of Friends established on the island that for a period of 125 years after their first meeting house had been built, no other religious sect had erected a place of worship. The only other services held during that time were those of Dr. MacSparran, a minister of the Church of England, who occasionally held services in private homes.


As the center of population drew away from the location of the meeting house and new sects erected churches in the village the Quakers gradually became so few in numbers that the society dissolved its membership. Regular Sunday meetings have not been held for many years, but during the summer months the old meeting house is opened during July and August, and meetings are held by the summer residents belonging to the Society of Friends.


76


SERVICES OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND Conducted by Rev. James MacSparran, D.D.


The activities of Dr. MacSparran are revealed only in his diary and only for the years 1743-4-5 and 1751. The manuscript was discovered in 1868 in the attic of a newly elected president of Brown University when he was moving to the president's house. The diary speaks mostly of work on his farm, trouble with his slaves and his social activities. His references to services held on Jamestown deserve a place under this heading.


Dr. MacSparran was a missionary of the Venerable Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, of the Church of England. He came here as a young man in 1721, married Hannah Gardiner, of one of the prominent families in Narragansett, and became rector of the Old Narragansett Church, known as "St. Paul's in Narragansett." It was located at the Platform on Congdon Hill on the Dark Corner or Shermantown Road. In 1800 it was moved to Wickford and now each year during August, is opened for vesper services. His home, the "Glebe House", was on the west bank of Narrow River, on the River Road, just north of the Narrows at Boston Neck. It is still standing.


In the Narragansett Church Register, August 14, 1741, it is recorded, "Pursuant to a request made in writing by sundry gentlemen of Jamestown, alias Conanicut, to the Revd Dr. MacSparran the said Doctor preached at Capt. Josiah Arnolds house." There was no church building on the island dur- ing his life and he generally held his services in the home of John Martin, Thomas Paine, or Josiah Arnold, grandson of Gov. Benedict Arnold, and brother-in-law of Mrs. MacSparran.


Extracts from Diary


1743


June 5 Mr. Morris officiated at my church and I went and officiated at Conanicut. July 5 People so busy at Conanicut, by reason of. Drought and worms could not break off their harvest to attend, so I did not go.


July 23 .... and in yy great goodness bring to a sight and sense of his sinful ways my poor Bro Arnold, who seems, from no provocation, but in obedience to the evil one he dwells with, to oppose the Progress of ye church in yt poor, benighted Island.


Aug'st 1 Col Homans dined with me. I wrote Bro Arnold an expostulatory Lr upon the Causeless Abuses, he has lately given me.


Aug'st 2 I preached at Conanicut. Capt. Paine promised to deliver Mr. Arnold my letter as soon as he should come home from Milford.


I dined at home and Col. Updike is here in order to stay all night.


We had a shower of Rain and it's like to be more. I complained to Col. Updike of my bad usage from Mr. Honeyman and Arnold.


August 14 ...... My servants told me that the unhappy Mr. Arnold is come over to the Quaker meeting. That lewd woman will ruin him. This is a confirma- tory Instance of yt the Conventicle is the Sink of ye Ch.


October 27 At Conanicut once a month all ye winter of 1743.


77


1744


September 4 Officiated at Conanicut. Baptized an adult vizt William Mott. Married George Dunwel to Phebe Tennant. A congregation of above an 100 in both rooms.


October 9 Preached at Conanicut. My discourse turned chiefly on ye accident of blowing up yt happened to Sueton Grant, Nath Coddington, Jno Gidley and one Mr Taylor, yt are all dead.


1745


January 13 I officiated at Conanicut.


August 6 I preached at Conanicut and from there went to Newport where I stayed till Friday morning.


September 3 From Boston Neck I went and officiated at Conanicut and returned ye same day.


September 30 I heard Joseph Hull, the Quaker, preach, as, alas, it is called.


October 1 I officiated at Conanicut and this night have writ a Certificate of Abra- ham Dennis's Marriage.


1751


August 5 We got up early and I drove my wife to ye Ferry in her way to Newport whither she is gone and Peter and Bolico to attend her. I went over ye Ferry with her whre we waited long for the Boat; but having got over about 10 ante merid we went to Mr. Martin's and stayed to dinner.


October 22 I went over the Ferry to Conanicut, dined with Mr. Martin and got to Newport in ye afternoon.


October 29 Fearing a storm I come over the Ferrys and thro' God's Goodness got home safely by walking from Capt. Bill's.


October 30 Cold and windy with ye wind at Northwest, I thank God I came yester- day since I could not have crossed ye Ferrys with so much wind agst me.


Notes


Capt. Paine was a resident of Conanicut, much interested in the maintenance of Church services on the island. Capt. Paine married Mercy Carr, daughter of Gov. Caleb Carr, and on March 13, 1745, Dr. MacSparran married their daughter Mercy to William Dyer. (See under Old Houses-Nicholas Carr House )


Newport-Then the most important place in the colony. Letters are said to have been, in those days, sometimes sent from England, addressed "New York, near Newport"


THE BAPTIST SOCIETY


It will be recalled that when the settlement at Pocasset divided and the settlement at Newport was started the followers of William Coddington formed a religious society with a belief very much in accord with that of the Quakers, while the followers of Dr. John Clarke formed themselves into a Baptist Society. As Conanicut was settled by people from Newport, it is natural to assume that some of these people were Baptists. Just when they began holding services on Jamestown is not known, but in the records of the 1st Baptist Society we find the following:


"We the said Oliver Hopkins, Wm. A. Weeden, Daniel W. Carr, John E. G. Weeden and Elisha Case, Taking into consideration the inconvenience of holding religious meetings in the school house it being too small to hold those who attended, this day after meeting met at Wm. A. Weedens and agreed to meet at the North


78


School House the first Monday in June, To associate ourselves together and become a society and petition to be incorporated.


"At a meeting holden at the North School House the first Monday in June 1841, Oliver Hopkins, Elisha Case Wm. A. Weeden John E. G. Weeden and Daniel Carr agreed to form themselves into a society and petition the Legislature for an act of Incorporation."


From this it would appear that services were being held in the North School House located on the North Road at Carr's Lane. At this meeting they adopted a "Constitution, Rules and Regulations" and took the name "1st Baptist Society of Jamestown." In July 1841 Oliver Hopkins was elected Moderator, John E. G. Weeden, Secretary and Daniel W. Carr, Treasurer. It was also "Voted that John E. G. Wceden & Daniel W. Carr


1ST BAPTIST MEETING HOUSE - LATER GUILD HALL


be continued a Committee to procure a lot of land to build a Meeting House upon and that Daniel W. Carr take the deed of the said lot as Treasurer & his Successors in said office for this corporation."


Their meeting of February 19, 1845 was held at the 1st Baptist Meeting House, so evidently the Meeting House had been built sometime between 1841-45. It stood on the west side of the North Road, half way between the North School House and the Battey house. At this meeting it was voted: "That the 1st day Baptists of Jamestown shall have the use of the 1st Baptist Meeting House first days and Evenings of said days in succession Commencing the 1st Sunday in March A.D. 1845 Forever & that the Seventh Day Baptists shall have the use of said Meeting House every fifth First Day and Evening after the 4th as above Forever."




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.