USA > Rhode Island > Newport County > History of Newport County, Rhode Island. From the year 1638 to the year 1887, including the settlement of its towns, and their subsequent progress > Part 6
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46
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
borders of Rhode Island on the east and north were materially increased by the addition of the territory of five towns from Massachusetts. These were Bristol, Warren, Tiverton, Little Compton and Cumberland. Of these Little Compton and Tiverton were annexed to Newport county February 17th, 1747, they having been incorporated as towns, under the Rhode Is- land jurisdiction on the 27th of the preceding month. Although minor changes have been made in its boundaries, the county has remained substantially the same in territorial limits, to the pres- ent time, with the exception of the town of Fall River, which was incorporated from the northern part of Tiverton October 6th, 1856, and in the settlement of a boundary question was ceded to Massachusetts, March 1st, 1862. In 1860, the ouly census year during which Fall River existed as a distinct town within the jurisdiction of this county, it had a population of 3,337.
The growth of the different towns of this county is shown by the following table of population at different periods. The re- duction of the population of Tiverton between 1850 and 1860 is explained by the formation of Fall River from part of Tiverton in 1856.
Census Year.
Jamestown.
Little
Compton.
Middletown.
Newport.
New
Shoreham.
Portsmouth.
Tiverton.
Total of the County.
1708
206
2,203
208
628
3,245
1730
321
4,640
290
813
6,064
1748
420
1,152
680
6,508
300
992
1,040
11,090
1755
517
1,170
778
6,753
378
1,363
1,325
12,284
1774
563
1,232
881
9,209
575
1,512
1,956
15,928
1776
322
1,302
860
5,299
478
1,347
2,091
11.699
1782
345
1,341
674
5,530
478
1,350
1,959
11,677
1790
507
1,542
840
6,716
682
1,560
2.453
14,300
1800
501
1,577
913
6,789
:14
1,684
2,717
14,845
1810
504
1.553
976
7,907
722
1,795
2,837
16,294
1820
448
1,580
949
7,319
955
1,645
2,875
15,771
1830
415
1,378
915
8,010
1,185
1,727
2,905
16,535
1840
365
1,327
891
8,333
1,069
1,706
3,183
16.874
1850
358
1,462
830
9,563
1,269
1,833
4,699
20.007
1860
400
1,304
1,012
10,508
1,320
2,048
1,927
21,896
1865
349
1,197
1,019
12,688
1,308
2,153
1,973
20,687
1870
378
1,166
971
12,521
1,113
2,003
1,898
20,050
1875
488
1,156
1,074
14,028
1,147
1,893
2,101
21,887
1880
459
1,202
1,139
15,693
1,203
1,979
2,505
24,180
1885
516
1,055
1,166
19,566
1,267
2,008
2,702
28,280
47
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
Some of the more important events connected with the history of the State, in which this county has been especially inter- ested, are grouped in the following paragraphs :
The island of Aquidneck, the first settled portion of the county, was purchased March 24th, 1628, and the settlement of Portsmouth immediately began. Newport was settled in May, 1639. The union of these towns as a government was effected in March, 1640, and William Coddington was elected the first governor.
The first public school was established at Newport Angust 20th, 1640.
The incorporation of the Providence Plantations, of which Portsmouth and Newport were a part, was affected by commis- sioners of Parliament March 14th, 1643.
The name of Aquidneck was changed to "the Isle of Rhodes," or Rhode Island, March 13th, 1644.
The first general assembly under the incorporation of 1643 met at Portsmouth May 19th, 1647. The colony was divided. and two governments, one comprising the mainland towns and the other the island towns, set in operation in 1651. This con- tinned until August 31st, 1654, when the united government was re-instated.
The colonial charter was granted by Charles II., and the gov- ernment organized under it, in 1663.
The first postal route from Boston to Rhode Island was es- tablished June 9th, 1693. The first census was taken in 1708, and the first printing press established in 1709 by one Bradford, who received fifty pounds a year for doing the public printing of the colony. This printing office was set up at Newport. where also the first newspaper in the colony was started under the name of the Rhode Island Gazette, by James Franklin, in 1732.
The first alms-house in Rhode Island was erected in Newport in 1723.
Beaver Tail light house, said to be the first light house built on the American coast, was ordered built in February, 1749.
The first number of the Newport Mercury was issued June 12th, 1758.
The first overt act of the colonies of America against the au thorities of Great Britain preceding the revolution was the de- struction of the British revenue sloop, " Liberty," which took
48
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
place at Newport, July 19th, 1769. Here also was enacted the first naval engagement of the war. This took place June 15th, 1775. between a colonial sloop commanded by Capt. Abraham Whipple and a tender of the British frigate " Rose," in which the latter was pursued till she grounded on the shore of Conan- icut and was there captured.
The general assembly of the colony formally renounced al- legiance to Great Britain May 4th, 1776.
A hospital for vaccination and treatment of small pox was es- tablished by law in the county in 1776.
The declaration of independence having been formally ap- proved by the general assembly July 19th, 1776, the British army under General Clinton took possession of Newport on the 8th of the following December. The island was now given up to the British, and the functions of local government and par- tieipation in the colonial government in an open manner were suspended.
General Prescott, who was in command of the British forces on the island, was quartered at the house of a Mr. Overing, on the west side of the island, just north of the present town line which divides Middletown from Portsmouth. On the night of July 9th, 1777, he was surprised and captured by a party of Americans headed by Col. William Barton.
The French fleet arrived off Newport July 29th, 1778, and one month later, viz .: August 29th, the battle of Rhode Island took place. This engagement was the result of an effort made by the Americans to dislodge the British from the island. The American forces, ten thousand strong, under General Sullivan, had moved over from Tiverton npon the north end of the island, on the 9th of August, where they occupied the abandoned forts of the British. The latter, in the meantime, fell back toward Newport. On the 15th Sullivan advanced with his army to a point within two miles of the British lines, which extended across the island, from Tonomy hill to Easton's pond. Here cannonading was kept up for several days, and so effective was the work that Sullivan was about to storm the enemy's works when his army became demoralized by the withdrawal of the French fleet which had been expected to afford assistance, so that the number of his effective troops was reduced to about fifty-four hundred. With these he began to fall back to the northward on the evening of the 28th, and at two o'clock that
49
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
night encamped on Butt's hill, in the northern part of Ports- month. The British forces marched ont from Newport and pursued. A general engagement took place on the 29th upon the high lands of Portsmouth, in which the loss of the Ameri- cans was two hundred and eleven, while that of the enemy was one thousand and twenty-three. The Americans held their po- sition and repulsed the British. On the following day Sullivan withdrew his forces to Tiverton.
Newport was evacuated by the British, October 25th, 1779. It was incorporated as a city June 1st, 1784, and the charter was repealed in March, 1787. Another city charter was granted May 6th, 1853. Here the federal constitution was adopted by the state, after a long and heated contest May 29th, 1790.
The first trip of the steamboat "Firefly," the pioneer steam packet, was made between Newport and Providence May 28th, 1817.
The adoption of a state constitution was considered, and a convention in 1824 at Newport adopted one, but the vote of the people rejected it. Another convention met at Providence in 1834 and 1835, but nothing was matured. A third convention met in 1842 and adopted what was called the " Landholders' constitution," which was also rejected by the vote of the peo- ple. In the meantime another convention was held which drafted the "People's constitution" which it was claimed was subsequently adopted by the vote of the people. A government organized under it, with Thomas W. Dorr at its head, claimed the right to exercise the functions of government. The author- ities acting under the charter refused to accede to their demands. and preparations were made for hostile action. The rebellion culminated on the 28th of June, 1842, when a party of the in- surgents attempted to make a stand at Chepachet. The state troops moved upon them and they dispersed and gave up the contest. Another constitutional convention in 1842 adopted a constitution which was approved by the people, and govern- ment under it was organized May 2d, 1843.
It will be interesting to note some of the men whom this county has given to prominent positions in the state. Among the governors we find the following were from this county :
William Coddington, March 12, 1640, to May 9. 1647.
John Coggeshall, May, 1647, to May, 1648.
William Coddington. May, 1618, to May. 1649.
4
50
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
Nicholas Easton, May, 1650, to August, 1651. John Sanford, May, 1653, to May, 1654. Nicholas Easton, May to September 12, 1654. Benedict Arnold, May, 1657, to May, 1660. Willian Brenton, May, 1660, to May, 1662. Benedict Arnold, May, 1662, to May, 1666.
William Brenton, May, 1666, to May, 1669. Benedict Arnold, May, 1669, to May, 1672. Nicholas Easton, May, 1672, to May, 1674. William Coddington, May, 1674, to May, 1676.
Walter Clarke, May, 1676, to May, 1677. Benedict Arnold, May, 1677, to June 20, 1678%.
William Coddington, August 28, 1678, to November 1, 1678 *.
John Cranston, November 8, 1678, to March 12, 1680 *.
Peleg Sanford, March 16, 1680, to May, 1683. William Coddington, Jr., May, 1683, to May, 1685. Henry Bull, May, 1685, to May, 1686. Walter Clarke, May to June 29, 1686. (The charter was suspended till 1690).
Henry Bull, February 27, to May 7, 1690.
John Easton, May, 1690, to May, 1695.
Caleb Carr, May, 1695, to December 17, 1695 *.
Walter Clarke, Jannary, 1696, to March, 1698.
Samuel Cranston, March. 1698, to April 26, 1727 *.
William Wanton, May, 1732, to December, 1733%.
John Wanton, May, 1734, to Jnly 5, 1740%.
Richard Ward, July 15, 1740, to May, 1743.
Gideon Wanton, May, 1745, to 1746, and May, 1747, to May, 1748.
Josias Lyndon, May, 1768, to May, 1769.
Joseph Wanton, May, 1769, to November 7, 1775; at which date he was deposed.
John Collins, May, 1786, to 1790.
William C. Gibbs, May, 1821, to 1824.
William C. Cozzens, March 3 to May, 1863.
Charles C. Van Zandt, 1877 to 1880.
George Peabody Wetmore, 1885 to -.
The following citizens of this county have held the office of deputy governor or lieutenant governor, the title being changed from the former to the latter term in 1799.
*Died in office.
51
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
William Brenton, November, 1663, to May, 1666.
Nicholas Easton, May, 1666, to May, 1669. John Clarke, May, 1669, to May, 1670. Nicholas Easton, May, 1670, to May, 1671. John Clarke, May, 1671, to May, 1672. John Cranston, May, 1672, to May, 1673. William Coddington, May, 1673, to May, 1674.
John Easton, May, 1674, to April, 1676.
John Cranston, May, 1676, to November 8, 1678.
James Barker, November, 1678, to May, 1679.
Walter Clarke, May, 1679, to May, 1686.
John Coggeshall, May to June, 1686; and after the suspen- sion of the charter, from May 1, 1689, to May, 1690.
Walter Clarke, May, 1700, to May 22, 1714 *.
Henry Tew, June 15, 1714, to May, 1715. John Wanton, May, 1721, to May, 1722.
Jonathan Nichols, May to August 2, 1727 *.
John Wanton, May, 1729, to May, 1734.
Richard Ward, May to July, 1740.
Joseph Whipple, May, 1743, to May, 1745; and again from May, 1746, to May, 1747.
William Ellery, May, 1748, to May, 1750.
Joseph Whipple, May, 1751, to November 2, 1753.
Jonathan Nichols, Jr., November 2, 1753, to May, 1754; and again, from May, 1755, to September 8, 1756%.
John Gardner, May, 1754, to May, 1755; and again Septem- ber, 1756, to January, 1764 *.
Joseph Wanton, Jr., February 27, 1764, to May, 1765; and again, May, 1767, to May, 1768.
Paul Mumford, 1803 to 1805%.
Isaac Wilbonr, 1806 to 1807 ; and again from 1810 to 1811.
Constant Taber, 1807 to 1808.
Simeon Martin, 1808 to 1810 ; and again from 1811 to 1816.
Charles Collins, 1824 to 1832.
John Engs, 1835 to 1836. Joseph Childs, 1838 to 1839.
Edward W. Lawton, 1847 to 1849.
William Beach Lawrence. 1851 to 1852.
Anderson C. Rose, 1855 to 1856.
Samuel G. Arnold, 1861 to 1862. * Died in office.
52
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
Duncan C. Pell, 1865 to 1866.
Pardon W. Stevens, 1868 to 1872.
Charles C. Van Zandt, 1873 to 1875.
Henry T. Sisson, 1875 to 1877.
Henry H. Fay, 1880 to 1883.
The following list contains the names of the men from this county who have held the office of secretary of the colony or state:
William Dyre, March 12, 1640, to May 16, 1648.
Philip Shearman, May 16, 1648, to 1651.
William Lytheiland, May, 1653, to May, 1654, and September, 1654, to May, 1656.
Joseph Torrey, May to September, 1654, and May, 1661, to May, 1666 ; and again 1669 to 1671.
John Sanford, May, 1656, to May, 1661 ; and again from 1666 to 1669 : and from 1671 to 1676 ; and again from 1677 to 1686.
John Coggeshall, 1676 to 1677 ; and from May, 1691, to Au- gust, 1692.
Weston Clarke, 1690 to 1691 ; and July, 1695, to May, 1714.
Jolin Easton, August, 1692, to 1695, or near that date, the record being obscure.
Richard Ward, 1714 to 1733.
James Martin, May, 1733, to February, 1746 .*
Thomas Ward, 1746, to December, 1760 .*
Henry Ward, December, 1760, to October, 1797 .*
Those of this county who have held the office of attorney general to the colony or state have been as follows :
William Dyre, 1650 to 1651.
John Easton, May 17, 1653, to May 16, 1654; May 20. 1656, to May 19, 1657 ; May 22, 1660, to May 22, 1663 ; May 4, 1664, to May 4, 1670 ; and 1672 to 1674.
John Cranston, May 16, 1654, to May 20, 1656.
John Sanford, May 22, 1663, to May 4, 1664, and May, 1670, to 1671.
Joseph Torrey, May, 1671, to 1672.
Peter Easton, 1674 to 1676.
Weston Clarke, 1676 to 1677; 1680 to 1681; 1683 to 1684; 1685 to 1686 ; and 1714 to 1721.
* Died in office.
53
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
Edward Richmond, 1677 to 1680.
John Pococke, 1682 to 1683; 1684 to 1685 ; 1690, for a year or more-the records are missing; 1698 to 1700; and 1701 to 1702.
John Williams, 1686 to the suspension of the charter.
Nathaniel Dyre, 1702 to 1704.
Joseph Sheffield, 1704 to 1706.
Richard Ward, 1712 to 1713.
John Hammett, 1713 to 1714.
Henry Bull, 1721 to 1722.
James Honeyman, Jr., May, 1732, to December, 1740; and 1741 to 1743.
Augustus Johnston, 1758 to 1766.
Henry Marchant, 1741 to 1777.
William Channing, 1777 to 1787; and again 1791 to 1793.
Henry Goodwin, 1787 to 1789.
Dntee J. Pearce, 1819 to 1825.
The honorable office of treasurer of the colony or state has been held by citizens of this county as follows :
Jeremy Clarke, May 19, 1647, to May 22, 1649.
John Clarke, May 22, 1649, to 1651.
John Coggeshall, May 17, 1653, to September 12, 1654; and 1664 to 1672.
Richard Burden, September 12, 1654, to May 22, 1655.
John Sanford, May 22, 1655, to May 21, 1661 ; and May 22, 1662, to May 4, 1664.
Caleb Carr, May 21, 1661, to May 22, 1662.
Peter Easton, 1672 to 1677.
Thomas Ward, 1677 to 1678.
Peleg Sanford, 1678 to 1681.
Weston Clarke. 1681 to 1685.
John Woodman, 1685 to the suspension of the charter by Andros, in 1686.
John Holmes, February, 1690, to May, 1703; and 1708 to 1709.
William Hiscock, 1703 to 1705.
Nathaniel Sheffield, 1705 to 1708.
Edward Thurston, 1709 to 1714.
Joseph Borden, 1714 to 1730.
Abraham Borden, 1730 to 1733.
54
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
Gideon Wanton, 1733 to 1743.
John Gardner, 1743 to 1748.
Thomas Richardson, 1748 to 1761.
Josephi Clarke, 1761 to 1792.
Henry Sherburne, October, 1792 to May, 1808.
Constant Taber, 1808 to 1811.
William Ennis, 1811 to 1817.
Thomas G. Pitman, 1817 to 1832.
John Sterne, 1832 to 1838 ; and again, 1839 to 1840.
William S. Nichols, 1838 to 1839.
Stephen Cahoone, 1840 to 1851.
Edwin Wilbur, 1851 to 1854.
Samuel B. Vernon, 1854 to 1855.
Samnel A. Parker, 1855 to 1856: and March, 1868, to Feb- rnary 4, 1872.
George W. Tew, May, 1866, to March, 1868.
The following citizens of Newport county have been honored with the position of speaker of the house of representatives in the legislature of the colony or state.
Jonathan Holmes, Newport, October, 1696, to October, 1698 ; and April, 1700, to May, 1703.
Benjamin Newbury, Newport, February, 1699, to April, 1700. William Wanton, Newport, May, 1705, to May, 1706 ; and October, 1708, to May, 1709.
Benjamin Arnold, Newport, May, 1706, to February, 1707.
John Wanton, Newport, February to May, 1707 ; May, 1710, to October, 1710 ; and May, 1713, to October, 1713.
Abraham Anthony, Portsmouth, October, 1709, to May, 1710.
Ebenezer Slocum, Jamestown, May, 1712, to May, 1713.
William Wanton, Newport, May to October, 1715 ; October, 1716, to October, 1717; May to October, 1718 ; May, 1719, to May, 1722; and February, 1723, to May, 1724.
John Cranston, Newport, May to October, 1716.
Nathaniel Sheffield, Newport, October, 1718, to May, 1719.
William Coddington, Newport, October, 1722, to February, 1723 ; May 5, 1724, to May 6, 1724; October, 1724, to October, 1725; and May to October, 1726.
Henry Bull, Newport, April to October, 1728; and April 30, 1734, to May, 1734.
55
-
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
Joseph Whipple, Newport, October, 1728 to February, 1729; and June to August, 1741.
Samuel Clarke, Jamestown, May to October, 1729 ; May, 1730, to October, 1731; May to October, 1732; October, 1733, to April, 1734; October, 1734, to October, 1735; October, 1736, to May, 1737; and May, 1740, to May, 1741.
Peter Bours, Newport, October, 1744, to October, 1746; and October, 1757, to May, 1759.
Samnel Wickham, Newport, May, 1747, to October, 1747.
Thomas Cranston, Newport, October, 1748, to May, 1749 ; May, 1750, to May, 1757; and May, 1760, to May, 1762.
Benjamin Wickham, Newport, May, 1757, to October, 1757.
Daniel Ayrault, Jr., Newport, May, 1762, to October, 1762 ; and May to October, 1764.
Metcalfe Bowler, Portsmouth, February, 1767, to May, 1767; and October, 1767, to November, 1776.
George Champlin, Newport, June, 1793, to October, 1793; May, 1797, to June, 1797; and October, 1797, to October, 1798.
Archibald Crary, Newport, June to October, 1797.
Constant, Taber, Newport, October, 1802, to October, 1805.
Isaac Wilbonr, Little Compton, October, 1805, to May, 1806.
Nathaniel Hazard, Newport, May to October, 1810; and May, 1818, to May, 1819.
William Hunter, Newport, May, 1811, to February, 1812. Benjamin Hazard, Newport, October, 1816, to May, 1818. Job Durfee, Tiverton, October, 1827, to May, 1829.
Henry Y. Cranston, Newport, May to October, 1835; May. 1839, to May, 1841; May to October, 1854; and JJanuary to May, 1855.
Richard K. Randolph, Newport, May to October, 1842.
George G. King, Newport, 1845 to 1846.
Robert B. Cranston, Newport, 1846 to 1847.
Charles C. Van Zandt, Newport, 1858 to 1859; 1866 to 1869 ; and 1871 to 1873.
John P. Sanborn, Newport, May, 188I, to November, 1882.
During the transition period, when the American colonies were preparing to assume their character and title as states, the continental congress was the legislative and executive body of the central government. The Following citizens of the county were members of that body :
56
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
John Collins, of Newport, 1778 to 1783.
William Ellery, of Newport, 1776 to 1781; and 1783 to 1785.
Henry Marchant, of Newport. 1777 to 1780; and 1783 to 1784.
John Gardner, of Newport, 1788 to 1789.
George Champlin and Paul Mumford, of Newport were elected in 1785, but the congressional records do not show that they were seated there.
Newport county has been honored by the election of her citizens named in the following list to represent Rhode Is- land in the United States senate :
Christopher Ellery, of Newport, 1801 to 1805.
Benjamin Howland, of Tiverton, 1804 to 1809.
Francis Malbone, of Newport, March, 1809; died in June.
Christopher G. Champlin, of Newport, June, 1809, to October, 1811, when he resigned.
William Hunter, of Newport, October, 1811, to March, 1821.
Asher Robbins, of Newport, December 5, 1825, to March, 1839.
Samnel G. Arnold, of Middletown, September, 5, 1862, to 1863.
William P. Sheffield, Newport, November 19, 1884, to Jan- nary 21, 1885.
Newport county men have from time to time been elected to the lower house of Congress. The following list contains the names of such as have been thus honored :
Francis Malbone, of Newport, 1793 to 1797.
Christopher G. Champlin, of Newport, 1797 to 1801.
Isaac Wilbour, of Little Compton, 1807 to 1809.
John L. Boss, Jr., of Newport, 1815 to 1819.
Nathaniel Hazard, of Middletown, 1819 to December 17, 1820. Died in office.
Job Durfee, of Tiverton, 1821 to 1825.
Dutee J. Pearce, of Newport, 1825 to 1837.
Robert B. Cranston, of Newport, 1837 to 1843.
Henry Y. Cranston, of Newport, 1843 to 1847.
Robert B. Cranston, of Newport, 1847 to 1849.
George G. King, of Newport, 1847 to 1853.
57
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
Nathaniel B. Durfee, of Tiverton, 1855 to 1859. William P. Sheffield, of Newport, 1861 to 1863.
The following Newport county men have served the state as presidential electors. It will be remembered that at the time of the first presidential election Rhode Island had not ac- cepted the Federal constitution, hence had no part in the elec- tion.
1792, 1796 and 1800, George Champlin of Newport.
1804, Constant Taber, of Newport.
1808 and 1812, Christopher Fowler, of Newport.
1816, Thomas Pitman, of Newport.
1820, Dutee J. Pearce. of Newport.
1824 and 1828, Stephen B. Cornell, of Portsmouth.
1832, Nathaniel S. Ruggles, of Newport.
1836, Henry Bull, of Newport.
1840, George Engs, of Newport.
1844, Benjamin Weaver, of Middletown.
1848, George C. King, of Newport.
1852, George Turner, of Newport.
1856, Edward W. Lawton, of Newport.
1860, David Buffum, of Middletown.
1864, Robert B. Cranston, of Newport.
1868, George HI. Norman, of Newport.
1872, Benjamin Finch, of Newport.
1876, Samuel G. Arnold, of Middletown.
1880 and 1884. George Peabody Wetmore, of Newport.
In the administration of the' cause of public education this county shares in the advantages of the excellent system under which the state dispenses elementary instruction to its develop- ing citizens. It will, however, be of interest to notice in brief outline the various stages of growth and progress here, by which that system has reached its present degree of efficiency. As in all the New England colonies so in Rhode Island, the early set- tlers gave their attention with much earnestness to the matter of educating their children. This subject seemed to them only second in importance to the maintenance of religious worship. But from the peculiarly unsettled state of the government of this colony in the early years of its existence, the matter of education was not treated by the colony in general, but local
58
IIISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
circles managed it, each in their own way, and in accordance with the particular circumstances by which each was surround- ed. As a natural consequence of this independent action of different towns and communities there was no necessary uniform ity in such action, hence the data from which we may learn of the early condition and progress of public education are meagre and fragmentary.
To Newport is given the credit of being the leader among the towns of this county, and perhaps of the state, in providing liberally for the education of its children. As early as 1640 we find that town employing a school teacher, one Mr. Lenthal, "to keep a public school for the learning of youth." For his compensation the town granted him four acres of land for a house lot, and two hundred acres more for his use and benefit while engaged in this work. Of this land one hundred acres were permanently devoted to the support of schools, being sold or leased, and the proceeds appropriated to the support of pub- lic schools. At what time the first school house was erected is not known, but it appears to have been in use at least as early as 1685, and is spoken of in 1700 as an old school house, that had fallen down, and was about to be replaced by a new one. But the new one does not appear to have been built until some thirty or forty years later. The cause during that period doubt- less progressed but slowly.
Public education in Rhode Island, reduced to anything like a uniform and general system, appears to have been the outgrowth of influences which originated with John Howland, of Newport, nearly at the close of the last century. In February, 1800, an act to establish free schools throughout the state passed the legislature. This required that every town should establish and maintain one or more free schools, at the expense of such town, to be kept open during periods of each year, corresponding in general to the number of children there were to be educated. These schools were provided for all white inhabitants of the town between the ages of six and twenty years, and the list of . studies specified by the law was reading, writing and common arithmetic. Every town council was to divide their town into school districts. Each town was entitled to receive annually from the general treasury, for school purposes, twenty per cent. of the sum it had the previous year paid into the general treas- ury. provided not more than six thousand dollars should be
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