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 71
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John Howland was born in Jamestown, in 1817, and is a son of Daniel and a grandson of John Howland. His great-grand- father, Job Howland, came from Portsmouth, R. I., to this island in 1670. He was a descendant in the third generation from one of the "Pilgrims." John Howland was educated at the Plainfield academy, Connecticut, and has followed the bnsi-
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ness of farming. He was married in 1840 to Phebe Watson, of Jamestown. She has borne him six children, five of whom are living. Mr. Howland has been a member of the town council a number of years, and also a member of assembly. He was formerly captain of the Jamestown militia.
George W. Peckham is a member of an old Newport county family, and was born in Middletown, in 1843. His father and grandfather were both named Philip. George W. was educated in the public schools, and has followed the business of farming. He was married in 1864 to Phebe A., danghter of Captain Obed King, of Newport. She has borne him four children. In pol- itics Mr. Peckham is a republican, and has held the office of road commissioner seven terms.
Eben N. Tefft was born in North Kingstown, R. I., in 1834, was educated in the public schools, and has followed the busi- ness of farming. He was married in 1859 to Lucy Ann Ilazard, daughter of an old family of Jamestown. She is the mother of five children.
Pardon Tucker was born in South Kingstown, R. I., in 1822, and came to Jamestown in 1840. He was educated in the com- mon schools, and has followed the business of farming. He was state senator in 1858 and in 1859, and is a republican. In 1847 he was married to Sallie B. Waite, of North Kingstown, R. I.
CHAPTER XV.
TOWN OF MIDDLETOWN.
BY J. R. COLE.
Geographical and Descriptive .- Incorporation .- Freemen in 1743 .- Early Town Action .- The Early Settlers .- The Residence of Berkeley .- The Revolution- ary Period .- The Small-pox Scourge .- After the War .- The War of 1812 .- Town Action .- During the Civil War .- Roads and Bridges .- Public Schools. -Churches .- The Women's Christian Temperance Union .- The Miantonomi Library .- The Aquidneck Agricultural Society .- The Town Hall .- Civil List.
T HE town of Middletown is situated on Rhode Island, occu- pying that part of the island lying between the city of Newport on the southwest and the town of Portsmouth on the north. Its central position suggested the name. It formerly was a part of the town of Newport, and was known at that time as "ye woods." It was incorporated by the general assembly in 1743. Its location, centrally, is about three miles northeast of the city of Newport and thirty miles south of Providence.
The town has an area of twelve and a half square miles, an uneven surface, beautifully undulating, and a soil of rich loam which, under the high cultivation that is given it, yields abund- ant crops. The chief agricultural products of the town are hay, corn, potatoes and some barley. The latter staple was formerly the leading crop, and received more attention here than in any other section of New England. There are now but few native trees growing in the town, the forests all having been cleared away to make room for the work of agriculture. Oak and wal- nut timber was formerly abundant.
The inhabitants are mostly engaged in agricultural pursuits, and are noted for industry and economy. Vital statistics for the year ending December 31st, 1885, show: births, 14; mar- riages, 2; deaths, 17. The number of persons liable to do mil- itary duty in the town, according to the last enrollment of mil- itia, made in January, 1882, was two hundred and five. The
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number of qualified voters is two hundred and thirty-seven. The number of children of school age in January, 1886, was two hundred and ten. These were distributed among the five dis- tricts as follows: Oliphant district, No. 1, 61; Alley district, No. 2, 28; Wyatt district, No. 3, 48; Paradise district, No. 4, 30; Peabody district, No. 5, 43.
Middletown has five school houses, three churches and a town hall, and embraces within its limits Purgatory rocks, part of Easton's beach, the whole of Sachuest beach, Hanging rocks, Paradise valley, and the site of the former country residence of Dean Berkeley, all of which places possess peculiar natural at- tractions or are associated with events of historic interest.
The valleys of the town are most beautiful. Probably no- where does the grass appear more green or vigorous in growth or inviting to the eye than at "Green End" or "Paradise Valley." One glance of the eye over the plain and the gradually rising hill sides on either hand would convince the most skep- tical as to the truth of this statement. Green End valley em- braces within its extent the Great pond, is wider, with sides more gently sloping than the other, and in all probability re- ceived its name from the deep color of the grass in it. Paradise valley was named by Isaac Barker, who figured so conspicuously in the revolution as a spy. This valley begins at or near the Methodist church and runs sonthward into "Purgatory."
"Hanging Rocks" and "Purgatory Rocks " are especial objects of interest. They lie not far back of the shore road as it runs from Easton's beach to Sachuest beach. The bluff along this shore is a vast ledge of conglomerate, most singular in the formation of the stones of which it is composed. Just at the foot of the bluff there are a number of soft slate rocks on which idle watchers have carved many very rude devices. In some places the slate and conglomerate run together. At one point on a spur is a great bonlder known as "Negro Head," from the resemblance it bears to the profile of a negro. One of the pecu- liarities of the Purgatory rocks is found in the fissures which divide them. These fissures divide the great rock as evenly as though it had been out with a knife, and in such regular lines as to cut the mass of rock into square faces, showing that at some time some sudden and irresistible force had been brought to bear upon it, cutting down through the individual pebbles, large and small, with as clean and smooth a eleft as a knife
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would make through a piece of cheese. Some of the seams are narrow, but others are open through their entire length. The largest of these clefts is called "Purgatory " proper. It is 160 feet in length, 8 to 14 feet wide in different parts, and has a depth of 50 feet to water. To stand near enough to the edge of this chasm to enable one to see the turbulent, seething waters below, as they rush into it from the sea, requires a steady nerve as well as a sure foothold. It is stated upon what is claimed to be good authority, that this chasm was once leaped by a lover at the bidding of his maiden sweetheart to test his devotion to her. But having made the leap, and with difficulty and danger performed the test, he seemed at once to undergo a change of sentiment in regard to the matter, and turning round he lifted his hat to his intended bride and bidding her a final adien, abruptly left her to contemplate the folly of de- manding such a useless hazard of life as she had done.
The Hanging rocks, so intimately associated with the name of Berkeley, are at the second beach. Once upon the plateau with face toward the sea, Easton's point and the cavernous gap of Purgatory lie to the right and Sachnest point on the left, with the whitened surf of the sea constantly breaking upon it. Berkeley, it is said, was in the habit of frequenting this spot, and wrote here some of his finest poems. Here it is said he composed the "Alciphron." Not far back from these rocks is the country home occupied by Berkeley during the three years, beginning with 1728, of his residence here. The scene is one of quiet repose.
The early history of this town is, by force of circumstances, absorbed in the history of Portsmonth and Newport, and the repetition of it here would be nnnecessary. The territory of the original town of Newport filled up with population and im- provements most rapidly in the south and west parts, on the site of the present city. Here was a dense and rapidly increas- ing population. As early as 1730 this village of Newport con- tained some four thousand inhabitants, while the northeast part 'of the town had less than seven hundred people scattered over an area of perhaps eight or ten square miles. The rapidly grow- ing village wanted local improvements, and as the people of the whole town were taxed to supply them, the suburban popula- tion felt that they were bearing burdens without recompense. The only clear way to relief from these burdens was by secur- ng a separate incorporation for themselves.
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In the latter part of the year 1741 this sentiment found ex- pression in a petition to the town meeting that a division of the town might be made. As might naturally be expected, however, the desires of the few inhabitants of " ye woods " were outbal- anced by those of the great and populous center, and the vote was against division. But the people of " ye woods" were not to be silenced by a single adverse vote. They now appear to have presented their petition to the general assembly, and at the same time the town, Jannary 26th, 1742, directed its depu- ties to that body to oppose the petition for division. The gen- eral assembly, however, appointed a committee to investigate and consider the question, and although the records of the par- ticular steps taken are lost, we have the final result, which was the division of the town and the incorporation of Middletown. The act, which passed the assembly in August, 1743, is as fol- lows :
"An Act for incorporating the northeast part of the town of Newport into a township, and the same to be distinguished and known by the name of Middletown.
" Whereas, the General Assembly, at their session held by adjournment at Newport, within and for said colony, on the second Monday in June last past, did, among other things, enact that the town of Newport should be divided into two towns; and for that purpose appointed a committee to run the dividing line, and make report thereon to this present session of the Assembly, who have accordingly reported that they have done the same, in the following manner:
"Beginning at the head of the creek that separates the two farms of the Hon. Joseph Whipple, Esq., and Godfrey Mal- bone of said Newport, merchant; and on a south course, nine- teen degrees and one half east, run a direct line, extending to the northeast corner of a lot of land belonging to Job Almy, of said Newport, merchant; the said corner being between the houses of Elisha Card and that in the possession of Samnel Pemberton; and from said corner a straight line south, twenty- seven degrees east, crossing the bridge that lieth over the creek on Easton's beach; and so into the sea on that course, it being the place where the said ereek usually runs into the sea.
" And the said report being accepted:
"Be it enacted by the General Assembly of this colony, and by the authority of the same it is enacted, that all the lands to
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the southward and westward of the said line, as before de- scribed, belong to the town of Newport; and all the land to the northward and eastward of said line be distinguished and known by the name of Middletown; and that the inhabitants of said Middletown, from time to time shall have and enjoy the like benefits, liberties, privileges and immunities with other towns in this colony, according to charter.
" And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that the justices of the peace, living within the aforesaid town of Middletown, shall remain and continue in their aforesaid offices until the next general election; and that the first of said justices of the peace grant forth his warrant to call the inhabitants of said Middletown together on Tuesday next, being the 20th day of August instant, to elect and appoint said town officers as they shall have occasion for, and the law directs; and to ap- point the times and places of their town meetings; and to choose and elect two deputies to represent them at the next General Assembly, and so on, as by the charter is directed.
" And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that said town of Middletown shall send one grand and three petit jurors to the superior court of judicature, court of assize and general jail delivery; and three grand and three petit jurors to every inferior court of common pleas and general sessions of the peace held within the county of Newport; and that the town of Newport shall hereafter send to each of the aforesaid courts so many jurors less of what they are now compelled by law, as is ordered to be sent by the aforesaid town of Middle- town."
The division between the towns in accordance with this act was effected August 24th, 1743. The first town meeting was held on the 30th of the same month. The officers then elected were six councilnen, a town clerk, a treasurer, a sergeant, three constables, a packer, a sealer of weights and measures, three ratemakers, two overseers of the poor, four surveyors of high- ways, three fence viewers, a vendue master, a pound-keeper, three field drivers, three viewers of flax and hemp, two wood corders, and two deputies to the general assembly of the colony. The establishment of a cattle pound was also provided for, and a committee appointed to attend to its construction.
The town council organized on the 12th of September, and designated the third Monday in each month as the time for the
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regular meetings of the board. At this time, also, licenses were granted to three men for the sale of spiritnous liquor. Bonds were required of these men for the orderly keeping of their houses. The councilmen themselves were evidently not teeto- talers, for they also granted a license to John Champlin, at whose house they met, "to retail strong liquors those days that the council sits at his house." This board-the town conn- cil-exercised the various functions of a court of probate, board of health, overseers of the poor, commissioners of licenses, and judges of the qualifications of proposed inhabitants of the town. Questions of general interest, whether falling within the sphere of any of the numerous offices of the town or not, were discussed and acted upon in open town meeting. The early proprietors of lands in the old town of Newport on the 26th of February, 1744, by unanimous vote agreed " to relinquish up to the town of Middletown all their right and title in the lands lying on Sachnest beach, to be by the said town managed from time to time forever hereafter as an estate belonging to said town." This comprehended all the land of any importance lying within the limits of the new town which had not already been allotted to individuals.
The following list contains the names of the Freemen of Mid- dletown at its organization in 1743 : John Allen, John Allen, Jr., Samuel Allen, James Barker, James Barker, Jr., Peter Barker, William Barker, Jeremiah Barker, Robert Barker, John Barker, Samuel Bailey, Nicholas Brown, William Brown, Weston Clarke, John Clarke, George Cornwall, Jr., Thomas Coggeshall, John Coggeshall, James Coggeshall, Joshna Cog- geshall, Elisha Card, Lawrence Clarke, Thomas Dering, Peter Easton, Edward Easton, Jonathan Easton, Daniel Gould, Thomas Gould, James Gould, John Gould, John Green, Joseph Holmey, William Lawton, Seth Luther, Isaac Manchester, John Man- chester, James Mitchell, Robert Nichols, Joseph Nichols, John Peabody, William Peckham, Jr., James Phillip, Isaac Peck- ham, James Peckham, Jonathan Peckham, Job Peckham, Samuel Peckham, Samuel Peckham, Jr., Daniel Peckham, Pe- leg Peckham, Samuel Roggers, Samuel Roggers, Jr., Peleg Rogers, John Rogers, Joseph Ryder, Peleg Smith, Isaac Smith, Elisha Smith, Benjamin Smith, Peleg Slocum, William Turner, Edward Tew, Henry Tew, John Taylor, Thomas Weavour, Thomas Weavour, Jr., Benjamin Weavour, Jake Weavour,
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Clement Weavour, Benj'n Weavour, Jr., Thomas Weavonr (son of Benj.), Jeremiah Weeden, William Weeden, James Weeden, William Weeden, Jr., Francis Weeden, William Wood, John Wood, Clement Weavour, Elisha Weaver, Thomas Weaver, Jr.
From the " Historical Sketch of Middletown," prepared by the Hon. Samuel G. Arnold, which work the writer has taken the liberty to consult freely in this section, are quoted the following paragraphs in relation to the early action of this town:
" In November, 1743, the first tax, of £200, for town expenses, was voted.
"A committee was appointed to draft ordinances for the town government, and the clerk was ordered to provide a pair of stocks and whipping post. The elections for town officers were appointed to be held on the second Wednesday in May, and a list of eighty-four freemen was enrolled. In March following it was voted to pay twenty pounds each to Col. Daniel Updike and James Honeyman, Jr., for their services done for this town. This service was rendered in procuring the act of incorporation. A committee to settle accounts with Newport was chosen. Acts were passed for impounding cattle and sheep, regulating sur- veyors of highways, and giving a bounty of eight pence for the destruction of crows, and three pence for black birds, from April 1st to June 10th. Four years later this bounty was in- creased to eighteen pence for crows and eight for black birds, and in 1749 the act was repealed. Free inhabitants, or house- keepers, were to work the roads for three days in September. Action was taken for building a bridge over the creek at Eas- ton's beach, and on repairing the school house.
"Freemen were admitted, jurors drawn and deputies elected at the April and Angust meetings, and town officers were chosen in May. In August, 1744, a proposition to sue Newport for the town's rights in Goat and Coaster's Harbor islands was made, but a vigorons protest, signed by twenty freemen, on the ground that these places belonged to Newport in the division, put an end to the unjust claim. In May, 1745, the town formally ac- cepted the grant of Sachuest common made by the proprietors the preceding February. The next year the beach was sold to Jonathan Easton for £237,18."
" A peculiarity of those days was the oath against bribery, which, by a law of the colony passed at the August session,
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1746, was required to be taken by all freemen. The statute re- quired an oath to be administered to every voter, and another to be taken by every officer, not to receive or offer bribes in any manner. A single vote cast for any officer under such circum- stances, should invalidate his election, and in all trials under the act, the evidence of the person offering the bribe might be taken against the accused. The law was to be read in town meeting at each semi-annual election for five years, and the name of any violator of it was to be struck from the roll of freemen.
" In May, 1746, the small pox appeared in the town, and the council, acting as a board of health, took vigorous measures to prevent its spreading. The lane leading to the infected spot was closed by a fence, a guard was stationed near by with orders to kill all dogs and cattle at or near the place, and a very thorough course of purification was adopted in the house. There was no more trouble from this cause for twenty-eight years."
Having seen the newly organized town fairly established and started on its course of existence, we may now turn aside for a little while to notice the people who occupied these verdant hills and fertile valleys during the years when the race of white Americans was in its infancy. Turning thus to notice the early settlers and their descendants, we find that the most common names among this class were the Coggeshalls, the Barkers, the Peckhams, the Goulds, the Chases, the Clarkes, the Eastons and the Greenes, followed by the Weavers, the Anthonys and others, some of which will be noticed at such length as our opportunities for obtaining information respecting them will allow.
The numerous Coggeshalls of Middletown are descendants from Sir John Coggeshall of England. This ancient family came first into England with William the Conqueror. In the parish church at Easton are several monuments erected to the honor of this family, many of whom held honorable positions. Sir John Coggeshall was high sheriff of his shire for many years. Ilis arms were, " Argent, a cross between four scallops, Sable." le came to Boston about the year 1630, and became one of the first board of selectmen on record for that town. He was made a freeman of that colony upon his oath which bears date No- vember 6th, 1630. He was a representative in the general court
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of Boston in 1634, 1635 and 1636. In 1637 he was disfranchised for joining the Antinomians under the teaching of Mrs. Anne Hutchinson, and resolved to remove thence with Coddington and others who came to Rhode Island. The inscription on his tombstone is as follows: " Here lyeth the body of John Cogge- shall, Sen., esq., who died First President of the Colony ye 27th of November aged about 55 years." His son, Major John Coggeshall, died when 90 years of age.
There were two branches of the Coggeshall family residing in the United States in 1749, one of which sprang from Joshua, and the other from John. These, perhaps, were sons of the original John. A grandson of his, by the name of Joshua, died about the year 1723, leaving twelve children, among whom were Richard, Mrs. Mary Beard, Caleb, Sarah, Ann and Wait. Thomas married Mary Freeborn. He died January 26th, 1771, aged 84. She died May 26th, 1776, aged 85. Their children, were: Elizabeth, married Peleg Peckham, and died September 29th, 1794, aged 84 years; Joshua, born May 11th, 1722, twice married, to Sarah Bailey Jannary 12th, 1743-4, and to Anna Dennis Jannary 2d, 1752. and died September 24th, 1786; Gideon, born 1726, married Hannah Lawton 1748, and died in 1801; Thomas, born 1728, married Hannah Cornell, died in 1803; Comfort, married Daniel Peckham, and died in 1778, about 78 years of age; Waite, married (first) James Easton, (second) Rowse Potter; Sarah, married Thomas Weaver; Mary, married Samuel Allen 1745; Mares, married (first) Joseph Dennis, (second) Samnel Allen; and Hannah, married Robert Dennis. All these ten children of Thomas and Marcy, except Mary, sur- vived their father, and were married and settled on the island.
The children of Gideon and Hannah were: Gideon, born 1757, married Sarah Wilds, of Taunton, about 1776, and died 1794; Timothy, born about 1753, married Celia Wilds, of Taunton, abont 1779, and died Angust 6th, 1794; Jeremiah, born about 1756, and died July 5th, 1780; Thomas, born January 8th, 1759, married (first) Elizabeth Porter about 1780, (second) Rebecca Coggeshall; Ifannah, born 1763, married John Spooner about 1789. and died in December, 1842; Sarah, born about 1765, mar- ried Benjamin Hall about 1799 and died about 1801; Peleg, born about 1767, died 1791; Nathaniel, died 1826, and Mary, married Benjamin Hall, and died 1844.
The children of Thomas Coggeshall and Elizabeth, his wife,
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were: Hannah, born January 21st, 1781 ; Charles, born Octo- ber 20th, 1782; William, born October 21st, 1784; James, born June 17th, 1787; John Porter, born June 12th, 1789 ; Peleg, born December 10th, 1791; Lydia Leonard, born May 13th, 1794, and Timothy, born November 18th, 1796. The children of Thomas Coggeshall and Rebecca were: Thomas, born No- vember 25th, 1811, and Sarah Hall, born February 10th, 1815.
The children of Joshna Coggeshall and his wife, Sarah, were : Thomas, born in 1744, died in 1829, and Ruth, who died young.
The children of Joshua and Anne Coggeshall were: Sarah, born September 25th, 1752; Joseph, born August 16th, 1754, married Elizabeth Horsewell, and died October 7th, 1830 ; Eliza- beth, born October 14th, 1756, married Gideon Anthony, died September 3d. 1828; George, born March 19th, 1759, died young ; Mary, born July 14th, 1761, married Peleg Brown, died September 15th, 1837 ; Marey, born September 14th, 1762, mar- ried Thomas Manchester April 2d, 1786, died in March, 1844; Ann, born June 13th, 1764, died in December, 1842, and George, born June 8th, 1767, married Cynthia Sherman.
The children of Joseph Coggeshall (son of Joshua) and Eliza- beth, his wife, were: Noel, born March 31st, 1777, died Angust 4th, 1853 ; Ruth, born August 27th, 1780, died September 15th, 1867 ; Joseph, born June 5th, 1783, married Lydia Cornell, died April 30th, 1871 ; Anne, born January 28th, 1786, died Novem- ber 4th, 1856 ; Joshna, born December 25th, 1788, married Deb- orah Allen November 26th, 1815, died April 7th, 1879 ; Sarah, born September 18th, 1791, married Isaac A. Dennis, died at the age of 69 ; John, born April 13th, 1794, married Sarah An- thony October 9th, 1823, died April 30th, 1830, and Abraham, born March 15th, 1797, married Annie Sisson.
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