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 73
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But the expected support of the government for the proposed college did not come, and after waiting in vain about two and a half years, Berkeley returned to England, giving his homestead here and his library of 880 volumes to Yale college. A philo- sophical society was founded by him while here, and the library of that society afterward became a part of the Redwood library. He left Whitehall in the autumn of 1731 and returned to Eng- land, where he died at Oxford January 14th, 1753.
A glimpse of a certain phase of life in this town at that early period is obtained from a chapter in " Frazer's Life and Works of Berkeley," from which the following extract is taken, though it is doubtless true that this picture represents but a very small portion of the society at that time :
" The Rhode Island aristocracy of Berkeley's time maintained the character of the old English country gentlemen, from whom they were descended. A state of society, supported by slavery, produced festivity. Tradition records the genial life of those days in the colony. Excursions to Hartford to luxuriate on bloated salmon were annual indulgences in May. Pace races on the beach for silver tankards were the social indulgences of summer. When autumn arrived, there were harvest home fes- tivities. Large numbers of both sexes gathered on those occa- sions. Gentlemen in their scarlet coats and swords, with lace ruffles over their hands, silk stockings, and shoes ornamented with silver buckles, and ladies dressed in brocade, with high- heeled shoes and high head-dresses. These festivities would
773
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
sometimes continue for days, and they were shared by the slaves, as well as by their masters. Christmas was the great festival of the year ; twelve days were then given to hospitali- ties. The wedding, too, was a great gala in the olden time. And the fox chase, with hounds and horns, as well as fishing and fowling, were favorite sports in Narragansett."
The revolutionary period was not strictly confined to the years during which active hostilities between the colonies and the mother country were in operation. It more properly cov- ers all the time from the first disturbance of the peace of the colonies by warlike sounds to the final and settled establishment of the people under the state and federal governments. In 1754 the peace of the colonies began to be disturbed by the alarm of war with the French. The young men of the colonies were called upon to go to the frontier. In the expedition planned against Crown Point, Rhode Island had four hundred men, and later increased the number to seven hundred and fifty. Of this number the quota of Middletown was ten or twelve men, who were promptly furnished. A bounty amounting to €180 was raised by the town to pay these men, in addition to that offered by the colony. To show the promptness with which men acted in those days, it is worthy of mention that, at the meeting of the town authorizing the payment of this bounty, the funds to do it with were advanced on the spot, James Phillips advancing £100 of it and other men of the town furnishing the remain- der. In the following year the quota required of this town for the prosecution of the war was seven men. A bounty of £100 each, or £700 in all, was voted at this time. This bonnty was increased in January, 1757, to £1,634 altogether. Mr. Arnold accounts for the necessity of this increase in bounty by the rapid depreciation of the colonial paper at that time. He further says: "In April, 1758, twelve men were enlisted for the new campaign, in which the Rhode Island regiment was increased to one thousand men, and $500 bounty was paid to them. This was the last levy of troops in this town during the war, that appears upon the records."
Following this period a time of comparative quiet preceded the disturbances which introduced the war of the revolution. During these intervening years this town shared in the party strife which ran high throughout the state in the bitter con- test between Samuel Ward and Stephen Hopkins, but in view
774
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
of the greater conflict which was impending that strife sank into insignificance. This town, on the 6th of January, 1768, passed the following vote:
" Whereas this colony hath for several years past been un- happily divided by party and faction, the consequences of which were pernicious and tend to the entire destruction of this once happy, flourishing colony. It is therefore voted by this town meeting that our Representatives take the same into con- sideration, and use their utmost endeavours for a conciliation of parties before the next general election."
The object of this resolution appears to have been accom- plished, and the parties which had hitherto been engaged in strife now came together, in a measure at least, and joined in opposing the oppressions of the mother country. The intro- duction of tea under a monopoly held by the East India Com- pany on the authority of Great Britain furnished the occasion for this popular opposition. Newport having led the way, Middletown on the 9th of February, 1774, expressed itself in language of which the following is a copy of the record:
"Mr. John Clarke, Moderator. The town came into the fol- lowing resolves ;- 1. Resolved, That we will have nothing to do with the East India Company's irksome tea, nor any other sub- ject to the like duty. 2. Resolved, That we will heartily unite with our American Brethren in supporting the inhabitants of this continent in all their just rights and privileges ; and we do disown any right in the Parliament of Great Britain to tax America. Voted and passed. Witness John Barker, town clerk."
Matters passed through that year with but little more than ominous threatenings, but in the early part of 1775 more definite organization for action was effected. This town then, on the 4th of January, elected the following committee of correspond- ence to represent it : Jolin Barker, William Stoddard, Capt. James Potter, Isaac Smith, Capt. William Taggart, Nicholas Easton and Joshna Barker. This was in conformity to the re- quirement of the continental congress. On the 29th of August following a committee of inspection was chosen, which consisted of ten men.
The condition of things during the years of war are set forth by Mr. Arnold in the following words :
" The next year was one of alarm and of active military pre-
775
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
paration. The town memorialized the Assembly in February in regard to its exposed position. In April it received two field- pieces from the State, and organized an artillery company, with John Bull as captain and Elisha Allen, lieutenant. In June, forty bushels of salt, at six shillings, and one thousands pounds of wool, at two shillings, were bought for the town. In Sep- tember a bounty of forty-two shillings was voted to privates who furnished their own blankets, and forty-eight shillings to those who furnished all their equipments. The names of ten enlisted men appear on the records September 21st. These were recruits for Col. Richmond's regiment, then at Newport. On 23d November the clerk was instructed to remove the records in case of danger. The peril was now imminent. On December 2d a bounty of forty-two shillings was voted to men enlisted for three months in Col. Sayles' regiment .. This was the last town meeting for thirty seven months, for on that day a British fleet of eleven ships, under Sir Peter Parker, appeared off Block Island, and on the 8th, 6,000 British troops landed at Greens- dale, in this town, and after a night of pillage marched into Newport. The enemy held the island till October 25th, 1779, notwithstanding two attempts to dislodge them ; an abortive effort in October, 1777, under Gen. Spencer, and Sullivan's ex- pedition, resulting in the brilliant but fruitless victory of 29th August, 1778, which received the high encomium of Lafayette, that 'it was the best fought action of the war.'
" This town was the scene of many gallant deeds during that period, to which we can barely refer. The daring capture of Prescott by Col. Win. Barton, on the night of July 9th, 1777, occurred just north of the town line in Portsmouth. The less known, but scarcely less courageous conduct of Isaac Barker, of Middletown, is worthy of commemoration. * *
"On the 15th August, 1778, Sullivan's army advanced within two miles of the hostile lines, which extended from Ton- omy hill to Easton's pond. That night a detachment fortified Honeyman's hill, within half a mile of the first line of British works on Bliss's hill. For five days a continnal cannonade was kept up along the whole line, and the enemy were driven from some of their outposts. The sudden departure of the French fleet alone prevented the capture of the whole British army at that time. On the 28th of October the gallant exploit of Major Silas Talbot in capturing the Pigot galley. then blockading the
776
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
east passage, added another to the revolutionary events of the town.
" On the fourth of January, 1780, the town meetings were re- sumed, and the records were restored , from the custody of Thomas Gould, and on the 19th, temporary town officers were elected. May 24th a tax of $200 was laid, and a month later, three men were enlisted at a bounty of fifty silver dollars each. In September, five men were enlisted for three months. At this time fifty dollars of Continental money were equal to one silver dollar, or five shillings of State money. In two years the de- preciation of paper was so rapid that a silver dollar was worth twenty-two dollars of paper and taxes were laid in silver money. The last levy of troops was on March 9th, 1782, for 250 men to reernit the State battalion for nine months. The proportion of Middletown was three, and thirty pounds was voted to them in lien of government pay."
In accordance with an act of the general assembly, passed in December, 1781, a committee was appointed by the justices of the peace of the town to estimate the damages sustained by the people of the town on account of the depredations of the British while they held possession of the field. The following is a list of the persons who sustained losses here, with their respective amounts of loss as estimated by the committee:
David Albro
50
2
John & Elisha Allen
130
13
John Allen, Jr
55
19
Rowland Allen
117
11
Samuel Allen
147
15
Daniel Anthony
206
4
Isaac Anthony.
122
12
John Anthony. 512
1
Mrs. Hannah Bailey
1,739
4
Mrs. Mary Bailey
158 4
John Banister
2,218
16
Mrs. Bathsheba Barker
10
7
Benjamin Barker
30
Edward Barker
20
Edward Barker, Jr
236
19
Elisha Barker
48
11
Gideon Barker
93
4
S.
777
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
Jeremiah Barker
33
3
Joshua Barker 203
18
Mrs. Mary Barker
11
1
Peter Barker, Jr
50
S
Mrs. Rebecca Barker
37
4
William Bliss
1,302
19
Gideon Brown.
181
2
Mrs. Judith Brown
12
18
Pardon Brown
16
William Brown
150
4
Joseph Card.
639
10
James Carpenter
707
Peter Chase
69
5
John Clarke estate.
52
12
Mrs. Bathsheba Clarke
23
5
Gideon Coggeshall.
1,689
17
Jonathan Coggeshall
93
9
Joshna Coggeshall & Son.
338
8
Thomas Coggeshall
498
4
Thomas Coggeshall, Jr.
52
10
William Coggeshall.
133
1
Robert Cornell.
298
4
Mrs. Eliza Cornell
19
7
Sammel Cornell.
20
16
William Cornell.
63
Oliver Durfee
194
15
Edward Easton.
S60
12
Jonathan Easton, Jr.
240
Nicholas Easton
733
5
Walter Easton.
1,656
10
Caleb Foster
129
3
Daniel and Elizabeth Gould.
300
John Gould
462
8
Thomas Gould
210
John Greene
540
Parker IIall.
176
3
Mrs. Sarah Hefferman
46
13
Thomas Hill
22
16
James Honeyman
540
Thomas Hopkins, for Smith
319 4
George Trish
3,257
2
778
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
Jonathan Jeffer
71
10
John Lake
188
2
Robert Lawton. 240
William Lawton.
271
7
Mrs. Lonisa Macomber.
25
17
Isaac Manchester
709
1
James Oliphant
27 10
Henry John Overing
786
16
John Peabody.
78
1
Joseph Peabody.
18
12
Benjamin Peckham
489
3
Daniel Peckham
851
17
Elisha Peckham.
12
10
Mrs. Elizabeth Peckham & Son.
893
1
James Peckham
379
3
Joseph Peckham
58
8
Joseph Peckham, Jr
638
18
Peleg Peckham
306
1
Richard Peckham
38
5
Silas Peckham
583
10
Stephen Peckham
6-4
7
Samuel Peckham.
131
2
William, of Samuel Peckham
74
6
William Peckham, Jr
122
4
Ichabod Potter.
1,512
3
James Potter
115
9
Mrs. Elizabeth Reed
1
16
Joseph Rider
286
18
Joseph Rider, Jr
250
14
Mrs. Robert Robertson
10
2
John Rogers
360
3
Mrs. John Rogers and Green Rogers
192
12
Giles Sanford
281 5
Restcome Sanford
24
.John Slocum
244
9
Benjamin Smith
124
Philip Smith.
268
15
Salisbury Stoddard
193
2
Daughter of William Stoddard
317
15
William Taggart
3,492
1
William Turner estate
83
12
779
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
Mrs. Richard Ward
3
19
Mrs. Content Weaver
11
Daniel Weaver
70 15
Thomas Weaver
380
11
Thomas Weaver, Jr.
196
7
Thomas Weaver of Clem
101
6
Jonathan Weeden
893
5
William Weeden
436
16
William Wilbur ..
142
15
Mrs. Sarah Wilcocks
286
8
Jonathan Wilson
976
10
John Wood
136
13
Mac Wharter
121
Samuel Wyatt.
32 12
About the close of the revolution, and during several years following that period, the dreaded disease, small-pox, visited many localities of this country, and attracted much attention from the people in their organized civil capacity. In many places pox-honses were erected in some secluded spot at public expense, and some physician of the town was appointed to at- tend them. The disease was brought to Newport by a vessel about the year 1774. At this time the community was agitated by the question of adopting the Turkish preventive of inocula- tion with vaccine virus, and this town instructed its representa- tives in the legislature to oppose its introduction into the colony. The disease re-appeared at different times for thirteen years fol- lowing. Cases of it were sent to the alms house at Coaster's har- bor, and stringent quarantine precautions were adopted. In 1785 it was voted, 33 to 15, " that inoculation be not practiced in this town." The opposition was in the ascendency until 1787, when it yielded, and the town council of Middletown ordered that a family in which the disease had appeared should be inocu- lated.
On the return of peace the affairs of the town were adjusted and the wheels of civil government and society again set in motion. Many different subjects presented themselves to the consideration of the people. The encouragement of immigra- tion was thought desirable, and in April, 1784, this town me- morialized the assembly, through its representatives, expressing its desire " That absentees from this or any other of the United States of America, appearing to be men of good morals and
780
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
likely to become good and profitable members of society by their industry. or their stock, be admitted as citizens of this State." The present composition of the society of the town would in- dicate that the welcome to settlers given by this town, as may be inferred from the foregoing, was never very largely accepted by foreign citizens looking for a place in which to settle. Sta- tistics show that more than four-fifths of the population are natives of the state.
The January town meetings were abolished in 1785, and jurors were ordered to be drawn at the Angust meeting. It 1786 the town petitioned the assembly to issue a currency of paper, founded on land security. The people also urged by their vote the repeal of the act prohibiting trade with the English colonies.
But the subject which at that time stimulated public excite- ment to the highest pitch was the adoption of the federal con- stitution. This struggle in the state lasted from March, 1788, to May, 1790, during which interval repeated votes were taken without success. This town sympathized in the popular feel- ing, and gradually gave way to the sentiment of adopting the constitution. On the 21st of April, 1790, the town voted in- structing its delegates in the convention, who were then Joshua Barker and William Peckham, Ir., to use their votes and in- fluence in favor of adopting the constitution, provided certain items of state and local rights were incorporated in it, but other- wise to oppose it. The popular sentiment was modified some- what by a further consideration of the matter, and on the 29th of May, the day on which the constitution was finally adopted, the town voted "That the instructions heretofore given to the Delegates respecting the proposed Constitution be recalled. Voted, That the Delegates of this town be and they hereby are instructed to use their influence and votes in the Convention now sitting at Newport for the adoption of the Constitution which hath been already adopted by twelve States." One of the delegates, William Peckham, was so much opposed to the sentiment of this vote that he resigned, and Elisha Barker was elected in his place. Thus the two votes of this town were se- cured for this measure, and that small number was sufficient to turn the scale, and the state of Rhode Island was thereby ad- mitted into the Union after a long and bitter struggle, with the history of which the world is familiar.
781
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
The salary of representatives to the general assembly in those days was six shillings a day, but in 1794 the town de- termined that this sum should be paid only when the assembly met at some place off the island. When representatives were not officially called off the island they were entitled to no pay. This measure was not calculated to stimulate the cupidity of mammon-serving politicians. Ten years later, however, their pay was raised to the uniform rate of one dollar a day regard- less of the locality where the assembly should meet.
The line of division between this town and Portsmouth be- came a matter of indefiniteness, and in 1797 a committee was appointed to act in conjunction with another from Portsmouth to agree upon and establish the line. The committee from this town were Thomas Coggeshall, John Gould and Benjamin Gardner, while those of Portsmouth were Thomas Potter, Abraham Anthony Jr., and Thomas Cory, Jr. The line, which was approved by the town meeting April 18th, 1798, was as follows:
" Beginning at the East shore at a point measuring 240 rods northward from a brook now called Stony brook near Joseph Taggart's house, which we judge was formerly called Sachuest river, where we made a monnment by a heap of stones on a small flat rock even with the surface of the earth, on land be- longing to John Holmes, and from thence proceeded on a course North 39° West, by the magnetic needle, to the northerly part of a large rock adjoining the road near Chase's mill, from thence continuing the same course to the blacksmith's shop on the east road, at the south of the chimney which now belongs to Mitchell, and from thence altering the course to North 453º West, by the said needle, to a monument erected on the west side of the road opposite to the south end of the house of Wm. Brightman, formerly built by Oliver Cornell, deceased, and from thence on a course North 402° West, by the said needle, to a round rock on the west side of the island marked N. P. on the top thereof, which now lies below high water mark against land formerly belonging to John Coggeshall, now the property of the heirs of Aaron Sheffield, deceased."
The number of councilmen, which hitherto had been six, was reduced to five in May, 1799, and has so remained to the present time. The time for holding town elections was changed in 1804 to the third Wednesday in June. The need of a town
782
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
house had long been felt. An attempt to raise money for this purpose by a lottery was made, but after a petition for the re- quired grant had, in 1795, been presented to the assembly the idea was abandoned and the petition was withdrawn. The house was built at the expense of the town in 1813, at a cost of $1,005.13, as given by the council in their report in June, 1814.
We come now to the time of the war of 1812, another period of agitation and alarm, in which the people of this town shared with others of its neighbors who were similarly exposed to the depredations which naval forces might commit. One of the most brilliant exploits of the war is thus narrated by the his- torian of Middletown :
" The British man-of-war, Nimrod, of eighteen guns, chased a Swedish brig, with a cargo of molasses from the West Indies, into the east passage one afternoon at the end of May, 1814. The brig ran aground on the third beach. The crew escaped in their boats, and hid in the sand hills, leaving on board the cap- tain, who could not swim. Next morning men came out from Newport, and the fort, with one six pound gun, on to the beach. The Nimrod came in again and fired on the brig some three hundred shots. No harm was done till the next to the last shot, which killed Jolin E. Smith and took off the leg of Isaac Barrett, who had gone out to the brig in a boat and brought off the captain to the shore. It was a ricochet shot. The victim's brother, Abner Smith, then a lad of twelve years, was standing close beside him when he was killed. Abner Smith now lives in Michigan [1876], near Ann Arbor, and on a visit which he made a year ago to his old home gave this narrative of the affair to the writer. Isaac Barrett recovered from his wounds, and is still, or was lately, living in New Bedford, and wearing a wooden leg. The artillery compelled the Nimrod to put to sea, and relieved this part of the coast from further annoy- ance."
The town, at its meeting, June 1st, "as a mark of respect and condolence with the family of the deceased," as well as "respect for the brave but unfortunate young man who fell in defence of the rights of his fellow citizens," voted to pay his funeral expenses and appointed a committee to attend to the business.
October 22d, 1814. the town appointed a committee to consult
783
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
with that of Newport on the subject of the defense of the island, and on November 24th another committee was appointed to in- vestigate the reasons for the call of the Hartford convention, which had been called to meet December 15th, to deliberate on the condition of national affairs. 'The latter committee reported at a town meeting December 3d, and the following resolutions were adopted and ordered to be published :
" Taking into consideration the late proceedings of this State and other State Legislatures in appointing delegates to the Hartford Convention, the following resolutions were adopted, with one dissenting voice only.
"1st. Resolved ; That the Union of these States is essential to their safety from internal and external dangers-to the liber- ties of the people-to the independence of the nation-to the development of the faculties of the country, and to its growth to that degree of greatness and prosperity which such develop- ment would naturally lead to. That the Constitution of the United States is the bond of this Union, the pledge and security for their great blessings in possession and still greater in pros- pect. That all our public affections are devoted and wedded to that Union, and to that Constitution which secures it; that we will defend both with our blood and treasure ; and succeed in the defence or perish in the attempt.
"2d. Resolved ; That we feel all projects to dissolve the Union of these States, whether attempted by foreign foes or domestic traitors, or by a conspiracy of both, as death blows aimed at the life of our country in its vital part, and at all our dearest interests as bound up in that country. And we invoke the patriotism of all our fellow citizens of both parties and of every State, and the vigilance of our constituted anthorities, to watch the dawnings of all such attempts, to arouse at the alarm of danger, and with their united energies to crush the detest- able foe.
"3d. Resolved; That we view with inch jealousy and dis- trust the proposed Convention to be held at Hartford on the 15th December inst. That the objects avowed are inconsistent with our duties as good citizens of a common country; and there is reason to believe that the real object has not been avowed, and that this is to dissolve the Union of these States. We see an army forming in a neighboring State to be independent of the United States. We see in their public prints this nefarious ob-
784
HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.
ject advocated by the patrons of this Convention, and we see no disavowal through the same channel.
" 4th. Resolved; That we disapprove and deprecate the Act of the General Assembly of this State in appointing delegates to said Convention; that it was an unauthorized act and not within their commission as representatives of the people in our State Legislature: that the sense and instructions of their con- stitnents ought to have been taken upon so novel, important, and questionable a measure; that it was highly inexpedient at this time, as holding the country up to the public enemy as torn, or likely to be torn to pieces by internal dissensions and thereby giving him fresh incentives to persevere in the war and compel a submission to a dishonorable peace; that of all the States, Rhode Island should have been among the last to show any disposition to leave the WING of the UNION, or to give any countenance to any project of separation. She has no security whatever; no, not for a moment in her own independent strength. The Union is the ARK of her safety.
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