USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > History of Providence County, Rhode Island, Volume I > Part 19
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" As also, in consideration of the many kindnesses and services he hath continually done for us, both with our friends at Massa- chusetts, as also at Quinickicutt and Apaum or Plymouth, we doe freely give unto him all that land from those rivers reaching to Pawtuxet river; as also the grass and meadowes upon ye said Paw- tuxet river.
" In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands.
Ye mark of + CANNONNICUS. Ye mark of + MIANTUNNOMI.
"In ye presence of
The mark of + SOTTAASH. The mark of ++ ASSOTEMEWEIT.
" 1639. Memorandum 3 mo. 9th day. This was all again con- firmed by Miantounomi; he acknowledged this his act and hand, up the streams of Pautuckqut and Pawtuxet without limits, we might have for use of cattle.
" Witness hereof, ROGER WILLIAMS, BENEDICT ARNOLD."
This deed is the earliest document the purport and effect of which is to convey lands, in the records of Providence. It is in the hand- writing of Williams, and the memorandum appended to it and signed by him and Arnold is in the handwriting of Thomas James. The first conveyance, to which this has reference, and of which it appears to be a confirmation, is supposed to have been only a verbal one. The land thus acquired was at first the property of Mr. Williams, but he soon made it over to his associates, for the sum of £30. These asso- ciates, who joined him in the settlement, were Stukely Westcott,
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
William Arnold, Thomas James, Robert Cole, John Greene, John Throckmorton, William Harris, William Carpenter, Thomas Olney, Francis Weston, Richard Waterman and Ezekiel Holyman. The transfer of title from Williams to them was made about the year 1638, but its exact date is unknown and uncertain. A record of it was made at the time, but it bore no date, and was further unintelligible in names therein referred to, and some 28 years afterward a dupli- cate was given in which the names were expressed in full and an approximate date given.
But the settlers did not stop to secure a written confirmation of their title to the land before going to subdue the wilderness and plant the seeds of civilization in this virgin soil. We are told that Williams had five companions with him in the canoe on that spring morning when he left Seekonk, and paddled around Fox point and up the Providence river to find the new landing place, concerning which he had doubtless already had interviews with the Indian sachems. They are supposed to have been William Harris, John Smith, Joshua Verin, Thomas Angell and Francis Wickes. After calling to exchange friendly salutations with the natives at the rock which ever since has been hallowed by historic remembrance of the occasion, they passed on to a final landing place near a spring of sparkling water, a little south of the present site of St. John's church. This spring, in remembrance of the event, has ever since borne the name of Williams's spring.
They now began to plant and build. Williams gave the place its name, as he himself declares, from a sense of God's merciful provi- dence to him in his distress. He also desired that it might be for " a shelter for persons distressed of conscience." He recognized the rights of the Indians to their lands, and obtained those lands of them without doubt by their free consent, which seems to have been a matter entirely of good will, as no consideration is mentioned and it does not appear that any price was paid. Having obtained this con- sent of the Indians that they might build and occupy some of their lands, Williams lost no time in making known to his "loving friends" who were selected from among his "distressed countrymen," the favorable opening which Providence had made for him and them, and he was soon joined by the twelve whose names we have already given.
We can perhaps give no more faithful representation of Roger Williams' position in the land transaction than to quote his own words :-- " And whereas, by God's merciful assistance, I was the pro- curer of the purchase, not by monies nor payment, the natives being so shy and jealous, that monies could not do it; but by that language, acquaintance, and favour with the natives and other advantages which it pleased God to give me, and also bore the charges and ven- ture of all the gratuetyes which I gave to the great sachems, and
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
other sachems and natives round and about us, and lay ingaged for a loving and peaceable neighborhood with them all to my great charge and travell. It was, therefore, thought by some loveing ffriends, that I should receive some loving consideration and gratuitye; and it was agreed between us, that every person that should be ad- mitted into the ffellowship of injoying landes and disposing of the purchase, should pay thirtye shillings into the public stock; and ffirst about thirtye pounds should be paid unto myself by thirty shillings a person, as they were admitted."
Further light on the relations of Williams with the Indians, as the means by which he was able to secure the lands upon which the set- tlement was made, is best given also in his own words. Speaking of his first appearance here he says: "coming into the Narragansett country I found a great contest between three sachems, two (to wit, Cononicus and Miantonomy) were against Ousamaquin on Plymouth side, I was forced to travel between them three, to pacify, to satisfy all their and their dependents' spirits of my honest intentions to live peaceably them. I testify that it was the general and constant dec- laration that Cannonicus his father hhad three sons, whereof Cannoni- cus was the heire, and his youngest brother's son Miantonomy (be- cause of his youth) was Marshal and Executioner, and did nothing without his unkle Cannonicus' consent. And therefore I declare to posterity that were it not for the favor that God gave me with Can- nonicus, none of these parts, no, not Rhode-Island had been purchased or obtained, for I never got any thing out of Cannonicus but by gift. I also profess that being inquisitive of what root the title or denomi- nation Nahiganset should come, I heard that Nahiganset was so named from a little Island between Puttisquomscut and Musquoma- cuk on the sea and fresh water side. I went on purpose to see it, and about the place called Sugar-Loaf Hill, I saw it and was within a pole of it, but could not learn why it was called Nahiganset. Į had learnt that the Massachusetts was so called from the Blue Hills, a little Is- land thereabout: and Cannonicus' father and anchestors living in those southern parts, transferred and brought their authority and name into those northern parts all along by the sea side, as appears by the great destruction of wood all along near the sea side: and I desire posterity to see the gracious hand of the Most High, (in whose hands is all hearts,) that when the hearts of my countrymen and friends and brethren failed me, his infinite wisdom and merits stirred up the barbarous heart of Cannonicus to love me as his son to his last gasp, by which means I had not only Miantonomy and all the Cow- esit sachems my friends, but Ousamaquin also, who, because of my great friendship with him at Plymouth and the authority of Cannoni- cus, consented freely (being also well gratified by me) to the Governor Winthrop's and my enjoyment of Prudence. yea of Providence itself, and all the other lands I procured of Cannonicus which were upon
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
the point, and in effect whatsoever I desired of him. And I never denyed him nor Miantonomy whatever they desired of me as to goods or gifts, or use of my boats or pinnace and the travels of my own person day and night, which though men know not, nor care to know, yet the all-seeing eye hath seen it and his all-powerful hand hath helped me."
Returning to our notice of the movements of Williams and his company of loving friends in the early summer of 1636, we find that they entered into a compact soon after settling themselves, and be- gan the exercise of town functions. The compact ran as follows:
" We whose names are hereunder, desirous to inhabit in the town of Providence, do promise to subject ourselves in active and passive obedience to all such orders or agreements as shall be made for pub- lic good of the body in an orderly way, by the major consent of the present inhabitants, masters of families-incorporated together in a Town fellowship, and others whom they shall admit unto them only in civil things."
This is dated August 20th and the names appended to it are sup- posed to be those of a subsequent addition to the company who began with Williams in the spring. This second or additional company thus subscribing to the compact in August were as follows: Richard Scott, William Reynolds. Chad Brown, John Warner, John Field, George Rickard, Edward Cope, Thomas Angell, Thomas Harris, Francis Wickes, Benedict Arnold, Joshua Winsor and William Wickenden.
The corporate business of the settlers was conducted in frequent meetings of their number, called together as occasion required to act upon any question that came up. It does not appear that the matters of this town were managed by any materially different scheme from that generally followed by the New England towns of that period, except that there was here no dabbling with or attempt to regulate ecclesiastical matters. The town assumed jurisdiction only over civil affairs. One of the first corporation orders that has been preserved to the present time, is one requiring a fine of one shilling and sixpence from every delinquent who should delay his appearance at the time and place of a duly warned town meeting for more than a quarter of an hour. The same fine was repeated at a subsequent meeting. Fines were also imposed on some members for neglecting to improve their ground by preparing to fence, build and plant. As in other towns it was deemed necessary to appoint com- missioners to have charge of the timber on the common lands, and to prevent a wholesale appropriation of public property to private uses.
Settlement by individual members was at first made conformably to the taste and desire of each, as far as they could be accommodated. The cornfields which had been cleared by the Indians were doubtless utilized. But circumstances soon developed the necessity for a more
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
systematic division of lands and settlement of the people. The "Town Streete " was laid out along the east bank of the river, and this has been substantially preserved to the present time as Main street, now divided into two sections distinguished respectively as North and South Main. The land east of the street and running up the slope and over the ridge was divided by lines running east and west into lots of about five acres each. The rear of these lots bordered on "the highway," which ran along the valley nearly identical with the present Hope street. This division began at the north end near the spot where Williams and his companions landed, now nearly the site of Olney street, and extended about to the present site of Wickenden street, where it takes its east and west course. Beginning at the north end, according to the plot which has been restored by that careful and laborious student of the subject, Mr. Charles W. Hopkins, whose researches have thrown much light upon it, the home lots of the settlers lay in order proceeding south- ward as follows :- Gregory Dexter, Matthew Waller, Thomas Paintor, Edward Manton, John Greene, Jr., Benedict Arnold, Francis Wickes, William Arnold, Thomas James, John Greene, Sr., John Smith, Widow Reeve, Joshua Verin, Roger Williams, John Throckmorton, William Harris, Alice Daniels, John Sweet, William Carpenter, Rob- ert Cole, Thomas Olney, Thomas Angell, Francis Weston, Richard Waterman, Ezekiel Holyman, Stukely Westcott, William Reynolds, Daniel Abbott, Chad Brown, John Warner, George Rickard, Richard Scott, William Field, John Field, Joshua Winsor, Thomas Harris, Adam Goodwin, William Burrows, William Mann, William Wicken- den, Nicholas Power, Widow Joan Tiler, Widow Jane Sears. Thomas Hopkins, Edward Hart, Matthew Weston, John Lippitt, Hugh Bewitt, Robert West, William Hawkins, Christopher Unthank and Robert Williams.
Thus it will be seen the ground selected for the initial town plat was that now embraced by Main street on the west, Hope street on the east, Olney street on the north and Wickenden street on the south. In the north part of the plat the lots were laid out about 122 feet wide. Nineteen of them averaged about that width, and they covered the ground as far down as the present Meeting street, which perpetuates an old highway separating the home lots of William Carpenter and Robert Cole. These lots contained about 53 acres. The 21 lots which lay between Meeting street and Power street were somewhat longer and consequently not as wide. They had an aver- age width of about 107 feet, and contained a little more than five acres each. The 12 remaining lots at the south end were shorter than those in the middle section, had an average width of about 120 feet and contained about 43 acres. The present Halsey sreet runs nearly between the lots of Edward Manton and John Greene, Jr. Jenckes street runs through what was the lot of William Arnold. St. John's
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
church stands on the lot of Widow Reeve, and Church street runs between that and the lot of Joshua Verin, while Allen's lane is upon Roger Williams' lot, which lay next south. Bowen street runs nearly between the lots of Roger Williams and John Throckmorton. Cady street is about the middle of the lot of William Harris. The state house stands on the lot of John Sweet, and North and South Court streets are substantially on the same lot. Meeting street runs along the north side of Robert Cole's lot. Arsenal lane is upon the lot of Thomas Olney, while Thomas street and Angell court are upon the lot of Thomas Angell. The First Baptist church stands on the lot of Francis Weston, and Angell street is upon the same lot. Water- man street leaves North Main nearly on the lot of Richard Water- man, after which it veers away southwardly across the lot of Ezekiel Holyman and then resumes its easterly course on the lot of Stukely Westcott. Jackson court is upon the same lot. The State Normal school is on the lot of Richard Waterman. Brown University occu- pies the width of several lots, being upon those of William Reynolds, Daniel Abbott, Chad Brown, John Warner and George Rickard. Col- lege street is substantially between the lots of Daniel Abbott and Chad Brown. George street is in part upon the lot of Richard Scott. Benevolent street is between the lots of John Field and Joshua Win- sor. Charles Field street crosses the line from the lot of Adam Goodwin to that of William Burrows. Power street runs between the lots of William Wickenden and Nicholas Power. Arnold street is on the lot of John Lippitt, while the Tillinghast burying ground is upon the lot of Hugh Bewitt. Transit street is on the lot of Robert West and Sheldon street is on the lot of Christopher Unthank.
A brief notice of the settlers who occupied these lots may not be out of place here. Gregory Dexter, a native of London, a printer by trade, came to Providence about 1644, and a few years later, having joined the Baptist church, became its pastor. He was also an active man in civil affairs, was town clerk a number of years, a commis- sioner to represent the town in general assembly, and served as presi- dent of Providence and Warwick in 1653-4. He was a man of admira- ble and accomplished parts. Of Matthew Waller we know but little. His name appears on the compact of 1640. His home lot was after- ward in the possession of Gregory Dexter. Thomas Painter appears to have been but a transient resident. His home lot soon reverted to the town and was granted to Pardon Tillinghast. Of Edward Man- ton we know but little beyond the fact that his name appears on the compact of 1640, and he received a home lot in this plat. A school house belonging to the city now stands upon the west end of his lot. John Greene, Jr., was a transient resident here, and soon became a resident of Warwick, where he served in several public positions of trust. Benedict Arnold was scarcely identified with Providence. His home was soon changed to Pawtuxet, and shortly afterward to New-
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
port. He had the reputation of being the second wealthiest man in the colony, Roger Williams being the first.
Francis Wickes, one of the five who came hither with Roger Wil- liams on his first landing, remained here but a short time, his home lot in 1663 being the property of John Whipple. On this lot the old " Whipple Tavern " was located, which was at 369 North Main street. William Arnold came from England to Hingham, Mass., in 1635, and the following year removed to Providence. In 1638 he removed to Pawtuxet, and his home lot became the property of John Whipple. Thomas James was an ordained minister, and received a grant of land here in 1637. He sold his home lot to William Field, in 1639, he becoming a purchaser at Pawtuxet. John Greene, Sr., was an edu- cated surgeon, and came with his family from Hampton, England, in 1635. He was one of the thirteen original proprietors of Providence. His second wife was Alice Daniels, a widow who had received a home lot here. His lot was soon after cast at Warwick, where he became prominent in affairs. He sold his interest in Providence to his son John, in September, 1644.
John Smith, a miller, was banished from Massachusetts (Dorches- ter) and came hither with Roger Williams in 1636. He was allowed a grant of land in the valley, where he first built a house, on condi- tion that he would set up a mill for grinding corn, which he appears to have done, though the exact site of that mill is not at present known. He died about the year 1648, and about half a century later his home lot appears in the possession of the heirs of Major John Dexter, deceased. Widow Reeve removed from Salem to Providence and received a home lot. This lot afterward fell into the hands of Richard Scott, by what means we are not informed, and by subse- quent sales came into the possession of Nathaniel Brown, by whom the western part of it was, with the lot originally belonging to Joshua Verin, lying next south of it, given to the "Church of England," in the early part of the eighteenth century. St. John's church was erected upon it.
Joshua Verin was one of the five who came in the traditional cance with Roger Williams on the first recorded voyage. He received a home lot in this division and settled here, but soon became involved in a development of the liberty of conscience idea which has coupled his name with history in a way to preserve it to future ages. It ap- pears that religious meetings were held with such frequency, and in such manner that Verin, who may not have been a religious man, objected to having his wife attend them, and even forbade and re- strained her from doing so. The town considered him a proper sub- ject for censure, but in his defense it was urged that he had acted on the promptings of his conscience, which taught him that a wife should be obedient to her husband, and that she ought not to frequent meet- ings called by men under cover of religion, the good design or effect
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
of which he questioned. The popular sentiment, however, was against Verin, and the following record appears under date of May 21st, 1637:
"It was agreed that Joshua Verin, upon the breach of a covenant, for restraining of the liberty of conscience, shall be withheld from the libertie of voting till he shall declare the contrarie."
It does not appear that Verin declared to " the contrarie," but it does appear that he left the settlement and removed to Salem. In 1650 he addressed a letter to the town of Providence setting forth his claim to his share in the lands of the town as one of the six original explorers and purchasers. His prayer for their serious consideration and his own reasonable satisfaction was answered by the reply that if he should come into court and prove his right they would do him justice. He appears to have proved his claim and lands were allowed him on it. He afterward sold his home lot to Richard Scott. In 1674 he was represented here by John Whipple, Jr., who held a power of attorney from Verin, he having gone to Barbadoes to reside. In the year mentioned 94 acres of land were laid out to him as " part of his purchase right in ye first division," the other part of his right being the home lot already alluded to and a share of salt meadow which he also had sold to Richard Scott.
Of Roger Williams we need not speak here, since a more extended notice of his career is given in another part of this work. John Throckmorton came from England with Williams in 1630, having been engaged somewhat in the practice of law. He resided awhile at Salem, and became one of the first settlers at Providence, as well as one of the original members of the church here. He served as a deputy for this town in 1664, 1665 and 1666, and became one of the earliest converts to the preaching of George Fox. William Harris came to Salem in 1635, and removed to Providence in the following year, being among the original proprietors. He was one of the four arbiters appointed to prepare a plan of government in 1640, a magis- trate of Providence in 1655, and served as a commissioner of the town in 1657 S, and 1662-3. He was a surveyor, and had also studied law to some extent. He was an assistant in 1667, from which office he was deposed for calling a meeting of the assembly without sufficient cause. A fine of £50 was also pronounced upon him, but this was remitted. His position in regard to the proprietorship of lands brought him into pronounced opposition to Roger Williams .. In 1679 he sailed for England, and died in London in 1680.
Alice Daniels received a grant of land the second year of the plan- tation. She married John Greene, Sr., and her home lot was sold to Valentine Whitman. John Sweet received a home lot in the first division, but after a few years' residence here he removed to War- wick, and his home lot became the property of Edward Manton. Wil-
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
liam Carpenter was the son of Richard, of Amesbury, Wiltshire. England, and came to Providence in 1636. He served as commis- sioner from 1658 to 1663, and as assistant for several years. Robert Cole is supposed to have come to this country with the first settlers of Massachusetts. He appears there as early as 1630, and was among the early proprietors here in 1637. He was one of the arbiters on a form of government in 1640, and afterward became one of the original proprietors of Pawtuxet, and an inhabitant of Shawomet, and died about 1655. Thomas Olney came from Hertford, England, in 1635. After residing awhile at Salem he removed to Providence about 1638. He was the first town treasurer, also served as commissioner and as assistant for several years.
Thomas Angell, one of the companions of Williams on his first landing, was a native of London. There are indications that he was a member of Williams' family, before coming hither. Besides his own home lot he afterward acquired possession of that of Francis Weston, which lay next on the south. Francis Weston was admitted as a freeman in Massachusetts in 1633. In the following year he was a deputy from Salem to the general court. He was not long a resi- dent of Providence. Joining in the purchase of Warwick, he was with others seized by the Massachusetts soldiers in their descent upon that colony, whom they regarded as trespassers. Subjected to labor in the prison at Dorchester, and exposed to privations and inclement weather, he fell a victim to consumption, and about or before 1645 died from the effects.
Richard Waterman became a resident of Salem in 1629. He re- moved to Providence about 1638. He was one of the town council in 1651, and was a commissioner in 1650, 1652, 1655 and 1656. He also acquired possession of the lot of Ezekiel Holyman, next south of his own, and upon this lot his remains were buried after his death, which occurred in 1673. Although concerned in the purchase of Shawomet, he did not remove thither but retained his residence here. He also resided at Newport for a time. Ezekiel Holyman or Holliman, as the name is variously spelled, was a native of Hertford county, England, came to this country about 1634, became a resident of Salem in 1637, and about 1638 removed to Providence. Here, on the formation of the First Baptist church, he became the assistant pastor. About 1642 he removed to Warwick, where he held for successive years different offices of responsibility. Stukely Westcott removed from Salem to Providence in April, 1638, and received a home lot, which he soon after sold to Samuel Bennett, himself removing to Warwick, where he died in 1677. William Reynolds, in the second year of the plan- tation, received a home lot, which a few years later he sold to Robert Williams, a schoolmaster of Newport. Daniel Abbott held for a time the position of town clerk. In 1679 he urged the building of a town house, but without avail.
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