USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > History of Providence County, Rhode Island, Volume I > Part 20
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
Chad Brown, born in England about the year 1600, came to Amer- ica in 1638 and settled in Providence soon after his arrival. He was a surveyor, and also had the honor of being the first elder of the Bap- tist church in Providence. He was ordained pastor of the church here in 1642, and performed the duties of the office until his death, which occurred about 1663. He was at various times entrusted with the performance of important public commissions. Roger Williams spoke of him as " that wise and Godly soul." He was the ancestor of Nicholas Brown, the liberal patron of the University. John Warner appears to have been a man of clerical aptitude, and his talents were sought for the benefit of the embryo settlement. But the chains of Warwick drew him away from here and he sold his home lot to Wil- liam Field. Besides holding various offices in the local government he was clerk of the general court of Providence Plantations in 1648. He probably removed from Providence about the year 1845. George Rickard purchased of William Field the home lot formerly belonging to John Warner. His residence here was but a few years, as he died previous to 1663. Richard Scott, a brother-in-law of Mrs. Anne Hutchinson, removed with her from Massachusetts, became a Quaker, and was one of the early settlers of Providence. His name appears among the freemen of this town in 1655, and he served as a deputy in 1666. He became the owner of the home lots of Widow Reeve and Joshua Verin.
William Field was a man of prominence in his day. He was an assistant in 1650 and from 1658 to 1665. and commissioner from this town 1656 to 1663. His family were among the chief landholders of the town, and one of them is honored in giving the name to Field's point. The house of William Field stood a little east of where the Providence Bank now stands, and during King Philip's war was used as a garrison house. It was one of the largest houses of that time, and when the citizens set about fortifying themselves this was, among others of the strongest houses, strengthened with iron gratings at the windows. By that means this part of the town was saved from the conflagration of 1676. The house mentioned stood 40 or 50 feet from the street and there remained until 1772. John Field removed from Bridgewater to Providence soon after its settlement, received a home lot and became one of the early inhabitants. Joshua Winsor came from Windsor, England. He had one son, Samuel, by whom his home lot was, in 1691, sold to Gideon Crawford. Five descend- ants of his surname were settled Baptist ministers in the state. Thomas Harris, a brother of William Harris, was a commissioner from Providence for a number of years. He appears to have been here as early as 1637, and in 1665 was one of the committee appointed to run the "seven-mile line." He died about 1686.
Adam Goodwin was among the early settlers of Providence. He received a home lot, which he sold to Richard Osborne in 1648.
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
William Burrows was an early inhabitant and received a home lot, but he was unsuccessful in financial matters, and had to receive pub- lic help. His home lot has become historic ground on account of being the site of the house in which the capture of the "Gaspee" was planned. That house stood on the corner of South Main and Planet streets. William Mann was an early settler of whom but lit- tle isknown. William Wickenden removed hither from Salem, be- coming a purchaser here previous to August 20th, 1637. He filled the offices of town councilman, commissioner, committeeman to form a plan of government in 1647, and to run the boundary line in 1661. He also filled the pastoral office at different times, being for a time colleague with Chad Brown in the Baptist church of Providence. He died February 23d, 1670. Nicholas Power received a home lot at an early date, which he retained until his death in 1657, after which it became the property of his widow, Jane. Joan Tiler received a home lot among the early inhabitants, which in 1663 was in the hands of William Hawkins, having successively passed through the hands of her subsequent husband, Nathaniel Dickens, and Ralph Earl and John Sayles. Jane Sears was another woman who received a home lot in the early distribution of lands in Providence. By some means now unknown to us, her lot came into possession of Daniel Williams, a son of Roger Williams. Thomas Hopkins, a native of England, received a home lot and was a member of the church here. He was a commissioner for several years and a member of the town council in 1667 and 1672. He died at Oyster Bay, Long Island, in 1684.
Of Edward Hart we have no information, beyond the few facts connected with his receiving a home lot, and that the lot was, previ- ous to 1679, in the possession of Robert West. From this we infer that Edward Hart, like so many others of the first settlers, did not long remain a resident of Providence. Mathew Weston was another transient resident. He received a home lot in 1643, on condition of occupying it. He evidently occupied it a short time, but abandoned it previous to 1650. John Lippitt was among the early inhabitants, and served on the committee to draft a plan of government in 1647. In 1652 he sold his real estate here to Arthur Fenner, excepting his home lot. Hle afterward removed to Warwick, where his name ap- pears on the roll of freemen in 1655. Hugh Bewitt was a resident of Massachusetts, whence he was banished in December, 1640, on a charge of heresy. He was by that decree pronounced dangerous in his person and errors and threatened with death by hanging. should he refuse to obey the decree of banishment. He came to Providence, where he was received into the church and the civil compact, and given some land. He, however, did not remain here many years. By sales in 1644 and 1650 he appears to have disposed of all his rights here.
William Hawkins was one of the early settlers. He is represent- ed as being faithful in his place during the troublous times of King
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
Philip's war. In recognition of his firmness at that time the assem- bly, in 1677, gave him with others a grant of land in Narragansett. Christopher Unthank was a weaver who joined the settlers at an early date and received land. About the year 1658 he appears to have moved to Warwick, and sold his house and home lot in Provi- dence to Thomas Roberts. Robert Williams is supposed to have been a brother of Roger Williams. He was one of the first commissioners from Providence, being appointed in 1758. He also held the same office in 1651 and 1652, was a member of the town council in 1655, justice of the peace in 1664, and general solicitor in 1673 and 1674. About 1665 he appears to have removed to Newport, where he was engaged in the occupation of a schoolmaster, and sold his house and lot in Providence to John Scott.
After accepting the initial deed, on October 7th, 1638, the thirteen proprietors at that time made a division in their extensive purchase. and subjected the different parts to different rules of subsequent sub- division. The two parts are known in the records as the " grand pur- chase of Providence," and the " Pawtuxet purchase." The division of the home lots in the former tract we have already noticed at considera- ble length, and its historic importance was much in advance of any other tract. Besides this division there were also the " Six-acre Lots." Each individual settler had one of these allotted to him in addition to his " Home Lot." Of the " Six-acre lots," that of Roger Williams adjoined " What-cheer," on Seekonk river. Seven other lots were located to the south of his, on the same river, extending to Mile End cove. This cove was at the south end of the town, between Fox point and Wickenden street, but has long since disappeared. Other six- acre lots were located, according to the desires of individuals, in other parts of the purchase, as " on the North side of the Wanasqua- tucket," and "by the west river."
In 1718 the proprietors made another division of home or house lots. Lands on the southerly and casterly side of Weybosset street. on the west side of North Main street, north Canal market, and on the south side of Olney street, were divided into 101 house lots, and dis- tributed one to each proprietor at that time. The land on the west side of Main street and north of Mile End cove, was subsequently plotted. and divided into warehouse lots, and in most cases sold by the proprie- tors to the owners of the house lots opposite them. Other lands in the common propriety were generally disposed of by town vote to particular persons, or a division of a specified number of acres to each proprietary right was voted, and the location of each was left to the choice of the individuals interested. The proprietors' surveyor was charged with the duty of laying out such lands, generally under the direction of a committee appointed for the purpose by the proprie- tors, and the transaction was duly recorded by the town clerk. Up to the year 1718 the land affairs were managed by the people of the
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
town, and the records were kept, as we have said, by the town clerk, but after that time the proprietors were recognized as a distinct body from the town, and land records were kept by a clerk of their OW11.
It may be of interest to mention in passing, that the home lot of Roger Williams was near the historic spring where he first landed here. The northwesterly corner of the lot is now occupied by the corner of North Main and Howland streets, and the spring was on the opposite side of Main street, which then passed along the shore, the tide flowing almost up to the spring.
During the first years of the town it does not appear that any of its political powers were exercised by or delegated to any portion of its members. The town was a pure democracy, the original pur- chasers and such as they saw fit to admit to the fellowship of their number meeting in town meeting monthly, or when stress of busi- ness demanded it, and transacting all the business pertaining to their little commonwealth. Though the records of their proceedings are very meagre, yet it must have been that they adopted some general rules for their government beyond the simple compact which we have already quoted. The cardinal principle upon which the government of the town was established was the idea of perfect religious liberty as interpreted and contended for by Roger Williams both at Salem and at Plymouth. "No man should be molested for his conscience."
The first remove made from a pure democracy was in 1640. The people had, no doubt, experienced the difficulties attendant on this form of civil government. Matters in dispute in regard to land claims and boundaries were entrusted to a committee in 1640, the commit- tee whose decision the town agreed to accept as final, being composed of Robert Cole, Chad Brown, William Harris and John Warner. By the award of this committee a line was drawn between the particular propriety in Pawtuxet lands, which some of the inhabitants had, and the common proprietorship of Providence lands. This line was de- scribed as " a straight line from a fresh spring. being in the gully at the head of the cove running by that point of land called Saxefrax, into the town of Mashapaug, to an oak tree standing near unto the cornfield, being at this time the nearest cornfield unto Pawtuxet, the oak tree having four marks with an axe, till some other land-mark be set for a certain bound. Also, we agree, that if any meadow ground lying and joining to that meadow that borders upon the river of Pawtuxet, come within the aforesaid line, which will not come within a straight line from long cove to the marked tree, then, for that meadow to belong to Pawtuxet, and so beyond the town of Masha- paug from the oak tree between the two fresh rivers Pawtuxet and Wanasquatucket of an even distance."
Five men were thenceforward to be chosen for the purpose of dis- posing of the common lands and allotting the same to individuals,
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
and to have charge of the town's stock and the interests of the town in general. These men were also to consider the qualifications and application of any who might propose to join the settlement, and not to admit any one without first giving six days' notice to all the towns- men, that any one having any objection to the candidate might have a chance to show cause why he should not be admitted. Further, no one was to be admitted to a residence in the town without first sub- scribing to the compact and regulations which had been adopted for its government. An appeal might be taken from the decision of the "disposers," to the general town meeting, by any aggrieved party. The office of town clerk was at this time constituted. The liberty of conscience was reiterated.
The settlement of personal disputes was recommended to arbitra- tion, but in the event of any party in a case refusing to submit to such a settlement, and refusing to choose arbitrators, the five dis- posers had power to compel the refractory party to choose arbitrators, or to choose for him, and to enforce the award of the arbitrators so appointed and to require the party found in fault to pay the arbitra- tors for their time. If the arbitrators (two for each of the disputing parties) failed to agree on a case, the disposers should appoint three men to decide upon it, the vote of the major part of the five disposers only being necessary to choose the arbitrators, and the vote of the major part of them only being required to give a final decision. Ar- bitrators when hearing a case should give it their attention to the exclusion of any other business or employment until a decision was reached, unless by consent of all parties interested. In case a de- fendant should in the beginning of a case offer a reasonable condition of settlement and the plaintiff should refuse it, then at the close of the arbitration the cost thereof should be exacted of the plaintiff, not- withstanding the verdict should be in his favor.
Theft and slander were to be prosecuted by the disposers at the request of any citizen, even though the party against whom the wrong was committed should neglect to bring an action. The entire community was pledged to assist any man in attaching and obtaining justice of a delinquent party, but if any plaintiff should obtain the help and efforts of others under false pretense, having no just cause, he should be required to pay for such help and efforts of others as he had secured. In case a dispute arose between any man and one of the disposers that could not be deferred till the next general town meeting, the clerk was authorized to call a special town meeting to try the case. The five disposers were authorized to give every man a deed for such lands as were or should be allotted to him. The dis- posers were to hold regular meetings once a month, and were to hold office for a term of three months, regular town meetings being held . quarterly. The term of office of the clerk was for one year. He was entitled to fees of four pence for every cause that came to the town for
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
trial, and twelve pence for making each deed. The price of a share in the common proprietorship of the town was then fixed at 30 shil- lings, and all who had not already paid in that amount were required to make it up. Whilst no specific regulation to that effect appears, the rule seems to have been carried out in practice that no proprie- tor should receive from the town more than one share in the common interests in the land. The estates of some individuals were, however, increased by purchase of the lands of others.
This town constitution, as it may quite properly be called, has only been preserved in a legible copy made in 1662. Only 39 names are appended to this copy. Whether the original was signed by others or not we have no means of knowing. It seems quite probable that those present at the time of its adoption or soon after signed it, and that the matter of signing it fell into neglect through official paucity. The names appended to the copy spoken of were Chad Brown, Rob- ert Cole, William Harris, John Throckmorton, Stukely Westcott, Benedict Arnold, William Carpenter, Richard Scott, Thomas Harris, Francis Wickes, Thomas Angell, Adam Goodwin, William Burrows, Roger Williams, Robert West, Joshua Winsor, Robert Williams, Mat- thew Waller, Gregory Dexter, John Lippitt, John Warner, John Field, William Arnold, William Field. Edward Cope, Edward Man- ton, William Man, Nicholas Power, William Reynolds, Thomas Olney, Richard Waterman, William Wickenden, Edward Hart, Hugh Bewitt, Thomas Hopkins, Joan Tiler, Jane Sears, Christopher Unthank and William Hawkins.
So far as the records show, the constitution went into immediate effect and became the foundation of town government for several years. Though but a small remove from the pure democracy of the first years, it marks an epoch in the history of the town and indicates the growth of the colony and the increase of a population that re- quired a more energetic and less onerous form of government than the simple one that had preceded it. The new form, however, pre- serves the same love of equality and liberty, and the same regard to the rights of individuals that was manifest in the former.
This government, however, was not satisfactory, and did not long answer the desires of the people. It was found that some govern- ment based upon authority more dignified than the simple subscrip- tion to a few simple articles of confederation was necessary to pre- serve the peace and prosperity of the little colony. Massachusetts refused to help them to carry out their own laws unless they would submit themselves to the authority of that colony. To do this would be to repudiate the principles for which they had already sacrificed most. A few, however, were ready to do even this. William Arnold, William Carpenter, Robert Cole and Benedict Arnold, all of whom were at the time residing at Pawtuxet, in 1642 accepted the authority of Massachusetts and submitted themselves and their lands to the
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
jurisdiction of that colony. This action introduced a new series of complications and involved the people in additional perplexities. Now surely some authority must be invoked which was equal to or greater than that of Massachusetts. A bold stroke of diplomacy was determined upon, and an appeal directly to the Crown was made. Mr. Williams himself most appropriately championed the cause, and personally went to England to present the cause of his people at the throne. Without repeating the details, which have been given more fully elsewhere in this work, this movement resulted in the colonial charter of 1644, which embraced the towns of Providence, Portsmouth and Newport.
The government under this charter was not organized until May, 1647. During this time Providence had grown slowly. The site of the present city did not seem to be a general favorite. It must have been observed that a great majority of the first settlers soon sold out their home lots and removed to more desirable localities southward, sonie to Pawtuxet, some to Warwick and others to Newport or some other place. The town in 1645 numbered 101 men capable of bearing arms, which number doubtless included the residents of Pawtuxet and Warwick. On the 16th of May, 1647, the town meeting in Provi- dence was held to appoint delegates to the meeting at Portsmouth two days later to organize a government under the charter. Roger Williams was moderator of this town meeting, and the following delegates, or committee, were appointed to represent this town in the coming convention: Gregory Dexter. William Wickenden, Thomas Olney, Robert Williams, Richard Waterman, Roger Williams, William Field, John Green, John Smith and John Lippitt.
A somewhat lengthy code of instructions was given the committee whereby they might be guided in their action so as most effectually to carry out the desires of their constituents. The substance of these in- structions was as follows: The committee were to act as a unit or indi- vidually. No basis of representation having been previously given, the committee might reduce its number by its own choice, should the town be found not to be entitled to so large a number of representa- tives. The town desired a copy of the charter to be kept in its juris- diction, and agreed to accept any form of government agreeable to the charter that the general court should decide upon. The town also declared its willingness " to receive and be governed by the laws of England, together with the way of administration of them, so far as the nature and constitution of this place will admit." The town desired to have full liberty in the selection of its own town officers, transacting all its home affairs and the trial of all its own cases, and executions of the same "excepting such cases and execu- tions as the colony shall be pleased to reserve to general trials and executions." It desired " no intermixture of general and particular officers, but that all may know their bounds and limits." A plan by
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
which appeals might be taken to the general court was desired. Be- yond these the town authorized its committee to act in any question not included in the instructions, always reserving, however, an equal voice in the general court. The instructions concluded with the fol- lowing benediction:
" Thus betrusting you with the premises, we commit you unto the protection and direction of the Almighty, wishing you a com- fortable voyage, a happy success, and a safe return unto us again."
Though the town was thus represented by a committee, it is sup- posed that a majority of the men of the plantation were at the scene of the convention at Portsmouth. The proceedings of that conven- tion are given elsewhere.
The first record of a town election in Providence, under the charter which the general assembly (which name was thus early applied to the general court) gave the town March 14th, 1648, was held on the first Monday in June. 1651. At that time the following officers were elected: Gregory Dexter, town clerk; Robert Williams and Thomas Olney, deputies; Thomas Harris, William Wickenden, Richard Wa- terman, and the assistant and two deputies altogether made the town council; Hugh Bewitt, town sergeant; Thomas Harris, treasurer.
In reference to the material improvements of the town in those early years, we are told that the first one of a public nature was the " Towne Streete," running along the foot of the hill and along the shore of the great " Salt River." This we have already spoken of, and it has in modern times received the appropriate name of Main street. A straggling village of some two score houses was set upon the east side of this street, extending along a tract about two miles in length. This was the nucleus of the great and busy city of Provi- dence of to-day. It followed the curves of the shore at a proper dis- tance to secure solid ground. The ascent of the hill was abrupt. From the southern end of the settlement by Fox hill the road lay by the water side until it approached the falls of the Moshassuck. There leaving the shore it ascended in a long diagonal slope, by the side of a steep ravine, to the high ground later known as Constitutional hill. Thence forward at an elevation of some 80 feet above the stream, it went on to the utmost limits of the clearing. As we have before said. the home lots extended eastward over the mound and down the other side to a road that ran up the valley. This road had no dis- tinctive name, but for 150 years it was called " the Highway." After the " Upper Ferry " was established in 1678, at the site of the modern "Red Bridge," the road spoken of was popularly known as the "Ferry Lanc" for more than a century, and in 1806 the town council gave it the name of Hope street, which it still bears. A highway three rods wide extending from the Towne street to the water-side, was opened January 2d, 1681, to facilitate the approach and use of a wharf, which was then being prospectively considered. This is now Market Square.
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
For a long time the highways mentioned were connected by only three narrow lanes. These were Power's lane, near the south end; a lane at first nameless, but afterward known as Jail lane, King street, and later as Meeting street; and the lane at the north end, called Dex- ter's lane, then Olney's lane.
Most of the houses built upon the Town street during the first generation here were a single story, or a story and a half in height, with a large, rough stone chimney at one end. The earliest houses had but two rooms, called the " lower room " and the " chamber." To economize space a ladder was often the only provision for reaching the "chamber." This humble style of dwelling was almost universal until the last decade of the 17th century. Subsequently the popular model was enlarged to a house with four apartments, having a chim- ney in the middle of the house. At a later period a two-story model was adopted, with a lean-to and a steep roof. In these primitive houses chairs were an unusual luxury and cooking utensils were few and simple. The light of pine knots, as they sputtered and flashed and blazed and rolled out great wreaths of black, tarry smoke, afforded all the means of artificial light, and by such uncertain illumination the good cheer and home comfort of the settlers during the long win- ter evenings were enjoyed. Think of it ye modern Dives, luxuriating in the dazzling glow of your electric light! but think not that happi- ness was a stranger to the hearthstone of the hardy settlers, whose blazing pitch-knots revealed the faces of loved ones gathered around the great open fireplace, upon whose crumbling stones perhaps your own lordly mansion is built. The wells of the settlers were usually dug in the street, and were free to the public. It was, of course, un- necessary that every householder should'have one on his own prem- ises. A single one was sufficient for a number of families.
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