USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > History of Providence County, Rhode Island, Volume I > Part 94
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" William Harris Destrect To begin at James Hoyles house, and to extend westward to Scituate line, and Taking in Robert Williams Rhode, and his men to work on sd way are Samuel Smith, Wm. Whitiker, Joshua Kimball, Jonathan Fisk, Zebedee Mitchell, Esaih King, Sr., Dan'l King, Jeremiah Sheldon, William Mathewson, Richard Mathewson, and all others, &c.
"Joseph Bordens Destrect To begin at Con. Angell northermost his land and to extend by Esq Harris Gate to Killingly Rhode and his men to work on sd way are Henry Harris (son of Josiah Harris), Josiah King, William Borden King, and the heirs of Henry Harris deceased and all other persons, &c.
" Isaac Winsors Destrect, To begin at Rhode by Rufus Hawkins, and to extend westward on the new highway to the head thereof, and his men to work on sd way are John Mathewson, Daniel Mathewson, Noah Mathewson. Iseral Mathewson, Jr., William Mathewson, Elder Samuel Winsor, Rufus Hawkins, Jr., and all other persons, &c.
"Capt. Seth Tripps Destrect to begin at Grate Rock opposite Bel- knap's Dam bars, and to extend down sd way to a chesnot stump, near the lower end of Richard Clemence wall, and also to take the new highway that goes from meeting house to Daniel Thorntons and his men to work on sd way are Daniel Waterman, Jeremiah Hopkins. Abraham Belknap, Jacob Belknap, Phillip Potter, Andrew Aldrich, John Sweet, Jeriah Hawkins, Jonathan Thornton, William Antrum, and all others, &c.
" Daniel Mortons Destrect, To begin at a chesnot stump, near the lower end of Richard Clemence wall and to extend to the river at Tripps Town, takeing in one half of the Bridge at sd river, and his men to work on sd way are Caleb Vensent, Nicholas Vensent, Job Potter, William Warnor, Richard Eddy, Ephraim Pearce, John Cary, and the heirs of Anthony Olney Deceast, and all persons, &c.
"Consider Luther's Destrect To begin at Ebenezer Spragues, Esq., and to extend to Plainfield Rhode, and the Cross Rhode from Joseph Fisk to Scituate line, and his men to work on sd ways are Josiah Pot-
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ter, Capt. Iseral Angell, Daniel Williams, William and Oliver Wil- liams, and all other persons, &c."
Highway appropriations for 1888 were $6,000.
The first meeting of any school committee of which any record can be found was on the 2d of June, 1828, and was holden at the inn of Resolved Waterman, at which 12 members were present. The Hon. James F. Simmons was elected chairman and Lyndon Knight secre- tary. On the second Saturday in August the town was divided into ten school districts, and on the first Saturday in September, 1828, the school houses were located and with few exceptions they remain as then located. The highest appropriation made at this time to any one district was $42, and the lowest $38, and by the records it is found a committee of three members was appointed to visit each school. In 1831 two schools were established in District No. 4, on account of the distance the pupils had to walk to attend the one which was situated at the extreme south side of the district, a house being hired for the use of the second school at 25 cents per week while in actual use.
June 9th, 1832, a new district was formed from parts of districts 2, 3 and 5, and was called No. 11. A school house was located and the proper machinery put in motion for the accommodation of the inhabit- ants of that locality. About this time the wages were cut down, as ladies were receiving $1.25, while male teachers received $2.50 per week. In 1837 the town's appropriation had increased to $350, and the state appropriation to $274.84.
February 8th, 1841, Districts 12 and 13, one at Graniteville and the other at Dry Brook (now Hughesdale), were formed. In January, 1844, District No. 14 was established in the western part of the town and was composed of Districts 4 and 6. At this time the appropriation was over $1,100 from all sources. Under the new school act of 1846 the number of committee men was cut down to three. September 3d, 1850, at a special meeting of the committee, an application from Dis- trict No. 7 (Manton) was received and approved for a district tax of $1,200, for the purpose of building a new school house. In November, 1852, District No. 3 (Simmons Upper Village) voted to follow the lead of No. 7 and build a house. About the year 1866 the village of Merino had established a school, which relieved that of No. 1, and in 1867 District No. 15 was formed and a four-story school house erected. District No. 13 in 1868 erected a commodious structure at an expense of over $4,000, and in 1869 District No. 16 was formed, consisting of Merino village and a small territory surrounding the same.
March 4th, 1871, an attempt was made to have district lines abol- ished, which attempt proved abortive and the old system prevails. July 1st, 1871, under the new law a superintendent was elected. In the spring of 1872 the commissioner held the first teachers' institute ever held in the town, which proved successful, stimulating the friends of education to renewed exertion. June 21st, 1873, Districts 6 and 14
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were consolidated and were to be known as District No. 6. During the summer of 1873 the school house in No. 1 was raised and a story put underneath, making a four-room building. In the spring of 1875 the boundaries of several districts were changed. Appropriations for 1888 were $7,000.
The town of Johnston took a conspicuous part in the great rebel- lion of 1861-5. From the reports we find the following record: In the 1st Regiment of the state there were 6; 2d Regiment, 40; 3d Regiment, 35; 4th Regiment, 22; 5th Regiment, 33; 7th Regiment, 16; 9th Regi- ment, 10; 11th Regiment, 4; 12th Regiment, 19: 1st Cavalry, 24: 2d Cavalry, 6; 3d Cavalry, 9; Battery A, 6; Battery B, 4; Battery C, 4; Battery E. 3: Battery F, 5; Battery G, 7: 14th Colored Regiment, 1. Only one or two were drafted, as the town was ready to fill its quota of men at all times.
Land was bought for the town farm, of A. W. Winsor and wife, in 1862, at a cost of $3,800, consisting of two lots, in all 45 acres and over. At the present time the home for the poor is in a fair condition and with the many improvements that have been made the paupers of the town are comfortable. The average number of paupers kept at the farm during the year 1887-8 was five. The total cost of running the farm and care of the paupers from June 1st, 1887, to May 28th, 1888, was $3,190.80. The total receipts from the farm, etc., were $2,103.87. Of this last amount $1.603.18 was received for milk sold; $343.14 for produce, etc .; $157.50 for cows sold.
The Fruit Hill Horse Detective Society was organized July 3d, 1830, and although not in this town, the territory embraces Johnston, which has always taken a lively interest in the enterprise. Since its organization 750 names have been enrolled as members, and so effect- ive has been this institution that but one or two horse thieves have escaped from their vigilance. The treasurers of this society have been: Jeremiah Angell, William Westcott, Joseph Westcott, Robert Devereux, 1843 to 1867, since which time Robert W. Devereux has filled the office. The other officers are: George F. A. Beane, president; William Phillips, secretary: George W. White, collector. Mr. White has been collector over 40 years.
Captain Arthur Fenner, a lieutenant in Cromwell's army, was born of a highly respectable family in 1622, and appeared in Providence about 1645. February 27th, 1649, he was included among the six men for the trial of causes. On October 3d, 1649, Robert Williams and Thomas Harris gave him a receipt in full for his purchase money, 30 shillings, he having full and equal right in the plantation. He was among the early settlers of the town of Providence. About 1654 he bought of William Barrows meadow land at Neutaconkanut. He afterward increased this farm to 218 acres, his land lying to the south and west of the hill, and he later increased his possessions in the towns of Johnston, Providence and Cranston to 500 acres and over. " His
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castle," says Reverend J. P. Root, "was built immediately after the war of 1675-6, probably on the site of his burned house, nearly oppo- site to the locality where the Red Mill in Simmonsville now stands, and on the Cranston side of the road, close by the burial place where the tombstone of his son Thomas and others of his descendants may still be found. It has for generations been known as the Fenner Castle."
Many of the descendants of Captain Arthur Fenner, who was buried in the old cemetery near the site of Fenner Castle, settled in the towns of Johnston and Cranston. The children of Arthur and Mehitable Fenner were: Thomas, born 1652; Arthur, Freelove, Bethiah, Phebe, and Sarah, buried November, 1676. Thomas married first Alice Ralph, second Dinah Borden. He was a major during the Indian war of 1676 and proved a brave soldier. He was a valuable citizen and exerted a wide influence in the Providence plantations. He was deputy in 1683, '91, '95, '97, '99, 1704 and 1705. He held the office of governor's assistant from 1707 to 1717, except in 1714. He died February 27th, 1718. Thomas and Alice Fenner had one child, William. The children of Thomas and Dinah (Borden) Fenner were: Mehitable, Freelove, Thomas. Mary, Joseph, Richard, Sarah, Arthur, Eleazer and John.
Of the children of Captain Arthur Fenner, Freelove married Gideon Crawford April 13th, 1687; Bethiah married Robert Kilton; Phebe married Joseph Latham; Arthur married Mary Smith, daughter of John Smith the miller. He died April 24th, 1725. Many of the descendants of the above settled in this town and vicinity.
Chad Brown came to Providence with his wife Elizabeth in 1638. His son John, who was about eight years of age at the time, accom- panied him. He was the elder of the Baptist church on North Main street. He had five sons: John, James, Jeremiah, Judah or Chad, and Daniel. John resided at the north end of Providence, and married Mary, daughter of Obadiah Holmes, second pastor of the First Baptist church at Newport.
James, the second son of John, lived on the homestead and married Mary, daughter of Andrew and granddaughter of William Harris, one of the original six who came to Providence in 1636. He was born in 1666, and died October 28th, 1732. His wife Mary died August 18th, 1736.
Joseph, the third son of James, born May 15th, 1701, married Martha Field, lived in North Providence, and died May 8th, 1778. He had a son, Gideon, who settled in Johnston, on Plainfield road, two miles from Olneyville. Mr. Charles Brown, his great-grandson, now occupies the place. Gideon married Ruth, and had ason Nathan, who occupied the homestead. He was born in the year 1772, and died in 1848. He married Susan Thornton, daughter of Daniel. His second wife was Susan Smith, daughter of Job. Their children were: William, who married Sallie Fenner; Abby, who married Edmond Fisk; Daniel, who died May 1st, 1879, married Abby Fenner; Ruth, Nathan,
ยท
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Jr .. Susan, Sarah, Gideon, Phebe, Isaac. All the children settled in the town of Johnston.
Jeremiah Williams, Jr., was born July 7th, 1736, and died about the year 1810. He was the ancestor of the Williamses who settled in the town of Johnston. In a previous chapter his lineage back to Roger Williams is given. Jeremiah, 2d, married Bethiah Williams August 9th, 1756. Their children were: Andrew, Huldah who married Pardon Fenner; Othoniel, married a Field and was drowned in Ver- mont; Jeremiah, 3d, married Amy Knight; Stephen, born July 15th, 1763. married Annie Knight; Catharine, born 1765, married Uriah Eddy: Waterman, married Delaney Potter; Mary, married first a Wil- liams, second William Eddy; Anthony, married and settled in Chester, Mass; and George, went to the state of New York.
Huldah Williams, daughter of Jeremiah Williams, Jr., married Pardon Fenner. Their children were: Asahel, born in 1781, married Abigail Alverson; Phebe, settled in Pawtucket, was the wife of Doctor Niles Manchester, died January 23d, 1860, in the 73d year of her age; Arthur, born in 1792, died in 1825; and Abby, born January 17th, 1800, married Daniel Brown, son of Nathan, died May 1st, 1879. The children of Daniel Brown and Abby Fenner were: Adelia, Albert, Eliza, Pardon Fenner, who married Helen Angell, daughter of Elisha O. Angell, and Florinda. The children of Pardon F. Brown are: Arthur, Caroline and William Niles.
Olneyville is the largest village in the town. of Johnston. It is situated in the extreme southeast corner of the town, the greater section of the business part of the place being over the line in the city of Providence. The place was named in honor of Colonel Chris- topher Olney, who owned a tract of land in this vicinity and was a noted officer in the revolutionary war. He was born in 1745, the vil- lage was named for him in 1785 and he died in 1809. He built mills and established himself in business here about the time the place was named. He was a descendant of Thomas Olney and his wife, Mary Small, who came from England in 1635. Mary, the daughter of his son Epenetus, married Nathaniel Waterman in 1692, and their son John Waterman (born 1709) and his son John Waterman, Jr., became conspicuous in the history of the town.
The Waterman family above mentioned are descendants of Richard Waterman, who came from England in 1629 and was one of the twelve persons to whom Roger Williams deeded land obtained from Canonicus and Miantinomi. Richard Waterman was also one of the Gortonites arrested by the authorities of Massachusetts and arraigned in Boston. His son, Nathaniel Waterman, married Susanna Carder in 1663. His son Nathaniel married Mary Olney May 9th, 1692. Their children were: Bethiah, Nathaniel, Joseph. Zuriel, Sarah, Mary and John. Resolved Waterman, a son of Richard the settler, married Mercy, daughter of Roger Williams in 1659. Richard Waterman, a
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descendant of the first Richard, established a paper mill in Olneyville in an early day.
Colonel Nathaniel Proctor settled on Valley street on a site now owned by the Snow family in an early day. His sons. John and Nathaniel, worked in an old paper mill. John engaged in the grocery business. His brother, Captain Russell Proctor, father of Walter Proctor. owned a large property in the place and was an old man when he died in 1838.
James Kelley was another distinguished man in the place, but of a later date. He was a very careful man and was bookkeeper for a long time in the mills. He was in the war of 1812 and was wounded at the battle when Washington city was burned by the British. He and Henry Snow became associated in business, Mr. Snow succeeding him in the drug trade.
Harrison Gray came to the village in April. 1838. from Fruit Hill. He was a blacksmith and had learned his trade at Worcester, Mass .. in 1826. After coming to this village he carried on the business till the latter part of 1873. He was married in the fall of 1840 to Polly, daughter of William Smith, well known to many people of this vicin- ity. At the time he came here John Waterman kept a large store, owned the mill property here and manufactured cotton goods. The Waterman property consisted of two mills (on the city side) called the Eagle Mills. They were afterward called the Harrison Mills. In 1851 the Atlantic Mills were erected on this site.
John Pettey, great-grandfather of James L. Pettis, was born in Hel- burn Woods, near Dartmouth, Mass., November 11th, 1732 (old style), and was married to Rachel, daughter of Judge Benjamin Miller, of Warren. R. I., in 1755. He was a shoemaker. In 1765 he bought a house lot on the corner of Snow and Broad streets, and after framing his house in Warren, R. I., moved it there by boat and put it together. He died in 1815 in Providence. James MI. Pettis, his grandson, so well known to the people of Johnston and vicinity, was born January 22d. 1783. on High street, in a house a little west of Stewart street. He was the son of Daniel Pettey (the name was so spelled till that time ), who was a revolutionary soldier, and was captured and confined in the old Jersey ship at New York.
Mr. Pettey was a cooper by trade, and was constantly kept at work on the ship. One day he and another workman decided they would attempt to escape, knowing that death from the yard-arm of the ship for the adventure would not be much more certain than that from yellow fever and other diseases which were daily carrying off the men by the score. Having decided what they would do, they got into a rowboat by night and put to sea, getting well out into the har- bor before their flight was discovered and pursuit made. Their ef- forts were now redoubled, but the boat of the enemy, with three armed soldiers, was soon upon them. The British boat was pushed
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
alongside, when Pettey pushed it away. In the struggle which en- sued, the boat of the British was capsized, when the crew attempted to climb in that of the fugitives, but as fast as they swam to and laid hands upon it for that purpose, contrary to warning, Mr. Pettey chop- ped off their fingers with his axe, and in the confusion very easily escaped.
His son, James M. Pettis, was a carpenter by trade, and built many houses now standing in Olneyville. When a boy he would tramp over this region hunting and setting his traps for game. In 1803 he came to the place and began clerking for his uncle, Samuel Harring- ton, who kept a store where J. O. San Souci's store is now. Not liking the business, he left the store and went back to his trade. In 1807 he built the house now owned and occupied by David Andrews, out of old Oliver Williams' barn. In 1812 he built the house beside it, the one now occupied by Mrs. Albert Waterman, who has just raised it one story higher, and made a store room of the first floor. In 1826 James M. Pettis built the house now owned and occupied by his daughter, Mrs. Ednah H. Bradford. Mr. Pettis died February 16th, 1871.
Among other old houses now standing, erected by Mr. Pettis and others, should be mentioned the two just opposite Harrison Gray's, near the railroad station. The second one from the station is very an- cient, being at one time the property of the Williamses. Alfred An- thony's house was built about 1840 by John, son of Harvey Kelley. Governor Samuel Ward King built his house here in 1842. He was then governor of the state, and his house is a fit monument to com- memorate the Dorr war. Mr. King was town clerk many years. His son, Charles King, is living in the city, and the heirs of Arthur Kim- ball own the property here. Nathan B. Harris owns the house Wil- liam Smith erected in 1839 or 1840. It passed into the hands of Lake & Harris, and at the time of their division of the property in 1880, it fell to the lot of the latter, who moved it back and erected the present house on its site in 1885. Harrison Gray built his house in 1845. Samuel A. Irons built the store now occupied by Thompson & Co. soon after the war. The Odd Fellows' Building, on Plainfield street, was erected in 1887.
The American Multiple Fabric Company's mill, in Olneyville, was formerly used as a batting mill. The present company was originally organized by Seth W. Baker, the inventor of the process by which goods are manufactured, and upon being chartered under the state laws in 1873, the corporation was called the S. W. Baker Manufactur- ing Company, under which title the business was carried on until 1884, when the present corporate name was assumed. Charles A. Fletcher is president of the corporation, and William A. Wilkinson, agent and treasurer. One branch of the work done at this mill is the production of textile hose for the use of fire companies. They also
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manufacture the Baker patent evaporating horse blankets and other similar goods.
Trading was begun in the village of Olneyville very soon after settlement was made here, and from that time business has steadily increased. The old paper mill, owned and controlled by Richard Waterman, the old forge and foundry, and some other minor industries created a center here evidently as early as the revolutionary war, though the first stores of note were carrying on business after this time. Samuel Huntington, John Waterman, John Proctor and his half-brother, Captain Russell Proctor, were all doing business in the place early in the present century. Samuel Huntington was here in 1803, and probably years before and after. John Waterman made a purchase of land here in 1796. He started his mills in 1812, and he had a large store and was doing a thriving business in 1838, when Harrison Gray came to the place. Waterman was among the most prominent traders at that time. He kept where Nathan B. Harris now carries a line of goods, and the latter, too, has been a trader for many years in the place. Mr. Waterman lived to be very old, dying at the age of 93. He was buried at the foot of Broadway. Eli Messen- ger, a Mr. Tillinghast and Nathan B. Harris all traded at this stand. Mr. Harris has been in business in the village for a third of a century. He was of the firm of Lake, Harris & Co., then of Lake & Harris. In 1880 he moved to his present quarters, and Mr. A Lake started up in the building owned by the Kimballs, where he is now. He came to the place in 1866, and has been a prominent merchant ever since.
The Union store was kept by Charles Franklin. This property is now owned by the Atlantic Mills, but no store has been kept in that place since Mr. Franklin's day. John Proctor, and after him his half- brother, Captain Russell Proctor, kept store on the site or near where Russell Proctor now has a place. Captain Russell Proctor died in 1838 and was followed by Walter R. Proctor and he by Henry Proctor. Benjamin Anthony and his brother Jerome B. Anthony succeeded, and after them Henry Anthony, a brother of Alfred Anthony, kept store where Fred. San Souci keeps a shoe store now. A Mr. Holloway traded here at one time and also made clothing while running his business. Robert K. Atwood came to the village in 1856 and began clerking for William Harris in a grocery and provision store. Mr. Harris was succeeded in this store by Charles Abbott, whose success- ors have been Albert Burgess, E. J. Beane, S. C. Jamison and San Souci. Mr. Atwood began the meat market and grocery business in 1867 and continued trading on the Johnston side till 1884, when he moved across the line where he is now. When he came to the place 34 years ago Benoni Mathewson had the hotel, Francis Cummings had a grocery store on Plainfield street, the Proctors, Anthony, and others also before mentioned were doing business.
Dry goods were carried as part of the stock, in the earlier stores,
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
with hardware, groceries, etc. Mrs. H. Mckinley was among the earliest traders in this specialty of goods, and is trading still. About ten years ago she crossed the line and is now in the city. She has been a very successful business woman, and is now the oldest trader in Olneyville. Mrs. Clarke began in 1852, and carried on a successful business until recently in the millinery line. George E. Boyden car- ried on the most extensive store in the place for many years and was a very successful merchant. He sold to Mr. Allen. Robert Melvin keeps the store now, and has been there a number of years. He traded formerly in the Irons Block, where Thompson & Co. are now doing business.
The drug trade was begun here in the old fashioned way by James Kelley about the year 1846 or 1847. The stock was limited to a few general articles, which in the strictest sense of the term would not now require much of a pharmacist to compound. Mr. Kelley occu- pied the building now used by B. A. Smith, one of the oldest structures apparently in the place. He was succeeded by Mr. Snow, and he by Jacob Mott, Jr., who carried on business about 15 years. In 1885 he was followed by John Knowlton, and he gave up possession to the present proprietor in February, 1889.
E. T. Luther was virtually the first druggist in Olneyville. He came to the place in 1865 and on January 26th started up at the stand where he has since carried on a successful business. When Mr. Luther came to the place 25 years ago, Nathan Harris was grocer, Stephen Whipple and Robert Macmillan had a meat market, Benjamin Mathewson the hotel, Abel Reynolds a fish market, John Hart a livery stable and Mrs. Clarke a millinery store. At that time John Wade, blacksmith, Harris Brown, wheelwright, John Gaddin, segar manufac- turer, Harris & Gray, old blacksmiths, and Samuel Anthony, coal merchant, were all doing business in the place on the Johnston side.
Jacob Mott was the next druggist after Luther, and remained in trade at the Kelley stand. There are now three drug stores in the village (Johnston side), G. R. Parker, who started up in the Odd Fel- lows building in 1886, being the third one.
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