USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > History of Providence County, Rhode Island, Volume II > Part 33
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The story of the settlement of the whites must here be briefly told, as it is an inseparable part of the pioneer narratives of Cumber- land and Smithfield, out of which Woonsocket was formed centuries after the first land had been possessed.
The Smithfield part of Woonsocket was originally a part of Provi- dence, one of whose early proprietors was Thomas Arnold, who died in September, 1674. His estate was divided by the town council of Providenee between his widow and the five surviving children. This estate included lands in the northern part of the state, in what be- came the town of Smithfield. Richard Arnold was the oldest of his children, and his sister Elizabeth was married to Samuel Comstock. To these two were allotted the upper Smithfield lands, and by them were the first improvements made. Subsequently the title to these lands was in dispute, the proprietors of Pawtucket also claiming own- ership: but this controversy being settled, the town of Providence confirmed the title to the lands, which Captain Richard Arnold and Ensign Samuel Comstock had occupied in this heated period, the date of the new grant being April 14th, 1707. During their lives they held their lands in common, and the first division of their estates was inade many years after their death. This was done by their heirs, March 26th, 1731. By this division the Arnold family became the propri- etors of the greater portion of the lands in what became known as the Smithfield part of Woonsocket; and the Comstock heirs lived on the lands west and beyond the present Union Village, where Samuel Comstoek had built his first house. A portion of Captain Richard Ar- nold's estate was also included in the present town of North Smith- field.
Captain Richard Arnold probably never lived at Woonsocket, but, after the customs of those times, improved his lands, coming from his home in the Providence settlement. In this way he had built his saw
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mill, at the " falls," in 1666, before the death of his father, Thomas Ar- nold. In this way, too, he aided his sons, Richard and John, to build homes in the Woonsocket section. The former's house was put up about 1690, and a portion of it still remains on the farm of Albert Mowry, near Union Village. On the death of Captain Richard Ar- nold, April 22d, 1710, his Woonsocket estate was divided among these two sons, Richard and John, the former's portion beginning at Union Village and extending westward: while the latter's extended eastward to the " falls."
As already stated, Jolin Arnold was living upon this estate at that time, and, no doubt, was the first permanent settler within the pres- ent city of Woonsocket. His place of habitation was long known as the Ephraim Coe farm, and was on the present Providence street. The first house, built about 1695, was simply a cabin, having a large stone chimney and steps leading to the attic on the outside. In 1712 the second house was built near the old one, and, being allowed to stand, became the oldest residence in the city, withstanding the storms of more than a century and a half of years in its service as a farm house.
John Arnold was married in the year his first house was built, to Mary Mowry, of the town of Smithfield, by whom he had ten children, the sons being William. John, Israel, Daniel, Anthony and Seth. The daughters married members of the Paine, Lapham, Bartlett and Malav- ery families. He was a member of the Society of Friends, and upon his land the meeting house was built in 1719. After taking an active part in the affairs of that time, he died October 27th, 1756, aged 85 years, and was buried on his homestead farm, ou that part of which, in recent times, Willing Tose was the owner.
Before the death of John Arnold he had sold or given the larger part of his lands to his sons, and by the terms of his will, in 1753, his grandson, Arnold Paine, became the owner of part of the homestead farm. Of his sons, William Arnold, Esq., the oldest, appears to have been very prominent. In 1727 his father presented to him a tract of land, the northern part of which became known as the " Old Maids* Farm." To this he received an addition, on the south, in 1744; and as he had previously, in 1729, purchased a tract still farther south, he was now the owner of all the land north of the present South Main street. Near this thoroughfare he built his new house, which was a veritable mansion in those days. It had originally a hip roof, but was much altered in appearance by being several times remodeled. In 1755 the lands of William Arnold, Esq., on both sides of the river, passed to his son Elisha, and from him they descended to his son Ezekiel. The latter lived at the " Old Maids' Farm," which received its name from the fact that upon the death of their father, Ezekiel. two of the daughters, Abagail and Lydia, remained the occupants of the place, becoming old maids. Under their management it was a
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model farm, and was widely known for its fertility and neatness. In 1866, this farm of 170 acres was purchased by the Fairmount Farin Company for $25,500, and much of it has been subdivided and sold for manufacturing and residence purposes. Upon this part of old William Arnold's estate is now that part of Woonsocket called " Fair- mount:" upon the southern part of it is a portion of that part called Globe.
John Arnold, the second son of John Arnold, the original settler, lived on a farm near " Logee Hill." In 1737 the estate was presented to his son, Moses, who afterward purchased a farm of his uncle, Wil- liam, on the Cumberland side, on which he lived until his death.
Israel Arnold, son of John, removed to Burrillville. Daniel. another son, owned lands at Union Village and on the Cumberland side. Anthony, another son, received 60 acres of land from his father in 1733. They were at the " falls," and included "the island, with two corn mills and a fulling mill thereon." In 1739 he sold this property to his brother, Seth Arnold, and removed to New York. This Seth Arnold's father had given him 300 acres at the "falls" at the same time that Anthony received his land, which having passed to Seth, made him the owner of what has since become the business part of the city. He lived in a mansion near where is now the " Globe " store building, and near the home of his brother William. From him most of the lands descended to his son James Arnold, who disposed of them by sale after 1814*, and but very little of the original Arnold lands here remain in the hands of descendants of the first settler.
Another settler of that period on the Smithfield side was Philip Loja, or Logee, who lived on the summit of the hill which has since borne his name. His brother, Abraham, lived on the eastern slope of the same hill. They were sons of Abrahani Logee, of Mendon, who became the owner of the land in 1729. Scarcely a ruin is left of the dwelling place of Philip Logee, who was a wealthy and prominent citizen.
On the Cumberland side the grants of lands were made under the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts colony, passing from the original owners by sale to those who remained to become identified with the place. In the business part of Woonsocket these purchasers were also members of the Arnold family. One of the first grants in this section was made by the general court at Boston. May 19th. 1669, to Samuel Chapin, of Springfield. In consideration of services rendered he was to receive 200 acres. He never came here to reside. In 1710 Captain Seth Chapin conveyed a part of the above grant to John Arnold. It embraced 42} acres, lying in the bend of the river, south and west of a line running from where the Clinton Mills now are to near the upper railroad bridge. This was part of the 60 acres given by John Arnold to his son Anthony, and by him sold, in 1739, to his brother
*See Manufacturing Interests.
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Seth, from whom they descended to his son James, practically the last Arnold proprietor at the " falls."
May 20th, 1711, the proprietors of Mendon laid ont 25 acres to James Bick, and about the same time lands were laid out for Jonathan Sprague and Thomas Sanford. Bick lived on the river, near the pres- ent Doctor Ballou bridge, and the Sprague home was where is now the Privilege Mill property. Sanford had the intervening lot. Nearly all these lands were purchased by William Arnold, Esq., the oldest son of the original settler. The lands granted to various parties, north and east of this tract: to Samuel Thayer, 40 acres on Mill river in 1705; to Jonathan Richards, 55 acres in 1721; to Ebenezer Cook, lands connecting these two tracts, in 1719 and again in 1749, became the property of Daniel Arnold, a brother of William. The latter sold his lands at the present Monument Square and north to his nephew, Moses, who came here from Logee hill to become the first settler in that part of the city. Daniel Arnold bequeathed his large estate to his grand- son, Joseph, who also added to his lands here by purchase from the heirs of Moses Arnold. Joseph Arnold later divided his Cumberland lands among his sons, Joseph P., Smith and Benjamin, who made im- provements at the Cold Spring grove, at the Harris homestead and at other places in the northern part of the city.
March 19th, 1705, lands were laid out on Peter's river to Nicholas Cook, which later passed to the Aldrich family, who also became the owners of lands granted to Boyce, Sewell, Chace and others.
Beyond the range of hills, along this stream, is the East Woon- socket section. Its inhabitants are now mainly agriculturists, there being no public places, except a few small shops, the school house and a fine Grange hall. Some of the original farms have been subdivided, and parts remain in the hands of descendants of those who improved them. The names of Cook. Bartlett, Darling, Jillson, Gaskill, Whipple, Wilcox and Smith are thus honorably perpetuated.
The Abner Bartlett farm was occupied many years by Levin and Joseph Bartlett. Eber, a son of the latter, was the possessor of a keen inventive mind, and it is claimed made, in his little farm shop, the first horse cultivator in this country. He also invented a stove. Members of the Darling family were also gifted with mechanical skill. It is claimed that the honor of inventing the revolving pistol, which has immortalized Colonel Colt, should belong to Barton Darling, who, with his brother Benjamin, had a shop in these parts where he had manu- factured that article some time before the Colt revolver was produced. It is said of Benjamin Darling that he was an active adherent of Thomas W. Dorr, and that his bravery and determination prevented bloodshed at the most critical period of those troublous times. After the Dorrites had taken the cannon from the state arsenal. those hold- ing them threatened to fire upon whoever should attempt to recapture them. A party of the " Law and Order" party advanced upon one of
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the cannons for this purpose, when just as the " Dorrites" were about to discharge the gun, Benjamin Darling rushed through the crowd and called upon it to desist, saying that such an act would be treason to the state, etc. To prevent firing he placed his hand on the vent, and kept it there even after the excited cannoneers had passed the heated priming rod over it and painfully burned it. His coolness produced better counsels and the peace was preserved, but not without leaving the stigma of traitor upon the heroic man. The Darlings invented other useful articles, but failed to reap pecuniary benefit from them, and Benjamin lived to become, in his extreme age, an object of the town's charity.
Descendants of the Jillson family attained distinction in this state and Massachusetts. The old farm is now the property of Stephen Wilcox. On it has been discovered a spring of remarkably pure water, cool and possessed of medicinal properties , which have caused it to be- come a place of resort. One of the Jillson daughters was married to Paul Smith, who purchased, in 1784. the farm on which now resides his grandson, Albert A. Smith. A barn erected on this farm in 1802, is still covered with the original shingles, which are in good con- dition.
The census of 1885 places the value of farm lands and buildings in the town at $281,302, and gives the following acreage: Under the plow, 295 acres; meadows, 900 acres; pastures, 624 acres; woodland, 423 acres; unimproved, 210 acres, making a total of 2,452 acres of lands classed as agricultural. This acreage was embraced in 59 farms, of which three consisted of one acre only, and 56 were of more than one acre. The average product per acre from all sources was valued at $26.36.
The real growth of Woonsocket began after 1810, when cotton manufacturing was here begun, and the increase of population was slow but steady until the completion of the first railroad in 1847. From that time there have been several periods of more rapid growth, brought on mainly by the location and development of some large industry. Since being a corporate body the population of Woonsocket, at different periods, has been as follows: 1870, 11,527; 1875, 13,576; 1880, 16,050; 1885, 16,199. By the census of 1885 there were 2,678 families with male heads and 538 with female heads, the average number belonging to each family being five members. Of the population in 1885 there were 7,530 males and 8,660 females. The increase of the latter was 2 per cent. greater than the former, com- paring 1875 with 1885. The native born were 9,069, and 7,121 were foreigners. Nearly 5,000 of the natives were born at Woonsocket; 60.9 per cent. of the inhabitants were single; 33.4 per cent., married; 5.6 per cent., widowed, and .1 per cent., divorced. There were 607 more dwellings in 1885 than 1875, and the increase was 42.2 per cent. The material was: wood, 1,809; brick, 106; stone, 34.
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The first residence and business directory of Woonsocket was pre- pared in 1875-6 by E. S. Metcalf & Co., who have since issued one biennially. The names contained were: 1875-6, 4,070; 1877-8, 4,499; 1880-1, 5,057; 1884-5, 5,614; 1886-7. 6,024; 1888-9, 6,810.
Although the organization of Woonsocket as a separate town had been agitated many years before it was accomplished, it does not ap- pear that there was any concerted action until the fall of 1866, when it was voted at a town meeting of the citizens of Cumberland to form out of that body a new town, with the following bounds: "Begin- ning at a point in the middle of the Blackstone river, directly oppo- site the center or middle of the Crook Falls brook, thence running northeasterly in a direct line to the easterly corner, formed by the junction of the new road (so called), leading from the southwestern corner of the town of Bellingham, with the old road, leading from the Elder Ballou meeting house (so called); thence northerly with the east line of said road to the Massachusetts state line; thence along said line to the Blackstone river and down said stream to the point of beginning."
An act for the division of the town was prepared by F. G. Jillson; and Fenner Brown, E. L. Blake, F. G. Jillson, L. W. Ballou and J. L. Brown were chosen a committee to assist in securing the setting off and incorporation of the town of Woonsocket, which was to " have and enjoy the like benefits, liberties, privileges and immunities as the other towns in this state enjoy and are entitled to." The act setting off the town was passed January 31st, 1867, and at the March meet- ing that year, Lyman Burlingame, John A. Corey and Herbert F. Keith were appointed to set up suitable boundary stones between the old and the new town. May 6th, 1867, they reported that this work had been done by them.
The area of the new town was increased four years later by the annexation of territory from the town of North Smithfield. The official action in Woonsocket, leading to this measure was taken May 6th, 1870, when the town voted that so much of Smithfield as is in- cluded in the villages of Hamlet, Bernon and Globe should be added, and Lyman A. Cook, Latimer W. Ballou and Charles Nourse were ap- pointed a board of " Commissioners to meet a similar board from Smithfield, to arrange a boundary line and other details of such annexation." The dismemberment of this territory had been bitterly opposed many years by some of the citizens of Smithfield, but it was accomplished by the act of March 8th, 1871, since which time it has been a corporate part of Woonsocket. As one of the conditions of this acquisition, Woonsocket paid into the general treasury, on May 8th, 1871, the sum of $7,500, being the annexed territory's proportion of the old town's debt. The entire area of the town of Woonsocket thus became 8.4 square miles.
18
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
The bounds of the town, before and since its organization as a separate body, have been in dispute, and particularly has the Massa- chusetts line been the subject of controversy. Several towns in that state lay claim to jurisdiction to the old Cumberland section of the town, Mendon claiming the western part and Dedham that part east of Peter's river. The royal decree of January 27th, 1746, settled the matter only in a general way, and for more than a hundred years longer citizens along the line were in doubt as to which state they owed their allegiance. The joint commissions of the states made, in March, 1862, what was believed to be a formal settlement of the dis- pute, but it was not until twenty years later that the controversy was finally set at rest. In 1883 granite stones, with the letters R. I. cut on the south face, and Mass. on the north face, were set up on the desig- nated line, and on the 7th of December, 1883, these were inspected by the governors of the two states and their commissioners, who approved the same. On their return the party was dined at the Woonsocket Hotel, and, since that time, this boundary has no longer been a dis- turbing factor.
On the 20th of May, 1874, a town seal was adopted, the design selected being similar to that of the probate court, and lettered: " Town of Woonsocket, Incorporated 1867."
The town councils, from the organization of the town until the adoption of the city charter, have been composed of the following members:
1867. Clinton Puffer, president; James C. Molten, Lewis F. Cook, Joseph L. Brown, George A. Grant.
1868 9. George W. Jenckes, president; Allen Thayer, B. S. Bur- lingame, Jos. B. Aldrich, Willis Wales.
1870. Nathaniel Elliott, president; Daniel B. Pond, Edwin B. Mil- ler, Seldon A. Bailey, Alanson Sweet.
1871. Nathaniel Elliott, president; Daniel B. Pond, John A. Ben- nett, Edwin B. Miller, Seldon A. Bailey, Albert J. Elwell, Seth T. Aldrich.
1872-3. Same as 1871, except Allen Thayer in place of Daniel B. Pond.
1874. A. J. Elwell, president; Nathaniel Elliott, Cyrus Arnold, L. C. Tourtellot, Albert P. Holley, Allen Thayer, James M. Cook.
1875. A. J. Elwell, president; L. C. Tourtellot, Cyrus Arnold, Al- bert P. Holley, John HI. Sherman, John Currier, John Connolly.
1876. Francello G. Jillson, president; Moses P. Roberts, John H. Sherman, William E. Grant, John A. C. Wightman, Alanson Sweet. Henry M. Grout.
1877. Walter E. Parker, president: John H. Sherman, John A. C. Wightman, William E. Grant, Noah L. Peck, George H. Grant, Wil- liam H. Goodale.
1878. Bradbury C. Hill, president; Ilenry A. Stone, Albert A.
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Smith, John H. Lee, Ara M. Paine, Henry M. Grout, Moses P. Rob- erts.
1879-80. Clinton Puffer, president; John H. Lee, Ara M. Paine, Seth S. Getchell, Edwin R. Scott, Charles H. Horton, Nathan B. Arnold.
1881. Charles F. Ballou, president; Joseph B. Aldrich, George M. Welles, Joseph Bouvier, Edward Thurber, Henry M. Darling, John C. Darling.
1882. Charles F. Ballou, president; Cyrus Arnold, George H. Grant, George W. Miller. Walter E. Smith, Godfroy Daigneault, Edward A. Mungeon.
1883. George H. Grant, president; Cyrus Arnold, J. A. C. Wight- man, George W. Miller, Walter E. Smith, Godfroy Daigneault, Ed- ward A. Mungeon.
1884. John A. C. Wightman, president: Cyrus Arnold, John Leech, Israel B. Phillips, Charles N. Brown, John R. Waterhouse. John B. Fountain.
1885. Cyrus Arnold, president; John Leech, Gilbert L. Staples, John R. Waterhouse, Israel B. Phillips, William L. Whipple, Edouard Beaudry.
1886. Daniel B. Pond, president; Caleb G. Carr, Edwin O. Ronian, James Handley, Charles E. Grant, Charles H. McFee, Erastus Rich- ardson.
1887-8. Charles H. McFee, president; Caleb G. Carr, Edwin O. Ronian, James Handley, Erastus Richardson, Gilman Brown, Victor Allaire.
In the same period the town clerks have been: 1867-73, Francello G. Jillson; 1875-88, Albert E. Greene. For a like period the town treasurers were: 1867-8, Herbert F. Keith; 1869-86, Theodore M. Cook: 1887-8, Samuel P. Cook.
The rapid growth of Woonsocket, and the increase of its diverse interests created a desire for a better form of municipal government than the town afforded. Accordingly, on the 13th of June, 1888, the general assembly passed an "Act to Establish the City of Woon- socket." This charter was adopted by the citizens of the town No- vember 6th, 1888, and under its provisions the first election of city officers was held December 3d, the same year. These were qualified and assumed the duties of their several offices January 7th, 1889, on which day the wheels of the city government were set in motion. In his inaugural address the mayor-elect, George H. Grant, called atten- tion to the improvements which had been made under the town rule, and hoped that they would augur yet better things under the direc- tion and provisions of a more comprehensive system of government. He cited as the evidences of what had been gained: "An efficient po- lice force; well lighted streets; a good fire department; better schools and fine school property; a good system of water works; extended and
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improved highways, and a greater thrift and enterprise among the people." But these valuable legacies were secured not without cost, and there was a town debt of $584,058.41, which the city assumed as one of its liabilities. The assessors' valuation at this time was $9,805,475.
Under the city charter Woonsocket was divided into five wards, each of which was entitled to elect one alderman and three council- men. In these and in the mayor is invested the administration of the fiscal, prudential and municipal affairs of the city, whose limits were made co-extensive with those of the old town. The other officers are elective by the city council, and embrace a long list in every department of affairs.
In 1889 the principal city officers were the following: Mayor- George H. Grant; aldermen-First ward, George M. Welles; Second ward, Richard Barnett: Third ward, John J. Heffernan; Fourth ward, James E. Cook; Fifth ward, George H. Miller; councilmen -First ward, George Smith, Odilon T. Paradis and John North; Second ward, Uriah Salley, Etienne N. Janson and James E. Brad- ford; Third ward, Charles H. Horton, William Power and James R. Gould; Fourth ward, Darius D. Farnum, James C. Molten and Aricl C. Thomas; Fifth ward, Philippe Boucher, L. Leprelett Miller and Frederic Dulude; clerk of the council, Louis W. Cook; city clerk, Albert E. Greene; city treasurer, Samuel P. Cook; city auditor, Aram J. Pothier; city sergeant, Horace M. Pierce; clerk of assessors, William C. Mason; collector of taxes, Alphonse Gaulin; judge of probate court, Charles F. Ballou; clerk of probate court, Al- bert E. Greene; health officer, Doctor George W. Jenckes; coroner, Thomas Z. Lee; chief of police, John G. Currier.
In 1889 the police force of the city consisted of the chief, a lieuten- ant, a sergeant and thirteen men. The department was maintained at an expense of more than $13,000 per year.
The unorganized condition of Woonsocket for so long a period made it necessary to secure from the state special authority to organ- ize for protection against fires. The need for such a measure had been made apparent by the disastrous fires of March 25th, 1829, and of April, 1835, which was so far-reaching in its effects that it is still called the "Great Fire." Accordingly the " Woonsocket Fire Corpor- ation " was organized under a charter granted at the June session of the general assembly, in 1836. The first principal officers of the cor- poration were the leading business men of the town. The wardens were: Smith Arnold, Willis Cook and Dutee B. Aldrich. George C. Ballou, Peter J. Cook and Edward Harris were the assessors of cor- poration taxes; Elisha T. Read was the collector; Pardon Sayles, treasurer. and O. A. Ballou, secretary.
The corporation retained this strong moral and financial support, and developed with the growth of the town until it was the owner of
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