USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > History of Providence County, Rhode Island > Part 25
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Mr. Wilcox is a staunch republican, and has been the recipient of the popular vote of the citizens of his town for public office for sev- eral years past. In 1887 he was elected to the town council of North Providence, and in 1888, 1889 and again in 1890 he was elected to the state senate. He was not only the nominee of his party in the last political canvass, but of the democrats as well, who put up no candi- date against him. In the senate he served on the committee on elec- tions, and was also a member of the committee on public help, acting as chairman of that committee during his second term of office. He also served on other committees, and in various capacities. Mr. Wil- cox is public spirited, and takes a lively interest in the affairs of his town and county. He is a member of several societies, among which are the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and the Rhode Island Society for the Encouragement of all Domestic Industries, of which he is a member of the standing committee. He was chosen commis- sary, ranking as first lieutenant, on the staff of the United Train of Artillery of the Town of Providence, one of the oldest organizations in the state. He served two years in this capacity and declined re- election. Mr. Wilcox is the father of one child, Reynolds Baldwin Wilcox.
CHAPTER VI.
THE TOWN OF SMITHFIELD.
Incorporation .- Description .- Early Records .- Highways .- Defense of the Town Authori- ties Against Sundry Persons .- Various Proceedings of the Town Council .- The Revo- lutionary Period .- The Militia Companies .- The Cumberland Rangers .- Legislation Against Slavery .- Provision for the Poor .- War Expenses .- Division of the Town .- The Present Town of Smithfield .- Town Officers .- Public Schools .- Early Settlers .- Greenville: its Industries, Churches, Banks, Library, etc .- Spragueville .- Stillwater. -Georgiaville, and its Mills, Churches, etc .- Enfield .- Biographical Sketches.
T HE town of Smithfield was originally a portion of the town of Providence. Why it has been called Smithfield has not been satisfactorily explained. It was incorporated February 26th, 1730-1, and was the largest town in the state but one in population. The preamble to the act of incorporation is in the following words:
" Forasmuch as the Out Lands of the Town of Providence are large, and replenished with Inhabitants sufficient to make and erect three Townships besides the Town of Providence and the Land lies convenient for the same; which will be of great Ease and Benefit to the Inhabitants of said Land, in transacting and negotiating the pru- dential Affairs of their Town, which for some Time past has been very heavy and burthensome; " and Smithfield, Scituate and Glocester were separated into independent townships. It was provided that the towns were to " have each their proportion of the interest of the Bank money appropriated to the use of the towns of this colony, according to the sums that the lands lying in each town are mortgaged for; and that money the town treasurer of Providence has advanced for the town before the division thereof, be repaid him out of the whole in- terest money, before division thereof be made."
The territory set off comprised 73 square miles of land. It was bounded on the east by the Blackstone river, on the south by Johnston and North Providence, on the west by Glocester, and on the north by the state of Massachusetts. At the time of the division of the town the western boundary was the east line of Glocester and Burrillville, the latter town having been set off from Glocester. Bounded on one side by the most important river in the state, save Providence river, it included within its limits the Branch, Moshassuck, Woonasqua- tucket and Crook Fall rivers, besides other smaller streams which benefitted and beautified it.
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
In its physical features it presented an attractive but diversified aspect. Near its northern extremity rose Woonsocket hill, the high- est land in the state, towering nearly 600 feet above the level of the sea. Oak, walnut, ash, chestnut and birch clothed the hills with a luxuriant growth of trees, while the valleys were rich in soil. The lime stone quarries, which are still important, were early utilized. The town also possesses valuable water power, which later gave con- siderable growth to the population and an impetus to the manufactur- ing interests.
The record of the first town meeting is as follows, the orthography being conformed to the usage of the present day: " At a town meeting called by warrant under the hands and seals of Joseph Arnold and Jonathan Sprague, Jr., Esqs., Justices of the Peace, and held at the house of Captain Valentine Whitman in Smithfield, in the County of Providence, &c., on the 17, day of March, Anno Domini, 1730 or 31; whereof Mr. Jonathan Sprague, Jr., was chosen moderator of said meeting, and Richard Sayles was chosen town clerk, at said meeting, and John Arnold chosen the first town councilman at said meeting, and Captain Joseph Mowry chosen the second town councilman, Thomas Steere chosen the third town councilman, Samuel Aldrich chosen the fourth town councilman, John Mowry chosen the fifth town councilman, Benjamin Smith chosen the sixth town councilman; John Sayles chosen at said meeting town treasurer; Uriah Mowry chosen town sergeant at aforesaid meeting. Joseph Arnold, Jun., chosen sealer and packer at said meeting; David Comstock chosen the first constable, Elisha Steere chosen the second constable, and Joseph Herendeen, Jr., chosen the third constable. Captain Valentine Whit- man and Thomas Smith and Joshua Winsor and Jeremiah Arnold were chosen overseers of the poor of the town. Job Arnold and John Smith, son of Joseph Smith ' Juyner,' chosen surveyors of the high- ways. Hezekiah Comstock and Daniel Arnold and John Dexter Jun. and Jonathan Sprague minor, chosen fence viewers. Joseph Bagley and Daniel Matthewson chosen hemp viewers. John Whitman chosen pound keeper. John Wilkinson and Charles Sherlock chosen hog constables. Richard Sayles accepted and was engaged according to law to the office of town clerk for the ensuing year before Jonathan Sprague, Justice, the day and year above said. The town councilmen that were chosen did all accept and was engaged according to law to the office of town councilman, before Jonathan Sprague, Justice, the day and year above said. John Sayles did accept and was engaged according to law to the office of town treasurer, before Jonathan Sprague, Justice. Uriah Mowry did accept and was engaged according to law to the office of town sergeant. David Comstock and Elisha Steere and Joseph Herendeen, Jr., did all accept and were engaged according to law to the offices of con- stables. Hezekiah Comstock and Daniel Arnold and John Dexter,
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
Jr., and Jonathan Sprague, minor, did all accept and were engaged according to law to the office of fence viewers. Captain Valentine Whitman and Thomas Smith and Jeremiah Arnold all accepted and were engaged according to law to the office of overseers of the poor. Job Arnold and John Smith both accepted and engaged according to law to the office of highway surveyors. Joseph Arnold, Jr., accepted and was engaged according to law to the office of sealer and packer. John Whitman accepted and engaged according to law to the office of pound keeper. Daniel Matthewson and Joseph Bagley both accepted and were engaged according to law to the office of hemp viewers. It was voted at said meeting that the 27, day of April next is the day perfixed for the freemen of the town of Smithfield to meet together at the house of John Sayles in Smithfield in order to choose Repre- sentatives to send to Newport, next May Session, and also to send in their proxies for the General Officers of this colony, and also to do other business as is necessary for said town."
On the 23d of March, 1731 (N. S.), the town meeting chose its deputies to the general assembly, provided its quota of jurors for a settlement with the town of Providence, and voted a bounty for killing wild-cats and wolves. In 1738, a pair of stocks were built, and a whipping post erected near the house of John Sayles.
In 1738, the town took a most important step in developing its re- sources, and providing for the comfort and convenience of its inhabi- tants. This was the passage of a highway act. Before this time there had been, in Rhode Island, no other law upon this subject than the laws of England, which were of course but ill adapted to the circumstances in which the then inhabitants of Smithfield found them- selves. The act passed by the town was drawn with great care and a precision which is evidence of the capacity of those who adopted it for self-government. It provided for the appointment of surveyors, and made it their duty to inspect the roads within the limits of their jurisdiction, and enough of them were appointed to care for the high- ways throughout the town; specific provision was made for the amount and character of the work to be done, and every male inhabi- tant of the town, 21 years of age, and able-bodied, except apprentices, slaves and idiots, was to work on the highway six days in the year, and eight hours a day.
In 1748, the population of Smithfield was 450; the town was divided into 16 highway districts, the persons hereinafter named in each dis- trict being the surveyor for the district described.
District No. 1, began at Patience Arnold's, so to extend northwest- erly over the Branch river, and all the roads west and northwest of said river: Daniel Comstock, Jr.
District No. 2, began at Samuel Aldrich (near Union village), down where the new road turns out of the old, and by the new and the old road to where they intersect on the hill, a little southeast from the
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
Little River Bridge-also, the cross road by Benjamin Paine and Uriah Mowry (on Sayles Hill): John Sayles.
District No. 3, began at Locusquesset Brook (near Lime Rock), and so up the highway, till it comes to where two roads meet on the hill, a little southeast from the Little River Bridge: Peter Bellowe, Jr.
District No. 4, began at Locusquesset Brook to Providence line, also the Cross road by Jonathan Arnold's, beginning at the old high- way by the Lime Kiln, to end where said highway intersects with the highway that goes by Dr. Jenckes-also the Cross road from Abra- ham Scott to Pawtucket river: William Whipple, Jr.
District No. 5, began at the Old Quaker Meeting House, so north- easterly and northerly to Thomas Lapham's (near Albion): John Dexter.
District No. 6, began at Thomas Lapham's, and so north, to Woon- socket falls (The River road from Albion up): Joseph Lapham.
District No. 7, began at Daniel Wilbur's to Providence line-also, from the same place to Christopher Brown's: Benjamin Cook.
District No. 8, began at saw mill by James Appleby, to Thomas Sayles, and from Elisha Cook's, toward Providence line, till it comes to Ebenezer Herrendeen's: Elisha Cook.
District No. 9, began at Glocester line, west of John Sayles, Jr., so easterly by Othonial Matthewson, thence northeast to Woonsocket Falls-also a piece from Thomas Sayles to aforesaid road: Othonial Matthewson.
District No. 10, began at Ebenezer Herrendeen, down to Daniel Wilbur: Thomas Herrendeen.
District No. 11, began at Providence line, near Isaac White's to the " Logway," also the Cross Road from Daniel Angell, to the Island Road: Thomas Steere.
District No. 12, began at Abraham Smith's barn, so southeast by Smith's house, to Providence line: Leland Smith.
District No. 13, began at the corner of Abraham Smith's fence, near the Baptist Meeting House, thence, northerly by Abraham Smith's, so up the "Logway " to Glocester line, also the cross road, beginning at the saw mill by his house, thence southerly to aforesaid road: James Appleby.
District No. 14, began at Glocester line, by Widow Steere's, to Providence line, all below Joseph Carpenter's; Samuel Aldrich, Jr.
District No. 15, began at Glocester line, a little west of Benjamin Wilkinson, thence down to Providence line-also from Resolved Wa- terman's, thence southwesterly to Glocester line, by Snake Hill: Abra- ham Winsor.
District No. 16, began at Glocester line near Daniel Matthewson, thence northeasterly by his house to Wainsocket Falls, till it meets Cumberland in the middle of the Bridge. Also, beginning at Patience Arnold's, thence down to District No. 2. (This was a portion of the
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
Great Road to Sayles Hill, and South Main Street, west to Burrill- ville): Nathan Staples.
A committee was appointed at the first town council to arrange the monetary affairs between the towns of Smithfield and Providence. . At this meeting sundry persons were ordered before the town council, of whom "some were ordered removed from the town." The person cited, if recalcitrant, was forthwith put out of the town by the sergeant; if he returned he was ordered to pay a fine within one hour, or be stripped naked " from the waist upward " and whipped. It is to the credit of the town, however, that when one Phebe Thornton, a tran- sient person, was ordered by the council to pay a fine far beyond her means, on the instant, or be stripped and whipped, that Thomas Steere, a good Quaker who was so many years president of the town council, was not present. It is believed also that the wandering Phebe was not scourged severely.
At a special town meeting, held on the 16th of September, 1774, Captain Arnold Paine and William Winsor were chosen a committee to visit the town of Boston and inquire into the circumstances of the poor of that town, and make report on the 10th day of October next. Captain William Potter, Peleg Arnold and Stephen Whipple were ap- pointed a committee to receive the directions given by the inhabi- tants for the relief of the poor of Boston. At a town meeting held on the 10th of October, 1774, the committee aforenamed made a verbal report, and the town "welcome for the above service, for which the town returns them thanks." "Whereupon it is Voted, that subscrip- tion papers be drawn up for the purpose of gaining support for the poor sufferers of Boston, and delivered into the hands of the committee already appointed for that purpose, and that William Potter, Peleg Arnold and Stephen Whipple do the service appointed gratis; to which they in this meeting agreed in person; and that the subscrip- tion papers with receipts be returned to the town clerk's office of this town, to the intent that full and ample satisfaction may be made in that behalf." The result of this action will be seen by a perusal of the following letter directed to Daniel Mowry, Jr., town clerk:
BOSTON, November 2d, 1774.
" GENTLEMEN:
"By the hands of Captain Stephen Whipple and Mr. William Pot- ter, the Committee of Donations received your very acceptable pres- ent of one hundred and fifty sheep. The Committee, in behalf of the Town, return our grateful acknowledgments to our kind and gen- erous benefactors, the patriotic inhabitants of Smithfield and John- ston. Such bounties greatly refresh our spirits, and encourage us to persevere in the glorious cause of true, constitutional freedom and liberty. We consider the cause as common, and therefore a cause in the defence of which all North America ought to be united; and it af- fords us, as it must every true-hearted American, a peculiar pleasure
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
that such union prevails at this day, as bodes well to the rights and liberties of North America, civil and religious.
"What judgment are we to form respecting those who would affect to be calm and unconcerned spectators in this day of trouble and dis- tress? But what shall we think and say of those who are constantly endeavoring, in a private, and when they dare, more open manner to carry into execution a plan the most detestable, and calculated for the destruction of everything accounted[valuable and dear in the eyes of Americans. Surely, then, Americans must, they will, exert them- selves to their utmost at such a day as this.
"The inhabitants of this town are called, in providence, to stand, as it were, in the front of the battle. We have reason, in the first place, to be thankful to God, who hath thus far helped us, and nextly, to our generous and kind benefactors, by their affectionate letters, as well as their timely donations. May the Lord reward them. We greatly need wisdom, direction, prudence, zeal, patience and resolu- tion. Our Christian friends may, by their prayers to God, contribute much towards a happy issue of these severe trials, and those mercies which are the fruit of the prayers of faith will prove mercies indeed. But we have not time to enlarge.
" Inclosed is a printed half sheet respecting the conduct of the Com- mittee on the improvement of the charities of our friends, which we hope will be to their satisfaction.
" Gentlemen, your much obliged friends and fellow-countrymen.
Per order of the
" DAVID JEFFRIES. . ( Committee on Donations."
At a town meeting held on the 20th day of February, 1775, Stephen Arnold, Jr., Andrew Waterman, Thomas Aldrich, Elisha Mowry, Jr., and Uriah Alverson were appointed a committee of inspection, agree- able to the eleventh article of the continental congress, and Daniel Mowry, Jr., and Othniel Matthewson were appointed a committee to receive the town's quota of fire arms, according to act of government, and deliver the same to the three present captains of the foot com- panies in this town according to the muster rolls in number. In June of the same year Stephen Whipple, Joseph Jencks, Daniel Angell, Arnold Paine, Peleg Arnold, Andrew Waterman, and Elisha Mowry, Jr., were chosen to collect 100 fire-arms, to put them in proper repair for battle at the expense of the town, to be then lodged; one-third part at the dwelling house of Captain Joseph Jencks; one-third part at Colonel Elisha Mowry's, and the other third part at Peleg Arnold's; to be and remain for the use of the town on any invasion that may happen; and that William Potter, Joseph Jencks, and Sylvanus Sayles be a committee to prize said guns. Immediately thereafter, at an adjourned meeting, it was voted that all the fire-arms within the train band of the first company in the town, be collected at the dwelling
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
house of Captain Joseph Jencks within the week; those of the second and third companies to be also collected, "in order to collect one hundred of the best quality to be equipped for use immediately."
At the May session of the general assembly, 1776, certain towns were supplied with powder and lead; and to Smithfield was appor- tioned 200 pounds of powder and 400 pounds of lead. At the June session a census of the population was ordered, and Daniel Mowry, Jr., was the committee for this town. All the salt in the colony was directed to be divided among the several towns at the rate of six shillings per bushel, " for cash only," and Smithfield was allowed 150 bushels. A new distribution of salt was ordered, Smithfield being allowed 400} bushels. This year a hospital was provided “ to intro- duce the small pox by inoculation."
In May, 1776, John Sayles, Esq., was assistant, and Daniel Mowry, Jr., Esq., and Captain Andrew Waterman were deputies. The general assembly repealed the "Act of Allegiance," preceding the repeal by this preamble: " Whereas in all States existing by Compact, Protection and Allegiance are reciprocal, the latter being due only in consequence of the former: And whereas GEORGE the Third, King of Great Britain, forgetting his Dignity, regardless of the Compact most solemnly entered into, ratified and confirmed, to the Inhabitants of this Colony, by His illustrious Ancestors, and till of late fully recog- nized by Him-and entirely departing from the Duties and Character of a good King, instead of protecting, is endeavoring to destroy the good People of this Colony, and of all the United Colonies, by send- ing Fleets and Armies to America, to Confiscate our Property, and spread Fire, Sword and Desolation, throughout our Country, in order to compel us to submit to the most debasing and detestable Tyranny; whereby we are obliged by Necessity, and it becomes our highest Duty, to use every Means, with which God and Nature have furnished us, in support of our invaluable Rights and Privileges; to oppose that Power which is exerted only for our Destruction."
"Be it therefore enacted by this General Assembly, and by the Authority thereof it is enacted, that an Act intituled 'An Act for the more effectual securing to His Majesty the Allegiance of his Subjects in this his Colony and Dominion of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations,' be, and the same is hereby, repealed." The act then went on to provide for the necessary changes in the terms of the com- missions for offices, civil and military; and that in all suits and proces- ses in law, reference to the king should be omitted, and they should run in the name, and by the authority of "The Governor and Com- pany of the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Planta- tions.'"
Stephen Hopkins and William Ellery were appointed delegates to the continental congress. A committee, one of whom was Andrew Waterman, was appointed to procure, and send immediately to New-
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
port, as many iron, or shod shovels, as could be got, and to procure to be made as soon as possible, fifty good spades. Elisha Mowry, Jr., Esq., was chosen lieutenant colonel of the Second Regiment of Militia, in the county of Providence. The following were the officers of the three Smithfield Militia companies : First Company .- Captain, Thomas Jenckes ; lieutenant, Samuel Day; ensign, George Streeter. Second Company .- Captain, David Eddy; lieutenant, Ebenezer Trask; ensign, Simeon Ballou. Third Company .- Captain Nehemiah Smith; lieutenant, James Smith; ensign, Jesse Smith.
The Smithfield and Cumberland Rangers were incorporated as an independent company. The company having chosen, the general assembly appointed the following officers: Captain, George Peck; first lieutenant, Nedibiah Wilkinson; second lieutenant, Edward Thomp- son; ensign, Levi, Brown.
In 1782 the ratable value of Smithfield was put at £200,000. The number of acres in the town was estimated to be 35,236. The popula- tion of the town was 2,217.
At a town meeting held June 2d, 1783, the following vote was passed: "We, the inhabitants of the town of Smithfield, in town meet- ing assembled, being impressed with a sense of the iniquity and inhu- manity of the practice of enslaving the human species, and being fully convinced of this standing truth that all men are born to an equal right of liberty; and while we are contending for the inestimable privilege ourselves, to be acting the tyrant over, and bringing others into abject slavery is as great an inconsistency as a rational being can be guilty of, and sufficiently evinces that such people are only craving it for themselves for their own enjoyment without possessing the spirit of liberty in their own minds: Therefore we instruct and direct you our Representatives to use your endeavors and influence in the General Assembly, to procure a law made and passed that no ship or vessel shall be fitted out from any part of this State to Africa, unless the Master or Captain thereof shall give bonds in such a sum, and be under such lawfull restrictions, regulations and obligations as the legislative body shall seem suitable, and deem effective to debar him from purchasing or bringing away from the country the inhabitants,; and making slaves of them, or selling them for slaves in any of the West India Islands or elsewhere."
During the late war much patriotism was exhibited by the citizens of Smithfield. A committee was appointed to look after the condition of those families whose members volunteered in the service of the country, and in January, 1862, $181.43 was appropriated for their benefit. In March the sum so applied was $527.32; for April it was $475, for May $375. Bounties were also granted, for which the town treasurer was authorized to borrow the sum of $27,600. From year to year appropriations were made which made the total war expenses of the town nearly $40,000.
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
At the June town meeting, 1870, it was voted that "a committee consisting of five persons be appointed to confer with the committee from the town of Woonsocket in the matter of setting off and annex- ing to said town of Woonsocket a portion of the town of Smithfield." A vote was taken on this subject, there being 42 in favor, and 193 opposed. January 21st, 1871, the question of dividing the town of Smithfield into three towns was voted for, there being 111 in favor and 33 opposed.
The direct action which resulted in the division of the town of Smithfield originated in a petition to the general assembly, at its January session, 1867. This petition was continued to the May, and again to the January session, 1868. At the May session, 1868, the house judiciary committee recommended the continuance of the peti- tion, submitting as the opinion of the committee that some action should be taken by the town tending to remedy the grievances com- plained of growing out of the present organization of the town of Smithfield. At the January session, 1869, the majority-four out of five-of the joint special committee, to whom this matter of the divi- sion of the town had been referred, made a very elaborate report, recommending such division. A minority report was also made. The act reported by the committee was laid on the table. Another petition, being substantially a continuation of the proceedings commenced in 1867, was preferred to the January session of the general assembly, 1870. It was continued to the May session and then to the January session, 1871. After repeated hearings, the joint special committee, upon the open or tacit agreement of the parties concerned, recom- mended the passage of the bill which had been drawn, and the town was, by the general assembly, divided. By this division the popula- tion of the town was decreased from 12,315 to 2,857. The population of Smithfield, according to the census of 1885, was 2,338.
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