USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > History of Providence County, Rhode Island > Part 26
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The territory now comprised in the town of Smithfield is bounded on the north by North Smithfield, on the east by Lincoln, on the south by North Providence and Johnston, and on the west by the town of Glocester. Places of interest in the town are-Villages : Georgiaville, Greenville, Stillwater, Enfield, Spragueville and Knightsville. Reser_ voirs : Cedar Swamp, Waterman, Slacks, Georgiaville, Stillwater. Rivers : Woonasquatucket and its tributaries. The Harris granite ledge is much worked and prized for the building material obtained from it. The amount of real estate assessed for the year 1888 was $1,233,000. The amount of tax was $12,721.80.
The town treasurers of Smithfield have been: John Sayles, 1731- 50; Israel Wilkinson, 1750; Stephen Whipple, 1755; Captain John Angell, 1756-60; Stephen Whipple, 1761-9; William Buffum, 1770-2; Arnold Paine, 1773-6; Uriah Alverson, 1777-85; Stephen Brayton, 1786-91; Robert Harris, 1792-1811: Isaac Wilkinson, 1812-39; Lewis Dexter, 1840-2; Stafford Mann, 1843; Samuel Clark, 1844; Stafford
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
Mann, 1845-9: Robert Harris, 1850-4; Henry Gooding, 1855-6; Thomas Moies, 1857; Reuel P. Smith, 1858-71; William Winsor, 1872 -85; Marshall I. Mowry, 1885 -.
The town clerks have been: Richard Sayles, 1731; Joseph Arnold, Jr., 1732; Daniel Jenckes, 1733-42; Joseph Arnold, 1743-5; Thomas Sayles, 1746-54; Joseph Sayles, 1755-9; John Sayles, Jr., 1759; Daniel Mowry, Jr., 1760-1814; Samuel Mann, 1815-16; Thomas Mann, 1817- 39; George L. Barnes, 1840-2; Orrin Wright, 1843: George L. Barnes, 1844; Orrin Wright, 1845-9: Stafford Mann, 1850-4; Samuel Clark, 1855-71; Oscar A. Tobey, 1872 -.
In the year 1837 the citizens of the town began to interest them- selves particularly on the subject of education. At this time the representatives were instructed to use their exertions to procure the passage of an act authorizing the town to form itself into school dis- tricts, and that the districts might tax themselves for the building of school houses, and might appoint each for itself a school committee.
In 1840 it was provided that a committee of three be appointed to examine persons proposing to teach in the schools; this committee was also to recommend school books and visit the schools. The first school committee, chosen in town meeting, consisted of Amos D. Lockwood, Nicholas S. Winsor and Samuel S. Mallery. The school committee was enlarged so as to consist of five persons. James I. Harkness was appointed on the school committee in place of Mr. Lockwood, who declined to serve, and Thomas D. Holmes and David W. Aldrich were added to said committee. In 1845 the school com- mittee was reduced to three, and the members were to be paid one dollar per day when engaged in their duties.
In 1846 $2,000 was appropriated for the public schools, and the committee allowed incidental expenses in addition to one dollar a day. In 1851 $3,000 was appropriated for the public schools; in 1852 $4,500, and this sum continued to increase till the division of the town, just prior to which time $18,000 was appropriated for the public schools and $1,000 for evening schools. The appropriation for Smith- field in 1888 was $5,341.99. From the school census of 1888 we learn there were ten school districts in the town, and the number of scholars in attendance was as follows: public schools, 414; Catholic schools, 93; select schools, 4; total, 511.
Joshua Winsor is the parent head of the Winsor family in this town. In 1637, we find his name with 12 others in the town of Provi- dence, which then included this territory, agreeing to a compact " for the public good," and on July 27th, 1640. he and 38 others signed an agreement for a form of government. He died in 1679, and on July 8th of same year the deed of his lands and dwelling house to his son Samuel was recorded. Samuel Winsor was born in 1644 and married Mercy Waterman (widow of Resolved) January 2d, 1677. Joshua Winsor, son of Samuel, born May 25th, 1682, married first Mary Barker,
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October 18th, 1706. She died December 30th, 1718; and for his second wife he married Deborah Harding, December 3d, 1719. Joshua Win- sor was pastor of the Baptist church of Smithfield for some time. His children were: Sarah, Joshua, Samuel, Susannah, Mary, Abraham and John; the last two by his second wife.
The Steere family are descended from John Steere and his wife Hannah Wickenden, who were married in 1660. They lived in a house on the west side of the river of Moshosit near land of Thomas Olney, Jr. His children were: John, Sarah, Dinah, Thomas, Jane, Ruth, William, Ann and Samuel. Thomas settled in that part of Providence then known as Smithfield. He was married twice. His first wife was Mary Arnold; the second was Mehitable Plummer, widow of Samuel. His children were: Phebe, Mary, Thomas, Richard, Elisha. His second wife had no issue. He died August 27th, 1735.
The Mowry family are descended from Roger and his wife Mary (Johnson), early settlers of Providence. Roger came to Providence about 1643. In 1655 he was appointed by the court of commissioners to keep a house of entertainment. He died in 1666. Henry Mowry, son of Nathaniel and grandson of Roger, was a settler in this part of Providence county. His first wife was Mary Bull, whom he married November 27th, 1701. His second wife was Hannah Mowry (widow of John), whom he married January 4th, 1734. He died September 23d, 1759. His children were: Mary, Uriah, Jonathan, Jeremiah, Sarah, Elisha and Phebe. Joseph, a brother of Henry Mowry, mar- ried Alice Whipple, June 3d, 1695. Their children were: Daniel, Joseph, Oliver, Alice and Waite. From the children of these two brothers descended most of the families now known by this name.
Greenville is situated in the southwestern portion of the town and contains three churches, two banks, one hotel, a good library and a number of stores. The village was named in honor of General Nath- aniel Greene. Resolved Waterman settled here in 1689. The descen- dants of Joshua Winsor are still living in this part of town. The hotel was built by Resolved Waterman in 1733, and 50 years ago it was kept by Nicholas S. Winsor, another prominent man of the town.
In 1822, when the Baptist church was raised, there were but five houses in the place. One was standing on the site now occupied by William Winsor's residence. It was owned by Smith Jencks and was taken down in 1848, at which time the present house was erected. Mr. John Seaver lived at that time in a house just back of the hotel, and the two houses now owned by Charles P. Allen were then standing.
As early as the year 1706 a Baptist church was erected here, and this with the hotel afterward built established this place as a center. It was not, however, until later times that much trading was carried on. Joseph Arnold was an early trader in the village and kept one of the first stores in the place. The building stood near the site now occupied by Mr. Tobey's store. It was erected during the first years
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of the present century and was burned down twice and blown down in the September gale of 1869. It was burned in July, 1870. William Tinkham kept a store where the Library Building now stands as early as 1840. He married a sister of Anthony Steere, who afterward traded in the same place for 20 years. In 1858 John Mclaughlin came to the place and established a store under the Greenville Bank. This building was erected in 1856. In 1880 he bought out the tin shop of Daniel Gorey, and moved where he is now in 1865. At the time Mr. Mclaughlin came to the place William Allen and wife kept a millinery store in the building Mclaughlin now occupies. Anthony Steere was trading in the building where the library is now, and James Burlin- game kept a store at Knightsville. John Harris had a blacksmith shop and William Mowry a paint shop. The tin shop was then owned by White & Gorey. John Wilkinson built the store now used in part by Walker A. Medbury for a post office and school supplies in 1877. Joseph Arnold, above mentioned, was succeeded by Barnes & Sprague. William Tobey came to the place in 1852 and traded here till 1878, when he was succeeded by his son, Oscar A. Tobey, the present mer- chant. The new store was built by William Winsor in 1870.
The hotel previously mentioned, built by Resolved Waterman in 1733, is now owned by Albert J. Mowry. About the year 1835 Nicholas S. Winsor ran the hotel and kept the post office. He left in 1845, going to New York, where he remained till 1881, when he returned. He was uncle to William Winsor, cashier of the Smithfield National Bank. After him came Edward Evans, Darius Hawkins, and Lewis Moss, who came when the Maine liquor law went into effect; Sidney Paul, Darius Hawkins the second time, William Bishop, Samuel Cros- born, Smith Young, then Albert J. Mowry, the present proprietor, who purchased the property and moved into the hotel on March 27th, 1867. The travel has been considerably diverted from this route since the building of the Providence & Springfield railroad.
The people in this vicinity have maintained a post office for time out of mind. It was kept in the hotel by Nicholas S. Winsor from 1835 to 1845. After him William Tobey kept it for years, then his son Oscar A. Tobey kept it for a number of years. In the meantime George A. Smith had it for awhile. The present postmaster, Walker A. Medbury, took the office July 8th, 1887. John Wilkinson ran the stage and carried the mail 40 years. He was succeeded about the year 1874 by Charles O. Greene, who carried the mail till the present con- tractor, Samuel O. Mowry, took the route about the year 1883. There is one mail a day.
The Smithfield Exchange Bank was established here in 1823. Daniel Winsor was its first president. He was succeeded by Nathan B. Sprague in 1825. His successors were: Joseph Cody, from 1835 to 1842; Oliver Batty, from 1842 to 1853; Elisha Smith, from 1853 to 1869; Benjamin R. Vaughn, from 1869 to 1878; and Henry E. Smith, the
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present executive. In 1865, the bank was changed to the national form. It has a capital stock of $150,000. The cashier was Nicholas S. Winsor, from 1823 to 1845, since which time William Winsor has held that position. Its deposits are about $581,000.
The Smithfield Savings Bank was organized in 1872. Benjamin R. Vaughn was president of this bank from 1872 to 1878, when Simon R. Steere succeeded and is still president. William Winsor has been treasurer since 1872.
The carriage business and blacksmithing have been carried on here many years. John J. Harris and Pardon Angell had the black- smith shop before the war. It passed into the hands of Whipple & Co. before the building was burned in 1870, and they erected the present building. The firm consisting of Andrew B. and William A. Whipple dissolved in 1882, the former going to Providence, but after- ward returning. Ethan C. Thornton now owns the woodshop, and Horatio N. Walcott the iron shop. The harness business was run by M. N. Joslyn, who came here in 1870, and ran it till 1873, when T. F. Harris, the present owner, took possession. Pardon Angell, grandson of Benjamin Arnold, an early settler in the town of Smithfield, has carried on the undertaking business in Greenville for a number of years.
A Baptist church was erected here in 1706. It was of the Six Principle persuasion and an offshoot of the old church in Providence under the pastoral care of Pardon Tillinghast. A Mr. John Hawkins, a member of Elder Tillinghast's church, held meetings for a consider- able length of time in this part of the town of Providence and finally became ordained as their minister. His successor was Elder Peter Place, who was very successful here in gathering up quite a following in the woods of Scituate and Glocester. Samuel Fish was ordained to superintend the work in Glocester and Scituate, also in Johnston. The successor of Peter Place was Joshua Winsor and Edward Mitchell was assistant to Elder Winsor. He lived to be 97 years old. He was succeeded by his son, Elder John Winsor, who was first an assistant to Elder Mitchell. About the year 1791-2, William Bowen was ordained elder. Elder Miller also officiated as pastor about this time. Mr. Bowen's society withdrawing from this place, Elder Winsor's church gradually diminished in number, and May 10th, 1806, 100 years after its organization, it had ceased to exist.
The Free-will Baptist church was erected here in 1822. It stood as it was built till 1884, when the old galleries were taken out, and other improvements made. The society was organized in 1820 by Elders Joseph White, and Daniel Quimby. From the town records we find that in June, 1822, Daniel Winsor, Daniel Mathewson, Jesse Foster and Stephen W. Smith were incorporated by the name of The Baptist Society in the Southwesterly part of Smithfield.
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
Reverend Joseph White, the first pastor, remained in charge until 1827, when he resigned. The services were held in the lower room of the old academy until the erection of the church edifice in 1822. The building stands on land donated by Major Nathan B. Sprague and Welcome Seaver. In 1827 Reverend Reuben Allen became pastor and remained in charge of the society till 1839. In 1843 Reverend Hosea Quimby followed and remained two years. In 1846 Reverend Maxcy Burlingame took charge, but remained only one or two years. In 1853 Reverend James A. Mckenzie became pastor and remained four years. Following him came Reverend Richard Woodworth from 1857 to 1873, the longest pastorate of any since the organization of the society. Reverend Charles S. Perkins served from 1873 to 1875, when Reverend Arthur Given succeeded. Reverend G. A. Burgess, the last pastor, was here six years. G. P. Grant and Albert Mowry are the deacons, Daniel Chandler is clerk, and William Winsor is chairman of the board of trustees. The membership numbers about 100.
St. Thomas Protestant Episcopal church is located in the village of Greenville. The first Episcopal service was held in Greenville by the Reverend Mr. Richmond, who came to this village by invitation of an old resident, a few years before regular services were established. In the summer of 1849 the Reverend J. H. Eames, D. D., visited Green- ville as a diocesan missionary and preached twice in the First Free- will Baptist church. Shortly after regular Episcopal services were conducted in the old Green Academy. In 1851 land was given by Mr. Resolved Waterman for the erection of a church, which was com- pleted the same year, and on the 9th of March it was consecrated by the Right Reverend J. P. K. Henshaw, D. D., LL.D. The structure is of stone and in the tower is a peal of three bells, a gift of the first rector's wife, Mrs. J. A. Eames, who also gave a baptismal font. At this time there were but two communicants, Mr. and Mrs. Emery Fisk. The same year an organization was effected with the following officers: Senior warden, J. P. Leonard; junior warden, Emery Fisk; vestrymen, Daniel Evans, Sessions Mowry, Burrill Bartlett, N. B. Sprague, J. S. Steere, Anthony Steere, William L. Killey.
In 1866 extensive repairs were made upon the church edifice and among these was the putting in of several memorial windows. In 1879 another effort was made to beautify the church and grounds; and additional repairs were made in 1889. The following rectors and ministers have been in charge of the church: Reverends James H. Eames, D. D., Benjamin Babitt, Benjamin H. Chase, George A. Cogges- hall, Eben Thompson, E. R. Sweetland, Charles H. Baggs, W. Ingram Magill, Charles E. Preston. The registered membership of the church is 79 and the following organizations are connected with it: St. Thomas Guild, St. Margaret's Altar Society, the Young Peoples' Society and the Ladies' Sewing Society. The officers of the parish are: Senior warden, J. A. Estes; junior warden, N. L. Vaughn; vestrymen, William
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
Clegg, Daniel W. Latham, Nathan C. Estes, Joseph A. Estes, Leonard C. Lincoln; clerk, I. A. Steere; treasurer, J. A. Estes; organist, Miss Z. J. Sprague; sexton, Marshall W. Mowry. A monthly paper is pub- lished called "St. Thomas' Register."
The citizens of Smithfield have always taken a lively interest in the cause of education. We find the Smithfield Third Library Company was chartered by the general assembly in 1797. The Greenville Free Public Library was started by subscriptions amounting to $300 and by the donations of valuable books by some of the public spirited citizens of the place in 1883. During the same year the association was incorporated, the officers being then as now: W. I. Magill, presi- dent; O. A. Tobey, secretary; William Winsor, treasurer; vice-presi- dents, Reverend Henry Lapham, Orra A. Angell, and Josephine Win- sor. The association purchased the store property of William Tobey in 1888 for their library building. The books number 2,300 volumes.
Temple Lodge, No. 18, F. & A. M., was established in 1824, under a dispensation of the Grand Lodge, and continued many years before a charter was granted. Moses Aldrich, Enos Olney, Reuben Mowry, Benjamin Belknap, Abraham Winsor, Charles C. Mowry, Zephaniah Keech, George C. Winsor and Thomas R. Eddy were the prime movers in the organization. In 1826 the society went into a formal organization, the officers being: Moses Aldrich, W. M .; Reuben Mowry, S. W .; Elmer Olney, J. W .; Thomas R. Eddy, treasurer; Zephaniah Keech, secretary; Abraham Winsor, S. D .; George W. Winsor, J. D. This organization continued intact till the year 1831, when it ceased to exist for the time as an active working body. Nich- olas S. Winsor was the last secretary of the Lodge under the dispensa- tion.
In 1866 the new hall was erected, and at that time the society was revived and a charter granted. The officers then chosen were: John M. Eddy, W. M .; George A. Smith, S. W .; Lorenzo M. Bailey, J. W .; Joseph C. Medbury, treasurer; Jerome Burlingame, secretary; William Blanchard, S. D .; Seth H. Steere, J. D .; Benjamin F. Chase, chaplain; Ethan C. Thornton, marshal; Lorenzo Mowry, tyler. The Centre- dale Lodge, No. 32, was taken from the Greenville Lodge, which greatly weakened the latter in point of number.
There are three mills in the village of Greenville and its vicinty. One of these was built in Knightsville about the year 1845 by a com- pany consisting of Stephen and Albert Winsor and William Brown, and was run under the name of Winsor & Brown. In 1850 the com- pany built the store. In 1857 the property was sold to Jeremiah Knight, who operates it now for the manufacture of sheetings. The mills employ 50 hands. Stephen H. Brown is superintendent.
The Winsor Mill was built about the year 1840, by Elisha Steere. It afterward passed into the hands of Polk & Steere, Wanton Vaughn and others, and in 1888 J. P. &. E. K. Ray, of Woonsocket, took the
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property. They employ about 50 hands, under the superintendence of Daniel F. Chandler, and manufacture plain cotton goods.
The Greenville Manufacturing Company, successors to the Smith- field Woolen Company, make fancy cassimeres. They operate a four set mill, and give employment to about 70 hands. The property passed into the hands of George Howard and John Maguire in De- cember, 1888.
Spragueville was first settled by Abraham Smith, in 1733, and a grist mill was erected some years after and two houses built. About 1824 Captain Thomas Sprague purchased the privilege and erected a mill. This property afterward came into the possession of Wanton Vaughn and others. It was then called the Granite Mill Company. From Wanton Vaughn it passed to his sons, William and Charles Vaughn, in 1871. They operated the store in connection with the mill. In 1888 Mrs. Elizabeth Vaughn took possession of the property. In 1886 the mill was stopped, but was started again in January, 1889. There are in operation 108 looms and 6,500 spindles. The mill is built of stone, and is 120 by 80 feet. The store was connected with the mill till 1884, and since then has been owned by different parties. Thomas S. Kielty is the present proprietor.
Stillwater is located on the Providence & Springfield railroad, near the central part of the town, and is the seat of the Stillwater Woolen Mill Company, and has a post office. The land here was set- tled by David Smith in 1733. In 1824 Israel Arnold and his brother Welcome bought the land of Daniel Smith's descendants, and erected a small cotton mill. Afterward this property passed into the hands of Joseph Clark, of Johnston, who sold it to Robert Joslin. The mill was burned down and rebuilt several times. In 1866 Edward W. Brown purchased the property, and with others built a fine woolen mill and a modern village, the concern being known as the Still- water Woolen Company, chartered in 1867. The first mill of this com- pany was burned down. The present structure is a ten set mill built of brick, 130 by 52 feet, with one ell 40 by 65, and one 45 by 32, and is five stories in height. This mill has been idle during the past few years, but when last in operation gave employment to 175 hands, and manufactured 600,000 pounds of wool annually, making 450,000 yards of cloth. When the mills were in operation a store was run in con- nection, by the company. Henry L. Dempsey has kept the post office for several years.
A flourishing grist mill located near the depot, on the Woonas- quatucket, is owned and operated by A. B. Capron. Originally there was a saw mill at this point owned by Nathan Angell, and subse- quently a grist mill. It was burned December 19th, 1877. The prop- erty passed from Henry Arnold to the present owner by whom the present mill was erected.
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
Georgiaville contains five stores, three churches and a post office, and is the seat of the Bernon Manufacturing Company. James Angell and Elisha Smith built houses in this vicinity in 1700. Thomas Owen settled here in 1752. In 1755 John Farnum and two of his sons, Joseph and Noah, came from Uxbridge, Mass., and purchased of Thomas Owen his house and land and commenced the business of blacksmith- ing, having also a forge just below the present mill of the Bernon Manufacturing Company. The iron ore was brought from Cranston, charcoal being used for smelting it. In 1760 John Farnum added to his house, which is still standing in good repair. Joseph Farnum built a house here in 1770.
The village of Georgiaville owes its origin and name to the con- struction of a cotton mill in that locality by the "Georgia Cotton Manufacturing Company," in the year 1813. The original company, composed of Samuel Nightingale, Samuel G. Arnold and Thomas Thompson, built a stone mill, 80 by 36 feet, on a fall of 18 feet of the waters of the Woonasquatucket river. They placed therein 1,000 spindles, without looms, the power loom not having been introduced into common use in Rhode Island until the year 1817. The yarn was spun and dyed at the mill, and made into webs, which were put out to be woven by hand in various parts of New England.
As this was one of the pioneer mills of Rhode Island, a retrospect- ive glance at the records of this old establishment will disclose the primitive state of the cotton manufacture at its commencement there, and serve to show the contrast between the present improved processes and those of past days. The cotton was at first picked by hand, and was distributed over the country in small parcels, to be cleaned of seeds and motes by industrious housewives and their children gathered around the domestic fireside. The loose cotton in their laps sometimes took fire, and accounts of burning up parcels of cotton, and also the dresses and houses of the industrious cotton pickers, sometimes formed a part of the business correspondence. The price paid for the hand- picking of the cotton was about as much as a manufacturer now expects to obtain as the net profit for the labor of spinning it. Equally remark- able was the price once paid for weaving yard-wide sheetings, which, as fixed by the tariff rate for No. 20 yarn, as printed on one of the old weaver's tickets, appears to have been 13 cents per yard. This is the present selling price of similar cloth. For weaving gingham the price fixed was one cent additional per yard for every different color.
Another building of stone, 80 by 40 feet, was built in 1828, and a third addition of the same extent in 1846. After the power loom was introduced in 1819 the manufacture of ginghams was superseded by that of sheetings. The number of spindles was gradually increased from 1,000 in the year 1813 to 7,000 in 1853, when the estate passed into the hands of Zachariah Allen.
In 1871 the company was incorporated with Moses B. I. Goddard,
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president, and Henry Waterman, treasurer. In 1886 the bondholders took possession of the property, and in 1889 it became incorporated under the style of the Bernon Mills Company. The present officers are: J. W. Danielson, president; Royal C. Taft, treasurer; J. Herbert Wells, secretary. The company make print goods and employ about 125 hands.
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