USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > History of Providence County, Rhode Island > Part 32
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Andrew J. Currier, a native of Massachusetts, was born in Fall River in 1850, and is a son of Andrew R. Currier. In 1868 he entered the office of the Albion Manufacturing Company, and is at the present time agent of the company. He was a member of the town council for six years and president of the same for four years; was a member of the republican state central committee and chairman of the town committee several years. He was married in 1875 to Lucy S., daughter of John L. Clark. They have two children, a son and a daughter.
James C. Dexter, born in Cumberland in 1836, is a son of James M., he a son of Timothy W., he a son of James Dexter, who with two brothers, John and Daniel, settled in the town of Cumberland. Timo- thy W. married Sarah Messenger. James M. married Phebe Sanborn. James C. Dexter removed with his parents to Illinois when he was only eight months old and resided there until 1862, when he returned to Cumberland, owning and residing on the old Dexter homestead, which has been in the Dexter family nearly 150 years. Mr. Dexter was married in 1859 to Sarah Frances Barrows, a native of Maine. They have three daughters: Fannie O., now Mrs. Bryant; Minerva W., now Reverend Mrs. Lane, and Hattie B., now Mrs. England. Mr.
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
Dexter represented the town of Cumberland for the years 1871, 1872 and 1873; was a member of the town council for three years, and has held many other offices in the town. He is a member of Unity Lodge, No. 34, F. & A. M., of Lonsdale, and a member of the Lonsdale Epis- copal church.
Thomas D. Elsbree, son of James and Amelia (Follett) Elsbree, was born in Lincoln in 1842. He engaged in mercantile trade in Valley Falls in 1866, carrying on that business for nearly 20 years, retiring in 1885. He was elected to the house of representatives from Cumberland in 1887-8, and has been assessor of taxes for three years. He is a member of Superior Lodge of Odd Fellows of Central Falls, Washington Lodge, No. 4, Knights of Pythias, Union Lodge, No. 10, F. & A. M., of Pawtucket, Pawtucket Royal Arch Chapter, Holy Sepul- chre Commandery, No. 8, of Pawtucket, and also a member of the Ancient Order of Scottish Rites, of Providence. He was married in 1864 to Sarah E. Arnold, daughter of James Arnold of Pawtucket.
Edward F. Gurry, born in England in 1846, is a son of Patrick Gurry. He came to this country the same year and settled in Cum- berland. He is a carpenter by trade, but since 1875 has carried on a meat and vegetable market at Valley Falls. He was in the civil war, being a member of the 12th Rhode Island Infantry. He was married in 1880 to Miss Virginia W. Tinney. They have one son, Edmund Gurry. Mr. Gurry is a member of the G.A.R.
Dutee Johnson, born in North Providence January 17th, 1844, is one of a family of 14 children. He is a son of Dutee, grandson of Stukley and great-grandson of Benjamin, all of whom were born in Warwick, R.I. Benjamin owned at one time a large part of the land where the village of Washington now stands. Mr. Johnson removed to Bristol, R.I., with his parents when quite young and resided there until 1861. He served over three years in the late war; was senior lieutenant in the Fifth R. I. Artillery. He is a member of Slocum Post, G.A.R., of Providence. He is a carpenter by trade. He came to Cumberland in 1881 and has been in the employ of the Rhode Island Horse Shoe Company since that time. He was married in 1867 to Julia Langley. They had three sons and two daughters. One son and the daughters are living. Mr. Johnson was married again in 1884 to Fannie L. Avery.
Addison Kinsman, born in Heath, Franklin county, Mass., in 1810, is a son of David and Abigail (Putnam) Kinsman. Addison settled in Cumberland over 40 years ago. He was married in 1861 to Sarah A. Dexter, sister of James M. and daughter of Timothy W. Dexter. Mr. Kinsman was agent at Lonsdale for the Providence & Worcester rail- road for twelve years. He has been twice elected to the town council, and has also been a member of the school committee eight years, and was trustee for School District No. 12, Lonsdale, 23 years. He is a member of Lonsdale Episcopal church.
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
Robert G. McMeehan was born in Providence in 1865, and is a son of Robert and Margaret (McIntosh) McMeehan. He has been a resident of Cumberland since 1884, occupying the position of bookkeeper with the Lonsdale Company. He is a member of Unity Lodge, No. 34, F. & A. M.
William H. Magee, son of Johnson and Elizabeth Magee, was born in Eastport, Me., in 1840, came to Woonsocket in 1871, and until 1881 was overseer of the spinning department in a cotton factory at that place. He came to Cumberland in 1883 as superintendent of the Lonsdale Company's Berkeley Mill. He is a member of Solomon Temple Lodge, F. & A. M., of Uxbridge, Mass., and of the Chapter and Commandery of Woonsocket. He was married in 1870 to Emily A., daughter of N. L. Peck, of Woonsocket. He is a Baptist and she a Universalist.
Omar Metcalf is a son of Charles and Lydia B. (Smith) Metcalf and grandson of David. Charles Metcalf was engaged in the manufacture of cotton machinery at Arnold's Mills. Charles and Lydia Metcalf had a family of six children: Horace E., Omar, Henry, Sarah, Mary and Eunice. Henry and Omar own and reside upon the Metcalf home- stead, formerly owned by their grandfather.
Thomas Munroe was born in 1842 in Seekonk, Mass., now a part of East Providence. He is a son of William S. and Lucy R. (Weber) Munroe. From 1869 to 1877 he was in the employ of the Providence & Worcester railroad. He came to Cumberland in 1871 and until 1877 was station agent at Lonsdale. Since 1873 he has been engaged in the coal business at Lonsdale. He was elected to the town council in 1885. He is a charter member of Unity Lodge, No. 34, F. & A. M., of Lonsdale. He was married in 1874 to Ruth W. Grant. They have one daughter, Hattie D.
Jason Newell, son of John and Polly (Grant) Newell, was born in Cumberland in 1827. His grandparents were Jason and Sarah (Spald- ing) Newell. Jason Newell was born in Smithfield in 1746 and had a family of ten children: Jabe, born 1772; Mary, born 1773; William, born 1775; Sarah, born 1777; Amey, born 1780; Jesse, born 1782; Jason, born 1784; John, born 1788; Spalding, born 1790, and Nathaniel, born 1795. Jason Newell was married in 1852 to Mary A., daughter of Columbia Tingley. They had three children: Isabel F., Ellis J. and Mary L. Mrs. Newell died in 1874, and in 1881 he was married to Jennie E. Holmes. Mr. Newell has always been engaged in farming and milling. He was representative from Cumberland for three years during Governor Sprague's administration, and he has been member of town council several years.
John A. Pollitt, born March 6th, 1847, in Lincoln, R. I., is a son of William and Edna Carter Pollitt, who came from England about 1844. He was overseer of the weave room for the Lonsdale Company until his death in 1886. He moved to the Cumberland side in 1862 and ever
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after resided there. He was a member of Christ Episcopal church of Lonsdale, also a vestryman for a great number of years, and always took an active interest in all the affairs of the society. They had four children, John A. being the only one living. He is a machinist and was in the employ of the Lonsdale Company for several years, but for the past eight years has been engaged in farming, and also carries on a wood yard. He is a member of Unity Lodge, No. 34, F. & A. M., of Lonsdale. He was married in 1870 to Margaret J. Simpson. They have two sons and five daughters.
Gilbert Walker Pratt, superintendent of the Lonsdale Company, has been employed by the company for 24 years. He is a native of Taunton, Mass., and a descendant of the Walkers of the old colony, his genealogy tracing to Widow Walker, who settled in Rehoboth, Mass., in the year 1632. Mr. Pratt was born in 1833 and resided in Taunton until 1866. He was under the mechanical instruction of the Mason Machine Works for 14 years, and was called to the service of the Lonsdale Company in 1866. He is a strong republican but averse to holding any political office.
Halsey C. Rawson, born in Cumberland in 1847, is a son of William M. and Caroline A. (Carpenter) Rawson, and a grandson of Thomas Rawson, who was a native of Massachusetts. William M. Rawson re- sided in Cumberland, and for over 40 years was engaged in the manu- facture of cotton yarn. He represented the town of Cumberland in the assembly and also in the senate, and was a member of the town council several years. Halsey C. engaged in mercantile trade at Abbott Run in 1878, and conducted that business until 1884, at which time he went into the grain business, which he carried on for two or three years. In November of 1888 he resumed the grocery business. He is postmaster at Abbott Run. He is a member of Jenks Lodge, No. 24, of Central Falls, and the Canonchet Tribe of Red Men. He was married in 1868 to Esta E. Jencks of Cumberland. They have two sons, William H. and Elbert L.
STAFFORD W. RAZEE, born in Cumberland, R. I. March 8th, 1827, is a son of Whipple and grandson of Anthony Razee. He engaged in mercantile business at Diamond Hill, R. I., in 1849 and in 1851 carried on another large store at Attleboro Falls, Mass. In 1854 he sold out both stores and engaged in the grain business at 28 and 29 South Water street, Providence, which he continued successfully until 1864, in the meantime leasing a portion of the Perry Wharf, so called, on West Water street, and erecting the first steam grain elevator in Providence. In 1864 he connected himself with Hon. Edward Harris, of Woonsocket, R. I., and was agent of the Harris Woolen Company, and a member of that company until 1869. In the latter year he again engaged in the wholesale grain business, selling only in car-load lots, delivered at any railroad station in New England. He was also a large operator in the hazardous trade of Chicago grain " options," and
Bro5
Stafford Mrazce
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
shipped a large amount of grain from the West to New York and Bos- ton on consignment.
In 1863 and 1864 Mr. Razee represented the old town of Smithfield in the general assembly. Since his residence in Cumberland he was elected state senator for the years 1879, 1880, 1881 and 1882. He was also one of the directors and vice-president of the Rhode Island & Massachusetts railroad, and it is believed that, had it not been for his untiring efforts in its interests, the road would not have been built. This road now forms the connecting link in the New York & New England system between Providence and Boston. Mr. Razee is a prominent member of the Masonic order, was elected eminent com- mander of the Woonsocket Commandery in the years 1869 and 1870, and has held offices in the Grand Commandery of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. He was elected first lieutenant of the Union Guards, Central Falls, R. I., in May, 1863, and in October of the same year was elected captain of the company. He was elected colonel of the Woon- socket Guards in April, 1867, and was re-elected the following year. Mr. Razee was married May 12th, 1851, to Eunice P. Metcalf, daughter of the late Joseph Metcalf. They have had four children: Arlon M., Alice A., Abbie H., and Stafford W., Jr.
John M. Ryan was born in the county of Tipperary, Ireland, in 1834, came to this country in 1850, and, with the exception of a short residence in the state of New York, has resided in Rhode Island. In 1862 he engaged in the dry goods and grocery trade at Lonsdale. In 1875 he built a large and commodious store at Ashton, where he does an extensive business. He was elected a member of the town council in 1887. He was trustee of the Ashton school in 1885 and again in 1889. He is a large real estate owner. He has been trustee of St. Joseph's church at Ashton for 15 years and gave the land upon which it stands. He was married in 1852 to Mary Finn. They have six children living: Michael, John P., Katie, Elizabeth, Minnie and Jessie.
Cyrus Taft, born in Providence in 1857, is a son of Cyrus Taft, of Providence, who was a manufacturer and cotton broker. Mr. Taft was connected with the Rhode Island Hospital Trust Company as bookkeeper for nine years. He settled in Cumberland in 1887 and has fitted up one of the finest residences in the town. He was elected town treasurer in 1889 and re-elected in 1890. He was married in 1886 to Harriet A., daughter of John A. Taft, who was formerly president of the Manville Company.
Alexander Thompson, born in Cumberland December 8th, 1834, is a son of James and Lucina W. (Sheldon) Thompson, grandson of Alex- ander, and great-grandson of Alexander Thompson, who settled in Rhode Island. They were of Scotch descent. Mr. Thompson was married in 1865 to Sarah A. Grant. He was one of the assessors of Cumberland for eight years and has always been engaged in farming.
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
William H. Tobey is a son of William and grandson of Archibald Tobey. His mother was Sarah A., daughter of Lemuel Angell of North Providence. He was born in Smithfield in 1842. He began life as clerk in his father's store at Greenville, R.I., and was afterward bookkeeper and paymaster for Pooke & Steere, at that time woolen manufacturers at Greenville. In 1869 he entered the employ of the Lonsdale Manufacturing Company as bookkeeper and paymaster, and ever since has held that position. He was elected to the town council of Cumberland in 1886, has also been assessor of taxes, and is chair- man of the republican town committee. He was married in 1865 to Emma F. Cook. They have two sons and one daughter.
Ornando R. Vose, born in Lincoln in the year 1835, is a son of Alan- son and Abbie Vose, and grandson of Amariah Vose. Alanson Vose was a farmer, but during the last years of his life he kept a hotel and store at Manville, R.I. Ornando R. removed to Cumberland about 1855, and has been engaged in farming. He was married in 1855 to Phebe F. Aldrich. They have four sons living: Fred. I., Frank E., Alfred W. and Edgar; and two daughters, Mabel and Abbie. They lost two sons. Mr. Vose has been a member of the town council. In 1888 he moved to Cumberland Hill and engaged in building houses and renting tenements very successfully at Manville.
Richard Waterman, born in Cumberland in 1834, is a son of Amaziah and Hannah (Lee) Waterman, grandson of James, great-grand- son of Elisha and great great-grandson of Amaziah. All were resi- dents of Cumberland. Richard Waterman married Rebecca S. Car- penter. They have two sons, Elisha A. and Byron L., and one daughter, Elsie G. Mr. Waterman has always been a farmer. The farm he occupies was settled by Elisha Waterman, his great-grand- father. He is a member of the Canonchet Tribe of Red Men, and his son Elisha is a member of the same society, and a member of Unity Lodge, No. 34, F. & A. M., Pawtucket Chapter No. 4, and Council No. 2.
Joseph D. Weatherhead, born in Cumberland in 1815, is a son of James and grandson of Nathan Weatherhead. He was married May 22d, 1839, to Amy M. Thomas. She was born August 11th, 1818, and died January 10th, 1878. They had three children: one son, Charles E., born in Franklin, Mass., February 6th, 1844; and two daughters, Catherine T., born in Cumberland July 24th, 1840, and Janette E., born in Franklin May 8th, 1850. Mr. Weatherhead is a farmer and with the exception of a few years residence in Franklin, Mass., and several years in Illinois, he has resided in Cumberland.
Eliab D. Whipple, born in Cumberland in 1831, is a son of Eliab and Ardelia C. Whipple, the latter a daughter of Comfort Haskell. Eliab Whipple was a son of Daniel and he a son of Simon. Mr. Whipple was married in 1862 to Sarah Wheaton, she being descended from the Ballous. They have one son, Fenner E., who is a draughts-
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
man in Hartford, Conn .; and two daughters, Cora L. and Inez L., both teachers. Mr. Whipple was elected to the town council in 1873, was a member of the school committee for ten years and justice of the peace for 15 years. He is a farmer.
Pardon R. Whipple, born in Cumberland, October 5th, 1828, is a son of David and Hannah (Reed) Whipple, grandson of Eleazer, great- grandson of Eleazer, and great-great-grandson of William Whipple. Eleazer the first was a colonel in the continental army during the revolutionary war. He settled upon the land now owned by Pardon R. William Whipple had 17 children, and when the youngest son reached the age of 21 all of them were living, and at a family gather- ing they with their parents all sat down at the same table. Pardon R. was a mason for ten years, but since 1858 he has been engaged in farming. He was married in 1860 to Emma H. Phillips, of Dartmouth, Mass. They have two daughters, Carrie E., now Mrs. Greenleaf, and Almira A.
Josiah Williams, born in Staffordshire, England, in 1842, came to this country in 1864, settled in Rhode Island, and came to Cumber- land in 1874. He is a contractor in the Rhode Island Horse Shoe Works. He is a member of What Cheer Lodge, F. & A. M., of Provi- dence, and of Iron Hall. He was married in 1864 to Diana Darby. They have five sons and five daughters.
Thomas C. Wood was born in Glocester, R. I., in 1830, and is a son of Luther Wood. He was married in 1859 to Rachel Alexander. They have one daughter, Emma F., who married Watson F. Hastings. Mr. Wood is a farmer and resides upon and owns the old Razee homestead. Near the house stands a gigantic elm tree, the trunk measuring nearly 20 feet in circumference. The town of Cumberland was incorporated in 1747, and Joseph Razee was the first male child born within its limits after said incorporation. That would make Joseph Razee born nearly 143 years ago. The elm tree was a sapling when Joseph's father built his house, which is the ell still standing, therefore it is safe to conclude that the venerable tree is upwards of 143 years of age. It is said that when Joseph's father was building his house, it was broken off, which caused it to branch out nearer the ground than other elms ordinarily do. Mrs. Wood is a daughter of Ira and Frances C. (Sherman) Alexander. Ira was a son of David, and he a son of Roger, all of whom were residents of Cumberland. Ira Alexander had a family of five children. One daughter died in infancy, and two sons and two daughters are living. The sons are David, born 1828, and George S., born 1832. The daughters are Rachel F. (Mrs. Wood), born 1834, and Charlotte M., born 1843.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE TOWN AND CITY OF WOONSOCKET.
Description .- Origin of Name .- Early Settlers and their descendants .- Statistics .- Civil Organization .- Town Officers .- City of Woonsocket .- Officers in 1889 .- Fire Depart- ment .- Water Works .- Poor Asylum .- Public Thoroughfares .- Public Houses and Business Places .- Post Office .- Opera House .- Banking Interests .- Gas Company .- Electric Machine and Power Company .- Street Railway .- Manufacturing Industries. .
T he beautiful and enterprising city of Woonsocket is in the Black- stone Valley, on the Massachusetts border, and is 16 miles from tide water, at Providence. It is an important station of the Providence & Worcester railroad, and is also on the Air Line railroad, 36 miles from Boston. The population has increased rapidly the past ten years, and was estimated at 20,000 in the spring of 1889. The extensive manufactures of cotton, woolen and rubber goods are the chief industries, but there are also the usual minor interests found in a prosperous mill city, making this one of the most active places in the county.
The area of the city is 8.4 square miles, irregular in form, and while mostly along the river it embraces some well defined eleva- tions. These are locally known as Logee, Constitution, Baptist and Fairview hills. This diversity of hill and dale produces attractive and, in a few places, picturesque surroundings, which are enhanced by the tortuous courses of the streams flowing through the city. The smaller streams bear the names of Mine Run, Cherry and Crook Fall brooks. Mill and Peter's rivers, while having a larger volume of water, are really creeks, all draining into the Blackstone. Several large reservoirs, constructed on these streams, are objects of note, the chief being the Harris, Social and Bernon ponds.
The Blackstone river at this place is an object of interest and im- portance, creating and fostering the business life of the city. Its course through this territory is described by a rounded letter W, al- most doubling upon itself several times, and passing over ledges of rock which produce natural falls and rapids. Its name was given in honor of William Blackstone, the first white man living on its banks, in the southern part of the county, who was also the pioneer settler of the state. It has also borne other appellations, as the Great river, the Seekonk, the Nipmuck, the Narragansett and the Pawtucket, most of which were suggested by local circumstances. Although
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serviceable at many points in its course the Blackstone is especially valuable here on account of the falls, named by the Indians Woone- suckete. This aboriginal title also applied to the entire section of the country, and was the source from which the name of the city was derived.
As to the reason for the selection of this name by the Indians there is a diversity of opinion, some claiming that it was on account of Woonsocket hill, several miles distant, and nearer which the so- called Woonsocket settlement was first made .* Others are equally positive that the word had its origin from the naming of the falls. In a state of nature, the waters in passing over one of the large rocks in the stream had worn holes in the rocks below, and the waters falling into these holes produced a deep-toned sound. The primeval sur- roundings intensified these noises until they closely resembled thun- der. Connected with this descent of the waters was a spray or mist, more strongly apparent under certain conditions of the atmosphere. These conditions were understood by the untutored sons of the for- est, and were used by them in foretelling the weather. The word by which they expressed their ideas of thunder was Woone, and for mist or a fine spray they had the word, Suckete. It will be seen that a simple union of the two words and ideas would produce Woonesuckete- the place of the thunder mists.+
However it may have been derived, Wooncsuckete as a name became widely known among the aborigines, but, like many other words, it was easily perverted in writing, and became, in the records of the olden time, Winsocket, Waunsauket, Waunsucket, and the present Woon- socket. Long before the idea of a city at this point was dreamed of, the place was called " Woonsocket Falls," and the place where the city had its beginning (now the suburb of Union Village) was known as Woonsocket Cross Roads.
* Woonsocket hill, in North Smithfield, is about two miles southwest from Woon- socket. It is conspicuous as the highest elevation in Rhode Island, rising 258 feet above the general level in its locality, and is 570 feet above high tide at Providence. On the summit is a ledge of granite quartz rock, rough and angular, and there are also talc and mica rocks. Scrub oak trees cover the sides of the hill, near the summit of which is a large spring, or small pond of water. There are evidences of upheaval and volcanic origin, which have not been affected by the glacial period. The view from this hill is extended and entrancing.
J. Hammond Trumbull, the eminent American philologist, in his list of Rhode Island Indian names (not yet published) says:
" Woonsocket Falls," on Blackstone river, called " Woonsacut " Falls, 1736 (R. I. Col. Rec. IX., p. 514); "Woonsoket," Lockwood's map, 1819: Woonsocket Hill, in North Smithfield, about two miles southwest from the falls, " Woonsoquett," Pease & Nile's Gazetteer. The name belongs to the falls, and to the place at the falls. It comes from the Massachusetts Indian Woomsu ( Narragansett, Waumsu) to go downwards, (" Waumsu," down hill, R. Williams). Compare " Woomsnonk," a steep descent, and " Woomsuonganit" at the cliff (Elliott in 2 Chron. xx., 16). Woomsauk-it, easily cor- rupted to Woonsocket, denotes the place of steep descent, or down-going. Perhaps the hill was named independently of the falls, from a steep descent.
+S. C. Newman.
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
Aside from the quiet beauty of this section of the country, there were fertile little vales, sheltered by the tree-crowned hills, which attracted the Indians, and they doubtless appreciated their advan- tages as readily as did the whites in subsequent years. Naturally, too, in passing to and from the hills of Cumberland and Smithfield they resorted to the rapids below the falls, as they afforded an easy wading place, and it is believed that near them, on the Smithfield side, was an Indian village. The aborigines of this section were a quiet people and they lived undisturbed by tribal troubles, being scarcely influenced even by the crafty and warlike King Philip. After the occu- pancy by the whites a number of Indians lingered, as if loath to leave the scenes of their youth, and they did not become wholly extinct until about 1820. The last survivors were Isaac Nish Nouman and Reuben Purchase, who passed to the spirit land about the period named, after having lived among the whites of the Woonsocket sec- tion until they were very old men.
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