USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > History of Providence County, Rhode Island > Part 62
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"CLOVIS H. BOWEN was for many years a faithful Town Clerk. He also kept an excellent drug store on Main street. He was the son of Dr. Joseph Bowen. He married the daughter of Anthony Steere. He died in 1880. He leaves several children.
" JOHN BROWN, son of James and grandson of the Rev. Chad Brown, laid the corner-stone of Rhode Island College; was treasurer many years of the corporation, and filled many places of trust where great wisdom and liberality were required. He was the first merchant in Rhode Island. He built a fine mansion on Power street, in Provi- dence, where most of his life was passed. His residence in Glocester has previously been referred. to. He presented fourteen hundred volumes to the College library. He gave dinners to the students on Commencement days. He was a leader of Rhode Island in the war of the Revolution, and a purchaser with his brother Moses of the home lot of their ancestor, Chad Brown, for the College. He was in Gloces- ter in 1791, and some years previously. He married Sarah, daughter of Daniel Smith, Providence. He was born in 1736 and died in 1803.
" MOSES COOPER died in 1837, aged 97 years. He owned slaves previous to the revolution. He was a man who kept himself well in- formed on the important subjects of the day. He was a prominent member of the Society of the Friends.
" AMASA EDDY, of Glocester, was a descendant of the Reverend William Eddy, of Cranbrook, England. (Eddy Genealogy.) He was also a grand-nephew of the late Walter Phetteplace and the Reverend Zachariah Eddy, of Providence. He was born January 3, 1783. He married Mary Owen, of Glocester. For many years he was prosper-
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ously engaged in harness manufacturing. In 1852 he was the demo- cratic candidate for governor of the state. Motto on the English Eddy coat-of-arms: Crux mihi grata quies. The cross is my welcome rest.
" JONATHAN EDDY, grandfather of the late Deacon Richard Eddy, and wife were members of the old Baptist church at Chepachet in 1780. It is related that he went to church every Sunday, even though he had to walk many miles.
" HON. ASA KIMBALL is spoken of in 1759 as ensign in a military company against the acts of the King of Spain. In 1761 as lieutenant and captain in other expeditions. In the war of the Revolution he was appointed on various committees and officered from captain to major from this town. He was a prominent officer in General Sulli- van's expedition on the Island of Rhode Island. The house he built in Chepachet for his homestead is still standing, and owned by his great-grandson, Horace A. Kimball.
" DOCT. SAMUEL MOWRY was educated principally at Dudley and Amherst academies. He attended medical lectures in Boston in 1825 and 1826. In 1838 he was admitted a member of the Rhode Island Medical Society. He settled in Chepachet, where for more than forty years he had a good practice. He was well read in his profession. His health declining, he moved into Providence, where he died.
"DOCT. REUBEN MASON was surgeon in General William West's brigade in the Revolution. He had a large and long practice in this town. The house he owned, lived and died in, is still standing on the turnpike, near the village at Chepachet.
" THOMAS OWEN was admitted a freeman from Providence in 1736. He was Assistant Deputy-Governor from the town of Smithfield in the year 1753. Later he removed to Glocester, and in 1770 he was elected by the town Deputy to the General Assembly. Also, he was Assistant Deputy to Governor Stephen Hopkins. At various times he rendered important political services to the town and State.
" DANIEL OWEN, son of the above Thomas Owen, was admitted a freeman from Glocester at Newport, in May, 1757. He was chosen Deputy to the General Assembly in 1775 and 1776. He was one of the committee to procure gold and silver enough for the State to use in the Canada war. He was chairman of the committee to draft a letter to Congress in September, 1787, to explain the reason why this State had not any delegation at the Convention in Philadelphia. He was a member and President of the Conventions that met at South Kings- town in March, 1790, and at Newport the following May, that adopted the Constitution of the United States. He gave great satisfaction for his candor and impartiality in conducting the proceedings of the Con- vention. He wrote from Newport, May 29, 1790, a letter to ·Presi- dent Washington to accompany the message that informed the Presi- dent that the Constitution of the United States of America had that day been adopted by the people of this State agreeably to the recom-
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mendation of the General Convention at Philadelphia. At the Con- vention at South Kingstown the anti-Federal members of the Conven- tion offered the office of Governor of the State to Deputy-Governor Owen. This offer he refused. A coalition party was formed and Arthur Fenner was nominated the first Governor of the State under the Constitution. In 1786 the coinage of the United States required the adoption of the decimal system. The die for the first United States cent was established July 6, 1787. In 1786, Hon. Daniel Owen, Samuel Winsor, Simeon Thayer, Arthur Fenner, Jr., and Caleb Harris, Esquires, petitioned the General Assembly, praying for the exclusive privilege of a coinage for this colony for the period of twelve years. It was granted in January, 1787, subject to such condi- tions as should be agreed upon by the Assembly. Henry Marchant, William Channing, Benjamin Bourn and Moses Brown were appointed a committee to draft and report an act to carry said intention into execution consistent with the Articles of Confederation and the sovereignty of the State. No report of said committee is found on the records of the State.
" He was Deputy-Governor four years from 1786. He was a large landholder in Northern Vermont, where several of his children settled. He, with William Barton, received the grant of the town of Barton, in Vermont, October 20, 1781.
" Iron ore was found on his farm in Glocester, and he had a trip- hammer run by water power. The iron was made into the desired shape for use by means of his heavy hammer. Various useful imple- ments were made, and sold in other parts of the country, viz .: ploughs, harrows, rims for wheels, cranes, trammels, horse-shoes, etc. For several years he transacted considerable business with England in the iron department.
" His son-in-law, Mr. William Gadcomb, a merchant in the village of Chepachet, died about 1800. Judge Owen settled his estate and in- vested some of the property for his widow and children in lands in the vicinity of St. Albans, Vermont. Mrs. Gadcomb afterwards married Judge Asa Aldis and settled at St. Albans. Mr. Aldis was a graduate of Brown University in the year 1796. Judge Owen married Hannah Angell, daughter of John and Lydia Winsor Angell, January 19, 1736. He died in Glocester.
" CAPT. SOLOMON OWEN, brother of the above Daniel Owen, had a great desire to see other countries and cross the ocean. As captain he sailed from Providence to the East Indies with valuable orders from merchants from this State. After trying the sea for several years he returned to his native village to spend the remainder of his life. He was proprietor and keeper of an excellent public house in Chepachet previous to the year 1800.
"EBER PHETTEPLACE was the son of Jonathan and the grandson of Walter Phetteplace. His mother, Susanna Smith, was the grand-
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daughter of Casper Hyzer, or Hauser, a German. He was born in Glocester, August 15, 1765. He early had a taste for history and agri- culture. About 1790, he, with his friend Mark Steere, had a ship loaded several autumns with fruits and vegetables to carry to Charles- ton, South Carolina, to sell, they going in charge and remaining until spring before returning. While there, Mr. Phetteplace acquired a slight knowledge of the French and Spanish languages. In January, 1796, he was married by elder Joseph Winsor to Waite, daughter of Resolved (Waterman) Irons. She was the lineal descendant of Roger Williams, Richard Waterman, Gregory Dexter and Rev. Chad. Brown, of Providence. Mr. Phetteplace superintended his large farm, on which were a great variety of fruit trees and berry bushes. He was a great lover of his home, a staunch Whig in politics, and deeply in- terested in sustaining good schools. He died October 8, 1834.
" WALTER PHETTEPLACE was a descendant (through Sir John Fette- place, of Oxfordshire, England), of Fettiplace, the Norman gentleman usher to William the Conqueror, and who came into England with that monarch. (Oxfordshire Annals.) When Glocester was set off from Providence in 1831, the above Walter Phetteplace was appointed by Gov. Jencks an Assistant Deputy to the General Assembly. This office he filled several years. In 1746 he used great influence to keep sufficient money in the General Treasury for use should the fleet of any sovereign power attack the colony in some unexpected place, in- stead of sending large supplies to Fort George while in peace. He married Joanna Maury (daughter of Nathaniel), August 4, 1709, in Providence. He died December 29, 1753.
" DOCT. ALLEN POTTER studied medicine with his father in Massa- chusetts three years, and two years with Dr. Hubbard, in Pomfret, Conn. In 1825 he settled in the western part of Glocester, where he was a regular practicing physician until overcome by the infirmities of years.
"WILLIAM RHODES, who lived in the northern part of the town, learned the art of navigation, and succeeded in acquiring great wealth, principally by capturing English vessels at the close of the Revolutionary war.
" RICHARD STEERE was a valuable citizen, and much trusted in public affairs. He was Justice of the Court of Common Pleas for the county of Providence for many years; he was a faithful Town Clerk for sixty years; an excellent penman, and kept the record books very accurately and with great care; he owned farms in different parts of the town; he was Deputy from Glocester to the Assembly four years. He died October 16, 1797.
"DOCT. JERVIS J. SMITH was the son of Rufus Smith, of Burrill- ville. He was educated at the private schools of the town and at the Friends College, in Providence; he studied medicine with his uncle, W. Smith, M. D., and was admitted a member of the Rhode Island
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Medical Society in 1833. He settled in Chepachet, where he had an extensive practice; also in Glocester and neighboring towns. He died in 1864. His funeral was very largely attended. He was a Free Mason and was buried with Masonic honors at Swan Point, Provi- dence.
" JOHN SMITH, son of Benjamin, left Providence village late in the seventeenth century, with an axe in his hand and a bag of eatables, to seek a home in the wilderness. After spending some time in look- ing around for the most comfortable place to build a log house for his home, he selected a place near where the house of the late Urania Smith stood. Here he found a good stream of water and excellent game in the forest. A family of Williamses soon followed him from Providence. Many of their descendants are still living in the vicinity. " ABRAHAM TOURTELLOT was the son of Gabriel and Marie (Ber- non) Tourtellot. He came to Providence from Bordeaux, France, on account of religious persecution, about 1688. In 1706, Abraham bought a tract of land in what is now the town of Glocester, and about a mile south of the village of Chepachet. On a commanding hill, he built a comfortable house which was occupied many years by his descendants. His mother lived with him the latter part of her life. He was twice married, and had twelve children, viz .: Mary, Lydia, Esther, Abram, Jonathan, Benjamin and Sarah by his first wife, and Stephen, William, Jesse, David and Anna by his second wife. Some members of these families have filled important places of trust and responsibility in the town and State.
"FENNER R. WHITE, son of Benjamin White, was born in Gloces- ter. He was successful in his large manufacturing establishments, very honorable in all his engagements, true to every trust, and very kind to the poor. He was several years a member of the Town Coun- cil and General Assembly. He married Mary B. Arnold. He died in November, 1880.
"JOHN WATERMAN, brother of Col. Resolved Waterman, was a paper manufacturer in Glocester in 1750. (Providence Gazette.) The above Resolved Waterman, of Smithfield, bought land in Glocester in 1750. He married Mary Smith.
" TIMOTHY WILMARTH lived in the village of Chepachet. His wife was the daughter of Judge Richard Steere. He was interested in public affairs and an esteemed citizen. He commanded a company of militia in Gen. Sullivan's expedition on the Island of Rhode Island, where his musket in his hand was very much shattered.
"Richard Evans, Abraham, John and Resolved Waterman, Samuel Irons, the Smiths, Eddys, Steeres and others owned land here under the reign of Queen Anne, George I., George II. and George III. Some of these farms are still in possession of their descendants. John Usher and Aaron Bardeen were soldiers in the Revolution from this town, and had pensions given them from Congress."
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The town of Glocester has been until recently a democratic strong- hold. The unequal distribution of political power previous to 1842 agitated many politicians in the state, who desired a change when it could be lawfully made. Among this number was Samuel Y. Atwell of this town, who strongly favored the giving up of the land qualifi- cation. Some of the suffrage leaders were Thomas W. Dorr, Duty J. Pearce, Ariel Ballou and John R. Waterman. After the judges of the supreme court had given their decision that the suffrage convention had acted illegally, Dorr having been declared governor by his party, April 28th, 1842, he issued his proclamation June 25th, convening the general assembly at Chepachet on the 4th day of July, to transact such business as might come before that assembly.
Governor King was authorized, with the advice of R. K. Randolph, James Fenner, E. C. Carrington, L. H. Arnold, N. F. Dixon, Peleg Wilber and Byron Diman, to take such measures as he might see fit to protect the private and public property of the state. Martial law was established and in full force.
June 23d, Dorr took up his headquarters at Chepachet, and estab- lished martial law around the village. A fort was built on Acote hill. Dorr took command of his forces. Five or six hundred soldiers were said to be within his established fortress on the hill. They had sev- eral rusty cannon and many muskets. The excitement was intense. Law and Order men of the town and village had taken to the woods, where some of them remained several days; others fled to various secret places without food. Mr. Atwell, who resided in the village, saw the mistake Mr. Dorr was making, and entirely withdrew from the Suffrage party and removed himself and family to the house of a Law and Order friend (Mrs. Waite Phetteplace), about two miles from the village. There were no males at this house except servants.
The state militia were, in a large force, marching to take possession of Acote hill. Dorr was finally convinced that he was powerless, and on the morning of the 27th of June he dismissed his military. He and all his force fled in haste. The state military arrived, and with- out resistance took possession of the famous expected Rhode Island battle-ground and the village. Refreshments in abundance were sent at once from families in the town to the state's artillery. There was great rejoicing that no battle was fought.
In the following October a company of Light Dragoons was char- tered by the name of the Burrillville and Glocester Horse Company; the number not to exceed 100, exclusive of officers; the company to be in the Second Brigade of the Rhode Island militia, and all its members, so long as enrolled, to be exempt from doing other military duty.
Chepachet river rises in the western part of the town, on the farm of the late Judge Richard Steere, and has been long used for various mills. The river runs through Mill pond, where there is a saw mill
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
and various kinds of excellent fish for cooking; then, in about three- fourths of a mile, it passes through Keech pond, the largest natural division of water in the town. The river, after having run some miles, passing through the village of Chepachet, unites with Clear river and forms Branch river, which flows into the Blackstone. Suker stream runs into the Chepachet river northeast of the village. Early iron ore was obtained from Sea Patch river in this town for a forge in Woon- socket.
Ponaganset pond is near Pine hill, in the southwestern part of the town. Ponaganset river flows from this pond and unites with the Moswansicut river to form the north branch of the Pawtuxet river. Poquanatuck river flows from Ponaganset pond. Place reservoir is in the northwestern part of the town. Part of Killingly pond is in the southwestern part of the town. There are many other small streams and brooks. In the Keech and Saw-mill ponds formerly there were more fish than at present. There were many pouts, shiners, eels, pick- erels, perch, etc. Waterman reservoir and the Smith and Sayles res- ervoirs are preserved for manufacturing purposes.
The ancient order of Free Masons was chartered at the time the town was set off. Friendship Lodge, No. 7, A. F. & A. M., had a meet- ing on the 21st of October, 1800. The following officers were installed: Joseph Bowen, W. M .; Elijah Armstrong, S. W .; David Richmond, J. W .; Asa Burlingame, treasurer; S. Owen, secretary; Oliver Owen, S. D .; Stephen Burlingame, J. D. In 1805 the meetings were more regularly held. The meetings were held in the village of Chepachet. In the year 1807 the following persons petitioned the assembly for a charter for Friendship Lodge from the town of Glocester, viz .: Anan Evans, Elijah Armstrong, Chad Sayles, Solomon Owen, William Steere, Jr., Joseph Bowen, Stephen Burlingame, John Wood, Joseph Hines, Levi Eddy, Cyrus Cooke, Duty Salsbury, Thomas Owen, Daniel Tourtellot, Mowry Smith, John Wilkinson, Andrew Brown, Ebenezer Felch, Dan- iel Tucker, Angell Paine, Hiram Salsbury, Seth Thompson, Job Phette- place, Elijah Day, John M. Donald, Thomas Ingraham, James King, Jr., Joseph Putman, Adfer Eddy, Abraham Belnap, Joseph Burgess, George Harris, Job Aldrich, Emor Olney, Pitt Smith, Seth Hunt, Jr., Stephen Eddy, William Remington, Thomas Darling, Jesse Tourtellot, Thomas Eddy, Emor Winsor, Jeremiah Tourtellot, Elisha Sayles and Samuel Matteson. The charter was granted with all the privileges of an or- ganized society. Regular meetings were held on Saturdays on or be- fore the full of the moon. Officers in 1828: Benedict Aldrich, master; Isaac Aldrich, warden; Willard J. Smith, junior warden; Jethro S. Lap- ham, senior deacon; Sterry J. Smith, junior deacon; Richard Lapham, treasurer; Arthur A. Ross, secretary; Otis Sayles and Otis Eddy, stew- ards; Esek Phetteplace, tyler. Officers in the above society in the year 1889 were: Walter A. Read, W. M .; Everett White, S. W .; Eu- gene F. Eddy, J. W :; Doctor Albert Potter, treasurer; Edward L. Phette-
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place, secretary. The Hall was built in 1802. The membership is about 80.
Chepachet Division, Sons of Temperance, No. 14, was organized October 24th, in the year 1872. Harmony Division, Sons of Temper- ance, No. 13, was chartered February 4th, 1875.
In February, 1804, the Farmers' Exchange Bank was chartered, to be located in the village of Chepachet, with a capital of $100,000. President, John Harris; cashier, Mowry Smith. Daniel Owen, Simon Smith, Timothy Wilmarth, James Aldrich, John Harris, John Wilkin- son, Elisha Mathewson, Solomon Owen, Samuel Winsor, Daniel Smith, Simeon Smith, Mowry Smith and Daniel Tourtellot were appointed directors of said bank. Daniel Owen resigned in March, 1804, and William Rhodes was elected to fill his place. The books of the bank were kept in a confused state, according to the final report of the as- sembly's committee to examine the bank. The directors did not at any time have a proper knowledge of the management of the bank. In 1808 nearly all the directors sold out their shares. John Harris continued president, and in 1808 William Colwell was appointed cash- ier; Elisha Fairbanks and Samuel Dexter, were made directors. It was evident to men doing business with the bank that there was great mismanagement with some of the officers, and that the affairs of the bank needed to be examined. A bank business meeting was called, and the following new directors were appointed, viz .: Obadiah Brown, Seth Hunt, Jr., Mark Steere (son of Richard), Jesse Mowry and Sam- uel Fenner. They delivered the books to the general assembly.
In March, 1809, the assembly appointed a committee to investigate all the concerns of the Glocester Bank and make a report. This they did. It was found in a bad condition. The cashier, Mr. Colwell, was committed to close confinement, no one being allowed to converse with him. The president of the bank left the state, and his estates were put under attachment. All the members of the general assembly manifested a full determination to take the most vigorous and decided measures to thoroughly probe this iniquitous deed to its very centre. The cashier and directors were cited, and appeared before the general assembly with bank books and papers. By this examination it was ascertained that the bank had issued bills to an enormous amount, far beyond their capital; that they had taken notes from Andrew Dexter, Jr., in Boston, without an indorser, payable at the expiration of eight years from November, 1808, at two per cent. interest for upwards of $800,000. The president of the bank was then in Boston, and the plates on which the bills were impressed.
An article in The American, a newspaper published in Providence, March, 1809, has the following: "The funeral of the Farmers' Ex- change Bank, in Glocester, is on its way to the General Assembly at East Greenwich. It appears on examination of the books and papers at Glocester, by a committee appointed for that purpose, that a certain
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well-known trader in bank stock, living in Boston, had got out of that bank something more than half a million of dollars, for which he had given only his note without an indorser, payable at the end of eight years from November last [1808], with two per cent. interest, to the cashier, his successors in office or order. The bank is shut, and prob- ably never to be opened again for similar business. The sign is taken down and the keys are in the vicinity."
Obadiah Brown, Esq., and Seth Hunt, Jr., both of Providence, were appointed a committee by the general assembly to take into possession all the effects, books and papers of the Farmers' Exchange Bank, and to collect and present an account of the same at the next meeting of the assembly. This they did, and a report of the committee before the assembly, in February, 1809, was published in a pamphlet of 43 pages.
In February, 1818, a number of people of the town of Glocester ob- tained a charter for another bank, to be called the Franklin Bank, with a capital of $50,000. President, Jesse Tourtellot; cashier, Cyril Cook; directors, Jesse Tourtellot, Amherst Kimball, Cyrus Cook, Joseph Owen, Joseph Wilmarth, Timothy Sweet, Amasa Eddy, Jr., Thomas Owen, Jr., Asaph Wilder, Jr., Job Armstrong, Ira Phetteplace Evans, Thomas Mathewson and John Hawkins. This bank was successful and continued to do business until the present national system was in- troduced in 1865, when it was voted to discontinue business. The fol- lowing are the names of the directors of the bank when it was closed in 1868, viz .: Amasa Eddy, Horace Kimball, Clovis H. Bowen, Law- ton Owen, Smith Peckham, Horace A. Kimball, Leonard Sayles, Jo- seph B. Smith. President, Joseph B. Smith; cashier, Horace A. Kim- ball. The bank paid out its surplus to the stockholders October 2d, 1868.
In 1780, licenses were granted by the town council to six persons to keep public house in their home dwellings for one year on condition that they kept good order, and for the privilege they were required to pay a given number of bushels of corn to the town. The corn given was used to support the poor of the town. Later, silver dollars were paid. In 1800, license was given to sell liquor on town meeting days for 50 cents.
Many years after 1800 six quite large and convenient hotels were kept in the town. Hezekiah Cady kept the hotel in the western part of the town; Cyrus Farnum and Richard Aldrich kept the two in the eastern part; Daniel Cornell in the southern part, and Cyrus Cook, Anan Evans and others kept the two hotels in the village. There is one good hotel in Chepachet now. It is a very old building but in the best of condition and makes a handsome appearance. Jeremiah Shel- don, a native of Cranston, kept the house in 1846-7. Succeeding him came Pardon Hunt, Jedediah Sprague, Anthony Steere and Royal Taft, who took possession April 12th, 1872. Mr. Taft died May 15th,
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