USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > History of Providence County, Rhode Island > Part 64
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In the summer of 1829 a Sunday school was organized in the Six- teenth school district, in the Brown school house; Clark Phetteplace, superintendent. The school continued six months-45 scholars. A library of 50 small volumes from the Rhode Island Sunday School Union was purchased, and many religious tracts distributed. This school, during about six months in the warm season, was kept up for 15 years. It was auxiliary to the Rhode Island Sunday School Union. In 1831 the interest in religious instruction of the youth was increased by agents sent out by the Rhode Island Sunday School Union. Dur- ing 1832 and 1833 there were Sunday schools organized and success- fully cared for in the Central school house, the Harmony school house, the old Winsor meeting house, Pine Orchard, Robert Steere district, Jefferson district, Winsor school house and Richmond district. Most of these schools were kept open only in the warm season. In these schools, from the reports it is inferred that competent teachers were generally secured, and that there was a good degree of interest in learning the Bible lessons. In seven of these schools there were well selected libraries, varying from 50 to 150 volumes, purchased from the Rhode Island Sunday School Union. For nine or ten years, about 435 scholars were in these schools.
Superintendents of Sunday schools found recorded, not already
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named, are Aaron Wood, Abby Colwell, Riley Steere, Job Steere, Miranda Phetteplace, Mrs. Riley Steere, Susan M. Phetteplace, Wil- liam S. Potter, Luther Waldron, E. A. Phetteplace, Emeline Keech, Christopher Winsor, Delia Irons, Mrs. L. Steere, Cyrus Eddy and Samuel Steere, Jr. After 1846 there was a Congregational church and Sunday school organized at Chepachet. There is a small Free Baptist church and Sunday school in the south part of the town. The late Reverend Charles Wade was a faithful pastor in this church for several years. The above society is partly in Glocester and partly in Foster.
There are two small Advent churches in the town; one at Clark- ville, where Elder Eldridge has spent some time, the other in the northeastern part of the town. Sunday schools, a part of the year, are sustained in the above two societies. At different times several preachers have supplied their desks.
The general assembly was petitioned in February, 1818, " for the es- tablishment and promotion of the worship of Almighty God in Che- pachet, according to the discipline, rites, usages and ceremonies of the Protestant Episcopal church in the United States, and praying for an act of incorporation to enable them, with greater convenience, to effect their aforesaid purposes, and to manage and secure the prop- erty and funds of which they are now, or may hereafter become pos- sessed." It was granted, and Joseph Bowen, Ira P. Evans, Job Arm- strong, Anan Evans, Cyrus Cooke, Amasa Eddy, Joseph Steere, Asa Steere, Christopher C. Dexter, Amherst Kimball, Joseph Wilmarth, Jesse Tourtellot, William Tourtellot, Jeptha Hunt, Russell Evans, Thomas Owen, Jr., Stephen Eddy, Esek Brown, Jr., Ara Hawkins, Ben- jamin Bowen, John Wood, Lyndon Smith, Ahab Sayles, Thomas Mathewson, Jr., John Hawkins, “ and also such others as may hereafter be admitted as members, are hereby and forever created a body corpor- ate and politic with perpetual succession, by the name of the church wardens, vestry and parish of Christ's church, at Chepachet, in Glo- cester," etc. (Schedule of the General Assembly, 1818.) Thomas Owen, Jr., and Anan Evans were delegates from Christ's church to the Episcopal convention held at St. Paul's church, Pawtucket, on the first Tuesday in June, 1818. Reverend George Taft, deacon, while in college officiated occasionally at Christ's church, Chepachet. Mr. Taft con- tinued his services as often as he could after his settlement at Paw- tucket. Reverend Doctor N. B. Crocker, late of St. John's church, sometimes officiated.
At the Episcopal convention held at St. John's church, Providence, in 1819, Thomas Owen, Esq., and Joseph Bowen, M. D., were dele- gates from Christ's church, Glocester. The church service was in the hall of the Evans Hotel, for which the society paid $45 per year.
For two or three years the interest in the church increased, and there was a strong prospect that a meeting house for the society might
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soon be built, but reverses came in the removal and passing away of several of the more active members. In 1836 the Reverend Louis Jansen was sent here by the Rhode Island Episcopal convention, to hold the service of the church in the Baptist meeting house. He was well received, and had on Sundays large congregations. He made a report to the convention, June, 1837. He remained here one year. The Sunday school was well sustained. His wife died here.
By the request of some of the residents in the village, the Episco- pal convention, in the autumn of 1864, sent the Reverend Samuel H. Webb to hold Episcopal service in the unoccupied Congregational meeting house. Services were held here about eight months. Per- sons interested did not feel able to build a church, consequently for the time being the services were closed.
In 1833, the Baptist meeting house in the village of Chepachet not being permanently occupied, the Reverend Mr. Dunham was sent here by the Rhode Island Congregational Consociation. He supplied the pulpit about one year. An interesting Sunday school was sustained. His health failed him, and he was obliged to leave to get rest.
In 1845, Orin F. Otis, a graduate of Yale College and of Union Theological Seminary, was called to preach to a small Evangelical Congregational society in the village. The society was organized by an ecclesiastical council appointed from the several churches of the Rhode Island Consociation. William R. Waterman, Jonathan Tour- tellot, Scott W. Mowry, Lawton Owen, Orin F. Otis and others pe- titioned the general assembly to be created a body politic and incor- porate forever. It was granted. A church was formed with ten members. Mr. Otis was ordained and installed pastor of the church in March, 1846. During this year a very neat, convenient and well- proportioned meeting house was built, with a good bell for the size of the house, and a fine yard, with a shed in the back part of the yard. A small organ has been furnished. Mr. Otis was pastor of this church until 1864, when, by his own request, he resigned and went to live in Providence. At the time he left, there were about 20 members in his church. He was a devoted Christian, and always ready for every good word and work. A Sunday school was well sustained. The church for about six years was without a pastor. The pulpit was gen- erally supplied by various clergymen. Reverend Mr. Arnold, from Elmwood, was here some months. In 1870, Reverend Mr. Scott was settled as pastor. He was active in all church interest, and was here about six years, when he resigned by request. The following June Reverend George L. Dickinson was called to the pastorate. He was successful in the church and Sunday school several years. In May, 1879, came Reverend H. E. Johnson, and in July, 1888, Reverend Richard Wickett, the present pastor, took charge.
Walter A. Read is church clerk; Stephen Irons, superintendent of the Sunday school, which has been well sustained since the church
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was organized. The meeting house is kept in excellent repair by the society. A fine stained glass window has been put in the meeting house, given by Miss White to the society.
The Union Library Company in Glocester was organized in the year 1794, and the following named persons petitioned the general assembly for a charter, viz .: William Tourtellot, Timothy Wilmarth, Jesse Armstrong, Benjamin Hawkins, Solomon Owen, Jesse Potter, Jonathan Knapp, Thomas Owen, Jr., Stephen Winsor, Arca Phette- place, Simeon Smith, David Crossman, Asahel Keach, Anan Evans, Seth Hunt, Benjamin Phetteplace, Eleazer Bellows, Cyrus Cooke, Sim- eon Steere, Jonathan Harris, Esek Harris, Duty Salsbury, Daniel Owen, Oliver Owen, James Mason, Daniel Owen, Jr., John Aldrich, Elijah Armstrong, Joctan Putnam, Joseph Hines, Seth Ross, Stephen Wilmarth, Oliver Smith, Peter Hawkins, Joseph Bowen, Samuel Steere, Asa Barlow, Elisha Field, Stephen Brown, Mark Steere, Asel Steere, Robert Durfee, Jacob Smith, Jonathan Paine, Anthony Place, Stephen Vallet, Jedediah Sprague, Abraham Fisk, Nicholas Keech, Ahab Sayles, Benjamin Paine, Amasa Eddy, Thomas Brown, Daniel Smith, Ebenezer Felch, Obadiah Smith, James Potter, Wanton Potter, Esek Smith, Joseph Wilmarth, Esek Sayles, William Steere, Jr., Penelope Armstrong and Richard Steere, Jr. The charter granted gave to the Library Company power to hold land and tenements, to buy and sell, but not to exceed the sum of $5,000, said company to have annual meetings to chose three directors, a librarian and a treasurer.
The library contained several hundred well-selected books, espe- cially in history. It was owned by shareholders, and very much read by some families. Names of shareholders: Thomas Owen, Ira Phette- place Evans, Duty Evans, Amherst Kimball, Doctor Joseph Bowen, Mowry Smith, Abraham Winsor, Eber Phetteplace, Jesse Tourtellot, Solomon Owen, Asel Steere, Richard Steere, Duty Smith. The book . case containing the library was kept in a private school house in the village of Chepachet. The librarian was to have the book-case opened every Saturday afternoon for receiving and taking out books. After some 30 years, some of the shareholders moving away, some dying, and some becoming inefficient, the case the books were kept in needed repairing; the school house it was kept in became old and shat- tered; finally the shareholders decided to take the books and divide them.
The settlers not knowing for the time what opening might be for them, scattered as they were in the wilderness, and believing that some time must elapse before they would be able to organize and have a regular place for public worship, had neighborhood gatherings in some one of their homes, for silent worship, unless otherwise moved by the Divine Spirit, as they felt impressed by their bountiful Bene- factor. In 1791 a plain and substantial house of worship was built not far from the residence of the late Moses Cooper. Here for nearly 100
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years the Friends met twice each week. Among their speakers were Smith Battey and his wife. Their quarterly meetings are held in Smithfield and Northbridge, Mass. Their yearly meetings have been held in Newport until very recently, where they met their friends from different parts of the Union.
In 1783 a petition was presented to the assembly by some Friends to manumit the slaves of this state. The subject was well discussed, and the committee appointed to take into consideration the petition were Thomas Wells, John Smith, of Glocester, Benjamin Howland, Stephen Steere, Joseph Noyes, Nathan Millar and Abraham Lippitt. Though African slave trade was disapproved, no final action was taken until 1787, when, by vote of the assembly, it was forbidden that the master of any vessel should purchase or transport any negroes for slavery, or for any citizen to cause said purchase. All children born after the above date were to be free.
In June, 1790, a society was formed for promoting the abolition of slavery in the United States, and for improving the African race. This society was incorporated with the names of 114 influential men of this state. From this town are the names of Hon. Daniel Owen, Rufus Smith and John Brown. Several of the slaves born previous to the revolution lived until 1830.
Among the Friends who were governors was Governor Hopkins, who signed with a trembling hand the Declaration of Independence. Until the war of the revolution the holders of offices did not of neces- sity require any participation in military affairs or war appendages. After the war these were required. Then the members of the Friends' Society declined any appointments.
The early facilities for instruction were limited. Schools were kept in private dwellings or some little building made for the purpose in the house yard. In some cases patrons of the schools allowed poor parents to send their children to the schools and pay for their tuition in labor. After the revolution several good school houses were built. Men were generally employed in winter and women in summer. Among some of the early teachers were Harriet Greatrix from Provi- dence, teacher of a private school in the Irons neighborhood in 1790; Lucinda Sayles, Miss Ballou, Anna Sibley, Susan Sibley, Roby Bow- dish and Sarah Brewster. Mrs. Elizabeth A. Perry, speaking of the schools of Glocester, says:
" As children advanced in their studies, select schools and acad- emies were patronized. Rev. Mr. Atkins, generally known as Priest Atkins, of Killingly, had an excellent family school for boys. Child- ren could be carried there on Monday morning and brought home on Friday, after the school closed for the week. Others older were sent to Dudley, Leicester, Plainfield and other established academies.
"In the Brown neighborhood, in 1812, Esek Brown, Olney Brown, Eber Phetteplace, Thomas Owen and Nicholas Keech built a good-
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sized arched school house, with closets for the boys and girls' hats and caps, bonnets and dinner pails. Here generally an excellent school was kept from seven to ten months in each year until the free schools were established, in 1828. The common and higher branches were taught. Several other well-built school houses were erected about this time. At Chepachet, besides a school of experienced teachers for older pupils, a school for young children was yearly kept. Miss Han- nah Blackman kept the school for about thirty years.
"In all the older schools, the scholars had the privilege of choosing their own studies. In several schools, history, philosophy and rhetoric were taught, and occasionally a young man studied surveying.
"In 1828 the State appropriated $10,000 to be divided among the towns according to their population on condition that each town doubled the amount received. It was accepted. The town appointed a committee to divide the town into seventeen districts with their boundaries defined. Each district without a school house was encour- aged to build one.
"The free money would sustain a teacher but a few months yearly. In several of the districts the schools were kept longer by the liberal- ity of some patrons in the district. The schools were well patronized and generally under good discipline. Teachers were first appointed by a school committee; later a superintendent was appointed, who is the supervisor of the teachers. The system has worked well.
"In 1840 the State appropriated $10 to aid in maintaining a district school library for the use of the schools. In a few years afterward several districts secured very small libraries. At Chepachet there is a well-built school house for a graded grammar school.
"The Jefferson Society was incorporated in October, 1828. Uriah Colwell, Gideon Smith, David Bowen and others were the petitioners. They were created a body politic, capable in law to hold property of any kind, to sue and be sued. The first directors were Gideon Smith, Thomas Mason, David Bowen, Simeon Bowen, Zephaniah Mann and Benjamin Smith. Secretary, Jervis J. Smith; Treasurer, Uriah Col- well. A school house was built, and a good school kept in it until it was too small for the number of scholars. A new and larger house for the school was built. The old house was sold to a voluntary reli- gious association to accommodate many in that part of the town. The house was well repaired, and consecrated in 1860 as the Union Chapel.
" The Union Society is a voluntary association for religious and literary improvement. The desk is supplied twice each month alter- nately by the Congregationalists and Baptists of the town. A Sab- bath-school is kept up through the year.
" Neighborhood female sewing societies have been formed to aid the poor and religious services in different neighborhoods. In 1836 the Glocester Female Benevolent Society was formed to assist the re- ligious operations in Chepachet and its vicinity.
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" Mrs. Mary Steere was President; Mrs. Paris Irons, Vice President Mrs. Roby Browne, Treasurer, and Miss E. A. Phetteplace, Secretary; seventy members. For two years this society was active and accom- plished much good. Besides money raised, many garments were made and given to the needy. The Freemasons of the town granted the society the privilege of meeting in their hall in the village.
"Since the above time efficient benevolent societies have been sustained by the Baptist and Congregational organizations in the village."
There are many small burying grounds in the town. Some have been kept in good repair, so that the places of deposit of mortal re- mains are less forbidding. The following are among them: The Arm- strongs, Browns, Irons, Sweets, Tourtellots, Winsors, Wades, Potters, Steeres, Aldriches and Waldrons. The Chepachet burying ground, north of the village, was consecrated about one hundred years since, and contains the remains of a large number of early settlers.
The Chepachet Cemetery Association was formed in the year 1850, on the petition to the assembly by John T. Fiske, Scott W. Mowry, Jervis J. Smith, Amasa Eddy, Otis Sayles, Brown Mowry, and Fred- erick A. Squires to be incorporated. Said corporation has power to hold land not exceeding ten acres, to have a stock of $3,000 divided into three hundred shares at ten dollars per share, etc. The above cemetery is pleasantly laid out on the Acote hill, south of the village. Mr. Fiske has been treasurer of this association ever since its incor- poration.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Mason H. Ballou, born in Smithfield in 1860, is a son of Searl S. Ballou. He was married in 1886 to Hannah B. Eddy. They have one daughter.
Henry C. Brown is a son of John B. (deceased) and Maria A. Brown. He was born in Glocester in 1853. He was elected a member of the town council in 1888. He is a farmer and occupies the farm settled on by his grandfather, Nicholas Brown, about 1816.
George W. and William P. Burlingame are sons of the late Richard Burlingame and descendants of Captain David Burlingame. Captain David Burlingame was one of the three original settlers of the town of Glocester. His farm was situated just north of the village of Har- mony, where he died about 1725. One of his sons, great-grandfather of George and William, was a major in the revolutionary war. His name was Richard Burlingame. He owned the largest farm in the . town and employed many men. He was also very extensively engaged in the lumber business and received large orders from the government for ship timber. This was drawn a distance of 16 miles by four yok'e of oxen. Besides this farm he owned other large tracts of land in the town. George and William now own and occupy the farm once owned
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
by Arthur Fenner, one of the early governors of the state. At present William manages the farm while George is at the Rhode Island Agri- cultural College. They were both born on this farm, William in 1853, George in 1861.
David W. Burlingame, born in Glocester in 1837, is a son of Richard and grandson of David Burlingame, both of whom were residents of the town. He was married in 1867 to Edna Milliman. He is a painter by trade, having followed that business for 20 years. He has recently fitted up a summer resort near Greenville and Harmony.
Reuben A. Clemence is a grandson of Richard and a son of Rich- ard R. Clemence. He was born in 1822, and was married in 1845 to Elsie Mann. They had four children, two of whom are living, Rich- ard W. and Daniel M. Mr. Clemence has been a member of the town council and was elected to the assembly in 1857 and again in 1886.
James N. Cutler was born in Killingly, Conn., in 1823 and is a son of Thomas Cutler. He came to this town in 1847 and has ever since resided here. He is a farmer.
Francis Dunn was born in Ireland in 1847, and came to this country in 1868. He was fireman for some time on an ocean steamer. In 1869 he was married to Ellen Banhean. They have one son. Mr. Cutler settled in Glocester about five years ago.
John M. Eddy, born in 1817, is a son of Thomas R. Eddy. He is a carpenter by trade. He was married in 1847 to Minerva B. Cooper. They have two children living, one son and one daughter. Mr. Eddy has been a member of the town council and was at one time lieutenant colonel in the militia. He has served as moderator for a number of years, has been an auctioneer over 45 years and has held other offices. in the town.
Mary T. Greene is the widow of Thomas M. Greene of Glocester. Her maiden name was Burlingame, being a daughter of Esek Burlin- game. They were married in 1846 and there were born to them two sons and one daughter.
Aylette R. Hawkins, son of Ara Hawkins, was born in Glocester in 1827, and is a farmer. He was married in 1880 to Sarah Mcclellan .. They have two children, a son and a daughter.
George O. Hopkins was born in Glocester in 1835. His father's name was Seth Curtis Hopkins, and his grandfather's Allen Hopkins. He is a graduate of Brown University, class of 1861. For 27 years he was principal of high school, holding that position at Mystic Bridge, Conn., for 15 years. He has been twice married. In 1862 he married Sarah E. Wade, by whom he had two sons and one daughter. He married Harriet N. Wolfe in 1872. They have one son and two daughters.
Stephen C. Irons, born in Glocester in 1850, is the eldest son of, Thomas Irons, and great-grandson of Samuel Irons. He was married in 1876 to Amanda E. Reynolds. They have three daughters. He
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
occupies the old Irons homestead, which has been in the family for several generations.
Chauncey J. Jaques, born in Smithfield in 1855, is a son of Chauncey J. Jaques, who came from New York state. He was married to Susan Spaulding in 1879. They have two sons and two daughters. Mr. Jaques is a farmer.
Calvin Luther, son of Constant Luther, was born in Glocester in 1814, and married in 1844 Emily Saunders. They had seven children, three of whom are living, two daughters and one son. Mrs. Luther died about 20 years ago. Mr. Luther was captain of First Company, R. I. Militia, in 1843.
Elias Peckham was born in Glocester in 1833, and is a son of John Peckham. He was married in 1861 to Elizabeth C. Hopkins, who died in 1865. He was married again in 1866 to Harriet E. Hopkins, sister of his first wife. He has three sons and one daughter. He, with his sons, carries on a coal and wood business in Providence, and with his brother, runs a saw and grist mill in Glocester.
Harley Phillips, born in Scituate in 1829, is a son of Jarvis and grandson of Augustus Phillips. He was twice married; to Elsie Dean in 1853, and in 1862 to Joanna E. Killey. They reside on the farm, for- merly owned by Mrs. Phillip's great-grandfather, Manaria Killey.
WALTER ALLEN READ, merchant, of Chepachet, was born in Black- stone, Mass., July 6th, 1842. His father, Thomas J. Read, carried on the tin business. In 1849 he went to California and died there in 1850. In 1853 Mrs. Sarah A. (Burton) Read, his widow, moved with her family, consisting of one son and one daughter (Arminda Read) to Chepachet, where Walter A. began his labors as a common hand in the mill, continuing therein till the breaking out of the late war. August 16th, 1861, he enlisted as a private in Company D, Fourth Regiment, Rhode Island Volunteers, commanded by Colonel J. I. McCarty; was commissioned second lieutenant October 2d, 1861, the citizens of Glocester on that day as a token of regard presenting him with a beautiful sword; first lieutenant November 20th, same year, and captain of his company August 11th, 1862. He held the latter rank till discharged November 15th, 1864. His regiment took part in Burnside's expedition in the bombardment and capture of Roanoke Island, at Newbern, also in the reduction of Fort Macon, N. C. After McClellan's repulse on the peninsula, they were concentrated there to sustain his troops, and when Pope was being driven down in front of Washington, they were sent to Fredericksburg to protect his left flank. Afterward they joined Mcclellan's Campaign in Maryland, and took part in the engagement at Fredericksburg and South Mountain to cut off Lee's retreat after the battle of Antietam. They participated in the Burnside movement against the city of Fredericksburg. Captain Read's regiment left the army of the Potomac in February, 1863, and joined the command under General Peck, at Suffolk, Va., and sus-
names-truly Walter a Read
ARTOTYPE, E. BIERSTADT, N. Y.
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
tained a siege of 20 days' duration against Longstreet. The next duty was provost guard at the city of Norfolk, Va., and at Point Look- out, Md., in charge of rebel prisoners. They then joined General Grant and took part in the siege of Petersburg. Captain Read's regi- ment also took part in the explosion of the mine, the regiment losing about one-half of its men and officers in that catastrophe. From this time, Captain Read took charge of the regiment and commanded it in all the movements of General Grant in and about Petersburg; at the Weldon railroad, and at Pegram Farm, and till his term of service ex- pired.
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