USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > History of Providence County, Rhode Island > Part 65
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As soon as the war closed, Captain Read returned to Chepachet and entered immediately into business, going into partnership with Augustus F. Wade, first in the general merchandise trade, and con- tinuing with him, in the place now occupied by R. H. Wade, till 1871. He then moved to his present quarters. In 1866 he took the post office and kept it till 1885. In 1885 the state of Rhode Island estab- lished a commission to furnish aid to the needy and disabled soldiers of the late war, one of which commission Captain Read was appointed by Governor Wetmore, and which position he held till 1890. He is now an agent for the State Board of Soldiers' Relief of the Fourth district.
Captain Read, although a member of the weaker party, was elected senator in 1888, and still holds that position, a compliment paid him at each election by the strongest democratic town in the state. He has always identified himself with the republican organization of the town, and for a number of years has been chairman of the republican committee. He has always been identified in a public spirited way, irrespective of political motives, or aspirations, with all the interests of the town, and his name is always found on the right side. He is a member of Friendship Lodge, and since September, 1888, has been its worshipful master. Captain Read was married September 19th, 1866, to Miss Charlotte Owen, daughter of George L. Owen of Glocester. One child, Maud Louise, was born to this union, March 9th, 1874.
Lawton C. Rounds, son of Benoni Rounds, was born in Foster in 1814. He is a painter, having followed that business for about 50 years. He was married to Mercy A. Irons in 1841. They have one son, Gilbert Rounds. Mercy A. Rounds is in the sixth genera- tion, on her mother's side, from Roger Williams. Her ancestors on her father's side were the first to settle in the northern part of the state. He located about one-half mile from the village of Chepachet. He was followed by the Indians, who tried to kill him, but after kill- ing them he lived in peace to the end of his days, and was buried be- side the cabin where he had lived. Gilbert Rounds has been town sergeant, deputy sheriff, member of town council for 15 years, and president of the same seven years.
Dexter A. Sanders, son of Angell and grandson of Silas Sanders,
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
both residents of Glocester, was born in this town in 1845. He was married to Susan M. Brown, daughter of Harley Brown, of Burrill- ville, in 1874. They have one daughter, Lena M. Sanders. He is a farmer, and was elected a member of the town council in 1888.
Albert C. G. Smith was born in 1828 in the town of Glocester. He is a carpenter and builder. One of his last contracts was for the build- ing of the White Mills at Chepachet. He was married in 1857 to Lucy Martin. She died in 1872, and in 1875 Mr. Smith was married to Sarah Bullock. He was elected a member of the town council in 1875, and was a member of that body for 11 years. From 1852 to 1858 he was a member of what is now known as the Slocum Light Guards of Provi- dence, and rose to the rank of lieutenant-colonel.
Edwin Smith is a son of Reuben and a grandson of Isaac Smith, who came from England. He was born in Glocester in 1821. In 1852 he was married to Laurinda R. Irons. They have no children. Mr. Smith is a farmer, and owns and occupies what was formerly the Winsor hotel stand.
Russell M. Smith was born in Glocester in 1822, and is a mason by trade. He married in 1843 Marietta Waldron. They have three sons and three daughters. He has been a member of the town coun- cil since 1886.
Chad A. Sprague, born in Glocester in 1818, is a son of George and grandson of John Sprague. His wife was Marana Smith. They have one son, Louis S., who resides with his father; and two daughters, Al- zada and Ursula. Louis S. was married in 1882 to Angeline Patter- son. They have a son and a daughter. They own the farm once owned by John Sprague.
Charles H. Steere is a son of Riley Steere, and was born in Glo- cester in 1810. He is a carpenter by trade. He was married in 1831 to Mehitable A. Tourtellot, and has one daughter, Mary A. Steere.
Enoch Steere was born on the 13th of May, 1813, in Glocester, and is the third generation of that name. His great-grandfather was An- thony Steere, son of Samuel, whose father was John, the founder of the family in the state of Rhode Island, to whom all existing families of the name in this country as far as known, except the Pennsylvania branch, trace back their lineage. Enoch was married November 10th, 1881, to Anna Warner. Although in the 78th year of his age, he re- tains more than the ordinary vigor at this period of life. He still re- sides on his father's homestead, on Quinnepaug hill, that overlooks the home of his great-great-grandfather, Samuel, and the ancestral cemetery of the family. Starting out with an energetic character as his only capital, he cut his way through the usual difficulties which beset men in their struggle through life, to success. By frugality, careful management and persevering industry, he has acquired a com- petency and a capital which has been principally invested in mort- gages on real estate. He is regarded as one of the prominent and ubstantial men of his town.
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
GEORGE W. STEERE, one of the successful farmers of the county, was born in the town of Glocester, November 16th, 1831. He is the son of Anthony Steere, who had eight sons, of whom seven are living, the youngest, Andrew J., being now in his 47th year. Anthony Steere was a Quaker. He was born September 16th, 1777. His father, Enoch Steere, was one of the early settlers of this part of the county. Anthony Steere built the mills'now owned by the sons, and was a wealthy property holder both in the town of Glocester and village of Chepachet. The saw mill was built when he was a young man, about 80 years ago. His wife, Mrs. Deborah (Wade) Steere, was born De- cember 25th, 1804. Their children were: Enoch M., Smith A., Lewis H., Nancy W., George W., William H., Mary Eliza, Mary L., Oliver W., Nathaniel M. and Andrew J., who owns the old homestead.
George W. Steere received a good common school education, sup- plementing this course with one at Lapham Institute, North Scituate. From childhood he has remained on the farm. Inured to hard work, and being possessed with more than an ordinarily strong frame, Mr. Steere has accomplished some herculean tasks in the field of manual labor. It is stated upon good authority, that he has done the work of several men in his own lifetime. Physically strong, laudably am- bitious, and heroically energetic, Mr. Steere has succeeded in making life for him and his family a grand success. When the property was divided among the heirs in 1863, the saw mill and about 100 acres of land upon which it stood fell to the share of George W. Steere. In 1863 the old mill was pulled down and a new one built 100 feet long, and instead of the old up-and-down saw, circular ones were put in, also planing machines, matchers and joiners were placed, and some- times 12 and 15 men were employed. At one time cards were placed in the mill and cotton batting and shoddy were made. The lumber sawed supplied a large and increasing demand. Mr. Steere used vast quantities of it himself. His father erected a great number of build- ings, among the number the mill at Glendale, 150 feet long and five stories high, and this enterprise has been carried on to the present time. Mr. Steere owns some 20 lots in the city of Providence, on sev- eral of which he has built houses. He also erects other structures. He owns several houses in Glocester. In 1862 he bought the Peck- ham Hotel in Chepachet, and also owns some other property in that place.
As a farmer, Mr. Steere has been very successful. The land upon which he lives was once of ordinary quality. His system of cultivat- ing the soil has, however, greatly enhanced its value, and instead of reaping but one crop of grass from the ground, two are taken annually. The first crop is cut about July 1st, and the second crop about two months and a half later, the land yielding on an average five tons of grass to each acre, for the season. Mr. Steere has always voted the democratic ticket, with two exceptions. Being public spirited, he has
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
filled various town offices, but never in any way cared for the positions. In 1886 he was sent as a representative to the lower house of the state legislature, and re-elected the two succeeding terms, but declined fur- ther nominations. In 1855 he was married to Miss Martha Sayles of Burrillville, who was a daughter of George R. Sayles, a millwright of that town. The children born to this marriage are: Harris, proprietor of a livery stable at Chepachet; Cyrus A., George W., Jr., Oliver, Maria E., Benjamin F., Smith and John P. During his whole life Mr. Steere has been found on the side of right, and of law and order. While in the general assembly he voted for the prohibition constitu- tion, and the efforts of the man in the town and county in which he lives will tend toward the good of his fellow men. In the spring of 1874 Mr. Steere experienced a change of heart, and the following fall was baptized by Reverend John M. Purkis, and joined the Free Baptist church in Chepachet, of which he is a worthy member, giving freely to support the Gospel in his own town as well as in foreign lands.
Horace S. Steere, born in Glocester in 1826, is a son of Job Steere. He is a carpenter by trade, but has followed farming for 30 years past. He was married in 1849 to Marietta Walker. There were born to them four daughters and six sons. Only four sons are now living.
Lucy L. Steere is the widow of Seth H. Steere. They were married in 1851 and had eight children, five sons and three daughters.
Mary A. Steere is the widow of Clovis W. Steere, late of this town. Her maiden name was Norton. They were married in 1854, and had one daughter, Myrtilla E., wife of Franklin P. Mitchell.
George N. White is a son of Benjamin and a grandson of Hum- phrey White, who came to this county from Bedford, Mass., in 1794. He was born in 1815. His business has been farming and lumber dealing. He was elected to the state senate in 1887. He was married in 1835 to Cyrena Youngs, and has two sons and two daughters.
Benjamin A. Winsor, great-grandson of Benjamin Winsor, and a descendant of Sir Edward Winsor, who came to this country from England about the time of Roger Williams, was born in 1861 in Smith- field, R. I. In 1887 he was married to Carrie, daughter of John B. and Maria A. Brown. Mr. Winsor is the owner of a large farm, containing over 300 acres. The house upon it is a large two story structure, and was built in 1779.
George W. Steen
ARTOTYPE, E. BIERSTADT, N. Y
CHAPTER XIII.
THE TOWN OF BURRILLVILLE.
Description .- Incorporation .- Early Town Action .- Officers .- Town Asylum .- Schools. -Early Settlers .- Counterfeiting .- Mills and Manufactories .- Villages .- Churches.
-Societies .- The Temperance Movement .- Biographical Sketches.
T HE town of Burrillville is situated in the northwest corner of the state, about 20 miles northwest from the city of Providence.
Previous to 1806 this territory was included in the town of Glo- cester, but in that year the tract comprising this township was set off and incorporated into a separate and distinct township. It derived its present name from the Honorable James Burrill, who was then attorney general of the state of Rhode Island. In consideration of this act Mr. Burrill presented the town with a set of books for the town records. The town is bounded on the north by Massachusetts, on the west by Connecticut, on the south by Glocester, and on the east by North Smithfield. Places of note and interest found in the town are as follows:
Villages .- Pascoag, Harrisville, Mapleville, Saxonville, Huntsville, Laurel Ridge, Mohegan, Glendale, Gazza, Oakland, Graniteville, Plainville, Oak Valley, Nasonville. Hills .-- Buck, Den, Snake, North. Rivers .- Branch, Pascoag, Clear, Chepachet, Tarkiln, Nipmuck, Muddy Brook, Herring Pond Brook. Swamps .- Cedar, Nehunganup, Maple-sap, Reed, Pine. Woods .- Horsehead, Herring,. Pine. Ponds .- Wallum, or Allum (named after a Quinebaug captain), Herring, Round, Sucker, Pascoag Reservoir, Wilson's Reservoir. Indians .- Nipmucks, Pas- coags (tributary to the Narragansetts). Historic .- Old Paul's Place, Forger's Cave, Cooper's Den.
The average length of the town is about twelve miles from east to west, and its average breadth from north to south is about five miles, comprising an area of about 60 square miles. The land is rather rough and in general unfavorable for cultivation. The agricultural products consist of corn, rye, oats, potatoes, butter, cheese, beef, and pork. Allum pond or Wallum lake, a stream from which runs through the town in an easterly direction, located in the northern part and partly in Massachusetts is the most considerable body of water in this region of the country. In many respects the town, though of a later separate formation than some of the others in the county, is full of interest and is rich not only in natural resources, but also in manufacturing
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
interests. The progressive development of Burrillville from a rude and primitive forest to a rich and prosperous town has been marked, and its destiny in the future is secure.
The opinion is given that the climate in this section is more severe than that in the same latitude eastward and the closer proximity of the latter to the water is adduced as a satisfactory explanation. It follows probably that those sections bordering on the coast are more free from extremes of heat and cold than those further inland. As the land rises northward or northwestward the influence of the water diminishes. The winters of 1780, 1781, 1792 and 1798 were extremely cold, the first mentioned being remarkable for its severity. It was so cold here it was impossible to keep the paths open and at last they were abandoned entirely, and people traveled about with snow shoes and drew their grists to mill on hand sleds.
All the territory, including Smithfield, Scituate and Glocester, from 1636 to 1730-1 was included in the town of Providence. In 1730-1 an act was passed by the general assembly to incorporate the outskirts of Providence into three towns. A committee having been appointed to survey the parts north of the city, on their return reported: " No one would ever settle on these barren lands." Consequently the three towns first named above were formed, the town of Glocester made to embrace all the territory of Burrillville.
Up to 1806 the town was twelve miles square, and the town meet- ings were held at Chepachet. In 1805 the people began to think it a little too far to travel to Chepachet to vote, and on the 27th of August, 1805, it was voted "That Messers Zebedee Hopkins, Seth Hunt, Abra- ham Winsor, Daniel Tourtellot, Bazaleal Paine, Joktan Putnam and Edmund Waldron be appointed a committee to draft a petition to the general assembly to divide the town east. through the middle of the town free from expense to said town, and sign the petition in behalf of said town." On the 16th of April, 1806, they instructed their depu- ties to use their utmost influence for a division of the town. Subse- quently an "Act to divide the town of Glocester and to incorporate the north part thereof into a town by the name of Burrillville," was passed.
"Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly and by the Au- thority thereof it is enacted that the town of Glocester in the county of Providence, be divided into two towns, by a line drawn westerly through the middle of said town to the line of the state of Connecticut, and that the northern half of said town thus divided and set off, be incorporated into a township by the name of Burrillville, and that the inhabitants thereof shall have and enjoy the like benefits, liberties, privileges and immunities as the other towns in the State generally en- joy and are entitled to.
"Sec. 2. And be it further enacted; That the freemen of said town shall and may assemble in town meeting on the third Monday in No-
HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY. 549
vember, A. D., 1806, to elect their town officers and transact all other business which by law a town meeting may transact, and that Simeon Steere, Esq., be authorized and directed to issue his warrant to any constable in said town of Burrillville to warn the freemen of said town to meet in town meeting for the purpose aforesaid, at such place and at such time on said day as he may in his warrant appoint.
"Sec. 3. And be it further enacted; That Messrs. Joshua Bicknell, Joseph Rice and Thomas Mann be and they are hereby appointed a committee to make an equal division of the poor now supported at the expense of the said town of Glocester between the two towns of Glocester and also of the debts due or owing and money belonging to the town of Glocester and the debts due from the said town which said division shall be settled and made in proportion to the last tax assessed in said town.
"Sec. 4. And be it further enacted; That said committee be au- thorized and empowered to run the division line aforedescribed, to set up monuments and boundaries therein and to report to the General Assembly at the next session."
The committee appointed in behalf of the town of Glocester to at- tend the state committee that had charge of the division of the poor, taxes and debts between the two towns, consisted of Jesse Tourtellot, Thomas Owen, Esq., and Colonel Elijah Armstrong, who were ap- pointed October 26th, 1806. Mr. Joktan Putnam was chosen a com- mittee to wait on the Honorable James Burrill to receive a set of books presented by him to the town, to be used for the records of the town. Each of these books had this inscription: "Presented to the town of Burrillville by James Burrill, Jr., Esq., 1806."
The Honorable James Burrill was a native of the town of Provi- dence, and was born April 25th, 1772. He entered Brown University at an early age and graduated in the year 1788. Having a decided taste for law, he entered upon the study of that profession and was admit- ted to the bar before he attained his majority. In 1797 he was chosen by the general assembly to the office of attorney general, and held this position about 17 successive years. In 1813 he resigned his office, and in 1816 he was appointed by the general assembly chief justice of the supreme court. He afterward was elected to the senate of the United States. His health had always been poor, and he died in the prime of life.
The first meeting of the freemen of the town of Burrillville was held on the 17th day of November, 1806. Captain Joktan Putnam was chosen moderator and Daniel Smith, Jr., town clerk. The first town council consisted of John Esten, Esq., Simeon Steere, Esq., Samuel Smith, Amaziah Harris, William Ross, Moab Paine and Levi Lapham. At this meeting attention was directed to the division of the town and its legislative necessities. December 2d, 1806, was held a special meeting for choosing a representative to the Tenth congress. A meet-
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
ing was held February 14th, 1807, and adjourned until the 17th at the hotel of John Wood. At this meeting it was voted " that the charter of the town of Burrillville and the report of the state committee on the division of the two towns be lodged in the town clerk's office."
The first money tax was imposed in August, 1807. It amounted to $500 and the poll tax was 33 cents. The question of license for selling liquors was considered at a town meeting held June 6th, 1808. At that meeting it was voted " That the next town meeting be at Russell Aldrich's, upon these conditions: That the said Aldrich pay into the town treasury the sum of $16.25 within one week after said meeting, to which condition the said Aldrich agrees;" and it was also voted: " That the said Russell Aldrich have privilege to prosecute any other person for selling liquors on that day and place." In September, 1808, the privilege was again sold to the highest bidder and brought $23. In 1810 it was sold for $50. Finally the sale of town meetings came to be regarded as impolitic and unjust, as some of the highest bidders not unfrequently resided in some remote parts of the town. A com- mittee was therefore appointed to confer with the society of the Baptist meeting house to gain their approbation and consent to have the meetings held at the old meeting house thereafter. On the 19th of April, 1820, it was voted: " That from and after this date no man shall be elected to office in said town who shall give any valuable con- sideration therefor." This was an act that worked a decided advan- tage to the best interests of the people.
In 1844 it was discovered that the dividing line between Burrill- ville and Glocester was incorrect. A committee was appointed after- ward by the general assembly to examine into the matter and make a new survey. From the committee's report it was found that Glocester contained 1,049 acres more than her proportion of the territory. The settlement of the northern boundary of the state was made, however, soon after this by the United States supreme court in favor of Massa- chusetts, and this terminated the controversy, and thus a large tract of land was taken from the town.
The town clerks of Burrillville have been as follows: Daniel Smith, from November 17th, 1806, till June, 1811; Dezall Paine, till 1821; Daniel Smith, till 1840; John Walling, Jr., till 1854; David Mathewson, till 1855; James S. Cook, till 1856; Alvah Mowry, till 1883; Willaby Nason, till 1884, when Alvah Mowry was again elected and still holds the office. Mr. Mowry is also notary public and holds other minor positions.
The principal town officers of Burrillville elected in June, 1890, are: Moderator, Oliver A. Inman; town clerk, Alvah Mowry; town council, Ernest W. Tinkham, Willaby Nason, Job S. Steere, Michael B. Griffin, William Blackmar, Henry L. Copeland, Thomas H. Fagan; town treasurer, Philip O. Hawkins; town sergeant, Herbert F. Mowry; overseer of poor, Henry A. Potter; justices of the peace, Samuel S.
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
Stone, Edward F. Lovejoy, John Hardman, Oliver A. Inman, George F. Whitford, Charles B. Luther, Allen T. Smith, Samuel W. Millard.
April 6th, 1853, the town authorities purchased for the town asy- lum a farm consisting of 120 acres, of John and Charles Albee for the sum of $2,400. Since then the buildings have been enlarged and other improvements made. In 1888, the town treasurer, P. O. Hawkins, re- ported the expenses of the poor farm for that year $1,416.94, and for outside poor $451.40.
The earliest date at which any regular school house was built was in the year 1806. Prior to that time schools were held in private houses, shops, etc., but the settlement of the town was so scattering, the numbers found in any one neighborhood hardly justified the building of a school house. In June, 1828, according to the require- ments of the new state law, two committees were appointed, one con- sisting of 23 men for dividing the town into school districts, and the other of 21 persons that were to constitute the school board. In 1839 the school expenditures were $1,003.32. In 1888 they were $7,908.09, to the various school districts, and $486.03 for school supervision. A. H. Granger, superintendent of the public schools, reports the town as having made much progress in educational work.
The region round about Burrillville in the early settlement of the state was known as the Nipmuck dominion, it being occupied by a tribe of Indians bearing that name. This tribe was tributary to the Narragansetts, but on the arrival of the English they sought the op- portunity of throwing off their allegiance. The Nipmuck river, formed by the union of three streams, was named after them. The Pascoags were another tribe that inhabited this section, and the vil- lage of Pascoag is named in remembrance of them. Tradition says " coag " meant snake, and as there were formerly a great quantity of snakes here, wherever they went they were accustomed to say " pass- coag." "Black Hut" was the name of an old Indian wigwam that was in this locality. Now instead of the roar of the beast and the war-whoop of the savage, the busy whirr of the spindle and the clanking of the loom are heard.
Among the original settlers of this town was John Smith, who came here with his axe and wallet of victuals and commenced felling trees across streams, and traversed the woods until he came to a spot now known as " Tar-kiln Saw Mill." He surveyed the forests about, and, going into " Horse Head woods " and around the foot of " Den hill," made a settlement at or near where the Urania Smith house stands. He went back to Providence to lay in a supply for his wallet, and on his return was accompanied by his brother and several other adventurers. They continued to fell trees, and soon had a clearing, which they cultivated and planted in corn and other products. At one time all that part of the town was occupied by their descendants.
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