USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > History of Providence County, Rhode Island > Part 71
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
Nathan Walker, James Parker, John Bennet, Jr., Jeremiah Almy, Joseph Remington, Nathan Ralfe, John I. Kilton, Jonathan Knight, Jr., Joseph Briggs, David Knight, Joseph Collins, William Taylor, John Manchester, Edward Bennet, Thomas Parker, John Edwards, Jr., Simeon Wilbor, Isaiah Austin, Samuel Eldridge, Christopher Knight, Samuel Hopkins, Benajah Bosworth, Obadiah Rolfe, Ezekiel Wood, Caleb Fisk, doctor, John Phillips, Constant Graves, Stukely Thornton, James Andrews, Jr., Christopher Collins, Joseph Bennet, Thomas Knight, Peleg Colvin, Eleazor Westcott, Caleb Steere, Collins Roberts, Daniel Fisk, William Knight, Nathan Franklin, Uriah Franklin, Jr., Ephriam Edwards, Stephen Edwards, Francis Fuller, Jr., Benjamin Whitmore, William Stafford, Daniel Angell, Furmer Tanner-52 in all.
Another list, dated February 5th, 1776, gives the following addi- tional names: Daniel Dexter, Peter Pierce, Alexander Lovell, Ebenezer Handy, Joseph Turner, John Gunnison, Isaiah Ashton, Benjamin Bacon, Nathan Mathewson, Christopher Edwards, Knight Wilbor, Abraham Angell, Moses Colvin.
A letter from Governor Cooke to Joseph Knight, dated Providence, December 19th, 1775, directed to him as captain of the Second com- pany of minute men in Scituate, says: "You are hereby directed to gather together the company under your command with all possible expedition and march them to this town in order to be transported to Rhode Island for the defence of that island. You are to be careful that the men are properly equipped with arms, ammunition and blankets fit for immediate service. I have advice from Gen. Wash- ington that eight large transports, with two tenders, having on board one regiment of foot, and three companies of horse sailed from Boston last Saturday, and I have no doubt that your officers and men will exert themselves upon this occasion with their usual ardor."
In addition to the above the Scituate Light Infantry Company, Benjamin Boss, captain, gives a return of 54 men. Captain Nathan Worker's company gives Lieutenant Joseph Carpenter, Ensign Samuel Wilbor, 72 men, eight all equipped and 29 guns; Captain Conan Smith's company had Lieutenant Fabel Angell, and Captain Heren- don's company had Lieutenant Isaac Hopkins and Ensign James Wells, Timothy Hopkins, Jr., adjutant. Joseph Kimball's company had Gideon Cornwall, lieutenant, Captain Edwin Knight's company had Ensign Daniel Baker. Job Angell also commanded a company, but did not go out of the state.
Some of the mechanics in Scituate in early times were the foliow- ing: Elihu Bowen, who removed from Swansea in 1773, was the first tanner in Scituate, having his tannery by the Moswansicut brook. He died in his 88th year, and was buried in the old Quaker burial ground. Elihu Fiske was a good cabinet maker; Jonathan Hill learned cabinet making of him. Mr. Fiske came from Newport and became rich;
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
keeping also a tavern. Captain Thomas Hill learned his trade as a carpenter of Hugh Cole. Richard Philips learned of him also. Daniel Smith was an early blacksmith. Thomas Field's cooper shop was well known. Mr. Angell's blacksmith shop, near the Angell tavern, was carried on by a different branch of that family from the tavern keeper, and continued in the family for several generations.
Hamilton Lodge, No. 15, A. F. & A. M., was instituted May 27th, 1816, and chartered October 9th, 1817, in the town of Coventry, R. I. It was named for General Hamilton of historic fame. Doctors Thomas M. Carpenter and Jeremiah McGregor were foremost in the formation of this society. The Lodge after a number of years was moved to Hemlock, and about 15 years later to Clayville, where it has been located for 40 years past .. It has been one of the leading Lodges of the country, and it has a membership of about 100. The first officers were: W. M., Thomas O. H. Carpenter; S. W., Stephen M. Pierce; J. W., Archibald Colgrave; T., Jeremiah McGregor; secretary, Cyril C. Lyon; S. D., Isaac Gallup; J. D., Obadiah Perkins; T. and S., Nathaniel Wilbur.
Scituate Royal Arch Chapter No. 8, Clayville, was constituted Sep- tember 28th, 1869. John H. Barden Alanson Steere, Doctor Charles H. Fisher, Doctor W. A. Brown, Doctor Jefferson Howard and Ferdi- nand H. Allen were among the foremost to form this society.
Covenant Lodge No. 40, I. O. O. F., Ashland, was organized Sep- tember 1st, 1876. Its first officers were: N. G., S. H. Angell; V. G., F. H. Allen; secretary, R. H. Walker.
Layfayette Lodge, No. 42, I. O. O. F., Clayville, was instituted June 11th, 1877, with the following officers: N. G., W. H. Tyler; V. G., Henry A. Wells; R. S., Lester Howard; treasurer, Alfred H. Wells; permanent secretary, Charles A. Capwell.
Ashland Lodge, No. 64, I. O. G. T., was instituted May 2d, 1866, with 46 charter members. The first officers were: W. C. T., James Essex; W. V. T., Mrs. W. E. O. Roberts; W. C., James Harrington; W. S., Mrs. Maria Round; W. T., W. E. O. Roberts; W. M., Harley P. Salisbury; I. G., Andrew Bell; O. G., John Wade; R. H. S., Rosa A. Cole; L. H. S., Cora E. Cole; P. W. C. T., William N. Round.
Franklin Lodge, No. 17, I. O. G. T., was instituted February 14th, 1867, with 13 charter members and the following officers: W. C. T., W. H. Bowen; W. V. T., Mrs. A. A. Stone; C., George Tillinghast; S., Horace Smith; A. S., Helen F. Battey; F. S., Charles Jordan; T., Phebe A. Williams; M., Henry O. Preston; D. M., Addie A. Burgess; I. G., Nancy Fuller; O. G., Otis O. Wright; F. S., Mary Jordan; R. S., Phebe S. Bowen; L. D., Harris H. Stone.
The town of Scituate is divided into 19 school districts, and the fact that $5,989.30 was appropriated to the cause of education for the year 1888 shows that the people here recognize the value of education. The town did not begin very early, as a corporation, to establish
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
schools. For a long time education was left to the people to do as they pleased as to the employment of teachers. They taught in private houses, or in rooms of other buildings. Miss Fiske taught in a room of her father's tavern; Marvin Morris, from Dudley, Mass., kept school for half a dozen years, about 1800; he was called a good penman. Thomas Mowry was a teacher, and a Mr. Dutton; also Samuel Perry from Connecticut. The first town appropriation recorded was $300, in 1834. This continued for successive years until 1850, when the sum advanced to $900, and so continued a number of years. The houses are built in locations suitable for the scholars, and the school property compares favorably with that of the most progressive towns of the state.
The Lapham Institute is located upon a slight eminence, command- ing a view of the village of North Scituate. It is composed of three large buildings, and was founded by the Rhode Island Association of Free Baptists, in the year 1839. During this same year Reverend Hosea Quimby opened the school under auspicious circumstances as principal. Three courses of study were provided; one for young men preparing for college, one for young ladies, embracing a period of four years, and one to meet the wants of those pupils who only attended one or more terms.
The endowment fund consisted of about $30,000, which was con- sumed in the purchase of the ground and the erection of buildings. In the year 1850 the society became heavily taxed and sold the entire property to Mr. Quimby, its principal, who, by practical economy and careful management, hoped to render the school self-sustaining. But after four years of severe struggle, he succumbed to overwork and anxiety, and the property was hired to Samuel P. Coburn, who be- came the next principal.
In 1857 Reverend W. Colgrove purchased the buildings and fur- nishings of its owner, but at the end of two years the school was closed and so remained for three years. In 1863 the name was changed to the Lapham Institute, the Honorable Benedict Lapham and others becoming sureties for whatever deficiencies might occur.
Among the distinguished graduates of this institution are Professor James B. Angell, of Michigan University, Ann Arbor; George T. Day, former editor of the Morning Star; Ex-Governor Howard, of Rhode Island; Professor Thomas L. Angell, of Bates College; and Mary La tham Clark, the author of several valuable and popular works. The institution is supplied with a good library, and its laboratory comprises well assorted chemical and astronomical apparatus. The property is now owned by Mr. William Winsor, of Greenville, R. I.
The successive principals have been: Hosea Quimby, from 1839 to 1854; Samuel P. Coburn, from 1854 to 1857: Reverend W. Colgrove, from 1857 to 1859. Up to this time the school had been known as
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
Smithville Seminary. From 1859 to 1863 there was no school. In 1863 name was changed to Lapham Institute, and Reverend B. F. Hayes was principal from 1863 to 1865; Thomas L. Angell, from 1865 to 1867; George H. Ricker, from 1867 to 1874; A. G. Moulton, from 1874 to 1875; W. S. Stockbridge was principal in 1875, and was the last one in the place.
Richmond village is the seat of William E. Joslin's shoe and corset lacing works, and is about the center of the town. It was one of the earliest settled localities in this part of the county. The old Angell Tavern, an antique and grotesque edifice, was erected here nearly two centuries ago. Here town meetings were held, politics were discussed and the views of the day proclaimed. The house was two stories high, with the eaves of the front extending a few feet, forming a little shel- ter in stormy weather. On the western end was a huge stone chim- ney, forming a wall for that end of the building. There was also back of the main building an addition sloping down from the main roof to form a kitchen, closet and bedroom, one story high. This part of the house was taken down in 1823.
The house had three narrow windows with small panes of glass on the lower front, and four of the same description above, with one at the east end. The front door was at the western extremity of the part. facing the road. As you entered, a door on the right hand of the pas- sage opened upon the barroom-a large square one-and leading out of it. The entire length of the remaining fore part of the house was. a sitting room-used in later years, if not before, for a bedroom. Back of the barroom was a large square room used as a kitchen. The only pair of stairs ascended from this room. A bedroom was at one end of it, corresponding in size to the sitting room, directly behind which it stood. The hall for dancing and public meetings was on the second floor.
The house was built by Captain Thomas Angell in 1710, if a stone taken out of the chimney gives the correct date. His land lay on both sides of the Ponaganset river, and was extensive. He built his first house near where Pardon Angell's house stands, a quarter of a mile north. The tavern became noted among the traveling public. Many eminent men have been entertained here, as well as many humble travelers. General Washington and General Lafayette stopped here. The latter encamped his regiment on the pleasant intervale in front of the house, while marching through the town during the revolu- tionary war, and continued there until the troops had finished their washing in the river. Lafayette lodged in the tavern, and another French officer of high rank had accommodations in a house near by, where lived Mr. Abner Angell. John Manchester, Nathan Manches- ter and Mr. Hazard also kept this house, but the property continued in the hands of the Angells till recently. .
Captain Thomas Angell, son of John and Ruth Angell, the owner
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
of this property, was born March 25th, 1672. April 4th, 1700, he mar- ried Sarah, daughter of Daniel and Alice Brown. Captain Thomas Angell, in 1734, contracted with the town to build the bridge over the Ponaganset river. The town meetings continued to be held in this tavern many years.
Captain Thomas Angell's children were: Jeremiah, Nehemiah, Isaiah, Jonathan, Thomas, Martha and Sarah. Every one but Jona- than married and had children. Dividing his lands, he gave large farms of 200 acres to each of his sons, and built handsome houses of two stories high for four of them, and a smaller house for Jonathan. The daughters, no doubt, received gifts. At their father's death, in 1744, Martha inherited by his will a negro girl called Phillis, and Sarah a negro boy named James.
Thomas, the youngest son, was the executor of his father's will. Jeremiah followed his father in the keeping of the tavern, and was a highly respectable man. He was a justice of the peace as early as 1741, and afterward town treasurer. His first wife was Mary Mathew- son, his second Abigail Graves, and his third Elizabeth Stow. He died in 1786, aged 79 years, having been born January 29th, 1707. His widow survived till December 10th, 1821.
Nehemiah Angell, second son of Thomas, married Mary Hopkins, sister to Elder Reuben Hopkins. He had three sons, Pardon, Nehe- miah and Abraham, and four daughters, Zilpah, Martha, Mercy and Mary. A grandson, Mr. Pardon Angell, became the owner of the farm, and soon after took down the old one story red house, and put up a new one. Isaiah, the third son, married Miss Wilkinson, and had only one daughter, named Prudence, who married Gideon Austin, and had a large family. Thomas Angell, Jr., married Mercy, and had one daughter, Sally, who married a Sterry. Mr. Angell sold out and removed to Providence. Martha Angell married Mr. Knight, and Sarah married Jeremy Mathewson, on the very day the Angell tavern was raised. The children of Jeremiah were brought up with their fa- ther in the tavern. Daniel, born August 16th, 1748, went to sea un- married, and did not return. Andrew, one of his sons, married Ta- bitha Harris, daughter of Gideon Harris, Esq., and carried on the tavern after his father.
Captain Angell seems to have made his tavern the great center of business and amusement in the town. The militia musters were held in the vicinity, and the pound drew all the stray cattle, and their owners to reclaim them; there, too, the blacksmith shop adjoining the pound, under another line of Angells, brought customers, and there also, we must not forget to mention, was the " stocks," a machine con- sisting of two heavy pieces of timber, rounded so as to inclose the legs of criminals, and in which ludicrous and painful condition they had to sit out their time. Here, too, those who got into scrapes during the trainings, and other times, were put; and the pole of the tavern
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
sign was used as a post to fasten those unfortunate gentlemen who were sentenced to be whipped, an operation they were not likely very soon to forget.
Other taverns sprung up, as the town increased, in different places. Matthew Manchester was licensed as an inn-keeper in 1769, and Thomas Manchester and Levi Colvin at the same time. Stephen Smith and Zebedee Hopkins were licensed in 1762, and Colonel John Potter and Christopher Potter in 1760. Some of these persons lived in Fos- ter, then a part of Scituate. Peter Cook, 1755; Joseph Kimball, 1745; Jeremiah Angell, 1758; Elisha Hopkins, Jr., 1758; William West, 1758; John Hulet, 1745; Thomas Brown, 1749; Samuel Cooper, 1745; Henry Randall, Jr., 1748; William Jackson, 1758, were among the licensed. "Tavern Ale House and Victualling House " is the term employed in licensing many of the above. Only a few of these per- sons could have done much business.
An old house on Bald hill, marked on the chimney 1710, or 1740, was built by John Hammond, who lived in it; also Jeremiah Baker lived there.
The license to Joseph Knight runs thus: "License to keep a tav- ern, or house of public entertainment, and to retail strong liquors in said town, and hath given bond for maintaining good order and con- forming to the regulations of the law respecting taverns and public houses. Provided, that he suffer no unlawful game or games, drunk- enness, or any other disorder, in said house, or in any place in his possession, but that good government, rule and order be kept therein according to law." This license is dated February 12th, 1803, and is signed by John Harris, clerk.
Thomas Wilmarth, who was a tavern keeper and clothier, kept an old tavern, still standing. His son, Stephen Wilmarth, of Glocester, married Nancy, daughter of James Aldrich.
Manufacturing has in all probability been carried on in this part of the town since the time of Captain Angell, in one way and another. Originally there may have been a saw and grist mill near his house, as there was a fall of water of later years used for a factory. The present mode of manufacturing goods on an extensive scale, however, was not begun till about the beginning of the present century, when the so-called original stone mill of this place was erected. It was the fourteenth mill of the United States as to the time of its erection, and was built in 1812 by a company of 12 or 15 persons. Before going into operations, however, they sold the property to Messrs. Richmond Bullock, William Richmond and David Andrews, who carried on busi- ness under the style of the Richmond Company. They at first put the weaving out among the farmers but afterward they placed looms in the mill. The Richmond Company soon afterward leased their mills to Jacob Warner. They were subsequently leased to Thomas Newell, and after him came Robert Harris, Olney Hendrick, who
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
manufactured seamless bags, and Henry Olney, his son-in-law. In 1864 the mill was destroyed by fire. In 1865 Robert Joslin, an enter- prising manufacturer, purchased the property and rebuilt the mills. The building covered the site now occupied and was two stories high, with attic and basement. Mr. Joslin did a flourishing business, em- ploying 50 hands and over. He manufactured yarn and thread, and was increasing his business annually at a very high rate of speed, when the fire of 1872 burned his property to the ground, catching him a few days after he had allowed his insurance policy to expire. Mr. Joslin then went to Saundersville and continued operations there. In the meantime, W. E. Joslin, his son, came with his father and bought the property in 1879, when the present firm of W. E. Joslin & Co. was formed, the senior member of the firm taking three-fourths of the stock. In 1880 the present mill, 84 by 36 feet, two stories high, with attic and basement, was erected and subsequently increased by an addition 40 by 72 feet. The latest improved machinery was then put in and the manufacture of shoe and corset lacings begun. Competi- tion in this line of work has been great, but the senior member of the concern seems to have been equal to the emergency, and from the first the business has steadily increased until now the hum of wheels here is louder than ever before. With the prosperity of the business have also come many added improvements. The building is heated with low pressure boilers and in the near future Mr. Joslin contem- plates adding illumination by electricity. Noyes, Smith & Co., of New York, and the Crompton Corset Company, of Toronto, Canada, are their agents. The last named company have handled their goods for ten years.
Mr. Joslin's residence, built in 1880, is supplied with every modern convenience. Pipes have been laid to conduct water into the house and stable. Connected with this system are sewerage pipes, making the sanitary condition as perfect as any found in our largest cities. The water used is cool and pure. Artesian wells have been sunk in the sandy bed below the bottom of the river, and by this means only that water which has been thoroughly filtered is brought into use. The water is pumped by the mill into a large tank and then by gravi- tation conducted in pipes to the house.
The Wilbur factory was started by Samuel Wilbur for the manu- facture of spools and bobbins in 1829. Benjamin Wilbur, the present owner, succeeded to the business in 1860. The first shop was small and but three or four hands were employed. It burned down in 1884, and the present structure, 40 by 150 feet, two stories high, was erected, in which 15 men find employment. Mr. Benjamin Wilbur in due time bought the old James Hazard privilege of Robert Knight and improved that privilege by changing the fall of water from 11 to 28 feet.
The shop below, owned by Eugene C. Wightman, is an extensive affair for the manufacture of bobbin blanks. The factory was owned for a long time by Russell Rounds.
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
Steere's shoe and corset lacing factory was erected about the year 1826 by Daniel Fiske, who carried on the business of making axes, scythes and spindles. He continued in the business till 1855, and then sold the entire property to A. D. Steere. Mr. Steere also engaged extensively in the carriage, harness and robe trade. This factory was burned in June, 1877.
Stores have been kept in Richmond Village from an early date. The old store now occupied by Walter Brown. but owned by the mill company, stands on grounds purchased of Andrew Angell in 1840. The building was erected by Mathewson Wilbur, two or three years. later. Mr. Wilbur formerly kept store in the old tavern. The busi- ness subsequently passed into the hands of William A. Potter, and about 25 years ago it was transferred to Robert Joslin. Upon the formation of the new mill company this building was included, and it is now owned by them.
The Friends, or Quakers, worshipped in a church which was burned . before the revolutionary war. December 14th, 1811, their last meet- ing house was erected, and William Almy and Moses Brown attended from Providence. At the present time there are but few gatherings of this kind in the town, but at one time they numbered in their ranks many of the most important citizens here. The Wilkinsons of the first generation, James Aldrich, Daniel Fiske, Isaac Fiske, Ezra Potter, John Potter, Mr. Mial Smith, Elisha Mathewson and Gideon Harris attended the meetings. Their first church was built on land given by Gideon Harris, a mile west of the present church building, near the old bank, and was supposed to have been accidentally consumed. Meetings were subsequently held in private houses, sometimes with Elizabeth Aldrich, Mial Smith and Elihu Bowen, until a new house was built.
Rhode Island was from the start tolerant of all Protestant religious faiths, allowing free utterance of doctrine, from which cause she at- tracted settlers of various creeds. Quakers and Baptists were the most numerous. The Six Principle Baptist church, according to a sermon of Richard Knight, one of the elders, preached in 1727, was constituted in 1725, received a grant of an acre of land and built a meeting house upon upon it, reserving a part of the land for a burial place. This was about the center of the town. In August, 1727, Samuel Fiske was ordained pastor, and Benjamin Fiske deacon of the society. The services were performed by Elders Brown, Morse and Martin. James Colvin was ordained colleague with Elder Fiske about 1738. Elder Colvin died in 1755, and the church was without a pastor until July Sth, 1762, when Reuben Hopkins was ordained elder, and the church prospered under his ministry. A reformation com- menced and continued several years, and numbers were added to the church. In 1821 they built a new and larger meeting house on the same spot, which is still standing and in use. Elder Jaques was the last preacher, and the meetings now are irregularly held. This church
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HISTORY OF PROVIDENCE COUNTY.
and ministry has doubtless exerted a very great and beneficial influ- ence upon the town. Deacon Benjamin Wilbur has been superin- tendent of the Sabbath school for 31 years past.
The Episcopal church at Richmond was built just prior to the late war. The Angells, the Wescotts and the Fields were the chief pro- moters. The building is a substantial structure, and cost about $3,000. Henry Olney, the present reader, was also one of the prime movers of this religious enterprise. The membership is small.
The village of North Scituate is located on the Providence and Hartford turnpike, about ten miles west from the city of Providence. It occupies a healthy and delightful site in the northeast part of the town, near the shore of the great pond Moswansicut, which is sur- rounded with scenery grand and fascinating. The village has grown up gradually. Its streets are well shaded in summer, and the place is beautiful and picturesque. Here is located the Lapham Institute, and within its classic walls have been educated some of the distinguished men of the age. A good hotel, noted for its comfort and convenience, three churches to mark the prevalence of religious influence, and a goodly number of stores and shops and other places of business are also located here.
The cosy little village is surrounded with exquisite bits of wood- land scenery presenting some views imposing to the height of grand- eur. The lake near by is surrounded by woods, and is a beautiful sheet of water. It is a favorite resort for fishing parties.
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