USA > Rhode Island > Kent County > East Greenwich > History of the town of East Greenwich and adjacent territory, from 1677 to 1877 > Part 18
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23
" Besides those already named as signers of the petition for the charter many others of the company held commis- sions in the armies of the Revolution, in all not less than thirty-two. And what is even more remarkable, all these officers, it is said, acquitted themselves well in their respec- tive positions ; many rose to high distinction, and one, in universal estimation is placed second only to the immortal Washington. From this brief notice, which might be, and
197
THE KENTISH GUARDS.
perhaps ought to be extended, it will be seen that few com- panies in our country can claim a more ancient and honor- able origin, or have inherited a larger share of well earned glory, than the Kentish Guards; and of the present officers and members, it is but a just and merited tribute to say that their recent conduct in defence of the State, in their trying position at Pawtucket, has abundantly shown that as they have succeeded to a heritage of honor, so they mean to transmit the same to their successors, unsullied and undiminished.
" The Guards arrived home in the cars on the morning of the first instant ; they were met by the Volunteer Company and others at the depot; thence they were escorted to St. Luke's Church, where a large assemblage was waiting to receive them; after they had taken their places in the Church, religious services were performed; a hymn was first sung; the whole assembly then joined in solemn prayer and thanksgiving to God, in the use of appropriate Collects and other parts of the Church service appointed for such occasions.
" A portion of Scripture was next read; the following address was then delivered by the Rev. Mr. Crane, after which the Guards were escorted to their armory and dis- missed :
"' Fellow Citizens :- We are assembled in this house of prayer and praise, to acknowledge our dependence upon Almighty God, as the Sovereign Ruler of nations; we come here as Christian men, to give thanks unto our God for the signal and merciful deliverance which he has wrought for our State; and especially to pour out on this, his sacred altar, our tribute of gratitude, that he has de- fended and preserved in every danger, those our brave and worthy friends, members and volunteers of the Kentish Guards, who promptly responded to their country's call, and exposed their lives amid the fury of lawless mobs, and in the strife of blood; the occasion demands our thanks- giving and our songs of praise.
"' On Sunday last we heard the call to arms; we saw our fathers, brothers, husbands, sons, mustering for the field of blood; sorrowfully yet firmly did they do it; in this house we then commended them to the God of battles ; at home was the short but earnest prayer,-the hasty part- ing blessing, and they were gone. And whither ? Not to face an open foe ; it was to meet undefined and undefinable
198
HISTORY OF EAST GREENWICH.
danger; it was against the plottings of treason-dark and fearful conspiracy, the full design and extent of which no man could tell, and which, therefore, cast suspicion be- tween neighbor and neighbor, and made friend look sternly in the face of friend. It was to meet the rage and frenzy of disappointed leaders and misguided men among our- selves, and the merciless weapons of hired ruffians, and murderous mobs, gathered in from neighboring states and cities ; in short, all the horrors of civil war were reasonably to be apprehended,-law prostrate, violence triumphant, houses, villages, and our lovely city, plundered and destroyed.
"' Such were then our dangers; and to meet them, these our brave defenders hastened ; as they went on with our blessing, as we followed them with our prayers, so now we welcome them back with thanksgiving unto God; God pre- served them; God gave them victory; and to God be the glory, the honor, and the praise.
"'But while we thus ascribe all to God, we forget not by whose hands he has wrought our deliverance ; it has been by the hands, with the blood, and with the peril of the lives of these true and generous men, and others like them ; to them we owe it that the noise of war, and note of dread- ful preparation have ceased throughout our borders, that peace is restored, and we are safe; to them our lasting gratitude is due ;- and specially to these our fellow towns- men, whom we now receive to their homes with the warm- est welcome, and just and noble feelings of pride and pleasure. God, who assigns to every man his place and daily duty in life, saw fit to assign to you, members and volunteers of the Kentish Guards, the post of danger and trial; he also gave you courage and skill to fulfill your duty with honor to yourselves, and with triumph to the laws ; while all was done that mercy in the name of humanity could ask, that also was done which the laws of God and man for the well-being, nay, for the very being of society in the name of the same humanity, approve and demand; we lament the fatal necessity ; we thank God that your firmness was found equal to the awful crisis; and now in the name of these, your friends and neighbors, gathered here to rejoice with you on your safe return, and to testify their approbation of your noble conduct, I lay before you their united tribute of praise and admiration ; in the hour of your country's need you have nobly done your duty ; for
199
THE KENTISH GUARDS.
it we thank and honor you ; for it the grateful blessings of those whom you protected from lawless violence and plun- der will descend and rest upon you.
"' And now, fellow-citizens, a word to you all, and I shall have done ; as to the result, this is a proud day for Rhode Island; her government is sustained, her laws are triumph- ant; her citizens have gained for her a brighter lustre among the sister stars upon the banner of our Union; and for themselves, wreaths of honor and grateful acclamations from every intelligent lover of regulated liberty and social order and human happiness, for the promptness and una- nimity and patriotic sacrifice of all minor and party political differences with which in the hour of her peril they has- tened to the rescue ; this danger is now passed; in our progress through it, all those virtues, which do honor alike to rulers and people, have been nobly displayed; we feel a generous and worthy pride in the wisdom and firmness and patriotism, which this trying occasion has brought out and employed in vigorous and successful action ; we feel more safe, we breathe more freely, when we know that such virtues dwell in the men of our State; and well may we look upon them with conscious pride, as we call them our husbands, our fathers, our brothers, our neighbors, our fel- low-citizens.
" ' But yet there is more in our case ; we have been in a fearful crisis ; in our progress to it, crimes uncounted, at the time unthought of, and even yet, I fear, unrepented, have been committed ; all the customary corrupting engines of party strife have been at work among us; willful misrep- resentations, personal abuse, angry passions, revengeful feel- ings, have been sadly apparent; many have allowed them- selves to think and speak of law and government with con- tempt; others have shown a spirit of lawless violence and boastful defiance ; and some have stained their hearts and hands with treason and open rebellion; and last, though by no means least in God's account, there rests a fearful amount of guilt on men of education and influence who, while they have managed to keep out of the indignant grasp of human law, have counseled and encouraged others in doing what they would not, or dared not do themselves; all these things are crimes against God and man ; in whom- soever any of them are found, that man I solemnly call to repentance and amendment of life; the overhanging clouds of God's righteous displeasure have rolled away; let the
200
HISTORY OF EAST GREENWICH.
sunshine of mercy, which now beams upon us, melt every heart to repentance and prayer.
"' We have been, as I said, in a fearful crisis ; that crisis we reached through a long and fierce struggle-a struggle rather social than political; for however it may have been begun and led on to its present termination by political leaders, still it has all along derived its terrible power mainly from the fact that it has gone to the very heart of the community-has throbbed in every pulse, and quivered in every nerve of the social system; by some means or other, the people of this State, have been brought to a grave discussion of fundamental questions in government ; in the progress of this discussion, a principle was adopted, false in theory, and unsafe in practice; rash and unwise counsels prevailed; the wrong path was taken, and, as it might have been foreseen, it led to rebellion ; that rebellion is now effectually put down ; in doing it, our State has won laurels of lasting glory ; but she has yet a nobler victory to achieve; angry passions, suspicions, mutual recriminations,
and vindictive feelings, almost of necessity, grow out of such a conflict as that through which we have passed; in this state of things, it will require great wisdom and firmness in the rulers, and great forbearance and respect for law in the people, so to temper justice with mercy, that the end of all government, public safety shall be attained, while at the same time the voice of humanity, which demands the ab- staining from all needless severity, shall be fully heard and obeyed.
"' Add to this, that the questions first brought into dis- cussion are still unsettled; the adjustment of them has in itself become more difficult ; the cause of those who seek certain changes in the government has, it is true, suffered from the rash and reckless temper of its leaders, and from the extremity to which it had been pushed; on the other hand, it requires to be remembered, that few only, and those mostly men of profligate habits and ruined fortunes, were found willing to follow their leader in his desperate and bloody attempts; of those who desire to change funda- mental principles in our government, the great body are true and noble hearted men; they love their State; they hate treason and rebellion; they have, with a nobleness worthy of all praise, helped to oppose and defeat them ; from this their cause will eventually gain strength; they still think these changes ought to be made; their opinion
201
THE KENTISH GUARDS.
must be respected ; their request must be fairly met ; if un- reasonable, it must be shown so; if reasonable and just, it must be granted; in this work it is gratifying to know that the Legislature has already made a good beginning, and one which .promises to be satisfactory to all; they have done this, too, at a time and under circumstances, which entitle their wisdom and magnanimity to all confidence ; let the people follow in the same path of moderation, forbearance, and mutual concession ; already have we had enough, and far too much of public discussion, and mass meetings on the subject in question ; let every man now take the matter quietly and alone to his conscience and his Bible; from these let him learn what is a Christian man's duty in respect to the government under which he lives; in what manner he may innocently seek to change its principles or its prac- tices ; the times demand sober reflection ; men of all parties should look well to the ultimate tendences of the principles they have adopted ; the cause of liberty has ever been most in danger from the visionary measures of its ill-advised and over-heated advocates; strength and stability are elements essential to a free government ; any political principles which tend to introduce perpetual change, will inevitably lead to misrule, anarchy, and despotism ; these may be mere truisms, but many there are among us who will do well to give them a more serious consideration; let something also be pardoned to our love of equal privileges-something to our free institutions-something to the intrinsic difficulties of the subject which has been agitated,-and more than all, to a generous confidence in our neighbors and fellow-citi- zens; in this spirit let the people meet and act as a band of brothers; in this way all will be obtained which can be reasonably desired, and upon a principle at once safe to the stability of government and the rights of the governed ; when this shall have been accomplished, as I doubt not it speedily will be, then may every Rhode Islander well be proud of his state, her rulers, and her people.
"' And, now, members and volunteers of the Kentish Guards, I will detain you no longer ; go to your families and friends; there earnest prayers have been offered for your safety-glad hearts are waiting to receive you; wives and children, mothers and sisters will love you better; friends and neighbors will honor you more; remember that God who has shielded your heads in the hour of danger; serve him with the residue of your lives; go, and may the bless- ing of God Almighty be with you now and forever.'"
14
CHAPTER XV.
KENT ACADEMY.
IN the year 1802, a few individuals whose names will be found below, procured a charter of incorporation from the General Assembly, for the establishment of a classical school in East Greenwich, to be called the Kent Academy. This was the first successful school of a high order in the State. The following preamble and articles of association were drawn up by the late Hon. Ray Greene, and they certainly indicate a person of brilliant intellect and highly cultivated mental powers :
" EAST GREENWICH, October 8th, 1802.
" Ethan Clark, William Arnold, Mathewson and Mowry, and Peter Turner, all of East Greenwich, and State of Rhode Island, and Ray Greene, Elihu Greene and Chris- topher Greene, all of Warwick, anxious to promote the happiness of posterity, and to continue the blessings of a free and equal government, which this Country enjoys in as great a degree as any other nation, and believing that well conducted Seminaries of learning, in which youth may acquire knowledge, with the advantages of places of public worship, to incline their minds to morality and religion, are the most probable means to effect their design-have as- sociated for this (as they consider) laudable purpose, and have purchased a lot of land in East Greenwich, containing one acre and twenty rods, upon which they intend (with the assistance of others that may be equally disposed to promote the good of mankind) to erect a building about sixty feet long and thirty feet wide, two stories high and convenient for the accommodation, and when properly regulated, suitable for the instruction of a considerable number of youth in such branches of education as may be
GREENWICH ACADEMY.
203
KENT ACADEMY.
thought most for their advantage. They also please them- selves with the idea, that such an institution will be pro- ductive of the advantage to East Greenwich and its vicinity of introducing a settled Minister of the Gospel, to preach in the Meeting House, which is now so seldom improved.
" The elevated situation upon which the building is in- tended to be erected, its vicinity to the lot upon which the Catholic Congregational Society's Meeting House stands, the cheapness of living and ease of accommodating board- ers, all conspire to make this place agreeable in a town, the healthful air of which is thought to be exceeded by none. This place being central in this State and possessing so many advantages, will induce many- persons to place their children here for education, where they can visit them with convenience, and be frequent spectators of their improve- ment; to complete the contemplated plan, very consider- able expense will be required, much more than is convenient or reasonable for a few to bear ; but we flatter ourselves that there are others, who, believing as we do, the dissemi- nation of Literature, information and religion is amongst the first duties of Society, and the most productive of order and good regulations in Republican governments, will become subscribers to this plan, and adding their names to those already mentioned, will lend their assist- ance to support the Society under the following articles of the association, viz. :
" ARTICLE FIRST. The cost of the land and the buildings to be erected thereon, shall be divided into One Hundred Shares at Thirty Two Dollars each share, and shall be pay- able Five Dollars on each share, on the first Monday in November, 1802. Ten Dollars on each share on the Twenty- Fifth day of June, 1803, and the sum remaining due on each share to be paid on the Twenty Fifth day of September, 1803. But it shall be in the power of the subscribers to this Institution to suspend or alter the time of paying in the two last installments, provided it be previously done by a vote of a majority, at a meeting of them duly notified.
"SECOND. On the first Monday of November, 1802, the Subscribers shall meet at the tavern of Col. Wm. Arnold in East Greenwich, and pay each one of his first Installments, on the share or shares by him subscribed, and they shall at said meeting appoint a person to receive the Installments, collect the payments, and receipt for the same when paid ; they shall also appoint a Committee of Seven Subscribers to represent and conduct the business of the association.
204
HISTORY OF EAST GREENWICH.
" THIRD. The Committee shall meet from time to time, as they may find necessary ; five shall constitute a quorum, the majority of whom present shall govern.
" They shall have power to contract or direct the build- ing to be erected, and order the manner and style of finish- ing the same; they shall call meetings of the Subscribers at any time they may think necessary, giving due notice thereof ; they shall be continued in their appointment until the buildings be erected and the accounts are settled ; they shall as soon as may be apply to the Legislature of the State for a Charter of Incorporation, with such powers as may be thought necessary for the security of the property of the Association and the well ordering of the Institution.
" The following articles shall be fundamental as the Con- stitution thereof :
" FIRST. At all meetings of the Subscribers their Heirs or Assigns, they shall have as many votes as they may hold shares, and may vote by themselves or by proxy duly ap- pointed, by writing under the hand of the person appoint- ing ; Sixty shares shall constitute a quorum and the majority present shall govern.
"SECOND. The Trustees of the Academy shall belong to the Association, or any person subscribing and paying a Donation to the amount of Thirty Five Dollars, for the use and promotion thereof, shall be entitled to a vote and eligi- ble to the place of a Trustee.
"Third. The Trustees shall be appointed by the Asso- ciation ; they may be chosen annually, and a meeting of the Association shall be instituted for that as for other pur- poses ; but they shall hold their appointment until others - shall be chosen in their place.
" We the Subscribers do each one for himself, promise and hereby bind ourselves, our Heirs, Executors and Ad- ministrators to pay or cause to be paid unto the before mentioned Ethan, William, Mathewson and Mowry, Peter, Ray, Elihu and Christopher, and their associates, or to the person who may be hereafter appointed agreeably to the aforegoing plan of association ; the sums as they shall be- come due on the shares by us subscribed, for the use and purpose of this our Association ; and on the event of failure of payment at the time herein stated, we hereby agree to forfeit for the use of the contemplated Institution, all sums of money by us previously paid, and moreover be liable for the full payment of the sums by us subscribed.
" NATHAN WHITING, Secretary."
205
KENT ACADEMY.
NAMES OF THE SUBSCRIBERS.
William Greene, for himself and.| William Collins, 1 share. Ray, 10 shares. Samuel West, 1 share.
Elihu and Christopher Greene, 5 shares. William Greene, 2 shares.
William Greene, (son of Nathanael), 2 shares.
Benjamin Greene, 2 shares.
Nathan Greene, 1 share.
Jacob Greene, 1 share.
James Greene, 1 share.
Stephen Greene, 1 share.
Jeremiah Greene, { share.
Joseph Greene and son, { share.
Stephen Greene, ¿ share.
Michael Spink, ¿ share.
Hopkins Cooke, { share.
Jonathan Niles, Jr., { share.
Ebenezer Williams, {share.
Benjamin Davis, ¿ share. Ethan Clark, 10 shares.
Thomas Tillinghast, 2 shares.
William Arnold, 3 shares.
Mathewson and Mowry, 5 shares.
Jonathan Salisbury, 2 shares.
Clarke Brown, 1 share. Oliver Weeks, 1 share.
Pardon Tillinghast, 1 share.
Walter Spencer, 1 share.
Jonathan Andros, 1 share.
David Pinniger, 1 share.
Peter and Daniel Turner, 2 shares.
Nicholas R. Gardiner, 1 share. Benjamin Howland, 1 share.
Casey Whitford, 1 share.
Jonathan Niles, 1 share, William Sarle, 1 share. Stephen Arnold, 2 shares. Simmons Spencer, 1 share.
Thomas Arnold, (Capt.), 1 share.
Benjamin Tillinghast, 1 share.
Nathan Whiting, 1 share.
Thomas P. Ives, (Providence), 5 shares.
John Brown, (Providence), 3 shares. Caleb Wheaton, (Boston), 1 share, entered on the Donation list, this share being given and trans- ferred to the Corporation.
Samuel G. Arnold and Co., (Provi- dence), 1 share.
Nicholas Brown, (Providence), 3. shares.
Jabez Bowen, (Providence), 1 share. George Gibbs, (Newport), 1 share. George Champlin, (Newport), 3 shares.
Wm. Greene Spencer, 1 share.
Thomas Rice, 1 share.
Duty Arnold, 1 share.
Henry Arnold, 1 share.
Wanton Casey, 1 share.
Samuel Wright, 1 share.
John Fry, 1 share.
William Reynolds, 1 share.
Thomas A. Howland, 1 share.
Whole number of shares, 99.
Donations.
Nicholas Gardiner, 1 share. John Cooke, Jr., 1 share. Nathaniel R. Greene, 1 share. Benjamin Tibbitts, 1 share.
George D. Sweet, of Savannah, 2 shares. Caleb Wheaton, 1 share.
CHARTER OF KENT ACADEMY.
" An Act to Incorporate Certain Persons by the name of The Proprietors of the Kent Academy.
" Whereas,. The establishment of Public Institutions for the promotion of Literature and general diffusion of Knowl- edge, is an object of the highest importance to society, by affording the means to the rising generation of gaining in- struction in the principles and practice of virtue, and of acquiring that knowledge and wisdom, which is necessary to qualify them to fill with usefulness and honor the
206
HISTORY OF EAST GREENWICH.
various stations and offices of life : And whereas an Acad- emy founded at East Greenwich, in the County of Kent, would be highly beneficial to that place, and advantageous to the Government ; and whereas a number of persons have undertaken in this design, and have by their committee pre- ferred a petition to this General Assembly, praying that full liberty and power may be granted unto them to found, endow, and govern said Academy, and that they may be incorporated into one body politic, by the name of 'Pro- prietors of Kent Academy,' with all the powers, privileges and franchises necessary for the purposes of said Institu- tion.
"SECTION 1. Be it therefore enacted by the General Assembly, and by the authority thereof it is enacted, That William Greene and others, and their successors and assigns, shall be, and hereby are created a corporation and body politic, by the name of the proprietors of the Kent Acad- emy, and by that name they, and their successors and as- signs shall and may have perpetual succession, and are by that name made able and capable by law, as a body corpor- ate, to sue and be sued, to plead and be impleaded, to an- swer and be answered to, to defend and be defended against, in all courts of record, and before all proper judges what- ever, in all causes of whatever name, or nature; to have a common seal, which it shall be lawful for them to change or alter from time to time at pleasure ; And also to have, take, possess, purchase, acquire or otherwise receive, and hold lands, tenements, hereditaments, and rents in fee sim- ple, for term of lifes, years or otherwise, not exceeding twenty-five thousand dollars, in value; and also, goods, chattels, and all other things of whatever nature, kind, or quality soever ; of all which they may stand seized, notwith- standing any misnomer of the corporation, or by whatever name, or however imperfectly the same shall be described in any gift, grant, devise, bequest or assignment, provided the true intent of the assignor or benefactor shall be evi- dent : And also, to grant, demise, aliene, lease, use, occupy, manage and improve according to the tenor of the donations and to the purposes, uses and trusts, to which they shall be seized thereof.
"SECTION 2. And be it further enacted, That there shall be a meeting of said corporation, at the Academy in East Greenwich, on the third Wednesday of August, 1803, and annually on the said third Wednesday of August forever
207
KENT ACADEMY.
thereafter; at which time and place for the better ordering and managing the affairs of said corporation, they shall elect out of their body politic, a President, a Treasurer a .Secretary, and a number of Trustees, not less than five, nor more than fifteen; a majority of whom, so elected, shall constitute a quorum, and such other officers as shall be necessary to conduct the business of said corporation. And the President of said corporation shall be ex-officio, a Trustee and President of the board. And the said Trus- tees shall have power to appoint, from their own body a committee of three, or more if necessary, to whom they may delegate so much of their power as expressed in said charter, as to them shall seem expedient, for the more convenient superintending and managing the affairs of said Academy. And it shall be the duty of the said Trustees to keep a record of their proceedings, which they shall from time to time, cause to be laid before the corporation whenever required. And the officers aforesaid, shall hold and execute their respective offices until others shall be chosen in their stead.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.