USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > Smithfield > History of the town of Smithfield [R.I.] from its organization, in 1730-1, to its division, in 1871 > Part 7
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District No. 4, comprised that part of the town which lay southerly and southwesterly of the Providence and Douglass turnpike.
October, 1846, James Barber, George C. Ballou, Edward H. Sprague, George S. Wardwell, Amos D. Lockwood, Wil- liam S. Slater, their associates and successors, were created a body corporate and politic, for the purpose of erecting 10
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SMITHFIELD.
and supporting a Seminary of Learning in the town of Smithfield, in the vicinity of Woonsocket, by the name of the Smithfield Union Institute.
The June town meeting of 1850 was a laborious one. An unusual number of propositions were made to instruct the town council to lay out highways, and for appropriations for bridges ; most of them were indefinitely postponed. The appropriation for the public schools, which had been for the three preceding years twenty-five hundred dollars, was raised to three thousand dollars; the school committee was in- creased to four members; the town council was requested to put up the collection of the town tax to the lowest bid- der; the town treasurer, with the town clerk, were required to make a printed report showing the items for all moneys received and paid out for the town, and eight hundred copies of said report were to be printed for distribution. The town clerk was requested to prepare a tax book, and have five hundred copies thereof printed.
In 1851, three thousand dollars was appropriated for the public schools, and four thousand dollars for repairs of high- ways, to be paid in labor or money at the option of the persons and corporations taxed. This shows that the town was not ready to pay for, or do its highway work in the most efficient manner. Asa Winsor, Spencer Mowry and Thomas Steere were appointed a committee to revise the act of the town for repairing highways, passed August, 1819. It was voted, and the vote is a significant one, that : " Whenever the tax payers in any part of the town wish to apply in town meeting for an appropriation for the building a new road or bridge, the same shall be inserted in the town meeting warrant calling said meeting." The sum of five hundred dollars was appropriated for the purchase of safes to keep the most important records; the former appropria- tion of three hundred dollars having, doubtless, proved in- sufficient, and no action taken by virtue of it.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SMITHFIELD.
1851. James H. Eames, Nathan B. Sprague, Sessions Mowry, Anthony Steere, A. W. Ballou, Darius Hawkins, James Ainsworth, James Sikes, William Tinkham, J. S. Steere and others were incorporated by the name of St. Thomas Church, Greenville, in the town of Smithfield, Rhode Island ; for the purpose of establishing and maintaining pub- lic worship, according to the rites and usages of the Protes- tant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. The corporation was empowered to hold property not ex- ceeding twenty-five thousand dollars.
In 1852, four thousand five hundred dollars were appro- priated for the public schools; four thousand for highways. The several reports were taken up and disposed of. The bill reported by the committee to revise the highway law was enacted a law, and one thousand copies ordered printed.
In 1853, the town treasurer was directed to be still more particular in the statements of the amount of taxes, and the amount collected ; his report was to be audited by the audi- tors of accounts, and by them certified. Four thousand five hundred dollars was appropriated for the public schools. The school committee was to consist of only three persons, the town council being requested to appoint only so many ; and no school teacher was to be a school committee-man.
At the several district meetings of the town, held on the 28th day of June, 1853, for the election of delegates to meet in Convention at the State House, in Providence, on the ninth day of August, A. D. 1853, for the purpose of forming a Constitution of government for this State, the following delegates were elected : Gideon Bradford, Thomas Steere, Welcome B. Sayles, Robert Harris, Daniel Pearce, James O. Whitney and Asa Winsor.
1853. Harvey Chace, Samuel B. Chace and Oliver Chace incorporated by the name of the Valley Falls Company.
1853. Zachariah Allen, Philip Allen, Richard Waterman
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SMITHFIELD.
and Amos D. Smith made a body corporate by the name and style of the Stillwater Reservoir Company.
1854. Dexter Lime Rock Company incorporated.
In 1854, the appropriations for schools and the repairs of highways were each four thousand five hundred dollars. Greater strictness was imposed upon the town treasurer in preparing his accounts, and he was allowed from that year, and for that year, the salary of fifty dollars. Charles Moies, Amasa Smith and Smith R. Mowry were appointed a com- mittee to report the best system of repairing highways and bridges. The town meeting recommended to the town council to reappoint the then three school committee men. A building was ordered to be erected for the accommoda- tion of the insane poor of the town, which poor were sup- ported by the town at the Butler Insane Asylum, in Provi- dence. Spencer Mowry was appointed the committee, and the building was to be built at a cost not exceeding one thousand dollars.
In 1855, L. C. Tourtellot, Samuel Clarke, Samuel Clarke, Jr., Jacob Arnold and Jacob Bicknell, and their associates, were constituted a body politic and corporate by the name of the Moriah Library Association.
At the June meeting in 1855, the report of the committee on repairing highways was laid on the table. The schools and highways received each an appropriation of forty-five hundred dollars. The school committee was required to have its accounts for services audited and presented to the annual June town meeting for settlement. The building of the insane hospital by Spencer Mowry was reported. Two , thousand dollars was appropriated to construct a stone arch bridge across the Branch river at Slatersville; William S. Slater made verbal proposals to build said bridge, and the details were such as to show that a most substantial structure was contemplated. In the Warrant had been included this
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SMITHFIELD.
question : "That the town of Smithfield be divided; be- ginning at the dividing line between the towns of Burrill- ville and Glocester, thence running Easterly parallel with the South line of said town of Smithfield, to the Blackstone river. " The vote was as follows :
In the affirmative 63
In the negative. 61
124
Upon the question : "To appoint a committee for the purpose of opposing the petition now pending before the General Assembly, praying to set off a portion of the town of Smithfield and of Cumberland into a town to be called Woonsocket;" it was voted that Robert Harris be a com- mittee to oppose said petition.
1856. Obed Paine, Elisha Steere, Winsor Farnum, Wil- liam Steere, Robert Harris, Ezra Whitford, Jabez W. Mowry, James Armington, William G. Perry, William Patt and others were incorporated by the name of the Georgiaville Evangelical Society, having for its object the building of a house of public worship in Georgiaville, in the town of Smithfield, and the more effectually promoting the diffusion of the benevolent principles of Christianity in the village and town aforesaid.
The business at the June town meeting, 1856, was of a routine character. The appropriations for public schools are now so much a matter of course that they will not be noticed when of the ordinary character. They have been put on the same footing as the highways, and are as regu- larly and fully provided for.
In June, 1858, "An act regulating the financial affairs of the town of Smithfield," was presented by Charles Moies, "and after a debate of great length," it was rejected by a vote of 57 to 37. Whereupon it was referred to Joseph
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SMITHFIELD.
Almy, Daniel Hale and William H. Seagraves, as a commit- tee to frame amendments thereto ; which committee reported it back to the meeting, with a recommendation that it pass. Upon vote it was rejected. The bills of physicians for at- tendance upon the poor of the town were ordered to be audited, by the auditors of accounts, and presented to the annual town meeting for allowance. The treasurer was directed to make estimates of the probable expenses for the ensuing year ; he was also directed to secure a proper dis- tribution of his report before the day of the annual meet- ing. And no money was to be paid out of the town treasury between the day of concluding his report and the day of the annual meeting.
1859. Oren A. Ballou, Stephen N. Mason and George S. Wardwell incorporated as the Hamlet Manufacturing Com- pany.
At the annual town meeting, held on the 11th of June, 1861, it was voted : That the town council be and they are hereby empowered to appoint a committee, consisting of seven persons, whose duty it shall be to investigate and en- quire into the condition of those families residing in said town of Smithfield, of which the members thereof have vol- unteered their services in the defence of the country during the unhappy troubles now existing throughout the land ; that said committee shall be empowered whenever they deem it necessary that assistance should be rendered to such families, to draw on the town treasurer, with an order from the town council for such sum of money as is deemed by them requisite for the use and benefit of such families. It being understood, the assistance in the above cases rendered shall not be deemed, or so reported in the town treasurer's report as "expenses for support of poor ;" but shall be kept separate, and reported as moneys paid to families of the vol- unteers in the internal war now existing. Voted, That said committee shall serve without pecuniary compensation.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SMITHFIELD.
On the 29th of June, the town council appointed Joseph Wood, Anthony Steere and Harvey S. Bartlett a committee for the distribution of the moneys appropriated for the ben- efit of the families of the volunteers; and on the 27th of July, the council ordered forty-two dollars and eighty-six cents to be paid Joseph Wood, as having been expended by him as one of said committee. On the 31st of August, Joseph Wood was allowed fifty-three dollars and seventy-four cents as said committee-man, for the relief to soldiers' families. September 13th, Arlon Mowry was appointed by the coun- cil, " Volunteer Relief Committee, for said town." On the 28th of September, one hundred and twenty dollars was ap- propriated for the benefit of soldiers' families; and William P. Steere was appointed relief committee. On the 27th of October, two hundred dollars was voted to the committee of relief. In November, two hundred and twenty-six,6% dol- lars was voted said committee. In December, the relief com- mittee was allowed four hundred and ninety-seven,11 dollars; and George Kent was appointed relief committee for District No. 3, to assist soldiers' families; and Joseph W. Tillinghast was appointed assistant relief committee for said district.
At the January meeting of the town council, 1862, one hundred and eighty-one1% dollars were appropriated for the benefit of soldiers' families; and in February, the sum ap- plied to, and for the same purpose, was four hundred and thirty-five dollars. For March, the amount so applied was five hundred and twenty-seven,4% dollars. For April, the sum as aforesaid was four hundred and seventy-five dol- lars. For May, it amounted to three hundred and seventy- five dollars.
At the June town meeting, 1862, it was voted : That the town council be and they are hereby empowered to ap- point a committee, consisting of not more than twelve per- sons, whose duty it shall be to enquire into the condition of those families residing in said town of Smithfield of which
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SMITHFIELD.
any members thereof are volunteers in the service of the United States. Said committee shall be empowered when- ever in their opinion said families need assistance to help said families in such way as to said committee seems proper, and to present at the end of each and every month, to the town council of said town, a bill of such assistance rendered, and if acceptable by said town council, and allowed, said committee shall be paid out of the moneys in the hands of the town treasurer the amount of their said bill; which sums of money paid out by the town treasurer, shall be accounted for as relief to soldiers' families. Said committee to serve without compensation.
On the 30th of July, 1862, a special town meeting was held, and it was voted: That a committee of eight persons be appointed to draw resolutions in order to carry out the object.of the meeting. William S. Slater, Stephen N. Mason, Lewis Dexter, Benoni Cooke, Charles Moies, Bailey E. Borden, William P. Steere and Jabez W. Mowry were chosen said committee.
The committee made the following report :
Whereas the President of the United States having issued his call for three hundred thousand men, in addition to those now in the military service of our country; and whereas it is desirable that this town be as prompt in the future, as in times past, in doing her duty in putting down the present rebellion; It is, therefore, Voted and ordered, that the sum of two hundred dollars be offered as a bounty, and to be paid to each and every able-bodied man, the whole number not to exceed one-hundred and thirty-eight, the quota of this town, as made out by the Adjutant General, who shall enlist by authority of the Governor of this State, for service under the call of the Presi- dent of the United States, as originally issued, or as it may have been, or may hereafter be modified by the authority issuing it; to be paid to said volunteer so enlisting, in the following manner, to wit: Twenty-five dollars when he shall have passed a surgical examination and been sworn as provided by law; twenty-five dollars when mustered into the service of the United States, and the balance to be subject to his written order, in monthly installments of fifty dollars each, until the whole is paid.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SMITHFIELD.
The town treasurer was authorized to borrow the sum of twenty-seven thousand six hundred dollars to pay the boun- ties aforesaid. Stephen N. Mason, Samuel Clark, Bailey E. Borden and William Winsor were appointed a committee to draw orders for the payment of said bounties; said commit- tee was given "discretionary powers " to advance and pro- mote enlistments, and the sum of four hundred dollars was appropriated for its expenses.
At a special town meeting, held in September, it was voted that the committee appointed by the town council to assist the families of volunteers, should be paid such com- pensation for their services as the town council shall deem sufficient. Thomas Moies and James N. Woodward, for District No. 3, William T. Smith and Fenner Colwell, for District No. 1, and William A. Bishop and Benjamin A. Winsor, for District No. 4, were appointed recruiting offi- cers for the town.
Voted : That the sum of one dollar per week be paid to the wife of each volunteer who may enlist in a company formed within the town of Smithfield ; or if no wife, to his mother, if dependent, and fifty cents per week to each and every child, not including boys over sixteen years of age, and not to exceed the sum of twelve dollars per month to any one family.
The town council failed to appoint the committee of twelve, as empowered by the town, to disburse the money for the relief of soldiers' families, but continued through the year on the plan first adopted.
The disbursements were :
July $796.03
August.
513.37
September 419.25
October
November 459.69
693.51
December
773.91
11
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SMITHFIELD.
1862. Ezra Whitford, Richard Mowry, Daniel G. Aldrich, Smith Mowry, 2d, and such others as are or may become members of the corporation, were created a body corporate by the name of the Smithfield United Society, for the pur- pose of establishing and maintaining the worship of Al- mighty God.
May, 1863, Harvey Chace, Samuel B. Chace and Oliver Chace, were incorporated as the Manville Company.
1863. Valuation of Smithfield, $6,806,850.
At the January session of the General Assembly, 1864, William Pooke, Simeon S. Steere, Nehemiah Tinkham, Wil- liam Winsor, Daniel Champlin, William Tyler, William A. Steere, George P. Grant, James Grop, Stephen Steere, Daniel Winsor, Gideon Peckham, Philip L. Medbury, Harris Farnum, Allen Place and Henry Winsor, were incorporated by the name of the First Freewill Baptist Church of Smith- field, for religious purposes.
In June, 1864, the town gave the Council further author- ity in the matter of relief to the families of soldiers. The war expenses of the town were nearly forty thousand dol- lars.
In 1866, six thousand dollars was appropriated for the public schools.
In 1867 eight thousand dollars was so appropriated.
1868. Fourteen thousand dollars was so appropriated. Fifteen hundred dollars was appropriated towards building the "Dr. Ballou " bridge, so called, across the Blackstone river at Woonsocket. Six thousand dollars was appropri- ated toward building a bridge at Central Falls. Fifteen hundred dollars was appropriated toward building a bridge at the Albion.
In 1869, eighteen thousand dollars was appropriated for the use of the public schools.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SMITHFIELD.
Fifteen thousand dollars was appropriated for the repair of highways.
For building a pier for the Dr. Ballou bridge there was appropriated. $ 250.00
To complete the bridge at Central Falls. 2000.00
For bridges leading to the "Old Maids' Farm " 500.00
For a culvert on Logee Hill. 500.00
To grade Broad street, Central Falls. 1500.00
For lamp posts, and lamps, and lights 2500.00
2000.00 For curbing.
It was directed that the school committee should consist of six persons.
George Kilburn, Charles Moies, Nathaniel W. Spaulding and George W. Holt, who were appointed a committee, in 1868, to oppose the petition to have a part of the town of Smithfield set off to Woonsocket, were continued such com- mittee.
The assessors of taxes were directed to view the estates of the town before fixing the valuation, when necessary, and they were allowed three dollars per day.
At the June town meeting, 1870, it was voted, that: A committee consisting of five persons be appointed to confer with the committee from the town of Woonsocket in the matter of setting off and annexing to said town of Woon- socket a portion of the town of Smithfield; said committee to report to an adjourned meeting.
Voted, that said committee be appointed by nomination and vote.
Voted, that said committee be selected, two from district No. 1, and one from each of the other three districts of the town.
Voted, that Bradbury C. Hill, Stephen N. Mason, George Kilburn, Pardon Angell and Samuel Clark be, and they are hereby appointed a committee for the town of Smith-
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SMITHFIELD.
field, to confer with a committee from the town of Woon- socket, to see if any arrangement can be made satisfactory to both towns, whereby a portion of the town of Smithfield shall be set off and annexed to the town of Woonsocket. The committee was to report to an adjourned meeting.
Eighteen thousand dollars was appropriated for the use of the public schools, and one thousand dollars for evening schools.
At the adjourned meeting, aforementioned, Stephen N. Mason offered the following resolution :
Resolved : That the freemen of the town of Smithfield, in town meeting assembled, are favorable to a division of the town, setting off and annexing to the town of Woon- socket that part of the town which has been canvassed by the committee.
Upon vote taken, the result was declared by the modera- tor to be :
In favor thereof. 42
Opposed 193
Thomas Steere, George A. Kent, Bradbury C. Hill, John A. Adams and Pardon Angell were appointed a com- mittee to investigate concerning an article published in the Providence Journal against the overseer of the poor, the keeper of the town asylum, and the commissioners of the town asylum, and the general treatment of the poor. Said committee to have power to send for persons and papers, to report to the town council, and to publish their proceedings in pamphlet form for distribution, and the result of the investigation to be published in the Providence Journal.
The report of this committee was made to the town council in December, and copies thereof were directed by the council to be distributed among the taxpayers of the town.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SMITHFIELD.
At a special town meeting, held on the 21st of January, 1871, to take into consideration the subject of dividing the town of Smithfield into three towns, and establishing the boundary lines thereof, the following question was put :
Shall the town of Smithfield be divided or not ?
The vote was :
In the affirmative 111
In the negative. 33
144
It was then voted that this meeting favors a division of the town of Smithfield, according to the act now on the Moderator's table.
This bill, which was carefully considered, was the bill which was passed by the General Assembly, with a few unimportant alterations.
On the 25th of March, 1871, the town council appointed Thomas Steere, Thomas Barnes and Joseph W. Tillinghast a committee to investigate the matter of the claims for damages by the abutting proprietors on Washington street, Central Falls.
Charles Moies, Thomas Steere and Thomas Barnes were appointed a committee to examine claims made for damages by reason of the grading of Broad street.
The direct action which resulted in the division of the town of Smithfield originated in a petition to the General Assembly, at its January session, 1867. This petition was continued to the May, and again to the January session, 1868. At the May session, 1868, the House Judiciary Committee recommended the continuance of the petition, submitting as the opinion of the committee that some action should be taken (by the town) tending to remedy the griev- ances complained of growing out of the present organiza- tion of the town of Smithfield. At the January session,
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SMITHFIELD.
1869, the majority-four out of five-of the Joint Special Committee, to whom this matter of the division of the town had been referred, made a very elaborate report, recom- mending such division. A minority report was also made. The " Act" reported by the committee was laid on the table. Another petition, being substantially a continuation of the proceedings commenced in 1867, was preferred to the Jan- uary session of the General Assembly, 1870. It was con- tinued to the May session and then to the January session, 1871. After repeated hearings, the Joint Special Commit- tee, upon the open or tacit agreement of the parties con- cerned, recommended the passage of the bill which had been drawn, and the town was, by the General Assembly, divided.
CHAPTER III.
MANUFACTURING AND MECHANICAL INDUSTRY.
Nº proper id proper idea of the value of Smithfield, or of Rhode Island, as the home of inventive genius and persevering industry can be had without a slight acquaintance, at least, with the skill and work of the early Wilkinsons.
Israel Wilkinson was born in Smithfield, in 1711, near Manville, at which place he built the "Unity Furnace," so long a prominent landmark in the town. He also built, in conjunction with Nicholas and Moses Brown, of Providence, and others, the "Hope Furnace," in Cranston. He was called to Boston to aid in casting cannon previous to the
Revolution. On one occasion, the workmen in Boston hav- ing found it impossible to extract the " core," Mr. Wilkin- son was sent for, and upon his departure, his wife, with a womanly and Quaker-like prudence, said to him: "Israel, see to it that they pay thee well." Upon his return, enter- taining no doubt of his mechanical success, but doubtful as to the pecuniary reward, she asked him what he had been given. To which the good Friend made answer : “As good a bowl of punch as ever a man drank."
Oziel Wilkinson was born in Smithfield, and was a me- chanic from a boy. His father had a blacksmith shop on Mussey's brook, a small stream which empties into the Blackstone river, just above Albion. He was afterwards associated with Samuel Slater in manufacturing cotton yarn at Pawtucket. Said Slater married one of his daughters.
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HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF SMITHFIELD.
David Wilkinson, son of Oziel, worked with his father in the shop, and was the inventor of the sliding lathe, in 1794, for which he received a patent in 1798, although from it he received no pecuniary advantage. In 1848, Congress made an appropriation of ten thousand dollars to him, " as a remuneration to him for the benefit accruing to the public service for the use of the principle of the guage and sliding lathe, of which he was the inventor, now in use in the workshops of the government at the different national armories and arsenals." He also invented and constructed a working engine, which was placed in one of John Brown's India ship's boats, operating successfully.
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