USA > Rhode Island > Bristol County > Bristol > Sketches of old Bristol > Part 11
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"The old farm building which was the great cider house with a wooden mill worked by a span of horses or a yoke of oxen, and the press with a gigantic wooden screw to press the cider from the apples are no more. Crowbars were used to turn the screw, but no metal was allowed to come in contact with the apple juice; oak wood and clean rye straw were used in abundance. Cider was regarded, in the old days, as a most health-giving beverage. Hundreds of bushels of the fruit derived their value from their virtue as cider apples.
"Some of the Rhode Island greening trees were nearly six feet in diameter and well over a century and a quarter old. Over a hundred of these old trees were destroyed together with the great cider house and mill in the September gale of 1869 and no large specimen of the old trees now remains. In good cider years it was not uncommon to send from three to four hundred barrels of cider to market.
"Other fruit was in abundance, pears, peaches, and grapes. Every Saturday there was a load of corn to be teamed to the water-mill. The annual haying, sheep shearing and pig killing were all occasions to be remembered.
"The immediate surroundings of the house were once differ- ent from what they are now. A long group of farm buildings once stood to the east of the old house and a stable painted white was directly on the road. A narrow front yard ran from the gar- den to the road, lined with white fences. In all generations the
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family seems to have been garden-loving folk. The first garden was laid out by the old captain, himself, with long walks crossing in the center under a great grape arbor that has now, after these many years, disappeared.
"Another house built by Capt. D'Wolf and used as a winter house, is the one still standing on the southwest corner of Hope and State streets. At one time this old house stood right on the corner, in 1915 it was moved back to its present location. This house antedates the old "Farm"; it was among the first to be put up in the rebuilding of Bristol after the burning by the British in 1778.
"The early D'Wolfs from Mark Anthony down, were noted for their large families. John D'Wolf, the subject of this sketch, was the one exception; he had only one child, a son, named John, after himself, born in 1786. This son in later life was a distin- guished scholar in English, Latin, Greek and Hebrew, also in Ethics, Mathematics, Chemistry and Astronomy. From 1816 to 1833 he was Professor of Chemistry at Brown University."
"Fessor's" ponds on the D'Wolf lands down on Griswold avenue where we used to go skating, took their name from him, he acquiring this property after his father's death in 1841. His home was the house on the southwest corner of Hope and State streets previously mentioned in this article; this house he also inherited from his father. The quaint little brick shop just around the corner facing on State street, also belonged to him. At one time, 1846, the town clerk's office was located in this building.
Just recently I saw a picture of the old professor, a copy of an old portrait of long ago. The first thing that catches one's eye is the luxurious growth of hair-a veritable mop-it had much the same appearance as ours does when we first get up in the morn- ing, only there was a lot more of it. I put on my glasses for a better look and studied it for some time. Frankly, I was puzzled, I didn't know what to say. "Yes, it's a wig," and then the owner of the picture told this interesting story about it-how he came to wear it.
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It seems that the professor was quite ill at one time and dur- ing his convalescence all of his hair came out. Now those were the days of log fires and fireplaces and in the winter time the old professor's head was cold. So he bought himself a wig-a nice thick one, one that would keep his head warm. In time his own hair grew out again and the members of his family, who detested the wig, suggested that he discard the thing. The professor, how- ever, had become attached to his head piece and would not con- sider parting with it. The result was that as long as he lived he continued to wear it. At one time they were having some pic- tures painted of the faculty of Brown University, the authorities suggested that he sit for his portrait without the wig. He would not listen to them. "I like it," he insisted, so they painted him wig and all.
That the professor was at times subject to periods of absent- mindedness is quite evident from some of his young wife's mis- sives which have come down to us.
"Saturday evening ---
"We have all spent this day at the farm, and a fine pleasant one it has been. Your father brought us up this evening and found a letter in the post office from you. As it was directed to him he opened it and was amused to find himself addressed as 'dear Sylvia'. Susan says if you take such long walks and wear such bloody-looking shirts, she is afraid folks will think you have committed murder."
"Wednesday afternoon-
"The Boston stage has got in and I am thankful to get your letter. I do not at all wonder at your trunk being taken for a sailor's baggage with that old rope around it. I told you no one would think it belonged to a gentleman. I think you must have made a mistake in directing your letter. It was directed to your- self instead of me. I shall hope to get another one tonight by Mr. Waldron. Will you please direct your next letter to me!"
Another story that has come down to us about the old ped- agogue is very amusing. It seems that he was so absorbed with his teaching that he seldom gave much or any attention to his
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dress. Consequently his young wife had to look after this part of his life for him. Whenever he made trips away, she always at- tended to the packing of his portmanteau and saw to it that he was properly fitted out with an ample supply of clean linen, etc.
This time he was going down to Boston to deliver a course of lectures and was to be gone a week. Those were, you remember, the days of the stage coach. Her parting instructions to him as she saw him off were to be sure and put on a clean shirt every day --- that she had packed several in his bag. He faithfully assured her that he would. By the end of the week the professor had deliv- ered his lectures and arrived back in the village. Upon unpack- ing his bag the first thing his young wife noticed was the absence of shirts.
"Where are all the shirts I packed!" she exclaimed. She soon found out-the old professor had them on-every blessed one of them-one over the other.
THE MILITARY - 1820
THE military fever in 1820 was raging high in these parts. The War of 1812 had caught us unprepared, and, although we had managed somehow to squeeze through, it was too soon for folks to forget their scare and alarm of only a few years since.
In 1820 the military of our little state consisted of four brig- ades, made up of fourteen regiments of ninety-one companies of militia; which with the chartered commands (the Train of Artil- lery being one) constituted our entire force.
MILITARY OFFICERS
(Only those from Bristol are reprinted) Brig. General, First Brigade - George D'Wolf Colonel, Fourth Regiment - George F. Usher Major, Fourth Regiment - Byron Diman
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FOURTH REGIMENT - BRISTOL COMPANIES
First Company Second Company
Ephraim Sprague, Capt.
William Muencher, Capt.
William Lawless, Lieut. Josiah Munro, Lieut.
Charles Shaw, Ensign
Henry G. Coggeshall, Ensign
Third Company Timothy Coggeshall, Capt. Lemuel Fales, Lieut. Martin Horton, Ensign
Golden Dearth at that time was the Lieutenant Colonel com- manding the Train of Artillery. Their armory was on Bradford street; the building was of wood, one story, about 20 by 1 5 feet, without seats and devoid of plastering or ceiling. The building was subsequently moved to Congregational street and converted into a dwelling house.
In those days every male citizen, between the ages of 18 and 45, was compelled to do military duty. The inhabitants of Block Island and the Island of Prudence were not required to leave the islands, but had their training at home. The militia were required to drill and parade twice in each year, in April and September, with a regimental inspection and review. A "general muster" was held in the month of September; each man was required to furnish his own arms and equipment. They usually paraded in citizens dress, making a most comical and grotesque appearance, especially at the regimental trainings. The band which accom- panied the military on these occasions was composed of Jonathan Alger, Job M. Barrus, James Miller, and Simon Davis, jr. Their instruments consisted of small drum, bass drum, fife, and clar- inet; and "made good martial music."
In those days when "general musters" were an annual event, the Warren folks used to come down to this town to witness the "trainin". Relentless warfare was waged upon them, and later, when the Bristol folks went up to Warren to witness their bril- liant military spectacle, it was a free for all fight. The delegation was usually in such physical condition that their wives, mothers and sweethearts would not know them when they returned home. This continued for many years, and only stopped when "general muster" passed out of date.
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OLD-TIME MUSTERS
From the Bristol Gazette, Sept. 21, 1833
MILITARY: The Light Infantry company of this village un- der the command of Capt. Wright, paraded on Saturday last for the purpose of military improvement and target shooting. The company met at an early hour in the morning and immediately proceeded to the south part of the village, where they were drawn up in line and commenced firing at a target, at a distance of 60 yards. The members of the company are entitled to much credit for their skill in firing. After firing they proceeded to Burgess' Hotel, where at 2 o'clock, they partook of a sumptuous dinner prepared in the best style; after which they paraded our streets, performing a variety of evolutions alike creditable to themselves and pleasing to those who witnessed them.
The 4th Regiment, Ist Brigade, Rhode Island militia under the command of Col. Dyer Child, will meet in Warren on Tues- day next for Inspection and Review.
Sept. 28, 1833
MILITARY: On Tuesday last the 4th Regiment, of the Ist Brigade, Rhode Island militia, under the command of Col. Dyer Child, assembled in this village, a few rods south of the Warren line, for annual Inspection and Review. There were many gro- tesque figures among the militia whose aim was to throw the pres- ent system into ridicule. The appearance of the Light Infantry Company of this place was highly becoming the high reputation they hold as citizen soldiers, and their manoeuvres were well executed. The other companies, four in number, made up of our very worthy citizens, are required to abandon the pursuits of their business thrice in two years for the purpose of acquiring skill in military discipline, but which results in mere parade, in which the emolument of the venders of candies, cookies, fruit and beer is much more promoted than the attainment of a knowledge of the "art of war"; but very little can be expected for our militia under the present system.
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An unusual number of spectators were present to witness the parade, and the fair sex from Warren and the neighboring village honored the soldiers with their presence, and amply rewarded the toils of the day with their smiles.
We are every day more and more convinced of the inutility of our present system of trainings. It places the swords in the hands and epaulets on the shoulders of officers and leaves them without power and without authority to act upon their commissions, and calls the citizens together for the sole purpose of disgracing themselves and adding insult to their officers. How often do we see commissions handed out to persons who hardly know one end of a musket from another, or an open column from a hollow square, while the mechanic or farmer who has served as a private perhaps twenty years or more, is superseded by those who con- sider it beneath their dignity to appear in the ranks with a musket.
We had nearly forgot to mention that our friends Cole and Kinnicutt of Warren, spread their tables in the usual good style at 2 o'clock P. M. to which the keen appetite of the soldiers bore ample testimony.
THE TRAIN OF ARTILLERY
QUAINT minutes taken from the old records of the Train of Artillery:
APRIL 2, 1801 - "Nath'l Gladding, Sam'l Pitman, Josiah Gooding, were elected a committee to endeavor to procure and instruct Two Lads for drummers in the company."
APRIL I, 1802-"Voted, that the non-Commissioned Officers, ·Bombadiers, Gunners and Privates are to carry Fire Locks and other Aucitrements, except when the Company Parade with Field Pieces, in which case the Bombadiers and Gunners are ex- empt, they Providing themselves with Side Arms."
APRIL 2, 1806 - "A committee was appointed to enquire What Arms is Common for Such a Company to Carry and Report the Same at the Next meeting."
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MAY 28, 1806-"Voted the Company buy thire muskets and Carry Side Armes."
JAN. 7, 1809-"Parker Borden dismissed by age."
MAY 2, 1814-"Voted that the Company assemble once in every fortnight without uniform for the purpose of improve- ment, and that the first meeting shall be at the Alarm Post the next Saturday Week 5 o'clock P. M."
AUG. 18, 1814-"Voted that each member Employ Russell Warren to Mark his gun on the Stock with a Chisel Mark and White Lead."
SEPT. 22, 1814-"Voted that Each member in the space of fourteen days furnish himself with a Short Jacket and pantaloons of Blue Br'd Cloth as a Uniform and that they were Round hatts with the Cockade and Lase as uniform."
SEPT. 22, 1814-"This day expended four Catridges with Balls exercising our brass field Pieces at a target also four blank catridges in a sham fight."
JULY 4, 1827-"Co. went to Warren and dined at Col. Cole's Tavern."
APRIL 3, 1828-"Voted that the company paint the Gun House on Thursday, Ist day of May next, at 9 o'clock A. M."
APRIL 20, 1829-"Voted that no man shall deposit powder in the gun house after the Ist of May, 1829."
According to a notice appearing in the Phenix of July 2, 1842, the Train of Artillery was quartered in the State House (our present Court House ).
ARTILLERY - ATTENTION
You are hereby required to meet at the State House, on Monday, the 4th day of July, at 7 o'clock, A. M., with arms and accoutrements and 6 cartridges, in citizens dress. The captains of the field pieces with their companies are requested to meet as above.
Wm. R. Taylor Lt. Col. Com'dt.
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TRAIN OF ARTILLERY ARMORY
In 1842 the State appropriated money to build an Armory or Gun-House for the Train of Artillery. The building was one story in height and was erected on the lot of land owned by the Artillery Company on State street. The records at the town clerk's office (Book 19, of the Records of Deeds, page 535) show that the land was purchased from James T. Freeborn and James D. Wardwell, both of Bristol, R. I. The deed was received for record July 26, 1842.
In 1869 the State appropriated $1,600 to raise the building and put an additional story under the original structure.
The Train of Artillery and the "DORR WAR," 1842 From the Phenix
MAY 21, 1842
ALARM-"On Tuesday night last about half past ten o'clock, our citizens were aroused from their slumber by the ringing of bells, beating of drums and firing of cannon, which proved to have been caused by the arrival of a messenger from Providence with orders from Gov. King for the Train of Artillery to be in readiness to embark for Providence on board of a steamboat which would be here at two o'clock A. M. The insurgents under 'Gov.' Dorr, it was stated, had armed themselves and were pro- ceeding to take possession of the state arsenal. The officers of the Artillery and a few of the privates (the others refusing to go) met promptly at their armory and repaired to the steamboat wharf. About 12 o'clock the Warren company arrived in town, armed and equipped. The boat, however, did not arrive until 6 o'clock the next morning, when both companies embarked in fine spirits for the seat of war."
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Back in 1843, Col. Wm. R. Taylor, commanding officer of the Bristol Train of Artillery testified at a trial held in the room formerly occupied by the Eagle Bank, that "The first time we were called out, 17th of May, 1842, we mustered 12 altogether, including officers. I think that were but 2 or 3 muskets."
JUNE 25, 1842
MORE TROUBLE - "At about 10 o'clock yesterday morning, orders arrived in town for the Artillery Company to be prepared to embark in a steamboat for Providence at 2 o'clock- the bells in town instantly rung an alarm - all business imme- diately ceased, and those of our citizens belonging to the company hastened to prepare themselves to embark for Providence. Men, women and children collected in groups in the streets lamenting a state of affairs that calls their sons, brothers, and husbands from their business and firesides, to face the cannon of their opponents.
"At about half past two the company assembled in front of the market, where a solemn and impressive prayer was offered to the Throne of Grace by the Rev. Mr. Shepard. At about three o'clock the steamboat Providence came in from Newport, when the Artillery consisting of about 150 members, embarked amid the hearty cheers and good wishes of their fellow citizens.
God grant that they may return in safety."
JULY 2, 1842
A CARD
The members of the Bristol Artillery Com- pany acknowledge, with much feeling, their kind reception, on their return from Chepachet, by the citizens of Providence generally, and particularly for the gratification of the Ladies, manifested by their smiles, the waving of handkerchiefs, and by presents of fruits and beautiful bouquets.
W. R. Taylor G. F. Usher Committee
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JULY 2, 1842
"A part of our help having been absent with the Company of Artillery, and having ourselves been on duty in the town during the entire week, we of course are unable to present our readers with the usual weekly sheet. If nothing should prevent, we shall next week endeavour to give a full account of the events of the past eight days."
JULY 9, 1842
"It is well known with what promptness, 131 of our most re- spected, active and intelligent citizens, with each a musket on his shoulder; and about 30 more of the same character, with cutlasses and pistols, attached to the field pieces, assembled at their posts within 30 minutes after the alarm gun was fired; with counte- nances sober it is true, but manifesting a firmness and determina- tion, which their opponents, whom they were called out to dis- perse, could not overawe nor divert from their fixed purpose to sustain, with their lives, the existing laws of the State, and drive the insurgents from the land or perish in the attempt."
JULY 9, 1842
SPOILS OF WAR
"Among the articles brought from Dorr's camp by the Bristol Artillery, were several tents, a large cooking stove, a number of guns, powder, shot, and several of the most uncouth looking spears we ever beheld."
THE BRICK SCHOOLHOUSE ON THE NECK
HERE and there some reader of this article may remember the small, square old schoolhouse of brick, which once stood on the main Bristol Neck road. The doorstep and a few bricks still re- main by the roadside. This old schoolhouse was one of the chief landmarks of Bristol Neck. It did not enjoy this distinction on
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account of its beauty and size, but simply because it was the "Brick Schoolhouse". The stranger might not know where a certain party lived, nevertheless if he were told that it was above the brick schoolhouse, or four houses beyond, he would know just where to go.
It was in 1830, when the writer was four years old, that he gained his first practical knowledge of the inside of this famous landmark. He was not sent as pupil, but merely as a curiosity, because some of the older children wished to take him there for a single day as a show. They were proud of him, no doubt; and he tells of remembering the pretty white trousers that he wore. After this there occurs a long blank as far as the old brick school- house is concerned, until the winter of 1837-38 when we returned to it. After fifty years the boys and girls return upon occasion, just as young as they were then, and take their places behind the old notched desks. Among the boys were Aleck DeWolf, Ben Church, Ben Franklin, Nat Fales and Clint Norris. Aleck De Wolf was a noble fellow, one of the kindest and best of the Neck boys; he died a few years later. Nat Fales also died when very young. Ben Church was killed in the Rebellion. Ben Franklin is no more. Clint Norris went to sea, and I hope he is still among the living.
That winter a Mr. Tanner kept the school; he was a kind old man, that I can testify with a full heart. He was not one of the typical old-time schoolmasters; there was nothing stern and awful in his rule; he seemed to be really human like ourselves- and this for a schoolmaster of half a century ago, is very great praise. There are some who will recollect how schoolmasters in the olden days used to be.
Somewhere there is a quaint ballad which goes something like this-
"Old Master Brown brought his ferule down, And his face looked angry and red, Go seat you there young Anthony Blair, Along with the girls, he said."
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But the face of good old Master Tanner never grew "angry and red" however much he may have had occasion. Probably some of us would have welcomed any outburst of anger for the chance of being seated with the girls, but this good fortune never came our way. Only to think that this was one of the old time punishments. Many a young culprit as he nestled among the soft ringlets and calico must have thought he was in heaven. Yet there were some boys who looked upon it as something terrible- a veritable torture. They must, however, have been very small boys. A merciful provision of nature in time enables us to over- come this horror of the weaker sex.
How well I remember the neighboring farmhouses. That of Mr. Charles Fales was the nearest. It stood a little to the south of the schoolhouse and on the opposite side of the road. That side of the road was a great deal better than our side. It had noble farms and large trees; our side was only good enough for a schoolhouse-that was all. Mr. Fales must have been fond of red pigs, for we could always see a drove of them turning up loose stones and dirt in his orchard over the way. I recollect them in particular for their color.
Next north of Mr. Fales lived Col. Peter Church, and next to him Mr. Henry DeWolf, whose estate embodied all that we youngsters were able to conceive of the aristocratic. There was something romantic about its tall trees and the long dark fence that shut in its ample dooryard. Our poor little schoolhouse, which was put right down by the side of the road, had no fence around it, and no trees, save a few old poplars. In the lot back of it we played ball. There was no bell to call us in at the close of recess, only the master's voice. Schoolhouses then had not ar- rived at the luxury of bells. The older scholars read in such books as they happened to possess, some the New Testament, others Peter Parley's History of the United States; and we had Daboll's Arithmetic. Steel pens were unknown; our pens were nothing but quills from "the gray goose wing" and were care- fully sharpened for us by the good master. "Please master, mend my pen"-how queer it would sound in a schoolroom today.
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Then the master's pen-knife was a sort of insignia of his office; it was a possession that raised him above the rank and file of human- ity in the estimation of those who stood waiting, quill in hand, in the open space in front of his desk.
The sight of the forlorn old doorstep* by the roadside calls up many pensive thoughts; it represents, as it were, a departed world. How many young feet have passed over it, thronging in and out. It is humble enough, surely poor, a plain bit of stone, but it has a touching story. Greatness and splendor have enough to care for them and talk of them; but is there anything that ap- peals more to the heart than an old schoolhouse that is dead? All the fields and fences in its neighborhood are eloquent of what has been and is gone; every rock and tree where the boys and girls once played has its simple record, which perhaps the actors them- selves have forgotten. When a schoolhouse comes back as a ghost, it tells us of the master and the children; of tattered old books and the worn desks; of the young laughter that was once there, and the pleasant memories connected with it.
GEORGE HENRY COOMER, April, 1886
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