USA > Rhode Island > Bristol County > Bristol > Sketches of old Bristol > Part 26
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HOG ISLAND
THE name given to this island by the Indians was Chesawan- nock, meaning peaceful and quiet. In the old records the Indian name also appears Cheesewannke, Chesawannoc, Chessawannock. In an old copy of the Phoenix, back in the year 1881, this ap- pears: "Boat ice-bound below Chippewannuck Island".
How the island came to be called Hog Island has always been a much mooted question. Years ago an old scribe writing in one of the Providence papers said: "No one alive today can tell." He went on to say "The undoubtedly thoroughbred New Englander who was guilty of this has long since turned to dust, but Hog Island is there, and Hog Island it will be as long as maps and charts are made.
"Some ingenious person has suggested that at one time the island was used as a hog ranch, but this is more than doubtful, as old James D'Wolf who owned the island back in the year 1800 used to scout this theory. It is a peculiar fact that almost every bay of any note on the Atlantic coast contains a Hog Island. Sit- uated at the entrance to Bristol harbor, Hog Island is half a mile
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from the mainland and one and one-quarter miles from Bristol Ferry. There are 180 acres of upland and about 40 acres of salt marsh. At one time the State came very near purchasing the island for the purpose of erecting a penal institution. The price named at that time was $30,000.
"The vein of anthracite coal which runs through Portsmouth also runs directly through the island and at one time plans were formed for sinking a shaft on the island.
"But one family lives on the island (1892) and they live by themselves. Farmer Ray Arnold bends all his energies to culti- vating the land and raising cattle. Large fields of rye, oats and wheat grow 'round and about the old farmhouse. Nearby are large barns. Mr. Arnold, his wife, the children and the hired man, Ed. Munro, are the only ones on the place.
"Mr. Arnold has lived there for the past 40 years. His parents made the island their home when he was very young. Both died on the island and their bodies were taken to the mainland for burial.
"Mr. Arnold has about 60 head of cattle which are in excellent condition. The horses were brought over from the mainland in a large sailboat and are in use every day. The land is very fertile, having been made so by being dressed with the seaweed cast up on the shore, after it has been composted in the barnyard. Immense quantities of this valuable fertilizing substance are washed up on the island's shores from all sides. The fields are divided by high stone walls, and a long lane nearby bisects the island. At its east- erly end a stone pier is built out into the water to a distance of 20 feet.
"The Arnold family live a very quiet but industrious life. There is always plenty of work for all hands, and when the day's work is done, the cool sea-breeze suggests an early bedtime, and then up before sunrise the next morning."
Now for a little about the history of the island.
Early in the year 1800 the island became the property of the Hon. James D'Wolf, who used to feel great pride in the place. He built a two and a half story house there in 1810 and it was in
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this old house the Arnold family lived for years. (The old house has long since disappeared; after a life of nearly one hundred years it was razed about the year 1900.) The next owner of the island was James DeWolf Perry, a grandson of the old Senator. Mr. Perry tried in vain to have the name of the island changed to Perry Island and pertinaciously called it by that name as long as he lived (an old 1862 map shows the island as Perry Island) but nobody else could be induced to call it anything but the old familiar name Hog Island.
Mr. Perry owned it for about 30 years and then sold it to John R. Gardner of Bristol, a wealthy gentleman, who planned to make a fine sheep farm there, and with a view to this project, built extensive sheep houses which are now used as barns for the horses and cattle on the place. Mr. Gardner had started to stock the farm when his decease in 1871 put an end to the enterprise.
In 1872 it was sold at auction for $8250 to Col. S. P. Colt, who kept it only a few years, and in 1876 sold it to Dr. Herbert M. Howe.
Dr. Howe retained it until about the year 1903 when he in turn disposed of it to Walter H. Knight. Mr. Knight erected a large summer home on the east frontage of the island and his family has since occupied it during the summer months. He also erected a large boathouse, and a long pier extending out into the harbor. Part of the island has been laid out into house lots, many of which have been disposed of to Bristol people.
Strange as it may seem, Hog Island has always belonged to the town of Portsmouth. The following, which was taken from the early records of that town, would seem to be the logical answer as to how the island came to be called by that name.
"About the year 1638-39 (the year the town was founded) it was ordered that all hogs belonging to the Colony should be removed to one of the adjacent islands, a cattle pound estab- lished, etc."
This island nearby would seem to be the logical place for a hog farm. So the fat old porkers, hundreds of them, probably took up their abode on the island and reared their offspring; and
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from this fact the island, quite naturally, got its name, a name that has stuck to it all these many years.
Now a word about Ray Arnold, who was living on the island when I was a youngster. We boys all liked Ray, and summers we used to camp out on the island. He always seemed to have the care and interest of the boys at heart while over there and would keep a watchful eye over us. I remember mornings he would come down through the wet fields, before daylight, and look in on us. One thing we will always remember, his kindness to us and also that he and Ed never wore shoes in the summer-they always went barefooted. Ray and his family left the island in 1902, just before it changed hands. He came to Bristol and re- sided here until his death. Ray was born in 1841 and at the time of his death, in 1910, was 69 years of age.
BRISTOL BANKS OF LONG AGO
AS EARLY as 1800 the establishment of a monetary institution in this town was considered advisable and the Bank of Bristol was chartered at that time with a capital of $ 50,000 and continued in operation until the establishment of the National Banking Sys- tem in 1865, when it discontinued business. Its first president was William Bradford, and the cashier, Joseph Rawson. The Commercial Bank was chartered in 1809 and survived until 1869. At that time it became involved in financial difficulties and court action was started which finally reached the Supreme Court of the State. The records of the state commissioner of banking show that the Bank of Bristol and the Commercial Bank, al- though they ceased to function back in the sixties, legally existed until the year 1919; at that time the Legislature of Rhode Island legally terminated their careers. This was how it came about:
Public Laws, Chapter 1736, approved April 17, 1919, pro- vided that the board of tax commissioners certify to the secretary of state a list of corporations which for a period of three years had
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failed to pay a franchise tax, and of the filing of such list in the office of the secretary of state "the charter of each of such cor- porations-shall thereupon become severally forfeited."
Freemen's Bank was started in January, 1817, with Charles Collins as its first president. In 1865 this bank was chartered as a National bank and its name changed to The First National Bank.
The Eagle Bank came into being in 1818 and continued under that name until 1865, at that time becoming a National bank and changing its name to National Eagle Bank. Charles D'Wolf, jr., was the first president and G. F. Usher, cashier.
The Mount Hope Bank was started in 1818. James D'Wolf was the first president and Byron Diman, cashier. This bank re- mained in existence for only a few years. The records at the State House show only the date of its charter, 1818. From that time up to the year 1919 there is no record. That year it was legally terminated by the Legislature along with the other dor- mant banks of the State.
The Bristol Union Bank was incorporated in 1823 with Parker Borden as its first president and Josiah Goodwin, cashier. In 1827 it removed to Fall River and became the Fall River Union Bank.
Bristol Institution for Savings was incorporated in June, 1841. The first president was William B. Spooner.
Bristol County Savings Bank was incorporated in May, 1876, with William H. Spooner as its first president.
The directors and officers of the Bank of Bristol for the year 1843 were: Mark A. D'Wolf, Byron Diman, John Peckham, Wm. Henry D'Wolf, Levi D'Wolf, Ambrose Waldron, Bar- nard Smith, Wm. D'Wolf, Joseph L. Gardner.
Mark A. D'Wolf, president; Samuel Smith, cashier.
The directors and officers of the Commercial Bank for 1836 were: Thomas Church, Jacob Babbitt, Ephraim Sprague, John Wardwell, Scott Greene, John Peckham, Benjamin A. Gardner.
Jacob Babbitt, president; John Wardwell, cashier.
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For 1840: Thos. Church, Jacob Babbitt, John Wardwell, Jacob Babbitt, jr., Jos. M. Blake, H. C. Wardwell, Samuel W. Church, Benj. A. Gardner.
Jacob Babbitt, president; John Wardwell, cashier.
For 1855; Jacob Babbitt (jr.)*, C. Easterbrooks, John N. Miller, J. Frederick Baars, Joseph M. Blake, William Fales. Jacob Babbitt (jr.), president; J. Frederick Baars, cashier.
The directors and officers of Freemen's Bank for 1836 were: N. Bullock, Jabez Holmes, B. Wyatt, John Norris, L. C. Rich- mond, Wm. B. Tilley, Joseph M. Blake, John Howe, Wm. Pearse, 2d, Fitzhenry Homer, Wm. B. Spooner.
Nathaniel Bullock, president; L. C. Richmond, cashier.
For 1849: N. Bullock, L. C. Richmond, Benj. Greene, Wm. Pearce, John Norris, Samuel Sparks, J. R. Bullock, George Pearce, John D'Wolf, Josiah R. Talbot, Samuel W. Church.
Nathaniel Bullock, president; L. C. Richmond, cashier.
June 25, 1838:
Freemen's Bank
Notice is hereby given that a Dividend of Profits has been declared and payable after Monday next, July 2d,
By order of Directors L. C. Richmond, Cashier
The old Record Book A of the Eagle Bank shows that G. F. Usher, the first cashier, received $400 a year as his salary. Also at a directors' meeting held in August, 1818, a bill for a vault lock, $30, was allowed. This last entry suggests a story that will fit in here very well.
About the year 1820 there was a very clever peddler traveling through the New England states; he was a very ingenious fellow and he sold locks; his specialty being bank locks. He would find an influential director of a bank, look him up and in the course of conversation give the old banker to understand that his bank
*Jacob Babbitt the senior had died in 1850.
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vaults were not as infallible as they were supposed to be. The result was that the director agreed to have the vaults equipped with the peddler's special brand of locks, provided this salesman could gain access to the vault in one hour, without damaging the locks. It so happened that this fellow was not only clever in sell- ing locks but also exceptionally clever in picking them. It took him only a few moments to gain access to the banking rooms by picking the lock of the street door entrance. The vault itself had two doors, an outer and an inner. With the aid of some very ingeniously contrived tools he deftly worked on the locks-first the outer and then the inner- and in twenty minutes, to the utter amazement of the old director, threw back the bolts of the outer door. A few minutes more and the inner door was open. The only thing remaining was for the old banker to fulfill his part of the bargain.
The records of the Eagle Bank show that at a meeting held June 3, 1822, "Robert Rogers, jr. was chosen president." Mr. Rogers, with the exception of a few years in the forties, held that office up . to the time of his death in 1870. He was succeeded by James E. French, who since the year 1846 had held the position of cashier.
The directors and officers of the Eagle Bank for 1838 were: R. Rogers, J. LeBaron, D. N. Morice, Thos. Church, jr., L. W. Briggs, S. T. Church, Thos. Richmond.
Robert Rogers, president; Thomas Richmond, cashier.
In 1872 the officers of this bank were James E. French, president, and John G. Watson, cashier. In 1879, John B. Munro was president and Mr. Watson, cashier. In 1891 Samuel P. Colt was president and Mr. Watson, cashier. Up to the year 1840 the Eagle Bank had its quarters in with the Commercial Bank. The early records show that they paid the Commercial Bank $70 a year for rental. That year the bank changed the location of its banking rooms, for in the records of Sept. 9, 1840, the following appears: "The bank signed a lease with Robert Rogers whereby ' he leases to the bank at a rental of $75 a year, a room about 16 x 16 in his house on Hope street, for a Banking room." This
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was the north room, facing the street, of the old Cushman house. The bank occupied these quarters until the year 1878, at which time it moved into new quarters in the Rogers Free Library building.
Many of the early entries are in the bold handwriting of the old banker, Robert Rogers, they are quaint entries. Witness this one of June 23, 1822: "Voted that the bill paid by the cashier for wood be allowed-$15.20." Another: "Paid Mrs. Pratt for washing the floor of the bank, $1.16." Also: "Ephraim Munro's bill as runner $2.60 ordered paid."
April, 1833: "Paid John Chadwick* for bringing specie from Providence at different times-$ 5.00."
In the latter part of the year 1834, a statement showing the condition of the banks in the State appeared in our local paper. Here is a copy showing the amount of deposits in the several Bristol banks at that time. Talk about high finance!
Bank of Bristol
$17,131.62
Eagle
6,020.77
Freemen's .
4,826.46
Commercial
7,252.05
Total Deposits
· $35,230.90
I rather imagine our local money-changers will smile when they read these figures-35,000 dollars of deposits for four banks.
Things hadn't picked up much during the next 38 years, for in 1872, the cashier of the National Eagle Bank, John G. Watson, certified that the deposits of his bank were $21,641.00 and at that time, Martin Bennett, the cashier of the First National Bank of Bristol (the old Freemen's Bank) reported the deposits of his institution as $29,300.00.
*John Chadwick ran a line of stages to various points in those days.
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BANK ROBBERY
Years ago we had a bank robbery in the village. Witness what the Phenix in its Saturday morning issue of Nov. 29, 1862, had to say about it:
FREEMEN'S BANK ROBBERY
"The Freemen's Bank on State street, in this town was entered by means of false keys, some- time between Saturday evening and Monday morning last.
"The bank was robbed of some $20,000, about $ 16,000 of which were bills of the Free- men's Bank and other banks. About $3,200 in new bills of the bank, signed by the President but not signed by the Cashier, were also taken. About $5000 in government notes belonging to the Bristol Institution for Savings were stolen.
"A number of private trunks that were de- posited in the bank for safe keeping, were broken open, and their contents scattered about the floor, the most valuable of which were carried away. Three bags containing several thousand dollars in specie were left behind."
Years ago, an old Bristolian writing about the old Bank of Bristol and James D'Wolf, who started it, said: "Captain D'Wolf was reputed to be a very rich man for those days; he owned the bank called the Bank of Bristol. Samuel Smith was the cashier, and carried the keys to the banking rooms and the vault in a green flannel bag about twelve inches long and eight wide. The keys were the common old barn door kind, weighing about one pound each, and one would think that the old cashier carried the keys of King Solomon's Temple, the way he guarded them.
"The bank was located in the brick building just south of the Seth Paull Co.'s coal office on Thames street. The bank's bills would hardly pass outside of the State. I have offered them in New York and they were thrown back at me as no good. It was the same with all our State banks before the Civil War; the bills were worth outside the State, about as much as a last year's almanac."
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He also had this to say about the old banker, Robert Rogers: "There was Robert Rogers-I remember him as well, almost, as if it were yesterday. He had his bank, the Eagle Bank, in one of the front rooms of the Cushman house, which was located on the west side of Hope street, nearly opposite Wardwell street, and was found there every week day. He never made any stir or ado but came and went in the quiet, unostentatious manner of a real gentleman, satisfied to be just Robert Rogers, the successful banker."
"Another noticeable personality was Elkanah French, for many years cashier of the Rogers' bank. A tall, distinguished- looking gentleman, he made a striking appearance on the street in those days. Another old banker was Lemuel C. Richmond, who was cashier of the old Freemen's Bank back in the fifties."
The Bank of Bristol at one time in its early career had its quarters in the northwest corner room of the second story of the Bristol Hotel, located on State street. The old records concern- ing the location of this bank and the Mount Hope Bank are some- what confusing. It would seem that these two banks, both con- trolled by James D'Wolf, were doing business in the year 1817 and thereabouts in the old red brick structure on the west side of Thames street. This was Mr. D'Wolf's counting rooms and at that time the banking business was carried on in the room in the north section, while at the same time his commercial affairs were conducted by Byron Diman in the south room.
The old Commercial Bank building is still standing; it is the brick structure at the southwest corner of Hope and Bradford streets. The old building where, years ago, Freemen's Bank was doing business is still standing on the north side of State street, nearly opposite the old Bristol Hotel.
At the annual meeting of the Bristol Institution for Savings in the year 1872, William B. Spooner was re-elected president and Martin Bennett, treasurer. At that time: "The trustees voted the usual semi-annual dividend to the depositors at the rate of 7 per cent per annum." Note-the usual dividend-the rate 7 per cent." That little bank was a mighty prosperous one. What investments
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those old bankers must have made, to be able to turn back to the depositors a 7 per cent dividend each year. And too, those were the days when money was supposed to be scarce and folks were supposed to be poor. Today savings banks have a hard time pay- ing a paltry 11/2 per cent to the depositors-something is wrong -- it simply doesn't make sense.
The officers of the First National Bank of Bristol in 1872 were: Samuel W. Church, president and Martin Bennett, cashier. In 1879 Capt. James Lawless was president and Mr. Bennett, cash- ier. In 1891 Wm. T. C. Wardwell was president and Hezekiah W. Church, cashier. In 1900 Wm. T. C. Wardwell was pres- ident and Chas. H. Manchester, cashier; Clinton T. Sherman, teller and Edward P. Church, Jr., clerk.
In January, 1900, there were four banks in Bristol:
First National Bank of Bristol National Eagle Bank Bristol Institution for Savings Bristol County Savings Bank
The banking rooms of these four banks were located in the Rogers Free Library building, on the first floor. In those days there were two separate entrances to the banks, one on either side of the main entrance to the library.
The First National and the Bristol Institution for Savings shared the same quarters in the south section, while the National Eagle Bank and the Bristol County Savings Bank were located in the north section.
Chas. H. Manchester, who was the cashier of the First Na- tional Bank, was also treasurer of the Bristol Institution for Sav- ings; John G. Watson was cashier of the National Eagle Bank (he died Oct. 3, 1900). Parmenas Skinner, Jr., was treasurer of the Bristol County Savings Bank.
In November-December, 1900, the four banks were absorbed by the Industrial Trust Co. of Providence and became the Indus- trial Trust Co., Bristol Branch. This change was brought about by Col. Samuel Pomeroy Colt, who at that time was president of
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the Industrial Trust Co. He was also president of the National Eagle Bank, and vice president and director of the First Na- tional Bank.
Ezra Dixon at that time a director of the National Eagle Bank and president of the Bristol County Savings Bank, was also a director of the Industrial Trust Co .; he became chairman of the board of the new branch, holding that office up to the time of his death in 1936. At the time Parmenas Skinner, Jr., was cashier of the National Eagle Bank; and James A. Miller was president of the Bristol Institution for Savings. When the change was made, Mr. Manchester became manager of the new branch and a few years later (1908) when he became secretary of the Industrial Trust Co., Clinton T. Sherman, who had been connected with the old First National Bank since 1891, was made manager of the branch.
In gathering material for this article, I have tried to pick up a few incidents connected with the banking business that have a human interest slant. Such a thing is rarely to be found in this line of business which is entirely devoid of color, unless one looks upon 6 per cent and "safe margin of collateral" as something of interest.
This one is rather quaint: "Back in the Civil War days, when the banks in town boasted of an office force of one personage (and that one was cashier and teller, kept the books of the bank and was messenger and office boy, all in one) it was the custom to lock the door of the bank at midday while the office force went home to dinner. The storekeepers all along Hope street knew just about what time the old banker would pass on his way back to the bank, so they would be on the watch, and hand their deposits to him. By the time he got back to the bank his pockets were bulging with greenbacks, the overflow of checks being stuck in the lining of his tall stovepipe hat."
Things have changed inside of a bank since 1900. The adding machine, in those days, was unknown; everything had to be listed by hand and added by head and believe me it was some job if one happened to have been out the better part of the night before.
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Adding machines have surely been a life-saver to the banking business and also to the bank clerks; but for them some of us would have been forced to seek other fields for a livelihood.
Previous to the turn of the century, banks did not return the cancelled vouchers to the depositors. I recall, at the time the banks were absorbed by the Industrial Trust Co., that the base- ment was piled knee-deep with cancelled checks, the accumula- tion of years back.
Things inside of a bank are mostly routine; only once in a long while does something out of the ordinary happen. I remember a few years ago, while counting the cash, of running across this: Printed in red ink across the face of a $2 bill was the following:
"This is the first money John Stone has given his wife in two years"
SUPERINTENDENTS OF SCHOOLS in the Town of Bristol Since the Office Was Created in 1849
Rev. Thomas Shepard
1849-1855
George B. Monro
1855-1859
Robert S. Andrews
1859-1862
John N. Burgess
1862-1864
Robert S. Andrews
1864-1878
Parmenas Skinner, Jr.
1878-1884
John Post Reynolds
1884-1915
George C. Minard (less than a year)
1915-1916
Thomas H. DeCoudres
1916-1919
William C. Hobbs .
1919-1929
William J. Harper (five months)
1929-1930
Elmer S. Mapes (February) .
1930-
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HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS in Bristol Since the Founding of the School in 1848
William E. Jillson
1848-49
Lafayette Burr
1849-51
Nathan B. Cooke .
1851-60
Thomas W. Bicknell .
1860-63
Henry S. Latham
1863-67
Thomas W. Bicknell .
1867-69
Frank G. Morley (Byfield occupied 1873)
1869-75
Walter F. Marston
1875-76
James A. Estee
1876-81
William S. Chase .
1881-83
James A. Estee
1883-84
F. M. Bronson
1884-85
T. H. Carter
1885-89
Joshua E. Crane
1889-90
Arthur P. Johnson
1890-96
Irving H. Gamwell
1896-99
Clifford Whipple .
1899-00
W. B. DeVault
1900-01
John L. Chapman, Jr.
1901-03
John G. Davis
1903-08
Charles A. Marsh (Colt occupied April 12, 1909)
1908-09
Arthur L. Williams
1909-14
Wallace B. Brown
1914-16
William W. Lee, Jr.
1916-19
William C. Hobbs
1918-19
Ralph R. Strong ·
1919-24
John J. Condon
1924-25
Perley W. Lane
1925-28
Elmer S. Mapes
(January, 1930) 1928-30
Edward J. Fitzgerald
1930-
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MARMADUKE MASON, 1818-1910
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