USA > Rhode Island > Bristol County > Bristol > Sketches of old Bristol > Part 5
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 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33
I wonder if there are any of the boys around Bristol who re- member the "Dorr War", as it was called, and where the troops from Bristol were mustered and had their armory during this little war. The lower floor of the Court House was the armory and meeting place. I call to mind an incident at that time which few remember: The soldiers in citizens' dress, with swallow tail coats, frock coats, sack coats, and in their shirt sleeves, with all styles of hats, from the glossy silk hat to the rimless straw, and hats of every style and age, were standing on the south side of the Court House holding prayers previous to marching, when the boys, or rather a committee composed of Charlie Bourne, Frank Dimond and the writer, slipped into the armory to take a look at the stacked arms. We were looking for fun, and seeing one of the guns cocked, one of us pulled the trigger and the con- tents went crashing through the ceiling into the court room
48
SKETCHES OF OLD BRISTOL
above, where court was in session. Fearing the soldiers we ran over to Fox Hill, and remained in hiding until it was dark, when we crept back home, the most scared but innocent-looking boys imaginable. How those brave soldiers hustled for their arms, thinking that the Dorr forces were upon them. There was a lot of talk about the matter all through the town, but we never heard anything from it.
While I do not claim the title of writer, I will simply, in Bris- tol style, recall some of the humorous incidents which happened fifty years ago.
There was one incident which occurred at the Presbyterian church during the pastorate of good Dr. Shepard. Everyone will recollect the well known firm of A. T. & T. J. Usher. It is of the senior member of the firm I will write. Allen Usher was a very kind man, and beloved by all who knew him. At one time the firm dealt largely in flour and no one was better posted regarding the flour market than Mr. Usher. One Sunday Dr. Shepard preached an extraordinarily long sermon. The day was hot and sultry, and many of the congregation dropped to sleep. Dr. Shepard kept on and had arrived at his "tenthly", when noticing the slumbering members, he raised his voice to a higher pitch, arousing the sleepers, among whom was Allen Usher, who, wak- ing up suddenly, spoke out: "Flour has gone up to $6.25 per barrel". The congregation smothered a smile and Dr. Shepard, pausing a moment, proceeded as if nothing had happened. Something under similar circumstances occurred with Parker Borden, who cried out when aroused: "It's your move now". He died before I became of riper years. The old people of those times used to relate the incident, as Parker was in those days con- sidered the best checker player in Bristol. Years ago we had spiritual rappings and table moving by invisible hands. The medium for these manifestations was Lemuel C. Bishop. He was a model man, truthful and reliable, and he said he did not know what caused these strange things. I saw him once at Captain Gardner's office, in company with the Captain, Major Babbitt and Major Cushman, sit at a table and without a word being spoken,
49
-
SKETCHES OF OLD BRISTOL
some unseen power directed him to write a word agreed upon by the others. He wrote it. "Boston" was the word. Bishop was as puzzled as the others around the table.
Good old Deacon Thrasher, from whom the boys frequently pilfered turnips, was an old man, but he could beat anybody around in raising turnips, cabbages and potatoes; he supplied most of the families in town with their winter vegetables.
John Hoard, the painter, who lived on Church street, and kept a paint shop on Hope street, north of Church street, on which corner Benjamin Simmons, brother of Geo. W. Simmons, kept a grocery which bore a large sign, "Live and let live". His store was opposite St. Michael's church.
Chase and Frisbie were painters. Their shop was down on Thames street. Frisbie afterwards "went it alone" in the base- ment of the Chadwick homestead, south of which was Beaverouk Pierce, who lived on the corner of Hope and Constitution streets. He had a store, I think, general merchandise. Now whether the name given above is correct, some of you readers may know; I knew him by that name. Do any of you readers recollect Sam Smith, who lived on High street, and was cashier of the Bank of Bristol, and Alex. G. Stephens, who opened a book store on Hope street, where in later years Ben Lincoln had a paint and wall paper store? Alex. Stephens was a cripple, but he was lively and cheerful and everybody liked him. He had many quaint sayings.
Capt. John Gladding kept a wholesale and retail liquor store on Thames street, opposite the "Down Town Mill". He was great lover of stories and fun, and nothing gave him more pleas- ure than some harmless mischief of the boys.
Jonathan Waldron, blacksmith, kept an all-round shop on Thames street, near Church street. He was the blacksmith of the town, and always at work. He was a staunch member of St. Michael's church. His son, David, rose to prominence and in company with Richmond Daggett, always received honorable mention for hard study and diligence in school.
John Lewis was also a noted character, for John supplied the scup, dressed and ready for cooking, to the families in the town.
50
1
SKETCHES OF OLD BRISTOL
He held forth on the south side of the engine house at the foot of State street. Old John loved his toddy but was never unkind or bad; he was honest and fair in all his dealings.
Nat Oxx was another familiar body about town in those days. He generally made his living sawing wood and doing chores. His sister, Martha Oxx, was the "roving" tailoress of the town. Good, kind old soul, how we boys used to worry her while she was at our homes, for she was engaged to some family all the year round. I believe that she made more clothing for the boys under 12 years, than all the mothers in town. She and Nat lived nearly opposite Dr. Holmes on Hope street.
On Mount Lane there was a receiving vault attached to the "Burying Ground", as it was called, just east of the common. Weird tales were told about this vault, and also about one on the D'Wolf farm. There were several vaults in the Neck cemetery, and I don't think any of us had courage enough to pass those vaults alone after dark.
Jonnie Rawson, a little active man, whom the boys all loved, was then their confidant in all pleasure and mischief, and he never gave anybody away. He had many exciting experiences in his time and could tell some very interesting stories, if still alive.
I now come to an old, old friend, George Byron Diman. George is unlike any man in Bristol. He is blunt and plain spoken, has his own ideas, and is not afraid to express them. I do not believe that he ever did one unkind act in his life. He is a most faithful friend, and can remember, or could when I last saw him, events which occurred long before I was born. George also has a will of his own, and no persuasion can make him talk unless he wants to. I shall always remember his kindness and sympathy for us during my father's last illness in 1877.
In those days Thompson, Stanton & Skinner were in the ship- building business at the foot of Oliver street. Many fine sloops and larger vessels were built in their yards in those days. They, after a while, built a marine railway, where the motive power was a horse.
51
SKETCHES OF OLD BRISTOL
Messrs. Goff, Gardner Easterbrooks and Nehemiah Cole ran carts for hauling coal, sand and stone, and did any hauling done about town. Carpentering was mostly done by the Slade broth- ers, and Thomas Pearse. William B. Spooner had a candle and soap works on upper Thames street, superintended by George King.
Sail-making was carried on by Messrs. Alger and Gladding, both on Thames street, and those days were very busy times in that business. Mr. Gladding* was afterwards town clerk for many years. The sailing craft, sloops and schooners, did a good trade running in and out of Bristol, and there were two or three square-riggers plying between Bristol and Matanzas and other ports in Cuba. The cargoes exported were potatoes and onions; imports were sugar and molasses. Among the regular traders were the following sloops: Rhode Island, Willard, Maria and Louise, and the good old Hard Times.
In those days there lived on Hope street, just below Constitu- tion street, an odd personage, William Nooning, who was better known by the sobriquet, "Buckie Straight Back". "Buckie" never left his dwelling except on business, and then only about once a week. He was not very tall, stood straight as an arrow, and as he walked his every step was apparently measured. He wore a tall beaver hat of the style of fifty years previous, blue swallow-tail coat, with brass buttons, tight fitting trousers, and a "choker" for a necktie. He lived in a two-story wooden house, and an unbroken pane of glass in it would have been hard to find. Decay was plainly visible in every part of the structure, which was a stranger to paint. No light was ever seen within the house, and people used to say that one candle lasted him a month. He lived there with his sister, and his life was more that of a hermit. There was a good-sized lot of land around the house, enclosed at one time with a wooden fence. South of the house was a small barn, which was used for storing onions. The land was planted with this "Rhode Island fruit". About once a week, after the
*Peter Gladding, town clerk from 1847-82.
52
SKETCHES OF OLD BRISTOL
crop of onions had been housed, "Buckie" made a trip to A. T. & T. J. Usher's store to enquire the market price of his crop. (On these trips he always stopped in Gardner's mills and bought one peck of corn meal.) If the market price suited him he sold, if not he held on. When he finally sold he placed the proceeds in a leather folding pocket book, about 6 x 3 inches. This was placed in a pocket of his swallow-tailed coat, a rear pocket at that, and about every three or four steps he would give it a slap with his hand, to assure himself that it was still there. At every corner he would take it out and examine it-replace it-and go on with the patting, which never ceased until the door of his dwelling shut him from view. On these trips he would never look at anyone, let alone speak.
On the site of the Nooning house now stands the mansion for- merly owned by the late Edward W. Brunsen, who came to Bristol some years after these events, and was one of the firm of Camp, Brunsen & Sherry, who were successors to the firm of C. R. Dimond & Co., sugar refiners. The latter firm was com- posed of Cornelius R. Dimond, Samuel Norris and Horace Barns, and did a large and extensive business in West India sugar. Mr. Barns came to Bristol when a very young man and was at once the protege of Capt. John Norris, who saw in him the mak- ing of a shrewd business man, and as subsequent events proved Capt. Norris was correct. Later on Barns associated himself with J. Russell Bullock and, I think, went west where they established a brokerage and stock business. Time passed and they returned to Bristol, apparently successful in their business. Old Ben Mott used to express his ideas of the way they made their money in this way: "Bullock lathered the customers and Barns shaved them". Bullock was a smart and capable lawyer, very soft and persuasive in his talk, while Barns said but little, but thought a great deal, and knew just when to close a bargain. Barns and Dr. Chas. H. R. Doringh were close friends. The latter married one of Richard Smith's daughters and lived in the old Fletcher house opposite T. J. Usher on Hope street. Mr. Barns married Capt. Norris' only daughter, and was a very kind husband and father.
53
SKETCHES OF OLD BRISTOL
Is there a boy now grown to manhood who does not remember the two cherry trees in front of Capt. Willard's residence and the climbing of those trees for black cherries, while the captain was down on Long Wharf pitching pennies with Capt. Blye and Herb Bosworth!
Capt. James Darling lived opposite the Willard house. He was away from home the greater part of the year, but while in Bristol he spent a pleasant time making others happy and joyful. Yes, he was very fond of the boys and girls of Bristol, and they all liked him.
East of the Darling homestead stood the house of Mrs. Har- riet Monro, whose husband died during the yellow fever epi- demic. She was, I think, a Cuban by birth. Next to Mrs. Munro's home was Geo. S. Bourne's cabinet making and repair- ing shop. He had two sons, Charles and George. The latter was clerk for James M. Gooding, and many of us have very pleasant remembrances of him. I have only seen him once or twice in 40 years.
Geo. F. Usher lived nearly opposite the post office of the pres- ent day. Directly opposite was Rev. Mr. West's family, and on the same side of Hope street, south of Jail lane, lived Alexander Perry, where now is the Burnside Memorial building.
Speaking of Pappoosesquaw, I came near forgetting Doc Harding, an old negro noted for his "bunting". He could beat a goat at that business. He lived near the Mill pond. The sporting element of the town often called upon him to show his qualities in this line, consequently he was able to make a little cash on the side.
Are there any old-timers who remember when the first mule or mules were seen on our streets? Frank D'Wolf drove the first pair through our streets harnessed to a buggy; the townsfolk gazed in wonder at the flop-eared equines. They were cream color, with black rings around their legs. How many remember when this same Frank one Fourth of July, on a bet, rode his horse up the front steps of the Bristol Hotel and into the bar, and after ordering a drink, rode out through the back entrance. Sheriff
54
1
SKETCHES OF OLD BRISTOL
Johnson of Warren happened to be in town that day, and some of the shocked townsfolk demanded Frank's arrest, under the plea that he was badly intoxicated. The sheriff investigated, and when he heard what had happened, he turned to the crowd and said: "Boys, celebrate, no drunken man could do that feat".
It used to be a standing joke on Justice of Peace, John W. Dearth, that he only had a roast beef dinner when he collected costs of a case tried before him. I wish I could remember every joke or quaint anecdote told of the men of those times, for no one was without something of the kind. Years ago I used to know Capt. Wm. H. Church as a traveler to the West Indies. He lived a little north of the "Halfway Rock", on the road leading to Warren. For a while he was with the Usher Bros., and finally there was a sort of partnership of Samuel W. Church and Stephen T. Church, who imported through vessels commanded by Capt. William, sugar and molasses. Capt. Church was a very soft spoken man and invariably he and Allen Usher would wind up any conversation with an argument; yet the genial captain was always smiling.
Speaking of the Church family, that genial but eccentric Capt. Ben Church was the boys favorite. I think he married Miss Almira Wardwell. We boys called the pair odd partners, for we could never catch them courting, and when walking out the cap- tain was always about three or four feet ahead of her. God bless them, they were good and kind to us, and Miss Almira had as kind a heart as God ever gave a woman. The writer was under her tuition to learn to waltz, and after many trials and attempts finally gave it up. Capt. Ben could use up more white pine with his pocket knife than any man in town, except Gardner Willard. It used to be said of these two worthy men, that when either of them was making a bargain the whittling would be towards the body and fine small curlings would come from the knife. When the bargain was made the chips flew like flakes of snow, but from the body.
It's a strange part of our lives that after a space of years we, that is, many of us, change our vocation or calling in life. There
55
-
SKETCHES OF OLD BRISTOL
was Capt. Obediah Devoll, for many years a sea captain. He went into the dry goods business on Hope street, as successor to Walter D. Briggs. Speaking of the dry goods business calls to mind "Oak Hall," established by Thomas G. Holmes, son of good, kind Dr. Jabez Holmes. At the same time Samuel J. Allen held forth on Thames street, west of John Adams' shoe store. They were in the same business. (John Adams made shoes for the "big folks," as we called the rich people, in the town.) Allen had Byron Coit for manager, and a lively campaign of advertising was started between Holmes and Allen. Large and flaring ads ap- peared, handbills went out in large quantity, until the knowing ones said they would both fail, and I think they did. At any rate "The Goose Hawk", as the Phenix was called, raked in good money. The name was given on account of an eagle with out- stretched wings, printed at the top of the first page. Walter Briggs who at that time kept the store, and later sold to Devoll, looked on with amusement and did a good business, while his competitors were firing their ads at one another.
Edward S. Babbitt, junior partner of the firm of Page, Briggs Babbitt, wholesale dealers in iron located in Boston, was for a long time bookkeeper for Capt. Gardner. Mr. Babbitt married Capt. Daniel N. Morice's daughter, Arselia .* Capt. Morice was a Frenchman and during his seafaring life had as senior officer the late Capt. Gardner; he obtained his credentials through Capt. Morice. At the time of transporting troops and supplies from this country to Vera Cruz, during the Mexican War, one of Capt. Morice's ships was loaded in Bristol under contract with the U. S. Government, Capt. Gardner acting as agent for the government.
Mrs. Morice will never be forgotten by the boys of my time for the pears and other fruits which this kind, motherly lady gave to us, and many of the young people of those days will remember that an invitation to older people to a social affair at her home always included the young folks as well. They lived in the house opposite Gov. Byron Diman's; the house formed the corner of
*Capt. Morice was born in 1764 and died in 1847. His daughter, born in 1833, died in 1927. The two generations covered a period of 177 years, a very remarkable span of life.
56
SKETCHES OF OLD BRISTOL
Hope and Byfield streets, and had an entrance on either street.
In the south every second man is a "colonel." Anyone living during the Civil War days, and everybody who at one time was in the Confederate army claims that "title". When I was a boy it was a rare thing in Bristol to call anyone "mister". It was either "captain" or "major" and they all came by the title in good right. A stroll through the North Burial Grounds, on the Neck, will bear me out; the many sea captains buried there, under stones, all bearing their names and title will surprise you. They were all men well known here years ago, and many of them were very young in years.
Do any of my readers remember who used to drive around with a canopy-topped wagon and dressed in white clothes, stop and take orders for beef, pork, lamb and mutton, cut right at your door to your order? Why, Henry Martin from Bristol Neck.
Aaron Easterbrooks and John Bowler held the town market at the foot of State street. Elisha M. Wardwell, Fish and several others all had their experience trying to keep a market under the old Mount Hope House on Hope street, just north of the De Wolf house.
About the Rhode Island clams, we used to get a hoe and basket and go at low water to the space between Sprague's and Long Wharf and dig many a basketful. "Mill Gut" in those days was a veritable clam mine; old Sam Slocum used to get his barrow load of clams over there and sell them over in town. Few of my readers will recall the days when we used to perch ourselves on the end of any of the wharfs and catch "nippers". Happy days, too happy to return.
Leaving Bristol and going north we pass the "heater" on the corner of Hope street and "Gas House Lane", and come to the farm of James De Wolf Perry, whose son Raymond, won distinc- tion during the Civil War. As a boy I knew him well. In those days his delight and our admiration was to watch him breaking to harness some refractory, stubborn colt. Fear was something en- tirely unknown to Raymond. The most noted thing about the Perry place was a rock wall running from the creek to the prop-
57
SKETCHES OF OLD BRISTOL
erty line of Viets Peck. This wall is a long one and was a long time building, and is probably standing today, a tribute to the builder. This man I believe built walls on some other farms around Bristol, but this one was an object of admiration.
Viets Peck was another old-timer, and he was in several lines of business-real estate, dry goods, and I think several other kinds. Mr. Peck was certainly a shrewd man, but I never heard aught of anything irregular in his trades, but over-reach you he would, if he could, like Major Cushman trading horses. If folks expected to get the advantage of these two shrewd Bristolians they had to get up early.
Next north of the Peck homestead was the Reynolds' house where LaFayette once stayed, and going north we come to "Sam White's" lane which runs due east to the "Back road". Sam White was in the beef, butter and milk business. A short distance north was the "Neck School", and next was Neck cemetery. Then tramping along you passed Peter Church's, Henry D'Wolf's, the Middleton's, Swett's, Allen's, Martin's, Hall's, Church's; and within a mile of Warren lived Capt. George Usher: he was another West India trader who farmed it during the summer months.
Well, what kind of vehicle, as public conveyance to and from steamboats, was that which was seen on our streets about 1848- 1850? It was a cab-imported from Boston. It had two wheels, driver's seat high in front, seated four people, and door for en- trance at the end. It was driven by a negro named John Fish. His name John surmounted by a fish cut out of tin was over the door. He drove this cab for a good many years, and finally died from injuries received in a runaway of a pair of horses attached to a sleigh belonging to Robert Rogers. When in the cab and desiring to stop you pulled a strap, something like in an omnibus.
There was in those days another celebrity, Dan Tanner (col- ored), who ran a barber shop on State street, opposite Henry Wardwell's general store. Dan did a good business and never, as he said, met a man he could not shave with any of his razors, until he struck against the beard of Nehemiah Cole, the teamster,
58
SKETCHES OF OLD BRISTOL
then he had to use a hand saw first and a razor afterwards, this was Dan's way of putting it. I believe Dan later threw up the soap and brush and devoted himself to making chowders and clam bakes. Do the men now grown remember going up Mount Hope and along "Back road' hunting for blackberries and huckle- berries or whortleberries?
In those days Bristol was really a town of strange circum- stances. No drunkenness, no pilfering or stealing, except by us boys after fruit. The town had one night watchman who slept most of the night in or around the King Philip engine house, which was then on State street, and sometimes, after a good nap would wake around 2 a. m., emerge from the engine house and commence the usual cry: "I I o'clock, all's well, wind southeast". People frequently failed to lock their doors and never even gave it a thought, and usually at 10 p. m. everybody was in bed, sleeping soundly. At 9 a. m. the small side-wheel steamer King Phillip from Fall River en route to Providence brought freight and pas- sengers, and on return touched again at Bristol. Mr. Burgess, father of John N., Fred, and Joe Burgess, was agent wharfinger, and collector for the line. There was no railroad in those days, but we had a stage line to Providence, Warren and Fall River, Taunton and New Bedford. Charlie Chadwick and John War- ren drove four horses to a stage to Providence. Com. Warren drove three horses to a stage that went to Luther's Four Corners to meet the Fall River stage and change passengers. The stages rarely came in on time, their motto was to "get there if it took all day."
Do any of my readers recollect who wheeled two trunks down to the wharf, escorted by a crowd of boys with banners and tin pots?
Again appears to my memory old Henry Foster, a mulatto, who lived with a family of that name on Hope street, opposite Amos Crandall's residence, in which Parmenas Skinner after- wards lived. Henry was a very polite negro, and such extreme courtesy did he show to the ladies, he was named "Ladies'-man- Friday".
59
SKETCHES OF OLD BRISTOL
Capt. Littlefield lived on Hope street, corner of Oliver street, and had one son named Julius. North of him lived William Pearse, father of John W., Thomas and Richard Pearse. John W. sailed a sloop named "Maria Louisa"; Thomas was a car- penter, and Richard was captain of a West India trader.
Capt. Josiah Talbot was another pioneer; he lived on Hope street, opposite Jacob Babbitt, sr. The Talbot house and that of Capt. Gardner* were very much alike, they were built by Henry Warren. They were massive structures with large columns ex- tending above the second story, and broad piazzas in front. Buildings of those days were built of the best seasoned lumber and frequently all of the work was done by hand, doors, sashes and blinds. Capt. Talbot was rough and blunt, but a good, kind man and a loving husband and father.
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.