USA > Rhode Island > The "Old Stone Bank" history of Rhode Island, Vol. I > Part 7
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"Providence, from the beginning, has had to boast some men-the number more or less from time to time-of this peculiar, this Themistoclean character. Men who might say, as Themistocles said: 'True, I do not understand the art of music, and can- not play upon the flute; but I understand the art of raising a small village into a great city'."
This striking tribute might most properly have been Stephen Hopkins' epitaph. Those whose efforts are identified with the city of the present day, with its varied interests of manufacture, commerce, railway s, schools, libraries, and all the other multi- form elements of a city's life, owe more than can easily be realized to the intelligent exertions of Stephen Hopkins.
LOTTERIES IN RHODE ISLAND
TN January, 1748, the custodian of His Majesty's Jail, at Newport, had among his unwilling guests one, Joseph Fox, a scrivener. It seems that Fox owed the con- siderable sum of £3000 and his residence in the jail was the result of his inability to meet his obligation. Fox had a wife and several children and although he was al- lowed to do whatever scrivening he could while in the jail, two years went by with no progress towards reducing the indebtedness.
Here, then, was a situation not easy to straighten out. It looked to Fox as though he'd have to spend the rest of his life in jail unless some miracle happened to pro- vide him with the money, and miracles were no more frequent then than they are today. Luckily, Fox remembered that two
or three years previously, when money was needed to build the Weybosset Bridge, in Providence, the Legislature authorized the conduct of a lottery to raise it. Later when street repairs were necessary, in Newport, the funds were obtained through a lottery. Fox needed £3000 as badly as any city, and so he decided to put the matter before the Legislature. In a touching petition he set forth the details of his plight, remarking incidentally that the debt really should be paid by John Gridley, Esq., former Judge of the Admiralty Court in Newport.
Although this was the first case of the kind to come up, the Legislature felt that Fox should be granted the desired permis- sion for a lottery to extricate him "from these deplorable circumstances." He was,
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therefore, granted a lottery of £32,000, one- eighth to be reserved to pay the debt and expenses. There were 8000 tickets at £4 each-2080 prizes and 5920 blanks.
Fox's ingenuity proves him to have been aptly named, and it is a pleasure to record the success of his idea. In August, 1750, when the committee met to settle the ac- counts of Joseph Fox's lottery, they found a profit of £406-14-8 which they paid into the General Treasury. This, by the way was the first instance in which the Colony re- ceived any of the profits or proceeds from a lottery.
It is difficult for many of us to conceive of the State's taking a hand in promoting lotteries. It has ever been a human trait to seek something for nothing-to look for the mythical pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Get-rich-quick schemers are al- ways devising new ways to capitalize this greed. In colonial days it was not easy to procure money quickly, and as the apparent opportunities for big rewards made lotteries popular, the several State legislatures event- ually overcame whatever objections were raised and made lotteries legal. At first this "robbing Peter to pay Paul" method was justified by urging it as a means of raising funds for all sorts of public improvements. Bridges were financed, streets were re- paired; churches built new steeples and in- stalled clocks; other churches built parish houses and obtained the money to pay the minister's salary by the simple expedient of conducting a lottery.
The example set by Joseph Fox suggested interesting possibilities for the private use of this magic wand. In Westerly, Colonel Joseph Pendleton lost a vessel with a cargo of rum and molasses without insurance. As might be expected, this disaster left him on the financial rocks. He was fortunate enough to own a large piece of land near the mouth of the Pawcatuck River, where there were plenty of oysters and fish, and plenty of stone and good timber for building vessels and houses. The Colonel thought it would be a good plan to have this land occupied and asked the Legislature to grant him a lottery of £26,000 to help him dis- pose of it. The land was divided into 124 lots of about 1/4 acre each, and 1460 money prizes were alloted, amounting to £15,636.
As a result of this venture there grew up the village of Lotteryville, now known as Avon- dale, between Westerly and Watch Hill.
In June, 1758, another Newporter named Handley Chipman found his distillery a losing proposition, and although he had a large amount of property he was not able to sell it for what it was worth. Finding what seemed a good business prospect at sea, he put all the money he could raise into it. The vessel was soon captured by the enemy and his investment completely wiped out. This tale of bad luck obtained from the Legislature permission for a lottery of £30,000 to sell the real estate.
Another novel use of the lottery was to raise the money to build a passage around the dam at Pawtucket so that fish seeking the fresh water above the dam could get upstream without difficulty.
In May, 1762, Nathaniel Helme, of New- port, who had been keeper of the jail at South Kingstown from 1753 to 1761, found himself in difficulty because of the large number of prisoners he had been compelled to house and feed at his own expense. He had a crippled child and many other trials. He asked for a lottery to sell three acres of land, and got it.
Gideon Almy, of Tiverton, said in a peti- tion to the legislature, "That the last Fall he laid out every shilling he was worth in fitting out Two-Thirds Parts of the sloop, Sally on a Whaling voyage: That the said sloop, meeting with success, had got on board 120 barrels of Oil." Then came a gale of wind and later a French frigate which took the sloop captive and wiped out the $2000 he had accumulated by diligence and industry. Here he was with a wife and seven children and no money with which to go into business. A lottery for $1200 solved his problem. Nathaniel Stoddard, owner of the other third part of the sloop, encouraged by Gideon's success, made a similar appli- cation, verbatim even to the wife and seven children, and was rewarded with a $600 lottery permit.
The Continental Congress used lotteries to raise funds for the War. Lotteries pro- vided the money to build several Federal buildings in Washington. Harvard Univer- sity added to its library in this way. Brown University, St. John's Church, the First Baptist Meeting House, the Providence
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Court House and numberless other similar public enterprises profited through lot- teries. Lotteries furnished funds for all sorts of commercial ventures. Among these were various coal mine developments throughout the State.
Between 1744 and 1844, Rhode Island lotteries were numerous. The fact that some persons lost every time another won was given little consideration until pro- fessional gamblers entered the business. Stories persisted that the winning numbers for the large prizes were never issued, nor even printed; and outside companies came
into the state with all sorts of fantastic and alluring bait. Protests soon arose and the Legislature compelled all lotteries to pay a tax to the State. Outsiders had to take out licenses. To cover up the weak spots in their methods the professionals conceived the idea of devoting part of the proceeds to schools. This threw sand in the eyes of some for the time being and brought many thousands into the State treasury. As might be expected, however, enlightenment and progress eventually revealed the lotteries in their true light and they were finally prohibited for the good of all concerned.
JEMIMA WILKINSON
A MONG the many who have claimed for themselves supernatural powers, and by the zeal of fanaticism, or downright de- ceit, have imposed upon the credulity of the superstitious, or the simplicity of the ignorant, the world over, few have done a larger business on so little capital as did a lady named Jemima Wilkinson. To her belongs the dubious distinction of being the only one of her kind successfully to perpetrate her absurd frauds in religiously liberal Rhode Island.
Jemima was the daughter of a Cumber- land farmer. Born about 1751, she was the eighth of 12 children, whose estimable mother died when Jemima was eight years old. Jeremiah, the father, was too busy earning the support of his large family to give attention to the children or their edu- cation. Jemima, naturally indolent and wilful, having no parental discipline, did about as she pleased. She always managed to avoid her household duties and showed
ample evidence of the craftiness, deceit and love of authority which characterized her later life.
What she lacked in education was more than offset by her exceptional beauty and vivacious manner. Dress, amusement and pleasure were her sole considerations. She contended that she had only one life to live and that she meant to get all of the enjoy- ment that came her way. She would not think of going to a party unless she could be dressed better than any other girl there. Needless to say she never suffered for lack of male admirers.
In 1774 she suddenly abandoned her gay life and became deeply interested in re- ligious subjects. She studied the Bible, re- mained quietly at home, neglected her dress and ceased competing with the rival beau- ties of the neighborhood. She kept in re- tirement for two years, when she began to pretend illness and finally went to bed. Here she stayed, greatly to the concern of
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the family who soon found it necessary to have someone stay with her day and night. She professed to have strange visions and visitations from white figures and celestial forms which she would point out to her watchers.
One night she announced the coming of a great change in her condition and that she was to be called on to help purge the world of its wickedness. For several days she lay apparently lifeless, breathing very lightly but easily. Suddenly she awakened, demanded her clothes, and in a tone of great authority announced that she was now arisen from the dead. She immediately arose, dressed and went about in perfect health. To everyone who congratulated her on her recovery she denied that she was Jemima, and with affected solemnity in- sisted that Jemima Wilkinson was dead, her soul in Heaven, and that the tabernacle Jemima had left behind was now animated by the spirit of Jesus Christ. She said she had been selected to reign for 1000 years and would never die, but would be taken bodily to Heaven at the end of that time. Her friends were astounded by her arro- gant assumption and the great change in her voice and manner. At church the fol- lowing Sunday, Jemima collected the con- gregation under a tree during intermission, and harangued them eloquently on the depravity of sin and the beauty of holiness. Then began her career as the self-styled "Universal Friend of Mankind."
Seeking power and self-aggrandisement Jemima set out to establish a new religious cult which she could dominate. Dissenters and backsliders from other societies, a few weak men, and a greater number of silly women and children became her disciples. The acquiring of money being her chief object, she managed to ensnare several weal- thy persons who found their association with her both costly and disastrous. Je- mima's moral character seems to have been questionable. It is related that while preaching in Newport, a British Major be- came enamored with Jemima's famous charms and an ardent love affair ensued. She prepared to renounce her mission for love of the Major, and it was planned that the officer should return to England, resign his commission and devote himself exclu- sively to Jemima. Sailors have long been
reputed to be gay deceivers and Jemima's lover was no exception. After waiting in vain for his return Jemima was forced into temporary retirement, from which she em- erged to promulgate an edict forbidding marriage among her followers. She even went so far as to attempt the separation of those already married, and succeeded in many instances.
Jemima was active in various parts of the State, particularly in South Kingston, where she made her headquarters for six years in a house built for her and main- tained by a wealthy judge. Jemima estab- lished a community in Worcester, a suburb of Philadelphia, where she had many hectic experiences. Her most ambitious ef- fort was a colony in New York State or- ganized with money stolen by Jemima and one of her satellites from the Treasurer of the State of Rhode Island. Of the $2000 thus obtained, $800 was found in her trunk, and one of her followers sacrificed his prop- erty to repay the balance.
Jemima claimed the power of performing miracles. Healing the sick and raising the dead were her favorite schemes, and through the collusion of some of her associates proofs were given which satisfied her be- nighted adherents. In one instance she con- nived with a young girl who was to feign serious illness during which she was at- tended only by Jemima. The girl was to simulate death and go through the usual form of a funeral. Jemima was to walk be- side the coffin on the way to the cemetery in- voking divine aid, and at the proper mo- ment, by a pre-arranged signal, the sup- posedly dead girl was to give a sign that she was returning to life. The coffin would then be opened and the miracle accom- plished.
All went as arranged until a sister of the girl convinced her, during an absence of Jemima, that the scheme was blasphe- mous and that nothing but harm could come from it. In spite of Jemima's arguments and pleadings the stunt had to be aban- doned and changed to a miraculous snatch- ing of the dying girl from the jaws of death, through the marvelous power of Jemima.
During another attempt, with a man as the subject, the volunteer corpse had been in the coffin four days and was about to be resurrected by the "Universal Friend,"
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when an army officer among the spectators announced that he would run his sword through the coffin to make sure the man was actually dead. As may be expected, the occupant of the coffin did his own resur- recting without further ceremony, to the dire discomfiture of Jemima.
The "Universal Friend" ruled with an iron hand, punishing those who disregarded her orders in the most humiliating ways. One man caught spying on the "Friend" and her next in command during a rather festive party in her room, was made to wear a sheep's bell for three weeks, suspended from his neck by a rope. A garrulous "Sister" was ordered to keep silent for three days, but although her mouth was sealed with wafers and rags she persisted in laughing frequently and the punishment was not a success.
Jemima was entirely unscrupulous and overbearing, and she was in constant trouble through her avariciousness and harsh temper. Once she attempted to satisfy her critics by announcing that she would walk upon the water at Swansea. After a long sermon to the large crowd assembled on the shores of the Taunton River she found the water unwilling to support her. The crowd laughed heartily and were roundly berated for preventing the miracle through their lack of sufficient faith.
Jemima was engaged in what she termed her "Ministry" from the close of 1776, until July, 1819. When she closed her earthly career, at the advanced age of 68, follow- ing a long illness during which she refused medical aid and endured much suffering, with the fortitude with which she met every untoward event in her misguided life.
SIMEON POTTER
M ANY men of the thriving 18th cen- tury sea-port, Bristol, Rhode Island, achieved lasting fame in their chosen call- ings. There was, however, one indomitable sea dog, named Simeon Potter, who was not satisfied with being acclaimed Bristol's most famous sea captain-which honor alone would have been sufficient for most men- and so he added the distinction of being the town's wealthiest citizen. For nearly half a century Captain Potter was the most con- spicuous figure in the town and one of the most influential men in the Colony and State. All of this indicates that here was an individual who must have possessed what we would now call "personality plus."
Simeon Potter was born in Bristol in 1720, and the 86 years which passed before his death, in 1806, were eventful, to say the least. Starting with no education, he made no attempt to acquire one. He did have, however, a sound body and an imperious will, which served him well in the sea-faring life he adopted at an early age. His sole ambition seems to have been to make money, the manner of its making being of secondary importance. Privateering, the legalized form of piracy for which Rhode Island was the undisputed headquarters, became Pot- ter's vocation; and the zeal with which he pursued it enabled him to retire in a very few years with a fortune estimated at a quarter of a million dollars.
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It is evident, from all accounts, that Cap- tain Potter's career was one of wild maraud- ing, which, if all the facts were known, would rival that of many a follower of the black flag of piracy. We already know that privateers sought to capture enemy mer- chant vessels without damage or loss of life, because the less damage, the more money the prize would bring to its captors. The ships were usually long and narrow, built pri- marily for speed. They were packed with all the men they could hold to permit rapid handling, and their long guns enabled them to fire on their prey and still keep out of range of the smaller guns of their victims. When it became necessary to invade a town, the ethical privateer contented himself with seizing valuable property and avoiding damage to homes and individuals. Captain Potter was not quite so ceremonious, if the record of one notable expedition can be ac- cepted as typical of his methods.
This particular exploit occurred on a visit of the "Prince Charles of Lorraine" to the coast of French Guiana, with Captain Potter in command. The "Prince Charles", a fine exceptionally well-equipped ship, was owned by Sueton Grant, Peleg Brown and Nathan Coddington, Jr., of Newport. Potter was Captain and Daniel Brown of Newport, his Lieutenant. Mark Anthony DeWolf, founder of Bristol's now most famous fam- ily, was Clerk. The "Prince Charles" sailed from Newport on the 8th of September, 1744, headed for Oyapoc, French Guiana, where it arrived after an uneventful voyage on the 28th of October. With a boatload of men, Captain Potter started ashore to look over the prospects. On the way they cap- tured a boat filled with Indians and took them back to the ship. From the Indians they learned the lay of the land, and another trip to shore resulted in the capture of two sentinels guarding the fort.
The sentinels provided more information, and finally, with the sentinels as guides, Potter went ashore with an armed force of 32 men. They landed near the fort, at which they rushed with such vociferous yelling and firing of guns and pistols, that the ten or a dozen occupants of the fort, unable to see their attackers through the darkness, naturally assumed that a multitude was sweeping down upon them. After sending a
few shots from the fort, they took to their heels and none were captured. Captain Potter got a bullet in his left arm, but no other casualties resulted. Having taken the fort, Potter and his crew spent several days in ransacking the little town and transfer- ring their plunder to the ship. They stopped at nothing in their pillaging. Every house was visited and everything of value re- moved, even to the brass hinges and locks on the doors.
The church was stripped of its contents, some of the silver and gold vessels being still preserved in Bristol. Father Fauque, the head of the Oyapoc parish, was taken prisoner, and although he pleaded with Potter for many days to spare the church and return its sacred vessels, Potter insisted that the spoils belonged to the crew and he could do nothing about it. When all was cleaned out, the houses and church were burned and the little town left in ashes. The "Prince Charles" then set out for Cayenne, where the depredations were not so success- ful. A boat sent up the Macouria River was captured by soldiers, three of its crew killed, and the remaining seven held as prisoners. After several futile attempts to sack the town, Potter gave up the mission as useless.
Through the efforts of Father Fauque, an exchange of himself and the Indians for the seven members of Potter's crew was agreed upon, and the "Prince Charles" de- parted. Father Fauque left a complete ac- count of the affair, in which he tells of the amusing antics of the drunken raiders who dressed themselves in all sorts of fantastic garments found in the homes and did wild war dances while transporting the motley assortment of plunder from the house to the fort. It is noted, however, that Captain , Potter did not imbibe, but stood there with his left arm in a sling, a sabre in his right hand and two pistols stuck in his belt.
Captain Potter was a small man, making up in pugnacity for his lack of stature and education. After his retirement he returned to Bristol, soon after the town was trans- ferred from Massachusetts to Rhode Island. He served in the General Assembly from 1752 until the Revolution, when he became an Assistant, which we now call Senator. He had a hand in the burning of the "Gas-
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pee", and when the office of Major General of the Colonial Forces was created, he was chosen to fill it. He was evidently a pom- pous, self-satisfied individual, and he de- manded at all times the same deference he had received on the quarter deck of his ship. Money was his chief interest and he didn't like to part with it. While in the Assembly, he became dissatisfied with the increasing taxes demanded and refused to attend the sessions.
Although Moderator of the Town Meet- ing, he resigned and moved to Swansea, where the taxes were not so heavy. He still kept his house in Bristol, and attended St. Michael's Church, to which he continued to contribute. Following Potter's resignation
as Moderator, a committee was appointed to investigate his tax payments, but it is doubtful if the long overdue amounts were ever collected.
It is not surprising that he fell victim to many wildcat investments, and at his death his fortune had shrunk about one-half. He had no children, and so his estate was di- vided among his nine sisters and their de- scendants. His favorites fared well, but those who had incurred his disfavor were not so liberally remembered. We get a good picture of this old Captain in his reply to a nephew who asked him how to go to work to make some money. "Make money,' said Potter, "make money! I would plow the ocean into pea porridge to make money."
GILBERT STUART
O NE of the most romantic figures in Rhode Island history is that of Gilbert Stuart, the great artist. Like many other artists, he was singularly picturesque in his failings as well as in his virtues. Stuart's genius as an artist is a matter of common knowledge, but the details of his life are not generally known, and for that reason are the more interesting to examine. Gilbert Stuart was born in December, 1755, in a small "hip-roofed" house in North King- ston on the banks of the Petaquamscutt River below Hamilton and a mile or so to the right of the shore road. The house is still standing.
Mr. Stuart, Gilbert's father, was a Scotch- man who operated a snuff mill. He failed to make the business pay and his family would have been in dire circumstances had it not been for a very modest private in- come of his wife's. Gilbert was the only boy in the family, his brother having died before Gilbert was born. There was, how-
ever, another child, a girl, several years older than Gilbert. Gilbert was a robust and handsome child, naturally bright, but carefree, full of fun, and very fond of sports. As he grew older he became rather spoiled and wilful, for his mother could re- fuse him nothing. When Gilbert was twelve, the Stuarts moved to Newport so that the children might have the advantage of schooling. Gilbert went to the Rev. George Bissett's school, and, in spite of the fact that he was spoiled, became very popular because of his ability in sports and his bright, mischievous nature.
From the beginning he showed a fond- ness for drawing, and, at thirteen years of age, made a very successful oil painting of two dogs belonging to Dr. Hunter, the fam- ily physician. The next year he painted the portraits of Mrs. Christian Bannister and John Bannister. These portraits now hang in the Redwood Library at Newport. When eighteen years old, Gilbert went to
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