USA > Rhode Island > Newport County > Little Compton > The Two-hundredth anniversary of the organization of the United Congregational Church, Little Compton, Rhode Island, September 7, 1904 > Part 7
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Simeon was unquestionably a man of prominence in the community and was town attorney in 1796.
THE FRENCH WARS.
Fortunate in its friendly relations with the natives, the successive storms of the French and Indian wars passed around our peaceful peninsula by sea and by land. It would seem, however, that the community sent its quota, both of officers and men, to each of the four wars and boun- ties were freely offered for enlistments.
It is recorded that after Braddock's defeat, "Jonathan Ellis at Little Compton and Joseph Fish at Westerly preached to their respective congregations on the justice of the war and prayed for the success of the armies."2
Edward Richmond, one of the original settlers, had been a lieutenant in King Philip's War. He was a lawyer by profession ; he held various civil positions, and was the col- onial attorney-general 1677-SO. He was one of the grantees named in the first deed from Awashonks to the settlers which was made in 1673. He was commissioned captain (1690) during King William's War, about the time that Benjamin Church was sent by Governor Hinkley, of Massa- chusetts Bay to the Coast of Maine.3 His last resting place is the oldest identified grave in the town (1696). It is in the family burial-place on the old farm now owned by Rev. William Richmond. This farm was allotted to Edward
(1) Note : In a subsequently published story (1905), entitled Saint Abigail of the Pines, Elizabeth's curious epitalı has been made use of without her permission and with no acknowledgment to her.
(2) Field's State of Rhode Island, etc. Vol. 1, page 198.
(2) Austin's Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island, p. 163.
In Memory of ELIZABETH, who Should have been the Wife of Mr. SIMEON PALMER who died Augst 14th 1776 in the 64th Year of her Age.
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IN MEMORY of Lidia ye Wife of M. Simeon Palmer who died Decemr ye 26th 1754 in ye 35th Year of her Age.
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF LITTLE COMPTON.
Richmond's brother, John, at the first drawing in 1674, as lot 26. John was a wealthy resident of Taunton and ap- parently never lived in Little Compton.
Col. Sylvester Richmond was commissioned lieutenant in 1710, during Queen Anne's reign, and as colonel by Gov- ernor Shirley, under George II in 1742. The original docu- ments of the commission as colonel and various communica- tions from Gov. Shirley are in possession of the family. He married the granddaughter of Elizabeth Pabodie-"Betty Alden" (1693).
Colonel Richmond is buried near his son Perez within the shadow of this church, of which he was one of the original incorporators.
Col. Sylvester Richmond's two sons, Sylvester,-1698- 1783, and Perez,-1702-1770, both of whom were born here, were prominent in the French Wars. The former removed to Dighton about 1723. He commanded the Sixth Massa- chusetts Regiment at the siege of Louisburg under Sir Wil- liam Pepperrell. 1
In acknowledgment of his services he was invited to Eng- land to receive the thanks of the Crown. He declined the honor for himself, but sent his eldest son, Ezra, to King George II, who conferred a commission upon him.1
It is said that Col. Richmond was the only American who entered Louisburg properly exemplifying the care of the American housewives. The rigors of the siege had ex- hausted everything in the camp in the way of purple and fine linen save only one finely ruffled shirt which the colonel had carefully stowed away in the bottom of his gripsack in order that he might appear creditably at the anticipated victory. Much did his comrades marvel at the colonel's spick and span appearance on that famous occasion.
Capt. Perez Richmond was commissioned to serve under his brother, the colonel, in 1742. His commission is also preserved. His estate lay partly in Westport and partly
(1) Massachusetts Historical Society Collections, Series VI., Vol. 10, appendix p. 505.
(2) The Richmond Family, J. B. Richmond, p. 37.
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in Little Compton, and his remains rest in the cemetery be-' side this church.
You will find on the gravestone of his wife, Deborah, this mournful couplet :
" Farewell, vain world, thou hast been to me
Dust and a shadow; these I leave with thee."
Let us suppose that this melancholy condition, if, indeed. it were hers, was due to the early demise of the lamented Perez whom she survived a dozen years.
The older Colonel Sylvester had a son William, who was judge and town clerk of this town (1731) ; he in turn had two sons, Barzillai and William, both born in Little Comp- ton, who were colonels in the King's Army in the French and Indian Wars. Both were at the siege of Ticonderoga in Colonel Dalrymple's regiment.
William early moved to Providence, and Richmond Street in that city is named for him. He raised four companies of soldiers, over one of which he was captain, for the re-en- forcement of General Johnson's command at Crown Point.
Barzillai's brother, William, was a famous son of Little Compton in Revolutionary times ; he had also served in Can- ada and at Crown Point, as lieutenant, under his brother.
The Richmonds were not the only family whose sons hon- ored this community in helping to maintain English su- premacy in the colonies; with the above record, however. they seem to have been very prominent all through this fate- ful period, and I mention them as significant of the impor- tant part that our little town played in colonial affairs.
Col. Benjamin Church, though not as conspicuous as he was in King Philip's War, was equally active in King Wil- liam's and Queen Anne's Wars. He was in command of five different expeditions on the coast of Maine and the Bay of Fundy, including a fruitless adventure against Port Royal (1704). The second book of his history is the narrative of these expeditions.
During the interval between the French Wars and the Revolution, Little Compton prospered. Remote from any seaport, the town was, in colonial days as it is now, some-
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COMMISSION OF COL. SYLVESTER RICHMOND, 1742
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF LITTLE COMPTON.
what isolated. Its industry was agricultural, while that of its neighbors, Newport and New Bedford, was mercantile and maritime. But farming in those days was profitable. Two ferries facilitated traffic with Newport Island; How- land's Ferry, where Stone Bridge now is, and Taggart's Ferry which plied between Fogland Point and Middletown.
That this means of transport was attended with danger is evidenced by the laconic record on one of the stones in the churchyard : "Sacred to the memory of Mr. Galen Tay- lor, drowned by upsetting of a ferry-boat while passing from Rhode Island to Little Compton." Nevertheless, our Commons became a way station for traffic between Newport and New Bedford and Plymouth.
Windmills began to spread their picturesque wings. Col- onel Church's grandson, Thomas, erected a windmill near the site of Dr. Gardner's house, although Mr. Blake says this mill was built by William Roach, who owned the farm after the Revolution.
Another mill was built at a later period on the Commons nearly opposite the church, and just back of Miss Wilbour's house. On the top of Windmill Hill there stood another great sail-spreader which was probably the unknowing cause of our long hauls up that sightly elevation. This mill was built in 1828 by Mr. Cook Almy, who sold it to George A. Gray, and he in turn removed its bulky usefulness to his farm-the old Pabodie Farm, where it went its daily rounds until 1880. Then, Daniel B. Almy lured it away to grace the fashionable hills across the river; there it still turns and grinds Johnnie-cake meal, an example of sobriety and economy within the purlieus of the wealthy, to the delight of tourists, artists and all loyal Rhode Islanders.
Another mill, which stood upon the lot occupied by the Wilbour Cemetery, was owned by Mr. Clark Wilbor, father of our neighbor, Oliver H. Wilbor. After Mr. Clark Wil- bor's death, this mill was moved across the road, its sails were trimmed and now as the residence of the Rev. Dr. Thomas R. Slicer its ancient dome shelters the grinding of other grain.
In 1724 it seems that church and state in Little Compton
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were torn apart in that a new meeting-house was built and the old building used hitherto for worship and for town meetings, since 1693, was turned over to the secular uses of the Town Hall with a combined poorhouse and public tav- ern downstairs. 1
This venerable structure, whose ancient respectability is now a trifle down at the heel, after a continued usefulness of 210 years was retired from public service without a pen- sion when the president of the United States was pleased to appoint a new postmaster for Little Compton and to move the post office across the road in the spring of 1904.
I recently ascended to the attic which has been built within the rafters of the old Town Hall, which was aban- doned in 1882. The history of this old building and the tra- ditions and associations connected with it have been handed down in a scholarly and sympathetic address delivered at the dedication of the new Town Hall by the late Isaac C. Wilbour.
I tried, under the guidance of Brother Briggs, to picture to my mind the crowded upstairs room, the steep ascent and narrow entrance blocked on meeting days with a band of not always amicable village politicians. In old times among them were such notables as Gov. Isaac Wilbour, Col. Joseph Church, William Richmond and Lemuel Sisson; and within the recollection of some of you here, Deacon Rich- mond, Col. Nathaniel Church, his brother John, Deacon Bailey and Valentine Simmons. Then, the meeting packed into the little square amphitheatre, whose seats rose to the eaves, with a gallery above, the latter being almost within reach of the speaker's hand, and generally lined with mis- chievous or awe-stricken small boys.
Here were woven the web and woof of the political his- tory of the town which the records show to be of a charac- ter far superior to that of many more pretentious New England communities.
REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD.
That Little Compton was early pledged to the "policy of
(1) Isaac C. Wilbour's address, p. 9.
INTERIOR, OLD TOWN HALL.
This picture is from an old drawing, and was used by Isaac C. Wilbour in a magazine article about 1882. It is incorrect in that it depicts a brick or stone construction, when the town hall is a frame building; it shows four windows where there should be three. Those who remember the room as it was, however, say that the general representation is correct, especially as to the gallery, desk, benches and the inclined planks used to ascend to the sitting places.
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industrial independence" and that we are Protectionists by heredity, is shown by the following Resolution recorded in 1768 :
"RESOLVED: That we do engage that we will not purchase any of the following articles manufactured out of North America; and we will dis- courage the use of mourning apparel, gloves, etc., at funerals, except such as are of our own manufacture."
That it never wavered when a persistence in this doctrine led to resistance to constituted authority is evidenced by another Resolution, which was passed a month after the Boston Tea Party (February 3d, 1774).
"That whereas there is an act of Parliament to levy a duty on tea inported into America, which is a tax on Americans, therefore it is Resolved, That we will stand ready with our lives and fortunes, not only to assist this colony but likewise the patriotic government of Massachusetts Bay, New York, Philadelphia, or any other of our sister colonies."
When Boston was beginning to suffer the punishment in- flicted through the closing of the port against commerce by the operation of the Boston Port Bill (June 18, 1774), patri- otic eloquence rolled through those two little windows from under the oaken timbers of 1693, and it crystallized itself into the following Resolution :
"RESOLVED: That our delegates to the General As- sembly be instructed to aid in securing a grant from the General Treasury for the Poor of Boston who are suffering under the severity of arbitrary laws . . but if a grant cannot be obtained out of the General Treasury, it is Voted : Resolved, we will make a grant out of our own Treasury."
Again, in furtherance of the above (December 21, 1774,) a vote was passed in Town Meeting to raise thirty pounds for the suffering people in Boston,-against which practical effort I regret to say that Elizabeth's Simeon and one other
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conservative citizen recorded a solemn protest. Perhaps Simeon preferred to remain standing upon the proposition of getting an appropriation from the State General Assem- bly.
On the same day that the above resolution was passed it was voted :
"That the Association entered into and signed by the delegates of the Grand Continental Congress convened at Philadelphia, September 5, 1774, ought to be faith- fully kept and observed."
I find many resolutions tending to show that the fires of patriotism were not suffered to fail upon our shores. Thus, November 29, 1776, "that Adam Simmons be appointed to act with the Committee of Safety in furnishing the soldiers who are immediately to be raised in this town, with blan- kets. knapsacks, firearms, bayonets, and cartridge boxes, and Voted that this Town give thirty shillings lawful money, to be paid to each of fifteen able-bodied men who shall first enlist out of the militia of this town."
At the breaking out of the war the population of the town was 1,232, of which 304 were white males over sixteen years of age. 1
A state committee of safety had been convened. composed of one man from each county. William Richmond, of Lit- tle Compton represented Newport county.2
This man was the William Richmond previously referred to as a lieutenant at Crown Point. He was as conspicuous a figure in the community during the Revolution as his un- cle had been during the French Wars. He was colonel in the State Brigade in 1776,3 and although this command was broken up in a subsequent reorganization of the State militia he held his commission throughout the war, and was at one time military governor of Newport. It is said that Colonel Richmond's was one of the names urged upon Gen- eral Washington, along with those of General Sullivan and Colonel Lippett, when a general was to be appointed to com-
(1) Bayles' History, p. 1000.
(3) Bayles' History p. 309.
(3) For the roster of Col. Richmond's regiment, see Cowell's Spirit of '76, p. 23.
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mand the army of defence during the British occupation of the island.
In January, 1776, the British raided Prudence Island and burned seven houses there. Colonel Richmond, together with the subsequently famous Colonel Barton and other officers, was dispatched with his command to drive them from the island. This, after a sharp engagement, they suc- ceeded in doing.
In April, of the same year, he planted a battery on Bren- ton's point, and from this place of vantage he drove off the British ship Glasgow and the transport Snow, which were headed for Newport.1 Later we find him with certain Rhode Island and Connecticut troops sent by Washington to the defense of Eastern Long Island.
Many amusing ancedotes have been handed down con- cerning Colonel Richmond. The following may be found in the monumental work on the genealogy of the Richmond family, which was written by our neighbor, Joshua B. Rich- mond. It is told that while on a visit to his older brother, Barzillai, who was wedded to the old order of things, the following incident occurred : During morning devotions, after the Bible reading, when prayer was about to be of- fered, the colonel interrupted the proceedings with: "I have been here now three days, every morning you have prayed and haven't mentioned the American Congress nor prayed for the success of the American arms. Now, by God! if you don't this morning I'll knock you down with this cane when you say Amen !"
The following incident should be associated both with the veteran colonel and our ancient town hall :
"Once, in high party times, Col. Richmond was told by the presiding officer that his vote would be taken out of the ballot box (though well known since boyhood to every man in the town), because he had not registered his name; the colonel replied : 'If you touch my vote, I shall come down with this cane on your head,' at the same time holding the vote in his left hand and the rebellious cane in the right
(1) Bayles' History, p. 329 and p. 340; Peterson's History of Rhode Island, p. 211.
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hand. The officer attempted to extract the vote, and the cane came down and hindered the operation. A row en- sued, in the midst of which an unexpected combatant ap- peared. Primus Collins, who had been honored with elec- tion to the Negro governorship of Rhode Island (an ancient custom in that state), and who was always called Governor Collins, was in the gallery. The white of his eyes and of his teeth was soon visible, and exclaiming: 'It is about time for this darkey to drop" he leaped from the gallery into the midst of the combatants, and by means of his black face, sudden appearance and vigorous blows scattered the opponents of 'Old Master' right and left, and the vote re- mained undisturbed."1
Colonel Richmond lived, died and was buried on the old family farm. Leaving no children, he bequeathed his prop- erty to the grandfather of the Rev. William Richmond; the latter now makes the historic homestead his summer residence.
Colonel Richmond gave a triangular lot out of this farm to old Primus. This little piece of land, being shaped like a smoothing-iron, was known for generations as the "Primus heater," just as the famous three-cornered building in New York by a corresponding simile, is called the "Flatiron Building." This lot was bought back many years after- ward by an uncle of the present owner so that the boundaries of the farm remain to-day as they were when the allotment was made to John Richmond as Lot No. 26, in 1674.
A Newport County regiment, the Third Rhode Island, was mustered in on May 3d. 1775, with Thomas Church of Little Compton as colonel.2 He was a leading citizen of the town and state. He lived on the farm afterwards known as the Sisson farm at Sakonnet Point, and he sleeps where his devoted townsmen laid him, beside this building.
I have Mr. Isaac C. Wilbour's authority for the statement that Little Compton then raised a company of twenty-four men under command of Capt. Thomas Brownell.
(1) The Richmond Family, J. B. Richmond, p. 74.
(2) Field's History, Vol. I., p. 443; Peterson's History, p. 204; Cowell's Spirit of 76, p. 16.
Inmail . Adams
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COMMONWEALTH 7 MASSACHUSETTS. J
Samuel Adams, Efq.
Governor and Commander in Chief OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS Sylvester Brownell Esquina
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of the Second hagerend of the stone Fifth Divifion of the Militia of this ConmrJ comprehending the & .... h" ofplymouth Mand, dass !.. . .. ...
"By Virtue of the Power vefted in me, I do by thefe Prefents (ropofing fjim. ] Truft and Confidence in your Ability, Courage and good Conduct Comwith you accordingly : You, are, therefore, carefully and diligently to dichos de Duty of a Major " in Leading, Ordering and I.creme til
Fregement in Arms, both inferior Officers and Soldiers ; and to keep them in good Order and Discipline : And they are hereby command boucles you, as their linjer And you are yourkel to chiens l follow fuch Orders and Inftructions, as you thall from Time t, Luan 10 from me, or your fupcrior Officers.
GIVEN under vhf Hand, and the Seal of the faid Commonwealth, os in the Year of our LORD, 179.7 and -" the 1 y ibe INDEPENDENCE of the UNITED STATEE f AMERICA.
BY HIS EXCELLENCY'S Command,
COMMISSION OF SYLVESTER BROWNELL AS MAJOR
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The tradition that this company served at Bunker Hill, is, I think, misleading, for it appears that the Rhode Island regiments at that time were united to a so-called Army of Observation, which was dispatched to Boston under General Greene. They encamped first at Jamaica Plain, and, after- wards, at Cambridge, while the Providence Train of Artil- lery were stationed on Roxbury Neck. 1
Mr. John Austin Stevens says, "No Rhode Island troops were in the Battle of Bunker Hill."2
This may have been true as to Rhode Island commands, but it is quite certain that some Rhode Island individuals such as our own Jonathan Brownell and his son Sylvester, were among the heroes of that famous event. The Brown- ells went to the war with the Massachusetts soldiers, and Sylvester's commissions as captain and major, signed by Samuel Adams and John Hancock, respectively, hang in the parlor of the old Brownell homestead. In this house he died, in 1840, at the good old age of eight-two years. His son, Thomas Church Brownell, born in this place and named after the veteran's companion in arms, became rector of Trinity parish in New York, Episcopal bishop of Connecti- cut and first president of Trinity College.
At the breaking out of the war, Capt. Thomas Brownell was, together with Col. William Richmond, a representa- tive of Little Compton in the General Assembly, and it is natural that he should have been prominent in the forma- tion of the local regiment. I am informed that the original roster of his company is in possession of Mrs. Charles Ed- win Wilbour.
In June, 1775, after the Battle of Bunker Hill, six com- panies were raised to recruit the regiments before Boston ; two were from Newport county and one of these, the Ninth, appears to have been officered by Little Compton men : Thomas Gray, captain;3 Lemuel Bailey, lieutenant; and William Southworth, ensign.
(1) Bayles' History, p. 312.
(2) Bayles' History, p. 315.
(3) Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army, F. B. Heitman, Wash ington, D. C., 1893.
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"In October. 1775, the General Assembly ordered another regiment to be raised for one year. It consisted of twelve companies containing 750 men. It was taken into Conti- mental pay, and the officers received Continental commis- sions, when the regiment marched to the westward in Sep- tember, 1776." This was Col. William Richmond's regi- ment.
Capt. William Manchester commanded one of the com- panies.
In May, 1776, the Newport County regiment was divided into two regiments. The second regiment was made up of the companies from Tiverton and Little Compton. It was commanded by Colonel John Cooke. The First regiment comprised all the other companies from the county.1
Toward the close of the war we find the following Little Compton soldiers enrolled in a regiment that was stationed at old Fort Ticonderoga in 1782, viz .: William Brownell, Isaac Peirce, Job Manchester, Gardner Brownell, Richard Peirce, David Maxfield, Stephen Manchester, and Gideon Coggshall. 2
Meanwhile the militia was strengthened for the defence of the town. In May, 1776, it was reorganized and divided into two companies officered as follows: First Company, Gideon Simmons, captain; Ephraim Simmons, lieutenant ; William Bailey, ensign. Second Company, George Sim- mons. captain; David Cook, lieutenant, and Fobes Little. Jr .. ensign. Second Company, George Simmons, captain; David Cook, lieutenant, and Fobes Little, Jr., ensign.
The record books are full of town legislation affecting the war and frequent appropriations were made for the pay- ment of bounties and supplies.
While the British army occupied Newport (1776-1779) our shore was patrolled from Howland's Ferry (Stone- bridge) to Sakonnet Point. The great camp was on Tiver- ton heights. the old Wing place was a commissary head.
(1) Bayles' History of Newport County, p. 342. For roster, see Cowell's Spirit of '76, p. 25.
(2) Cowell's Spirit of '76, p. 245.
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quarters. Lafayette stopped for a time at the old house, now externally modernized, known as the Adoniram Brown place. Five houses in Little Compton were used as "watch-houses," i. e., sort of local headquarters,-places for changing guard, etc. Two of these, the houses now belonging to Thomas D. Grinnell and Samuel Gray stand to-day, externally about as they were in Revo- lutionary times. Capt. Ephraim Simmons was stationed at the Gray house. Mr. Grinnell's house on Brimstone Hill is one of the most ancient in the town. In early times it was owned by the Irish family.1 During the Revolution it was used as a watch-house under command of Capt. John Davis. The other watch-houses were, Col. William Rich- mond's house; Capt. Benjamin Coe's house, which was the home of our neighbor, Albert T. Seabury, until it was re- moved to make room for his present residence; and farther south, the house of Capt. Thomas Church on the Sisson farm at Sakonnet Point.
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