USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > Providence > The early records of the town of Providence, Vol. XVIII, 1600s > Part 3
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what is afore Previously laid ( ) a Burying place be Bounded out of
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ye said Tract of Land in the Place and What Quantity three Men Which the Town Shall Make Choice off : Shall appoint and if any appropriated Lands Lying within the Bounds affore Specified be at any Time Laid Down to Common it shall Continually in Common Remain and Not be appropriated to any Person ; and former Act Order or Clause thereof to the Contrary hereof Notwith Standing, Now We the Sd Committee having Mett and Notified all Persons Claiming Lands Within the Bounds above Specified and Have Surveyed the Lands granted for Said use Beginning as follows To witt at the Corner of the Wall Near an Apple Tree on Benja Whipple Land then N 43: E 40 : & 15 Links to the S W Corner of Jos Owens Wall : Thence North 35 E. 70 Near an apple Tree thence North 32. E 46 : 32 Links by the Corner of the Wall by Herendens Lane then 5 Rods Across the Lane To the S W Corner of Jeremiah Dexters House Then ofsett 8 feet Westward and then the Course N 30: E 24: and 16 Links To the Corner of Dexters Wall, then North 27 E : To a Walnut Tree 39 Rods from thence N 42: W: 13 : Rods across the Rhode to a Black Oak Tree Marked and an Bound of Archabald Walker's and now cut Down by Peter Randall, then W 18 : S 32 : to a Small burch Tree now cut Down, thence West 30 : S 22 to a small white oak Marked then N 45 W. 19 To a Small White Marked, then W 28 : N 5 and Eight feet to a Small White Oak marked then : 1 1/2 to a Small White oak Marked 8 Rods & ten feet it Being James Clarks Corner ; Then S 29] W 22 Poles to five Large Stones, then S 8 W : 85 : To a Large Branch of Barbery Bushes for the end of the Ditch Belonging to Heirs of Bate- man then S 6 1/2 E : 35 : in the range of the Ditch till it Comes to the S E Corner of Elisha Browns House. then South 6 1/2 E 15 : pole to the End of the Wall the East 8 ( ) S: to the first Mentioned Bound across the High way : And We do likewise Report, that Benja Whipple, Benja Cuzzens, William Brown John Healy, Luther, James Clark and Bateman Heirs are on the Said Burying Land according to the Several
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Pricked Lines in the map Herewith Presented 1 Marked A Surveyed by Henry Harris Surveyor Providence June 4th 1764.
James Angell Nath! Brown
John Jenckes Sam! Currey
At a Town Meeting held at Providence On the 4th Day of June 1764 the Aforewith Report Was Accepted
Test James Angell Town Clerk.
[Report on file in case 1338 Supreme Court. Whelden vs. Martin March term 1852.]
[June, 1765.] An Act for Dividing the Town of Providence.
Be it Enacted by this General Assembly and by the Authority thereof It is Enacted That the said Town of Providence be, and the same is hereby divided into Two distinct and separate Towns : And that the Bounds of the Northern Part, hereby set off begin at the new Bridge, near to the Hill called Solitary-Hill; thence bounding on Wanasquatucket River until it comes to the North West corner of the Town's Land at the East End of a Place called Forestack Meadow ; thence Easterly on a strait Line to the Middle of the Mill Bridge ; thence on a due East Line until it comes to Seaconck River, so called ; thence Northerly and bounding on said Seaconck River, until it comes to Smithfield Line; thence bounding by Smithfield Line until it comes to Johnston Line and thence bounded Westerly by Johnston Line until it comes to the aforesaid Solitary-Hill ; That all the Lands included within the Limits aforesaid shall be and hereby are erected and made in to a Township, to be distinguished called and known by the Name of North Providence. [Acts of General Assembly, June Session, 1765, page 31.]
1 See plat A
Pricked Lines in the map Herewith Presented 1 Marked A Surveyed by Henry Harris Surveyor Providence June 4th 1764.
James Angell Nath! Brown
John Jenckes Sam! Currey
At a Town Meeting held at Providence On the 4th Day of June 1764 the Aforewith Report Was Accepted
Test James Angell Town Clerk.
[Report on file in case 1338 Supreme Court. Whelden vs. Martin March term 1852.]
[June, 1765.] An Act for Dividing the Town of Providence.
Be it Enacted by this General Assembly and by the Authority thereof It is Enacted That the said Town of Providence be, and the same is hereby divided into Two distinct and separate Towns : And that the Bounds of the Northern Part, hereby set off begin at the new Bridge, near to the Hill called Solitary-Hill; thence bounding on Wanasquatucket River until it comes to the North West corner of the Town's Land at the East End of a Place called Forestack Meadow ; thence Easterly on a strait Line to the Middle of the Mill Bridge ; thence on a due East Line until it comes to Seaconck River, so called ; thence Northerly and bounding on said Seaconck River, until it comes to Smithfield Line; thence bounding by Smithfield Line until it comes to Johnston Line and thence bounded Westerly by Johnston Line until it comes to the aforesaid Solitary-Hill ; That all the Lands included within the Limits aforesaid shall be and hereby are erected and made in to a Township, to be distinguished called and known by the Name of North Providence. [Acts of General Assembly, June Session, 1765, page 31.]
1 See plat A
Betberry Lant
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Platt of the Burying Ground
Containing about 52 acres
Drawn on a scale of La by Moses Brown one of the Committee of the Town appointed 7th of 6th mo 1784 From a journal of that Committee from which a forrer copy is intended to be made when approved by the Town
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Herendens Lane
this pricked live the old linealstore Dealer moved the fence
Some in ground
Report ortepied 29/ 11h me 1785 by the Town
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Plat B opposite page 19.
All this raamcy somit and Law of this line id' left open for the Country Road Landing of number and other Public Use
and of Timethy Musona tet by
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The altera of the Commestire are Jebet Boupp, Ebreier Thamgun Stephen Hopbrity Joseph Groep and John Arches
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South end of here" Destes well 22 less arle
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[September, 1765.] Whereas Henry Harris Esq and Col. William Brown, presented into this Assembly the following Report and Account to wit :
We the Subscribers being appointed, by the Hon. the General Assembly at June Session, A. D. 1765 to run the Line between the Town of Providence and North Providence did pursuant thereto, on the First Day of July A. D. 1765, meet at the North West Corner of a Lot of Land called the Towns Land, at the East End of a Place called Forestack Meadow ; and from thence we ran a Line East near Twenty two Degrees North, to the Middle of the Bridge called the Mill Bridge and erected several Monuments in said Line; and from the Middle of said Mill-Bridge we ran a due East Line to Seaconck River, so called erecting Monuments, and marking Trees in said Line.
Witness our Hands
Henry Harris William Brown The Colony Dr-
To our Time and Trouble in running the said Line £0-12-0 And the Premises being duly considered, It is Voted and Resolved That the foregoing Report be accepted : That the Account of the Committee be allowed ; and that Twelve Shillings, Lawful money, being the amount thereof be paid the said Henry Harris and William Brown out of the General Treasury. [Acts of General Assembly, September Session, 1765, page 46.]
[June, 1767.] Whereas divers Freeman of the Town of North Providence preferred a Petition and represented unto this Assembly, That by the late Division of the Town of Providence a large Number of Inhabitants belonging to the Compact Part of the Town of Providence, were incorporated into the town of North Providence; and that the greatest Part of the Inhabitants so taken off are Merchants and Trades-
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men and are thereby so much connected with the Inhabitants of the Town of Providence, that remaining in their present separated State is greatly to their Disadvantage; and thereupon prayed, That that Part of the Town of North Providence heretofore commonly called the Compact Part, may be reunited to the Town of Providence from whence it was taken, by a strait Line beginning at the Southerly End of the Meadow called Four-Stack Meadow to the North West Corner of the burying. Land, and then Easterly and Southerly by said burying ground as by the Plat thereof, until it comes to the Lane called Herrington's Lane, then Easterly by the North Side of said Lane 'til it meets with the South West Corner of the Land of Joseph Olney then crossing said Lane due South until it comes to the South Side of said Lane, then extending Easterly as said Lane runs bounding Northerly by said Lane until it comes to the dividing Line between the Land of William Brown and Phineas Brown ; and then by said Line Easterly to Seaconck River : and further prayed, That the Inhabitants of the Town of North Provi- dence may forever have and enjoy the full, constant and free Use, Privilege and Improvement of the said burying Ground, for burying their dead making Monuments for the same; and for mustering their Trained Band and exercising their Soldiers, thereon and also further prayed That the aforesaid North Part of the Town of North Providence when reunited to Providence may be forever indemnified from any Charge or Expence that may accrue to the Town of Providence on account of their not paying the Two last Rates imposed on said Town And the foregoing Petition being duly considered, Be it Enacted by this General Assembly, and by the Authority thereof It is Enacted, That the same be and hereby is granted. [Acts of General Assembly, June Session, 1767, pages 41 8. 42.
[July 1, 1771.] At a Town Meeting Held at Providence on the ist Day of July A. D. 1771 by adjournment and Warrant.
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The " Small White Oak " referred to in the survey of the Burial Ground of June 4, 1764. See eastern bounds of grounds on plats A and B, marked " W. oak " and " white oak ;" also page 9, at beginning of twenty-second line.
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Voted that the Committee appointed to Regulate persons in Erect- ing Buildings and Fences, repaire to Peter Randall and Order him to Desit building his wall on the Land Layed out for a Public Burying place and if he refuse to Remove the same then the Said Committee have hereby Directed to have him the Said peter Randall Indited for the same. [Town Meeting Records No. 5, page 179.]
[July 8, 1771.] At a Town Meeting held at Providence by and- journment on the 8th Day of July A. D. 1771 and Likewise by warrant.
We the subscribers agreable to our appointment at the Last meet- ing have Repaired to peter Randall and have Desired him to Desist building his wall on the burying ground which he promises to Comply with.
I Angell. Benj Man. John Brown.
[ Town Meeting Records No. 5, page 180.]
[January 4, 1772.] To the Honorable Town Council of North Providence in the county of Providence and at their sitting on Saturday the 4th of January A. D. 1772.
The petition of us the subscribers humbly showeth that whereas there was formerly a highway ordered to be laid out over the bridge now called Dexter's bridge northerly along by Capt John Powers house but by return of said way there seems a great mistake from a pine tree now the corner of Christopher Dexters land which rangeth N 20 I) west 346 poles thence N 13 D east 90 poles to Youngs now where Capt Power lives which course and distance carryes the highway where no teams could go. Therefore it is prayed your Honors will order a Committee to begin at a stump by Peter Randalls house and relay said road to Smithfield line as near where it was intended as they can. And your petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray.
Jonathan Pike.
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I the subscriber do sign the above petition with this proviso to begin at the first mentioned bound and run the same courses as is run in the original return & where said mistake is to rectify the same.
Jos Dexter. John Tucker.
Mr. Jonathan Pike and others presented a petition to this council requesting that the said council would choose a committee to revise and relay the road that leads from Providence to Smithfield by the house of Capt. John Powers whereupon the council granted the same and appointed Capt. Eseck Hopkins Gideon Jenckes & John Comstock Esq. a Committee to relay said road and make report to this Council.
At a town Council held in North Providence in the county of Provi- dence on January ye 4th A. D. 1772 the above petition was laid before said Council and the said petition being considered it is granted and Capt. Eseck Hopkins, Gideon Jenckes & John Comstock were appointed a Committee to relay said way whoare to begin at the stump mentioned in said petition & lay the said road as near as they can where the original way was laid. All which is promised to be done without cost to the town and make return to this council as soon as may be.
The above and aforegoing petition with the proceedings of the town Council thereon was recorded. January 4 A D 1772. Hope Angell Council Clerk. Worth Providence Probate Records No. I, page 101.]
[June 20, 1772.] At a town council held in North Providence in the county of Providence on the 20th day of June A. D. 1772
Capt. Eseck Hopkins & John Comstock Esq two of the committee appointed for laying the highway that leads from the Burying place over Dexters Bridge by the widow Martha Powers to Smithfield line presented a return of said highway to the above said town council that agreeable to their appointment they met on the sixth day of June A. D. 1772 accompanied by Gideon Jenckes the other of the Committee &
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J. Thomas Whipple Justice of the Peace & Jonathan Pike town sergent and surveyed marked & bounded said highway from the Burying place to Smithfield line ; and the said return being read & no objection being made it is voted accepted Witness Hope Angell Town Clerk. [North Providence Probate Records No. I, page 112.]
[November 28, 1773.] At a town council held in North Provi- dence in the county of Providence on the twenty eighth day of Novem- ber A. D. 1773.
Voted that John Tucker surveyor of that district of Highway that goes over the bridge called Dexters Bridge to Smithfield together with Jonathan Pike town sergent are hereby requested to remove such fence or other incumbrance within ten days from this date as are erected within the bounds of said highway which bounds were erected and established by Messrs Eseck Hopkins John Comstock & Gideon Jenckes who were a Committee appointed for that purpose by this Council. Witness Hope Angell Council Clerk. [North Providence Probate Rec- ords No. I, page 112.]
[June 3, 1776.] At a Town Meeting of the Town of Providence held on the First Monday in June A. D. 1776.
Voted that Messrs John Jenckes Jabez Bowen, Nicholas Brown Ebenezer Thompson John Smith Col James Angell Col John Mathew- son and Benoni Pearce Esqr be appointed a Committee to run out the Bounds of the Towns burying Land- To Calculate the Expense of erecting a Stone Wall around the same and to make Report thereof to the next Town Meeting. [Town Meeting Records No. 6, pages 42 & 44.]
[November 23, 1776.] At a town council held in North Provi- dence in the county of Providence on the twenty third day of November A. D. 1776.
Whereas, the committee that was appointed by the town council of the town at their session held on the fourth day of January & thirteenth
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day of May A. D. 1776 to revise or relay the bounds of the highway leading from the post road by Peter Randall Esq. over the bridge called Dexters to Smithfield line the last survey made some error, as their courses do not agree with the bounds and as the owners of the land which said way runs through are about fencing in their said land they have requested of this council to appoint a committee to relay & revise the bounds of said way. Whereupon it is voted by this council that Mr. Gideon Jenckes, Capt. Job Olney & Major Thomas Olney be & are hereby appointed to relay & revise said way as near agreeable to the bounds of the last survey as possible & make report of their proceedings at the next meeting of this Council. And that William Bagley Esq. be appointed to attend said Committee as Justice of the peace & Jona- than Pike town sergent is also appointed to attend said committee in relaying & revising said highway. The above written voted & past. [Vorth Providence Probate Records No. I, page 138.]
[March 22, 1777.] Report. We the subscribers being appointed by the Town Council of North Providence on the twenty third day of November A. D. 1776 to revise the bounds of the road leading from the Post Road over Dexter Bridge so called to Smithfield line ; in obedience to our appointment we met on the sixth day of December A. D. 1776 and set off at a large black oak stump standing near Peter Ran- dalls Esq. well ranging N. 5 D. E. 9 rods to the middle of said Randalls shed then N. 4 D. W. 40 rods wanting seven links to a wild cherry tree then N. 40 D. W. 25 rods to a stake & stones near the little bridge then N. 54 D. W. 11 Rods to a stake & stones about it, then N. 273 D. W. II rods acrost the river to a stake & stones, then N. 16 D. E. 31 rods wanting two feet to a stake & stones, then N. 16 W. 8 rods to a long stone set in the ground then N 50 D. W. 15 rods to a stone sett in the ground then W. 24 D. N. 21 rods to a heap of stones at the cor- ner of the fence then N. 41 D. W. 14 rods to a poplar tree marked then N. 27 D. W. 30 rods & six links to a stone set in the ground then
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N. 10] D. W. 10 rods to a stone set in the ground then N. 133 D. W. 49 rods to a stone sett in the ground then N. 16 D. W. 20 rods to a large pine tree marked by the corner of Christopher Dexters fence then N. 22 I). W. 22 rods to a stone sett in the ground by Jno. Tuckers dwelling house then N. 18 D. W. 22 rods to a stone sett up then N. 21 D. W. 106 rods to the stones by Owens fence about six feet north of a black oak stub in said fence then N. 14 D. W. 30 rods to a stake & three stones sett in the ground then N. 4 D. E. 30 rods to a large red oak tree marked then N. 10 D. E. 32 rods to a stone sett in the ground by Dur- feys bush fence then N. 30 D. E. 58 rods ranging with a large oak tree to a stone sett in the ground then North 30 D. W. to Smithfield line.
Be it remembered that the said road lyeth on the east side of the above boundaries, and layed the same wedth that it was layed by Esek Hopkins Esq: John Comstock Esq! and Mr Gideon Jencks which fully appear by their return and plan of said road
All which is submitted to your honors by your humble servants. N. Providence
March 22, 1777.
Thomas Olney Job Olney Gideon Jenks
[North Providence Council and Probate Records A, page 171.]
[March 31, 1777.] At a town council held in North Providence county of Providence on the 31st day of March 1777 the within written return of Highway being laid before said Council and the same being considered it is allowed to be good and lawful return and order it to be recorded.
Pr. Hope Angell Council Clk. [Worth Providence Council and Pro- bate Records A, page 171.]
[April 21, 1784.] At a Town Meeting of the Freemen of the Town of Providence Legally assembled on the 21st Day of April A. D. 1784.
Whereas it is represented to this Meeting that the Highway between the Dwelling House of Mr Amasa Gray and the Burying Place is
3
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Crooked and in some Places Too Narrow and that it will greatly Benefit the Publick to have the same Widened- It is therefore Voted and Resolved That the same Committee take the same into Consideration and Report what they shall think best to be done thereon to the next Town Meeting (Note Wm Wheaton, Amos Atwell and James Arnold Esq are the Committee referred to.) [Town Meeting Records No. 7, pages 14 8. 16.]
[June 7, 1784.] At a Town Meeting of the Freeman of the Town of Providence Legally assembled at the State House in said Providence on Monday the Seventh Day of June A. D. 1784.
The Committee appointed on the 21 st Day of April Last to take into Consideration the propriety and Expediency of Straightening and Widening the Highway between the Dwelling House of Amasa Gray and the Burying Place made Report as on File. Which Report is Referred for further consideration.
Resolved, That the committee lately appointed to revise Benefit street be also now appointed with John Jencks Esq. a committee to Revise and ascertain the Width and Boundaries of the highways from where the highway parts from that leading over Mill Bridge to Heren- dens lane. That they also ascertain the boundaries of the Burying place and lay out in and round the same proper lanes or avenues for passing in and through the same not to be filled up and to estimate the expense of walling in the said Burying place and report the whole to the Town Meeting as soon as may be. [Town Meeting Records No. 7, pages 18 §. 22.]
[October 21, and November 4, 1784.] Journal and Report of the Town's Committee for surveying the Street from Doctor Arnolds Northward : The Burying Ground and Benefit Street .- 1785-
2Ist of the 10th Month 1784
Began to survey the street taking our set off from the weather board of the South East Corner of Doctor Jonathan Arnold's Shop
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The Street here is 49 feet across to the N. W. Corner of John Turpins Widow's House. From Randall's Corner N. 173 E. 323 feet to the Corner of Timothy Sheldons Shop adjoining his House, thence N. 17 E. to the N. E. Corner of the Pentis of Nash's House 153 feet. The lane here leading to the River should be two poles or 33 feet wide but said House appears to be ro3 feet on the Lane allow- ing too feet for the two Lots. The Street here is 50 feet wide from the Corner of said Pentis to the S. E. Corner of Moses Brown's House where Amasa Gray lives, N. 20 E. 181 feet (Note This distance is probably 28 1 feet See map made by Wm. S. Haines April 1860.) the Street here is 52 feet wide.
From the said Corner to the S. E. Corner of William Smith's Lot N. 223 E. 483 Feet, from thence N. 11 E. to Moses Brown's Lot 101 Feet ; Thence N. I E. 77 Feet taking off 12 Feet from their peaked Corner, which continues the Road 52 Feet, the same width it is back Brown's part of the Land he agrees to give for accomodating the Road, and we now recommend that Smith's part be paid for to the full value of the damages, agreeable to Law and Equity. From the last course N. 21 W. 78 Feet to the Water Course, thence to the S. E. Corner of Peter Randall's House North of the Lane leading to Thurber's Mills N. 8 W. 343 Feet.
For the road over round and through the Burying Ground hill, see the Platt 1. thereof herewith presented.
4th of the 11th month 1784.
Began to survey the Burying Ground, setting off at the South end of Aaron Mason's Wall. N. 323 E. 20 Pole to an apple Tree, thence N. 31 E. 47 P 5 L. to the N. W. Corner of Amos Allen's Lot at Herren- den's Lane, thence across the Lane N. 27 E. 7 Poles to the South end of Jeremiah Dexter's Wall, which is in range with the North end of his House and 22 Links West from the N. W. Corner thence N. 30 E. 37
1 See plat B.
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Rods along said Wall and Dexter's fence. From this station we pro- pose to the Town to apply to North Providence to have the Road moved or widened, up the Hill Eastward, to save a short Crook of going down and coming up again the Hill, then course would be N. 28 E. 37 Poles 15 Links to an old white Oak in the Wall from whence.back to the great walnut, an old bound is S. 38 W. 12 poles 20 Links. N. 17 E. 23 poles 5 L. as Dexter's fence now stands, N. 67 E. 3 poles 20 Links to a large Walnut, an old bound N. 43 W. across the Road 13 poles 18 Links to Peter Randall's Well-Crotch being at or near the old bound of the last running as we can find.
W. 20 S. 32 Poles to a heap of Stones in the fence on the Hill, W. 30 S. 21 Poles 15 L. to a white Oak, W. 45 N. 18 Poles 5 L. to a white Oak. W. 26 N. 5 Poles 5 L. to a white Oak W. 13 N. 81 Poles to a white Oak, formerly Clark's now Cozzens Corner, S. 29 W. 22 poles to a heap of stones. S. 6 W. 84 poles to a post in a bunch of Barberry Bushes. S. 1} W. 8 poles to a Post in the Bank of a ditch. S 8). E. 27 Poles to the S. E. Corner of Peter Randall's House, S 8 E. 15 poles to a Post in Moses Browns Fence N. 67 E. 5 Poles 23 L. across the Road to the N. W. Corner of Amasa Gray's Shop and Timothy Mason's Land which he agrees to be bound Thence N. 36 E. 7 Poles 2 Links to the N. W. Corner of Benjamin Cozzens Jun's new House thence to the first bound being the Scale Line, which by the Platt is N. 46 E. 28 Poles 5 Links. Mr. Luther, Comfort Eddy, Aaron Mason and Peter Randall have encroachments on the Burying-Ground to be decyphered on the Platts, where also the cross-allys are decyphered. [Book of Street Courses, pages 30, 31 § 32.]
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