USA > Rhode Island > Kent County > Warwick > The history of Warwick, Rhode Island, from its settlement in 1642 to the present time; including accounts of the early settlement and development of its several villages; sketches of the origin and progress of the different churches of the town, &c., &c > Part 27
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HISTORY OF WARWICK.
and even in the depth of the night, alone by himself, for con- templation and the enjoyment of the dispensation of light. He was universally beloved by all his neighbors and the Indians, who esteemed him not only as a friend, but one high in com- munion with God in heaven, and indeed he lived in heaven."
In preparing the following accounts of the churches, the author communicated with the pastors or some lead- ing members of the several churches now existing in the town, inviting them to furnish a brief sketch of their respective churches, for publication. In several instances the invitation was accepted, and in others the records of the churches were kindly placed in his hands to enable him to furnish the accounts. He regrets that in a few instances, either from a loss of the records or lack of interest in the subject, on the part of those to whom he applied, he has failed to receive the desired informa- tion concerning several. Where the accounts have been prepared by others, due acknowledgement has been given. In the other cases, where church records have been kindly placed in his hands from which to make up the accounts, such accounts have received, in each case, the approval of some one or more of the leading mem- bers of the church, to whom they were submitted before publishing :
OLD BAPTIST CHURCH, OLD WARWICK .*
This church, which has had for the past thirty years merely a nominal existence, is the oldest one in the . town, having probably existed as a branch of the First Baptist Church of Providence, nearly or quite a half century before it assumed an independent existence. The earliest records of the church bear the date of 1741, though the origin of the body as a distinct and indepen- dent church, must have been as early as 1725. Backus' history mentions it in 1730 as then existing. Previous
* The six principles, or doctrines, held by this church may be found in Hebrews VI., 1, 2.
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OLD BAPTIST CHURCH, OLD WARWICK.
to that date, and reaching back to about the time of the first settlement of the town, it probably existed as a branch of the First Baptist Church of Providence, of which several of the original settlers of the town were constituent members. Hence the history of the body previous to the organization as a separate church would be incorporated with that of the First church of Provi- dence. As there are no original records of this latter church extant, previous to April, 1775, it is impossible to determine the exact status of the body previous to that date. In 1730, the church at Old Warwick con- sisted of 65 members, under the pastoral care of Elder Manasseh Martin .* Elder Martin having served the church as pastor upwards of 30 years, died March 20th, 1754. He lies buried in the cemetery near the site of the Meeting House where he preached. A heavy slab half embedded in the earth, with his name and date of death, marks the spot. His widow, who afterwards be- came the wife of Elder Charles Holden, lies beside him.
On the 18th of June, 1744, John Hammett was ordained as colleague of Mr. Martin, and seems to have extended his labors beyond the immediate precincts of Old Warwick, gathering many into the church from remote regions. He served the old church " upwards of six years," according to the inscription upon his tomb- stone, dying in the 48th year of his age. He lies buried also, in the yard of the old meeting-house.
On June 16, 1757, Charles Holden was ordained pas- tor of the church, and continued to preach until old age and its infirmities compelled him to relinquish his post. He was ordained in the 62d year of his age, and died June 20th, 1785, in his ninetieth year. He lies buried in a quiet spot, some thirty or forty rods west of the res- idence of John Wickes Greene, Esq. Elder Holden had a son and also a grandson named Charles. Among
* See "The History of the General or Six Principle Baptists in Europe and America," by Elder Richard Knight, published in 1827. Elder Knight was the esteemed and useful pastor of the Scituate church.
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his lineal descendants was the late John Holden, of Crompton, father of the late Thomas R. Holden, of Providence. Previous to the declaration of American Independence, it was customary for ministers, following the old English custom, to pray for the king in their public worship. One Sabbath after the Declaration, while the Elder was praying, forgetting for the moment the change that had taken place in the political condi- tion of the country, he reached the place where the usual petition for the king came in, and before he was aware he uttered it-" we pray for the king and all in authority "-when suddenly checking himself and hesi- tating he added with emphasis-"living in Rhode Island !" The limiting clause of the petition thus forcibly ex- pressed, established his patriotism. In his will, Elder Holden made provision for the liberation of his several slaves. Dimmis was to have her freedom on the de- cease of her master, and her youngest son was given her until the age of twenty one, when he was to be free. His slave Dinah was to be set at liberty at eighteen years of age, and Prince, Cato and Morocco, when they reached the age of twenty-one, provided they behaved properly up to those ages. A small bequest was made to each of them in addition to their freedom.
Benjamin Sheldon was ordained assistant to Elder Holden, June 18, 1778, by Elders Holden, J. Wight- man, John Gorton and Reuben Hopkins. October 10, 1782, Abraham Lippitt was ordained as an assistant elder in this church, by Elders Nathan Peirce, John Gorton* and J. Wightman. About the year 1793, Elder Lippitt removed to the West, and the following year the church called Samuel Littlefield to the pastoral
* Elder John Gorton was the pastor of the church at East Green- wich, for many years, and preached in a meeting house that stood not far from the shore, but which has been demolished many years. He was a descendant of Samuel Gorton, one of the first settlers of the town, and the great-grandfather of Mrs. Wm. B. Spencer of Phenix. He officiated at the marriage of General Nathaniel Greene. An old book before me, owned by Mr. Henry W. Greene, the leaves of which
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OLD BAPTIST CHURCH, OLD WARWICK.
office, and he was ordained February 17, 1794. He continued to preach until about 1825, when he had a paralytic shock which laid him aside from active life.
The old meeting-house, a sketch of which is given in the engraving, was built by this church at an early date, and is probably the earliest one built in this town of which any knowledge at present exists. It was taken down in the spring of 1830. It was in a very decayed
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THE OLD MEETING HOUSE, OLD WARWICK. (From a pencil sketch by Mrs. C. W. Colgrove.)
condition when demolished. Its size was about forty feet square, with two doors, one on the side facing the Conimicut road, a double door, and one fronting Meet-
are partly of the "Stamp" paper of the times, and bound in sheep skin, with a brazen clasp, contains the records of 281 marriages, in Elder Gorton's writing. The first marriage, that of Anthony Low and Phebe Greene, bears the date of January 1, 1754, the last, that of George Finney and Hanahretty Matthews, daughter of Caleb Mat- thews, May 4, 1792. The Warwick and Coventry Baptist Church was organized at the house of Caleb Matthews, October 21, 1805.
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ing-House road, so called. In the rear was a burying ground, owned by the Low family. The building was without bell or steeple. Its internal arrangements were peculiar : the platform for the preacher was raised some two or three feet, with a small desk for the Bible to rest upon, and in the rear were seats for the preacher, the deacon and the constable. The deacon usually lined oft the hymns for the singers. There were three large square pews in front of the platform, and their occupants were supposed to be entitled to special respect. Other pews ranged along the sides of the building, with one long pew for the deacon's family. The seats for the congregation generally, were rude benches. There were galleries on two sides of the house with stairways lead- ing up to them from the audience room. The whole in- terior was open to the roof. Before the old house was given up, it had become so dilapidated, that the case of the Hebrew sanctuary mentioned by David in the eighty-fourth psalm was repeated-" the sparrow hath found a house and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of Hosts"-and meetings were held in the school-house. A farewell service was held in it October 4, 1829, and is still remembered by some who were present, and from whom the writer has received these items .* Elder Wm. Manchester on that day baptized, at a place called the "new bridge," Mary Almira and Louisa Waterman. It was sold soon after, and a portion of the materials worked up into the dwelling-house that now stands nearly opposite the residence of John Holden, Esq.
Their new house, the one now occupied by the Shawo- met Baptist Church, was dedicated in 1829, Elder Wm. C. Manchester preaching the sermon, from Gen. xxviii. 17. The pastor at the time was Elder Job Manchester, who had been ordained October, 1828. He was from Coven- try, and had married a daughter of the late Thomas Staf-
* John Wickes Greene, Esq., a former member and clerk of the old church, and others.
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OLD BAPTIST CHURCH, OLD WARWICK.
ford, one of their leading members. He is said to have been an able minister, and by his liberal and enlightened views prepared the way for the future enlargement of the church. An extensive revival was enjoyed during the year 1829, in which twenty-two persons united with the church. In 1843 he resigned his charge and removed to Providence, where he united with the Stewart Street Baptist Church. He died August 9th, 1859, aged 75 .* In 1830, in a letter to the " General Meeting," they re- ported fifty-four members. Their prospects from this time began to wane, their members were gradually re- duced by death and dismission, until dependent upon occasional supplies in preaching, they became disheart- ened and finally gave up their meetings. They have had only a nominal existence for many years. Mr. Daniel Arnold, of Crompton, who died last year, left legacies to this church, and to those at Crompton and Birch Hill, which has brought to light the existence of a few mem- bers, who claim to be the church; their names are Benoni Lockwood, Aurelia Weaver, Lucy A. Lockwood, and Eliza T. Lockwood.
As there was some doubt existing as to the ownership of the land upon which the house was built, the town, at . a meeting held April 15, 1829, made the following pro- vision, viz. :
" Whereas certain public spirit Individuals in the Town of Warwick, have it in contemplation to erect a Meeting House for the worship of Almighty God, in that Section of the Town usually called Old Warwick, and on Land near the school house which Land is represented to have been originally reserved by the proprietors for the purpose of Education and as a tanning field; and doubts have arisen Whether the Town may not possess an Interest in said Land either by Escheat or some other title, Now therefore with the intention of promoting a project so Laudable by perfecting the title of the Individuals aforesaid
* Elder Job Manchester was a skillful mechanic as well as an able pastor and preacher. As early as 1816 he invented a power loom, for weaving cotton cloth, and in 1818 made some improvements on the Bed Tick or Twilled work, looms. He was a practical machinist. See Transactions of the R. I. Society for the Encouragement of Domestic Industry for 1864, pp. 61-76.
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" It is voted, That it shall be the duty of the Treasurer of the Town whenever a Meeting House aforesaid shall have been erected to Release on the part of the Town all Right and Title to that part of the Lot whereon it may be placed. It being understood that the same is to Include a piece of Ground Eight rods square."
OLD BAPTIST CHURCH AT APPONAUG.
At a church meeting held at Old Warwick, of which Elder Manasseh Martin was pastor, Dec. 6, 1744, Ben- jamin Peirce and wife, Ezrikham Peirce and wife, Edward Case and wife, John Budlong, and such others as wished to form a church at the Fulling Mill, of the same faith and order, were granted leave. Several members from East Greenwich united with them, and the church was duly organized. Benjamin Peirce was ordained their minister. They eventually erected a meeting house, " on an eminence East of the village of Apponaug which commanded an extensive prospect of this village, river, islands and surrounding country." It stood nearly oppo- site of the present residence of C. R. Hill, Esq. There is a tradition that it was built at the suggestion of Elder Peter Worden, who in 1758-9 had built a house of worship in Coventry, " 28 feet long by 26 feet wide and two stories high," and preached in it many years and afterwards settled in Apponaug. It is said that this house was of the same dimensions as the one in Coventry which became known in later times as the Elder Charles Stone meeting house, Elder Stone having been the suc- cessor of Elder Worden. Mr. Worden was born near Westerly, June 6, 1728, and is represented as a man of large stature, with a powerful voice, and a useful rather than a very intellectual man. After leaving Apponaug, he removed to Cheshire, Mass., in 1770, where another edition of " 28 by 26" without revisal or improvement was erected, and where he continued to hold forth the word of life. He died in 1808, in his 80th year. He preached in Coventry and Warwick nineteen years.
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OLD BAPTIST CHURCH AT APPONAUG.
The church became involved in difficulty owing to some change in the religious sentiments of Elder Pierce, and diminished in members and was finally dissolved, and " their meeting house went to decay for many years." At what precise period this occurred does not appear, but it was previous to the revolutionary war.
Elder Knight, in his history, makes no mention of any other pastor than Elder Peirce, in connection with this church, and it is probable that the connection of Elder Worden was of short duration. Of the subsequent his- tory of Elder Peirce the writer has no knowledge. The Peirces furnished a number of Elders to the church in different places. Elder Nathan Peirce was settled over the Rehoboth church many years, and till his death in 1794. Elders Preserved Peirce and Philip Peirce, brothers, were ordained in the same church about the year 1800. The latter soon after removed west.
Soon after the close of the revolutionary war another church was organized. The date of the organization is given by Elder Knight in one part of his work as 1785, and in another as 1792. As we have had no access to the original records we are unable to settle the point. David Corpe, a member of the East Greenwich church, from which the new one was set off, was ordained their pastor. They occupied the old house, which was repaired and made comfortable. Elder Corpe, becoming advanced in years and reduced in pecuniary means, resigned his trust and removed to an estate which he held in the northwest part of the State. Elder Spooner was his successor, having been appointed by the yearly meeting to supply them with preaching once a month. The tide of prosperity turned against them, and in 1805 the church followed the example of its predecessor and be came extinct.
The old meeting house, after resounding with the mes- sages of the Gospel for many years, finally lost its iden- tity more than fifty years ago, and a portion of it may be found in a private residence a few rods north of the spot where it originally stood. There are a few persons now *27
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living who remember it, as the place where in their childhood they were accustomed to assemble on the Sab- bath and listen to the lengthy discourses of the early preachers.
THE BETHEL SIX PRINCIPLE BAPTIST CHURCH.
This church is a grandchild of the Old Warwick Church. The Coventry or "Maple Root " Church * was set off from the latter church, May 17, 1744, though the latter church does not appear to have been formally or- ganized until Oct. 14, 1762. The church for many years and until 1857, was known as the Phenix Branch of the Maple Root Church. While sustaining this rela- tion to the Maple Root, worship was conducted in the Arkwright school house and the private houses in Phenix, until the school house was built in the latter place in 1827, when the building was used one Sabbath per month until the church built a meeting house. Elder Thomas Tillinghast preached many years in the old Arkwright school house, and when the Phenix school house was built, divided a monthly Sabbath between the two school houses. In 1838, they built a meeting house in Phenix, which was the second house built in that village for exclusive religious purposes. The build- ing committee were Dea. Johnson, Wm. C. Ames and Robert Levalley. The house was built by John R. Brayton, now of Knightsville, who built the Tatem Meeting House previously. The house was about sixty feet long, thirty-six wide, with eighteen feet posts, and is said to have cost about $3,000. This was a large sum in those days, and,as it proved, a largerone than the church was able to pay, and the debt incurred resulted in dis- aster to the church. After struggling along for many
* This church is usually, now, called the "Maple Root Church." Elder Knight, the historian of the denomination, calls it the "May- pole " Root Church, and I am informed hy Dea. Andrews, it is so des- ignated in the earliest records of the church.
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BETHEL SIX PRINCIPLE BAPTIST CHURCH.
years the church became somewhat divided and weak- ened, and their house was sold at public auction to Dr. McGreggor for $1,000, who afterwards sold it to Cyrus Manchester for $1,100. On Sept. 25, 1851, it was again sold to Wm. B. Spencer, Esq., who finally converted it into tenements, for which purpose it is still used.
The last pastor of the Phenix Branch Church was Elder Stephen Thomas, whose denominational senti- ments underwent some change, and in the year 1851, he closed his labors, and subsequently became pastor of the present Baptist Church at Natick: Elder Thomas after- wards became pastor at Holme's Hole, now called Vine- yard Haven, where he died a few years ago. The church was now houseless and pastorless, and continued in an un- settled condition until it gathered up its little remaining strength about the year 1857, and made arrangements for the building of a new house of worship at Birch Hill.
In June, 1857, a petition signed by ninety-four per- sons, members of the " Maple Root" Church in Coven- try, setting forth that they had " for a long time been known as the Phenix Branch of said Coventry Church," and had now erected a house of worship at Birch Hill, was presented to the said Maple Root Church, praying that they might be organized into a separate and inde- pendent body. Among the petitioners were Elders Benjamin B. Cottrell, Henry B. Locke and Nathaniel W. Warren. On the third of the following month the petition was granted, and on the twenty-sixth of that month, they were duly organized as a distinct church. Elder Thomas Tillinghast, preached, Ephesians II, 19, 20, 21. Elders B. B. Cottrell, H. B. Locke and N. W. Warner participated in the exercises. At this point the records, which have been very well kept by the several clerks, begin.
On Saturday, August 22, 1857, Elder Thomas Til- linghast, was chosen pastor, and Wanton A. Whitford, clerk. On Oct. 31, 1858, " Elder B. B. Cottrell, Dea. Benjamin Essex and W. A. Whitford were appointed trustees to receive and hold in trust a deed of a lot of
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land on Birch Hill in Warwick, appropriated for a meet- ing house for said church and denomination." The house was regarded by some as too small, and at a meet- ing held Jan. 9, 1859, a proposition was made to enlarge the " Bethel," by an addition of twelve feet to its length, and Dea. Essex, Henry Remington and W. A. Whitford, were appointed a committee to make the alterations. The funds for making the proposed addition did not seem to be forthcoming, and the committee hesitated to commence the work of building under the circumstances, and on the following October were instructed to make the addition " forthwith," on the front of the house. The addition was accordingly made and a debt incurred, which became a serious obstacle to the prosperity of the church. The building had to be mortgaged, and was in danger of following in the steps of the previous house at Phenix. Failing to obtain funds by subscription, the money was subsequently raised by festivals held about ten years ago under the direction of Mrs. Bowen A. Sweet, one of the members, the amount of $675 being raised, more than sufficient to clear the house of debt.
Previous to the year 1860, the covenant meetings were held at Arkwright every other month, and the communion monthly at the Bethel, subsequently it was voted to hold the communion services once in three months at Ark- wright. On March 25, 1860, Wanton A. Whitford, was ordained as a deacon. Previous to the ordination the candidate was questioned as to his religious views, and also his views on the subjects of Temperance and Slavery. "The wife of the candidate was then called upon to express her mind in regard to her becoming a Deacon's wife, when she arose and expressed a willing- ness to do her duty in that respect." April 28, 1861, Henry Remington, a member of the church, was or- dained to the gospel ministry, and afterwards became assistant pastor. April 16, 1864, Bowen A. Sweet was elected church clerk, in which position he has continued to the present time.
At a covenant meeting held August 28, 1864, a letter
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was sent to the Association, in which it is stated that they had had no pastor since the death of Elder Thomas Tillinghast, that the church had been passing through severe trials, and giving as their statistics the following: Dismissed by letter, 4 ; excluded, 4; dropped, 4 ; dead, 1; Total, 138. Oct. 23, 1864, Elder Samuel Arnold was unanimously elected pastor, and accepted the position.
At a meeting held Jan. 26, 1868, Elder Arnold, upon petition of several members of the Bethel Church, re- siding in Swansey, read the following resolution, which was adopted : "Voted and resolved, that the Brethren and Sisters of this church, residing in the State of Mas- sachusetts, be set off as a branch of the same, to be called the Swansey Branch, together with such others as shall become associated with them, with the privilege of receiving and dismissing members and holding com- munion." Number of members in September, 1874, 115.
Elder Samuel Arnold still continues the pastor of the church, though living in Providence, and preaching at the Bethel but once a month. Elder Nathaniel W. Warner lived at Natick, where he died August 6th, 1858. Elder Henry B. Locke died November 10, 1865. Elder B. B. Cottrell, also one of the constituent mem- bers of this church, is at present the acceptable pastor of the Tabernacle Church in Fiskeville. By his efforts a Meeting House was built at a cost of about, $1,700, which was dedicated July 24th, 1873, and a church soon after organized. Dea. Benjamin Essex, who has resided in the vicinity for the past twenty-six years, and is also one of the constituent members of the church, still serves the church as deacon, and continues as prompt and punctual in his religious duties, as the " Regulator " that hangs in his workshop, and ticks away the time in measured beats from year to year. The late Daniel Arnold, of Crompton, bequeathed to this church a por- tion of his personal property, but the exact amount the church will receive is not at present known.
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CROMPTON SIX PRINCIPLE BAPTIST CHURCH.
In the winter of 1841, six persons who subsequently united with others in the formation of this church, com- menced holding meetings in the old Centreville school- house. Their meetings were interesting, and a revival soon followed, which resulted in the conversion of about thirty persons who were baptized most of them into the fellowship of the Maple Root church, in Coventry. Elder Henry B. Locke had come from the southern part of the State and united with the Maple Root Church, and seems to have been a successful laborer with this little band of brethren. Before the middle of April he baptized the thirty converts, who united with the Maple Root church. April 23, 1842, a petition was presented to the Maple Root church, signed by thirty eight per- sons, praying to be set off as a Branch Church. The prayer was granted, and Elder H. B. Locke was chosen pastor, C. A. Carpenter, deacon and William Rice, clerk. Elder Locke remained the pastor until November 1843, and was followed by Elder William P. Place, who con- tinued in office until April 19, 1857, and then removed to Pennsylvania, remaining there about a year and then returned to Rhode Island.
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