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 29
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HISTORY OF WARWICK.
The third and last period of its history, extending from 1843 to the present time, is more generally known, and will be considered briefly.
On February 21, 1843, a special church meeting was held in Centreville, but at what house the record does not indicate. At this meeting among those present, now living among us, and as interested in the present progress of the church now as at that time, were Bro. Albert H. Arnold and Deacon Alfred Dawley. "Bro. John Allen made a proposition to the church that he would build a meeting house for them on condition that the church would build a vestry to place the house upon." The church voted to accept the offer. An agreement was then made as follows, Bro. Allen agreed to build a house of wood, " 40 by 50 feet, paint and furnish the same in modern style excepting cushions and lamps." The church agreed to purchase a lot and build a vestry in a style to correspond with the house, furnish it with cush- ions, lamps, bell, furnace, and also to fence the lot. The agreement was faithfully carried out, and the house in due time solemnly dedicated to God. The lot cost $400 ; $1400 further were expended by the church ; Bro. Allen expended $2300, making the total cost $4100.
The dedication was a season of great joy to the church. Rev. John Dowling, then pastor of the Pine Street Church, Providence, preached the sermon ; Rev. Edward K. Fuller, pastor, Rev. J. Brayton and others partici- pated in the services. Thirty-five years had now elapsed since their first sanctuary, the Tin Top, was dedicated, and now a second temple had been raised and set apart to the same service. As the church reviewed her history she had abundant reason to thank God and take courage.
John Allen, to whom the church was indebted so much from the time of its organization, was one of the constituent mem- bers of the church, and for " nearly thirty years" its clerk. Reference has been made to him in connection with the ac- count of the village of Centreville. He died July 26, 1845. His painted portrait is in possession of Mrs. Alexander Allen, of Centreville. He gave the church also the parsonage house and lot, and bequeathed on the death of his widow, the lot of land
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on the north of it. The following is an extract from his last will devising this land :
"I give and devise to the First Baptist Society in Warwick, the lot of land north of the Parsonage after my wife's decease, the same to be held and possessed by said society, their suc- cessors forever, for the use of the pastor of the Warwick and Coventry Baptist Church, in addition to his salary, reserving a passage way to my burial lot."
Mr. Allen in his will devised the lot of land now called Point Pleasant Cemetery, opposite the Baptist Parsonage, and his farm of about eighty acres in West Greenwich, to the American. Tract Society; six shares in the Warwick Manufacturing Co., and thirty-five shares in the Providence and Pawcatuck Turnpike Co., with several acres of land south of the Baptist parsonage, to the Missionary Union; ten shares in the City Bank, Provi- dence, for the support of a missionary in China; two shares in the Warwick Manufacturing Co., fifty-three shares in the Cen- treville Bank, and sixteen shares in the Bank of Kent, Coventry, for Home Missions; to the R. I. Baptist State Convention, thirty- four shares in the Bank of Kent, Coventry, and thirty-seven pews in the "Tin Top " meeting house, and twenty-five shares in the Centreville Bank, to the American and Foreign Bible Society-all these bequests to be paid after the death of his wife.
The seventh pastor was Rev. Edward K. Fuller, who united with the church August, 1843; closed his labors April 15, 1846.
Mr. Fuller was licensed to preach by the Second Baptist Church, Providence, June, 1836. Ordained by the " Indepen- dent" Baptist Church, Pawtucket, (now High street) April 4, 1838, where he remained three years. Was two years General Agent of the R. I. Sunday School Union. After leaving here he was pastor at Somerset, Medford, Reading, in Massachu- setts, South Providence, New York City, New London and Ja- maica, L. I. Now laboring as an Evangelist. Residence, Prov- idence, R. I.
The eighth pastor was Rev. George A. Willard. who united with the church May 1, 1847; closed his labors July 1st, 1850. Mr. Willard was born in Lancaster, Mass., in 1810; ordained August 29, 1843, at Cummington, Mass., where he preached until 1847. He was pastor at Old Warwick from 1850 to 1859; He opened there a Family Boarding School for Boys, which he kept until 1867, preaching as he had opportunity at Natick and other places; was for some time Town Superintendent of l'ublic Schools. He is at present a pastor at Ashfield, Mass.
The ninth pastor was Rev. Jonathan Brayton, who
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commenced preaching to the church Aug. 25, 1850 ; closed his labors January 1st, 1854.
The tenth pastor was Rev. L. W. Wheeler, who preached about a year. Mr. Wheeler has recently set- tled as pastor of the Baptist Church in Jefferson, N. H., having removed from Lyme Centre, of the same state. A letter forwarded to him failed of a response. The church after Mr. Wheeler left was destitute of a pastor for a year or more, when Mr. Brayton was recalled and commenced laboring April 1, 1857, and continued until ill health compelled him to relinquish his charge in Jan- uary, 1859. He however continued to preach occasionally being assisted during the remainder of the year by Mr. C. C. Burrows, a student of Brown University.
Rev. Jonathan Brayton was born at Cranston, June 12, 1811. Baptized at Knightsville, when about sixteen years old, by Elder Pardon Tillinghast. At eighteen years of age he went to Providence to learn the carpenter's trade, where with a few others, he united in the organization of a Six Principle Baptist church, now known as the Roger Williams Church. Assisted in building a meeting-house for the church (which was subse- quently burnt.) While at work on the inside of the steeple, he accidentally fell a distance of sixty feet, striking on the staging on the way down, breaking his leg and otherwise injuring him, and was taken up insensible. This concluded his carpentering work and changed entirely his course of life. His thoughts were now turned to study and a preparation for the ministry. Taught school three years in Fall River, preaching during a part of the time at Tiverton, and then went to Hamilton Uni- versity and took the Theological Course, preaching to the neighboring churches during the time. Here he was ordained by the Faculty. Came east and began preaching in Phenix, in 1841-2, his labors resulting in the formation of the Baptist church in that village. During the winter and spring 119 were baptized; for about two years of his stay at Phenix he preached monthly at Natick, and often at Fiskeville. For several years on account of illness did not preach. In 1851, preached at Quidnick and assisted in organizing a church, preaching half the day at Crompton for upwards of three years. At the conclusion of his labors at Quidnick, went to High Street Church, Pawtucket, and labored a year and a half, when he returned to Crompton Church.
In 1858-9 the meeting house was thoroughly repaired, the galleries cut down, new pulpit put in, &c.
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The present pastor, Oliver Payson Fuller, was called by the church December, 1859 ; commenced labor Jan- uary, 1860; united with the church March 4th, by letter from the church in Canton, Massachusetts, by which he was licensed ; ordained March 7, and continues to preach, qualis ab incepto.
Mrs. Audrey S. Briggs, widow of the late James Briggs, died July 27, 1873. In her will, she bequeathed the sum of #50 to the church. Both she and her hus- band united with the church January 7, 1857, and were devoted members until their death.
In 1866, further changes and improvements were made in the meeting house; the ante-rooms were parti- tioned off, the orchestra window put in, and a new Mason & Hamlin organ, costing $425 was given by Gen. James Waterhouse. In 1873, the house was again repaired, the interior handsomely frescoed, &c., the whole costing about $1,200.
Christopher C. Burrows, a member of the church was ordained to the work of the ministry July 13, 1863, while a member of Brown University, but did not enter upon a pastorate until 1869, when he settled at Davis- ville, in this State.
Mr. Burrows was born at Busty, Chautauque County, N. Y., April 23, 1825. While at Davisville, he baptized 112 persons. He resigned his charge at Davisville, in 1873, to take charge of the Broadway, Baptist Church, Providence. He is settled at the present time in Lynn, Mass.
The following persons have been licensed by the church: Samuel Greene, November 20, 1818; Charles Weaver, March 24, 1828; Henry Clark, Feb. 25, 1832; Thomas Tew, April 11, 1837 ; William Lawless, December 29, 1845.
Samuel Greene never settled as a pastor. He died a few years ago at an advanced age. in Coventry.
Charles Weaver was born in Coventry, April 11. 1803; bap- tized in Washington Village, February, 1823. Married Diana Northup, June, 1823; commenced preaching at Anthony Vil- lage, February 10, 1828: organized a Sabbath School at the "Tin Top" June 1st, 1828; ordained at Fiskeville, April 16.
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1829; left Fiskeville, in 1833, and was pastor successively at Plainfield, three years, Voluntown, six years, Suffield, four years, Norwich, four years, Noank, eleven years and Volun- town. the second time, from 1871 to the present time. In an interesting letter dated April 13, 1875, Mr. Weaver says he has baptized 1000 converts, and has "been preaching forty seven years, and have never seen a single Sabbath that I was not able to preach."
Henry Clark was born in Canterbury, Ct., November 12, 1810. He commenced teaching in Centreville in 1829, boarding in the family of John Allen. In the summer of 1830 he was baptized by Elder Ross, and united with this church. His first attempt to preach was in the "Store Chamber" on the day that he was licensed to preach. In 1834, he married Mary Dorrance of Anthony Village. who is still living though their children seven in number, have all died. He studied at the Hamilton Literary and Theological Institution He was or- dained pastor of the church at Seekonk, Mass , in June, 1834, and remained three years; was pastor successively in Taunton, for two and a half years from 1837; Canton, Mass., in 1840 to 1842; Randolph, 1842 to 1846, when his health failing, he relin- quished the pastorate until 1870, when he became pastor at Kenosha, Wisconsin. In 1872, he settled over the church at Pewaukee, same State, remaining two years, when he returned to his former charge in the city of Kenosha, where he still remains. During. his .ministry he has baptized about 300 persons.
Thomas Tew, licensed as above, preached for a while in different places, and became the agent of the Rhode Island Temperance Organization. A letter of inquiry respecting him, addressed to his son, failed of a reply.
William Lawless, though a member of the church never lived here. His residence being in Bristol, where he died a few years ago. He was never ordained but continued to exercise his gifts in public as he had oppor- tunity.
The following persons have served the church as dea. cons : Alexander Shaw, Palmer Tanner, Caleb Ladd, Ephraim Martin, Warren Rice, James Tilley, Edwin Miller, Thomas Tilley, N. T. Allen, Jesse Brown, Ira Stillman, Pardon Spencer, Alfred Dawley, Asa Cran- dall. The last three are the present worthy deacons.
N. T. Allen was dismissed by letter to unite with the Phenix church soon after its organization, and from which he received
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a license to preach. He was ordained at Waterford, Conn. August 1846; was pastor successively, at Groton, six years, Natick, two years, Jewett City, twelve years. He then returned to Groton where he has been settled the past six years.
The following persons have served the church as clerks ; Barnabas Greene, John Allen, Whipple A. Ar- nold, William Brown, Robert Bennett, Pardon Spencer, and Charles T. Carpenter.
The records fail to give the names of those who have served as treasurers. Among those of the past twenty years, are Dea. Pardon Spencer, John J. Wood, Deacon Alfred Dawley, Peleg Brown, Amos Johnson, James E. Whitford, and Gideon B. Whitford.
Nearly seventy years have elapsed since the organiza- tion of the church. The fathers and mothers have all departed, but the great truths of the gospel which taught them how to live and how to die, remain the same for the instruction of their successors. The word of the Lord endures forever. In looking over the records I find that there has been at least twenty years in the his- tory of this church when at least fifteen persons per year have been added to its number; six years in which not less than forty per year were added ; three years when not less than eighty per year were added, and one year when ninety-three were added. The whole number added during the whole time has been about eight hun- dred and forty-five, one hundred and one of whom have united during the present pastorate, upwards of seventy of them being by baptism. The present number is one hundred and ten.
The following is a brief account of the Sabbath School connected with the Warwick and Coventry Baptist Church :
The earliest item that I have been able to find of an authentic character respecting the Sabbath School connected with this church, is that furnished by Miss Abby Sweet. a lady now in her 77th year, who says she attended a Sabbath School in the old weave shop, when she was about thirteen years of age, or in the year 1811. The school she says was conducted by James Smith, a man from Connecticut. In the winter of 1816-17, Major Jonathan Tiffany, who was then the agent or manager
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of the mills in Crompton, then called the Stone Factory, rep- resented to Mr. Obadiah Brown, of Providence, the religious needs of the place. Mr. Brown gave a dozen bibles, and two dozen testaments for the use of a Sabbath School which was then in progress. Deacon Shaw was superintendent of the school. It was held in the old weave shop and subsequently in the " Hall" house. For several years after Deacon Shaw left, there was no school, and only at irregular intervals until the summer of 1827, when James Greene became the superinten- dent, and continued the school through the summer and per- haps, the following summer. It does not appear that the school continued through the winter seasons until it found quarters in the " Store Chamber," in the year 1830, when there were facilities for warming the room comfortably. On the evening of May 25th, 1830, a meeting was held, which adopted the following preamble and constitution:
"WHEREAS, we the subscribers being desirous of improving the morals of the children and youth in our village, and of affording them the means of such instruction as is consistent with the sacredness of the Christian Sabbath; and believing that Sabbath schools are eminently calculated to effect these objects, we unite in a society and agree to adopt the following
CONSTITUTION.
ARTICLE 1. This society shall be called the Crompton Mills Female Sabbath School Society in Warwick, auxiliary to the Rhode Island Sunday School Union.
ART. 2. Any person may become a member of this society by signing the constitution and paying 123 cents per quarter.
ART. 3. There shall be a President, Secretary and Treasurer and board of Directors."
The remaining articles prescribe the duties of the officers, and the appointment of a Superintendent and teachers, who were to have the immediate oversight of the school.
The quarterly payments were exacted of those who became members of the society. The Sabbath School was free to all. In some places, in the early history of the Sabbath School work, the teachers were paid as in the week day schools, but it does not appear that any were thus paid in connection with this school.
To this constitution were appended the names of seventy-five persons, of whom Crawford Titus, John J. Woo.l, James Tilley, Silas Clapp, John Spencer, Jr., George A. Bailey, Pardon Spencer, Jonathan L. Pierce, Jeremiah Randall and Jonathan Steadman, were the first ten. On the evening of May 26, Crawford Titus, acting as moderator, Pardon Spencer was chosen president, for the ensuing year; John J. Wood, treas- urer; Leonard Loveland, superintendent ; Washington Wilkin-
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son and James Tilley, a Board of Directors. On June 5th, 1S30, a series of rules for the government of the school were adopted .*
At a special meeting held August 16, 1830, Crawford Titus, John Spencer, Jonathan Smith, Philip Brayton, Mrs. Titus, Mrs. Remington, Mrs. Whitman, Mrs. Cook, Mrs. Clapp, Mrs. Smith, Miss Lydia Smith, Mrs. Higgins, Mrs. Wood, Mrs. Pearce, were appointed a committee to examine the school. Crawford Titus was appointed Librarian. Elder Ross was requested, by vote, to deliver an address to the school the fol-
* As these rules are somewhat unique in character we give them in full.
" Rule 1. The duty of the Superintendent shall be to see that each scholar is in the right class; also to see that there is a teacher to each class; to take the name of each scholar and enter it on his book; also to record the names of the best scholars which the teachers may report to him; and also to see that a chapter is read from the scriptures at the opening of the school, and that it is closed with prayer.
2. It shall be the duty of the teachers of the Testament classes to hear the recitations, and attend to reading in the Testament twice; in spelling twice, and spell out of the book once. The remaining time until the close of the school shall be improved in reading, spelling, conversation, or any instruction the teacher shall find necessary for the improvement of the scholars.
3. Classes reading in the Spelling Book shall read and spell the same number of times as the Testament classes; remaining time to be im- proved in the same manner.
4. Any scholar behaving in an unbecoming manner, the teacher shall report him to the Superintendent and he shall put him in the bad scholars' class.
5. If by disobedience they continue in the bad scholars' class four Sabbaths, the Superintendent shall report them to their parents.
6. If such scholar or scholars attend the school the next Sabbath after being reported to their parents and behave themselves properly for the day, they shall be received into their former class; if not, at the close of the school, such scholar or scholars shall be dismissed from the school until they will become obedient to its rules.
7. The teachers of those classes which have the privilege of taking books from the library, shall report to the Superintendent those schol- ars who merit books.
8. Those scholars that attend the school more than nine Sabbaths in a quarter shall be rewarded according to the number of Sabbaths they attend.
9. It shall be the duty of each teacher every Sabbath to endeavor to impress upon the minds of the scholars the importance of obedience to their parents and teachers, of constant and early attendance at school, and good behavior in and out of school, of getting their lessons well and keeping the Sabbath day holy; of not indulging in profane language and lying, nor in any of the vices which youth are exposed to; using such arguments to enforce their instructions as are suited to the capacity of their scholars.
10. It shall be the duty of the Superintendent to read, or cause to be read, these rules at the opening of the school every second Sabbath."
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lowing Sabbath. April 9, 1831, Pardon Spencer was re-elected President, Leonard Loveland and Sanford Durfee superin- tendents; Crawford Titus librarian. At this meeting the admission fee was reduced to twenty-five cents per year, and at the annual meeting the following year the teachers were admitted free. Mr. Durfee continued in the office of superin- tendent until the year 1848, and was followed by Mr. Jesse Brown for a year or two, when Dea. Pardon Spencer was elected, and continued in office until the spring of 1871, since which time Rev. J. Brayton has filled the office. The other officers at present are Charles M. Seekell, assistant superin- tendent; Charles T. Carpenter, secretary; Job Spencer, treas- urer, and John Northup, librarian.
NATICK FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
The church was organized on the 23d of November, 1839, and was composed of sixteen persons of regular Baptist Churches, residing in the village and its vicinity. Alanson Wood was appointed deacon, and Fayette Barrows, clerk. On the 25th of December, following, a council, composed of delegates from the First, Second, Third and Fourth Churches of Providence, the Paw- tucket, the Warwick and Coventry, the Arkwright and Fiskeville, and the Quidnesett, assembled and after the usual examination, publicly recognized the body as the Natick First Baptist Church.
The first members received by the new church were Pardon Spencer and his wife, Sybil Spencer who were received Jan. 26, 1840, by letter from the Exeter Bap- tist Church, the hand of fellowship being given by Rev. S. S. Mallory. The first member received by baptism was sister S. Thornton, who was baptized by Rev. Thomas Tew, May 24, 1840. The church was received into the Warren Association, Sept. 9, 1840. On Nov. 16, of this year, Rev. Arthur A. Ross accepted the invi- tation of the church to become its pastor, " while he continues in this village." This pastorate of Mr. Ross appears to have been of short duration, as on Feb. 18, 1841, the church appointed " a committee to supply the pulpit." At the same meeting, George K. Clark was
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appointed & deacon. On June 25, 1841, Smith W. Pearce was elected clerk, and served in that capacity until he was appointed deacon, Dec. 25, 1847. April 14, 1842, Samuel Peterman was appointed deacon in place of Deacon Wood, who had removed from the vil- lage. The year, 1842, was a prosperous year to the church, during which time a large number united with the church, among them some who continued many years to be the faithful burden bearers of the church. On. March 20, 1843, the church invited Rev. Jonathan Brayton to the pastorate of the church; Mr Brayton accepted and continued in this relation until June 23, 1844. He was also pastor at the same time of the Phenix Church.
On April 25, 1847, Rev. Arthur A. Ross was again called to the pastorate of the church. In June, 1849, Moses Whitman was appointed the Trustee of the Re- lief Fund. This fund was raised by voluntary contri- butions, for the relief of the poor connected with the church. On December 4th, 1851, Rev. Stephen Thomas, who had previously been connected with the Six Princi- ple Baptists, and had changed his views to those held by this church, was invited to assume the pastoral care of the church. Mr. Thomas accepted the invitation and was publicly installed as pastor, June 2d, 1852. He continued to preach until Rev. N. T. Allen commenced his labors. Mr. Allen became pastor January, 1855, having preached for the church several months previous to that date. He resigned Nov. 4, 1855.
Rev. A. Sherwin was publicly recognized as pastor of the church, July 2, 1856, and remained one year, when he resigned and became pastor of the High Street Bap- tist Church at Pawtucket. For about six months fol- lowing the resignation of Mr. Sherwin, Rev. O. P. Fuller, then a student of Brown University, supplied the church, and until the Rev. Geo. Mathews commenced his labors. The closing part of the year 1857, was the year of the general revival throughout the country, and this church shared in the spiritual blessings, forty-one
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persons uniting with the church by baptism. Mr. Mathews accepted the pastoral care of the church, March 30, 1858, and resigned April 9, 1859.
From this time until the fall of 1863, the church was supplied by different persons, chiefly by Rev. Harris Howard, who finally left to accept a commission as chap- lain in the army. Rev. George L. Putnam was called to the pastorate Nov. 7, 1863, commencing his labors as pastor in the December following, and closed in the autumn of 1865. On Sept. 22, 1866, Rev. J. H. Tilton was invited to become pastor, and commenced Nov. 18, 1866, closing June 13, 1869. He was followed by Rev'. Charles L. Frost on July 4, 1869, who continued to preach until July 4, 1875. His wife, Henrietta Frost, died March 6, 1873. The present pastor, Rev. Warren S. Emery, was invited by the church to assume its pastoral care, August 24, 1875.
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