The history of the state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, V. IV, Part 58

Author: Bicknell, Thomas Williams, 1834-1925. cn
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: New York, The American Historical Society
Number of Pages: 978

USA > Rhode Island > Providence County > Providence > The history of the state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, V. IV > Part 58

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For a number of years Mr. Jennings ha's been prom- inent in the political life of his community, and in 1910 he was elected to the State Legislature. The tribute of repeated reelections has brought him to his fourth term, which he is now serving. He is deputy speaker of the house, a majority floor leader and chairman of the judiciary committee. Mr. Jennings was also chair- man of the committee on revision of the State consti- tution and a member of the commission on the revision of criminal law. He was at one time secretary of the State returning board, having held, likewise, many other minor positions. As a public speaker, Mr. Jennings is well know, his eloquent speech and forceful argument invariably winning the approval of his audience. Among

the professional organizations in which Mr. Jennings is enrolled are the Rhode Island Bar Association and the American Bar Association. He affiliates with the Masonic fraternity. His political allegiance has always been given to the Republican party. He is a member of the Unitarian church.

Mr. Jennings married, June 21, 1892, Gertrude, daughter of William Johnson and Naomi C. West, of Providence, and their attractive home is a center of gracious hospitality. Mrs. Jennings is a charming host- ess, and both she and her husband have a genius for making and holding friends. Richard William Jen- nings is a man whose fine mental endowments and ex- ceptional force of character are manifest in his coun- tenance which reveals him for what he is, a man who has reared the fabric of his own fortune both in the profession of the law and in the sphere of public affairs.

HENRY GREEN BALLOU-Rhode Island, the pioneer American home of the Ballou family, has re- mained the home of its most prominent branches since the time of the founding of the family by Maturin Ballou, in the early decades of the seventeenth century. The Ballous have played a prominent part in the life and affairs of Rhode Island since the earliest days of the Colony. The Woonsocket branch has produced an especially brilliant body of men, who have left the im- print of their lives and works on the history of the town and city.

The ancestry of the family has been traced to Guine- bond Ballou, a marshal in the army of William the Conqueror, who fought in the battle of Hastings, and was one of the company of Norman-French who ac- companied the Conqueror to England. His descendants lived in County Sussex, England, until late in the four- teenth century, where they were extensive land-holders and influential civil and religious officers. In England and Ireland they have preserved an unbroken descent of domains and titles for at least six hundred years. The name in English and American Colonial records has been variously spelled Belou, Ballowe, Belloue, Bellew, . and Ballou, which form prevails among the descendants of Maturin Ballou. The late Henry G. Ballou, of Woonsocket, R. I., was of the sixth generation in direct descent from Maturin Ballou.

(I) Maturin Ballou, immigrant ancestor, was born in Devonshire, England, between 1610 and 1620, and came to America previous to 1645, the exact date and place of his landing being unknown. He is first men- tioned as a co-proprietor of Providence Plantations, R. I., January 19, 1646-47. He was admitted a free- man, May 18, 1658, together with Robert Pike, who became his father-in-law, and with whom he was in- timately associated all his life. Their home lots ad- joined, and were located in the north part of Provi- dence as originally settled. Various parcels of land are recorded as having been subsequently assigned to him, but further than this nothing is known of him. He died February 24, 1661 or 1663. His wife was Hannah Pike, daughter of Robert and Catherine Pike; they were married between 1646 and 1649, probably in Providence. She died at the age of eighty-eight years.

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(II) James Ballon, son of Maturin and Hannah (Pike) Ballou, was born in Providence, in 1652. Soon after his marriage in 1683 he settled in Loquasquissuck, originally a part of Providence, now Lincoln. It is supposed that he began his preparations to settle there some time before, and his original log house was erected before 1685. His second home, a frame house, stood near the same site, and the well still remains. On October 22, 1707, his mother and sister deeded to him all the property which had come to them through the will of Maturit Ballou, and this with his own inherit- ance of lands made him owner of several hundred acres, together with his homestead. To this he added other tracts by purchase until he became owner of about one thousand acres. His most important acquisitions were in what was then Dedham and Wrentham, most of which became the north section of Cumberland, R. I. His first purchase in this locality was made early in 1690, the grantor being William Avery, of Dedham. In 1706 he added to this enough to make several farms which he afterward conveyed to his sons-James, Na- thaniel and Obadiah, on April 1I, 1712. In July, 1726, he made a gift deed to his youngest son, Nehemiah, of lands situated in Gloucester, R. I., and at the same time gave to Samuel his home farm. His will was made April 20, 1734, and in 1741 he appears to have made another arrangement of his affairs in relation to his personal estate, which he distributed among his child- ren. The exact date of his death is not known, but it is supposed to have been soon after the settlement of his affairs. James Ballou was a man of superior abil- ity, enterprise and judgment. He married, July 23, 1683, Susanna Whitman, daughter of Valentine and Mary Whitman; she was born February 28, 1658, and died probably in 1725.

(III) Nathaniel Ballou, son of James and Susanna (Whitman) Ballou, was born at Providence, April 9, 1687, and died January 11, 1747-48. He married, Decem- ber 7, 1716, Mary Lovett, daughter of James Lovett. They resided in Wrentham, Mass.

(IV) Noah Ballou, son of Nathaniel and Mary (Lovett) Ballou, was born at Wrentham, Mass., Aug- ust 3, 1728. He inherited a considerable property from his father in Wrentham and vicinity, and was a pros- perous farmer of high position in the community. He was a member of the Baptist church for thirty-nine years, and a devout Christian. Noah Ballou died March 20, 1807. He married (first), October, 1750, Abigail Razee, daughter of Joseph Razee; she died September 10, 1,94; he married (second), July 7, 1796, Abigail Cook, widow of Daniel Cook, Jr .; she died September 18, 1808.

(V) Ziba Ballou, son of Noah and Abigail (Razee) Ballou, was born in Cumberland, R. I., August 5, 1765. He inherited from his father part of the original Bal- lou homestead, where he resided until his death, August 29, 1829. He married, March 2, 1788, Molly Mason, daughter of Jonathan Mason.

(VI) Henry Green Ballou, son of Ziba and Molly (Mason) Ballou, was born in Cumberland, R. I. He received his education in the public schools of Cum- berland, and on completing his education apprenticed himself to the tailor's trade. After a period spent in learning the trade thoroughly, he removed to Woon-

socket, R. I., with which city he was identified until the time of his death. On coming to Woonsocket, he es- tablished a small tailoring enterprise, which was suc- cessful from the very outset, and grew rapidly beyond the confines of the original venture. Mr. Ballou, thenceforward, to the time of his retirement from busi- ness life, was one of the foremost merchant tailors of Woonsocket, and one of its most prominent citizens. He was well known in mercantile circles, and highly respected for the fairness of all his business transac- tions. He retired, after a most successful business career, in 1862. Mr. Ballon, although he remained strictly outside the field of public affairs, was careful in fulfilling his every duty as a citizen, and was active in many movements for the advancement of the civic wel- fare of Woonsocket. He was essentially a home lover, and found his pleasures in the simpler things of life.

On June 8, 1846, Mr. Ballou married, in Bristol, R. I., Sarah Little Fales, who was born December 9, 1822, in Bristol, R. I., daughter of Charles and Lydia M. (Bosworth) Fales. The Fales and Bosworth families are among the foremost of Rhode Island families of Colonial date. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Ballou were : 1. Charles F., born in Woonsocket, March 17, 1847, died in 1893. 2. Emma Louise, born in Woon- socket, Oct. 31, 1851, died Feb. 1, 1858. 3. Harry Ma- turin, born in Woonsocket, Sept. 6, 1856. 4. Jennie Mason, born in Woonsocket, Jan. 12, 1859. 5. Sullivan, born Oct. 30, 1861, in Bristol. Miss Jennie M. Ballou resides at No. 120 Harris avenue, Woonsocket. Henry Green Ballou died at his home in Woonsocket, April 22, 1882.

CHARLES WINSOR LITTLEFIELD-The State of Maine is deserving of the title "Mother of Pio- neers." Her sons and daughters have gone forth by thousands to help build up other states of the union. There is hardly a town or city of any size in the country that does not have living within its borders either a native of that State or a lineal descendant of a Maine ancestor. The accomplishments of Maine-born men and women in other states of the union bespeak the fine old Puritan stock from which they sprung. Rhode Island has received her share of these Maine pioneers and has every reason to be proud of her adopted sons and daughters from her northern sister State. In public and private life they have helped and are helping to make the State of their adoption a better State to live in.

From this old Maine stock springs Charles Winsor Littlefield, who traces his ancestry to Edmund Little- field, who was born in England about 1590, and who came to this country with his son, Anthony, about 1636. In 1638 he sent for his wife, Annis, and the six child- ren who had remained with their mother in England. They arrived on the ship "Bevis" from Southampton, England, and shortly after their arrival the Littlefield family moved to Exeter, N. H., where Edmund Little- field became a member of "The Combination" and was alloted as head of a family twenty-one acres of land. The Rev. John Wheelwright was at that time pastor of the church at Exeter. After living in Exeter about three years, Littlefield, being dissatisfied with the con-

Carlos I Latifield

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BIOGRAPHICAL

ditions existing there, owing to religious controversies, removed with his family in 1641 to what is now known as Wells, Me., a town located in York county about thirty miles southwest of Portland. The following year the Rev. John Wheelwright followed Littlefield and made his home thereafter in Wells.

Edmund Littlefield and his sons were the first settlers of the town and became mill men and farmers. They built the first house, the first saw mill, and the first grist mill in the town, and became men of influence and wealth in their community, Edmund Littlefield being the holder of many positions of trust in the town he had settled. Wells is still the family seat of the Littlefields, and it is there that Charles Winsor Littlefield was born. He is the son of Captain Moses F. Littlefield, who was for many years engaged in coastwise trade, but long since retired from the sea, and has cultivated his farm at Ogunquit, a village in the southern part of the town of Wells. Captain Littlefield married Abbie E. Perkins, daughter of Jedediah and Sarah (Haley) Perkins, and by her had two children: William F., who is supervisor of schools in Porto Rico, and Charles Winsor. Mrs. Littlefield died in 1896.

Charles Winsor Littlefield was born September 2, 1874, and obtained a good public school education in the schools of Wells. He was prepared for college at Berwick Academy, South Berwick, Me., being grad- uated in 1894, and he then entered Dartmouth College. He was able to complete only his freshman year, cir- cumstances taking a hand and deciding that he must seek wage-earning employment. This resulted in Mr. Littlefield coming to Rhode Island in 1895 and securing employment as principal of Natick public schools. He held that position for six years, then resigned, and in 1901 entered the agency force of the New York Life Insurance Company, winning his way into the select ranks of the Hundred Thousand Dollar Club, and dur- ing the last year of his connection holding the position of agency instructor for Rhode Island. His three years in the insurance business were years of success, but the death of his father-in-law, Richard V. Browning, re- sulted in changed plans for Mr. Littlefield, who was appointed to administer Mr. Browning's estate. The new duties assumed required the termination of his con- nection with the New York Life Insurance Company, and for three years he devoted himself to the admin- istration of the trust confided to him, conducting the business of wholesale millinery to avoid sacrificing the assets of the estate. This trust was the first of many trusts which have since been confided to him.

With the Browning estate settled, Mr. Littlefield began the study of law, his three years' experience hav- ing awakened within him a high appreciation of that profession. He spent three years studying in the offices of Littlefield & Barrows, at Providence, and in 1910 was admitted to the Rhode Island bar, beginning prac- tice in Providence. The following year he was ad- mitted to practise in the Federal Courts of the dis- trict, and is now well established in public esteem. He specializes in bankruptcy and business law, and has, as trustee or receiver, been concerned in the settlement of a very large number of estates. He has been for several years a lecturer on business and corporation law before the Young Men's Christian Association classes in con-

nection with the Providence Institute of Accounting and Business Administration. Many graduates of leading New England colleges are enrolled among the students in this course in business law. During the great World War, Mr. Littlefield served as a member of the forces of the United States Food Administration in the State, and as an associate member of the Legal Advisory Board for his district. He is a member of the Rhode Island Bar Association, and has business connections of importance.

Mr. Littlefield has never held an office or position partaking of the nature of a sinecure. He devotes a great deal of time to the practice of his profession and allows himself little time for recreation, although he is an enthusiastic out-of-doors man. He has a camp on the Maine coast where his family spend their summers and where Mr. Littlefield spends his week ends. From April to November he finds his principal recreation in his garden, and he declares that the planning for the next year's garden is a fine winter game.

In 1907 Mr. Littlefield went on an extended trip through the West. He had long been interested in the resources and development of that part of the country and wanted to explore the region and determine for himself whether or not it would be better for him to take his family West to grow up with the country. In order to see the country and learn what it had to offer him from the standpoint of agricultural, commercial or professional life, he visited all the principal cities of the far West, taking numerous side trips from those cities into the great fruit growing region. Always an en- thusiastic pedestrian, he provided himself with blankets, cooking outfit and supplies, and went out into the wilds of California, Oregon and Washington on foot and alone, camping wherever night overtook him. He ac- quired a great love for the West, and his narrative of his experiences in that part of the country is very en- tertaining. Although the West made a deep impression upon Mr. Littlefield, he returned to the East to find his real opportunity in Rhode Island.

Mr. Littlefield has always been deeply interested in the religious welfare of his adopted State. He is a Bap- tist, being a member of the local church in the village where he resides. He has been interested in Sunday school work all his life, and for many years has been a teacher of adult classes. In this work he has spent a great deal of time, aiding in the establishment of men's classes throughout the State, and for many years was president and secretary of the Rhode Island State Baraca Union, an adult Bible class organization.

Mr. Littlefield is a member of several Masonic bodies including Warwick Lodge, No. 16, Free and Accepted Masons; Landmark Chapter, No. 10, Royal Arch Masons; and St. John's Commandery, No. I, Knights Templar. He is also a member of the Central Grange, Patrons of Husbandry ; Rhode Island Historical Society, Young Men's Christian Association, the Barnard Club and the Pine Tree State Club. In national politics he has always been a Republican, but independent enough to stand against his party when he deemed it for the best interests of State or community.

On April 12, 1896, Mr. Littlefield married Mary Alice, daughter of Richard V. and Ida A. Browning, who, by a singular coincidence, traces her ancestry to Roger

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HISTORY OF RHODE ISLAND

Williams, who came over in the ship "Lyon" with John Perkins, one of Mr. Littlefield's ancestors. Mr. and Mrs. Littlefield are the parents of four children, two sons and two daughters: Frank Browning, born June 3, 1899; Richard Webster, born Aug. 2, 1901 ; Camilla Abbie, born June 17, 1905, and Marion, born Sept. 4, 1915. Of these children all are living except Camilla Abbie, who died Aug. 17, 1906.

JOHN Y. THORNLEY-Well-known in the city administration circles of Pawtucket, R. I., as the City Inspector of Plumbing, John Y. Thornley is one of the native sons of the town who is serving the city of his birth. Here he was born April 29, 1854, of British parentage. His parents were Peter and Alice (Sed- den) Thornley, of Lancashire, England, who had mar- ried there. His father came over in 1831, and worked as an expert bleacher from 1831 to 1840 in New Jersey. He then left New Jersey and came to Pawtucket, in- tending to give up this trade and become a farmer. From this intention he was however, dissuaded by F. A. Sayles, and he succeeded in persuading him to help him in his project of starting a bleachery. Mr. Thorn- ley then went back to England and married, later bring- ing his wife back to the United States. After a con- nection with the Sayles & Lonsdale Bleacheries for a number of years, Mr. Thornley took up the agricultural work which had always been a dream of his whole life, and in this pursuit he spent the evening of his days in the neighborhood of Pawtucket. He and his wife had seven children, the three oldest of whom died in in- fancy. The others were: James P., of Pawtucket, who is now living retired from business; Joseph S., of East Greenwich, who is in the coal business; George W., who is living retired in Pawtucket; and John Y., of further mention.

John Y. Thornley was educated in the public schools of Pawtucket, and at an early age became an expert in the coppersmith's trade and in plumbing. As an industry, plumbing was then in its infancy, and he has grown up with the business. His first business asso- ciation was with his brothers, James and George, and later with James alone, the firm being known as Thornley Brothers. He was then for a time in business alone. In 1911, Mr. Thornley, with his sons, Albert L. and Wallace Y., organized the Thornley Supply Company, erecting a building at No. 40 Thornley street, and became jobbers in a very complete and up-to-date line of plumbers' supplies. This business has become very widely-known, and has its connections all over New England, John Y. Thornley being treasurer. For seventeen years John Y. Thornley has served the com- munity as the City Inspector of Plumbing, a post which he has filled with the untiring faithfulness and devo- tion to duty which are characteristic of the man. He occupies a high place in opinion of those who know him, a place which he has won by his own energy and up- right character. The city's interests are well-served by servants of his type.

Mr. Thornley married, September 28, 1876, Harriet E. Merry, daughter of Charles W. and Harriet P. (Titus) Merry, both of whom are now dead. They had six children: Emma L., who married James Albert

Longworth, of Pawtucket; Ella L., who lives at home Cora B., who also is at home; Wallace Y., of mention, in a later sketch; Albert L., also of later mention il another biographical notice; and Charles J., who live at home. Mr. Thornley is a member of the Masoni order, being a member of Burney Merry Lodge, Nc 29, Free and Accepted Masons, and also belongs to the Royal Arcanum.

JOEL RILFORD FRITZ, D. D. S .- Barring the implication which a name may convey, both Dr. Frit: and his ancestors for many generations are free from all German relationships, his collateral lines leading into those sterling American families-Slocum, Brown Banks, and other well-known ancient and honorable New England families. He is a native of Nova Scotia the younger son of William Henry and Elizabeth (Banks) Fritz, his father deceased, his mother still living near the old Fritz homestead in Annapolis county Canada, aged eighty-two. William H. Fritz was a sub- stantial farmer of Annapolis county, and gave his children the advantages of education. They had four children : Emdon, medical specialist at Manchester, N. H .; Oscar M., on homestead; Inghram, deceased; and Joel Rilford, of whom further.

Joel Rilford Fritz was born at the homestead in Annapolis county, N. S., Canada, February 16, 1863. He spent his youth at the home farm, and there was educated in the public schools and a private school, completing the course in the latter in 1881. In 1884, he entered Normal School at Truro, N. S., there qualify- ing to teach, and receiving his authority at graduation in 1885. He taught before and after his normal train- ing in the public schools of Annapolis county for sev- eral years, then decided to use the fund he had accumu-i lated in financing a dental education. He selected Philadelphia Dental College ( Philadelphia, Pa.), asi his alma mater, and in 1888 was graduated D. D. S. After graduation he began practice at Digby, a port of entry, watering place, and county seat of Digby county, N. S., one hundred and fifty miles west of Halifax, and at the western end of the famous Annapolis basin up! which DeMonts sailed in 1604 to found the town that is now Annapolis Royal (old Port Royal). There he remained until the spring of 1893, when he entered practice in a larger town, Yarmouth, in Yarmouth county, then came to Rhode Island, in 1907, locating in Providence, at No. 12 Olneyville square, where he has successfully continued for the past eleven years. . Dr. Fritz is a public spirited citizen and endorses all things promoting the welfare of the city. He is a mem- ber of the West Side Dental Association of Providence, Rhode Island Dental Society, and American Dental Association; is a member of the Masonic order; the Independent Order of Odd Fellows; is an independent in politics, and is a deacon of Broadway Baptist Church, Providence.

Dr. Fritz married in Halifax county, N. S., August 22, 1888, Isabel H. Thompson. They are the parents of five sons and a daughter: Ernest St. Clair, died at the age of thirteen; William Clifford, a civil engineer, grad- uate of McGill University, Montreal; Earl Gladstone, an architectural draughtsman; Carl Edwin, now a sol-

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dier serving in France with the Eighth Canadian Siege Artillery; Willis Otto, a student; and Elizabeth Louise, a student. William Clifford and Earl Gladstone are now in training (1918) at Toronto, Canada, as mem- bers of the Royal air force, and Willis Otto, who is registered from Nova Scotia, will soon answer the call of his country.

WANTON LILLIBRIDGE-The Lillibridge fam- ily in the United States dates from the close of the seventeenth century, when the first record of the found- er, Thomas Lillibridge, is found in Newport, R. I. His descendants, though not numerous, have figured honor- ably in Rhode Island life and affairs for two centuries, and the name to-day is unblemished. The early Lilli- bridges were extensive landowners, and much of their holdings remain in the hands of their descendants. The line of ancestry herein under consideration is that of Wanton Lillibridge, long a prominent resident of Rich- mond, R. I.

(I) Thomas Lillibridge, immigrant ancestor and pro- genitor, was born in England. in 1662. He is first of record in the New England Colonies in the year 1699. On September 26, of that year, he signed a petition at Newport addressed to the Earl of Bellomont, then in Newport, to use his influence with his Majesty, William III., for the establishment of an Episcopal church in Newport. This petition led to the founding of the original Trinity Church, in which Thomas Lillibridge was a warden in 1709 and 1713, and where he owned pew 8 until 1719. He was admitted a freeman at New- port, May 6, 1701. In 1718, 1722, 1723, 1724, he was vestryman in the historic St. Paul's "Narragansett" Church, which was built in 1707, and in 1800 was re- moved to Wickford about five miles north of its origi- nal site. This church, which is still occasionally in use, is said to be the oldest Episcopal church north of the Potomac. Thomas Lillibridge removed to Westerly, in 1715, and settled in the part originally called Shan- nock, and incorporated Angust 22, 1728, as Charlestown. He resided in that part of the town which on August 18, 1747, was set off as Richmond, R. I., and he died there, August 29, 1724. He was a man of considerable wealth. His will, dated August 24, 1724, disposes of much real estate : "To my eldest son Thomas * one of my homestead farms * * * to take which he likes best;" this contains the family burying ground of Thomas Lillibridge, Jr., also Thomas Lillibridge (1), (2), (3) are buried there, and is situated just west of Richmond town hall; it is known as the "Nelson K. Church place ;" a second farm adjoining, he gave to his son Robert, and this still remains in the Lillibridge family, and is now the home of Mrs. Frank Reynolds Brown, nee Jennette Lillibridge. Thomas Lillibridge, Sr., married (first) Mary Hobson; they were the parents of two daughters. He married (second) Sarah Lewis, and they were the parents of nine children, of whom Thomas, Jr., men- tioned below, was the oldest.

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The history of the state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, V. IV, Part 58

Author: Bicknell, Thomas Williams, 1834-1925. cn Publication date: 1920 Publisher: New York, The American Historical Society Number of Pages: 978

Author: Bicknell, Thomas Williams, 1834-1925. cn
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: New York, The American Historical Society
Number of Pages: 978