The history of the state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, V. IV, Part 68

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 68

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Colonel Bowen is a member of the Sons of Vet-

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HISTORY OF RHODE ISLAND

erans, and has served as division commander; from his honored father he inherits membership in the Massachusetts Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States; is a member of United Train of Artillery; Rhode Island Society, Sons of the American Revolution; was Colonel (1911- 13) of the First Light Infantry Regiment, Providence; and is now on the Rhode Island militia retired list with the rank of colonel. He served in Plattsburg military camps, in 1915 and 1916, and has engaged in various war activities. His Masonic membership is found in Corinthian Lodge, Free and Accepted Ma- sons: Providence Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; Prov- idence Council, Royal and Select Masters; Calvary Commandery, Knights Templar; Palestine Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine; and Rhode Island Con- sistory, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite. He is also an interested member of the Providence Rotary Club, Providence Chamber of Commerce, the Young Men's Christian Association and the Rhode Island School of Design. His club is the University of Providence, his Greek letter fraternity, Delta Upsilon. He is a mem- ber of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, and interested in all good works. He took a deep interest in ath- letics in his younger years, was secretary of the Providence Athletic Association during its existence, and an editor of the club organ, "The Triangle." He was long a member of the Narragansett Boat Club, and is a life member of the League of American Wheelmen, his interest in good roads first arising from his love of cycling. The work he did in behalf of good roads bore fruit later in the Legislature, and is seen now in Rhode Island's splendid thorough- fares.

Colonel Bowen married, August 4, 1900, Lucie (Mc- Mahon) Carpenter, a widow, the daughter of a New York lawyer.

HERBERT HARRIS, owner of the Harris Lime Rock Company, and a prominent business man of Lincoln, R. I., was born at this place, February 18, 1851, before Lincoln had been separated from the town of Smithfield, and has always lived here. He is a son of Ira and Fannie (Clarke) Harris, old and highly-respected residents of this region. Ira Harris was a wheelwright and farmer and had a shop at Lime Rock. He was active in the affairs of the community and took a keen interest in the progress of his home town until his death, which occurred in the month of February, 1901, at the age of eighty-five years. His wife died when sixty-nine years old.

Herbert Harris received his education at the local public schools, and while still a mere youth began work as a teamster. He was ambitious and full of enterprise, however, and in 1890 leased the Harris Lime Rock Company from Robert Harris and con- tinued that business very successfully. Eleven years later, in 1901, he was able to purchase the business outright and at the same time he purchased the con- trolling interest in the Dexter Lime Rock Co., which he is working at the present time. He also purchased the Stephen Wright lime kilns and quarries. He built three new kilns and put in modern machinery and

equipment, and has now developed a business in which he employs from twenty to twenty-five men and which produces an output of thirty-five to fifty thousand bar- rels of lime a year. His business is the only one of its kind in Rhode Island, and Mr. Harris has estab- lished a position for himself as one of the substan- tial manufacturers of the community. In addition to his lime plant, he has also three fine farms which he has improved and where his home is situated. Like his father before him, he has always been keenly interested in local affairs and has been a prominent figure in the politics of this region. He is a staunch supporter of the principles and policies of the Demo- cratic party, has held a number of public offices, serv- ing five years on the Town Council of Lincoln, and in January, 1917, was elected to represent this town; in the State Legislature. He was active in Lime Rock Grange, No. 22, and was master thereof for nine years. He has been extremely interested in the sub- ject of good roads for the community and has done much in this connection.

Herbert Harris married (first) in the year 1873, Mary D. Keene, who died in 1881, and they were the parents of two children, Sarah Jane, who became the wife of E. A. Knight, of Lime Rock, to whom she has borne one child, Irma; Georgiana, who became the wife of A. P. Holly, of Lime Rock. Mr. Harris married (second) in the year 1884, Lena Kulz, ol Providence, and they are the parents of three children, as follows: Carrie, who died at the age of three years; Bert K., a graduate of Kingston College, and now first lieutenant in a battery of heavy artillery in service in France with the United States Army; Gertrude, who became the wife of A. M. Capron, of Centerdale, R. I .:

A word concerning the family and ancestors of Mr. Harris will be here appropriate. He is a descendant of Thomas Harris, who with his brother, William, camel from Bristol, England, to Boston in the year 1630 in the company of Roger Williams. William Harris was one of the six persons who arrived in 1636 at Provi- dence, R. I., and who founded that city. He was alsci one of the twelve to whom Roger Williams deeded' land that he had bought from the Indians, and one of the twelve original members of the First Baptist! Church in 1639. Thomas Harris was one of the thir- teen signers of the compact of 1637, incident to their inhabiting the town of Providence, and he and Wil- liam were among the thirty-nine signers of an agree- ment in 1640 for the formation of a government Thomas Harris was a prominent man in the youth- ful colony and held a number of positions including that of commissioner, deputy, member of the Towr Council, assistant, etc. He was the ancestor of the numerous Harris families who have lived in and about what constituted the old town of Smithfield, and to one of which families Jeremiah Harris, grandfather o Herbert Harris, was a member. Jeremiah Harris was a great-grandson of the original Thomas Harris, and was a native of the town of Burrillville, R. I. where he learned the trade of shoemaker. He later came to Herring Pond, where he made his home and followed this trade, being the owne; of a small tract of land in that vicinity. Fron

Herbert Harms

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BIOGRAPHICAL

here he moved to Slaterville and from there again o Cape Cod, Mass. He maintained, however, a home it Smithfield and it is said frequently walked from Cape Cod to the latter place, a distance of seventy niles, to cast his vote. He married (first) Rhode Young, a native of Burrillville, and a daughter of Othniel Young, a soldier of the Revolutionary War. Mrs. Harris died at Cape Cod and was buried in the Acotes Hill Cemetery. Mr. Harris married (second) Mary (Adams) Daniels, the widow of Bena Daniels. Jeremiah Harris' children were all born of his first marriage and were as follows: Ira, father of Her- bert Harris of this sketch; Eliza, who became the wife of Allen Bishop, of North Scituate, R. I .; Wil- iam, who died in service in the Civil War; Sarah, who became the wife of John Barker, of East Provi- dence; Henry, who died in Montana; Jeremiah, who net his death by drowning and was a soldier in the Civil War; Abby, who became the wife of Talcott Curtis; Lucy, who married George Buxton; Rhoda, who became the wife of Amasa Esten; Thomas, who died in early youth; and Orin, a civil war veteran, who made his home at Buzzard's Bay, Mass.

TRISTAM DICKENS BABCOCK-In 1883 Tris- tam D. Babcock bought the Paul Babcock farm on the Watch Hill road near Westerly and laid the founda- tion for his future business of which he has been the executive head since 1900, the Watch Hill Ice Com- pany. Progressive and public-spirited, he has not only been successful in his own private business enterprises but has won high rank as a citizen. He is a son of Oliver and Martha (Dickens) Babcock, his name Tris- tam being that borne by his maternal grandfather, Tristam Dickens.

(I) The Babcock family trace descent from James Babcock, born in County Essex, England, in 1612, died June 12, 1679, in Westerly, R. I., he moving to that town in 1662. He was made a freeman, Febru- ary 25, 1665. His first wife Sarah died in 1665, and in 1669 he married Elizabeth March.

(II) John Babcock, son of James Babcock, was born in Portsmouth, R. I., in 1644. Tradition says he eloped with Mary Lawton from Newport and settled on the east bank of the Pawcatuck river near what is now Avondale, near Massatuxet Cove in the town of Westerly, and many romantic stories in verse and prose are founded upon this tradition. He died in 1685, and some of the land which he owned is still held in the family name.

(III) Captain John (2) Babcock, son of John (1) Babcock, was born at Westerly, R. I., in 1669, and died March 28, 1746. He was made a freeman, February 13, 1689, was a captain of militia, held many town offices, and was held in the highest respect and honor. He married, in 1700, Mary Champlain.

(IV) Lieutenant Ichabod Babcock, son of Captain John (2) Babcock, was born November 21, 1703. Dur- ing the years 1734-35-36 he was lieutenant of the First Company, Westerly Militia. He married, December I, 1731, his cousin, Jemima Babcock, both members of the Seventh Day Baptist Church at Ashaway, R. I., where he died in 1768.

(V) Joseph Babcock, son of Lieutenant Ichabod Babcock, was born February 3, 1735, and died in March, 1804. He married (first) March 31, 1765, Hannah, daughter of Samuel and Hannah (Clark) Champlin. She was born in South Kingston, R. I., December 9, 1747, died in 1767. He married (second) in 1771, Hannah, daughter of John and Hannah Ross, of Westerly.

(VI) Captain Daniel Babcock, son of Joseph Bab- cock, was born September 20, 1777, and died in 1860. At one time he was a master mariner, but later bought a farm in Westerly, and in 1821 was a captain of militia there. He married, October 29, 1801, Nancy Babcock, born in Westerly, December 19, 1778, daughter of Colonel James and Joanna Babcock. Children: Nancy, born Nov. 29, 1803, married John Hall; Emory, born Feb. 6, 1806, died June 29, 1892; Oliver, of further mention; Joseph, born Dec. 24, 1813, died May 12, 1892; Ezra, born Jan. 16, 1816, married Eunice Palmer.

(VII) Oliver Babcock, son of Captain Daniel Bab- cock, was born June 26, 1811, and died at Westerly, October 22, 1900. For many years he was captain of the whaling barque, "Fellows," which sailed from Stonington, Conn. He was a typical mariner, bluff, hearty and honest, making friends wherever known and holding the esteem of his community as long as he lived. He married, March 27, 1837, Martha Dick- ens, born September 9, 1817, died March 10, 1888, daughter of Tristam and Desire Hannah (Ross) Dick- ens. Children: Mary Esther, born May 28, 1838, died April 7, 1841; George, born June 10, 1841, died Dec. 28, 1842; Tristam Dickens, of further mention; Nancy, born Sept. 20, 1852, married, Aug. 20, 1884, John Tour- jee, and located in East Greenwich, R. I .; Daniel, born March 28, 1857, died Sept. 13, 1858; James Oliver, born Dec. 15, 1859, and resides in Avondale, R. I .; Daniel Courtland, born Aug. 14, 1863, married, at Brooklyn, N. Y., Dec. 10, 1896, Margaret Stillman Burke, born March 6, 1868, and resides in New York City.

(VIII) Tristam Dickens Babcock, son of Oliver and Martha (Dickens) Babcock, was born December IO, 1842, at Avondale, R. I., obtaining his education in the schools of Westerly. He resided in Avondale until 1879, twelve years of that period being spent in the employ of his uncle, Captain James R. Dick- ens, who ran a steamboat between Westerly and New York. He continued in that service from 1860 until IS72, when he retired from that line, and was other- wise employed until 1883, when he bought the Paul Babcock farm on the Watch Hill road, erected large ice houses and entered into the ice business on an extensive scale. He ran the business as a private enterprise until 1900, when he incorporated the Watch Hill Ice Company, of which he is president. He also owns and operates a dairy farm, and in associa- tion with his brothers is interested in the fish business. In 1905 he was the Democratic candidate for Town Council and was elected by an unusually large major- ity. He was a member of the State Board of Agri- culture for four years, has been cattle commissioner for Washington county for more than thirty years,

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becoming widely acquainted all over the State. He has been a member of the Westerly Water Commis- sion since its establishment.

Mr. Babcock married, August 3, 1868, at Stonington, Charlotte Irish, born October 28, 1843, daughter of Rev. James R. and Charlotte (Babcock) Irish, and granddaughter of George and Betsey (Babcock) Irish. Rev. James R. Irish was born in North Stonington, Conn., December 18, 1811, and died in Rockville, R. I., March 3, 1891. Mr. and Mrs. Babcock were the par- ents of a son, William Tristam, born July 5, 1869, died February 17, 1899. He married, September 27, 1892, Minnie Austin, daughter of James and Sarah (Gavitt) Austin, and left a daughter, Martha, born June 30, 1899.

GEORGE DOW LANSING-The capable, suc- cessful and even the most prominent men are not always those who start out with the ambition to achieve something, especially great and famous, but often they are the men who at the outset of life place a just valuation upon honor, integrity, industry and determination. With those qualities only as a capi- tal, George Dow Lansing entered upon a business career, and in the course of years has won for himself a notable name in the business circles of Providence. He is a direct descendant of Gerrit Frederick Lans- ing, the progenitor of the family in America.

(I) Gerrit Frederick Lansing was the son of Fred- crick Lansing, of the town of Hassel, in the Prov- ince of Overysell, Holland. He came to New Amsterdam and probably settled at Rensselaerwyck, about 1650, and afterwards removed to Albany, where his death occurred October 3, 1679. He was the father of six children, three sons and three daughters, all of whom were born before leaving Holland, as follows: Gerrit, Hendrick G., mentioned below; Johannes, Aeltie, Gysbertge and Hilletie.

(II) Hendrick G. Lansing, second child of Gerrit Frederick Lansing, was born probably at Hassel, and came to this country with his father. He was the father of five children, as follows: Libbitis, Jacob H., mentioned below; Hendrick G., Jr., Alida and. Maria.

(III) Jacob H. Lansing, second child of Hendrick G. Lansing, married Helena Pruyn, daughter of Frans Janse and Alida Pruyn, September 27, 1701. They were the parents of the following children: Alida, Hendrick, mentioned helow; Elizabeth, Fran- ciscus, Jacob J., Anntye, Johannes, Abraham.

(IV) Hendrick Lansing, second child of Jacob H. and Helena (Pruyn) Lansing, was baptized December 1, 1703. He married (first) Annetye Onderkirk, a daughter of Isaac Onderkirk (of Kinderhook in 1709 and Half Moon in 1720) and Mayke ( Vanness) On- derkirk. They were the parents of four children, as follows: Lena, Isaac, Jacob H., mentioned below, and Mayke. The first wife of Hendrick Lansing died and he probably married (second) Anna Onderkirk, daughter of Abraham and Metty Onderkirk. One child was born of this union, Abraham.

(V) Jacob H. (2) Lansing, son of Hendrick and Annetye (Onderkirk) Lansing, was baptized April 4,

1742. He made his home at Watervliet (Cohoes), N. Y., where his death occurred February 7, 1826. The house in which Mr. Lansing made his home was still standing in 1904. Jacob H. Lansing married, about 1763, Maria Onderkirk, daughter of Johannes and Helena (Fonda) Onderkirk, and they were the parents of the following children: Annatie, who became Mrs. Van Der Worken, Maria, Helena, Eliz- abeth, and William, mentioned below.

(VI) William Lansing, youngest child of Jacob H. (2) and Maria (Onderkirk) Lansing, was born May 12, 1774, at Cohoes, N. Y. He moved from that place to Mayfield, in the same State, in 1828, and died there January 23, 1853. He married Alida Fonda, who was born March 28, 1775, and died March 10, 1858. They were both buried at Mayfield. To William Lansing and his wife the following children were born: Jacob W., mentioned below; Henrietta, who became Mrs. Van Demark; Abram Fonda, Isaac W., Maria, Dow Fonda, Sarah Ann, who became the wife of Putnam; and William. All of these children were born at Cohoes, N. Y.

(VII) Jacob W. Lansing, eldest son of William and Alida (Fonda) Lansing, was born September 7. 1795, at Cohoes, N. Y., and his death occurred at that place, November 5, 1848. Mr. Lansing married Helena Wynkoop, born January 13, 1794, and died December 23, 1843, and they were the parents of the following children: John Wynkoop, mentioned below; Alida M., born at Cohoes, N. Y., July 28, 1815, became the wife of Mr. Becker, of Mayfield, and died at that place May 17, 1853; William J., born Aug. 6, 1819, a1 Cohoes, and died at Champion, N. Y., Jan. 29, 1864 Abraham J., born Aug. 27, 1821, at Cohoes, N. Y. and died at Gloversville, N. Y., April 29, 1888; Isaac J., born at Cohoes, Oct. 28, 1823, and died in May. field, Oct. 12, 1844; Harriett A., born Aug. 30, 1825 at Cohoes, and became the wife of Mr. Gray; Sara !! J., born Aug. 23, 1827, and died at Mayfield, April 19; 1831; Helena N., who became the wife of Mr. Hod .! der, was born June 5, 1830, at Mayfield, and died a! Gloversville, N. Y., March 16, 1887; Jacob N., borr Aug. 3, 1832, at Mayfield, died at sea off Cape Horn, Oct. 19, 1855; Douw J., born June 23, 1834, at May- field, died at that place, June 30, 1845; James W .: born Dec. 23, 1836, at Mayfield, died in a Confederate prison, July 10, 1864.

(VIII) John Wyncoop Lansing, eldest son of Jacol W. and Helena (Wynkoop) Lansing, was borr, September 5, 1814, at Cohoes, N. Y., and died il Swansea, Mass., July 10, 1875. He married, May I 1837, Martha Hymes Arnold, who was born at Exeter' R. I., April 10, 1812, and died October 18, 1900, a Providence. They were the parents of the following children: Sarah Jane, born May 12, 1838, died Jul: 12, 1838; John Arnold, born April 29, 1840; Willard U., born July 30, 1841 ; George Dow, mentioned below and Isaac J., born Oct. 3, 1846.

(IX) George Dow Lansing, fourth of the five chil dren horn to John Wynkoop and Martha Hyme .. (Arnold) Lansing, was born November 18, 1843, a Cohoes, N. Y. While yet a youth, his parents remover to Rhode Island, his mother's native State, purchas

George D. Sending

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BIOGRAPHICAL

'ng a small farm, his father continuing his trade as a lacksmith together with farming on a small scale. Here as a lad he attended the old-fashioned country chool of the neighborhood, comparing favorably with he average graded schools of to-day, devoting all his pare time in assisting his father on both the farm nd in the shop. His youth was spent in the usual nanner largely among country boys, and being an mbitious youth, and always determined to learn a rade, he left his fathers' home at the age of seven- een, with the intention of seeking his fortune. He vas the only one of the four boys who wished to learn i trade or later did so. The young man was slightly Acquainted with the family of Benjamin Brightman, of New Bedford, Mass., and he first made his way to hat place in search of employment and a trade. New Bedford being then, as it is now, a center of various leafaring interests, it was quite easy for him to secure position as ship carpenter's apprentice in the employ of Mr. Brightman. After remaining at New Bed- iord for about a year, becoming somewhat dissatis- ied with conditions, he removed to Providence, where a cousin, by marriage, one Israel Newman, a contrac- or and builder, offered him a position as apprentice to learn the regular carpenter trade. He served out his full time as an apprentice and continued to follow the trade of carpenter as a journeyman for sev- eral years, as it was his wish to develop his knowledge of, and his skill, in technical lines and mechanical- work. With the same end in view, he later secured a position in the flour mill of Knight, Cutler & Com- pany, of Providence, as a specialist on wood and machinery, and he continued with this company until October 19, 1872. Unfortunately, Mr. Lansing was not in very robust health from over-application, and it became necessary for him to give up his position on the above date, much against the wishes of his employers, the senior of whom, Mr. Dexter Knight, gave him a splendid letter of recommendation which he still retains and values highly. Although never intending to follow a mechanical career, Mr. Lansing always believed that it would be of value to him, in his subsequent life, and it was this which impelled him to persevere so long in this kind of work. Upon recovering from his serious illness, Mr. Lansing accepted an offer from his brother, Willard U. Lans- ing, of the firm of Angell & Lansing, lumber dealers, of Providence, to take an office position with that concern, they offering him a weekly wage of only twelve dollars, which amount was about one-half of what he had formerly received from Knight, Cutler & Company, as a mechanic. He was impressed, how- ever, and believed that he would find in the lumber business a line in which he could succeed, his trade being so directly related to the same, and he willingly began at this low salary as it offered him the oppor- tunity for advancement. As his health returned, Mr. Angell, of the firm, offered him an advanced position as salesman in the yard, which he gladly assumed, and from the first, because in part of the kind words said to his encouragement, he seemed to have found his real place for advancement in the business world, his

sales soon aggregating nearly eighty per cent. of all made in their extensive business.

After a time his ambitions were such as to lead him to sever his pleasant relations with this firm to engage in a wholesale commission business on his own account, which continued for several months with fair success. Then the firm of C. H. and F. F. Car- penter offered him inducements so favorable that he closed up his then business and accepted the man- agement of one of their yards, located at 32 Branch avenue, in Providence, which had been opened about one year previously and had not yet proven a paying investment. By hard work, early and late, as his motto, he soon built up a remunerative and paying business. In April, 1885, he formed a partnership, with the junior member of the firm, F. F. Carpenter, which continued until November 5, 1887, when it was mutually dissolved, conditional that he continue to operate the business, which he finally agreed to do. Mr. Lansing overcame many difficulties during this period of time, and it was due entirely to his own initia- tive and his intelligent handling of the situation that the foundation of the present large business was built up and increased many hundred-fold in the course of the intervening years. Wishing to continue the enter- prise under his own name, he finally purchased Mr. Carpenter's interest in the same in 1887 and admit- ted his son, Willard L. Lansing, as an equal partner with himself. The firm then became known as George D. Lansing & Son and continued under that title until November 21, 1908, when the present name of Lansing Lumber Company was substituted, with George D. Lansing as president and Willard I. Lans- ing as secretary and treasurer. Since the year 1897 the business has had a successful and continuous growth and the firm has handled all grades and kinds of lumber, doing both a wholesale and retail business. In addition to this, it has also controlled and sold large quantities of Portland cement, nails and build- ers' materials generally. In the year 1913 a hand- some new office and storage building was erected at No. 824 North Main street, Providence, for the use of the concern, and it is here that it now has its head- quarters. In recent years Mr. Lansing has relin- quished very largely the active management of the concern to his son, Willard I. Lansing, who has in the past twenty-one years of association with his father mastered every phase of the lumber industry and is known as one of the foremost lumbermen in the State of Rhode Island.

A man of quiet and retiring disposition, Mr. Lans- ing has found little time to devote to public affairs, yet he has not been able wholly to keep aloof from political life and has served in the Second Ward, where he has lived for more than forty years, in the City Council during the years 1889-1892, and in the Board of Aldermen, during the years 1893-1896. Dur- ing these years he served on important committees and installed the first "Police Signal System" placed in the streets of Providence. He is a staunch Repub- lican in politics, and is regarded as one of the reliables of the party in his ward. Mr. Lansing is active in

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The history of the state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, V. IV, Part 68

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