History of Rhode Island

Front matter

HISTORY OF RHODE ISLAND. BY REV. EDWARD PETERSON, AUTHOR OF " THE WORLD IN THE ASCENDANT," " PRIMITIVE CHRISTIANITY CONTRASTED WITH MODERN," " BIBLE TEMPERANCE REVIEW," &C, Ac. : JOHN 8. TAYLOE, 17 Ann-Street. 1853. Entered according to Act of Congress, in tho year 1853, by JOHN S. TAYLOR, In the Clerk's office of the District Court of the United States, for the Southern District of New-York. JOHN J. REED, PRINTER, 16 Spruce-street. TO THE PEOPLE, THIS WORK IS MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED, BY THl AdDITKlO^o W> 1 1 P A © ! a In seeiring out Materials for a work of this kind, embracing a period of nearly two centuries, it must be obvious to the reader, that it has been attended with much difficulty, as valuable Records have been lost, which would have greatly aided and facilitated the publication.

Tradition has been the source, from whence much infor mation has been derived, of a highly interesting and amusing character, and which could not, possibly, have been obtained from authentic records. We have, however, under every discouragement, labored to present a variety of subjects of the deepest interest, from the Settlement of the Island, to the breaking out of the American Revolution ; at which period we have shewn, that Newport had attained to a high degree of celebrity, and stood unrivalled by any City or Town in the Colonies. We have, also, brought down events until within a few years, in order to give the reader the opportunity of enjoying all the advantage which was to be gathered from the reminis censes of the past. To the Antiquarian, this work will be highly interesting, as it will be found to contain much valuable information ; and prove extremely amusing to every class of readers, from the variety of subjects which it contains.