History of Newport County, Rhode Island. From the year 1638 to the year 1887, including the settlement of its towns, and their subsequent progress

Front matter

F

Po 6

CORNELL

Preface

To compile the history of a section of the country which, for two hundred and fifty years, has luxuriated in the richest fields of incident and circumstance known to the annals of American history, is not the pastime of a summer holiday. No county in the United States ranking with this in area and population, has been the scene or source of so many events and infiuences which, in their effects, have extended over the state or nation, or down through the generations of her people, as the county whose history we have essayed to present in this volume. The preserved history is voluminous, and some of its points have ' become subjects of extended controversy.

This spot has received the attention of scholars from all parts of our land, and is the home, at least during a part of the year, of the refined, cultured and wealthy of American society. It is also the permanent home of a people who, in scholarly development and intelligent appreciation of historic truth, will not suffer by comparison with those ol* any ofher similar section gf our great country. With such a host of equipped and skilful critics ready to sit in judgment upon our work, it was but natural that we should have entered upon it with some misgivings. The very fact that our work was to be exposed to the reviewing of men whose standing would give weight to their criticisms, has stimulated us to greater watchfulness and care in its compilation. We have trod the ground over with caution, and have called to our assistance every available means of securing accuracy and as high a degree of completeness as could be attained within the measure of our prescribed limits. We have succeeded— even better than our anticipations would allow us to

IV PREFACE.

expect; and we now submit the work to its readers with the pleasing belief that it will abide with honor the day of historic judgment.

No doubt mistakes will be found. No book of history exists without them. Honest criticism we invite, but we would caution the public against the clamorous ran tings of those who, having opinions born of their own real ignorance of the matters discussed, are ever ready t6 descend witli vulture-like rapacity upon works of this kind. Against all such empirical criticisms we protest, and from them we appeal "unto Caesar" — the Caesar of the facts, and the tribunal of an intelligent public, unbiased by any ephemeral considerations or influences.

We have been aided in the work of preparation by the generous courtesies of those who had in their keeping or possession most valuable material. Such were the clerks of the different towns, the librarians of various libraries, the officers of the historical societies of Newport and of Rhode Island, and many other individuals whom it would afford us pleasure to mention ' by name. All such kindnesses rendered us are gratefully remembered, and to all those gentlemen we wish here to renew our warmest thanks. ^

The following illustrations, from "The Providence Plantations," by permission of the publishers, Messrs. J. A. & R. A. Reid, are inserted in this *vork, viz. : Port Adams ; Trinity Church, Newport; Channing Memorial Church; Thames Street, Newport ; The Old Coddington House ; Statue of Commodore Matthew Perry ; Statue of Commodore O. H. Perry ; The Casino ; Entrance to the Jewish Cemetery ; Bristol Ferry, Portsmouth ; and Old Port Dumplings, Jamestown.

Chapter I. Page. General History Of Newport County

Location and Boundaries. — General Productions. — Scenery.— Nati-ve Plants. — Geology. — Causes leading to Settlement. — Purchase and Settlement. — Early Government. — Under the Royaf Charter.— Under the New Charter— Formation of the County — Population — Important Events — Official Men from Newport County. — Public Schools. — Statistics.. . .1 1

Chapter III. The Founders Of Newport

The Settlement of Aquidneck or Rhode Island. — William Coddington. — Nicholas Easton.— John Coggeshall. — William Brenton.— John Clarke.- Jeremy Clarke. — Thomas Hazard. — Henry Bull.— William Dyre. — Samuel Gorton 140

^ CHAPTER IV.

INDIAN RELATIONS.

The Narragansett Indians. — Pequot War. — New England Confederation. — King Philip's War. — Canonicus. — Miantonomi. — Pessicus. — Canonchet. — Pumham. — Ninegret. — Massaso^;. — Wamsutta. — End of the Narragansetts , r 184

Chapter V. Newport In The Colonial Wars

Privateering from Rhode Island. — War with the Dutch, 1652-3. — Privateers and Pirates, 1653-90.— War with France, King William's War, 1689-98.— Depredations by Privateers. — Queen Anne's War, 1702-13. — The Old French War, 1754^61.- War of the American Revolution, 1775-83.— Rhodelsland in its Political Relations, 1763-74. — Stamp Act Congress. — Non-Importation Agreement 268

Chapter VI. Newport In The Revolution

Events of 1774.— First Continental Congress.— Military ' Preparations in Rhode Island.— Events of 1775.— The Army of Observation.— The Train of Artillery.— Depredations by Captain Wallace and his Fleet.— Events of 1776 398

VI TABLE OF CONTENTS.

CHAPTER VII, PAGE NEWPORT IN THE REVOLUTION — (concluded)

Britisli Occupation of Newport, 1777-9.— The Siege of Newport, 1778.— The Fleets off Rhode Island.— The Battleof Rhode Island.— Evacuation by the British.— The French in Rhode Island, 1780-81.— The Naval Engagement.—The March of the French 353

Chapter VIII. Newport In The Wars Of The Nineteenth Century

War with England, 1812.— The Dorr War, 1843.— The War of the Rebellion, 1861-65 410

Chapter IX. Churches And Public Schools Of Newport

Baptist Churches. — The Society of Frfends. — Congregational Churches. — Protestant Episcopal Churches. — The Moravians. — Methodist Episcopal Churches. — J.ews' Synagogue. — Catholic Churches. — Public Schools 431

Chapter X. Newport Town And City

First Settlements. — Newport as a Summer Resort. — Private Mansions. — Town and City Governments. — Mayors. — Fire Engines. — Gas. — Public Parks.— Public Buildings. — Liberty Ti-ee. — Libraries. — Fine Arts. — Newspapers.— Notable Events. — Trade and Commerce. — Manufactures. — Banks. — Cemeteries. — Charitable Organizations. — Societies 483

Chapter XI. Biographical Sketches — Newport

Benjamin Anthony. — George A. Armstrong. — Setff Bateman. — Luther Bateman. — Henry Bedlow. — RobertP. Berry. — JoshuaC. Brown. — John Bull. — George W. Carr, Jr. — ^William A. Clarke. — Henry Clews. — George S. Coe. — William King Covell. — The Cranston Family. — Lucius D. Davis. — The De Blois Family.— George T. DoOrning.- William Findlay. — The Fludder Family. — Thomas Galvin. — George Hall. — Nathan Hammettand Joseph M. Hammett.— Benjamin Hazard. — Carl Jurgens. — Daniel Le Roy. — Josiah O. Low. — John D. Johnston. — Seth W. Macy. — Felix Peckham. — Thomas P. Peckham, — Jo'm Hare Powel. — Oliver Read. — James T. Rhodes. — John Page Sanborn. — William Paine Sheffield. — John W. Sherman. — William H. Thurston. — William J. Underwood. — John G. Weaver. — George Peabody Wetmore. — Catharine Lorillard Wolfe 574

Chapter XII. Town Op Portsmouth

Geographical and iDescriptive. — Settlement. — Dealing With the Indians. — Comparative Importance. — Admitting Inhabitants. — Rates and Taxes. — Taverns or Ordinaries. — Public Morals. — The Common Lands. — Early Customs and Ceremonies. — Public Improvements. — Early Representatives.— During the Revolution. — After the War. — Town Action. — Means of Communication. — Mining and Manufacturing 614

TABLE OF CONTENTS. Vll

CHAPTER XIII. PAGE TOWN OF POETSMOUTH— (concluded)

The Outlying Islands.— Churches of Portsmouth.— Societies.— Henry C. Anthony.—John F. Chase.— Robert D. Hall.— Thomas Robinson Hazard.— Thomas Holman.— William M. Manchester. — Isaac M. Rogers.— Alfred Sisson. — William L. Sisson.— Personal Paragraphs ". . 677

Chapter XIV. Town Of Jamestown

Location and Description. — The Indians. — Early Land Purchases.- Early Settlements.^-The Carr Family. — Other Early Settlers.— Incorporation of the Town. — Dui'ing the Revolution.— Fort Brown. — Public Buildings. — Tax List of 1832. — Conanicut Park. — Ocean Highland Company. — Public Improvements. — Religious Organizations. — The Common Schools. — Ferry Connections. — Light Houses. — Dutch Island. — Gould Island. — George C. Carr. — Thomas C. Watson.— Personal Paragraphs 723

Chapter XV. Town Of Middletown

Geographical and Desci-iptive. — Incorporation. — Freemen in 1743. — Early Town Action. — The Early Settlers. — The Residence of Berkeley. — The Revolutionary Period. — The Small-pox Scourge.- — After the War.— The War of 1812. — Town Action. — During the Civil War. — Roads and Bridges. — Public Schools. — Churches. — The Women's Christian Temperance Union.— ^The Miantonomi Library. — The Aquidneok Agricultural Society.

—The Town Hall.— Civil List 752

CHAPTER XVI. TOWN OF MIDDLETOWN — (concluded)

William Bailey. — Albert Lawton Chase,— Robert S. Chase. — Daniel Chase.— Joshua Coggeshall.— Geor§B C. Coggeshall. — David Coggeshall.— William F. Peckham. — Jethro Peckham. — Nathaniel Peckham. — The Sherman Family.— John G. Smith. — John B. Ward. — Personal Paragraphs 800

Chapter XVII. Town Oi*new Shoebham

Description. — Geological Formation. — Discovery.— Footprints of the White Man.— Settlement.— Civil Connection.— Some Early Freemen.— Trouble with the Indians.— Incursions by French Privateers.- During the Revolution.—The Phantom Ship.— Colonial History.— Maritime Protection.— Block Island as a Summer Resort. — Public Buildings. — Schools.- Churches.— Agriculture and Commerce.- Light Houses.— Wrecking Companies.— Biographical Sketches 837

Chapter XVIII. Town Of Tiverton

The Boundary Question.— The White Man and his Title.— Purchasers of Pocasset.— The Commons and the House Lots.— The Proprietors of Punoatest.— The King Philip War.— Tiverton as a, Town. —The Period of the Revolution.— Howland's Ferry and Stone Bridge.— Postal and Railroad Facilities.- Tiverton Four Corners.— North Tiverton.— Prominent Localities. —Mills.'— Taverns. — High ways. — Churches. — Schools.- ^brary and Reading Room.— The Town Government 884 viii TABLE OF CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XIX. PJ TOWN OF TIVERTON— (concluded)

Hon. Joseph Osborn.— Joseph Church.— Samuel West, A. M., M. D.— Wiss Hannah Howland West.— Joshua C. Durfee.— Chiistopher Brownell.— Samuel E. Almy.— Asa Davol.— Isaac Brown.— Job Wordell.— Personal

Paragraphs

Chapter XX. Town Of Little Compton

First Land Titles.— The Proprietors of Seconnet.— Distribution of the Great Lots.— The Commons.— The Aborigines,— The Body Politic— Public Charity.—Land and Water Routes.— The Revolution.— The Federal Constitution.—The Local Government.— Churches.— Cemeteries.— Adamsville.— Potter's Corners. — Secular Education. — Public Library. — Business

Interests , "'■*

CHAPTER XXI. TOWN OP LITTLE COMPTON — (concluded)

Colonel Benjamin Church.— Colonel John Church.— Nathaniel Church.— Joseph Church.— Thomas Church.— William Pabodie.— Major Sylvester Brownell.— Isaac Bailey Richmond.— James F. Simmons.— George W. Briggs, D.D.— Ray Palmer.— The Coe Family.— Colonel Henry T. Sissou. —Levi W. Sisson.— Ephraim Bailey Sisson.— Albert Seabury.— George Arnold Gray.— Edward Wing Howland.— Philip W. Almy.— Personal Paragraphs 1028

ILLUSTRATIONS.

PORTRAITS.

Ahny, Philip W 1046

Almy, Samuel E 951

Anthony, Henry C # 690

Bailey, William 800

Ball, Nicholas 862

Bateman, Luther 575

Bateman, Seth 574

Bedlow, Henry 576

Berry, R. P 578

Brinley , Francis 555

Brown, Isaac 953

Brown, Joshua C 579

Brownell, Christopher 950

Buttfick, J. T 68

Carr, George C 748

Champlin, John P 868

Chase, Albert L 801

Chase, Daniel 803

Chase, John F 691

Chase, Robert S 802

Church, Colonel John 1030

Church, Joseph 944

Church, Nathaniel. .., 1032

Clarke, W. A 581

TABLE OF CONTENTS. IX

* PAGE

Clews, Henry . . '. 582

Coggeshall, David 805

Coggeshall, George C 8U4

Coggeshall, Joshua 804

Cranston, Henry Y 590

Cranston, R. B 591

Cranston, W. H ,■ 593

Davis, Lucius D ; .'.'..' 594

Davol, Asa .' 953

Durf ee, ' Joshua C 949

Durfee, Thomas 934

Galvin, Thomas , 596

Gray, George A ,',[ 1044

Greene, Nathaniel ; . . . 88

Hall, Robert D 693

Hammett, Joseph M 597

Hammett, Nathan 597

Hazard, R. N 514

Hazard,*Thomas R QQ4:

Holman, Thomas 695

Howland, Edward W 1045

Johnston, John D 598

King, David S 97

King, David ; , 98

LeRoy, Daniel , 599

Littlefield, Lorenzo 873

Manchester, WilliE!,m M 696

Harden, O. S '. 876

Mitchell, B. B 880

Olyphant, David 106

Osborn, Joseph 940

Peckham, Jethro 807

Peckham, Nathaniel ' 808

Peckham, Thomas P » 601

Peckham, William F 806

Powel, John Hare 603

Rankin, Francis H : . . * 110

Read, Oliver 603

Rhodes, James T '. 604

Richmond, Isaac B 1034

Rogers, I. M 697

Sanborn, John P ^ '. 606

Sands, Austin L 116

Seabury, Albert 1C43

Sheffield, William P 607

Sherman, Peleg T 809

Sisson, Alfred ■ 698

Sisson, Ephraim B 1043

Sisson, HenryT 1038

Sisson, Levi W .-.1040

Sisson, W. L 699

Smith, J. G .810

Thurston, W. H '608

Turner, Henry E 130

Underwood, William J 608

Ward, John B 811

Watson, Thomas Carr 750

Weaver, John G 609

West, Samuel 946

Wetmore, George Peabody 610

Wolfe, Catharine Lorillard 612

Wordell, Job , 954

X TABLE OF CONTENTS.

VIEWS.

PAGE

Fort Adams ^^^

Charming Memorial Church ■*■*"

Trinity, Church, Newport '"^

Thames Street, Newport ^^^

The Old Coddington House. 486

House of Charles W. Shields, Newport, R. 1 488

The Tooker Cottage, Newport, R. 1 489

" The Breakers." Residence of Cornelius Vanderbilt, Newport 490

Residence of Gordon McKay, Newport, R. 1 491

The Chalet. Residence of Hugh L. Willoughby, Newport 495

Rough Point. Residence of Frederick W. Vanderbilt, Newport 496

Statue of Com. Matthew Perry 499

Statue of Com. O. H. Perry 500

Anglesea. Residence of Walter H. Lewis, Newport 503

The Casino. Bellevue Avenue 504

The Moorings. Residence of Schuyler Hamilton, Jr., Newport 506

Residence of J. J. Van Alen, Newport 510

Elmhyrst. Residence of R. N. Hazard, Newport. 515

Vinland. Residence of Louis L. Lorillard, Newport, R. 1 534

Friedheim. Residence of Theo. A. Havemeyer, Newport, R. 1 538

Entrance to the Jewish Cemetery 544

Hodgson's Newport Botanical Garden 546

Malbone. Residence of Hon. Henry Bedlow, Newport 577

Views at " The Rocks." Summer Residence of Mr. Henry Clews, Newport,

Galvin's Garden, Newport ^ 596

Wol-me. Residence of Josiah O. Low, Newport 600

Sunset Ridge. Residence of A. A. Low, Newport 601

Roselawn. Residence of J. Fred Pierson, Newport 605

Ocean House, Newport, R. I ; 609

Residence of Mr. G. P. Wetmore, Newport 611

The Capture of Major-General Prescott 649

Bristol Ferry, Portsmouth 673

Oakland Farm, Portsmouth. Property of (Cornelius Vanderbilt 683

Residence of Robert D. Hall, Portsmouth, R.I 693

House of William T . Richards, Jamestown, R . 1 730

House of Joseph Wharton, Jamestown, R.' 1 738

Old Fort Dumplings, Jamestown 746

The iTish Homestead . Residence of William Bailey, Middletown 800

Residence of Dayid Coggeshall, Middletown 805

Residence of W . J . Brightman, Tiverton .'. 958

The ' ' Gardner Homestead . " Residence of John M . Gardner, North Tiverton. 963

The Church Homestead 1030

Residence of Isaac Bailey Richmond, Little (^ompton 1085

Residence of H , M . Bundy, Little Compton 1050

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HISTORY OF NEWPORT COUNTY.