LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. PRESENTED BY UNITED STATES OP AMEEIOA. HISTORICAL SKETCH OF Til I, TOWN OF RICHMOND, FR03I 1747 to 1876^ Comprising a Period of One Hundred and Twenty-ninc Years PREPARED BY JAMES R. IRISH, D. D. AXD BELIYEREB JULY 4TH, 1876, AT WOOD RIVER GROVE. HOPE VALLEY, R.I. : L. W. A. COLE, JOB PRINTER, ^ 1877. ^ Tl- rv ■^ PREFATORY <^ To the Honorable, the Town Council of Bichmond. Sirs : When your committee invited me to write a his- torical paper to be read to the citizens of Richmond, on the centennial anniversary day of the nation, the state of my health and prior public engagements, forbid my using more than a moiety of the few weeks intervening, in gathering and arranging the facts to be presented on that occasion. This was all the more difficult from my limited acquaintance' with the persons and records whence the facts must bo gathered. Here, I wish to record my sense of obligation to the Town Clerk, and other members of the committee, for their timely aid in my work. Gratitude is due to the many citi- zens on whom I called, for the kindly manner in which they welcomed my inquiries, and for the cheerful way in which they unlocked, for my use, the stores of their memories and the libraries of their records. IV The first paper was prepared in view of the day and the occasion, rather than with a view to its future use. I had become so impressed with the defects of its arrange- ment; and the limited scope of its included facts, that I thought it should be re-tvritten, rather than copied for record. I so stated to the Town Clerk on the day of its delivery. Although the first paper had been accepted and approved by your committee, as a paper to be read, the re- writing was determined on. I am, however, impressed with a sense of the imperfection of my work, but, such as it is, I submit it to you, asking you to reject any portion you may disapprove, and I will willingly receive suggestions to alter any part where it may be improved. I have written no histor}^ of your common schools, be- lieving you have already a better history of them than I could write. I am more than willing you should insert the document prepared by Mr. N. K. Church, if due credit be given him for his valuable production. Yours respectfully, J. R. IRISH. RoCKViLLE, Dec. 4, 1876. HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE TOWN OF RICHMOND, R. I. The history of this towrij cluriug its settlement, can be traced only in connection with the history of Westerly, as it was a part of its territory for sixty -nine years after its organization. Still earlier, the entire area, ironi Narragansett bay to Pawcatuck river, and the bay at its mouth (early known as little Narragansett) was a subject of controversy, being claimed in turn by Connecticut and Massachusetts, in opposition to the claim of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. According to Wilson's history, Connecticut received, in 1660, a royal charter embracing the territory from Narragan* sett bay and the river, westward to the Pacific ocean. The following year, Rhode Island received from the same royal authority, a charter extending its limits westward to Narra- gansett river, which the King explained as identical with Pawcatuck river. 6 ItrSTORY OF mCIIMOKD. The ciuthorities in each colony laid claim to the whole. Tliis became a sonn-e oi" much nneasiness during the early years of itn occupancy, '^i'he first settlements along the isouthern shore \\«'re made )>y adventurers from Rhode Island. As o(U' family traditions pass it down to us, the first of lliese was by b<'roic lovers, who, despite the opposition of forbidding parents, committed themselves to each other, and the providence of God, and tried the fortunes of the wilderness.; Landing on the east side of Pawcatuck river, at the mouth of ]\rassatuxet brook, they built themselves a wigwam. There they lived in li-iendly intercourse with the natives and reared their family. This coujjle were .fohn I5abco(;k and Mary Lawton. Tiieir first cliild, James Bal)Cock, was the first male white child boni ill the Nariagansett territory. From these, sprang ilie iiumcrons family of liabcocks, in Westerly and vicinity. Wlieii tlicir place of retreat was comnmnicated, by the natives, to settlers at Newport, others came and settled around tliein. About th(? same time, 1642, a colony from ( "onny various foitunes, the settlements progressed, and HISTORY OF RICHMOND. at length the disputed territory was accorded to the jurisdic- tion of Rhode Island. That portion bordering on the oceau between Narragansett bay and Pawcatuck ri\^er was denont- inated King's county or King's province. The western part was originally caUe\ and desire an answer. This meeting permits them to marr}'' among us, they keep- ing to the good order of truth therein James Scriven and Peter Davis, Jr., are appointed to see their marriage consum- mated and make returns thereof to the next monthlv meeting. " At a monthly meeting, held at South Kingstown the 28tli of the 5th mo., 1753, the friends that were appointed to see the marriage of Job Irish and Mary Weaver consum- mated, make return that it was quite orderly carried on." The consummation of said marriao-e is recorded as follows : 16 niSTORT OF PtTCHMOXD. ^' AVliereas, Job Irish, son of Jedcdiali Irisli anJ Mary liis wilV of Westerly in King's County and Colony of Jlliodc Island^ and 3fary Weaver daughter of Thomas Weaver late deceased and Sarah his Avife of the town ahove saiil^ having declared their intention of taking each other in mar- riagCj before several public meetings of the people called Quakers, in the Colony aforesaid, whose proceedings tlierein, after a delilxMate consideration thereof, according to the righteous law of (Jod, and exani[)Ie of his people, recorded in the Scriptures of truth in that case, they being clear of all others, and having consent of parents, and others con- cerned, were a[)proved by the said meetings : Therefore, These n>ay certify all whom it may concern, That they, the said Job Irish and Mary Weaver, appeared in a public meeting of the aforesaid people and others, met together for that purpose at one of their meeting houses, this third day i>f the fifth montli called May, and in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty three. He the sd. Job Irish, taking the sd. 3[ary Weaver by the hand, did openly declare as follows: Friends, I desire yon to be my witnesses that I take this my friend Mary AVeaver to be mv wife, promising through the Lord's assistance to be unto her a loving and faithful husband until it shall j)lease Cod by death to separate us. And she the said Mary Weaver •lid then in like manner openly declare: Friends I desire you to be my Avitness that I take this my friend Job Irish to be my husband, promising through the Lord's assistance to l)e unto him a faithful and loving wife until it shall please the Lord by death to separate us. And they the said Job Irish and Mary Weaver, fut held their meetings mostly in private houses, some of which were held at kSilas Moore's, where David Moore now lives. After the death of Elder Palmer, the church ceased to maintain its organization, some of its members uniting with other churches. At Wood vi He, a church was erected on a lot of land deeded December 9tli, 1848, by Fones G. Wilbur for the good will he bore to the church and the cause of piety, to Jesse Wilbur, Jr., Treasurer of the Seventh Day Baptist church, of Richmond, and his successors in office. This church has, at times, been affected by changes in the manu- facturing interest in Woodville, but, of late, has enjoyed renewed prosperity, and seems to be an active force in the religious interests of the community. Its present pastor is the Rev. Horace Stillman ; its first was Rev. John Green. In Arcadia, November 24th, 1872, a hall erected by D. L. Aldrich & Co. over their store, was dedicated to public worship and social improvement. Religious services, and a Sunday school, have been maintained there most of the time since, on Sunday, and at such other times as the inter- est of the people seemed to demand. No church has been organized there. Churches existing on the borders of the town, have had their part in molding the religious and social character of the town, and ministers residing in adjacent towns have from time to time labored effectively to build up HISTORY OF IlICHMOND. 19 religions interests, and establish in the minds and lives of the people, principles of loyalty to God and truth. At Clarke's Mills, an Advent society or church was or- ganized about 1855, with members from the adjacent towns as well as Richmond. Its meetings, which were, at first, held in this town, have been transferred to a hall on the Oliarlestown side of the stream. Simeon P. Clarke, the |)ropriet()r of the mills, is an honored member of the society. To it, with the other churches along the borders, must bo attributed a share in the responsibilities of guiding the minds of the young in tlieir search for the knowledge of God ancj eternal life. As religion lias furnished in these several organizations centers of attractions and fountains of refined emotional pleasures, so throngh them it has wrought a more or less healthful influence on the social life of the generations that have passed on the stage of action since the first settlements were made in the " waste, howling wilderness." Among the chnrches whose places of worship were in the adjoining- towns, and whose influence has reached into this town, may be mentioned a church in South Kingstown, near Usque- paug, a Free Baptist church at Carolina, the Seventh Day Baptist churches in Hopkinton, the Association Baptist and the Methodist and Advent churches at Locustville, on the Hopkinton side of the river opposite to Wyomino-. EDUCATION. The report of your Superinteiulent^ N. K. ClnircL^ made the year ending April SOtli last, is a better history of seliools for tins town, since its settlement, than I could com- pile, and I should be pleased if the committee would incor- j)orate that report with what I submit. The oidy item I will attempt to add is the fact of my own experience as a teacher in this town. That experience was in the winter of 1828 and '29, and was my first attempt at teaching. The school was held in a part of an old house still standing on the estate then owned by Samuel Clarke, Esq. Dyer Smith lived in the same house at the time. Reminiscences of the school are still pleasant. I have since taught more than fifty terms, in schools of different grades, very few of which bring back fewer regrets, and more pleasures, than come on the wino-s of memorv from that three months. Among the pupils whose names, and countenances, come up from that far past are : Abiel and Elijah Kenyon and their sisters. Perry Clarke, Jr., Charles and Simeon P. Clarke, Mary Clarke now Lawrence, Daniel Marchant, Harriet Staunton, John S. Charke and his sister, now the HISTORY OF RICHMOXD. 21 widow of Charles Clarke, and Mrs. Irish and her sister IMrs. H. 1\ Clarke. Twenty-four days then eonstituted a month's serAice, and the teacher boarded around. The contract bound the patrons to pay me $8.50 per month. At the close of the school, they assembled and by a unanimous vote directed me to make out the rate bill for $9.00 per month. Tvith the same lack of knowledge. Scores of chiklren are growing np in ignorance of the first principles of education. Town Councils and school officers should look this matter in the face, and see that the cupidity of parents and mill owners is not depriving cliiWrenof tliose privilege's furnished by State munificence for tlieir present and future good^ and the safety of the 8tate. The intelli- gence and virtue of the individual is the bulwark of future safety for the republic. In the colonial period, disadvantages by reason of a lack of education, went further than the embaiTassments to which we have referred. Parents who had n<»t themselves learned to read and write, could do very little to aid their children in acquiring even the first rudiments of knowledge. This was the more unfortunate from the fact that the few schools that existed were often, on account of the sparseness of the population, practically impossible to be enjoyed l)y many who lived miles away from the school. 3Iy father spent his bo^diood in Richmond, from seven yeai's of age to fifteen, and his only opportunity for school during that time, if my memory is coiTcct, was less than three months, and then by threading his Avay through bye-paths for more than two miles. If such were their meager facilities in the last (piarter of the past century, what were they in the second and third quarters of that century ? Thus stinted in their facilities for learning to read and write and compute numbers, they could poorly appreciate the benefits to be derived from periodicals and books, even HISTORY OF RICHMOND. 23 if tlie\^ had possessed tlieiii. These could not even be ob- tained by those capable of reading, for books were few, and costly, and the newspaper was as yet unborn in the State. Social life, undoubtedly, was enjoyed in its spirit, but it must have lacked much of its legitimate power to- ward elevating the mind and aims of the people, and refining their habits of life. As might be expected, as the outgrowth of minds thus fettered, their implements of husbandry, and methods of farming, were rude and primitive, adding much to tlie labor of production. AGRICULTURE, ETC. Oxen were cliieii}^ their team oi draft and all \\ork, the horse bein"* less serviceable from the fact that waci'oiis were almost unknown. ]\Ien now living can rememl>er when the "Lockshire'' w'as the only plow for principal work, but that was the successor to others still more rude, awkward and defective. The Lockshire was followed 'by the Dutch plow. This in turn gave place to the cast iron ploAV which V)egan to be introduced about 1820 and for a long time was used only by a few. Whether now, polished steel plows have been introduced into Richmond, I am not inf(mned. They are the sine qxa uon of the west, and Richmond will not be long without them. Locomotive conveyances for persons and produce, in those early times, were quite primitive. The lover and liis lass, when out for a pleasure ride, must needs have separate horses, the latter upon her side-saddle, or placed on a pillion upon the same horse with her beau, supported in place with one arm parti}" encircling the body, and her left hand rest- on the iron hoop of the pillion. The first one horse wagon introduced into the town, is said to have been imported from HISTORY OF RICHMOND. 25 Connecticut by Mr. George Perry, the grandfatlier of Hon. H. P. Clarke. The exact form of this one I am not able to give, hut probably it was much the same as those in use at my early recollection, being a frame body with high sides attached to the forward axle by a jointed snipe-bill for a king-bolt. These, for the most pait, had no springs either under the body or the seat. Tlie latter was at first a box with an elevated back ; the box sometimes elevated at the bottom and resting on the floor of the body, sometimes with a long wooden spring extending the entire length of the body, resting on slats at the end-l»oard ; seats resting on In-aces, with more or less spring, bolted to sills detached from the bod}^ but resting on its floor. These were known as grasshopper seats. Elliptical steel springs were a later invention, having been preceded by the chaise with leathern thorough-brace springs. Before the introduction of one horse wagons, mar- keting was done by carrying light burdens on horseback, in ))ags or baskets. Sometimes a sort of dray was extempor- ized, consisting of two poles placed as thills to the rings of the harness, and extending back and resting on the ground. These were kept at a propi^r distance from each otlier, by cross boards, pinned or bolted upon the top, and on which the burden was laid and held in place by cords or withes. In this way, Hon. Gardner Nichols informed me, that his father transported two Lockshire plows from eight miles beyond Wick ford. The venerable Simon Lillibridge, upwards of ninety years old, informed me that one of his fathei^'s neighbors contracted to deliver a dressed hog at AVickford, which 26 HISTORY OF RICHMOND. weighed about three hundred pounds. He did not wish to drive his oxen so far^ and as there was not a one horse wagon within eight or ten miles^ he loaded his hog upon the back of his liorse, and walked by his side to the market^ some fourteen miles. Country stores were not then in the habit of receiving farm produce in exchange for merchandise, and each man marketed his own. If not wanted near home, it was car- ried usually to Newport or to Wickford. Mr. Lillibridge says the first wagon he ever saw was at Plainfield at "a schoolbreak. The first he ever owned was made by Rowsc Clarke. This Rowse Clarke had a wagon shop a little west of Shannock hill, near w'here Remington Clarke had a trip-hammer, blacksmith shop on Tony brook, a small stream a little west of Richard Chappell's. I have been thus minute both to give a proper idea of the facts as then existing, and also that those enjoying the facilities of the present day may more fully realize the great advantages they possess, and the consequent increase of obligation. Men of such limited means of culture might be ex- pected to suffer in other departments of social relations than those we have noted, and such we find to have been the fact in the early parts of Richmond's history. Rights, inherent in the nature of man, seem to have been imperfectly under- stood, and poorly carried out, except upon the narrow view of onesided self. View's of the rights of others were so imperfectly de- veloped as scarcely to reach the low- level of toleration for free thought in the economy of society. Au}^ innovation on existing forms of thought and standards of action, often was HISTORY OF IIICHMOND. 27 met, not by the question : What is right ? but : What has been the practice? People who coukl leave the cherished associations of home and kindred, and plow the billows of the Atlantic, and face the hardships of a wilderness, and all the privations of pioneer life, for freedom, and to shake off the yoke of oppression, were slow to learn the doctrine that '■'(jour rights are as sacred as mmc/^ or that f/oa have the same right to differ from me that I have from i/ou. Low views of duty in regard to personal example were often entertained. Revivals of religion occurred at long interv^als for the most part, and in those intervals coarse manners and vulgar habits supervened. Mr. Lillibridge says that in his early days profane swearing was very common, but religious influence revived, and the vicious habit gave way before the radience of Divine light. With some, it is a matter of wonder how the people of this section subsisted, while as yet they had little or no income from manufactures and commerce. In attempting to solve the question, it must be remembered that while they were reducino- a rusfiifed wilderness to cultivation, thev had a virgin soil from which to gather their crops. The forests that had stood for ages had been shaking down, j^ear by year, their foilage to fertilize the soil. Insects seldom made depredation upon their vegetation. The seed sown had in the soil just the material on which to feed and mature with an abundant harvest. Surrounded bv shelterino* woodlands, their plantations suffered less from the tossings of chilling winds. What was of still greater importance, the habits of men, both as regards labor and expenses, Avere vastly dif- ferent. Men, women and children were mostly accustomed 28 HISTORY OF RICHMOND. to rise with the dawn, and continue their toil till twilight. Though they reared large families, they were early trained to toil. They lived plainly on food of their own production. Their clothing, too, w^as of the cheapest and most durable texture. Their fields of flax, and the fleeces of their flocks, furnished the fiber, and the mothers and daughters spun and wove it. Play and pleasure were entirely secondary to the necessities of life. Parsimony was more popular than prodigality. All were restrained in their indulgences by provision for their wants. Here it may be asked, if Richmond was once so pro- ductive : First, Wln^ did it liot continue thus to produce 1 and : Second, Is it possible for its barren plains ever to re- cover the fertility that tradition gives them the credit of once possessing ! To the first of these questions we reply that the history of the past will discover a combination of causes lending aid to the result. Among these we may mention that the farm- ers of those early days poorly understood, or unwiseh^ disre- garded, the fact that every crop carried from the field, car- ries a definite proportion of its material, essential for the production of a crop of that kind, and hence continued cropping of any field will eventually remove its entire capacity to produce successful crops, unless from some source similar material be returned to the soil of that field. CHARACTERISTICS. It has alreacty lieen noticed tliat Richmond was made a town in 1747. The first Town Meeting was held August 28th, ten days after the act of incorporation. '' Captain Richard Bailey was chosen Moderator. " James Adams and Stephen Richmond were chosen to receive the votes put in at this town meeting. '' John Webster was chosen Town Clerk for the re- mainder of the vear, and eno^ae-ed. ''Voted, That John Webster, Capt. Richard Bailey, Joseph Hoxsie, James Adams, William Potter and Joseph Clarke are chosen the six Town Councilmen for the remainder of the year, and engaged. '' Voted, That Joseph Enos be chosen Treasurer for the remainder of the year." The minor officers for the town were elected much in the same order as at the present day. Capt. Richard Bailey and John Webster were chosen Deputies to attend the General Assembly to be held in King's county on the last Wednesday in October. 30 HISTORY OF R1CHM0]?JD. Whether tlie Town Ooiiiicil were disposed to make their office unnecessarily burdensome to the town^ or whether a penurious jealousy sprang up aniong the freen>en^ it is? difficult now to say. The action of a town meetings only a lew years after organization^ shows that piditical servants were disposed to he fed at the puhlic crib more than the people were willing to ratify. The following was passed an an act of the Town Meeting : *^ Whereas^ The Town Council of this to^wn has been a considerable charge to the town for their meeting together on the business of said toAvn, for a remedy whereof for the future : " Be it enacted by said tow n^ That from and after the iirst Tuesday in June next ensuing^ That said Town Coun- cil bear their own expenses for the future." The French and Indian war soon followed. The man- ner in which the town met the exigency will appear from their action in Town Meeting, held on the 3d day of November, 1756, as follows : " Be it enacted in the Town of Richmond, by the freemen and freeholders thereof. That if any man or men be pressed as above said, and is unwilling to go in His Majesty's service, That then the inhabitants of the town shall forthwitli hire some-able bodied man, or men, to go in his or their room, or rooms, or jjay the ransom for the im- pressed man, or men; and the ransom or hired man or men shall be paid by a public town rate to be assessed on the Inhabitants of this town of Richmond in proportion accord- ing to their ratable estates now stated by the (?olony afore- said, except the j)ole money. HISTORY OF RICHMOND. 31 ^^ And be it further enacted by the freemen and free- hoklers of this town of Richmond, that all the mone\- raised and promised to pay the volunteers, and those pressed, or drawn, or raised in this town of Richmond by a special act of the General Assembly of the colony aforesaid, to be raised on the 21st day of October last past, the said money shall be repaid unto every man, or men, that has paid or lent money unto the above said soldiers as a bounty or en- couragement to enlist. '''■ And be it further enacted, That the aforesaid money shall be repaid by a public town rate to be assessed on the inhabitants of this town of Richmond, in proportion accord- ing to their ratable estates now stated by an act of the colon V. •- • " And be it further enacted by the freemen and free- holders of the town of Richmond, That all the officers that are or shall be elected as ratemakers, or assessors, or collec- tors, treasurers or other officers, in executing any part, or parts, of the aforesaid act, or acts, shall have no fee or pay for their labor or trouble, but shall do it for nothing. ^^ And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That every person that shall be rated for the charge afore- said, shall bring in his proportion of said rate to the Town Treasurer of said Richmond, at, or before the 7th day of December next. And if any person, or persons, shall neglect to bring in his or their rate, as above said, That the Town Treasurer of said Richmond grant forth his warrant to distrain so much of his, or their, goods and chattels as will pay their respective rates." 32 HISTORY OF KICHMOXD. The patriotism thus displayed in relation to the Freneli and Indian war, was but a prelude to a readier and more self-sacrificing consecration in the war of the revolution, as will he seen hy the record. At the last Town Meeting under colonial anthority. held June 4thj 1776, one month previous to tl»e declaration of independence^ we find the first record of warlike measures made by this town tow^ard the war of the revolution. /JMiat record says : '^Joseph Woodmancy, Jonathan Maxson, John Chirke, Samuel Clarke, Samuel Staunton, William Kenyon, Tlios. Lillibride, Richard Bailey, Jr., Joseph AVoodmancy, Jr., and Nicholas Mosher, have agreed to give one day each towards making the town's lead and powder into cartouches." Again : * " Voted, That Caleb Barber have an order to the Treas- rU'er for tln-ee shillings, it being for a box of cartouches.'' The next Town Meeting was held August 27th, 1775, A\hen the town enrolled itself as Richmond in King's county, * ♦ - * : STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, .' * - - * thus indorsing the Declaration of Independence made July 4th, previous. This meeting ordered that their "old schedules made before the revisal of the late law's, be used to tlie making of cartouches." It was also " Voted, That Capt. Joseph TefFt, Jr., and Capt. David Potter be a committee to receive of the State the town's proportion of salt, and bring it into town." HISTORY OF RICHMOND. At ii Town Meeting held September 16th, 1776, it was '' Voted, That the soUliers ordered to be raised in this town, by the committee appointed to act during the recess of the GenerqJ Assembly, have their wages advanced to three shillings per dav, incl tiding what is paid them by the government, which shall enlist into the service. " Voted, That captains of the companies in this town be, and are hereby directed to call their respective companies together according to the alarin list, at one or more places on the 19th instant, in order to raise the above mentioned troops.. " Voted, On the 20th of September, That Major Rich- ard Bailey and Samuel Clarke be appointed a committee to receive of Wm. Tefft, Esq., twenty-one guns, bayonets and cartouch boxes, and deliver them to the soldiers raised in this town, and that the same be branded with the letter R l)efore deliver^^ '^ And that tlic}^ also b(? directed to receive of the said AVilliam TefFt the remainder of the guns, &c., when finished, giving, their receipts for the same, * * * and that said com- mittee furnish the ensign and each soldier with a blanket and ^snapsack'; * * * and that everv soldier furnishins" himself with a blanket and ^snapsack' shall be allowed six shillings therefor. ^' Voted, That if there is not a sufficient sum of money in the treasury to procure the above blankets, &c., the treas- urer be authorized to hire a sufficient sum for that purpose. " Voted, That Captain Maxson be allowed one shilling per day for three months if not discharged sooner." HISTORY OF KICHMOXD. At a Town Meeting held November 29tli, 1776, it was '' Voted, That this town give each soklier, now to be raised, one shilling per day over and above the State's pay, as an encouragement for their enlistment, during the time they are in service. " That William TefFt, Esq., be a committee to act in conjunction with the Committee of Safety in the equipping of the soldiers now to be raised." December 3d, 1776, Town Meeting^ ^' Voted, That the Treasurer be directed to hire sixty- three pounds to pay the soldiers now at Rhode Island th'^ town's advance money to them by their return. ^' Voted, That Richard Baile}^ have an order of seven pounds, four shillings, it being for Idankets for the sol- diers." While the freemen and freeholders showed their readi- ness to tax themselves to meet the demands of their coun- try in the hour of its trial, the young men, and the patriots of middle life, entered the ranks of the militia, as minute men, to answer any call that a new phase of danger might demand ; or, with still greater sacrifice, thrust themselves away from home and its endearments, to endure the fatigue and sufferings of camp life in the field forces of the revolu- tion. Camp life then was no holiday sport, as pictured by the historians of these davs. Thev endured lonsf and fatiguing marches with scanty food, and still more scant clothing ; sometimes marching over the snow and frozen ground, which they trod with the blood trickling from their chilled and wounded feet. This thev endured while the HISTORY OF RICHMOXD. 3d wages were low, and often uncertain, from which to forward supplies to their need}" families. Nor were our mothers and their daughters wanting of faith, and the true spirit of con- secration, in those times. The}^ gave their sons, brothers, and lovers, words of blessing and words of cheer as they sent them forth to stand in the gap of their country's peril. They stood not in passive idleness to await the result, or to depend on the strong arm of their sons and brothers for sup- port. In the eloquent language of Rev. F. Denison : '•' While the men were in camp and in battle, the women managed the home affairs. They not only turned their (earnest hands to the distaff, and loom, and needle. They rose up to do all home duties. They conducted the dairy, tlie}^ managed the horses, cattle and flocks. They even grasped the plow and the sickle." The foregoing extracts from the records give a clear- cut view of the spirit with which our progenitors met the exigencies of the war of the revolution. More such might be made, but these are sufficient for the purpose for which they are made, viz : by the examples of the past, to prompt us to noble endeavors in tlie present, that shall live to cheer and cpiicken their, and our, successors in the interests of the future. The war having, after years of toil and hardship, been ])rouglit to a successful issue, and our independence having been acknowledged, a delicate and difficult task was com- mitted to our sages and patriots : the duty of giving to the people a constitution that should bind the people of the States in a union, wise, safe, permanent and successful. 36 HISTORY OF RICHMOND. After four months of earnest deliberation, the convention adopted a constitution wliicli they had framed, and submitted it to the people of the States for their approval, through their conventions. A more determined opposition to this constitution was manifested in Rhode Island than in the otlier States, so that this State was the last to accept it as the law of the land, and to enter into the Union. But as in duty bound, by an Act of the Legislature, this constitution was submitted to the action of the freemen of the several towns, in Town Meeting. The vote of this town, after much discussion, was taken March 24, 1787. Tlie vote taken shows the conserv^ative tendencies that" then prevailed, and the slowness of the people to adopt new and untried principles in important public matters. There were at the time : Legal voters in the town 77 Present and voted , 69 Voted aga'mst adopting the constitution 68 Voted /or its adoption 1 As these votes were taken yea and na}', the names of the voters remain on the record. The name of the man who could dare to stand alone was : * * : JONATHAN M A X S O N . \ * * EARLY SETTLERS, The following arc tlie names of heads of families in tlie towii of Riclmiond in 1774^ two years previous to tlie declaration of independence. The}'- are arranged alphabetically, and the number of members in each family is given. Some have the repre- sentatives of their names in town at the present time, and who have furnished me the lineage of those families, which I shall submit at the close of the history of the town. A. Adams, Mary 2. Adams, Stephen 5, Austin, Joseph 10. B. Brown, James 9. Babcock, Elisha, Jr. 4. Barber, Ezekiel 8. Barber, Caleb 10. Barber, Nicholas 8. Baker, Benjamin, Jr. 2. Burdick, Edmund 5. Bailev, Clark 5. Babcock, Elisha Barber, Thomas Barber, Samuel 13. 14. 6. Barber, Benjamin 11. Baker, Benjamin 11. Baker, Solomon 5. Bailey, Samuel 4. Bailev, Richard 11. 38 HISTORY OF RICHMOND. Bentlcy; John 9. Bentley; Ezekiel 5. Brownell, Eunice 4. Boss, Jonathan 4. ColgTove^ Oliver 11 Clarke, Arnold 3. Clarke, Joslma 8. Clarke, Walter 7. Clarke, Josliua 7. Clarke, Isaac 8. Clarke, Tliomas 4. Clarke, Wm., Jr. 6. Collins, Jedediali 7. Cory, Jolin 2. Dake, Hannali 4. Dyer, Daniel 6. Bentley, William 10. Baggs, John 9. Boss, Jeremiah 7. Boss, Peter 9. Boss, Joseph 3. C. Colgi'ove, Jeremiah 6, Clarke, John 8. Clarke, Oliver 4. Clarke, William 7. Clarke, James 9. Clarke, Joseph 10. Clarke, Simeon 11. Clarke, Samuel 5. Card, Benjamin 7. Cory, Samuel 6. D. Dyer, Elizabeth 2. D^^er, John 7. E. Enos, John 4. Prazer, John 6. Griffin, Joshua 2 Griffin, James 5. Hall, Ruth 6. Hall, Elisha 11. Enos, Benjamin 11. Ellsworth, Joseph 4. F. Foster, John 3. G. Griffin, John 4. Griffin, Philip 5. H. Hall, Ebenezer (3. Holloway, Nicholas J HISTORY OF RICHMOND. 39 Hollo wa}^, George 6. Herningtoii, Paul 8. Hoxsie, Stephen 9. Hoxsie, Solomon 7, Hoxsie, Joseph 12. HoUoway, Samuel 7. Hernington, William 4. Hoxsie, Barnabas 8. Hoxsie, Job 5. Hoxsie, Joseph, Jr. 11, James, Joseph 3. James, Jonathan 5. James, Benjamin 7. James, Jonathan, Jr. Irish, Sarah 4. J. James, James 16. James, Patience 7 James, Thomas .3. Johnson, Ezekiel 12. Knowles, Elisabeth 6. Kinj'on, Mary 2. Kinyon, William 10. Kinyon, Benedict 9. Kinyon, Thomas, Jr. G. Kinyon, Sylvester 5. K. Knowles, Robert 8. Kinyon, John 7. Kinyon, Nathan 10. Kinyon, Thomas 6. Kinyon, Thomas (T. D.) 11 Kinyon, Sylvester, Jr. 7. Kin3^on, John 7. L. Larkin, Edward 7. Larkin, Stephen 4. Lewis, Isaac 3. Lewis, Nathan 9. Lillibridge, Edward 9. Larkin, Nicholas 5. Larkin, Elisha 2. Larkin, David 2. Lewis, George 8. Lillibridge, Thomas 13. Larkum, Lasonlet 9. M. Moon, John 3. Moon, Job 7. Moore, Robert 8. Moore, David 8. 40 HISTORY OF RICHMOND. Maxson, Jonathan 8. Moshei*; Nicholas 15. * Mosher, Gideon 7. N. NileS; George 5. Nicholas, David o. Ney, George 6. Nicholas, Andrew "i. P. Pettis, Robert 1. Potter, Thomas 9. Potter, William 3. Potter, "William 3d 7. Potter, David 8. Pierce, Aonnnor 3. Philips, Jane 4. Pullman, Nathaniel 3. Potter, Jonathan 13. Potter, Smitern 6. Potter, William, Jr. (> Potter, Robert 4. Potter, Tncomb 3. Peterson, Ichabod S. Philips, Bartholomew Perry, Edward 12. S. Pendleton, John 6. R. Reynolds, William 6. Reynolds, James 4. Remington, David 5. Rogers, Weight 1. Reynolds, William, Jr., 3. Roger, Robert 3. Rogers, Samuel 6. Rogers, Thomas 7. Rogers, Thomas Jr. 10. * S. Sheldon, William 4. Staunton, Samuel 5. TifFt, Joseph 12. TifFt, Benjamin 8. Tifft, Samuel Jr. 4. Tifft, Ezekiel 8." Sisson, Rodman 7. Stanton, Robert 10. T. Tifft, Joseph Jr. 10. Tifft, Samuel 9. Tifft, Jeremiah 6. Tifft, William 12. HISTORY OF RICHMOND. 41 Tanner, George 9. ' Thomas, Peleg 9. Tindon, Jonathan 9 V. Vallitt, Jeremiah 9. W. Wording, Samuel 4. Wording, John 4. Weaver, Thomas 5. Wright, John 6. AVebster, James 10. Webster, John 9. Webster, John Jr. 11. Wood mansie, Joseph 7 Woodmansie, John 5. Woodmansie, Joseph Jr. 4. Woodmansie, James 3. Wilcox, Edward 7. Wilcox, Sheffield .3. Wilcox, Stephen 7. Wilcox, Stephen Jr. 6. Wilcox, Robert 3. Wilbour, John 8. Wilbour, Samuel 2. Wilbour, Samuel Jr. 7. Wilbour, Peter 7. Watson, William 4. Webb, George 10. Webb, John 5. Williams, Maccoon 9. The whole number of families in town at date as above 185. Highest number in one family, (James James,) 16. There were three, numbering one only, each a male. The whole number of persons in town at date. . . 1234. Whole number of le^al voters four years later. . 77. One Indian family of nine persons 5 parent, Jonathan Tindon. Besides these there were twelve Indians and fourteen blacks living with, and numbered above, in the families of whites. The United States census for 1870, gives the town population as 2064. 6 42 HISTORY OF RICHMOND. The State census of 1875, enrolls only 1739, a loss not readily accounted for. The census of 1774, gave for the State 54,715. That of 1875, gave for the State, 258,239; a gain in one hundred and one years of 203,524. In the year 1800, the number of dwellings in town were one hundred and thirty-six. In seventy years there was a gain of three hundred and twelve, making a total of four hundred and forty-eight. DISPOSITION OF LANDS. The colonial records show that for many years the lands in Richmond were quite slowly pm'chased by settlers. To liasten their sale, the General Assembly appointed a com- mittee to dispose of vacant lands held by authority of the colony. This committee sold a lar^e tract June 28th, 1709, known in the records as the "Shannock Purchase." • This tract extended from Exeter line, on the north, to Pawcatuck river on the south. On the east, it was bounded by Beaver river ; and on the west, by a meridian passing at the east end of the cemetery, at the Wood river church. The pur- chasers of this tract were twenty-seven in number. Among whom were : James Adams, " John Tefft, Daniel Wilcox, Thomas Utter, Peter Parker, Eber Crandall, Daniel Tennant, William Utter, Samuel Lewis, John Eanos, Nicholas Utter, Jr., Daniel Brown, William Gibson, * Weston Clarke, William Clarke, George Babcock, 44 HISTORY OF RICHMOND. George Foster, Samuel Perry, Joseph Brown, John Witter, Nicholas Utter, Francis Colgrove, Jeremiah Orandall. How many of these purchasers became actual settlers on these lands, is not now known, but many of the famil}' names appear in the subsequent history of the town. Nicholas Holley is reported as one of the earliest settlers in town. He had his estate near Glen Rock. Richard Chappell is one of his descendants. Joshua Clarke was quite early a resident on the east side of Beaver river. Benjamin Perry bought, in 1747, the farm where Hon. H. P. Clarke now lives. Part of the house now standing there was then on the place. This was afterwards the home of his son Edward, and after him his grandson George Peny, the grandfather of the present owner. MILLS AND MILL PROPERTY. Grist and saw mills were a necessity to the early settlers, and happy for them the power to operate them was found in the streams that formed a part of their domain. How early, and where the first mills in town we built, no known record shows. The small streams were larger and nearer perennial when the hills were covered with forests than now. Probably, their first mills were built along these, as dams were more cheaply constructed than on the larger streams. In the memory of some now living, many of the streams now not occupied as mill forces had there saw mills, grist mills and forgingsmith shops. For similar purposes, the stream passing south of Rev. G. Tillinghast's, was used just east on the Caleb Barber property, where also, early in the present century, Archibald Barber and Gardner Nichols had a wagon shop, doing much of their work by water power. White brook long ago carried a trip-hammer for the manufacture of axes, hoes, etc. 46 HISTORY OF RICHMOND. At Arcadia^ just on the line between Exeter and Ricli- iiiond, there wa» a saw niilL The evidences are »till mani- fest there- At Wyoming-j mills >vere early bnilt^ and on the Hop- kinton side were located the famons Brand's iron works. At Hope VallejT-, where tlie cotton factory now stands, there was a grist mill, having for one side of the flume, a perpendicular rock. Where now is the village of Clarke's Mills, on Decem- ber 1st, 1759, Jeffre}^ Wilcox gave by will to his son, Abra- ham Wilcox, one acre of land. This was deeded by said Wilcox to Jeremiah Browning-, March 8th, 1762, with a saw mill and grist mill in good running order. No mention is made of the saw mill in any subsequent transfer. The price paid by Browning for these mills, and privilege, Avas e€3,000 current money of New England. We should judge that New England money nmst have had a current value that had run to a low ebb. This property was deeded by several transfers till on January 16, 1771, it was deeded to Joshua Clarke, in the line of whose family it is still owned, and where a grist mill still runs for the mutual benefit of the proprietor and the community. As earl}'^ as 1772, a saw mill and an iron manufactory existed where Kenyon's mills are now located. The estab- lishment was then deeded by Samuel Stuart to Christopher Clarke. Mills existed at Usquepaug, early known as Mumford's Mills, but I believe these were alwavs situated on the east side of the stream in South Kingstown. HISTORY OF RICHMOND. 47 Some more than one Imndred and twenty years ago, Wm. Sweet owned a saw mill near where David Moore now lives. A mill still exists on the site. At Tug Hollow, and Bellville, there early existed saw and grist mills. Other similar mills may have existed elsewhere, but we omit any further details of them and turn to notice the pro- gress in the manufacture of woolen and cotton yarn and cloths. MANUFACTURES. BuRlXG the early years of RichmoncVs history, manu- factories for wool and cotton were unknown in tlie country. As we have already said, the clothing of the inhabitants was manufactured by hand. Every farmer devoted a plat of ground to the raising of flax, and in his pastures o-razed the sheep whose fleeces funiished material for the ^j-amients that were to protect their persons from the piercing blasts of wintry winds. The flax was broken and swingled by the swain himself, or some neighbor more skilled in the art. The mother hatcheled the flax, and early taught her dauo-hters to card and spin the coarser parts known as tow. The finer parts, she wound on the distaff" and spun it on a wheel propelled by the foot. This part formed the warp, and the tow the woof which the mother, or older girls, wove for the work-day wear of summer pants. In process of time cotton was introduced as a supplement to the tow and and linen, or to take the place of the pure linen for those who could aff'ord to keep a separate suit for Sabbath day wear. HISTORY OF RICHMOND. 49 Cotton was not so generally manufactured in every house as was the flax. Before the introduction of machinery for its manufacture, a commendable enterprise was displayed by several families iu Richmond. Of these, I am able, at present, to mention only those of Reynolds Hoxsie and Calel) Barber. I have l)eeH shown a specimen of that pro- duced in the former family. It is preserved as an exhibit of the past, iu the familv of Deacon J. T. 8heldon. The raw cotton was carded, spun, woven and bleached by their own manipulation. Linen clotli was often manufactured and bleached f()r fine apparel, .here, in those early days. Extra exploits are reported of the enterprising- daugliters of Rich- mond. Among tliese, Susan nab Barber, sister of Caleb, is supposed to have excelled all other maidens of her time, if not of all times. She spun between sunrise and sunset, on a Avheel of single thread fliers, one hundred and fifty full knots of fine even thread. Such is tlie tradition, well au- thenticated in the family. Spinning bees, or socials, were sometimes enjoyed by the young ladies, wlien they would carry with them their wheels and rolls to enjoy tlieir visits without slacking their industry. Whether the admiring beaux were expected to assist in seeing tlie wlieels home, with the lassies, is not reported. Besides tlie pre})aration of wool by hand cards, some of tlie more skilful were wont to use the worsted long-tooth combs in preparing the hurl of the long wool fleeces, to be laid side by side iu tlie more durable, and glossy material, known as worsted wear. This, and the woolen rolls, were spun on the high wheels, the operatives walking backwards, turning the wheel with the ri^-ht lianpindle as they regained the point from which they had retreated. A little later, a hatters shop was successfully operated by John Knowles, ]>etween Usijuepaug and the Boss meeting house. The factories first built in Richmond were built for carding wool into rolls, to be S])un by hand, Connecte"ht bv 8 * ^ ^ ^ 58 HISTORY OF RICHMOND. fifty-six feet. 1'lie hall is famished with settees and chau- deliei"S, and has a nice small library room over the stairs. The stairs are made so broad that the hall could be speedily emptied in case of fire. If rightly appreciated, this hall may be a blessing to the community, providing a pleasant place for social and literary gatherings ; and as intended in its conception, well adapted for religious worship and Sun- day schools. It is truly an honor to the heads and hearts of those who conceived the plan and carried their purpose into execution. The mills run over six thousand spindles, and one hundred and twenty-two looms, turning out about twenty- five thousand yards of cloth per week. UsQUEPAUG — On the east border of the town, has had factory power in operation, but the mills have been burned. These, I believe, were all on the east side of Queen's river, which, from near this point, is the boundary line southward between Richmond and South Kingstown. A store and public house and wagon shop still exist there, with some other mechanical interests. OTHER ENTERPRISES. Merchandise lias had its devotees in the various villages that have sprung up in different parts of the town. These stores have been a convenience to the inhabitants of the several neighborhoods, furnishing them facilities at hand to procure the necessary articles of use in the arts of life, often proving a public benefit, furnishing market facilities for the minor products of the farm, and the garden and the outcomes of skill and industry. The rearing of poultry of various kinds has been an enterprise of profit to many. The sales of eggs, and the flesh and feathers, annually amount to a large sum. Fowls of various kinds do a wonderful work in lessening the dam- ages wrought by worms and insects on the fruits, grains and other vegqjtable productions. They furnish also a manure scarcely less valuable than guano. Farmers and gardeners will find it for their interest to study more systematically and scientifically this department of home industry. CranbeiTy culture has been made a specialty, bv Sam! K. Browning, near the center of the town, and by others near the eastern and southeni borders, yielding often large incomes for the number of acres devoted to this culture. 60 HISTORY OF RICHMOND. The forests of the town have, in the yesLYs past, fur- nished material of commerce in the form of building mater- ial, hoop poles, wood and coal. Of the latter, large quan- tities were made and sold while the iron works were in blast. This was often delivered %t the works for four dollars per liundred bushels, when the legal bushel contained forty quarts. Ship timber was also cut and drawn to Westerly, and perhaps to other places. The manufacture of leather, by the aid of oak bark, was earh' carried on in some parts of the town. Simeon Babcock owned and carried on a tanner}^, currier shop, and boot and shoe shop, on the west side of Shannock Hill. The tannery was built some sixty years ago. He finally added a grocery store and sold alcoholic liquors. This used up his tannery and became a snare to himself and others. C. T. Jackson, State geologist, found along the flats of Queen's river, extensive beds of peat and muck, which he considered valuable as a basis of composting manures needed on the farms in the vicinity. There are several ponds and bogs in town, hitherto but little utilized, which, in the opening century, may become of increased revenue to the inhabitants, as by increased knowl- edge they shall realize their value and learn how to appro- priate it. Other enterprises of limited extent have been carried on by the inhabitants of the town during the century brought to a period by this festal day, but the brief space of time allotted for collecting the materials for this paper, and the fear of wearying b}^ their recital, will forbid tracing them in HISTORY OF ItlCHMOND. 61 detail now, tliougli of themselves interesting as matters of history and instructive as way marks for the future. I must not, however, pass pver the dairy without a few remarks. T\\q sustenance of many families of the early settlers was largely drawn from their herds. The flesh of the annuals gave additional strength to the brawny arms of the toiling farmer, and he shared with his wife and children the milk, the butter and the cheese of the dairy. THE RAILROADS. The 8toning-ton and Providence railroad, which was huilt about 1837, enters this town near the southwest corner and passes out of it east of the junction, to re-enter near Shannock Mills. Wood River Branch road was completed, and com- menced running cars, in July 1874. It enters this town a little above Woodville, thus giving about one third its length and a depot in Richmond, besides the depot at the junction. These roads add not a little to the wealth of the town, and are a great convenience to the inhabitants, bringing them into easy connection with the great public marts of the country both for travel and mercantile facilities. V/ARS,--ETC. We have, on earlier pages, spoken of the war of the revolution and of the part which the citizens of Richmond took in the great struggle for independence. But another war arose in relation to which all records in regard to Rich- mond's part in the conflict seem, so far as we have been able to learn, to be entirely wanting. The war known as the war of 1812, was declared against Great Britain on the 19th of June in that year. The New England States, as a gen- eral thing, did not hastily enter into this war. Sympathy with this feeling may be a reason why we find no reference to this war in the records either of the Town Meetings of Richmond or of the doings of the Town Councils. Another cause may be found in the fact that certain portions of the town records are wanting for a period embracing the time of tlie first part of the war. By some means not satisfactorily explained, the records were partially consumed by fire. The memory of some old men gives us this fact : A draft was made for two men from the military companies of the town, and, previous to the drawing, it was agreed that whoever was drawn and went into the service^ should receive 64 HISTORY OF richmo:n^u. a dollar from every man not thus drawn. The men drawn were both named Hoxsie but though they held themselves in readiness, they were never called into the field. Another wat occurred in Rhode Island in the year 1842. This was not a war with foreign powers, nor was it a war of bloody battles. It was rather a war of angry passions, called the Dorr war. In August following the outbreak, • delegates were chosen, a convention held, a constitution laid before the people for ratification, which won in Richmond seventy-nine yeas and ten nays. There was k separate clause proposing the question whether the word white should be inserted as a condition of freedom to vote. Four otily voted to insert. The war of the rebellion broke out into open hostilities in 1861. Richmond as a town was not \vanting in the hour of decision. Seeing the government stripped of its resour- ces, by those entrusted with its treasures, navy and forts, they aroused to the riescue. The sturdy yeomanry of the town sprang to arms, and bared their bosoms to the fight, and the men of wealth laid open their treasures to furnish ttie pay, and rations, and munitions of the forces. The ntnnber of enlistments credited to the town, for all departments of the service, is one hundred and four. The disbuBvsements by authority of the town were #20,547.- 20. Of this sum, the State government assumed |2,700, leaving a balance to be met bv the town of 117,847.20. All this has long since beeii paid by the town. There was also paid for the support of soldiers families, $2005 ^^^^^ P^'<^ for the enlisting of soldiers, -^462. Contributions were forwarded hv friends for tlie sick and W(^nn«led, amounting HlSTOllY OF lllCHMOXD. (jO to $13,000. Maki-iig a total of $215509.20 raistnl for war interests hy RiclnnoiK.!. The following is a list of the names of i)ersons who volunteered in the war of the rebellion from the town of liiehmond : Joshua Allen, William Burton, Charles AV. Bai-ber, William Bentley, George Henry Brown, John S. Babcock, ]\Iattliew S. Barber, (iideon ]\r. Barber, B. James H. Arnold. Patrick Burk, Thomas B. Briggs, John F. Bitgood, Samuel Bennit, (Jeorge H. Bray man, William Bane, James W. Bedford, Charles E. Baglev. c. i )liver H. Congdon, William Cherry, Stephen A. Clarke, AVilliam 0. Clarke, GeorgeL. Clarke, George S. Church, Alvin L. Card, Moses Cherry, John B. Clarke, John H. Clarke, Jolin R. Clarke, Loren R. Chase, Amos C. Corey, Georo-e W. Crandall IMiillip Corr, D. (ieorge P. Dyer, Albert C. Durfee, John Dervin, 9 William C. Durlre, John Duffy, James Dodds. 6G HISTORY OF RICHMOIsD. Nathan P. Edwards^ Samuel England. F. William H. Fletcher. G. Harris R. Green, Joseph A Green. //. Daniel Hoxsie^ William A. Hall^ Chandler X. Handell. J. David W. James, Stukley Kenney, Daniel 0. Kenyon, K. Gershon P. Johnson^ David II. Kenyoii, Georp-e W. Kenvon. H. H. Larkin, Reubin T. Larkin, Silas Lillibridg'e, James G. Lewis, Benoni Lewis, Charles H. Main, William W. Maxon, Nathaniel Niles, Charles P. Nye, 31. N. 0. Edw^ard Lark in, Amos A. Lillibridge, R. J. Lillibridge, Jacob Lewis, Charles Larkham. Joseph M. Marshal, James McDonald. James A. N^'-e, James H. North up. William W. Ormsbee. P. Hazard Partlow AVilliam H. H. Palmer, HISTORY OF RICHMOND. 67 Reynolds C. Phillips^ Joseph B. Perry, Almon K. Parker, William H. Pierce, George C. Rathbuii, Horace Slocuni, Jolin H. 81ocnm, James A. Sherman, Albert G. Sheldon, Edward S. Tabor, Thomas H. Tillinghast, E, S. Albert P. Perry, George H. Potter, Allen G. Peck, Harvey Pierce. John T. Pteynokk. Charles E. Slocum, Sheffield L. Sheniian, Charles E. Siilivan, David A. Segar. William O. Tabor, AVilliam C. Tillin^ha^t, O 7 Brightman Tucker. Charles H. AVorden, Leander L. Weaver, Sylvester AVoodmansee, Nehemiah Watson, W. Vavdon T. Wright, Thomas A. AYorden, James A. Woodmansee, John B. F. Wilbur, Henry B. Willcox. An honorable record attaches to the mest of those wiio enlisted. There were exceptions, however. One was drummed out of camp l)efore leaving the State, as unworthy a place in the army of the republic. Four deserted. Two were discharged as worthless. Two are marked as missing. As to four or five others, the Adjutant General furnishes no account whether discharged or lost. The last record is their enlistment. THE POOR. A I'll ACT i€E of doubtful compassion prevailed even at a late period. The unfortunate poor were subjected to the mercenary greed of any speculator in lunnan service. They were let in open meeting, individually, with the under- standing that the price was a balance beyond what the bid- der could realize from the service he could exact from the person, or persons, struck off to him. Thus, on August 31st, 1819, eight persons were bid off at prices varying from thirteen cents to one dollar per week 5 the total paid for the board of the eight persons, by .the town, being $4.61 per week. This was regarded as a financial improvement over the practice which had hitherto prevailed of leaving to the Town Council the care of providing homes for them. A plan of this kind may be economical, in a financial point of view, but is so likely to be a bait to men more mer- cenary than merciful, that a humane spirit would be likely to distrust the operation. We now ask special attention to a subject of importance to the poor. A practice, inaugurated by the first Town Council as their first act, a practice which has been pursued HISTORY or lllCHMOND. G9 and acted upon from time to time, but wliicli, though hoary with age, and cLaimed to he " right according to laiv]^^ we wish to dedare as abhorrent to the finer feelino-s of our in- 8tincts and we believe it to be opposed to the express direc- tions of Jehovah to his people when he led them to the land of their promised inheritance, and a violation of the Golden Rule. That Town Council passed the followino- as their first act : '^ Voted, That the Town Clerk grant out a warrant forthwith to transport out of this town into the town of Westerly, one Ebenezer Kinj^on and his wife and famih-, in order that thej^ may return to the town where of rio-ht thev belono' accordino" to Inw." MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. Ill tile year 1800, tlie amoniit of tax assessed in town on all estates, real and personal, was 8483.52.25-100. On dwellings separate from other estates, '$55.57.6-100. On lands, $426.94.65-100. On two slaves, at fifty cents eacl), -$1.00. There were two hundred and nineteen taxpayers. The largest tax wa»* assessed to Simeon Clarke : 5:9.06.6-100. The smallest, on land of Joseph Knowles, of South Kingstown, SO. 02, George James was Collector. On the 16th of September, 1796, the tax list footed up, oil the real and personal estate, -$158,459. In 1875, after a period of seventy-nine years, it footed up $1,264,200. In 1865, there were in town seven hundred and thirty- five acres of plowed land, thirty-five hundred and twenty- fom' acres of mowing land, eighty-three hundred and seventy- eight acres of pasture land, and of unimproved lands, ninetv-two hundred and eleven acres. HISTORY OF IlICHMOXD. 71 At Usqiiepaiig, there was formerh' a tavern standi n<>- directly on the line between Richmond and 8onth Kini^- town, so that the seller of liquor stood in Richmond while the drinker was in the other town. Richmond has not been without men of inventive genius. Among these we number Horace B. Knowles, who invented a mowing machine driven and operated by hand, a self-operating railroad switch, a tape machine, and a machine for putting tin tips upon boot lacings. The screw propeller is also claimed as his invention. For developing some of these, and bringing them into use, he left his native town and located in Providence. The following accounts are taken from a book whose ear list date is 1761, but, on the first page, reads: ^^May ye 24th, 1763, then come from the Fish Keels.' It appears to have been the property of Joseph Philips. It is introduced to show the difference of style and exj^res- sion in recording business acts and the change that has taken place in the manner of spelling. One of the extracts will show to what an extent colonial currency had depreciated in value. One memorandum is as follows : '^ October ye 22, 1765. Tho^- Potter Promased to Keep Petter Boss Indemnified from any cost or damage on Joseph Sanderlin's going out of Jale." An account, commenced June 24, 1764, is kept on one page in colonial currency, and another in lawful English money value. The spelling is as in the account but the amount is carried out in two columns as on the separate pages. HISTOllY OF rvICHMOXD. " John Lewis l)r £ S I) i' s D To Hitting Olio Deed & note 1 5 " '' 1 2 To the use of niv mair one day : 1 '' ;;...-" 1 '' To carino- 13a<»' of liar seed. . '' 10 '' " '' 6 To pastering a man" 2 weeks 5 days 4 15 "....'' 4 2 To keeping 3 cattle 3 weeks 18 " " '' Id 9 To keeping 3 cattle 2 days. . 2 '' " " • 1 9 To keeping a calf 7 weeks. .2 2 '' " 1 10 The credits are in lawful money. ])y the use of 2 oxen & cart to go to Teffts & fetch a loome ■■ , 1 July By 5 peacks of corne '' 5 '^ January 1765 By one bush- ei corne 4 " By 1 bushel corne.... " 4 '' Febuary By 1 bushel corne " 4 " March 8 — 1765 Credit in full l)y nie received of Lewis Joseph Pliilips." Another account on debtor side is as follows : "May ye 9th 1763 £ s I) To my a'oinp- to Providence myself and hors 12 To my dinner going down 1 5 To 2 quarts of oats 10 To 1 dram 8 To my supper and lodging 1 15 To my hors keeping 1 nite 2 15 To my l)reakfast 1 5 To 2 '(piarts of oats 10 To 1 di-am S €21 19 HISTORY OF KICHMOXD. 73 The following' is the list of the names of Town Clerks since the organization of the town in 1747 to the present (late, with the lengtli of time each served in tliat office : John Wel)ster, seven years. William Chirke, one year. Simeon Perry, three years and two montlis, when he moved from the town, and Stephen Hoxsie was elected for tlic r(MnainvJth »^iich inisgivings^ is to siuppvess* all jsticred reii'avel*^ fov law- He eoiue!^ to ol)ev law oiilv when it fiivort^ liis planS;, but evatles it ju&t as readily \vhen lie <'an do it with impunity. With ov without licenise he knowj^ no re- straint hut interest. Henee, lie flees to unv, and ^^verv tech- nicality that fav«ns the traffif. A saloon keeper will sell hi^^ L'rackerg at a price that will allow a wide niaro-in of protits^ and adds whiiskey enough to wet them, A druggij^t will fill for the eleventh time a hottle onee labeled with a doetor^s pre«cnption. Such evasions help to prepare a man to ])e untrue everj'where^ a sham and a liypocrite. i^icensed ven- ders, habitually^ vi(date their licenses^ and unlicensed ones, with an air of sanctity^ favor their patronizing friends with a sly bottle or dram^ and botli will claim and protdaim their innocence; or shelter themselves behind the hypocrisy of some blatant pretender of temperance. We have mentioned a few of the early retailers anerpetuated the evils of rum, and ofave shelter to the devotees of drink. < )utside of these in- tiiiences, arose in their might men who saw and felt that something must be done more effective than was being done to aiTest the tide of niin setting in upon the public weal. Somewhere between the year 1828 and 1833, a society was i»rgauized in the vicinity of Tug Hollow, having for its pledge abstinence from spiritous liquoi-s. This only in- cluded the idea of distilled liipiors. This was then a long step in the right dii-ection. In fact, it was as far in that direction, as the public mind was prepared for, in most other towns around. In this movement, such men as Gideon Hoxsie. AVells Reynolds, and Thomas Reynolds and his brother Robert were prominent among the men who lent a helping hand to the cause. This society flourished for some time and included many Imsiness men in that portion of the 84 HISTOIJY OF RICHMO^'i). town. Whether the total abstinence pledge was ever adopted by it, I have not learned. In the period of the Washingtonian movement, a society of that kind was organ- ized near Shannock hill, at the Boss meeting house, under the labors of Rev. John Baker. This society seemed to accomplish a good work, and, I suppose, flourished daring- the life of Elder Baker. Its influence may still dwell in the hearts and lives of many in that section of this and the adjoining towns. The question of license, or no license, became one that was brought forward for discussion. Isaac Collins, Chair- man of our Town Council for the present year, thinks he was the first Councilman who opposed the granting of any license. This was in 1834. Licenses, however, were granted over his protest. Still later, there was a struggle on the license question. y. R. Stephens took an active part as a lecturer. Some, or all the men above named, continued to be a power in town. To that list may be added, as prominent in the struggle, the names of John Olney, Deacon B. J. T. Reynolds, John Philips, Maxson T. Kenyon, Thomas Ennis, Welcome Prosser, Deacon John T. Sheldon, and others. Later still, others have continued the struggle with manly perseverance, adapting themselves to the changes of law, and the phases of the traflic. In Town Meeting, June 5, 1849, the question of grant- ing licenses was voted upon, and the result gave a majority against the granting of licenses. There were one hundred and eleven votes cast ; forty-one for license and seventy HISTORY OF RICHMOXD. 85 against license, giving a majority of twenty-nine against the traffic. Again, in 1850, the vote was retaken, and resulted, as before, in a majority condemning the traffic. Every year, when the vote was taken separately, the result was always for prohibition. Space forbids following this history in detail. Suffice it to sa}^, that the contest has been waged with alternations from side to side, giving occasion for the supposition that other motives have at times superseded high moral and political principle, in casting of the ballot of free- men in this town, so that the purity of the elective franchise has become a secondary consideration. In fact, it is cur- rently reported that enough men can be found in town to give the balance of power, who will as readily put their vote in the market as they would their horse or their dog. ^'Free rum," of course, has a weighty influence over men of so venal a ballot. Arouse the public conscience, make the ballot sacred, and patriotism a pure flame, and the orgies of the vile traffic would be hushed and bacchanalian revels would be succeeded by the hum of industry and the songs of peace. May I not here appeal to the latent patriotism of the men eno-aofed in the traffic f Have vou not lono- enough followed a business which virtually barters the bodies and souls of your neighbors for a mess of miserable pottage, less worthy than that for which Esau^ sold his birthright ? The motive to transmit to your children the fruit of your toil is a worthy one 5 but, to heap up treasures by the blood of the victims of your traffic, will entail a mildew on treas- ures thus acquired. If you sow to the wind, your children S6 HISTORi' OF KICHMO^n. and rlnldven's children may reap -the whirlwind. On this eenteiinial year, let the love of country, the love of liuniaii- ity, rhe above the love of gain. Emulate the example of the men who pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred lionors^ in their country's cause. Htrike out for an example worthy of yourselvcirt, and transmit to your jmsterity a name that will be dearer to children's children than houses* and lands, and treasures of gold, in a town blighted by the perpetual curse of rum. License to sell intoxicating liquors as a beverage is a crime affainst human societv, and a sin aii*ainst God. No man has a light to grant, or accept such a license. Far less would be the evil to grant license for petty larceny, litis would make property insecure ; but ihat robs humanity of its heaven-born treasures ; yea, it robs man of himself, an«l every sacred treasure. AVith tliis fa<;t beftu'e them, as the known and legitimate result of licenses, how could the ap- pointed guardians of the ])ublic interest, our late Town Council, grant five such licenses as a sort of finishing act in their public career \ They not only granted licenses, but l(?aped over the accustomed order, and forestalled the public will, to please the rlevotees of rum. They granted licenses for the year over wliicli tlieir successors should have liad the prerogative, and for which they should have been responsi- ble. But the Council are not alone responsible. The record of the Town Clerk shows that the legal notice was given after the petitioners ifpjdied for license, and no one appeared to protest against the granting of said licenses. Tliis does not relieve the Council, for they were the chosen guardians of the public interest. The Town Clerk, *and all citizens HISTORY OF RICHMOND. 87 liaving a knowledge of the application, share in the respon- sibility as truly as the Council. In vain can any one think to excuse himself with the response of Cain : ^^ Am I my brothei*'s keeper ?•' Though hand join in hand, God has said : the wicked shall not go unpunished. To Him, then, we must commit the cause where its issues are beyond our reach. Thus partially ferestalled, the friends of temperance are admonished to greater vigilence and to an unceasing toil till their work is crow-ned with a victory complete and per- petual. The traffic has fought long and hard, and its throes betoken its coming death struggles. The history of the last fifty years is full of promise to the men of faith. Every apparent defeat has been the prelude to a more exalted vic- tory. Dark clouds have lowered only to be followed by brighter sunshine. Let none falter, but, let all raise their Ebenezer on the Rock of Truth. Yea, let all the men of might say : " Hitherto hath the Lord helped us." Let the l)anner of Hope cheer the struggling Coharts, and long ere the bicentennial of our favored land shall be ushered in, Rum and its minions will be vanquished foes. SUPPLEMENT. GENEALOGICAL. The following g-eucalogics of faiiiilie?^, soiiio of wlio^e branches liave vcsidod in Richmond, may be of interest to the present and future generations. They are the result of careful research and are believed to be correct : BABCOCK. The first definite history at hand, of the branch of this family that settled in Richmond, was in the person of George Babcock, who, in 1709, was one of the recipients of the Shannock purchase. His portion took the south end of 8hannock Hill 5 and, on the west side, extended to the Pawcatuck liver. He died May 1st, 1756, in liis eighty- third year. His wife, Elizabeth, died ^lay 1st, 1762, aged ninety years. HISTORY OF RICHMOND. 89 Elisha Babcock, son of the above, was born MTty*l87 1718. Simeon, liis son, was born May 31, 1745, and died September 21, 1806. Mary Babcock, liis widow, died in Ivichmond, Jnly 20, 1847, aged ninety-seven years. Sim- <'on, liis son, lived on the west side of Sliannock bill, where he built and operated a tannery, etc. He was drowned at the Charlestown ])reach. Members of liis family still reside in the vicinity. Joseph H. Babcock, of Carolina, and Edmund S. Bab- cock, of Wakefield, belong to branches of the same family. BARBER. Samuel Barber came from England and settled in what is now Ilichmond, in about 1714. His son, Caleb Barber, was ten years old at that time. He lived where Deacon J. (.'. Baker now lives, and died in 1816, aged ninety-two years. Elder Benjamin Barber, son of Samuel, lived near the school-house on TifFt hill. ^Moses Barber, another son, lived on Bald hill. Alanson Barber, of Arcadia, was grandson, and Archibald Barber, of Carolina, a son of Caleb -Barber. CLARKE. The lineage of this family, now so very numerous in Richmond and vicinity, can be traced back to 1559, as follows : AVilliam Clarke, one of the first settlers in what is now Kichmond, was the son of Joseph Clarke, who died at Westerly, January 11th, 1726, aged eighty-three years. This Joseph was the son of Joseph Clarke, who was born December 9th, 1618, and died June 1st, 1694. He was 12 \H) HLSTORr OF KICHMOXD. iiuiiied an assistant in tlie charter of 1663, and was hrother to Dr. John Chirke, of Newport, who procured the charter tVoiii the Crown. Dr. Clarke was a man of weakh and i-enowned for integrity and patriotism. The last named, Joseph Clarke, was the son of Thomas ( 'larke, wdio was born on All Saints' Day, Xovemher, 1570, He died Jnly 27, 1627. His father, John Clark<', was born February, 1514, and was bnried* April 7, 1598. He was tlie son of John Clarke, of whom all that is known is, tliat ]i<* was bnried March 3d, A. D. 1559. We "will now retnrn to the record of AVilliam Clarke. He was born in Newport in 1670, and died in Richmond Kebruary 28, 1767, aged ninety-seven years. He had four brothers, Samuel, Thomas, Joseph and John. His son William was born at Newport, in 1702, and died at Rich- mond, March 28, 1786. He had five otlier sons : Thomas. .Jonathan, Caleb, Robert and Elisha. The sons of the last named, William, were : James, William, Gideon, Joshua, Peter and Weeden. Gideon was the grandfather of John (i. Clarke, of South Kingstown. Jonathan was tlie grand- father of Halsey P. Clarke. Weeden lived and died at ."^hannock hill, in Richmond^ leaving four sons: Weeden. Peleg, (Dr.) Pardon and William. The children of Jonathan Clarke above named, were : Jonathan, Abraham, Josiah, Nathaniel, Tabitha, Sarah, Benjamin, Hannah and David. David was born ()ct\ Wanton f.illibridge, one of Ids descendentsj also the ['aim owned by X. Iv. Clnireli, and, perhaps, more l»esides. Ilr ynn, wliere tliey had eighteen children. The (ddest was named John, who, with his father, was drowned. A tn-i this, his mother calhMl the youngest John, who lia Agricialture ^^ Arcadia 57-oS Barberous persecution of Quakers — cause of exclusiveness. .14 Boss meeting house 17 Brand's iron works, etc ol Bribery and corruption 8- i) Brothers' Cotton Manufacturing Company ol— 52 Chaise with leathern thorough-brace springs 25 Charlestown 7 Characterii^tics -^ Churches, or societies, as perennial organizations 11 Church at WooJville 18 Churches, influence of those on the borders of the town 18-19 Clarke's Mills o6 Colony at Wickford G Constitution — submitted to the people of the States — Jona- than Maxson 36 Country stores 26 Declaration of Independence, indorsing 32 Deed W. R. B. church property 12-13 Destructive gales— 1809— ISlo 73 DispOf^ition Ol' Lands— "Shannock Purchase ".43-44 Doctrine of equal rights 9 Drays, extemporized — carrj'ing liglit burdens on horseback. 2o Dressed hog on horseback — three hundred pounds 2o-26 HISTORY OF RICHMOND. 9/5 Early Settler?^— i^'^^n^es of heaas of families 37-41 Education 20 Education, disadvantages by reason of a lack of .22-2o Elliptical steel springs 25 Enrolled itself as Ricliiuond in King's county, State of R. T.32 Farming in tlie early days — remarks 28 First cotton factory "fTT"^. 50-51 First one-horse wagon 24-25 First Town Meeting 29 First wagon — what Mr, Lillibridge says 26 First house of worship built in toAvn 13 First tavern 51 Freedom to worship God 10 Freeman's oath 8 Gardner Nichols's father and the two Lockshire plows 25 Grasshopper seats 25 Habits — restraints .• 27-28 Heroic lovers — John Babcock and Mary Lawton G Hillsdale 54-55 Holburton 55-5(i How history of the town can be traced 5 Intelligence and virtue of the individual 22 Joseph Nichols's grist mill 52-53 King's county (or province) 7 Letter to the Town Council 3-4 Lic_1110r Selling— c^i'inking— effects— remarks 75-87 Lockshire plow 24 Lover and his lass — pi] lion 24 Maiiiifactiii'es 48-58 Marriage — Job Irish and Mary Weaver 15-17 Mills and Mill P^ropertj^ 4o_47 MiscellaneonS— Oltl accounts, etc 70-72 Misquamicut - 7 Name propounded to become a freeman 8 Olueys' factory— J. T. Sheldon 52 Otlier Enterprises — poultry— cranberries — leather — peat and muck — ponds — bogs — daii^y 59-61 Pastors W. R. B. church 11-12 Peacedale Manufacturing Company — Carolina Mills Co 53 Plainville 56-57 96 HISTORY OF RICHMOND. P»OOr 68-69 Profanity 27 Quakers 13 Quo warranto in 1665 6 Railroads 62 Religious meetings in private houses 17-18 Records, church 13 Rights inherent in the nature of man, etc 26-27 Richmond set off as a separate town 7-8 Royal charter o Rowse Clarke's wagon shop 26 Rum 53 School Superintendent's report 20 Schools — " My own experience as a teacher " 20-21 Schools, free 21 Shannock ; 58 Statistics— 1774, etc 41-42 Susannah Barber • • • • 49 Teriffic snow storm — 1811 73-74 The Chui'clies n Their [x] mark 21-22 Town Council — must bear their own expenses 30 Town Clerks, names of 73 Tug Hollow 55 Usquepaug 58 Virgin soil 27 Wars, earliest 9-10 War, French and Indian — Manner in which town acted. . . .30-31 War of the Revolution 32-35 -^3-pj^_1812— Dorr— Rebellion 63-64 War, Rebellion, names of volunteers 65-67 War of Rebellion, town expenditures 64-65 Westerly, fifth town in the colony — Richmond, etc 7 Wood River or Six-Principle Baptist church 11 Woodville 54 Women's jireparative 14 SUPPLEMENT. Greiiealo<»'ic*al — Babcock — Barber — Clarke — Lilli- bridge— Collins— Moore 88-93