I" ,'» YALE ? VNIVERSITY *
?LIBR.AR.Y'

FROM THE FVND IN MEMORY OF
FRANKLIN BOWDITCH DEXTER.
SECRpTA^UBR/UQAN-HlSTORJAN OFYME

FRANK C. ANGELL.

ANNALS
OF CENTERDALE

In the town of

North Providence, Rhode Island
Its Past and Present

1636- 1909

BY
FRANK C. ANGELL

" He that wishes to be counted among the benefactors of posterity
must add by his own toil to the acquisitions of his ancestors." — Rambler.

Copyright, 1909,
By Frank C. Angell

^ — j* C-. C^^

CENTRAL FALLS, R. t /Zh

PRESS OF
FREEMAN COMPANY

IN LOVING MEMORY
OF MY
FATHER AND MOTHER
I AFFECTIONATELY
DEDICATE THIS BOOK.

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PREFACE.

Truth needs not many words, but a false tale a large preamble.
In presenting this volume to the public I do so with the
full appreciation that it will be, to a large extent, of local
interest. In answer to the question why I undertook the task of
writing the history of the little New England village, I
would say that I was prompted to do so from a feeling of
regard and admiration for the old-time residents of the
village, when each and every one had the welfare of his
neighbor at heart — smiling upon his successes and sym
pathizing with him in his adversities.
Again I would answer, that most people have within
their hearts an indescribable feeling of love or regard for
the place of their birth or the home of their adoption, — "be
it ever so humble," — the place where they have beheld the
rising and the setting of the sun for more than half a
century, and have watched with pride the planting and
growth of the various industries and institutions around
their homes.
In undertaking the task I did so fully realizing that the
task of the historian is a difficult one, even when it is, as
in the present instance, the recording of events relatively
small and unimportant in themselves to the general
public, but interesting subjects of thought and conver-

Xll ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
sation to those who have known the village in later times,
and whose lives are or have been connected with the
history of Centerdale by birth or residence or by family
ties more or less distant.
I believe I am right when I say that I am not alone in
liking to hear the story of the first settlement and growth
of Centerdale, to know who were the first to make their
homes here, who built the first house, and, as time went
on, to know when and how came to be established the
first industry, the first schoolhouse, church, hotel, and
other public and private houses and buildings which go
to make up a typical New England village.
Neither is it too much to hope that those who come
after us may with to glance back along the lines of the
early days of Centerdale, and learn something of its early
history. In my endeavor to carry out the plan of presenting as
faithful and true an account as possible, it has been neces
sary to depend entirely upon original research. In doing
so I have made use of not only all the public and private
records, old deeds, diaries, and account books obtainable
by me, but also of family and village tradition in so far
as the latter might be made to square with indubitable
historical facts. And from these sources, with much
hard work of searching records and the even harder task
of unaccustomed authorship to contend with, I present
this volume to the public, asking indulgence for its
imperfections. F. c. A.

CONTENTS.

Chapter I.

Introduction

PAGE. I

Chapter II.
Original and Subsequent Land Owners 163 6-1909 . . 4
Chapter III.
The Colonial Saw-Mill . .19
Chapter IV.
The First House — The Epenetus Olney Homestead . 23
Chapter V.
The Revolutionary Powder-Mill . . 30
Chapter VI.
Highways (with map) — The Old Colonial Road — The Powder-
Mill Turnpike (now Smith Street) — The Farnum Turnpike
(now Waterman Avenue) — Mineral Spring Turnpike (now
Mineral Spring Avenue) — The Woonasquatucket River
Road (now Woonasquatucket Avenue) 39
Chapter VII.
Transportation — Teaming with Horses and Oxen — Stage-
Coach Days — Steam Railroad — Electric Cars . . 49

XIV ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
Chapter VIII.
The Spinning Mill— The Cotton Mill— The Worsted Mill . 58
Chapter IX.
Schools . . . . .... 66
Chapter X.
Churches — The Baptist Meeting House — St. Alban's Church
(Episcopal) — The Centerdale Methodist Church — St.
Lawrence Church (Roman Catholic) . 77
Chapter XL
The Village Tavern .... . .... 97
Chapter XII.
The Country Cobbler — The Harness Maker  116
Chapter XIII.
The Village Blacksmith Shop— The Wheelwright Shop— The
First Livery Stable ... . 121
Chapter XIV.
The Village Butcher . .132
Chapter XV.
The First Store— The Post-Omce :38
Chapter XVI.
The War Record . . - 147

CONTENTS. XV
Chapter XVII.
Union Library . . . 159
Chapter XVIII.
Fraternal Orders and Musical Organizations — The Roger
Williams Lodge, No. 32, A. F. & A. M. — Woonasquatucket
Lodge, No. 53, I. O. of G. T. — Enterprise Temple of
Honor, No. 26 — The Centerdale Cornet Band — The Young
American Fife and Drum Band 169
Chapter XIX.
Various Industries — The Pharmacy — The Spectacle Maker —
The Plane Manufacturer — The Undertaker 177
Chapter XX.
The Town Hall, or the Seat of the Town Government 183
Chapter XXI.
Biographical Sketches . - 187
Chapter XXII.
Lydia Wilcox  192

CHAPTER I.
Introduction.
BEFORE we tell the early history of the village of
Centerdale, let us for a moment turn our thoughts
back to a time long before the country was known to the
white man ; to a time when only the native Indian roamed
the primeval forests, whose solitude was broken only by
the rustling of the leaves of the forest trees, the howling
of the wild beasts, or the fierce war-cry of the red man.
Let us picture in our minds the country as formed and
fashioned by nature's hand; behold it, in all its picturesque
beauty, before the pioneer's axe had hewn the stately
trees that grew upon the hillside; see it before the plow
share had torn from the fields their soft green mantle.
Let us in our reverie stand for a moment upon the moss-
covered banks of the beautiful Woonasquatucket, whose
waters flowed with peaceful current beside the hill and
through the vale, and trace its winding course along the
path nature seemed to have carved for it ; around the foot
of the verdant hills, and down through the valley and the
green meadows.
Let us pause for a moment and listen to the rippling
of the little brooklets as they come prancing down the
hillside, looking, in the glow of the setting sun, like silver
ribbons dropped from the sky, hurrying along .to join
their larger companion, who was silently moving on to
mingle with the headwaters of Narragansett bay; while
here and there along the banks of the stream we see the

2 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
wigwam of the Indian, while not far away we discern the
dusky form of the red man, whose watchful eye and
attentive ear are ever alert to the dangers that constantly
beset his home, and unconscious of the fact that soon the
intruding pioneer will cause him to retire farther and
farther into the wilderness, and that their cherished hunt
ing grounds ere long will be transformed into busy com
munities; the intense silence which had reigned for cen
turies will soon be broken by the clanking of the loom or
the rumble and roar of the swiftly moving train.
But how soon was this change to come about? As the
sturdy pioneers pushed their way back into the country,
the surrounding scene seemed to change like the shifting
scenes of a play-house.
The native Indian, unused to the white man's ways,
withdrew to more quiet sections of the country; the
beautiful Woonasquatucket, whose waters for centuries
had flowed untrammeled to the sea, was soon curbed in
its course and made to lend its strength to turn the heavy
millstone, and to force the saw through the oaken log to
provide material for the settler's home.
The forests ere long were changed into fertile fields;
roads constructed where only the narrow Indian trails
were found; and the settler's cottage had taken the place
of the wigwam of the Indian.
But let us see if we can tell the interesting story of
who were the first settlers of this vicinity, whose axe
felled the first tree, whose plowshare turned the first sod,
who built the first house, whose hand first harnessed the
waters of the Woonasquatucket, who and when was
started the first business enterprise, who first labored in
Christ's vineyard, and caused to be erected the first
church.

INTRODUCTION. 6
To be able to answer all or any of the questions would
be both pleasing and interesting.
But time in her rapid flight has drawn the curtain
behind several generations, and among those who have
passed away were many who helped to make the history
we are about to tell, leaving behind them bright illus
trations of a Christian life, and examples of their energy,
thrift, and patriotism.
After the lapse of more than two hundred and sixty
years one is obliged to rely more or less upon tradition
and reminiscences for information pertaining to many
unrecorded events and personages of those early days;
but these should be accepted only when they are in
harmony with recorded facts.
Traditions and family legends are often, however, of
historical value; even though they may not be strictly
correct in all of their details, they furnish the key to
unlock the door to the information we are seeking, and
with their aid the old colonial records can be read with a
clearer understanding; for many of the records of the
early days of the colony are very obscure and indefinite,
though undoubtedly clearly understood at the time. Espe
cially is this the case with the land transfers, and in such
cases family tradition and reminiscences lend valuable
help to a clear understanding of that which is obscure
in the colonial records.

CHAPTER II.
The Original and Subsequent Land Owners of
Centerdale, 1636-1909.
AFTER Roger Williams and his little band of fol
lowers, consisting of Thomas Angell, Joshua Verin,
John Smith (the miller), William Harris, and Francis
Wickes, had landed upon the shores of Providence Plan
tations, they settled upon land previously secured, or
purchased, by Roger Williams, from the Indians.
In purchasing the land from the Indians, Roger Wil
liams was only carrying out one of the principles he
always advocated while at Plymouth and Salem, as well
at the Providence Plantations: that the Indians were the
true and rightful owners of the land they occupied, and
were the only ones who could convey a title to them ; that
the patent or grant from the king of England could
convey no title to them to any one, nor could any foreign
potentate lawfully give away their territory.
There does not appear to be any written document
conveying the land from the Indians to Roger Williams
until March 24th, 1638, when the following deed, or memo
randum, as it was called, was given and signed by the
two great chieftains Canonicus and Miantonomo, chiefs
of the Narragansett Indians:
"At Nanhiggansick the 24th of the first month com
monly called March in the second year of our plantation
or planting at Mooshausick or Providence. Memo
randum: that we Caunaunicus and Meauntunomi, the

LAND OWNERS OF CENTERDALE. 5
two chief sachems of Nanhiggansick, having two years
since sold unto Roger Williams, the lands and meadows
upon the two fresh rivers called Mooshausick and Woon
asquatucket, do now by these presents establish, and
confirm the bounds of those lands, from the river and
fields at Pawtucket, the great hill of Neotaconkonitt, on
the North-west, and the town of Mashapauge on the west.
As also in consideration of the many kindnesses and ser
vices he hath continually done for us, both with our
friends of Massachusetts, as also at Quinickicutt and
Apaum or Plymouth, we do freely give unto him all that
land from those rivers reaching to Pawtuxet River, as
also the grass and meadows upon said Pawtuxet river,
"In Witness where of we have hereunto set our hands

-L.

"The mark of _^ I — ^_ Caunaunicus
"The mark of J Meauntonomi

"In the presence of
"The mark of )^ Seatash
"The mark of ^ Assotemenit
" 1639 Memorandum 3d mo 9th day. This was all
again confirmed by Miantonomi, he acknowledged this
his act and hand up the streams of Pawtucket and Paw
tuxet without limits, we might have for our use of cattle
"Witness hereof "Roger Williams
"Benedict Arnold"
This deed, or memorandum, is the first or earliest land
conveyance found recorded in the early records of Provi
dence, and without doubt the earlier sale spoken of in
this deed was a verbal agreement.

6 annals of centerdale.
During the summer of the same year that Roger Wil
liams arrived he was joined by six others, who arrived
in time to receive their allotment in the first division of
land. After the first division of land into home sites, and six-
acre lot of meadow land, the balance of the land lying
upon the Mooshausick and Woonasquatucket rivers to
the limit of the grant was called the common, and in
cluded all land not sold or allotted to any of the settlers,
and extended north up the Woonasquatucket river seven
miles from Fox Point to a bound called the seven-mile
line, which is about where the Smithfield line is now
located. As the colony increased in number, and personal safety
became more secure, the pioneers naturally pushed their
way back into the country a few miles from the Providence
settlement, and took up land from the commons; and as
this practice grew, it became evident that a more business
like method of conveying land titles must be had in order
that confusion might not result, and a committee was
appointed with full power to sign deeds of land in behalf
of the colony, this committee consisting, in 1669, of John
Throckmorton, Arthur Fenner, and Henry Brown. The
writer has in his possession one of the deeds executed by
this committee in 1669. The deed is written upon parch
ment, and is yet in a fair state of preservation for a docu
ment so old, but very few of these deeds being now in
existence. Among those to thus push out into the common land
and take up holdings therein were Thomas Angell, John
Smith, Epenetus Olney, and Richard Pray, and these men
appear to have been the pioneers in the settlement of that

land owners of centerdale. 7
portion of the Woonasquatucket valley which afterward
became known as Centerdale.
Of these, Thomas Angell came from England in 1631
when he was a lad of some 12 or 13 years, and apparently
in charge of Roger Williams, whose protege he seems to
have been, not only accompanying the founder of Provi
dence from England to Boston, but later making one of
the party of five who came with Roger Williams from the
Massachusetts colony in 1636.
When the first division of land was made among Provi
dence settlers Thomas Angell received, in common with
the others, a six-acre lot of land, although he was clearly
too young to sign the civil agreement entered into by the
other members of the pact, but which he signed afterwards.
His lot, however, was number two on the division list,
and included the land on which the First Baptist Church
of Providence now stands, and a part of the section
traversed by Angell street.
Thomas Angell married and had two sons, John and
James; and five daughters, Amphillis, Mary, Deborah,
Alice, and Margaret. He died in 1695; but during his
life he had taken up several tracts of land, and one of these
claims he gave to his grandson, James Angell, son of
John Angell, who soon afterwards sold it to his brother,
John Angell, Junior. This farm was located on the west
side of the Woonasquatucket river, and included the land
near the present railroad crossing, at Centerdale, ex
tending along the west side of the river nearly to the
Smithfield line as now laid out. This farm contained
about 200 acres, and covered the present site of the village
of Graniteville as well as a portion of Centerdale.
By deed dated July 26th, 1728, John Angell, Jr., con-

8 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
veyed a part of this farm to his son Stephen, who became,
by the death of his father in 1744, the owner of the whole
farm, where he lived and raised a large family, nine boys
and two girls. One of these boys, John Angell, was
among the first to enlist in the Revolutionary War, having
promptly joined General Warren, at Bunker Hill, where
he assisted in throwing up the embankments at that place
and took part in the battle which followed. He served
in the Continental Army throughout the war, and received
the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Stephen Angell died in 1772 and willed the place to his
son William, who afterwards disposed of it to his brother
Daniel. After Daniel came into possession of the farm
he, in 1774, erected the house, now standing in Granite-
ville, and generally known to local people as the Olney
W. Angell place.
When Daniel Angell died, May 9th, 1810, he gave the
farm to his son Olney; and upon the death of Olney
Angell, in 1856, he dying intestate, his son Olney W.
Angell purchased it; the farm, in the meantime, having
been divided into a number of small farms and home
sites, leaving less than one-half of the original farm to be
disposed of in this manner.
Upon the death of Olney W. Angell, February 5th,
1879, he, too, dying intestate, it passed to his children, who
still, 1909, hold it in common with each other. And thus
we have a complete line of ownership of a large tract, from
the original grant from the Indians to Roger Williams,
down to the present day.
One of the objects in tracing this tract of land, which
is largely in the village of Graniteville, is that the southerly
or lower end of the farm is a portion of the territory of

MAP OF THE ORIGINAL CLAIMS OR FARMS

LAND OWNERS OF CENTERDALE. 11
Centerdale, and upon this part was erected the Colonial
Powder-Mill, an account of which will be given in another
chapter; and upon this farm was also erected the second
house built in the village of Centerdale.
The original proprietors of the land on the east side of
the river where the village of Centerdale is located were
John Smith, Epenetus Olney, and Richard Pray. To
establish the exact boundary of the several allotments
would be impossible, but by patient research a map of
the original farms has been prepared for this work;
and reference thereto will serve to give a general idea of
their location. No claim is made, for this map, of absolute
accuracy in regard to scale ; but the street lines are correct,
and the boundary lines of the farm are as near correct
as they can be made, after the lapse of about 250 years,
with the very indefinite land records of the first 100 years
as a guide. And to one unacquainted with old land
marks and local history, the reproduction of a map of
the claims of the original owners would be a difficult, if
not impossible, task.
In taking up a farm from the original rights, or the
commonings as they were called in the early days of the
colony, the idea is suggested that the settlers were familiar
with the old saying, "git a plenty while ye are gitting,"
for the farms in those days contained 100, 200, and some
times 300, acres, and usually every man owned several
farms in different parts of the colony.
The land where the business center of the village of
Centerdale is located was taken up from the commonings
by John Smith, about 1680; but which of the many John
Smiths it was who secured this land is not easy to deter
mine, because John was a favorite name with the Smith

12 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
family in those early days, as at the present time, the name
occurring so often that some designation, or title, was often
used to denote the John Smith referred to as John Smith,
Senior; John Smith, Junior; John Smith, "Mason;"
John Smith, "Miller;" John Smith, "Carpenter;" and,
sometimes, plain John Smith.
However, it is certain that John Smith (probably the
miller) took up this land, and also that he had a son John
Smith; and when John Smith, Senior, died, a portion of
his estate lying upon the east side of the Woonasquatucket
river was given to his son John Smith, Junior. This
farm contained 160 acres, and was bounded as follows:
Starting at a point on the Woonasquatucket river a few
rods beyond the present junction of Waterman avenue
and Smith street, and running in an easterly direction 320
rods, or nearly one mile; thence running in a southerly
direction 80 rods, or one-quarter of a mile ; thence running
in a westerly direction 320 rods to the river; thence fol
lowing the river in a northerly direction to the first-men
tioned bound. (See map.)
John Smith, while he was still living, gave the farm to
two of his sons, Philip and William, who owned it jointly.
After the death of Philip, his wife, Sarah Smith, was
appointed administratrix upon his estate, and as Philip
Smith owed his father a considerable sum of money, she
turned over his half, or share, of the farm to his father to
secure him from loss of the money loaned. This share
was that part lying upon the Woonasquatucket river, and
is where the village of Centerdale is situated.
March 15, 1736, John Smith sold the farm to John
Whipple, who probably bought it on speculation, for he
soon afterwards, on January 6th, 1737, sold the same to

LAND OWNERS OF CENTERDALE. 13
Nathaniel Day, who came from Attleboro, Massachusetts,
and who made it his homestead place until his death.
The house is still standing, and is a little distance north
of the line of Mineral Spring avenue, nearly opposite the
junction of Brown street, and is now the property of
Charles A. Brown.
James Angell, son of Stephen, who was great grandson
of the original Thomas Angell, mentioned in this chapter,
and brother of Col. John Angell of Revolutionary fame,
won the hand of Amey, daughter of Nathaniel Day, and
they were married February i, 1760. The enterprising
and industrious habits of this young man so greatly
pleased his wife's parents that, in 1770, Nathaniel Day
deeded one-half of his farm to his son-in-law, and in 1772
he gave him the other half of the farm, together with
other lands, including one-eighth of the saw-mill property,
standing on Richard Coman's land, stating in the deed
of gift that he did so from the great love and confidence he
had in James Angell.
Upon the death of Nathaniel Day, James Angell and
his wife continued to live upon the homestead, and there
eleven children were born to them; the two youngest,
James and Nathaniel, being, however, the only ones who
remained permanently in this locality and were directly and
prominently identified in the future progress of the village.
Upon the death of James Angell, Senior, he gave the
homestead farm to his youngest son, Nathaniel, who con
tinued to live upon it until his death, August 14, 1872; or,
to be exact, upon such part of it as he had not disposed
of during his lifetime. After his death the remainder of
the farm was platted and sold for home sites; the plat
being known as the Nathaniel Angell plat.

14 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
Nathaniel's brother, James, not receiving any part of
his father's property, like many other enterprising young
men, started out to make his own fortune, and learned
the carpenter's trade, serving his apprenticeship with his
brother Emor, and was considered an expert carpenter.
In 1824 he purchased from his brother Nathaniel a por
tion of the homestead place, this purchase being the part
which now constitutes the business portion of the village
of Centerdale. He continued to own and improve this
part of it until his death, in 1870, when he gave it to his
youngest son, James Halsey Angell; and at the latter's
death, in 1890, it passed to his two sons, George F. and
Frank C. Angell, the last-named having still in his pos
session a large part of the estate. Thus we have a com
plete line of ownership of the central part of the village,
from the Indians in 1636 to the present time (1909).
The land adjoining the Smith claim on the north (see
map) was taken up from the original rights by Richard
Pray; but it is impossible to determine the exact date, as
he was an extensive land owner and took up land from
the commonings in different parts of the colony, the de
scriptions of which, as given in the deeds, are so confusing
and indefinite that many of the claims are impossible to
locate. But it is certain that Richard Pray was in the colony
and bought land as early as 1652, and his name does not
appear upon the lecord as living in this section later than
1 7 14. It appears that he sold his claim here to Richard
Coman, in 1700. This Richard Coman died in 1716; but
the name of Richard seems to have been a favorite one
with the Coman family, for it was handed down through
several generations, and the last member of the family to

LAND OWNERS OF CENTERDALE. 15
own this land was named Richard; the name of Coman,
however, finally disappearing from the records of this
section about the year 1825.
In the year 1810, when cotton-spinning by water-power
was still in its infancy, William Bellows and Jonathan
Congdon foresaw the advantages offered by the Woon
asquatucket river, and bought a portion of the land owned
by Richard Coman, including the saw-mill and grist-mill
privileges, together with the adjoining land owned by
Nathaniel Angell, James Angell, and others, with the
right to raise the dam. They, however, for want of
capital, and knowledge of the business, abandoned the
idea of erecting a mill, and March 8, 181 2, sold the land
to Israel Arnold.
Arnold immediately set to work to build the mill, an
account of which will be given in another chapter ; but in
1823 he sold the premises to Richard Anthony, who in
1838 sold the same to Joseph Cunliff, who, with others to
whom he had mortgaged it, sold it in 1859 to Amos N.
Beckwith, the property remaining with the Beckwith
family until January 1891, when it was sold to Messrs.
Green and Baldwin, who afterwards sold it to the present
owners, James Lister, William Mackie, and William
Dracup, who still own it under the corporate name of
the Centerdale Worsted Company.
The original proprietor of the land south of the Smith
claim was Epenetus Olney, who was the second son of
Thomas Olney, one of the original twelve settlers who
received a home share and meadow land from Roger
Williams's first purchase from Canonicus and Mianto
nomo. He was not, however, one of the little party who
came with Roger Williams, but he joined them soon

16 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
after, and in time to receive his share when the first
division of land was made. Thomas Olney was promi
nent in the public affairs of the colony, and was elected
its first treasurer. He came from London in the ship
"Planter," with his wife (who was Mary Small), in 1635.
They had, at the time of their arrival in Boston, two
sons: Thomas, 3 years old, and Epenetus, one year old.
Other children were born to them; but as Epenetus is the
only one who settled in the immediate vicinity of Center-
dale, no effort will be made to follow the descendants of
the other children of Thomas Olney.
Few family names occur more frequently in land con
veyances of this section than that of Olney, and their
frequent purchases and exchanges, with the very indefinite
boundaries, render it difficult, and in many cases im
possible, to determine the exact location of all the holdings
of Thomas Olney and his descendants. But it is certain
that the land south of the Smith claim (see map) was
taken up from the original rights by Epenetus Olney,
about one-half of the farm in May, 1675, the rest in June,
1686. He died in 1698, and his son Epenetus, Jr., re
ceived as his share of his father's estate a tract of land
containing about 120 acres, joining on the south the land
of John Smith, and extending westerly to the Woonas
quatucket river (see map). Here he erected a house and
made it his homestead place, residing there until his
death, September 17, 1740. This house was the first
house erected in Centerdale, and is situated on Angell
avenue, and is now the residence of Thomas H. Angell.
(An account of this house will be given in another chapter.)
After the death of Epenetus Olney, Jr., the farm passed
to his eldest son, James, who lived there until his death,

LAND OWNERS OF CENTERDALE. 17
February ioth, 1770, when he gave it to his son Samuel.
In 1813, Samuel dying intestate, James Burr was ap
pointed administrator upon his estate, and sold the place
to Isaac Bullard, who, shortly afterwards, in 1816, con
veyed the place to James Burr, and in 1835, after the
death of James Burr, about 50 acres of the farm, or that
part lying between Smith street and the Woonasquatucket
river, was sold by the heirs of James Burr to James Angell,
who had previously, in 1824, bought the adjoining land
upon the north from his brother Nathaniel.
It is upon these two sections owned by James Angell
that the greater part of the village of Centerdale is now
situated. After the death of James Angell, November 22, 1870,
that part of his estate passed to his son, James Halsey
Angell, who held it until his death, July 1st, 1890, when
it passed to his two sons George F. and Frank C. Angell.
George F. Angell received as his share that part of
what is now know as River View plat, lying south of
Steere street and between Woonasquatucket avenue and
the river.
The rest of the land is still in the possession of Frank
C. Angell, who platted that part lying between Smith
street and Woonasquatucket river avenue into home sites,
the plat being known as Highland Park plat.
The rest of the Epenetus Olney farm, after the death of
James Burr, remained in the Burr family until 1855,
with the exception of a few acres which were sold to
Randall H. and Sarah Tallman, in 1854.
The remainder, including the house, was sold by the
heirs of Burr to Martha A. Farnum, in 1855 ; and December
22d, 1856, she sold the same to Mary A. Yeomans, who

18 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
in 1865 sold the property to Thomas Holden Angell, who
still, in 1909, owns and occupies the homestead house and
land surrounding it. In 1898 he sold a portion of it to
Frank C. Angell, who platted it into home sites, the plat
being known as Highland Park annex.
No attempt has been made to note the various sub
divisions of the three original claims, as the object of this
chapter was to follow the direct line of ownership of the
land received from the Indians to the present time. By
referring to the maps in this work, the principal sub
division can be readily followed out.

CHAPTER III.
The Colonial Saw-Mill.
His echoing axe the settler swung
Amid the sea-like solitude,
And rushing, thundering, down were flung
The Titans of the wood. — A. B. Street.
AFTER the axe of the pioneer had made a clearing
in the forest, and by persistent industry and perse
verance had changed the clearing into fertile fields, their
attention was next directed towards providing more com
fortable homes for their families, who had already braved
many cold New England winters in their rude log-cabins.
Among the first obstacles that confronted the early
settlers was the entire absence of proper material with
which to construct comfortable homes. Saw-mills, brick
and lime kilns, were unknown to the new country; the
slow and laborious process of the saw-pit afforded no
relief, except for such limited supply of boards that were
needed for farm-wagons, doors, etc.
As late as 1680 there were but four saw-mills in the
colony, and they were widely distributed over a large
tract of territory extending from Woonsocket to Paw
tuxet; so the settler was compelled to erect such shelter
as he could from the means at hand.
To copy the wigwam of the Indian would furnish but a
poor substitute for the comfortable homes many of them

20 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
had left behind them in the old country, and but little
protection against the attacks of the Indians, who were
soon jealous of the encroachment of the white man upon
their hunting-grounds.
So the log-cabin was their only resort, and for a time
they must be content with their rude quarters, with the
scanty light from the open door or perhaps a lone window,
which must be securely closed with a strong plank shutter
at night as a protection against an attack from the Indians
or from wild beasts which roamed the forest ; and to keep
out the cold in the winter, in the daytime oiled paper was
used as a substitute for glass, as but little glass was
brought to this country in the early colonial days.
About the year 1680 Captain Richard Arnold turned his
attention to the building of saw-mills, in different parts
of the colony wherever sufficient water-power and supply
of logs could be secured to make it profitable. He had
already one in operation at Woonsocket in 1680, and had
in 1700 secured the right to dam the Woonasquatucket
river at Centerdale and Georgiaville and Stillwater in
1702; also the right to dam the West river and to erect a
mill near Wanskuck in 1706.
According to the early records of the town of Providence,
about the year 1700 he built a saw-mill upon the Woon
asquatucket river, a little over five miles from the salt
water harbor, and it is designated therein as Captain
Richard Arnold's new saw-mill. The mill was located
near the southerly end of the dam of the Centerdale
Worsted Co., about 125 feet from the highway. The
location of the dam was practically the same as the present
one. Arnold did not buy the land, but obtained per
mission to connect the dam to the banks of the stream

THE COLONIAL SAW-MILL. 21
from the abutting owners, and erected the mill upon the
east side of the river on land belonging to Richard Pray.
Just how long he operated the mill is not known; but
as there is no mention made of the mill in his will, he must
have disposed of it before his death, April 2 2d, 17 10, to
Richard Coman, who, a short time before, bought the
land from Richard Pray.
About 1750, the mill being much out of repair, the
farmers banded together, forming a sort of company, and
repaired the old mill and set it in operation again.
The following are the names of the shareholders in
1765, as far as can be obtained: Richard Coman,
Stephen Angell, Nathaniel Day, Charles Olney, Nemiah
Smith, and William Goddard; each owning one-eighth or
one-sixteenth part, according to the number of shares
taken. The mill changed hands many times, as the proprietors
died, and in 1800 the owners were reduced to three: James
Angell, Richard Corman, and William Goddard.
As logs were becoming scarce, and the mill, from old
age, had fallen into decay, it was finally abandoned about
the year 1840; thus bringing to a close the first business
enterprise established in the village of Centerdale, after an
existence of about 140 years.
In 1787 Isaac Olney built a grist-mill upon the west side
of the river, opposite the saw-mill, upon the site of the
powder-mill, which was destroyed in 1779 (an account of
which is given in another chapter), using the same water-
wheel that was used for grinding the powder. The mill
continued at this place until 1797, when he sold it to
William Goddard, who removed the mill across the river
and continued to run the grist-mill in connection with the

22 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
saw-mill of which he was part owner. The grist-mill
continued in operation long after the saw-mill was given
up,, but was finally abandoned about 1852.

CHAPTER IV.
The First House.
THE first house in Centerdale was built by Epenetus
Olney, son of Epenetus, who was the second son of
Thomas Olney, one of the twelve pioneers who was with
Roger Williams when the first division of land was made
in the Providence Plantations in 1636.
After the death of Epenetus Olney, Senior, his son
Epenetus received, as a part of his share of his father's
estate, about 120 acres of land bordering upon the east
bank of the Woonasquatucket river and extending in an
easterly direction along the southerly line of the land of
John Smith. (See map.)
The colonial road traversed the farm, and for a short
distance formed the boundary line between this and the
land of John Smith; this road is now known as Angell
avenue, and it was upon the east side of this road that
Epenetus Olney, Jr., over 200 years ago, built his home,
the first house erected in the village of Centerdale.
After a lapse of more than 200 years, and obscured by
the very indefinite records of the early days of the colony,
it is impossible at this time to place the exact date when
the house was built; but from the following account an
approximate time can be fixed with reasonable accuracy.
March 9th, 1666, Epenetus Olney, Sr., married Mary,
a daughter of John Whipple, and eight children were
born to them, viz.: Mary, James, Sarah, Epenetus,
John, Mercy, Thomas, and Lydia. He died June 3d,

24

ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.

1698, leaving no will, in which case under the old English
law the property would pass to the oldest son (James).

The First House. Epenetus Olney Homestead, 1700-2.

But James, knowing that his father had often expressed
a wish that his estate might be divided among his children,
proceeded to divide the property in accordance with his
father's desires, and, according to the records of the town
of Providence, in deed book No. 2, page 34, James Olney
conveyed to his brother Epenetus a tract of land containing
about 120 acres, stating in the deed, . . . "And it
being so that my brother Epenetus Olney is now desirous
to settle, and be accommodated with some of his father's
lands to himself, and hath already begun a settlement upon
some part thereof by building, fencing, and planting
thereon." This deed is dated August 29, 1702, and establishes a
time when the house was already built, by declaring that

THE first house. 25
he had already begun a settlement upon some part thereof
by building, fencing, and planting thereon.
There still might be a question of location (as the
boundaries of those old farms were very obscure and
indefinite, they often being bounded by a tree, a clump
of bushes, some one's garden, fence, or a cornfield), but
from a deed recorded in the same book, No. 2, page 34,
from other parties, stating that said land was at "his farm
where he now dwelleth " . . . and it further states
that it was bounded by a highway lying between it and
John Smith land, ... to those familiar with old
landmarks this tract can be easily located. This deed is
dated May 30, 1702. This furnishes further evidence
that the house was built previous to May 30, 1702, and
was upon land joining the land of John Smith; which
establishes the fact that it was upon what is now known
as Angell avenue, Centerdale, and now is the residence of
Thomas H. Angell. Without doubt he built the house
sometime after the death of his father, in 1698, and before
1 702 ; so it might be safe to say it was built about the year
1700. Although there are no important historic associations
connected with the homestead of Epenetus Olney aside
from the fact that it was built by one of the very early
settlers of this section, and was the first house built in
the village of Centerdale, but from the fact that there has
been a mistake made in locating the homestead of Epenetus
Olney, it seems but right and proper at this time to cor
rect the error.
In a work entitled "State of Rhode Island and Provi
dence Plantations at the end of the Century," edited by
Edward Field, A. B., in Vol. Ill, page 627, the Epenetus

26 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
Olney house is illustrated and located on the west side
of Woonasquatucket avenue, nearly opposite Emanuel
street. The house and farm described was known by local
people as the Obadiah Olney farm. Obadiah was the
son of Charles Olney and grandson of Epenetus, Jr., was
born August 15, 1773, married Ruth Barton in 1793,
and died in 1858. Without doubt this house was built
by him soon after his marriage; consequently was only
about 100 years old when torn down in 1898; while the
real Epenetus Olney house antedates this house nearly or
quite 100 years, and is still in a good state of preservation
for a house more than 200 years old.
The following account taken from the early records of
the town of Providence, Vol. IX, page 66, will furnish
conclusive evidence and proof of the place in question:
"At a meeting of the Town Council held September 3,
1733, a committee was appointed to lay out a high way
through the stated commons and to pass near the dwelling
house of Epenetus Olney."
September 26 and 27th, 1733, the committee proceeded
and laid out the same, and October 22d, 1733, presented
their report, as follows:
"Persuant to an order of the Towne Councill of Provi
dence held the 3d day of September anno Domini 1733
for the Laying out of a highway, from the highway that
was Already Layed out through that which was Com
monly Called the stated Common, and from thence to
Extend northwestwardly neare the Dwelling house of
Epenetus Olney : and so to the north bounds of the Towne
of Providence.
"Where upon wee the subscribers being a Committee
appoynted by the afore said Town Councill for the Com-
pleating sd work went according to said order: and took

THE FIRST HOUSE. 27
our departure from a Pine tree standing in or Neare the
north line Line of the Town of Providence, and from
thence: S: 35: degrees East: 32: pole: to the East End of
Stephen Angels Barne: thence S: 25s — & - E: 25 pole to
a walnut bush: thence S: iod W: 18: pole to a stake
thence: S: 2od W 34: P: to a stake thence: S: 46d E: 17
P — to a Rock: thence S: 35d & J E 24: P: to a Pine bush
thence: S: 24d — E: 20 P to a Pine bush thence S: 45 d —
E: 20 P to a pine bush: thence S: 40d & J E: 14 P to a
pine bush: thence S: 8d E: 8. P to a pine bush thence S:
54d: E — 14: P to a pine bush: thence: N: 54d — E: 20 P
to a stake standing on the west side of the Wonasquo-
tuckett River thence E : 6 : P : a Cross said River to a heape
of stones it being a Bounder of Mr John Smiths Land;
the three Last Courses are Laid : 3 : Poles wide : thence S :
48d — E: 20: P: to a white oake tree thence: S: 31 d — E:
30 p to a black oake tree; thence S: 65d E: 14 P to a
black oake tree: thence N: 8od — E: 10: P to a Rock
thence N: 72d — E: 32: P: to a black oake thence N: 82'':
E: 7: P to a black oake tree: thence: S: 20d — E: 4: to a
white oake tree: thence: S: 46d — : E: 19: P — to a black
oake tree thence : S : 29"* — E : 9 : P to a Popple tree thence :
S: i2d W: 9 P to a Rock thence: S: 28d — E: 14 P: to a
stone in Epenetus Olneys Orchard: thence S: 72d — E:
10 P to an Apple tree." . . . (See map of old road.)
As will be observed, the courses and distances are given
with great minuteness, and bounds designated with great
care (like a pine bush, a stake, a white oak, black oak, or
an apple tree) to the Woonasquatucket river. After cross
ing the river (the landmark being well known at the present
day) the courses and distances in poles are carefully given
to a stone in Epenetus Olney's orchard, making the dis
tance from the river to said bound stone 168 poles, which
is less than a dozen poles from the house of Epenetus
Olney, now the residence of Thomas H. Angell, and about

28 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
the distance the orchard would naturally be from the
house. (See early records of the town of Providence,
Vol. IX, pages 65, 66, 67, 68, or in the original Book of
Records, No. 3, page 200.) While the Obadiah Olney
place, which has been mistaken for the Epenetus Olney
farm, is fully one mile further down the river, and no
public highway was laid out by this place until 1844
(over one hundred years afterwards), when Woonasqua
tucket avenue was built (see chapter VI), the only way to
reach it before that time was by a private driveway
connecting with Fruit Hill avenue.
As a further evidence may be cited the deed of Nathaniel
Day to James Angell, in 1770, in which the farm con
veyed was bounded on the south by the land of Samuel
Olney, who was the son of James and grandson of Epe
netus Olney, and up to the year 1770 there had been but
three Samuels in the Olney family. (See Olney Memorial,
a genealogy of the descendants of Thomas Olney, by
James H. Olney.)
One was the son of Joseph Olney the noted inn-keeper,
who kept the old tavern, in 1776, on the corner of Olney
and North Main streets, Providence, in whose yard stood
the old Liberty Tree. His son Samuel was drowned in
the Mississippi river in 1774.
Another was Samuel, son of Ezra Olney, who was born
1765, and consequently would be but five years old in
1770, and too young to have a farm in his own name.
While Samuel, son of James Olney, and grandson of
Epenetus, was born in 1745, and lived upon the place
referred to until his death in 181 3.
Upon the death of Samuel Olney, who died intestate,
James Burr (a grand-nephew) was appointed admin-

THE FIRST HOUSE. 29
istrator upon his esate, and sold the farm to Isaac Bullard,
who afterwards, in 1816, conveyed it back to James
Burr. After the death of Burr the estate passed out of
the descendants of Epenetus Olney' s family, as described
in chapter II.
At the time the house was built it was about one-half
its present size: the east end, or about one-half its length,
was the part built by Epenetus Olney, or as far back as
the big old-fashioned chimney, which in those days was
often built at the end of the house, and many times
extending outside of the main body of the house. The
west end was built sometime later; the exact time is not
known, but probably after the death of Epenetus, in 1740.
The house is still in a good state of preservation for a
house more than 200 years old, and is the property and
homestead place of Thomas H. Angell, who was town
clerk of North Providence twenty-five years, or until poor
health compelled him to decline a re-election in November
1906.

CHAPTER V.
The Revolutionary Powder-Mill.
THE people of every locality are justly proud of the
part they or their ancestors have taken in any im
portant event whether of local or of national importance;
and visiting friends and strangers are sure to have pointed
out to them the noted house, or the exact spot, where the
honored and memorable event occurred.
It is true that during the stirring times incident to the
American Revolution, no battles were fought in the im
mediate neighborhood of Centerdale; and there is no
evidence that a British officer or even a red-coated private
was sheltered under the roof of the lone house which
then marked the site of the now flourishing little village.
But Centerdale is not without memories of the Revolu
tion. Should you ask a resident of the village what im
portant part was taken by the people of this locality in the
struggle for independence, you would have pointed out
to you the place where was situated the Revolutionary
powder-mill, the first and only one erected by the colony
of Rhode Island, and provided one of the most important
and powerful agents that gained for us our liberty and
independence. The years 1775 and '76 were times of stirring interest
to the people of the thirteen colonies.
Rhode Island and her sister colonies were actively
preparing for the great struggle that was clearly inevitable.
The people of Boston had already held their tea party, the

the revolutionary powder-mill. 31
lantern had been lighted in the belfry of Old South Church,
the " Gaspee " destroyed, and the sands of Bunker Hill
had been stained with the blood of brave patriots.
Everywhere in village and town men congregated in
little groups, earnestly discussing the events that had
already transpired, and pledging support to each other,
and allegiance to the cause they had espoused.
The Rhode Island legislature was convened, and action
taken to secure the safety of the State from an invading
foe. Military companies were organized in all of the little
hamlets as well as in the larger towns. Committees of
safety were formed and were gathering together all of the
muskets and swords that had long lain idle in the homes of
the colonists.
Without doubt but few realized the magnitude of the
great struggle that was before them, nor were they con
scious that they were preparing the way for the birth of a
great nation, and that ere long would behold the sun rise
in all its morning splendor, and reflect its golden rays
upon the grandest nation upon the earth ; dedicated and
consecrated to the cause of liberty and freedom.
But how few of them were conscious of the fact that
the exigencies of war would draw so heavily upon their
resources or call upon many homes to sacrifice upon the
altar of freedom a loved one; a son, perhaps, or a husband
and father, forever saddening the happy fireside.
Well and truly does Judge Staples say in the "Annals
of Providence:" "The price they paid for liberty and
independence perhaps cannot be estimated by any of the
present inhabitants. We can count up the millions of
dollars expended and number the lives that were lost in

32 annals of centerdale.
that contest. But who can form an estimate of the
sufferings of the inhabitants at large, and of the priva
tions they bore in raising that sum; or of the affliction
and sorrow and pain that preceded and followed the
deaths of the martyrs of freedom?
"Want and misery were not confined to the ranks of
the soldiery; they pervaded all parts of the country, and
all classes of society. Pain and sickness and sorrow did
not revel merely in the camp. They spread their de
vastating influence to the home of the soldier. If he
returned himself, he bore with him the seeds of sickness,
and spread them in his family, to blast his hopes of future
comfort and joy. If he fell in battle, the mother, the wife,
the child, drank of the cup of sorrow and suffering.
"The idea that can now be formed of the scenes of the
revolution must be very faint and imperfect. It may well
be doubted whether the most vivid imagination can paint
the picture with all its horrors. How grateful must have
been the news of peace, under such circumstances, to the
war-worn veteran and his care-worn family — peace with
liberty — liberty with independence, all that he wished,
nay, more than he dreamed of at the outset, wrung from
the grasp of the mother country." . . .
It was evident to all that most of the munitions of war
must be manufactured at home. Bounties were offered
to those who would undertake the manufacture of supplies
for the needs of the army that was about to enter the
field. Cannon must be cast, muskets and swords manu
factured, powder and balls provided.
Until the summer of 1776 all gunpowder used in the
colony of Rhode Island was secured from outside the
colony, most of it coming from Groton and New London,

THE REVOLUTIONARY POWDER-MILL. 33
Connecticut; being transported to the State magazine in
Providence by boat, or overland by horses or oxen.
On account of the difficulty of obtaining powder from
these places after the opening of hostilities, it was decided
to encourage the manufacture of it within the colony, and
the following resolution was passed by the General Assem
bly at the January session, 1776.
"And where as it is necessary that one powder Mill be
immediately erected in the colony for the manufacturing
of gun powder
"Be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid that a
bounty or premium of Thirty Pounds, shall be paid out
of the Colony Treasury, to the person or persons who
shall erect a powder-mill in this Colony and shall make
and manufacture therein Five hundred pound weight of
good and merchantable gun-powder.
"And where as, it is expedient that such Powder Mill
should be situated as to accommodate the public in the
best manner."
The bounty of thirty pounds did not offer sufficient in
ducement for anyone in the colony to undertake the risk
of manufacturing a product that they had so little knowl
edge of, and, realizing the pressing need of it, the colonial
government decided to undertake its manufacture on their
own account ; and at the May session of the General As
sembly, 1776, John Jenckes and John Waterman were ap
pointed a committee to procure a suitable site, and erect
a powder-mill thereon at the charge of the colony as soon
as possible, and they were authorized to draw out of the
general treasury "One hundred and Fifty Pounds Lawfull
money for the purpose."
The committee immediately set at work to secure a

34 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
suitable site; one that would be convenient to the colony
magazine, and at a place where water-power could be had
to reduce the powder to its proper fineness.
The committee in their search selected a site on the
Woonasquatucket river in Centerdale.
The exact location was between the railroad station
and the dam of the Centerdale Worsted Co., as now
located. At that time there was a saw-mill upon the
opposite bank of the river, and the State or colony obtained
the right to use the water from the saw-mill pond to
operate the powder-mill.
About the middle of June, of the same year, the mill
was completed ; but on account of it being a new industry,
the committee found some difficulty in procuring a man
sufficiently informed in the process of the manufacture of
gunpowder to take charge of the mill.
They reported the fact to the Assembly who, alive
to the necessity of taking active steps to set the mill in
operation as quickly as possible, instructed and authorized
John Waterman to procure a man at some price, or upon
the best terms he could make, to operate the mill.
He finally succeeded in obtaining the services of a man,
well versed in the manufacture of gunpowder, by the
name of Jacob Goff.
In order that Goff might be with his family, the Assembly
appropriated two hundred pounds to purchase a piece
of land and erect a dwelling-house for them, and appointed
Jacob Goff and Caleb Harris a committee to superintend
the building of the house.
The house built by the State for Goff was the second
dwelling-house built within the limits of what is now the
village of Centerdale, and stood upon that part of the old

THE REVOLUTIONARY POWDER-MILL. 35
colonial road which was abandoned as a public highway
after the completion of the Powder-Mill Turnpike, in
1815. The house stood about 125 feet west of the iron
bridge that crosses the Woonasquatucket river (see map) ,
and was destroyed by fire April 14, 1902.

Dwelling House Built by State for Jacob Goff, 1777.
Soon after Goff took charge of the mill he secured the
services of a man by the name of Laban Beverly. In
August, 1779, the State had a quantity of powder which
by dampness had become unfit for use, and transported
it to the powder-mill to be remanufactured, as it was
called. The process of remanufacturing was a hazardous
operation, but had proceeded without mishap until the
afternoon of August 28th, 1779, when it was supposed
that some foreign substance had in some way got into the
mixing or stamping mortar, when suddenly the place was
illumined by a lurid glare, followed quickly by a terrific
explosion, not unlike the deafening crash of a hundred
thunderbolts, the concussion being felt for many miles

36 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
around, causing fear and alarm in many homes, who
fully realized that some terrible disaster had occurred.
The country around was strewn with the debris from the
wreck of that which was but a moment before the colonial
powder-mill. One of the beams from the building was
blown for nearly three-quarters of a mile from the mill.
After the dense smoke had cleared away it was seen that
the powder-mill was completely demolished, and that
Jacob Goff and Laban Beverly had been blown some
distance and were terribly burned and mangled, but were
still living: death relieved them of their suffering the
following evening.
At the time of the explosion there were about two tons
of finished powder upon the premises, besides a large
quantity that was being made over.
The family of Jacob Goff, consisting of his wife Olive
Goff and five children, were left destitute, and with no
relatives who were able to provide for their comfort.
The facts being made known to the General Assembly,
with the knowledge that Goff lost his life in the service
of his country, they immediately granted an allowance
of six hundred dollars for the relief of the destitute family.
The State decided not to rebuild the powder-mill, and
the site lay idle until 1785, when the General Assembly
appointed a committee, consisting of John J. Jenckes and
Jabez Bowen, to sell the property.
In August, 1786, they sold the land and dwelling-house
to Isaac Olney, also (as the deed describes it) the large
water-wheel, with all the privileges of the water which the
State bought of the owners of the saw-mill called the
"Mudd Mill."
After Isaac Olney bought the property he erected thereon

THE REVOLUTIONARY POWDER-MILL. 37
a grist-mill, which was the first grist-mill erected here.
He continued to run the mill until October 27, 1797, when
he sold it to William Goddard, who removed it across the
river and ran it in connection with the saw-mill of which
he was part owner.
In a work entitled "Revolutionary Defences in Rhode
Island," by Edward Field, on page 40, the colonial powder-
mill is erroneously located on the Waterman road near
the little hamlet known as Caesarville, which is about one
mile south from its true location. There is no evidence
that more than one powder-mill was built by the Rhode
Island colony, during the Revolutionary War, and it is
well known by old residents of Centerdale that the mill
was located on the western bank of the Woonasquatucket
river near the dam of the Centerdale Worsted Mills; and
as further proof is the positive evidence of the deed of the
powder-mill site given by Joseph Clark, general treasurer
of Rhode Island, to Isaac Olney, dated August 24, 1786,
and recorded in book number two, page 180, of the
records of the town of Johnston.
After defining the boundaries of the lot, the following
additional description is given: . . . "there being
about one acre and an half of said land with the dwelling
house, and the large water wheel with all of the privileges
of the water which the State bought of the owners of the
saw mill called the Mudd Mill." . . .
It is common knowledge among elderly people for many
miles around Centerdale that the saw-mill once located
here was known by the name of Mudd Mill. After
Israel Arnold built the spinning-mill here, in 1812, he
named the place Center, and it was known by that name
until in after years it received the affix of "MiU" and

38 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
"Ville, " and finally, after the post-office was established
here, in 1849, it was changed to Centerdale.
Further evidence can be given that the powder-mill was
located here from the fact that the old colonial road
leading from Providence (after the erection of the powder
mill) was called the Powder Mill road, and in 18 10, when
the turnpike company was incorporated, it took for its
corporate name, "The Powder-Mill Turnpike Corpora
tion," undoubtedly on account of its following the line of
the old highway leading to the powder-mill and in many
places using the old roadbed.
The highway was always called the Powder-Mill Turn
pike until it was purchased by the State in 1873, when
that part lying in North Providence was named Smith
street, it being a continuation of Smith street, Provi
dence.

CHAPTER VI.
Highways.
PREVIOUS to the year 1810 the only public high
way leading from Providence via Centerdale to the
towns in the northern part of the State and the adjoin
ing towns in the States of Connecticut and Massachusetts
was the old colonial road ; and from its winding course,
undoubtedly it was originally a continuation of driveways
from the farm of one settler to that of another, as the
pioneers pushed their way back into the new country, and
in many cases following old Indian trails.
As the country became more thickly settled, and the
farmer and trader had more frequent occasion to journey
to Providence to sell or exchange their produce, the
necessity for better highways became apparent. To meet
the requirements it was proposed to construct a direct
turnpike road from Providence to connect with the Glo-
cester turnpike, which was already completed from the
northern part of the State as far south as Greenville.
The prospect of a paying investment and the encourage
ment of the starting of a stage line from Putnam, Conn.,
to Providence, caused the organizing of a stock company
with sufficient capital to undertake the construction of
the much needed highway, the connecting link between
the towns near the Connecticut line and Providence via
the Glocester turnpike road.
At the February session of .the General Assembly, 18 10,
an act was passed incorporating the Powder-Mill Turn-

40

ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.

HIGHWAYS. 41
pike Corporation, consisting of Henry Smith, Philip Allen,
Richard Olney, Robert Newell, and others, giving them
the power to construct and maintain a turnpike road
three rods wide, to begin at Sprague's tavern (a point near
the junction of the Snake Hill road, in Greenville) at the
easterly end of the Glocester turnpike road; from thence
running easterly until it reaches the westerly line of the
town of Providence, on the plain (as it was called) near
Fenner Angell's, or at such point or place as the committee
to be appointed shall fix and establish.
This proposed turnpike road now constitutes the main
thoroughfare through the village of Centerdale, upon which
is located the principal business places of the town, and
is now called Smith street.
Soon after the act of incorporation, was granted by the
legislature, arrangements were made for the construction
of the road, and in 1815 it was opened to public travel.
Like all turnpike roads, the charter provided for the
repairs and maintenance of the road by a system of
taxation from all who traveled over it, the tax, or toll, as
it was called, being collected at certain designated places
called toll-gates. There were two gates established; one
being located at the northeast corner of what is now
called Smith street and Fruit Hill avenue. At that time
the old Fruit Hill tavern stood there, and was kept by
James Angell, who afterwards built the Centerdale hotel.
Mr. Angell was one of the first to collect toll upon the
new road.
The other gate was located at the corner of the turnpike
road and the road that leads to Spragueville, at what was
afterwards known as the George Mowry tavern, about
midway between Centerdale and Greenville.

42 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
The corporation was obliged by law to post a sign
board, or rate-board, as it was called, near the gate, giving
the rates of toll to be paid before passing through.
One of the old rate-board is still preserved, and a copy
of the rates of toll charged is here given :

RATES OF TOLL.
revery waggon, «irt,truck or sled drawn by l\vo
.torses or gxcii IO cents if drawn b.v throe entile 12s cents
If draw n by morolhan three cattle 15 cents, for every sleigh
(Drawn by one horse G cents if drawn by more than one
IHorscl'ii cents. for every eoacli, chariot .phaeton or
[Curricle 1 5 cents, for every chaise. chair, sulkey orothei
ll'leasurc carriage drawn by one horse Hi cents for every
[Additional horse 6 cents, for every horse and horse cart
lOrwaggon 6 cents, for a person and horse 6 cents, horses
lOrmulesin droves 'i ccntsper. head, neat cattle in droves
[cent per. head, sheep or swine in droves icent per. head
•all loadsover fifty hundrednoundsi cent per hundred
i "each aclddiona?! hundred.

Old Sign of Rates of Toll.
The Powder-Mill turnpike was no exception to nearly
all other turnpike roads in the State, and eventually
proved a failure as a dividend-paying enterprise. After
a time the roadbed required extensive repairs, and the
annoying system of toll-taking became unpopular with the
public, which induced the towns through which it ran to
petition to the legislature to purchase the highway, the
towns agreeing to accept such parts as lay within their
boundaries as town roads, and to keep the same in repair.
Accordingly, at the January session of the General Assem
bly in 1873, one thousand dollars was appropriated to
purchase the road, and it was then thrown open to the
public, and declared a free public highway; and August
3, 1874, that part lying in North Providence was named

HIGHWAYS. 43
Smith street, it being a continuation of Smith street,
Providence. The Farnum Turnpike, now Waterman Avenue.
At the February session of the General Assembly, 1808,
Joseph Farnum, Caleb Farnum, Stephen Steere, Elisha
Steere, and others, were granted a charter incorporating
the Farnum Turnpike Company, whose object was to
construct a turnpike road from Centerdale, running north
erly through Georgiaville to the Appleby road, so-called.
It was thought that the building of this highway would
prove a great convenience to the people living in Georgia
ville and the surrounding country in Smithfield, by afford
ing them a more direct route to Providence. For some
reason unknown the road was only partially constructed,
and the charter was allowed to lapse; but at the meeting
of the General Assembly, in 181 9, the charter was revived.
After continuing along inactive it again lapsed, when
finally, at the January session, 1828, the charter was again
revived, and a meeting of the incorporators was ordered
to be held at the hotel of Winsor Farnum, in Georgiaville,
on the first Monday in March, 1828. The company was
then reorganized, and the turnpike was eventually com
pleted. The highway, as anticipated, was a source of
convenience to the public, and remained a turnpike road
until the January session of the General Assembly, 1873,
when an appropriation of $500.00 was made to purchase
the turnpike and make it a free public highway, provided
the towns through which it passed would accept it as a
town road and forever keep it in repair. This the towns
of North Providence and Smithfield voted to do at their
next town meeting, and in 1873 the Farnum turnpike

44 annals of centerdale.
was declared a free town road. After the town of North
Providence accepted the portion lying in that town it was,
in 1875, named Waterman avenue, in honor of Caleb V.
Waterman, an old and respected resident of Centerdale.
Mineral Spring Turnpike.
At the June session of the General Assembly, 1825, a
charter was granted incorporating the Smithfield and
Glocester Turnpike Corporation, with power to con
struct a turnpike road, starting from Pawtucket, running
thence westerly until it intersected the Powder-Mill turn
pike road, at Centerdale; thence running in a westerly
course through Johnston, Scituate, and Glocester to the
Connecticut line; from whence it was to continue on to
Pomfret, Conn.
The construction of that part west of Centerdale was
abandoned before any work was commenced, and at the
October session of the General Assembly the name of the
corporation was changed to the Mineral Spring Turnpike
Corporation, the company taking its name from a spring
near the line dividing the town of North Providence from
the city of Pawtucket, not far from Orchard avenue.
This spring is said to be strongly impregnated with some
mineral, probably iron.
The following year, 1827, the work of construction was
begun, opening up a part of the country lying between
Pawtucket and Centerdale which previously was not well
provided with a convenient highway running east and
west, and as Pawtucket was at that time a part of North
Providence and the seat of government of the town, the
new highway proved to be a great convenience to the
people living in and around Centerdale.

highways. 45
Unfortunately the course of the road lay over long hills,
requiring frequent and expensive repairs, and the com
paratively limited travel over the road resulted dis
astrously to the stockholders. The unpopularity of the
toll-gate system was demonstrated in this case as in others,
and the enterprise followed the way of similar projects
in this State. The road was purchased by the town in
1867, and declared a public highway and named Mineral
Spring avenue.
Woonasquatucket River Road.
After the completion of Mineral Spring turnpike Cen
terdale was well provided with outlets in either direction,
excepting the country bordering on the Woonasquatucket
river, from Centerdale to Manton.
After the successful spinning and weaving of cotton by
water-power, the country bordering along the river began
to be rapidly improved. Daniel Lyman had already built
a cotton mill at Lymansville, and in 1822 Zachariah Allen
completed the mill at Allendale. This increasing business
soon demanded better highway service, the only way of
reaching those places being by private driveways con
structed by the owner of the mills, and not at all adequate
to public need. It was evident that a highway was needed
from Centerdale through the villages of Allendale and
Lymansville to Manton, connecting with the old road
now called Manton avenue, from whence one could reach
Olney ville and Providence with much greater convenience.
The distance from Centerdale to Manton was only
about two miles, and was too short to encourage the
construction of a turnpike road ; so if a highway was to be
built, it must be done by the aid of popular subscription.

46 annals of centerdale.
This being so, and the need of such a road clearly appar
ent, a meeting of the citizens interested was called about
the first of October, 1843, to consider the matter and
take such action as might seem expedient. At this_ meet
ing it was voted to build the road by subscription, and
after its completion to have the town accept it as a town
road. A subscription paper was drawn up, dated October 2d,
1843, a copy of which is here given:
"We the undersigned, for and in consideration of the
use and benefits derivable from the opening of a level
public road between Center Mill & Triptown [now Cen
terdale and Manton], along the Easterly bank of Woon
asquatucket river in North Providence, do hereby agree
to pay the several sums affixed to our respective names
for the purpose of constructing said road, to the com
mittee of the subscribers who may be hereafter appointed
to complete the same.
"North Providence Oct 2d 1843"
The paper contains 112 names, with amounts varying
from $1.00 to $225.00. The total amount subscribed was
$900.00 in cash, besides all the land needed for the road
and fencing the same.
The largest donators were Zachariah Allen, James
Angell, Obediah Olney, Charles Olney, and the Center
Mill Company.
As soon as success was assured, a meeting of the sub
scribers was called, February 10, 1844, to make the nec
essary arrangements for carrying on the work. Elisha
O. Angell was elected chairman and Zachariah Allen,*
secretary, and as the record of the meeting is still extant
* One of Rhode Island's noted cotton manufacturers.

HIGHWAYS. 47
and in Mr. Allen's own handwriting, it is given here in
full: "At a Meeting of the subscribers and others interested
in making a new Road from Center Mill to Triptown
holden at Center Hotel in North Providence on Saturday
Feb 10th 1844 pursuant to notice in the public papers
"Mr Elisha O Angell was elected Chairman & Z Allen
Secretary "It was voted that the following named Gentlemen be
appointed a committee to collect the Subscriptions for
building said road, and to make the necessary contracts
through Mr James Angell, Joseph Cunliff, Elisha O Angell,
Olney Angell, Z Allen and Asa Steere.
"Voted that James Angell be appointed Treasurer to
receive the sums collected by the aforesaid Committee
and to disburse the same on their joint order
"Z Allen Secretary"
The committee immediately advertised for bids for the
construction of the road, and April, 1844, the contract
was let to Col. George Smith, who agreed to build the
road for $900.00
It is curious to note the form of contract used then in
comparison with the voluminous form, covering thirty or
forty printed pages, now in use for work of that kind.
That one being written upon a scrap of paper scarcely half
the size of this page, the words occupying about a dozen
lines. It is a curiously worded document, and is here given,
the spelling and capital letters used in the original being
retained : " April th 1844
" I James Angell Joseph Cunliff & Elisha O Angell Let
the Road Leading from Center Village To Triptown to

48 annals of centerdale.
Col George Smith for Nine Hundred Dollars Said Smith
Makes the Road 18 feet on the travil Wide Except the
Cuts & filling Cuts to be 16 feete at Botton filling 16 ft
at top. He to Build the travil from Powder Mill Road
on the West Sid & Gradualy Strike the Center of Road
accross the Brook, then & there Strikes the East Sid
at the Rock in the Swamp. We are to advance the money
as We can Collect & as the Road Advances & Said Smith
is to Comince Building Road Tuesday April th & is to
finish Road Soon as Convenant Can Be Built."
With this (ironclad) contract Col. George Smith set to
work some time in April, 1844, to carry out its provisions,
and in the early part of October of the same year the road
was completed and ready for public travel.
The road was afterwards accepted by the town as a
public highway, and named Woonasquatucket avenue.
This comprises all the main or principal highways that
lead to or pass through Centerdale.

CHAPTER VII.
Transportation .
TO give the history of transportation through the val
ley of the Woonasquatucket to and from Centre-
dale, it will be necessary to begin the story at the time
when the farmer's oxen furnished the motive power for
moving the products of the forest and farm to market;
and in the early days of the colony it is not supposed that
the freight traffic exceeded the transportation facilities.
The passenger traffic was expected to take care of
itself. People must get to town and back again the best
way they could: that way, generally, was on foot, with
their gun for a traveling companion; but the more fortu
nate would go on horseback.
The colonial roads over which they were obliged to
travel were little better than cartpaths now seen on
country farms or in the woods, and originally were pass-
ways from one farm to another and were laid out to
convenience the parties interested, which accounts for the
winding course which many of them took.
The introduction of the cotton and woolen industry
into the country greatly increased both the freight and
passenger traffic, which ultimately called for better high
ways for moving the products of the mill.
The poor condition of the roads encouraged the organ
izing of turnpike corporations, whose object was the con
struction of turnpike roads as an investment and source
of revenue from toll-gates which were placed at certain
distances along the road.

50 annals of centerdale.
Turnpike roads were generally surveyed and laid out
in a more direct course than were the colonial roads,
often shortening the distance to be traveled between
points one or more miles; but they were far from being
model highways, such as we now have, but were still a
great improvement over the old colonial road. An event
of importance to early Rhode Island people was the com
pletion of the Powder-Mill turnpike, in 1815, from Provi
dence to Greenville, where it connected with the Glocester
turnpike, which had already been completed to Chepachet.
The Glocester pike was here met by the Putnam pike,
which continued on to Putnam, Conn., thus forming a
complete turnpike road from Putnam, Conn., to Provi
dence, R. I., a distance of about 30 miles. The building
of these turnpike roads made a promising opening for a
through stage line from Providence to Putnam.
This was long before the advent of the steam railroad,
and for those days the stage-coach furnished satisfactory
and ample means of communication between Providence
and Putnam, via Centerdale, Greenville, and Chepachet.
Although it took two days to make the round trip, the
traveling public appeared satisfied. This was the first
public conveyance the people of Centerdale had enjoyed.
Who the parties were who originated the line is unknown
at this time ; but a man by the name of John Richards was
at one time a part owner, and was a noted stage driver on
that line for many years, or until the steam railroad was
built which connected Putnam with other important
places, which rendered the stage line unprofitable, and it
finally was withdrawn about i860.
About the year 1845 two brothers, Daniel and Weston
Whipple, established a line of stage-coaches from Pascoag

transportation. 51
to Providence, via Chepachet, Greenville, and Centerdale,
passing over the same road traveled by the Putnam line.
The venture did not prove a profitable one, and two
years later they sold out, and bought a line just started
by Sterry Frye from Georgiaville (then called Nightin
gale's) to Providence, via Centerdale.
This eventually proved to be the popular line for the
people of Centerdale, as the distance from Georgiaville
to Providence was only about seven miles, and more trips
could be made daily and in quicker time.
In the early days of the line two round trips were made
each day, while a few years later four round trips were
made ; and the public no doubt considered that they were
as well provided for as the people to-day are with the
electric cars running every few minutes.
In June, 1867, Thomas Wilson Mathewson purchased
the line from Daniel Whipple (his brother Weston having
long since withdrawn from the company).
After selling the route to Mathewson, Daniel Whipple
decided to continue in the business, which resulted in a
spirited rivalry for the passenger traffic between the two
lines, with the result that the patrons of both lines were
more benefited by the opposition running than were the
proprietors; for the fares were soon reduced from twenty-
five cents to ten cents from Centerdale to Providence, and
for a time the Whipple, or opposition, line was credited
with carrying their passengers free and standing treat at
the end of the route. But it is doubtful if every passenger
received his treat, whatever may have been true as regards
the fare.
The Whipple line continued to run until 187 1, when it
was withdrawn, leaving the Mathewson line in possession

52 annals of centerdale.
of the road, and this continued to run until August nth,
1873, when the building of the steam railroad put an end
to the stage line, which was purchased by the railroad
company, and the stage-coaches withdrawn.
Several attempts were made, after the railroad was built,
to establish a line of omnibuses between Centerdale and
Providence, by Frank Cooper, James Barnes, and James
H. Angell, but none met with any degree of success.
It will now be necessary to go. back a few years in our
story, to about the year 1856.
The rapid development of the cotton and woolen in
dustries throughout the northern part of the State caused
those connected with the manufacturing industries to seek
for better transportation facilities than the slow and tedious
method afforded by horses and oxen.
The project of constructing a railroad from Providence
through the Woonasquatucket valley to Pascoag attracted
the attention of some of the prominent business men, and
in 1856 a preliminary survey was made by L. M. E. Stone,
a civil engineer, and it was found that the natural features
of the country were such that the road could be easily
and economically constructed, and would prove a great
benefit to the many industries of the northern part of the
State. At the January session of the General Assembly in 1857
a charter was granted under the corporate name of The
Woonasquatucket Railroad. For a time matters looked
very encouraging for the immediate construction of the
road; but before sufficient funds could be secured to
begin the work the financial depression which overspread
the conntry in 1857 and 1858 caused a delay in building
the road, this being followed by the breaking out of the

TRANSPORTATION. 53
Civil War in 1861, and the dull times that followed the
close of the war still further delayed the construction until
1872. In December, 1871, a new company was formed and
elected William Tinkham, president; J. C. Knight, sec
retary; Lemuel M. E. Stone, treasurer, superintendent, and
chief engineer. The old charter was revived and the
name changed to The Providence and Springfield Rail
road, a new survey was made, and vigorous efforts were
put forth by President Tinkham to complete the road at
as early a date as possible. Messrs. Clyde & Dillon, of
New York, received the contract for its construction and
equipment. The roadbed to be built was about twenty-
three miles in length, and to expedite its completion was
sublet in sections of varying lengths. The section passing
through Centerdale was sublet to Messrs. Finnegan &
Sullivan, who broke ground about one thousand feet south
from the Centerdale station, May 7th, 1872.
Work was pushed rapidly along, and the following year
the road was opened for public travel. The first pas
senger train to pass through Centerdale was upon the
morning of August nth, 1873, at 8 o'clock.
The first time-table called for only two round trips each
day, the first train leaving Centerdale for Providence at
8 o'clock in the morning, and on its return arriving here
a few minutes before 10. The second trip was made in
the afternoon, leaving Centerdale about 1 :2o, and arriving
here upon the return trip from Providence about 4:30
o'clock. After a short time another train was added, leaving
Centerdale at 6:15 A. M., and arriving at Centerdale on
its return trip at 6 40 P. M. The running time was about

54 annals of centerdale.
twenty-six minutes. The fare was twenty cents to Provi
dence. One freight train was also run, making one round
trip daily.
As the population increased the need of better facilities
for travel began to be called for.
The stage-coach and omnibus had long been relegated-
The steam cars, which for a time appeared to furnish
ample accommodation, now seemed to satisfy only those
who lived within easy walking distance of the station.
A line of horse cars by way of Smith street now appeared
to be the only resource, and a project to establish a line
was proposed by Hon. Ira Olney, of Fruit Hill, who at
that time was serving as senator from North Providence
to the General Assembly.
At first the project was ridiculed by many as far in
advance of the requirements of the limited travel to be
accommodated along Smith street, which was not deemed
sufficient to warrant a financial success.
The proposition finally attracted a few adherents, and
in the early fall of 1890 notices were posted inviting all
interested to meet at the town hall in Centerdale to consider
the question.
The result of the meeting was that Hon. Ira Olney was
instructed to obtain a charter incorporating a company to
build and operate a line of horse cars from Centerdale to
Providence, via Smith street. The act was passed by the
senate, but the legislature adjourned before action was
taken upon it in the house of representatives.
In the meantime the introduction of electricity as a
motive power for propelling cars was making rapid pro
gress, and some of the lines around Providence were
being equipped with the new motive power, and it was

TRANSPORTATION. 55
apparent to many that horse cars would soon go the way
of the stage-coach and omnibus. The presence of this
transition period caused some delay in further action until
October 12th, 1891, when a meeting was held to take into
further consideration the question of transportation facili
ties. At this meeting a committee of five was appointed,
consisting of Frank C. Angell, Walter W. Whipple, James
C. Collins, Stephen A. Kelly, and Thomas W. Angell, to
confer with the Union Railroad Company and ascertain
upon what terms they would build and operate the much
desired line.
• The result of the committee's efforts was that the Union
Railroad Company agreed to construct and operate the
line as soon as the town would put the street in suitable
condition to lay rails upon it, and they also agreed to con
struct and operate a line upon Woonasquatucket avenue
and Douglas avenue within a certain time named in the
agreement, provided the town of North Providence would
grant to the company the exclusive franchise of the streets
for twenty years.
This the town readily agreed to do, and the company
commenced the work of construction upon Smith street
during the spring of 1893.
The work was pushed rapidly along during the summer,
and about 6 o'clock upon the evening of November nth,
1893, the first electric car arrived in Centerdale. This
was considered a trial trip, and brought the officers of the
road and a few invited friends.
After completing many details, the line was opened for
public travel, upon a forty-minute schedule, Sunday morn
ing, November 19th, 1893.
After about two years a thirty-minute schedule was run

56 annals op Centerdale.
which continued until 1902, when cars were run every
twenty minutes until a fifteen-minute schedule was run in
1906. During the summer of 1895 the Union Railroad Com
pany (now known as the Rhode Island Company) com
menced laying rails upon Woonasquatucket river avenue
from the junction of Smith street at Centerdale, and con
necting with the rails of the Manton avenue line at
Manton, where the rails continued on to Providence;
and June 1st, 1896, the first regular car was run over the
street upon a forty-minute schedule, continuing until
December, 1904, when cars were run every thirty minutes.
The opening of the line of electrics upon Smith street
to Centerdale in 1893 led many of the people of Providence,
who had never journeyed up the beautiful Woonasqua
tucket valley, to do so, and thousands availed themselves
of the opportunity, to ride over the new line and view the
beautiful scenery.
In reviewing the progress made in transportation
throughout this section it is interesting to note the re
markable progress made in the moving of freight as well
as the rapid and comfortable means of traveling from
one distant place to another.
A little more than four score years ago, there were only
the old colonial roads, hardly suitable for the passage of
vehicles other than farm wagons.
The turnpike roads which supplanted the colonial roads
have come and gone. The roads constructed and main
tained by the towns are fast giving way to the perfected
State roads.
The stage-coach has come and gone, the horse cars have
been supplanted by the swift-moving electrics, and the

TRANSPORTATION. 57
ponderous locomotive, moving heavily loaded freight
trains, has lightened the burdens of the faithful horse.
Remarkable as has been this transition, it has all taken
place within the recollection of men now living.

CHAPTER VIII.
The Cotton Mill.
THE successful spinning of cotton by water-power in
America by Samuel Slater, in 1791, encouraged men
of means to secure many of the available sites where suffi
cient water-power could be obtained and erect mills for the
spinning of cotton. Up to this time cotton was picked,
spun, and woven by hand in America, although spinning
by water-power was introduced in England several years
previous to its introduction in America; for England was
very jealous of the industry, and forbade any person,
under pain of forfeiture, to carry or send from the United
Kingdom models, patterns, or machinery used in the
process of manufacturing cotton yarn. But at the close
of the War of the Revolution the colonist took a different
view of the question, and bounties were offered to persons
who would come to this country and construct machinery
for the manufacture of cotton yarn.
It was to secure this bounty that young Samuel Slater
came to this country.
It was several years after this before the power loom
was introduced, or about the year 18 14, but it was not
in successful operation until 181 6.
William Gilmore explained the Scotch loom to Judge
Lyman, of North Providence, who caused one to be made
under the direction of Mr. Gilmore. After a few diffi
culties were overcome the loom was in successful operation
in the mills at Lymansville, North Providence.

THE COTTON MILL. 59
The Woonasquatucket river offered many available sites
for water-power, and the country around Centerdale was
a convenient distance from Providence, where the supply
of cotton could be had and also a ready market secured
for the product of the mill. The Powder-Mill turnpike
was already being constructed, and would provide ample
highway facilities, and these conditions offered sufficient
inducements for Jonathan Congdon to purchase, in 1810,
the saw and grist-mill privilege, together with the dam
and pond, and also the land where the Centerdale Worsted
Mills now stand.
Congdon, either for the want of capital or lack of
knowledge of cotton spinning, failed to improve the prop
erty, and sold the same to Israel Arnold, March 8, 181 2.
Soon after Arnold purchased the property he proceeded
to improve it, and erected a cotton-spinning mill. The
mill was built of wood and was of small dimensions,
18 x 57 feet, two stories high. A few years later, after the
success of the power loom was assured, a small addition
was built of stone, 25 x 45 feet, and the original mill was
used to accommodate about a dozen looms.
To provide homes for the employees necessitated the
building of four two-tenement cottages which were ar
ranged in a row near the line of the street leading from
the mill in a southerly direction. These houses were, in
1892, moved to Waterman avenue.
The little mill with the four or five houses now gave the
place the appearance of a busy little village, and was des
tined soon to be christened with a name.
After the mill was set in operation Arnold gave the
name of Centre to the place. The name seemed a very
appropriate designation for the little village, it being about

60 annals of centerdale.
four miles from Greenville on the north, four miles from
Pawtucket on the east, four miles from Providence on the
south, and seven miles from Scituate on the west. The
business was conducted under the name of The Centre
Cotton Manufacturing Company.
The country around Centre soon began to feel the
impetus given to it by the new industry, which invited
other industries to locate here. Soon a store was started,
followed by a blacksmith and wheelwright shop, and
other enterprises which will be spoken of later.
The village continued to be known by the name of
Centre until about 1830, when mill was appended to the
name, and for many years it was called Centremill, and
by some, Centreville, until the United States Government
established a post-office here in 1849, when the name was
changed to Center Dale, that the mails might not confuse
the mails going to an office previously established at
Centerville, in the town of Warwick, R. I. The name
continued to be spelled with the capital D to the last
syllable until about 1870, when the post-office depart
ment ordered that the name of the office be spelled as
one word, Centerdale, and since that time it has remained
unchanged. Just what degree of success Israel Arnold had in the
manufacture of cotton cloth is not known; but it is but
fair to presume that he was rewarded with reasonable
success considering the early stages of the industry in this
country at that time.
But whatever his success may have been, great credit
should be given him for his courage and energy in estab
lishing a new industry in a new country.

THE COTTON MILL. 61
He continued to operate the mill until 1823, when he
sold one-half of his interest to Richard Anthony, who was
already operating a mill at Greystone.
In 1826, Israel Arnold, et al, sold his remaining in
terest to James Anthony, a son of Richard, the mill be
ing run under the firm name of Richard Anthony & Son.
After the Anthonys bought the mill they made many
improvements. An addition, 40 x 80 feet, was built. The
wooden weave room was moved across the street and made
into a four-tenement house, where it is still in use, and is
the building numbered 10, 11, 12, 13.
The capacity of the mill now was about fifty looms, and
their product always found a ready market in New York
and Philadelphia.
The Anthonys were very progressive men, and took
active part in advancing the local interest of the com
munity. They built and established the first store, and were
prominently connected with the building of the first
church, and other village improvements, accounts of
which will be given in another chapter.
Their business was very prosperous until the death of
James Anthony, the junior member of the company, who
possessed a good business capacity and was much relied
upon in the administration of the affairs by his father in
his advancing years.
The death of James Anthony and the declining health
of Richard Anthony, who died in 1840, prompted the
latter to retire from business, and in 1838 he sold the
mill to Joseph Cunliff, who continued to operate the mill
with the average success of small mills of that day.

62

ANNALS of centerdale.

On the night of March 17, 1850, fire was discovered in
one part of the mill, and soon the whole structure was
in flames. There being no engine or fire apparatus at
hand, the whole village was in great danger from the fire,
and an alarm was carried to Providence by a man on
horseback, and after considerable delay a hand engine
with firemen to man it was dispatched to Centerdale, but
it arrived too late to save the mill from total destruction;
but the firemen lent valuable assistance in saving the
village from being destroyed.
The destruction of the mill was a severe blow to the
community, and many feared that the mill would not soon
be rebuilt, and that the little village would consequently
be allowed to fall into decay.
But the water privilege was not destined to remain
long idle.

Centerdale Mill in 1875

In 1853 Mr. Cunliff rebuilt the mill, and October 29,
1853, leased it to Zebulon Whipple; but before it was set

THE COTTON MILL. 63
in operation Whipple subleased it to John D. Burgess,
September 12, 1854, for the manufacture of cotton cloth.
Mr. Burgess continued to operate the mill until the
property was sold in 1859 by Joseph Cunliff et al, to
Amos N. Beckwith, who at that time was running a
mill at Dyerville. At the May session of the General
Assembly, i860, the business of the Beckwiths was in
corporated under the name of The Dyerville Manufact
uring Company, with Amos N. Beckwith and Truman
Beckwith as incorporators.
Under the management of the Beckwith's many im
provements were made to the property. A new dam was
constructed, an addition built to the mill, and a Corliss
steam engine was installed to assist the old. wood en-breast
water-wheel, which was quite ready at that time to give
way to the modern turbine wheel which was set in 1876,
under the direct supervision of Thomas Wilmarth, who
was at that time superintendent and general manager
of the Dyerville Co.; and while under his management
the production of the mill was increased to a considerable
extent. In 1888 the looms were removed and machinery in
stalled for making warps and filling for the mill at Dyer
ville, where all of the weaving was to be done.
About noontime, August 7th, 1889, fire again broke out
in the upper story of the mill; but by the aid of a detach
ment of the Providence fire department, which responded
to a call for aid, the mill was saved from destruction, but
was damaged to a considerable extent.
Business prospects not being very encouraging, the
company decided to make a few temporary repairs to the

64

ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.

mill, and wait for a more favorable time before again
setting the machinery in operation.
In January, 1891, the property was sold to Henry H.
Green, and at the May session of the General Assembly,
1 89 1, an act was passed incorporating the Centerdale
Worsted Mill, with Henry H. Green, John C. Baldwin,
and William Dracup, as the incorporators.
New and improved machinery was installed for the
manufacture of worsted yarn.
Thus closed, after nearly eighty years of existence, the
first epoch of the cotton industry in this place.

Centerdale Mill in 1909.
The Centerdale worsted mills under the management
of Messrs. Green, Baldwin, and Dracup did not continue
the business long; Messrs. Green and Baldwin with
drawing from the company in September, 1891, selling
their shares to James Lister, Jr., and William Mackie,
who reorganized the company, electing William Mackie,

THE COTTON MILL.

65

president; James Lister, Jr., treasurer; and William
Dracup, secretary.
Under the new organization the village quickly assumed
a new appearance, extensive repairs were made to all of
the houses, a large addition was added to the mill, and
the little cotton factory of a few years before was trans
formed into a large and well-equipped worsted mill.
New machinery was brought from England suitable for
spinning the finest grades of worsted yarns used princi
pally in the manufacture of cloth for men's wear and
dress goods.
The mill has been increased to about three times its
former size since it came into the possession of the present
owners, and gives employment to about 300 in its different
departments.

River Scene Near Centerdale Mill.

I

CHAPTER IX.
Schools.
T is much regretted that no record can be found to
establish the time when interest was first awakened in
the cause of education in this vicinity ; but from that which
can be gathered from sources at all reliable, the time may
be fixed as having been between the years 1802 and 1805.
Previous to that time there was no pressing need of
school facilities here, as the population hardly exceeded
half a dozen families within a radius of one mile, and there
was already a school at Fruit Hill, about one mile away;
and a school not more than two miles away was not
considered distant in those days.
But during the time intervening between the year 1800
and 1810 the spinning of cotton by water-power was
attracting considerable attention, and parties were negotia
ting for the old saw-mill privilege, together with the land
adjoining, for the purpose of erecting a spinning mill,
which necessarily would cause many new families to
locate here ; and it was also evident that with the increase
of population which the new industry would call together,
better school facilities would be needed.
There were no public schools established by law in
Rhode Island at that time, as Rhode Island was con
siderably behind some of her sister States in establishing
free schools. Although attempts were made in the colony
as early as 1663 to establish free schools for "poor chil
dren" and in after years by several towns, none seem to
have met with success.

SCHOOLS. 67
In 1789 The Providence Association of Mechanics and
Manufacturers was formed, and during the transaction
of the business of the association the members soon dis
covered their deficiencies in education.
Important papers were to be drawn up and various
kinds of technical documents prepared such as but few
were competent to execute; and it did not take the mem
bers long to decide that their children should have better
advantages for obtaining an education than they them
selves had. The association began to agitate the question
of better school facilities, and kept up the agitation until
1799, when they decided to petition to the General Assem
bly, which was then in session, to establish free schools
throughout the State.
John Howland was a member of the Mechanics Asso
ciation and was foremost in advocating the measure, most
of the labor of pushing along the movement falling upon
him. And to his untiring energy and persistent efforts
the final triumph of free education throughout the State
is due, and he may be justly called the founder of free
public schools in Rhode Island.
A memorial or petition was prepared by Mr. Howland,
and under the name of The Providence Mechanics Asso
ciation he presented the same to the General Assembly at
the February session, 1799, praying them to enact such
laws as would establish a system of free schools throughout
the State.
The memorial was strongly opposed by some of the
members, and, strange as it may appear, the strongest
opponents to the law were the delegates from the poorer
towns, which really were to receive the most benefit.

68 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
The subject was finally referred by the General Assem
bly to a committee, which reported, in June, 1799, a bill
that was ordered to be printed and to be distributed to
the several towns for inspection.
At the October session the bill was taken up, and after
much discussion was passed by the house of representa
tives. It was then sent to the senate, which postponed
acting upon it until the session held in February, 1800,
when it passed without much opposition and became a law.
Thus was achieved the first great triumph in the cause of
education in Rhode Island.
As already stated, the law was strongly opposed by many
of the country towns that were most to be benefited, in
consequence of which little effort was made by these
towns to enforce it. Because of this non-enforcement the
law soon became unpopular, and was repealed in 1803.
Efforts were made several times, after the repeal of the
law, to revive the movement, and each time the interest
of John Howland could be seen endeavoring to firmly
establish the cherished object of his life, the system of
free public schools throughout the entire State.
The winter session of the General Assembly, 1828,
proved a triumph for the friends of education. After a
long and severe struggle, "An act to establish public
schools throughout the State" was passed. Up to this
time this part of the town enjoyed only such school
facilities as could be obtained through the generosity of
those who interested themselves in the cause.
It was a common custom for the people of a community
interested in education, and having sufficient means, to
build a schoolhouse at their own expense for the accommo
dation of the neighborhood, and charge a nominal rent

SCHOOLS.

69

to some teacher for the use of it. In some cases a teacher
would be employed at a salary which was deemed sufficient
at the time.
A small tuition fee was collected from each pupil attend
ing, to pay the salary of the teacher, which was in most
cases from one dollar and a half to two dollars and a half
per week. Not many of the old-time teachers, however,
were paid as high as two dollars and a half per week.
This high figure seldom or never was reached without a
struggle. Of course his board would be included, the teacher
boarding around the neighborhood a week or two with
each family; and without doubt the experiences of some-
teachers boarding around the country would furnish
amusing and interesting reading.

The First School House — 1802-5.

70 ANNALS Of CENTERDALE.
Some time between 1802 and 1805 Nathaniel Angell,
Olney Angell, Benjamin Whipple, and Roger Olney, by
mutual agreement, formed themselves into a kind of a
company with the object of promoting the general welfare
of the community, and to provide better facilities for
attending school. They caused to be built at their own
expense the first schoolhouse ever built in Centerdale.
This was about the year 1802, possibly a year or two
later. This schoolhouse was built upon land belonging to
Nathaniel Angell, near the southerly corner of Smith and
Steere streets, but stood facing the old road, as Smith
street at that time had not been constructed. (See map
of old road.)
Like most country schoolhouses of those days it was a
small one-story building, 20 x 25 feet, with an ell, upon the
end facing the road, 8 x 10 feet, for the entry; the boys
and girls using the same door and entry. The end of the
building was surmounted with a belfry and bell, which in
those days was no common luxury for a country school-
house. The interior was arranged with a broad aisle through
the center of the room, the floor being built on an incline,
slanting from the sides of the room towards the center
aisle, the desks being arranged lengthwise of the room
upon the incline floor facing the center aisle, and the
teacher's desk was upon a high platform at the rear end
of the room.
It would be interesting to know the name of the first
or any of the early teachers, but unfortunately no record
of them has been preserved, nor is there any one now liv
ing who can supply any of their names earlier than 1824.

SCHOOLS. 71
The only names I have been able to learn of those who
taught in the old schoolhouse are Miss Ruth Richardson,
who taught in 1824; Stephen Angell, in 1833, 1834, and
i835- A Miss Briggs taught from August 1, 1836, to November
1, when she was succeeded by John Colwell, November
21 of the same year, Mr. Colwell receiving twenty-three
dollars per month salary. Mr. Colwell was succeeded,
June 26, 1837, by Rebecca Steere, at a salary of three
dollars per week; these figures being found in a memo
randum made in an old account book of James Angell,
who was trustee of the school at that time. After Miss
Steere came Jenks Mowry, Frank Anthony, and William
W. Wright, in the order named; Mr. Wright being the
last to teach in the old schoolhouse before the building
was abandoned for school purposes, in 1848.
In 1823 the land where the schoolhouse stood was sold
to James Angell who, in 1828, sold it to Asa Steere, who
desired to build a dwelling-house thereon, and the school-
house was moved across Smith street, nearly opposite its
first location.
Here it remained until it became inadequate to meet the
requirements of the increasing population, and in 1848 it
was abandoned for school purposes, a new schoolhouse
having been built.
In the summer of 1846 a meeting of the taxpayers of
the school district was called, and it was voted to assess a
tax upon the ratable property of the district sufficient to
purchase a suitable lot and erect thereon a new school-
house. A piece of land was purchased at the corner of Smith
street and Angell avenue (the site of the present school-

72

ANNALS OP CENTERDALE.

house), and a committee was appointed to proceed and
build a house after designs furnished by Thomas Tefft,
an architect, whose skill as an architect of school buildings
stood very high at the time.

The Second School House, Erected 1848.
In due time a beautiful two-room house was erected,
which at the time was considered one of the model school-
houses of the State.
In November, 1848, schools were opened in the new
house, Mr. Henry A. Cook having charge of the grammar
department and Almeda Hartwell of the primary school.
Under their careful direction, and that of their suc
cessors, the standard of the Centerdale schools stood very
high throughout the northern part of the State.
Soon after the State adopted the free school system, in
1828, the town was divided into school districts, each
district having full control of its school affairs, with the
right to assess a tax upon all ratable property of the
district to provide funds to erect school homes, and repair

SCHOOLS. 73
the same, and to defray the expenses incidental to the
conduct of the schools.
The district around Centerdale was known as school
district number five, and included the villages of Gray-
stone, Centerdale, and Allendale as far as Emanuel street,
and extended in the direction of Fruit Hill to Sunset
avenue, and extended in an easterly direction to the
Smithfield road.
The business pertaining to school affairs was placed in
charge of one or more trustees, who were elected annually
by the legal voters of the district.
It was sometimes the case in some districts that in
competent men were elected as trustees, whose only object
seemed to be to install some friend or relative as teacher
in the school, regardless of the person's qualification or the
wishes of the people.
Occasionally some little neighborhood broil outside of
the school, either in politics, or trade would enter into the
election, and the result would be that the office would be
filled by a person wholly unfit for the position, and the
schools would suffer in consequence.
But this was not always the case, for some communities
were fortunate to secure trustees who had the interest of
the schools at heart, and in such cases trustees, teachers,
and scholars would work in harmony together, and good
results would be obtained ; and it might be truthfully said
that district number five was generally fortunate in secur
ing competent men for trustees to manage the school
affairs. But whatever the deficiencies of the district system may
have been, it served its purpose in the early days of free

74 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
schools; but as the system of free schools developed with
the increasing population, and the greater demands made
by the ever-changing condition of affairs, it became evi
dent that the district system, which had answered well its
purpose in the early days, had now become inadequate,
and some change in the management of the schools was
necessary to attain the best results.
At the January session of the General Assembly, 1884,
an act was passed authorizing the towns in town meeting
to abolish the school district system and transfer all of
the school property into the hands of the town and place
the entire management and care of all public school in
terests in a town school committee. The law was not
made compulsory, but left it optional with the towns to
adopt the town system or not; but in 1903 the law was
amended, to go into effect January 1, 1904, abolishing the
district system and requiring every town throughout the
State to proceed and organize under the new law; as
nearly every town had already adopted it, it was thought
best to make the system uniform throughout the State.
North Providence was the first town in the State to
adopt the new law, at a town meeting held June 1st, 1885,
and an immediate improvement in the school buildings
and the general management of the school affairs was
noticeable. The first superintendent of schools under the town
management was William W. Wright, who labored dili
gently and faithfully to effect the change from the obsolete
district system to the town management.
Mr. Wright served as superintendent until 1887, when
he was succeeded by George W. Gould, who served one
year, when he was succeeded by James C. Collins, who

SCHOOLS.

75

served from 1888 until 1897, when he was succeeded by
the following: Henry R. Hill, from 1897 to 190 1 ; George
M. Hall, from 1901 to 1905; Arthur Cushing, from 1905
to 1907, when Thomas P. Bassett was chosen superin
tendent. Soon after the town assumed the management of the
schools, it became evident that the school attendance had
again outgrown the capacity of the house which was
once the pride of the village, and that a new and more
commodious house must soon be provided.
At a town meeting held June 27, 1885, an appropriation
of $4,000.00 was made to provide better school facilities
for the Centerdale district.
Messrs. James C. Collins, Preston L. Belden, Henry
R. Hill, Herbert L. Eddy, Martin W. Thurber, and
Benjamin Sweet were appointed a building committee.

Third, or Present School House,

76 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
The result of the committee's labors was that a new
three-room schoolhouse of modern design was erected
from plans furnished by William R. Walker, architect.
The work of construction was under the direction of
Benjamin Sweet, contractor, who commenced work dur
ing the summer of 1885, and the building was completed
during the following winter, and was formally dedicated,
February 2 2d, 1886, with appropriate exercises.
A large gathering of the people of the town, with the
friends of education from adjoining towns, was present.
The dedicatory exercises were conducted by the chair
man of the building committee, Hon. James C. Collins,
and addresses were made by Hon. Thomas B. Stockwell,
Commissioner of Public Schools of Rhode Island, Rev.
V. E. Tomlinson of Valley Falls, and Thomas J. Morgan,
principal of the State Normal School.
Many congratulations were extended to the residents
of the village for the beautiful building which they that
day had dedicated to the cause of education. The build
ing contained three rooms, for grammar, intermediate, and
primary departments.
Other rooms have been added from time to time as
needed, until now the house contains six rooms with
modern furnishings, including a steam heating plant.
The schoolhouse occupies an elevated and commanding
site, and is surrounded by trees of many years' growth,
making the surroundings attractive to a person entering
the village.

CHAPTER X.
Churches.
And he said unto them, Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to
every creature. St. Mark xvi, 15.
IN 1830 the village of Centerdale had grown to be a
busy little community. The mill had been enlarged
to more than double its former size, several houses had
been built, an old-time variety store established, a wheel
wright and blacksmith shop started, and also a tavern had
been established ; for in those days a country village would
hardly be complete without its village tavern.
Previous to 1832 the village contained no building
consecrated to God for holding divine services; but
religious services were occasionally held in the school-
house, and an occasional prayer-meeting at the home of
some of the residents.
There was as early as 1816 a Baptist church at Fruit
Hill, about one mile away, where those who were inclined
could attend.
About 1830 the people desired a more convenient place
for holding divine service than the schoolhouse afforded,
and with the influence and help of the Anthonys, who had
purchased the cotton mill, and the co-operation of the
resident people, a substantial sum was secured as a fund
to build a Free Will Baptist meeting-house.
The results of their efforts were that a stone edifice
37 x 56 feet was erected upon land secured from James
Angell, upon the west side of Smith street, opposite the
junction of Mineral Spring avenue.

78

ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.

The meeting-house, as it was called, was a substantial
stone building, surmounted by a square belfry on the end
fronting the street.

The Baptist Meeting House. (Armory Hall.)
In 1835 a subscription paper was circulated to obtain
a sufficient amount to purchase a bell. The original
paper is still preserved, and a copy is here given with the
names and amounts subscribed:

"We the subscribers being desirous to procure a bell for the Center
Village Meeting House agree to pay the sum affixed to our respective
names to be applied to that purpose. "North Providence July 17 1835

•

CHURCHES.

79

Halsey Sweetland

- 2 50

Adam Lawrence

1 00

SamLiel Sweet

I OO

Martin Wheeler

1 00

Waterman Sweet

I OO

Brown W. Sweet

3 °°

Timothy Colwell

I OO

Jenks Smith

1 00

James Corey

I 00

Elias Hutchins

2 50

John W. Colwell

I OO

John Hutchinson

1 5°

William Mathewson .

I CO

A. Sawyer

1 00

William A. Colwell

I oo

Ephraim Whipple

1 00

Royal Waterman

I oo

John F. Smith

1 00

Fenner Brown

2 OO

James Anthony

15 00

E. M. Sears

I oo

James Angell

10 00

L. Ross

50

Asa Steere

5 °o

Ebben Scott

I 00

Luther Carpenter

S °°

George Cummings

I 00

Ephraim Hawkins

5 00

Dexter Edwards

50

William Woodworth

7 00

George Waterman

I 00

Richard Briggs

6 00

John G. Needham

2 00

Edwin Capron

6 00

Stephen Angell

1 00

Obadiah Olney

1 00

Nathaniel Angell

2 00

Welcome Farnum

1 00

Ambross Eddy .

I OO

Daniel Farnum

So

98 00

Ninety-eight dollars was obtained to buy the bell, and
a fine, deep-toned, Spanish bell was secured.
A short time previous there was some religious trouble
in Spain, and many of the bells upon the churches and
convents were removed and transported out of the country
to prevent their being confiscated or from falling into the
hands of the opposing party.
Some of the bells were shipped to New York and Boston,
and eventually one of them poised in the belfry of the
Centerdale meeting-house.
This bell was made of Spanish bell metal and weighed
about 600 pounds, and was inscribed as was the custom

80 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
in those days; unfortunately no record was made of the
words of the inscription before it was destroyed by fire
in 1892, which also destroyed the building and its contents,
including all of the church records, an account of which
will be given later.
At the time of the fire spoken of, all the records of the
early history of the church were destroyed; so it is im
possible to tell the date when this, the first church, was
dedicated, except that it was in the autumn of 1832.
Rev. Elias Hutchins, Rev. Gilbert Whittemore, and
Rev. Maxcy Burlingame were among the early preachers
in the new meeting-house ; but which of the three was the
first to officiate is unknown; but certain indications point
to Rev. Elias Hutchins as being the first.
How interesting it would be if a full and complete report
of the first service held here, the name of the first officiating
clergyman, the address that was made, the psalms and
hymns that were sung and the attending incidents of that
most interesting occasion; what a satisfaction it would
be if a picture of that first gathering, such as the modern
triumph of the art of photography could give of a like
scene to-day, could be produced.
The interior of the house was not unlike other meeting
houses built in those days, and consisted of one large
audience room, 17 feet in height, lighted by six large
windows, 5x9 feet in size ; across the end was the gallery,
always to be found in those old-time meeting-houses, to
accommodate the village choir.
The pulpit, which stood at one end, was of enormous
size; the top of the reading-desk being fully nine feet
above the floor. The pews were like stalls, or boxes,
with doors to close and button, the sides being so high

CHURCHES. 81
that only the heads of the congregation could be seen;
while a boy a dozen years old could scarcely see over the
tops of them.
The Baptist society continued to hold services in their
"new meeting-house" until about 1845, when religious
services under the direction of the Free Will Baptist
denomination were discontinued.
At the annual convention of the Protestant Episcopal
Church of Rhode Island, held in 1839, a canon was
adopted, establishing a board of missions for the purpose
of propagating and establishing missions in such parts
of the State that had never been blessed with the privi
leges of worshiping God in the true church, as understood
by the adherents of the Episcopal Church.
Committees were appointed to explore the northern and
western portions of the State with special reference to this
subject. They found some towns entirely destitute of a
regular place for divine worship of any kind within their
limits. Here was good missionary ground to work in,
and the church was not slow to grasp the opportunity.
Missions were established in Burrillville, Johnston,
Smithfield, Cumberland, North Providence, and other
towns throughout the State.
Where meeting-houses of other denominations could
not be had for holding services, halls were secured; and
in the absence of both, services were held in the open air.
During the years 1844 and 1845 occasional services
were held in Centerdale in the Baptist meeting-house,
which was loaned for the occasion to Rev. James C. Rich
mond, missionary; the services were but occasional, their
object being to sow the seed and patiently wait and watch
for it to take root in the virgin soil and bring forth fruit;

82 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
and if the harvest was sufficient, to establish a mission
station, in the hope that, with God's blessing, it might
develop into a church to the glory of God.
As before stated, these meetings were but occasional.
Until 1847 R-ev- James H. Eames, who was at that time
rector of St. Stephen's Church, Providence, interested
himself in the missionary work in this direction, and,
foreseeing the abundant harvest that might be secured,
entered the field and held regular services in Centerdale
once each Sunday.
He immediately entered into negotiation for the purchase
of the Baptist meeting-house, and in 1848 he obtained a
loan of $50.00 from the Convocation Missionary Fund
to secure the stone church at Center Mill (as it was called),
he receiving assurance that a sufficient amount could be
raised, from those interested, to pay the balance due on
the church.
Interest now increased rapidly in the work, under the
guiding hand of that very devout and gifted servant of
God, Rev. James H. Eames, who labored earnestly to
establish the church to which he had given his life labors.
The interior of the building was altered to accommodate
the services of the Episcopal Church. The high pulpit
used by the Baptists was removed, a chancel and sacristy
erected, and other improvements made, and ere long the
mission was in a flourishing condition.
On account of the arduous duties at St. Stephen's
Church, Mr. Eames was compelled to relinquish tem
porarily his work in this place, Rev. Josiah Phelps offici
ating as missionary for several months, when he returned
to his home in Indiana,

CHURCHES. 83
In March, 1849, R-ev- James H. Carpenter was ap
pointed missionary to this station. The following extract
taken from his annual report to the convention held in
Providence, June 12 and 13, 1849, will give an idea of the
condition of affairs at that time.
. . . "At Center Mill are the regular morning and
evening services on Sunday, and- a congregation not large,
but increasing, and evincing some encouraging signs of
interest. The Sunday-school, which a few weeks ago
consisted of scarcely 20 members, now numbers 50, in
cluding 9 teachers. The choir have reorganized and
resumed their appropriate services in public worship. A
substantial and commodious stone edifice for the worship
of God, capable of seating 300 or 400 persons, is already
erected. A majority of the shares in this building were
purchased by the church a year or two since, of its former
owners and occupants, who were of the Baptist society.
It is furnished with a good bell, and the proper church
fixtures have been added. It now needs for the more
complete worship of God in decency and in order a small
organ, a communion service, a carpet, and a surplice.
These things I hope the more able friends of missions and
the church in our neighboring cities will not suffer it
long to want." . . .
Mr. Carpenter continued to officiate until March, 1850;
from that time until November, of the same year, the place
was filled by Mr. Gray, a lay reader.
About this time great interest was awakened in the
home missionary work, and Rev. James Eames resigned
his position as rector of St. Stephen's Church, Providence,
to enter again the missionary field.
He was assigned to three missions, one at Greenville, one
at Valley Falls, and at Centerdale. He entered upon his
work at Centerdale the second time in November, 1850.

84 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
On account of the distance between the three stations,
Mr. Eames was required to walk or drive ioo miles every
week in the discharge of his duties at the three stations.
The work proved too much for him, and he was com
pelled to give up the Centerdale mission in November,
1 85 1. Regular services on Sunday were discontinued for
a short time, but the Sunday-school was continued and
was well attended and did excellent work. Occasional
services, however, were held the following year by Revs.
Mr. Lumsden, Mr. Fairbairn, and Mr. Mills, together
with the general missionary, Mr. Eames.
In 1853 Mr. Eames was granted a leave of absence by
the convention and was away fourteen months, traveling
through the countries of the east, principally Egypt and
the Holy Land.
During his absence Rev. Benjamin B. Babbitt, of Massa
chusetts, was appointed missionary to fill his place at
Centerdale, and regular services were again held. It was
during the time of Mr. Babbitt's labors here that he
conceived the idea of a mission at Olneyville, and with
the consent of the board of missions entered upon his
labors, the outcome of which was the establishing of the
Church of the Messiah at Olneyville.
Upon the return of Mr. Eames from his travels, in
1855, he resumed the care of the mission.
The church found many obstacles to overcome. The
population was small, and largely inclined towards the
Baptist faith; there being Baptist churches already es
tablished at Allendale, Graniteville, and Fruit Hill, all
within a radius of one mile. And in consequence of the
limited population and the existing circumstances, the
board of missions decided to discontinue further efforts

CHURCHES. 85
to establish a church in this place at that time. The last
services held here by Mr. Eames was Christmas night,
i855- The discontinuance of the mission was much regretted
by the faithful few who had labored to establish the
church, but they bowed in humble submission to the
inevitable, hoping and trusting that the seed sown by
His faithful servants had fallen upon good ground, and
when watered with the dew of His blessing would spring
up and bring forth an abundant harvest in the near
future. The meeting-house, as it never ceased to be called,
remained closed for holding divine services until April
29, 1863, when it was sold to James Halsey Angell, who
removed the pews and other church fixtures and trans
formed it into an armory, or drill-hall, for the use of Com
pany A, First Regiment Rhode Island Militia, which was
organized during the Civil war in accordance with a law
passed by the General Assembly ordering the organizing
of the State militia. The hall was named Armory Hall,
and was ever afterwards known by that name until it was
destroyed by fire, February 6, 1892. An account of the
fire, published in one of the Providence newspapers, is
here given, which also gives a brief account of the last
few years of its existence :
"About 2 o'clock Saturday morning, February 6, 1892, fire was
discovered issuing from the windows and roof of Armory Hall. The
alarm was soon given, but before many minutes the whole building
was enveloped in flames. Evidently the fire had been raging for
some time before it was discovered, in order to have gained such
headway. In the absence of all fire apparatus nothing could be
done to save the building and the attention of the people was turned

86 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
toward saving adjoining buildings, especially the Centerdale Hotel,
which was literally covered with sparks and cinders, but was saved
from destruction partially by the presence of about two inches of
snow which covered the roof. The fire from the hall communicated
with a small wooden structure used as a barber shop and occupied
by H. E. Turner. By 4 o'clock both buildings were totally con
sumed. The origin of the fire is unknown. The hall was insured
in the Pawtucket Mutual Insurance Co. for $2,000; the barber shop
was uninsured and is a total loss. Both buildings belonged to the
estate of the late J. H. Angell. The burning of Armory Hall removes
an old and familiar landmark from the town, and will be regretted
by many of the townsmen who were accustomed to assemble there
upon different occasions. The hall was a stone structure 37 x 56
feet and was erected in the year 1832 by the Free Will Baptist Society,
who held services there about 13 years when services were discon
tinued, and in 1847 tne h°use was sold to the Episcopal Society, who
held services there until 1855, when services were again discontinued,
which ended the building's career as a regular place of worship. In
the year 1863 the property was sold to Mr. J. Halsey Angell, who
transformed it into Armory Hall for the use of a military company
which was organized here during the Civil war. At the close of the
war the hall was remodeled into a public hall for general purposes.
The order of Good Templars and the Temple of Honor occupied it
from 1871 to 1874. In 1886 it was again remodeled and a stage
erected and a set of scenery added. In 1890 the Centerdale Athletic
Club occupied it for a gymnasium, and continued to do so until it was
destroyed by fire Saturday morning. The club lost all of their
paraphernalia, upon which there was no insurance. The basement
of the hall was occupied by the Young American Band as a band
room; they losing about $150, in instruments and uniforms, etc. The
loss of the old bell, which was allowed to occupy its accustomed place
in the belfry, is much regretted by the public generally, as is mani
fested by the frequent calls for a small piece as a token in remem
brance of the many times it chimed forth its sweet and melodious
notes, sometimes calling the people together to worship, and at other
times calling forth in more stirring peals for men to assemble in
defence of their country, or to battle with the fiery fiend which at

CHURCHES. 87
this time had encircled its home and forced it to give up its life (as
we might say), for its voice will be heard no more. But the faithful
old servant gave a farewell stroke as it descended into the fiery
cauldron below, which was distinctly heard by those present. The
bell was cast in Spain upwards of one hundred years ago, and was
considered of unusual fine and mellow tone." .
The destruction of Armory Hall removed the only
place where public gatherings or religious services could
be held in the village; for the doors of Armory Hall
were always opened free of any charge by Mr. Angell to
any denomination who desired to hold divine service
there. But as a rule the services were but occasional.
Spring came, followed by summer, autumn, and winter,
for more than two-score years before the beautiful services
of the Episcopal Church were again exemplified in Cen
terdale. The seed sown by those early missionaries had
long slumbered, but had now taken root, and in February,
1897, the harvest time was at hand; and God in His
infinite wisdom directed the footsteps of His faithful ser
vant, Rev. James W. Colwell, thither to gather the golden
harvest. It would have been difficult to have found a
man more especially qualified to undertake the arduous
work than Mr. Colwell. He was a man of large ex
perience in the work in Christ's vineyard, of pleasing
address and tireless energy, and he entered upon his
work here with renewed ambition, feeling that he was to
complete the work begun by his esteemed friend, Dr.
Eames, so many years before.
The people of the community during the long time the
church had remained dormant had affiliated themselves
with other denominations in adjoining villages, there
being less than half a dozen Episcopalians within the

88 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
limits of the village; thus it will be seen that he had no
easy task before him. He must first interest and educate
the people in the faith and forms of the church. In this
work he was especially gifted, and was ably assisted by
his daughter, Miss Mary E. Colwell (now Mrs. B. M.
Latham), who labored tirelessly for four years with her
father, traveling through summer's sun and winter's snow
upward of ten miles every Sunday to labor in the church
she so much loved and to help establish St. Alban's mission.

Rev. James W. Colwell.

There being no hall in the village in which to hold ser
vices, a small room in a building on Waterman avenue was
donated to the use of the mission by the Centerdale Wor
sted Co., and a generous friend of the church contributed
suitable furnishings; and February 21, 1897, services were

CHURCHES. 89
held there for the first time, Rev. James W. Colwell
officiating, assisted by Arch-deacon Tucker.
The attendance was very encouraging. The object of
the meeting was explained by both the officiating clergy
men, who earnestly implored the blessings of God to
descend upon the community and to encourage in the
hearts of the people a desire to labor for the establishment
of the church to the glory of God. They also told of the
earnest efforts of Dr. Eames, who labored so faithfully in
the endeavor to establish the church in Centerdale so
many years ago.
After the service Frank C. Angell announced that he
had in his possession the communion service, bible, and
prayer book used by Dr. Eames in his labors here forty
years ago, and desired to present the same to the new
mission. The bible, prayer book, and communion service had
been carefully cared for by Mr. Angell and his ancestors,
as treasures too sacred to be put to common use ; and now,
after nearly half a century had passed, he rejoiced that he
had the pleasure of returning the treasures to the use to
which they had been dedicated.
The attendance increased at each service, and soon the
room was far too small to hold all who came; but many
were content to stand outside of the building and listen
to the inspiring words of the earnest and faithful mis
sionary. The name of St. Alban's Mission was suggested by
Mr. Colwell as a suitable name for the mission to be
known by, and the congregation readily adopted the
same; and the society has ever since been known by that
name, in memory of the first Christian martyr in England.

90 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
To afford an opportunity for the ladies to labor for the
advancement of the work of the mission, The St. Elizabeth
Guild was organized; and to the persevering efforts of
this little band of willing workers is largely due the credit
of erecting the beautiful St. Alban's church, which now
adorns the village.
Interest in the work continued to increase, and April 22,
1897, a meeting was called that a general interchange of
opinions might be had as to the advisability of erecting a
church. At a subsequent meeting committees were ap
pointed to solicit funds for that purpose. The generous
donation of the Centerdale Worsted Company of one
thousand dollars, and the gift of a beautiful building site,
centrally located (where the St. Alban's church now
stands), by Frank C. Angell, encouraged the giving of
many liberal amounts, and the widow's mite received the
same blessing of God as the larger amounts received.
At a meeting held April 12th, 1899, the following
resolution was passed:
" Voted, That a committee of three be elected, to be
known and called the building committee, with power
and authority to proceed and erect or cause to be erected
a suitable building or church edifice suitable for holding
religious services according to the established custom and
forms of the Episcopal Church."
Frank C. Angell, William Dracup, and James W. Col
well were elected as the committee.
Designs furnished by D. H. Thornton, architect, were
accepted, and April 17, 1899, ground was broken for the
foundation, which was placed by William A. Sweet.
The contract for the building of the church above the

CHURCHES,

91

foundation was awarded to John A. Chase, contractor
and builder. The work progressed rapidly, and June 22,
1899, the corner-stone was laid in accordance with the
usual forms of the Episcopal Church by Bishop Coadjutor
William N. McVickar, assisted by a delegation of the
clergy.

St. Alban's Church.
After the corner-stone was laid the building began to
assume its beautiful proportions; the spire gradually
ascending heavenward, surmounted and holding aloft the
golden cross, the emblem of Christ, proclaiming to all the
world that "all who believe and are baptized shall inherit
eternal life."

92 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
In due time the church was completed, and December
19th, 1899, was delivered into the hands of the committee
by the contractor.
The work of placing the pews and furnishing the in
terior was rapidly pushed forward, and February 21st,
1900, the third anniversary of the founding of the mission,
the church was formally opened and dedicated to the
worship of God by Right Rev. Bishop William N. Mc
Vickar, assisted by a delegation of the clergy.
The mission was now firmly established in its new home,
with an encouraging future before it. A small debt which
was upon the church at the time it was dedicated was
paid January 1, 1906, and June 16, of the same year, it was
formally consecrated by Bishop McVickar. The sermon
was by Rev. George McC. Fiske, D. D., rector of St.
Stephen's Church, Providence.
The day was one long looked forward to with much
interest by the members of the little parish, and would
have been a day of unalloyed pleasure to all had not
the vacant seat within the chancel rail told the sad story
that the beloved rector (James W. Colwell), who had
labored so long and faithfully to establish St. Alban's
Mission, had been called away to receive the reward of
the faithful and hear the joyful tidings, "Well done, thou
good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy
Lord." In November, 1905, Mr. Colwell was stricken with
paralysis at his home in Greenville. The news came as a
heavy blow to his many friends, especially so to the mem
bers of the mission, who fully realized that this was but
the beginning of the end. He never recovered sufficiently
to resume his labors at St. Alban's. While visiting his

CHURCHES.

93

daughter, at Mansfield, Mass., he was again stricken,
immediately after asking divine blessing at the evening
meal, and soon expired. His death occurred April 26th,
1906. During the time that Mr. Colwell was unable to officiate
at St. Alban's Mission the place was filled temporarily by
Richard James and Henry Harman, lay readers, until
March 25, 1906, when Rev. Alva E. Carpenter, rector
of St. Peter's Church, Manton, assumed charge until
October 7, when he was succeeded by Rev. Edmond C.
Bennett.

Methodist Church.

The Centerdale Methodist Church.

During the summer of 1896 William H. Tilley, a local
preacher of Mount Pleasant M. E. Church, assisted by

94 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
Mr. C. A. Lockwood, and others, held religious services
in the open air in the village; the first one occurring
July 12, 1896. These open-air meetings were held regu
larly each pleasant Sunday until October 23, when the
weather became too cold for out-of-door services; and as,
no hall was to be had, William H. Tilley, to further the
work he had inaugurated, purchased a lot of land on
George street near Smith street, and at once proceeded to
erect a small church, doing much of the work himself.
January 3, 1897, saw the church completed, and the
first services were held within its walls at that time.
The formal dedication of the little church occurred
June 17, 1897; the presiding elder of the Providence
district, Rev. Mr. E. C. Boss, officiating; and great
interest was manifested by the members, who worked
earnestly and devotedly for its advancement.
At a session of the Methodist Episcopal Conference,
held a few months later, it was deemed unwise to organize
a M. E. Church at Centerdale at this time. Whereupon
the members of the new church voted unanimously to
organize as an Independent Methodist Church. Mr. W.
H. Tilley, who had acted as assistant pastor, was elected
pastor, and June 27, 1901, was formally ordained to the
gospel ministry ; and under his direction and his untiring
energy and generosity the church still continues on with
its good work.
St. Lawrence Church.
{Roman Catholic.)
Until the summer of 1907 Centerdale was included in
the parish of St. Thomas church, at Manton, about two

churches.

95

miles distant, necessitating quite a long walk for those who
desired to attend service, and many were unable to do so
from some disability or the infirmities of old age.

*r^rrr i

St. Lawrence Church.
As the population increased the adherents of the
Catholic Church increased accordingly, and eventually
numbered about 400 communicants in and around Cen
terdale. On account of the distance of St. Thomas church
from Centerdale, and the size of the parish, a plea for a
division of the parish was made to Rt. Rev. Bishop Har-
kins, who, after carefully considering the question in all
its bearings, decided that the best interest of the church
could be served by a division of the parish and establishing
a new church near Centerdale; believing that the people
would be more conveniently accommodated and have a
more home interest in the work than they would have in
a place of worship more distantly removed.

96 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
In compliance to his wishes and orders the parish was
divided, the new one receiving the name of St. Lawrence
parish, and Rev. Joseph Hardy was assigned to take
charge of the same. Father Hardy was a young priest,
and especially qualified to undertake the arduous task,
and entered into the work with much energy and en
thusiasm, and soon awoke among his parishoners a lively
interest in the church work. A room was secured in
Allendale, where services were held temporarily, or until
other arrangements could be made.
The members of the new parish soon saw the urgent
need of a larger and better place for holding divine services
than the present room afforded and in a building suitably
arranged and consecrated to His holy name.
A suitable site for a new church was secured near
Centerdale, on Woonasquatucket avenue, corner of George
street, and June 17th, 1907, ground was broken for the
foundation of the new edifice. The work of construction
was now pushed rapidly forward by J. C. Walch & Co.,
contractors, from plans drawn by Messrs. Fountaine &
Kennicutt, architects. The size of the church is 45 x
100 feet, with a spire 107 feet above the street.
October 20, 1907, the corner-stone was laid with the
impressive ceremony of the Catholic Church by Rt. Rev.
Bishop Matthew Harkins, D. D., assisted by a large
delegation of the clergy. The sermon was by Rev.
Thomas C. O'Brien. The first service was held in the
unfinished structure October 13, 1907, Rev. Joseph Hardy,
rector.

CHAPTER XL
The Village Tavern.
IN ye olden times a country village without a tavern
would be as devoid of life as a schoolhouse in vaca
tion time, and would offer little inducement for people to
remain long within its limits.
The taverns in those days were the center of the com
munity and a very important feature in the life of the town,
socially and otherwise; they were the farmer's club-room,
the village bureau of information, the main center for
obtaining the news from abroad, as well as the village
gossip. Newspapers were only occasionally seen, and a
farmer who could afford a weekly or monthly paper was
always a welcome guest at the gatherings around the
open fire-place of the tavern room. There would be
discussed the price of hay, corn, potatoes, wood, and
other products of the farm; there was planned in the
long winter evenings the work for the coming season,
advice was sought and given in reference to everything
of interest to the community; occasionally politics were
reviewed and party campaigns planned.
Aside from the home, there probably is no place to
which the minds of our grandfathers would revert with
more pleasing recollections than the evenings passed in
the public room of the old-time tavern.
Pleasant indeed must be the recollections of those early
days; the swinging signs, the rattling stage-coaches, the
stories and adventures related around the cheerful blaze

98 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE,
of the open fire-place, and the merry dances held at these
taverns attended by the people from all the country
around. The hotel of to-day has little in common with the tavern
of one hundred, or even fifty years, ago. That close neigh
borly companionship formed around the hearth-stone of
the tavern room has long since disappeared.
It is not difficult to understand some of the causes that
has brought about this change. The introduction of new
industries, employing many transient people who do not
remain long enough in any place to have anything in
common with the old residents, or to take any interest-
in the welfare of the community; the rapid and con
venient ways of traveling to and from the neighboring
cities for business and other purposes; the diffusion of
the news from all parts of the world through the daily
newspapers delivered at the doors of almost every home,
together with the changes incident to the mode of living
in modern times, are some of the chief causes of the de
cline of the old-time village tavern.
To give a history of the old tavern, now called the
Centerdale Hotel, without calling attention to its founder,
James Angell, would be like trying to tell the history of
Rhode Island without alluding in any way to Roger
Williams. So it is but fitting that a review of the life of
one so intimately connected with the early history of the
village of Centerdale, and whose life-long interest was so
identified with its progress, should be given at this time.
James Angell was born December 5th, 1781, and came
from sturdy old Puritan stock. He was the son of James
Angell and Amey Day, nee daughter of Nathaniel Day
(mentioned in chapter II of this work), and was a direct

THE village tavern. 99
lineal descendant of the fifth generation from Thomas
Angell, who came with Roger Williams from England in
1 63 1, he being one of the five persons who constituted
Roger Williams's little party when he came and founded
the city of Providence in 1636.*

James Angell.
The early life of James Angell was not unlike that of
other boys brought up on a farm. He inherited a strong
and robust constitution, and his boyhood days upon the
farm were well calculated to firmly knit his young frame
together. He was possessed of wonderful vitality, and
seemed never to tire from work or appear fatigued; nor
was he ever sick a day in his life until the illness that
caused his death at the age of 89 years. His habits were
*See Chapter II.

100 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
correct in every way. He was a very temperate man in
the use of ardent spirits, although not an total abstainer.
As evidence of his wonderful vitality, it may be men
tioned that at the age of eighty-five years he would go
into the field and do what would be considered a good
day's work for a man of forty years; and in the haying
season would take his scythe and mow with the rest of
the men; and in the parlance of the hay-field, "no man
could mow his heels."
He was of a genial and pleasant disposition, cordial
and courteous to all, and seemed to possess a certain
amount of unassumed dignity which commanded a re
spectful recognition from all. He took an active interest
in all that pertained to the moral and intellectual welfare
of the community, and was foremost in all philanthropic
enterprises. He was honored many times by his towns
men, who elected him to various public offices of the
town, including that of representative to the General
Assembly for the years 1843-44-45.
He was twice married: the first time to Lydia Olney,
the second time to Selinda Ray. Six children were born
by the first wife: Elisha O., Amanda, Amey, Nathaniel,
Hannah P., and Henry J., and two were born by the
second wife: James Halsey and Adeline F.
It is interesting to note the extreme longevity of the
family. The combined ages of James Angell and four
of his brothers at the time of their death was 424 years,
an average of nearly 85 years each; while the combined
ages of four of his children was 329 years, an average of
over 82 years each; and one of the sons died at the age
of 94 years.
While yet a young man James Angell decided to emi-

THE VILLAGE TAVERN. 101
grate to the State of New York, or, as it was then called,
to the far west. He accordingly gathered his household
goods together, and, placing them, with his little family,
consisting of his young wife and two small children, upon
an ox-cart, started on the long and tedious journey.
This was in 1808, many years before the advent of the
steam railroad.
After arriving at his destination he purchased a farm
near Saratoga, N. Y., where he remained three years, or
until 181 1, when he returned to Rhode Island, making
the return trip in the same manner as he had gone; the
time occupied in the journey being about three weeks each
way, which is quite in contrast with the modern method
of traveling in a vestibuled train of drawing-room cars and
making the journey in a few hours.
Shortly after he returned he leased the farm and tavern
known then as the "Thayer Stand," on Fruit Hill, and
renamed the stand "Fruit Hill Tavern, " and ever after the
locality has been known as Fruit Hill. It received its
name on account of the delicious fruit which grew there
in abundance, especially cherries.
In 1822 Mr. Angell's lease expired, and he removed
from Fruit Hill and decided to establish a tavern at Cen
terdale (or Center, as it was then called). Early in the
spring of 1824 ground was broken for the erection of the
structure, which was soon to be noted as the most popular
and hospitable tavern in the northern part of the State;
the house was completed during the summer, and late
in the fall of the same year was opened to the public.
James Angell was well calculated to be a successful
landlord. His old-time courteous and dignified manner,
combined with his genial and generous disposition, es
pecially fitted him for the host of the village tavern.

102

ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.

o

M Hz
o

THE VILLAGE TAVERN. 103
The house is 30 x 55 feet, two stories in height, and at
the time it was built was not adorned with the piazza
which now runs the entire length of the front of the build
ing; but there was a porch, or stoop, as it was then
called, that ran across the south end. This, however, long
since disappeared by being enclosed in the body of the
house. Ten fire-places constituted the heating apparatus, while
two brick ovens served to bake the bread and pastry and
roast the turkeys for the dances held in the winter-time
in the hall that occupied a portion of the second story.
This cozy hall, 18 x 30 feet, was built with an arched
ceiling 16 feet in height, and at each end was a fire-place,
with brass andirons cleaned and polished to such bright
ness as to reflect around the room the soft light of the
glowing fire, which added much to the cheerfulness of
the room and helped the feeble light of the twenty-five
or thirty candles, supported by circular chandeliers of
tin, suspended from the arched ceiling. These, with per
haps a half-dozen candles upon the mantel-shelves at the
ends of the hall, were expected to furnish ample light to
properly display the costumes of the fair damsels as they
tripped the light fantastic toe to the music of the orchestra
stationed in the little boxlike balcony, or alcove, in the
side of the room, fully nine feet above the floor.
These festive occasions were always supplemented by
a turkey supper, prepared under the direct supervision
of the landlady; and it was at -these times that she was
afforded an opportunity to display her skill in the culinary
art. Turkey suppers in those times were not served in
courses, but in the good old-fashioned way; all of the

104 Annals Of Centerdale.
good things being tastefully arranged upon the table
before the guests were seated.
The uncarved turkeys were placed upon the table,
flanked by all of the fixings incidental to such suppers,
together with many kinds of pies and cake (all home-made,
of course). Fruit, consisting of apples and raisins (and
sometimes oranges), were arranged in tall glass dishes;
and if the occasion was of especial note, nuts were in
cluded; but almonds and pecans were only provided for
very special events.
As already stated, the suppers were served in one course,
everything being placed upon the table and everybody
helping themselves to as much as they desired. It was
always served at 12 o'clock, after which dancing would be
resumed and continued until daylight.
Square dances, or cotillions, as they were then called,
were the popular dances of those days, and the "Schot-
tische" and "Polka" were generally tried once during
the evening; but "Money Musk" and the "Virginia Reel"
were always included in the programme.
These grand balls, as they were called, occurred about
four times during the winter, and were held on the evening
of Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and Washing
ton's birthday. Those held at other times were called
cotillion parties. They were highly popular throughout
this section of the State between the years 1835 and 1857,
particularly so between 1847 and 1857, while the tavern
was under the management of James Halsey Angell (son
of the original landlord). But during the financial de
pression throughout the country in 1857 the people had
less money to spend for recreation and amusement, and
this, being followed by the breaking out of the Civil War

THE VILLAGE TAVERN. 105
in 1 86 1, caused the old-time balls to live only in the
pleasant memories of those who in their younger days
had taken part in them.
The tavern room, or bar-room as it was generally called,
undoubtedly was the most attractive room in the house to
most visitors to the village tavern. It was in this room
in the early days of the tavern that the farmer and his
neighbors would congregate in the long winter evenings,
and seat themselves upon benches and heavy oaken chairs
around the open fire-place, with the wood piled high upon
the iron andirons, and listen to the yarns spun, perhaps
by some returned sailor from a long whaling voyage, or
perhaps to some one who had a hunting or fishing story
to tell or re-tell that number of times that there was some
danger that he would convince himself that the story was
true. The teamster was always welcomed to these gath
erings, for he was sure to bring the latest news from the
northern part of the State as well as from the city.
This was long before the advent of the steam railroad,
when all of the supplies as well as the products of the
large mills and other industries of the northern part of
the State were hauled by horses and oxen. And as it re
quired two days to make the round trip, the Centerdale
tavern was the stopping-place for the night, and sixty or
eighty horses would often be accommodated at the tavern
stables, together with half a dozen yoke of oxen.
It was in this room that many of the old-time sailors
would drink the good-bye to their friends before leaving
for New Bedford, Mass., to embark on a five-years'
whaling voyage. Jack Walmsley, Henry Burlingame,
Jerry Daily, Stephen Briggs, and Captain John Lawton
are names well worthy of being mentioned as brave and

106 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
hardy whalemen who took their departure from here. It
was here that the adventurous gold hunters of '49 assem
bled to plan and arrange for a trip around Cape Horn to
California, in the good ship "Perseverance."
The bar, which was the most important fixture of this
room, was placed at one end of the room, and was a curi
ous little affair in comparison with the modern idea of bar
fixtures of artistic wood carvings and massive mirrors.
This little bar was about six feet in length by fourteen
inches in width, the top being fully four feet above the
floor; and if a man was a little under size, his head would
come but little above the top of the bar.
Suspended over the bar, securely fastened to the ceiling
by strong hinges, was a sort of gate which was let down
at night when the bar was closed, and gave to the room
somewhat of the appearance of a bank, only the grating
was made of wood instead of grill-work of polished brass.
In the morning the gate would be raised up and secured
to the ceiling by a strong iron hook. In 1853 the gate was
removed; but the little bar remained until 1870, when that
gave way to one of more pretentious appearance.
Back of the bar were four or five shelves built against
the wall, like the shelves in a store, along which were
arranged tall glass jars filled with long sticks of striped
candy; tobacco, cigars, and nuts of all kinds were also
kept for sale. But the liquor was kept under the bar,
out of sight, and consisted of brandy, West India rum,
New England rum, Holland gin, and Jenckes gin,* wine,
and cider, and in the early days a kind of drink called
"Bitters." Whiskey was but little used here before i860,
but was kept in small quantities. Ale, or strong beer as
*An American product.

THE VILLAGE TAVERN.

107

it was called, was moderately drunk; but no lager was sold
until after 1870. The first lager beer brewed in the United
States was in 1843, and was made then only in very small
quantity in New York, and it was several years after be
fore it was sold regularly in a saloon in that city; and it
took several years more for it to become popular ; the diffi
culty of keeping it without ice being a bar to its general
use until the use of ice became more common.

Glasses Used in Old Times and To-Day.

It is curious to note the prices charged in those times and
compare them with the prices charged to-day. Brandy
and rum were but four cents a glass; gin was three cents,

108 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
unless a little molasses were added, then the price was
four cents. The price of whiskey was the same as gin;
but, as said before, whiskey was but little used.
The glasses used were the common water or table
tumblers, like those now in general use about the house
hold, instead of the diminutive little glasses in use to-day.
Cigars were one cent each, or six for five cents; and in
after years two and three cent cigars were introduced, but.
not many of that extravagant price were sold. After the
breaking out of the Civil War in 1861, prices advanced
rapidly, and, strange as it may seem, have kept on ad
vancing. A reference to the following bills, copied from an old
account book of James Angell, while landlord of the
Centerdale tavern, will prove interesting. Those having
dates earlier than 1824 were taken from books while he
was at the Fruit Hill tavern. North Providence March 1826
Amasa Smith To James Angell Dr
Mar 4 To 3 i gills Gin  22
" 28 " 2 glasses Rum  08
" " " 1 Glass Gin and Molasses  4
Dec 26 " 1 glass Gin & 1 pint New Rum  10
Jan 2 " 5 glasses gin  16
" " " 2 glass gin  6
.66
North Providence 1827
James Latham To James Angell Dr
Feb 27 To 1 Drink of Rum and 1 Drink Beer  06
Mar 16 "2 " "  8

THE VILLAGE TAVERN. 109
Dec 13 To Lodging and Wine  20
" 27 " 4 drinks  16
" 29 " 2 "  8

5§
North Providence 1827
Christopher Brown
To James Angell Dr
Feb 15 To 1 quart Gin  14
"20 1 dinner and Bitters  22
1 Cigar  01
Ginger bread for boy  06

-43
North Providence 1827
Thomas Manchester To James Angell Dr
Feb 17 To 1 glass Rum & 12 cigars  12
" " 1 Pie and cheese  08
Mar 18 18 cigars  16
" " " Wine and Egg  07
" 23 " 4 Cigars & 1 Orange  08
" 27 " 9 cigars 3 glasses gin 1 glass wine  22

-73
North Providence 1830
Mr Amsdell To James Angell Dr
Oct 11 To 2 meals victuals Lodging & Bitters  44
" 12 To 1 " " and Bitters  22
Nov 30 To 1 "" " & 1 drink  22
97
Halsey Sweetland
Oct 9 18 1 7 To boarding your man Henry Macquire
9 weeks & 6 days at $2.00 per week  $19.71

110 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
Christopher Brown
May i 6th 1817 To 2 quarts N. E. Rum  25
" 1 Lodging  08
" " " 1 Gill Bitters  10
" 18 " " Cider Cigars and Tobacco  08
Aug 9 1834 John Angell Blacksmith
" " " To 1 dinner and Wine  20
" 12 " " Supper Breakfast & Lodging  44
" 15 " " 1 Lodging  08
It would seem from the above account that a man with
but little money could manage to live quite like a gentle
man of leisure. With board only two dollars per week
and brandy four cents a glass, or wine and eggs for seven
cents, and then enjoy a cigar for one cent, there certainly
would be no occasion for him to complain of being over
charged. But regardless of the exceeding low prices charged in
those days, the tavern-keepers seemed to prosper and get
rich just the same as they do now, with board at two or
more dollars per day, brandy at thirty-five cents a glass,
and cigars fifteen cents each; but just how they accom
plished it is hard to understand.
At the time the tavern was built it was still the custom
to hang out a sign-board, or swinging sign, in some con
spicuous place, and a tavern would be thought hardly
complete without its swinging sign. Some of the tavern-
keepers took especial pride in their swinging signs, and oc
casionally one would be seen which displayed no little ar
tistic taste ; but as a rule they did not possess much merit.
The tavern-keeper would select such a design as met
his fancy. If he was a lover of horses, he might select a
horse for his emblem. And if the painter should happen

THE VILLAGE TAVERN.

Ill

to have more black paint than white, and painted the horse
black, the tavern might afterwards be known to the
country around as the Black-Horse Tavern, or the White-
Horse Tavern, accord
ing to the color the
painter painted the
horse. The deer, bull,
or lion's head were all
popular designs. The
picture of an Indian
was sometimes used.
But during and after
the Revolution the pic
ture of Washington, or
an American eagle, was
the favorite emblem
painted upon the swing
ing signs. The em
blem selected by James
Angell for his sign
board was the eagle.
At the time the sign
was painted an attempt
no doubt was made to
add a little dignity to
the house by naming it
the "Center Hotell"
(with two l's) instead of tavern, but the public did not
seem to relish the high-toned name, for it was always
called the "Center Tavern," and later the "Centerdale
Tavern," until recent years when the term hotel was
adopted.

Swinging Sign on the Village Tavern.

112 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
The sign is still kept as a relic of old times and is in a
good state of preservation, considering the number of
years it was exposed to the weather. The old sign was re
moved from the house in 1852.
It will be interesting to note the successors of James
Angell as landlord of the hotel. James Angell presided
as landlord from 1824 to 1841. It was during his seven
teen years' administration as landlord that the place
established the reputation of being a model hostlery. In
1 84 1 he was succeeded by his son Nathaniel, who remained
until November 1, 1848, when he was succeeded by his
brother James Halsey Angell, who conducted the house
until April 1, 1858. It was during these years that the
balls spoken of in this chapter were so popular, par
ticularly so during the administration of James Halsey
Angell (or Halsey, as he was always called). J. Halsey
Angell retired from the hotel business April 1, 1858, and
was succeeded by Henry C. Peckham, of Danielson,
Conn., who remained until April 1, 1859, when Albert
Haynes assumed charge; and April 1, 1861, was suc
ceeded by Albert Mowry, who remained only one year,
or until April 8, 1862, when Nathaniel Angell again
became landlord, for the second time, and successfully
conducted the house until November 3, 1873. Thus it
will be observed that of the first half -century of the exist
ence of the Centerdale hotel, forty-five years of it were
under the direction of James Angell and his two sons.
And the policy adopted by the father was always adhered
to by the sons, no one being permitted to drink to excess
at the bar, and no card-playing or gambling devices were
ever allowed upon the premises.
Nathaniel Angell finally retired from the management

THE VILLAGE TAVERN. 113
of the hotel, November 3, 1873, when James Barnes
assumed charge and continued until July 7, 1886, when
he was succeeded by James Higgins. Mr. Higgins did
not remain long, and October 6, 1887, James Barnes
returned and remained <until April 1, 1889, when he was
succeeded by Albertus Searle until April 10, 1890, when
James Barnes for the third time assumed charge of the
place and remained until his death, which occurred July
17th, 1891. Cassius S. Mathewson, son-in-law of James
Barnes, then assumed charge of the house and continued
to be the genial landlord of the Centerdale hotel until his
death, which occurred January 28, 1909.
The following is the chronological order of the suc
cession of the landlords of the hotel from its beginning to
the present time: James Angell, from 1824 to 1841;
Nathaniel Angell, from 1841 to November 1, 1848; James
Halsey Angell, from November 1, 1848, to April 1, 1858;
Henry C. Peckham, from April 1, 1858, to April 1, 1859;
Albert Haynes from April 1, 1859, to April 1, 1861 ; Albert
Mowry, from April 1, 1861, to April 8, 1862; Nathaniel
Angell, from April 10, 1862, to November 3, 1873; James
Barnes, from November 3, 1873, to July 7, 1886; James
Higgins, from August 16, 1886, to September 19, 1887
James Barnes, from October 6, 1887, to April 1, 1889
Albertus Searles, from April 1, 1889, to April 10, 1890
James Barnes, from April 17, 1890, to July 17, 1891
Cassius S. Mathewson, from July 17, 1891, to January 28,
1909. It will now be necessary to go back a few years in our
story of the old tavern. James Angell, the original land
lord of the hotel, died November 20, 1870. The hotel
estate was then conveyed to his son James Halsey Angell,

114 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
who held it until his death, July i, 1890; when it passed
to his oldest son, George F. Angell; when, upon his death,
August 18, 1894, it passed to his widow, Sarah L. Angell,
who continued to own the property until August 25th,
1897, when it was sold to Cassius S. Mathewson. Thus
the old familiar hostlery passed out of the Angell family
after continuous ownership of the land for over 160 years.
Shortly after Mr. Mathewson purchased the estate he
proceeded to renovate the old hostelry and introduce many
modern conveniences. An addition was built on, a steam-
heating plant installed, electric lights introduced, the bar
room enlarged to more than double its former size, and
the house throughout the inside was thoroughly remodeled.
And if we were to visit to-day the Centerdale hotel, we
would recognize but little in common with the old tavern
stand of eighty years ago. The swinging sign has dis
appeared, the cheerful fire places have been removed,
supplanted by the modern steam heater; the bright and
glaring electric light has taken the place of candle and the
lamp, the little bar with its portcullis gate has been
removed to make way for the modern bar fixtures of
carved oak, and massive mirrors; all of which give to
the ancient hostlery the appearance of a modern hotel
instead of the old-time tavern stand.
The only room that still retains its old-time appearance
is the little dance hall with its high-arched ceiling, which
still remains intact with the exception that one of the fire
places has been removed; and as we gaze around the
room our eyes rest upon the lone fire-place with the empty
andirons which once held the bright and glowing embers,
but now are cold and cheerless. A feeling almost of
sadness comes o'er us as our minds revert back to the

THE VILLAGE TAVERN. 115
time when the cheerful fire shown brightly across the
open hearth, adding much to the joyous scenes of bye-
gone days, and seemed to burn more brightly as the merry
dance went on; and not unlike the warm heart of a
cherished friend, that beat the faster when the cup of
joy and happiness is full.

CHAPTER XII.
The Country Cobbler. — The Harness Maker.
the country cobbler.
IN the early days of the colony it was the custom for the
shoemakers, or cobblers, as they were called, to pack
their kit, together with a few lasts, in a strong bag, and
with a roll of leather travel from house to house and re
pair up the shoes, or make new ones, for the whole family.
These visits were made once or twice each year, and
without doubt the fall visit was a welcome one to the
farmer boys, who, in most cases, were obliged to go bare
footed until the cobbler came, no matter how late in the
season his annual visits were made.
Just who the first cobbler was whose annual visits
made glad the hearts of the pioneer's home is not posi
tively known. Indications point strongly to Epenetus
Olney. There is no question but that Epenetus was a shoe
maker. His name is mentioned in the "Early Records of
Providence" as Epenetus Olney the "shoomaker," be
sides, the inventory of his estate after his death in 1698
includes all sorts of shoemaker's tools, etc.
But whether he ran a perambulating shop or not is
hard to determine, but undoubtedly he did, for the people
were too thinly scattered about the country for a cobbler
permanently located to get much work; besides, it was
the custom in those days for the cobbler to make house

the country cobbler. 117
to house visits. Diligent research and inquiry fail to
reveal who his successor was. There is no positive evi
dence that a shoemaker was permanetly located in Cen
terdale until about 1820, or shortly after the introduction
of the cotton industry by Israel Arnold, when Samuel
Sweet did all of the cobbling that the neighborhood had
need. He was at that time the miller at the grist mill, and
when grinding was dull he would turn his hand to cobbling.
After he gave up business there was no resident shoemaker
here for many years, the people carrying their work to
Graniteville (an adjoining village), where Paris Whitman
attended to their wants. Paris Whitman was succeeded
by Horace Convas, who carried on the business until his
death. In 1850, Arnold Hawkins, who had previously
occupied a shop on Fruit Hill, moved to this place and
established a shop which was really the first shoemaker
shop permanently established in Centerdale. Arnold
Hawkins was an expert workman at his trade, and was
capable of producing work quite equal to any.
At the time he came to this place but few ready-made
boots or shoes were worn, except of the very common or
cheap kind, most people preferring to have their boots and
shoes made by the village cobbler. The term Boots is used
here to designate the long-legged boot worn in those days,
which extended as far up as the knee — in some cases above
the knee. Comparatively few shoes were worn by men or
boys, and a man would not be considered fashionably
dressed with shoes, except in the ball-room, when pumps
(a low-cut slipper) were worn. It was a common custom
when a father's boots were past repairing to take the long
legs of the boot to the shoemaker and have a pair made
from them for one of his boys. If the leather ran a little

118 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
short of the proper length the shoemaker would add on a
piece of fancy colored leather (usually red) at the top, and
the boy who was fortunate enough to have a pair of red-
topped boots usually wore his trousers tucked inside of his
boot-legs, to attract the attention of his comrades to his
coveted prize.
Arnold Hawkins continued in the business until his
death, which occurred in 1894, after forty-four years of
active business life in this place.
HARNESS MAKING.
The first harness shop in Centerdale was established by
James E. Bailey in the year 1857, in a building then stand
ing at the junction of Smith street and Waterman avenue;
the building where the first store was started and where
the first post-office was located. He remained at this
place about a year, when he removed to a room in a build
ing that had been recently erected on Mineral Spring
avenue, by George H. Page, for the manufacture of car
riages. James E. Bailey was a practical harness maker,
having served a full apprenticeship, and was proficient in
making all parts of a harness. He was a man of a genial
disposition, possessing a kind and pleasing voice, and
exceedingly courteous in his manner, even carrying his
polite and courteous manner to an extreme limit. He was
much interested in military affairs and connected himself
with a prominent military company in the city of Provi
dence, and in due time was promoted to the office of
2d Lieutenant; and at the breaking out of the Civil war,
in 1 86 1, went to the front with the First Regiment, Rhode
Island Volunteers, and afterwards re-enlisted in the Third
Regiment, Rhode Island Heavy Artillery, and served

THE HARNESS MAKER. 119
throughout the war, returning with an honorable record,
having been promoted to the office of Major. His military
record will be given in another place.
Shortly after Bailey went to the defence of his country
a shop was opened by Louis Bell, in a small building
number 1999 Smith street, where he conducted the business
for about two years, when he was succeeded by Thomas
Anderson until the summer of 1864, when the shop was
closed for a short time.
At the close of the war Major Bailey returned to Cen
terdale, and, finding his old place of business closed, and
desiring to again enter into business, re-opened the shop in
August, 1864, and continued in business until the spring
of 1866, when from business adversities he was compelled
to make an assignment and close up the shop.
The place did not remain long closed, for in April, 1866,
Alexander W. Harrington re-opened the shop, and for
many years did a thriving business. He was a very
energetic and public-spirited young man, and did much
for the improvement and social welfare of the community.
In 1876 he entered into the manufacture of paper, and
with others leased two paper mills at West Medway,
Mass. He has since that time continued in the paper
business, in some of its branches, and for many years
had an office in New York City. He was succeeded in the
harness business, in May, 1877, by Frank C. Angell.
The business under his management soon began to in
crease, and soon called for larger and more commodious
rooms, and in 1881 he erected the buildmg known as the
Masonic Hall building, and numbered 2001 to 2007
Smith street, and removed to that place, occupying nearly
the entire lower floor of the building. With the increased

120 ANNalS of CENTERDALE.
room there was ample opportunity to extend the business
and add many accessory lines of goods. After doing a
thriving business for fifteen years he decided to retire
from the business that he might give his full attention to
the real estate business, in which he was at that time
much interested.
The advent of the steam and electric cars eventually
caused the business to decline, in consequence of which
there has been no harness and saddlery store here since,
except in a small way when some one would open a shop
for repairs, but, meeting with indifferent success, would
remain but a short time.

CHAPTER XIII.
The Village Blacksmith and Wheelwright and the
First Livery Stable.
Under a spreading chestnut tree
The village smithy stands;
The smith, a mighty man is he,
With large and sinewy hands;
And the muscles of his brawny arms
Are strong as iron bands. — Longfellow.
TO speak of the village blacksmith shop would cause
the mind of the old-time resident of Centerdale to
revert to an old smoke-blackened building standing a little
way back from the highway; near it a large tree with long
spreading branches covered in the summer with green
foliage and reaching far out over the blackened ground in
front of the shop; and in the mind-picture may be seen,
just a little to one side of the door, a pile of half-burned
embers, the remnant of the circular fire used for heating
tires for the heavy cart-wheels.
The building, which long since had lost its upright
position, is dotted here and there with patches of dingy
red paint, the remains of what was once a coat of red,
but which had long since failed to withstand the storms
of time. And leaning against the old weather-worn shop
a number of cast-off wagon tires have found a resting-
place, and, lying near, is a pile of old wheels and broken
parts of old wagons. Inside of the shop, upon the smoke-
begrimed sides and beams, are hanging long rows of horse-

122 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
shoes, of many shapes and sizes, waiting to be nailed to the
feet of the faithful horse. At one end is the forge with
the open fire, which now and then sends forth spiteful
sparks as the strong arm of the smith forces down the
lever of the massive bellows. Near the forge, upon a
solid oaken block, rests the anvil, behind which stands the
village blacksmith with face all tanned and begrimed with
smoke to nearly the color of his long leather apron; his
sleeves rolled far above the elbows, showing the muscles
and sinews of brawny arms.
Soon we see him take from off the forge a half-com
pleted horseshoe and raining down rapid blows with a
heavy hammer, which seems like a toy in his vice-like
grasp, throwing out myriads of glittering sparks on all
sides like a minature display of fireworks, now and then
tapping the anvil a measured blow which seems to chime
with the heavier one like music.
This was the appearance of the old blacksmith shop as
it was more than three-score years ago, when John R.
Cozzens, the village blacksmith, stood behind the anvil
in Centerdale.
To give the early history of the first shop it will be
necessary to go back to the year 1820, when Halsey Sweet-
land leased a piece of land from Nathaniel Angell on the
west side of Smith street, nearly opposite the junction of
Waterman avenue; here he erected the first blacksmith
shop in the village, which at that time contained scarcely
half a dozen houses. He was quite successful in his
business, and October 16, 1826, purchased the land the
shop stood upon, and continued to work at his trade until
March 18, 1829, when he sold the place to Brown Sweet.

THE VILLAGE BLACKSMITH. 123
Mr. Sweet continued the business about three years, and
October 29, 1831, sold the shop to Edwin Capron.
Shortly after Edwin Capron purchased the property he
started a livery stable in connection with the shop. Mr.
Capron was not a blacksmith by trade, and did not meet
the success that a skilled workman might have done; and
March 14, 1836, he sold the shop to David Cutting. Mr.
Capron, however, retained the livery business, and con
tinued the same with success until his death, in 1889, an
account of which will be given in another place.
For some reasons unknown at this time Cutting did not
remain long in the place, and October 2 of the following
year, 1837, he sold it to Samuel S. Arnold, who remained
here until April 17, 1843, when he sold the place to John
R. Cozzens. In 1854 Mr. Cozzens demolished the old
shop and erected a new one at the same place. Mr.
Cozzens came to this place from Boston, Mass., where he
learned his trade. He was a typical blacksmith in appear
ance; fully six feet in height, with broad shoulders, and of
quick and agile movement.
He always took great interest in athletic sports where
strength and agility were required, and often in his young
days he would enter wrestling contests, which were
popular in those days, to show his strength and agility.
He was of a kind and social disposition and popular with
his townsmen, generous to a fault with his hard-earned
money. His purse string was always found untied at the
call of the poor and needy and at the demand of the public
welfare. He took active part in the political affairs of
the town, but never aspired to any prominent position in
the offices of the town, although many times urged to do
so.

124 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
He was a mechanic of more than ordinary ability, and
his remarkable vitality and industrious habits persuaded
him to stand behind' the anvil many years after old age
had silently whispered to him to lay down the hammer
and let the fire upon the forge be extinguished. Mr.
Cozzens died, after a short illness, April 6th, 1897, in the
76th year of his age, and was buried in Mineral Spring
cemetery, Pawtucket, with Masonic honors, by Roger
Williams Lodge, No. 32, of A. F. & A. M., of Center-
dale, of which he was a charter member.
After the death of Mr. Cozzens the shop was sold to
William A. Sweet, who in 1900 demolished the old build
ing and erected the present one and leased the same to
his brother Herbert Sweet, who still occupies it. Other
blacksmith shops have been started here from time to
time but in all cases were of but temporary existence.
THE VILLAGE WHEELWRIGHT.
The first wheelwright shop in the village was built by
William Sweet, in 1830, on land leased from James Angell,
on the west side of Smith street, nearly opposite the junc
tion of Mineral Spring avenue. It was a small one-story
building, 18 x 25 feet, and stood with the gable towards
the street. Work-benches were arranged upon either side,
where two or three men could work, but generally one
man was sufficient to do the work of repairs, with an
occasional new cart or farm wagon to be built.
Mr. Sweet continued to run the shop until 1845, when he
sold the building and the business to Caleb V. Waterman.
Caleb V. Waterman was born in Coventry, R. I., and in
early life was apprenticed for seven years to Samuel Bray-
ton, of Cranston, to learn the wheelwright trade.

THE VILLAGE WHEELWRIGHT.

125

Caleb V. Waterman.

To learn the trade of wheelwright in those days meant
something more than it means to-day, when machinery
enters so largely into the manufacture of almost every
part of a wagon, for in those days each and every part
of a wagon must be sawed or hewn from the log to its
required form, and much labor and not a little skill was
required to do it. To order a cart or wagon from Caleb
Waterman meant many hard days' work with the saw and
axe before the parts could be assembled together. Each
spoke for the wheels must be split with an axe from well-
seasoned cleft oak or walnut wood of straight and perfect
grain, then hewn to the required form with a broad-axe,
after which they were taken to the work-bench, and under
his skillful hand were smoothed and tenoned, to enter

126 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
the hub which had already been encircled with mortised
holes true and square. The felloes, or rims, were all
sawed by hand from heavy plank in two-spoke sections,
and thus every part of the wagon was made in the same
slow and laborious manner; and it might be truthfully
said that a wagon made after that manner would be like
"The deacon's wonderful one-horse shay."
Caleb Waterman was a man who might be justly called
a universal mechanic, since there was no part of a wagon
that he could not make and make well. He could forge
all of the ironwork, and was equally as good a worker in
iron as wood. If necessary he could give assistance to
the village butcher, being an expert at that business, as
well as his own trade ; and if a neighbor needed assistance
in the hay-field Caleb Waterman's strong arms and willing
hands were ever ready. For many years, or until his
death, he served as undertaker, for, strange though it may
seem to us, in those days the village wheelwright was
generally the village undertaker.
If a neighbor died the wheelwright was expected to
make the coffin, provided he had not one already made
of the proper size. If one had to be put together after a
person died, not much time could be given to the making
of an elaborate affair, even though it lay in the skill of the
wheelwright to do so. A plain pine box with a coat of
stain and, if the time permitted, a single coat of varnish
was all that could be given, as well as all that was ex
pected. In 1861 Mr. Waterman moved the shop to a lot on Water
man avenue and discontinued the wheelwright business
and gave his attention to undertaking, and continued the

THE VILLAGE WHEELWRIGHT. 127
same until his death, March 29th, 1865. The discon
tinuance of the wheelwright business by Mr. Waterman
in 1 86 1 closed the first epoch of the business in this place.
Caleb V. Waterman was always held in high esteem by
his townsmen, and his sterling worth as a citizen was
many times recognized by his appointment to places of
honor and trust in the government of the town and State.
He was elected senator from North Providence to the
General Assembly, April 2, 185 1, and served until 1853.
After his death, as a public recognition of his worth, the
town council named one of the principal thoroughfares of
the town Waterman avenue.
In the year 1859 George H. Page and his brother Simon
S. Page purchased a tract of land on the south side of
Mineral Spring avenue, about seventy feet from the
junction of Smith street, and erected thereon a two-story
building, 30 x 50 feet, for the manufacturing of wagons
and carriages of all kinds.
Many wood-working machines were introduced, and
carriages and wagons, both light and heavy, were manu
factured complete, from the turning of the hubs to the
trimming of the tops of light buggies. The woodwork
was done upon the first floor, the painting and trimming
upon the second floor, while the forging of the ironwork
was done in the basement, which also held the contrivance
which furnished the motive power for running the ma
chinery, which consisted of a combination of gears pro
pelled by horse-power. The enterprise proved a failure,
and in 1861 the Messrs. Page made an assignment and
the shop was leased to Israel B. Phillips, who continued
the business until 1863, when the shop was closed for
about a year.

128 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
In 1864 George Thompson re-opened the shop, and the
following year took into partnership James E. Bailey;
the firm name being known as Bailey & Thompson.
Business adversities overtook the firm, and in the spring
of 1866 the business was sold out to Marvin Smith, who
continued in it until 1868, when he was succeeded by
Ethan Thornton. Mr. Thornton conducted the business
for about one year, when he was succeeded by Thomas
Harris, who remained until 1881, when the shop doors
were closed for many years.
Soon after the shop was closed, John R. Cozzens & Son
(Charles) opened a small shop near their blacksmith shop,
and ran it in a small way in connection with their black
smith business until the death of John R. Cozzens, in
1897, when this shop was discontinued.
January 10, 1894, George W. Harris purchased the
land and buildings formally occupied by his brother
Thomas and re-opened the old stand that had been closed
since 1881. A blacksmith's forge was installed in con
nection with the wheelwright shop for the purpose of
forging the ironwork for the wagons and for shoeing of
horses. George Harris continued the business until 1906,
when he sold out to George P. Willis. October 3, 1908,
the land and building was sold and made into tenements.
THE FIRST LIVERY STABLE.
The first livery stable in Centerdale was established by
Edwin Capron in the year 1831, and as he was one of the
old-time residents of the village, having passed more than
70 years of his life in Centerdale, a brief sketch of his life
seems appropriate.

THE FIRST LIVERY STABLE.

129

Edwin Capron was the son of Asa and Sally Capron,
and was born in Cumberland, R. I., October 16th, 1800.
He was a lineal descendant of the sixth generation of
Banfield Capron, who came from England about the year
1660. He was twice married, the first time in 1822, to
Deborah Angell, daughter of Olney Angell, who was also
of good old Puritan stock, being a descendant of the sixth
generation of Thomas Angell, mentioned in Chapter II
of this work. She died January 24, 1831. In 1836 he

The First Livery Stable.

married for his second wife Emeline Wright, who survived
him and died December 31, 1891. He was a man much
respected among his neighbors; was upright and honorable
in all transactions; always a temperate man in the use of
ardent spirits. He was of a social and genial nature, always
having a pleasant word for everyone. He was a man
fully, six feet in height, and exceedingly lithe and agile in

130 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
his movements. To show his agility in his old age, it will
be interesting to say that at times when he would meet a
few of his young acquaintances engaged in playful sports
he would say, "Let me see if any one of you can jump
from the ground and strike your heels together three
times before alighting again." After many vain attempts
they would give it up, when he would step forward and
do the feat with so much ease and grace as to make the
younger ones feel ashamed ; at the same time he would
exclaim, with a cheerful laugh, "How is that for a man
seventy-five years old?"
He brought up a large family of children, three girls
and six boys, all of whom inherited to a greater or less
degree the lithesome agility of the father, but none his
equal. He died July 22, 1889, in the eighty-ninth year
of his age.
His early life was spent in the cotton mills at Centerdale,
and elsewhere, where he learned the art of cotton manu
facturing, which will be spoken of later. Desiring a
change of vocation, he in 1831 purchased the blacksmith-
ing business, in Centerdale, of Brown Sweet. Not being
a practical blacksmith, he started the livery business near
by, anticipating that he could attend to that and at the
same time have an oversight over the blacksmith shop.
In March, 1836, he disposed of the business to David
Cutting and moved to Thompson, Conn., and entered
into the cotton manufacturing business. He, however,
was not successful in this venture, and in 1840 sold out
and returned to Centerdale and repurchased the livery
stable. He continued the business at the same place
until his death, which occurred July 22, 1889. He at
that time had nearly completed his eighty-ninth year.

THE FIRST LIVERY STABLE. 131
Two or three attempts have been made to re-establish
the livery business here, but the invasion of the steam and
electric cars has made the livery stable unprofitable, except
when carried on in connection with some other business.
Thus the death of Edwin Capron marked the decline
of the independent livery stable in Centerdale.

CHAPTER XIV.
The Village Butcher.
PREVIOUS to 1824 there was no resident butcher or
marketman in Centerdale; for, in the early days of
the country the farmer depended almost entirely upon the
products of the farm to supply his daily wants. Not only
the products of the garden, but his fuel and clothing,
also his supply of meat, came from the farm.
Occasionally a farmer would have an ox or a cow not
needed, and with the assistance of his neighbors the cow
would be slaughtered and the quarters hung up in the
cellar to be kept cool ; ice not being in general use in those
days. If there was danger of the meat spoiling before it
could be consumed by his own household, he would lend
a portion of it to his neighbors, and when they had an
opportunity the loan would be returned from their over
stock of fresh meat.
One of the seasons always looked forward to with much
interest on a farm in those days was the annual hog-
killing day. This generally occurred late in the fall after
the corn had been harvested and fed to the pigs to get
them in a proper condition for the killing. Upon an
appointed day the neighboring farmers would drive their
hogs to a convenient place, usually to the farm most
centrally located, where arrangements had previously been
made; the platform erected and scalding-vat placed.
The place selected was generally in the orchard or under
a large tree with low spreading branches to suspend the
dressed hogs upon. The day was looked forward to as a

THE VILLAGE BUTCHER. 133
kind of holiday by the young people, although there was
plenty of hard work to be done.
The farmer's wife, assisted by her good neighbors, was
expected to prepare a feast for the men at noon-time,
which always consisted of hog's pluck smothered in onions.
Potatoes, turnips, squash, and other garden vegetables
were served, together with the old-fashioned corn-meal
pudding sweetened with molasses. Cider was generally
the drink furnished, and it is doubtful if the elaborate
feasts furnished in the city banquet halls of the present
day are partaken with a better relish.
For several days now the farmer's household saw busy
times. The different parts of the hog must be prepared
for future use. The hams must be cured and hung in a
barrel or in the fire-place over a smoke from a slow corn-cob
fire; the pork cut in long strips and placed with a plenty
of salt in a barrel kept for the purpose, and it was no
unusual boast to tell how many generations the same
pork-barrel had done service in the family. The year's
supply of lard must be carefully rendered, and the pole
again hung to hold the long row of links of savory sausages.
Truly these were busy times for the farmer's wife as
well as the whole household, for each had their particular
part to attend to. Thus were most of the wants of the
farmer supplied from the products of his own farm and
he was not wholly dependent upon the weekly visits of
the butcher's cart.
After the introduction of the cotton mill and other
industries, bringing together many people engaged in
other walks of life, it presented an opportunity for some
one to' establish a meat market in the place.
Asa Steere, then a young man, was quick to see the
opportunity, and in 1824 established the first slaughter-

134 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
house and meat business in Centerdale. At the time he
started in business here he had but a few hard-earned
dollars he had saved from his meagre wages as a farmer
boy or at such other work as he could find to do. He had
but little or no education, but he possessed a clear mind
and robust health and a determination to get along in the
world. Ready and quick to take advantage of every
opportunity to better himself, and a faculty to meet an
emergency with a quick perception of just what to do
to attain success.
In those days all cattle, sheep, and hogs were purchased
on the hoof and slaughtered by the local butcher; as no
dressed meat was brought from the west as is now done.
The cattle were driven or shipped east, alive, to Brighton,
Mass., that for many years being the principal cattle
market for the east. It was the custom for the butcher
to make periodical visits to Brighton, and, after securing a
sufficient number, to drive them overland to their destina
tion. A no small undertaking to drive a herd of strange
cattle over strange roads for fifty, and in some cases one
hundred, miles or more without mishap.
Sometimes a drover or cattle dealer would make a tour
of the country towns over the public highways, driving a
large herd of cattle, sheep, or hogs before him, when the
butchers could make their selection without journeying to
Brighton. But the modern method of transporting dressed
meat from the west, on quickly-moving trains, almost to
the door of the marketman has long since done away with
the familiar sights of those days.
Asa Steere continued in the meat business until 1861,
always doing a thriving business. His market and slaugh
ter-house were located on the west side of Steere street.

THE VILLAGE BUTCHER. 135
about 150 feet from Smith street. In 1828 he built
and occupied the house now standing on the east Corner
of Smith and Steere streets for his homestead place; the
house standing nearly on the same spot where the first
schoolhouse was built. In 1861, after nearly forty years
of active business life, and having accumulated a small
fortune, he retired from the business, selling the same to
Frederick M. Aldrich.

Asa Steere.
Asa Steere, or Major Steere, as he was generally called,
being the pioneer butcher and marketman of Centerdale,
a brief account of the man, who can justly be called one of
the prominent and leading men of the town, seems appro
priate and interesting.

136 AnnalS of CentErDAle.
He was born in Glocester, R. I., April 19th, 1800, of poor
parents, and, like many boys of his time, enjoyed little or
no advantages to get an education. Early in life, while
yet a small boy, he was thrown upon his own resources
to get a living as best he could; he worked as a farmer
boy in his younger days, and his work in the open air
caused him to mature into a strong and robust man.
Nature favored him with a very commanding presence,
being fully six feet in height and of large frame and portly
build, weighing upwards of 260 or 270 pounds; and his
general bearing was that of a man of dignity and refine
ment. He was open-hearted, very cordial and genial in
his manner, exceedingly popular with the general public,
and was many times honored with public office by his
townsmen ; and without doubt but few men in Providence
county were better known than Major Steere.
When a young man he became interested in military
affairs and joined the Greene Artillery Company, at that
time forming a part of the Twelfth Regiment of Rhode
Island Militia. In 1826 he was appointed ensign, and
in 1827 was promoted to first lieutenant, holding the
position until the following year, when he received a com
mission of captain. In 1829 he was promoted to major
of the Twelfth Regiment, holding that office until 1831,
when he resigned from active military duties. He always
retained the title of Major, and was universally known and
addressed as Major Steere. He took great interest in
sporting events and was a familiar figure upon the race
track when racing events were popular at the old Wash
ington Trotting Park, and was often called upon to offici
ate in the judges' stand. He married Susan Burlingame,
daughter of Owen and Elizabeth Burlingame, of Glocester,

THE VILLAGE BUTCHER. 137
in whom he found a willing helpmate. Three daughters
were born to them. After retiring from business in 1861
he lived as a man of leisure until May 6, 1882, when he
died, at the age of eighty-two years, honored and respected
by all who knew him.
Frederick M. Aldrich, the successor to Asa Steere in
the meat business, continued the same at the old stand
until 1872, when he removed to what was then known as
Railroad Hall building, which he erected for the purpose.
In 1877 he sold one-half interest in the business to George
G. Cozzens, who remained with him for about two years,
when they dissolved partnership, each retaining one-half
of the business. In 1881 Mr. Aldrich desired to emigrate
to Colorado, and disposed of his interest to William A.
Sweet who in 1893 sold out to his son Fred A. Sweet,
who continued in the business until 1906, when he retired
from active business.
After the death of Asa Steere the homestead estate was
sold to Stephen A. Kelley in 1884, who immediately set
to work to renovate the old market and to re-establish
the meat business at the old stand. Mr. Kelley being a
young man, conducted the business upon modern meth
ods, and soon commanded a large trade, and ere long he
had acquired a comfortable competence. In 1895 he
retired from business and disposed of the several routes
to different parties from other sections of the town. The
old market and slaughter-house have since been sold to
Frank C. Angell, who removed the building, and it is now
used for other purposes.
Several parties have from time to time entered into the
business field, but remained so short a time that it would
not be of sufficient interest to attempt to follow out their
career.

CHAPTER XV.
The First Store. — The Post-Office.
THE first store in Centerdale was established by James
and Richard Anthony (proprietors of the cotton
mill), at the junction of Smith street and Waterman
avenue, in a small one-story building which was torn down
in 1892.
It was the custom in the early days of the cotton in
dustry for the company, or proprietors of the mill, to
conduct what was then called a factory store, where the
employees could purchase such things as their everyday
wants required. To obtain them from Providence was
then quite an undertaking, for although the town was
but five miles away, the conveniences for traveling were
very limited, and a visit to the city twice a year was about
all the average person would expect or could afford;
besides, those who worked in the mill had but little
leisure time to waste going to and from the city, which
would consume the greater part of the day; for their time
was fully occupied in the mill, where they were expected
to be at work as early as half-past four o'clock in the
morning and remain until eight o'clock in the evening,
with thirty minutes for each of the three daily meals.
Pay-day came but seldom, although once in four weeks
was supposed to be the settling time; but many of the
operatives could get a settlement but once a year, and then
their store account was often sufficient to dispose of the
year's earnings.

THE FIRST STORE. 139
Not very long after the Anthonys started the store a
young man entered their employ as clerk, or salesman,
by the name of Luther Carpenter.

Luther Carpenter.
With the coming of Luther Carpenter to Centerdale
began the career of one of the most successful men, from a
business standpoint, that Centerdale has had.
He owed his success to his correct habits, strict attention
to business, his perseverance and tireless energy. Possess
ing a fair education, he was endowed with sound ideas of
business methods, besides having the tact and shrewdness
in driving a bargain of a New England Yankee. He
was of an amiable disposition, very slow to anger, and
markedly fond of children, so much so that older and
apparently more important customers were often obliged

140 annals of centerdale.
to wait until the wants of the children were attended to.
After serving as clerk for a time for the Anthonys he
married Mary Anthony, daughter of James, one of the
proprietors of the store, who soon afte turned the store
over to Carpenter. The business under his management
increased to such an extent that more room was needed
than the little one-story building afforded.
In 1842 Mr. Carpenter purchased a lot at the corner
of Smith street and Mineral Spring avenue, and in 1847
erected a building, into which he moved, which at the time
was considered a model store of its kind. The arrangement
of the store fully exemplified the advance ideas he had as
to the manner of conducting a country store or variety
store, this being the title painted upon the sign over the
door. And variety store it certainly was, for there were
few articles required in the everyday life of man or beast
that could not be found in the store of Luther Carpen
ter. He continued in business until his death, which came
suddenly, from heart failure, October 7th, 1886. He was
in the eighty-sixth year of his age and always had enjoyed
most excellent health, seldom if ever being confined to the
house from sickness, and but few gray hairs could be
found in the luxurious growth of dark brown hair. Not
withstanding his advanced age, he retained his mental
faculties to the hour of his death. His judgment in busi
ness transactions was as clear and sound as that of the
average young man of thirty or thirty-five years.
Soon after the death of Luther Carpenter the store was
sold to George T. Batchelder, who had long been in
Carpenter's employ. In 1855, George T. Batchelder,
then a lad of nineteen years, entered the employ of Mr.

THE FIRST STORE. 141
Carpenter, as clerk or salesman, and remained with him
until 1862, when he enlisted in Company C, Seventh
Regiment of Rhode Island Volunteers during the Civil
War. After he returned from the war, in 1865, he agian
entered the employ of Carpenter and remained with him
until the death of Mr. Carpenter, in 1886, when he became
his successor in business.
It will now be necessary to go back a few years in the
history of the stores in Centerdale. In 1848 a man by
the name of Richard Briggs re-opened the store at the
place vacated by Luther Carpenter when he moved into
his new store on Mineral Spring avenue, undoubtedly
supposing that the old stand would hold a large part of
the trade; but Carpenter proved to be a too formidable
competitor, and the Briggs store was compelled to close in
1854. The following year it was re-opened by Benjamin Sher
man, who continued the business about a year, when the
doors was again closed. The store remained closed about
a year, when the doors were again opened by a Mr. Whit-
taker; but Carpenter's shrewdness and business tact
compelled him to abandon the field before the year had
expired. This was the last effort made to maintain a
store, at the old stand. Three or four other attempts were
made, at different times and places, to establish a grocery
store in opposition to Luther Carpenter, but all met with
indifferent success.
Eventually the increasing population and the business
interests of the village demanded a competing store and
January 12th, 1886, Albert H. Clark established a grocery
store in a building known as Masonic Hall buildmg,
No. 2001-2003 Smith street. On account of failing health

142 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
he retired from business, March i, 1891, selling out to
Charles J. Hawkins & Co., who was succeeded, April 18,
1892, by Charles H. Keilty and Patrick H. McAleer, under
the firm name of C. H. Keilty & Co. Upon the death
of Mr. Keilty, March 18th, 1894, his interest was pur
chased by P. H. McAleer.
From time to time, as the needs of the village seemed to
require, other stores have been opened. Some have been
successful, while others have not ; but without doubt some
of these will become firmly established.
post-office.
Early in the year 1840 the United States government
established a post-office at the village of Fruit Hill, and
February 25, 1840, appointed Stanton Belden, postmaster.
The office was kept at the residence of Mr. Belden, at the
northerly corner of Fruit Hill avenue and Smith street,
he at that time being proprietor and principal of The Fruit
Hill Classical Institute, a school in its day standing high
in the esteem of the people, and receiving the patronage of
many of the wealthy and influential people not only of this
State but elsewhere.
The post-office remained at Fruit Hill until July 18,
1849, when it was removed to Centerdale, and Richard
Briggs was appointed postmaster to succeed Stanton
Belden. Mr. Briggs at that time was proprietor of a country
store at the junction of Waterman avenue and Smith
street, the place formerly occupied by Luther Carpenter.
And it was at this place where the Centerdale post-office
was first located, The building was torn down in 1892.

POST OFFICE. 143
The office remained at this place until 1854, when James
Halsey Angell succeeded Richard Briggs as postmaster
and moved the office a few hundred yards down Smith
street to the Centerdale Hotel, in rooms especially fitted
up to receive it.
In 1858, when Mr. Angell moved from the hotel, the
office was transferred to the store of Luther Carpenter,
on Mineral Spring avenue, and Luther Carpenter was
appointed clerk, or assistant postmaster. Mr. Carpenter
continued to act in that capacity until 1883, when George
T. Batchelder, who had long been iii the employ of Luther
Carpenter as clerk, was appointed postmaster.
The office remained at Carpenter's store until Novem
ber, 1893, when Charles H. Keilty succeeded George T.
Batchelder as postmaster, and the office was moved to
his store in the Masonic Hall building, No. 2001 Smith
street. Postmaster Keilty died March 18, 1894, and the follow
ing year his brother, M. M. Keilty, was appointed his
successor. The office remained at the same place, but
was under the care of Mr. Keilty' s sister, Miss Jennie E.
Keilty, who, July 3d, 1905, was appointed his successor.
The office at Centerdale is rated by the government as
a fourth-class office. For many years it received but one
mail each day and sent out but one; the outgoing one
leaving about eight o'clock in the morning, the incoming
mail arriving about five o'clock in the afternoon. The
number of mails gradually increased, until now there are
two incoming and four outgoing mails each day.
In July, 1893, the office was made a money-order office,
which proved a great convenience to the people who de
sired to send moderate sums through the mails. In July,

144 annals of centerdale.
1903, the government established the Centerdale post-
office a separating office, requiring all mail matter sent
to and from Providence to Centerdale, Greenville, and
Harmony to be sent to the Centerdale office and there
assorted and forwarded to its proper destination.
It will be interesting to note that in the early days of the
post-office in Centerdale, and as late as 1856, but few
letters were enclosed in envelopes, for they at that time
had not come into general use. Most of the letters were
folded together and the back edges sealed with a red
wafer or a bit of sealing-wax.
Postage need not be prepaid by the sender unless he
choose to do so; and failing of prepayment, the postage
would be collected from the receiver, who would be
charged double rates.
In the early days of the post-office in this country the
rates varied according to the distance the letter was
carried, and were excessively high in comparison with the
rates charged to-day, as will be seen by the following:
An ordinary letter carried thirty miles or less, the charge
was 61 cents; from thirty to eighty miles, 10 cents; letters
carried one hundred and fifty miles, 121 cents; from one
hundred and fifty up to four hundred miles, i8| cents; and
for all over four hundred miles, 25 cents was charged.
But comparatively few domestic letters were carried more
than four hundred miles, for the middle or far west had
been but little settled at that time.
Postage stamps were not required to be affixed to letters
in those days, as the United States government did not
issue postage stamps until 1847, and even then left it
optional with the sender to use them; their object then
being to enable the public to mail letters at hours when the

POST OFFICE. 145
post-office was closed, and it was some ten years later
before the government required all letters to be prepaid
and stamps affixed before the letter could be started on
its journey.
The time required in carrying the mails from place to
place in the early days of post-offices is in strong contrast
with the lightning-like speed now demanded in the mail
service. Then the mails were carried on horseback or
by stage-coaches, and required several days to carry the
mails from Boston to New York city. They at that time
were carried by way of Worcester and Springfield, and
most of the time only two mails a week could be depended
upon. In 1786 a man by the name of Levi Pease advertised
to undertake to make the trip from Boston to New York
with stage-coaches in four days by way of Worcester and
Springfield, and to deliver two mails a week in the winter
and three in the summer time, as can be seen by an ad
vertisement in the Worcester Gazette of January 5, 1786.
In order to make this, what in those days was called quick
time, the passengers carried were limited .to four, and the
line was known as the limited U. S. mail line; and an
extra charge was made for the privilege of riding on the
limited line much the same as now is the case with the
limited fast trains of to-day; the coaches which followed
the mail-coach would carry as many as could be com
fortably or uncomfortably crowded on.
The advent of the steam cars brought about a radical
change in the time of transporting the mails to distant
points. Instead of two mails a week the number has
doubled many times that each day; while a couple of
sacks or bags were once sufficient to hold the Boston and
10

146 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
New York mails twice a week it now requires cars sufficient
to transport many tons of mail matter several times each
day. Wonderful, and almost beyond the comprehension of
the layman, has been the advancement of mail service of
the country. It has, nevertheless, all been accomplished
within the memory of man.

CHAPTER XVI.
The War Record.
THE firing upon Fort Sumter by the confederates,
April 12, 1 86 1, was the signal for the stars and
stripes to be flung to the breeze from every housetop
throughout the loyal States. The assault upon the Amer
ican flag caused the most intense excitement to prevail,
and the patriotic enthusiasm which burst forth on all
sides completely annihilated all party lines and political
differences. In response to President Lincoln's call for 75,000 vol
unteers to defend Washington, which seemed to be in
emergent danger, William Sprague, then Governor of
Rhode Island, offered the services of the State militia,
and immediately set to work making hasty preparations
for the departure of a regiment of infantry and a battery
of light artillery to the nation's capital.
The office of the merchant was closed, the mechanics
laid down their tools, and the farmers left their plows in
the field, all striving to be the first to offer their services
and, if need be, their lives for the defence of their country.
The first to be called upon was the Rhode Island De
tached Militia, who immediately responded, and Sat
urday, April 20, the first detachment of the regiment,
under the command of Governor Sprague, left Providence
amidst the greatest enthusiasm of the immense throng
that crowded the streets of the city to witness their de
parture. The church bells were rung, the cannon belched

148 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
forth its thunder, and the cheers of men rent the air, while
the prayers and the tears of women who bid them god
speed and a safe return consecrated the hour that the
steamer on which the command had embarked left its
moorings. Among those who were first to respond to the call for
volunteers from Centerdale was James E. Bailey. At the
time of the opening of hostilities James E. Bailey was the
village harnessmaker, and was a member of one of the
independent military companies in Providence, which com
posed a part of the First Regiment of Volunteers, holding
the position of second lieutenant in Company B. After
reaching Washington he was promoted to first lieutenant
of the same company, June 4, 1861. He took part in the
first battle of Bull Run, July 21, and served with honor
during his three months' service, and returned with the
regiment, July 28, and was mustered out August 2d, 1861.
He immediately re-enlisted in the Third Regiment,
Rhode Island Heavy Artillery, which was then being
organized. He was given command of Company E, re
ceiving his commission as captain, August 27, and was
promoted to major, January 1, 1863. He accompanied the
regiment on their southern campaign, taking active part
in the capture of Fort Pulaski, a fort which he afterwards
commanded. He also was actively engaged in the siege
of Charlestown, S. C.
Major Bailey was given command of the left in the
terrible siege and capture of Fort Wagner. To give a
complete military record of Major Bailey it would be nec
essary to give a review of the entire campaign of the
Third Regiment of Rhode Island Heavy Artillery with
which he was actively connected. He was a brave and

The wAR record. 149
efficient soldier, and popular with his command. He
served with honor throughout the war and received an
honorable discharge upon his arrival home after the close
of the war. William F. Allison.
William F. Allison enlisted as a private, June 6th, 1861,
in Company B, Second Regiment, Rhode Island Vol
unteers, and July 16 was promoted to corporal. He took
part in all of the battles in which his regiment was en
gaged until March 20, 1862, when he was transferred to
Company B, Second Regiment of United States Cavalry.
He followed the fortunes of the regiment until his term of
enlistment expired, June 6, 1864, when he returned home
and received an honorable discharge.
He was twice taken prisoner while on picket duty, but
in both cases was recaptured by the Union forces. He
took part in nearly all of the great battles in which the
Army of the Potomac was engaged, including the battle
of Bull Run, Gettysburg, Cold Harbor, Cedar Mountain,
Malvern Hill, and the seven days' fight at the battle of
the Wilderness, and many others. He has an honorable
record as a soldier, and was always held in high esteem
as a citizen.
After his return from the war he resumed work at his
trade as a carpenter and contractor. In 187 1 he joined
Prescott Post, G. A. R., Providence, and in 1905 was
elected Junior Vice Commander, and in 1906 elected
Senior Vice Commander.
He took active part in organizing The Centerdale
Veteran Association, and held the office of commander for
four years. He was one of the charter members of Roger

150 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
Williams Lodge, No. 32, A. F. & A. M., and is Past
Master of the lodge.
Zalmon Augustus Olney.
Augustus Olney, as he was generally called, enlisted in
Company H, Seventh Regiment, Rhode Island Infantry,
August 16, 1862, and was mustered in September 4, and
left Providence with the regiment, September 10. He
followed the fortunes of the regiment throughout the fall
campaign, and was killed in the battle of Fredericksburg,
December 13, 1862, while crossing the Rappahannock
river with the regiment upon pontoon bridges. Although
his services occupied but a few months, his conduct in the
camp and upon the battlefield was exemplary.
George T. Batchelder.
George T. Batchelder enlisted in Company C, Seventh
Regiment, Rhode Island Infantry, August 6, 1862, and
soon after was appointed sergeant. He participated in
many of the big battles of the war, and was twice wounded,
once at the battle of Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862,
and at the battle of Spottsylvania, May 18th, 1864. He
remained with the regiment until its return at the end of
the war, and was mustered out June 9th, 1865. After he
returned from the war he re-entered the employ of Luther
Carpenter as clerk, a position he had filled for seven years
before going into the army. After the death of Luther
Carpenter, in 1886, he became his successor in business.
George Colwell.
George Colwell enlisted August 8, 1862, as a private in
Company K, Seventh Regiment, Rhode Island Infantry.

THE WAR RECORD. 151
He served with honor throughout the war. After being
mustered out he again entered the employ of Nathaniel
Angell. He afterwards removed to Watchemoket, East
Providence, and served upon the police force for many
years. Randall H. Tallman.
Randall H. Tallman enlisted as a private, First Rhode
Island Regiment, Rhode Island Volunteers, in 1861. He
fought with the regiment at the battle of Bull Run, and
returned with the regiment at the expiration of the three
months' service for which they were enlisted. He shortly
after re-entered the army as a private or special scout to
General Burnside and remained with him throughout the
war, and served with honor and credit to himself and his
country. He was a brave and fearless man, and his
rugged constitution well fitted him physically to withstand
the exposure and hardships he was often called upon to
endure in the discharge of his duties as a scout and spy.
At the close of the war he returned to his home in Center-
dale and was appointed upon the police force of the town,
and was promoted to town sergeant, a position he held
for several years. He died, September 2, 1883, in the
sixty-ninth year of his age.
Robert F. Simmons.
Robert Fitz Simmons enlisted as a private in Company
E, Third Regiment, Rhode Island Heavy Artillery, August
21st, 1 86 1. He was promoted to sergeant, and was with
the regiment on their Port Royal campaign and took part
in the siege and capture of Fort Pulaski, Ga. November
7th, 1863, he was discharged by reason of promotion to

152 , Annals of centerdale.
second lieutenant in the Fourteenth Regiment of Rhode
Island Heavy Artillery. He, however, resigned his com
mission as second lieutenant before he entered upon active
duty, as he preferred returning to his old regiment, the
Third Rhode Island Heavy Artillery. After he returned
from the war he went to Attleboro, Mass., and engaged
in the manufacture of jewelry, and met with a good degree
of success, and was held in high esteem by his townsmen.
Almanzo S. Stone.
He enlisted as a private in Battery A, First Regiment
Rhode Island Light Artillery, March 7th, 1864, and was
transferred to Battery B of the same regiment, August 12,
1864. He served with credit to himself and his country
until the close of the war, and was mustered out June 12,
1865. Washington Irving Tallman.
Irving Tallman, as he was generally known, enlisted,
March 7, 1864, as a private in Battery B, First Regiment,
Rhode Island Light Artillery. While engaged in the
battle of Reams Station, August 25, 1864, he was taken
prisoner by the Rebels; he was afterward paroled by
them, September 25, 1864. He remained with his battery
until the end of the war, and was mustered out June 12,
1865. Walter Rourke.
Walter Rourke enlisted as a musician (fifer) in Com
pany A, Fourth Regiment, Rhode Island Volunteers,
October 30, 1861. After servmg three years, the term of

THE WAR RECORD. 153
his enlistment, he re-enlisted in the same regiment, as a
veteran volunteer, in August, 1864. After his re-enlist
ment he served as a nurse in the hospital to October, 1864,
when he was put on detached service at City Point, Va.,
in the General Hospital, and remained there until Feb
ruary, 1865, when he was transferred to Company G,
Seventh Regiment, Rhode Island Volunteers, and was
mustered out July 13, 1865.
George H. Remington.
George H. Remington enlisted as a private in Company
I, Eleventh Regiment, Rhode Island Volunteers, Sep
tember 23d, 1862, serving nine months, the term for which
the regiment was enlisted, and was mustered out July 13,
1863. Company A, Fifth Regiment, R. I. M.
As a precautionary measure against an invasion of the
northern States by the Confederate army, the enrollment
and organizing of the State militia was ordered; and in
pursuance of that order a company of infantry was organ
ized in Centerdale in May, 1863. There being no suitable
place in the village for an armory or drill hall, Mr. James
Halsey Angell purchased the old church building, which
had for many years been closed for public worship, and
remodeled the interior to meet the requirements of the
company for an armory. The company numbered eighty
members, and was designated as Company A, Fifth Regi
ment of Infantry, in the Fourth Brigade of Rhode Island
Militia. They held weekly meetings for drill and practice
in the manual of arms. At the general muster of the
regiment, held at Pawtucket, December 1, 1863, the

154

ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.

company had the right of the line and received many
compliments for their soldierly appearance and proficiency
in manoeuvers. The following is a roster and list of the
members of the company:

Roll of the Company.

Captain
First Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant

George F. Angell
William Brayman
Jarvis Smith
Edwin W. White
Samuel N. Budlong

Philip Salisbury
Joel Corbin
George H. Higgins
George F. Stollard
William Phetteplace
Frederick M. Aldrich
Willard Pearce
Henry Pearce

Sergeants.

Corporals.

Charles E. Hall.
Benjamin Sweet.
James A. Mathewson.

ist Sergeant.
2d Sergeant.
3d Sergeant.
4th Sergeant.
5th Sergeant.

1 st Corporal.
2d Corporal.
3d Corporal.
4th Corporal.
5th Corporal.
6th Corpoial.
7 th Corporal.
8th Corporal.

Wagoner.
Cornelius M. Capron.
Privates.

Angell, Sayles H.
Angell, William,
Angell, Andrew J.
Angell, Amasa W.

Adams, John Q.
Billington, James R.
Bicknell, William A.
Brown, Henry F.

THE WAR RECORD.

155

Barnes, Jonathan,
Britton, Sylvester O.
Brown, Henry M.
Barnes, John W.
Capron, Edwin A.
Capron, George W.
Cozzens, John R.
Collins, James C.
Collins, Henry,
Collins, Daniel S.
Dawley, James V., Jr.
Dawley, Benjamin G.
Davis, Jonathan,
Eldridge, Thaddeus S.
Gazlay, William,
Gardner, Joseph O.
Greene, Charles E.
Gould, Sullivan W.
Gould, Lewis,
Harrington, Alexander W.
Higgins, Joseph,
Hall, Henry J.
Hunt, Horace,
Jencks, George N.
James, Peleg A.
King, Stephen,
Kinnecom, William,
Kinnecom, Edward.

Lapham, J. H. P.
Mathewson, Henry N.
Mathewson, Jerome,
Mathewson, Daniel W.
Mathewson, Martin,
McCavert, James,
Olney, Barton J.
Potter, Albert H.
Robertson, Argraves,
Sweet, Ephraim A.
Sweet, William M.
Sweet, Seriel A.
Stone, Almanzo S.
Sweet, Albert F.
Sweet, Andrew B.
Sweet, Joseph W.
Sweet, Emor W.
Stone, George W.
Searle, Edwin P.
Sweet, Welcome,
Sweet, Edwin A.
Tallman, Irving W.
Turner, Harrison J.
Waldren, Lewis,
Walker, Charles P.
Whipple, Benonia,
Wilbur, Charles.

The War with Spain.
The destruction of the U. S. Battleship " Maine," Feb
ruary 15, 1898, in Havana harbor, was followed by events
which ultimately caused President McKinley to issue his
proclamation declaring that war did really exist between
the United States and Spain, and calling for 125,000
volunteers to defend the honor of the country and the
cause of justice and humanity in Cuba.

156 ANNALS OP CENTERDALE.
The call for volunteers met with a hearty response from
all sections of the country. Among those who responded
from Centerdale were: John P. Geelin,
Who enlisted as a private in Company I, Twelfth Regi
ment, United States Volunteers, and accompanied the
regiment on their campaign in Cuba. He was slightly
wounded in the battle of Santiago. After the end of
hostilities in Cuba he returned with the regiment and
re-enlisted in Company L, Twenty-sixth Regiment, United
States Volunteers, and proceeded with the regiment to the
Philippine Islands. At the expiration of his term of
enlistment he returned to his home in Centerdale. He
was a brave and fearless soldier; and while serving in
the Philippines it frequently became necessary to call for
volunteers to go upon some especially dangerous recon-
noissance, and upon these occasions John P. Geelin was
always among the first to volunteer to go, regardless of
how dangerous the expedition might be.
Lewis E. Foster.
In response to a call for volunteers, Lewis E. Foster
enlisted as a private in Company A, Forty-sixth Regiment,
United States Volunteers, in 1899. He accompanied the
regiment to the Philippine Islands, and saw considerable
active service while there. Here he remained until the
expiration of his term of enlistment, and returned home and
was mustered out in 1901. After remaining home for
about three months he again enlisted in Company C,
Fifty-sixth Regiment of United States Infantry, and went

THE WAR RECORD. 157
with his regiment to the Island of Puerto Rico, and else
where, and after serving three years with the Fifty-sixth
he returned home and was mustered out in the summer of
1904. After a three months' visit to his home he again enlisted
in Company D, Twenty-first United States Infantry, and
was stationed at Fort Snelling, St. Paul, Minn. Here he
was transferred to Company C, First United States In
fantry, September 20, 1906, he preferring to go to Manila,
P. I., where the First Regiment had been ordered, than
to remain with the Twenty-first, who were ordered to
Colorado; this being his second trip to the Philippine
Islands. He remained until his third term of enlistment
expired, in October, 1907. That he is a brave and honor
able soldier is fully attested by his nine years of continued
service in the United States army.
John W. Wallace.
John W. Wallace enlisted as a landsman in the United
States Navy, February 2, 1900, and was assigned to the
U. S. Cruiser "Newark." He remained on the "New
ark" about eight months, when he was transferred to the
first-class cruiser "Brooklyn," and was ordered to the
Philippine Islands. After cruising around the islands
eight months, the "Brooklyn" was ordered to China
during the "Boxer" uprising. Here he remained about
two years, calling at many of the ports of China. While
he was at Shanghai he was transferred to the gunboat
"Wilmington," January nth, 1902. He remained upon
the "Wilmington" until the term of his enlistment ex
pired, and returned home by way of San Francisco, and
was honorably discharged March 22d, 1904. Although

158 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
he was in no naval engagement during his time of service,
he holds an honorable record as a marksman with small
arms, ranking very good to excellent; conduct and
sobriety receiving a mark of five, or excellent, the highest
point obtainable.
Frederick M. Barnes, John Larkin, George H.
Sweet.
Frederick M. Barnes and John Larkin enlisted as
privates in Battery A, and George H. Hill in Battery B,
First Regiment, Light Artillery, Rhode Island Volunteers,
June 6th, 1898, and soon after entered camp duty at
Quonset Point, R. I.
The destruction of the Spanish fleet off Santiago by
Admiral Schley and the subsequent victories by the
United States troops on land soon brought an end to
hostilities in Cuba, and caused the United States Govern
ment to discontinue forwarding additional troops to the
island; in consequence of which the First Light Artillery
Regiment was ordered disbanded, and October 26, 1898,
was mustered out, much to the disappointment of the
officers and men, many of whom had, from patriotic
motives, sacrificed good positions in civil life to enter
into the service of their country.
George H. Sweet.
George H. Sweet enlisted in the United States Navy,
June 24, 1898, and was assigned to the United States
receiving ship "Constellation," stationed at Newport,
R. I., the old "Man-of-War" being at that time used as a
training ship for the United States Navy. He remained
there until the end of the war or until August 27, 1898,
when he was honorably discharged.

UNION LIBRARY.

CHAPTER XVII.

A. W. Harrington, F. C. Angell, M. M. Joslin.
IN the summer of 1868 Frank C. Angell, Marcus M.
Joslin, and Alexander W. Harrington initiated the
movement to establish a free public library in Centerdale.
At that time Centerdale was a small country village of
less than 200 inhabitants, and somewhat isolated from
Providence and other large towns where the advantages
of the public library were enjoyed. There were no means
of communication with Providence excepting by the slow
and cumbersome stage-coach, which made but two or
three trips each day; for the locomotive engine had not
then penetrated the Woonasquatucket valley, nor were
the swift and mysteriously moving electric cars known at
that time. Under these conditions but few could spare
the time or afford the expense of a journey to Providence
for the much coveted book.

160 ANNALS of centerdale.
At first the project of establishing a public library, even
upon a small scale, in Centerdale seemed like too great
an undertaking for them to carry through successfully,
they being at that time young mechanics working in one
of the workshops of the village for daily pay, and realiz
ing that there were no men of wealth in the community
to come forward and aid them in their undertaking; so
whatever was done must be accomplished by their own
efforts. It did not take long to interest the young people
in the movement. An informal meeting was called to
consider the matter and devise some way of providing the
money for the undertaking.
By general assent the three promoters were considered
a committee to inaugurate the movement, and decided
to appeal to the public, through a series of local entertain
ments, to raise the first installment of one hundred dollars
toward the two hundred which they hoped to be able to
secure with which to purchase the books for a nucleus or
foundation for the library. The question of a building,
or room, to contain them had not then been considered.
The drama selected for the initial performance was
entitled "All is not Gold that Glitters." A fac-simile of
the programme is here given with the cast of charac
ters. The first entertainment was given in Armory hall,
October 31st, 1868, and passed off very successfully. The
attendance was not large, but the workers were not dis
couraged, and gave a second representation of the drama,
November 28th. This was followed by other entertain
ments of like character, until, February, 1869, after work
ing for four months, they succeeded in raising their first
installment of one hundred dollars.

Grand Exhibition
Armory Hall, Centredale5
Saturday Eve'g, Oct. 31.
The public are respectfully invited to attend an Exhibition an
above, where will be performed the comio Drama, entitled
All is not Gold
That Glitters!
Jasper Plum  Mr, J. Marsh
Stephen Plum,  A. W. Harrington
Freo'ei ic Plum,  F. C. Angel!
Toby Twinkle  M. M. Joslin
Sir Arthur Lovelle  H.J.Turner
Harris,  ... Mr. J. Nichols
Lady Valeria,  Miss A. F. Westcott
Lady Leatherbridge,  Miss, S. Lapham
Martha Gibbs, . ".  Miss I. M. Burlingame
gQNGS,by~~ ~7d7E?fiJTLOW.
To be followed by the side splitting farce, entitled

Mr. MarroaduRe Mouser,  Mr. J. Marsh
Mr.Crumny  M. M. Joslin
Mrs. Crumny  Miss I. M. Burlingame
Betsey Baker  Miss A. P. Westcott
The whole to conclude, with Celebrated
GLO O DAINCE
 By O. E. Tutlow.
'I'Seketss. - **£> Cents.
Cliildi-en, - - - • 15 "
Doors open at a quarter to 7 o'clock.
Perlormance to commence at 7.30 o'clock
An Orchestra will enliven the occasion under the leadership
of Mr. James Olney.
The pi-oceeds to be devoted to the raising of a Public Library
for the village of Centredale.
A. Crawford Greene, Primer, Eallroad hall, Providence, U. I.
n

162 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
A subscription paper, dated February 9, 1869, was now
prepared, and the hard-earned hundred dollars was placed
at the head of the paper. Various sums, ranging from
one dollar upwards, were subscribed, and in due time
four hundred dollars were secured, which was double the
amount they at first anticipated.
The magic key seemed to have been touched, for the
public, generally, now were alive with interest for the
success of the library.
April 2 1 st, 1869, a meeting was called inviting all people
interested in the movement to assemble at the schoolhouse ;
the object being to form a society, or organization, to carry
on the work in a business-like and systematic manner.
The work thus far had been done informally by the young
people connected with the dramatic club, but now that
the establishment of the library was assured it seemed a
proper time to perfect a permanent organization. At
eight o'clock the meeting was called to order, and John
Marsh was elected chairman and Frank C. Angell, sec
retary; the chairman stated the object of the meeting,
giving a brief account of the work accomplished thus far,
and spoke encouragingly of the future of the library.
Various committees were appointed to attend to and
prepare the preliminaries attendant to the permanent
organization. This was but one of the many meetings
held by the society before the permanent organization
was perfected. May 13th, 1869, the constitution and
by-laws were adopted, and at this meeting it was voted that
hereafter the society should be called by the name of
"The Union Library Association."
After the adoption of the by-laws, the following were
elected as the first officers of the association : President,

UNION LIBRARY. 163
John CBudlong; Vice-Presidents, Alexander W. Har
rington, John Marsh, James C. Collins, and Harrison J.
Turner; Treasurer, George W. Remington; Secretary,
Frank C: Angell; Corresponding Secretary, Alexander W.
Harrington; Librarian, Frank C. Angell; Directors,
John C. Budlong, George T. Batchelder, Benjamin
Sweet, Marcus M. Joslin, Israel B. Phillips, John Marsh,
George W.. Remington.
The library association being now duly organized, and
with a balance of four hundred dollars in the treasury,
the pioneers in the work might well feel proud of what
had been accomplished. The older and more influential
-citizens had now become interested in the movement to
establish the library, and with their encouragement it
was determined to continue the work until a sum sufficient
had been secured to provide a suitable building to contain
the books.
The fourth of July, the anniversary of American in
dependence, was approaching, and it was decided to im
prove the opportunity and observe the day in a manner
befitting the glorious occasion, and by combining patriot
ism with the laudable desire to promote intelligence and
the public good, they would make this the occasion for
increasing the library fund ; and certainly no two objects
could more appropriately be combined.
Under the direction of various committees, the prepara
tions for the celebration progressed rapidly, and soon the
..village began to assume a gala day appearance. A
mammoth awning was erected upon the village common, a
platform built for the band and orators of the day, the
old liberty pole, which had failed to do duty for several
years on account of being disabled, was put in condition

164 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
to hold aloft the glorious emblem of American independ
ence. In due time all of the details of the arrangements were
completed, and all anxiously waited the dawn of the com
ing day. Suddenly the booming of the artillery and the
ringing of bells resounded through the valley, proclaiming
to the people that the anniversary of the nation's birthday
had dawned, and calling upon them to assemble and
celebrate the day as only true patriotic Americans can do.
It seemed as though God was pleased to smile upon their
efforts, for a more beautiful day could not be desired.
It would be a difficult task to describe the enthusiasm that
was awakened or the pleasure enjoyed by all who par
ticipated in the celebration that day.
During the evening a display of fireworks enlivened the
scene and closed the festivities of the day. Everything
passed off in the happiest possible manner, making the
event a complete success.
The success of the celebration increased the library
fund sufficiently to warrant some steps being taken towards
erecting a library building. A desirable site on Mineral
Spring avenue was obtained on a ninety-nine years lease,
and plans were drawn for a building, of wood, 20 x 26
feet, and one story in height. The contract for erecting
the building was awarded to Messrs. Brown & Sweet,
contractors, for eight hundred dollars, and in March,
1870, ground was broken for the foundation. Although
the building was small, it provided ample accommoda
tions for the books at that time.
The laws of Rhode Island at that time provided that
all companies or societies desiring to hold real or mixed
property in the name of the company or society, and

UNION LIBRARY. 165
receive the protection of the laws of the State, should
petition and receive from the General Assembly a charter,
or act of incorporation.
At the January session of the legislature, in 1870, the
Hon. James C. Collins, a representative to the Assembly
from North Providence, presented a petition requesting
that an act of incorporation be granted to the Union
Library Association of Centerdale. The petition was
duly granted at the same session, and the Union Library
Association was now a legally constituted organization,
and under its charter was empowered to have and use a
common seal, and to have, hold, and convey real and
personal property to an amount not exceeding ten
thousand dollars.
The members of the library society might well feel
congratulated upon the results of their labors; they had
succeeded in erecting the library building', had about four
hundred dollars in money with which to purchase books,
and had become a chartered corporation under the laws
of the State.
It must not be supposed that the ladies had been idle
all this time. In July, 1869, in response to invitations
extended, the ladies assembled at the residence of Mrs.
Nathaniel Angell and organized the Ladies' Union Sewing
Society. Weekly sessions were held, and their skillful
hands soon fashioned many useful and fancy articles.
A sale, or fair, as it was called, was held in Armory hall,
under their auspices, December 24 and 25, 1869. The
fair was a success and netted a handsome sum.
After the completion of the library building, the ladies
of the sewing society requested that they be allowed the
pleasure of furnishing the library room. Of course this

166

ANNALS OP CENTERDALE.

was readily granted, and under their direction the room
began to take on a neat and attractive appearance. The
walls were tastefully decorated, the floor was neatly
carpeted, comfortable chairs and tables were provided;
also ample provisions were made for heating and lighting.
It was now decided to formally open and dedicate the
library upon the fourth of July, which was near at hand',
at which time it was proposed to hold another celebration
like the one held the year before. It is sufficient to say
that the second celebration was as successful as its prede
cessor.

Union Library.

At 12 o'clock noon, July 4th, 1870, the door of the
library was thrown open to the public. The librarian,
Frank C. Angell, received the visitors informally during
the afternoon and evening. Upon the shelves were 350
volumes, all neatly covered and numbered; the appear-

UNION LIBRARY. 167
ance of the room received many pleasant commendations
from the visitors.
The library now being formally dedicated, it was de
cided to open the room for delivering the books every
Tuesday and Saturday evenings from seven until nine
o'clock. At the time of the opening of the library it was thought
not advisable to make it a free library, in the strict sense
of the word, until some means were provided for its main
tenance, but free to all members of the Union Library
Association and the Ladies' Union Sewing Society; this
virtually including nearly all of the people of the village.
But the. association desired to extend its privileges to
others who might reside here at a future time and all others
who lived within a radius of three miles; to all such people
a charge of six cents per week was made ; but the desires
and hopes of the association were that at ho distant day
it might be made free to all, and in this they were not
disappointed. April 15th, 1875, a free library act was passed by the
General Assembly, giving authority to the cities and towns
of the State to appropriate money, under certain restric
tions, to establish free public libraries. The State Board of
Education at the same time was authorized to pay for such
books as might be approved by them for such libraries.
The amount apportioned to each library varied according
to the number of volumes they contained. Fifty dollars
was allowed the first 500 volumes in the library, and
twenty-five dollars for every additional 500 volumes; but
the limit of any library was five hundred dollars a year.
Any town establishing or accepting a free public library
was required to appropriate for its use at least as much

168 ANNALS OP CENTERDALE.
as the amount received from the State. Without doubt
this legislation encouraged the establishment of many
public libraries throughout the State.
The Union Library Association now saw an opportunity
to carry out the original and long-cherished plan of making
it a free library, and at a meeting of the association held
February 17th, 1877, it was voted to make and declare
Union Library a free public library; and an application
was made to the State Board of Education for the privileges
allowed by the act. The library since that time has grad
ually increased in the number of volumes, until now it
contains about 5,000 volumes.
It has always been under the care of Frank C. Angell,
who has served as librarian from its opening day, in 1870,
until the present time (1909), excepting two years, 187 1
and 1872, a total of thirty-seven years. The library at the
present time is in a flourishing condition, and well deserves
the support it receives from the State and the town.

CHAPTER XVIII.
Fraternal Orders and Musical Organizations.
roger williams lodge, no. 32, a. f. and a. m.
THE origin of Roger Williams Lodge, No. 32, of
Ancient, Free, and Accepted Masons was largely due
to a desire of the members of the fra
ternity living in and around Center-
dale for better accommodations in the
matter of Masonic privileges, where
by they might more fully enjoy the
benefits of fraternal brotherhood and
promote a more mutual acquaintance
and social intercourse with the breth
ren. At the time of the formation of
Roger Williams Lodge there were
about thirty members of the order residing in or within a
convenient distance of Centerdale, belonging to different
lodges throughout the State who were obliged to travel
many miles over country roads to attend a meeting of their
home lodge.
By mutual agreement those interested assembled at the
Union Library rooms on the evening of September 15th,
i8f^, to consider the advisability of forming a new lodge
to be located in Centerdale. The meeting was well at
tended, and James H. Angell, a member of Temple Lodge,
No. 18, was asked to preside; and Frank C. Angell, also

170 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
of Temple Lodge, was chosen secretary. The object
of the meeting was briefly stated by the chairman, and
after considering the expediency of forming a new lodge
a committee was appointed to obtain information in regard
to methods of procedure in such cases. Other meetings
were held at the same place during the succeeding months,
to hear the report of the committee and to perfect the
work of organization.
At a meeting held December 27, 1875, the subject of a
name for the proposed lodge was considered. Various
names were suggested: among them was the name of
Roger Williams, proposed by James H. Angell, and after
some discussion it was decided to name the new lodge
Roger Williams Lodge.
A petition signed by twenty-six Master Masons, and
recommended by Temple Lodge, No. 18, of Greenville,
was presented to Most Worshipful Nicholas Van Slyck,
Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Rhode Island, asking
permission to open a Lodge, under dispensation, in Cen
terdale. The dispensation was granted under date of
January 27, 1876, the Grand Master appointing Thomas
Wilmarth, Worshipful Master ; Alexander W. Harrington,
Senior Warden; and Charles P. Walker, Junior Warden,
to serve until the lodge was duly constituted.
The first meeting of the Roger Williams Lodge, under
dispensation, was held in Railroad Hall building, March
4, 1876. At this meeting James Halsey Angell was ap
pointed Treasurer; Frank C. Angell, Secretary; Rufus
W. Harris, Senior Deacon; A. Jarvis Smith, Junior
Deacon; George F. Angell, Senior Steward; William F.
Allison, Junior Steward; George E. Olney, Chaplain;
James V. Dawley, Marshal; George W. Capron, Musical

FRATERNAL ORDERS. 171
Director; and Asel S. Angell, Tyler; these being the
first officers of the new organization.
At the annual communication of the Grand Lodge held
May 15th, 1876, a petition for a charter was presented,
and after due consideration was granted; and upon the
twenty-seventh day of May, 1876, The Most Worshipful
Grand Master Nicholas Van Slyck, assisted by the officers
of the Grand Lodge, duly constituted Roger Williams
Lodge, No. 32, in ample form, with all the rights and
privileges of a subordinate lodge of the jurisdiction of
Rhode Island. An address appropriate to the occasion
was delivered by Judge George M. Carpenter, of the
Supreme Court of Rhode Island, who was also a member
of the Grand Lodge.
After the impressive ceremonies of constitution the fol
lowing were elected as the first officers of Roger Williams
Lodge, No. 32, A. F. & A. M: Thomas Wilmarth, Wor
shipful Master; Alexander W. Harrington, Senior Warden,
Charles P. Walker, Junior Warden; James Halsey Angell,
Treasurer; Frank C. Angell, Secretary; George E. Olney,
Chaplain; Rufus W. Harris, Senior Deacon; A. Jarvis
Smith, Junior Deacon; George F. Angell, Senior Steward;
William F. Allison, Junior Steward; James V. Dawley,
Marshal; Daniel O. Angell, Sentinel; Asel S. Angell,
Tyler. It is worthy of note at this time to observe that Frank
C. Angell, who was chosen secretary at the first preliminary
meeting of the organization, was appointed secretary while
the lodge was under dispensation, and under the charter
has held the office continuously to the present time, 1909,
making a continuous service as secretary for over thirty-
three years.

172 ANNALS OP CENTERDALE.
The lodge held their meetings in a small hall in Railroad
Hall building until October, 1885, when they moved to
rooms especially arranged for them in Angell block, No.
2005 Smith street, where they are now located The
lodge at the present time numbers 112 members and is in
a flourishing condition.
WOONASQUATUCKET LODGE, NO. 53, I. O. OF G. T.
In 1870 the wave of temperance reform agitated the
country throughout its length and breadth, stirring the
cities and country towns to a furore of temperance ex
citement to an extent never known before in the country's
history. Meetings and rallies were held in all of the
village halls, encouraging the organizing of temperance
societies and lodges to carry on the temperance work. Cen
terdale, like the neighboring villages, was caught in the
swirl of the reform wave, and soon public sentiment was
enlisted in the popular reform movement.
In April, 187 1, the Woonasquatucket Lodge, No. 53,
of the Independent Order of Good Templars was organ
ized, and soon upwards of 200 members were enrolled.
Armory Hall was secured and transformed into a com
modious lodge room, and great enthusiasm was mani
fested on all sides, and Woonasquatucket Lodge, No. 53,
received the high honor of being the banner lodge of the
State in the good work it accomplished and its perfection
in the ritual work.
The lodge continued to prosper and succeed in the
work of temperance reform they had undertaken; and
without doubt succeeded in alleviating temporarily, if not
in all cases permanently, the evils of intemperance. But

FRATERNAL ORDERS. 173
like most reformatory movements that depend somewhat
upon constant agitation and exciting of the public mind,
the interest began to subside, and, not unlike the returning
tide, the wave of temperance reform began to ebb, and
gradually the members began to withdraw from active
work, and ere long the lodge was obliged to resort to the
inevitable; and in the summer of 1877 the Woonasqua
tucket Lodge, I. O. of G. T., once the banner lodge of
the State, surrendered its charter to the Grand Lodge
and rested from its good work.
The Temple of Honor.
Soon after the formation of Woonasquatucket Lodge
of Good Templars a lodge of the order of the Temple of
Honor was organized. This, too, was also a temperance
order, but, unlike the Good Templars, only admitted
male members over eighteen years of age.
The Temple was instituted August 3d, 1871, under the
name of Enterprise Temple, No. 26, with thirty-five charter
members ; the following being the first officers : Charles
P. Walker, Worthy Chief Templar; Arnold Hawkins,
Worthy Vice Templar; Frank C. Angell, Worthy Re
corder; Moses Claflin, Worthy Assistant Recorder;
George F. Angell, Worthy Financial Recorder; George
G. Cozzens, Worthy Treasurer; George W. Gould,
Worthy Chaplain; Marcus M. Joslin, Worthy Usher;
Charles J. Hawkins, Worthy Deputy Usher; William
Smith, Worthy Guardian; Asel S. Angell, Worthy
Sentinel. They, like the Good Templars, held their meetings in
Armory hall and enjoyed several years of prosperity, and

174 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
numbered about 150 members. The meetings were
always well attended and considerable fraternal interest
manifested. They were often the recipient of many
fraternal visits from neighboring Temples from Provi
dence and other places, who would always come in a body,
and the return visits were always hailed as occasions of
much interest, for Enterprise Temple was particularly
strong in literary and musical talent, making visits
especially enjoyable.
But as the interest in the temperance reform movement
subsided the interest in the Temple began to wane, and,
like the Good Templars, it was obliged to submit to the
inevitable, and in June, 1879, surrendered its charter to
the Grand Temple.
But in justice to the two reformatory orders it must be
admitted that they did not labor in vain, that their efforts
did carry joy and sunshine into many desolate homes and
left a permanent impression of good upon the community.
Musical Organizations.
The first musical organization in Centerdale was the
Centerdale Cornet Band, which was organized May 6th,
1 86 1. Unless the village choir is taken into consideration,
in the early days of the church in this place, the church
organ was but little known in country churches. Here
the music was furnished by two violins, a bass-viol, flute,
and clarionet, and a little later a small melodeon was added.
This was many years after the time when the church
people denounced and declared the violin an instrument
of the devil, and to play upon one, or on any musical in
strument, during church service would be positively sacri-

musical organizations. 1.75
legious; the singing always being done without musical
accompaniment. Soon after the breaking out of the Civil War, in 1861,
martial music was heard throughout the land. Nearly all
of the country towns and villages, to show their patriotism,
proceeded to organize a military company or a brass band.
Accordingly, on the evening of May 6th, 1861, those in
terested in music assembled in the hall of the Centerdale
hotel and organized the Centerdale Cornet Band, con
sisting of fifteen members, as follows : Edward Reynolds,
John Widup, Thomas Whitworth, George G. Cozzens,
George F. Angell, Albert Mowry, Bela Edwards, Henry
Hunt, Edwin A. Capron, Albert F. Gleason, James
Barnes, Daniel H. Capron, Charles Hudson, Cornelius
M. Capron, and Charles Thornton. Edward Reynolds
was elected leader, and John Widup, assistant leader.
Gideon Goodspeed, a noted bandmaster, was secured as
instructor; and in due time the band was able to render
music in a very creditable manner. The band continued
its organization until 1864 when, from various reasons,
principally that so many of the members had moved to
distant localities, it was decided to disband the organiza
tion. THE YOUNG AMERICAN BAND.
The Young American Band was organized in August,
1884, through the efforts of Frank C. Angell and George
A. Cozzens. Less than a dozen members were counted
in its membership at the time of organization, but before
many weeks it was augmented to twenty-five members,
and Frank C. Angell was elected leader. The band
differed from most bands in that it used but few brass

176 annals of centerdale.
instruments, and was generally known as a flute and
drum band; the instrumentation being as follows: 12
flutes (or fifes), 3 clarionets, 1 saxophone, 3 cornets, 4 snare
drums, bass drum, and cymbals. At the time of its organ
ization this style of band was very popular with the public,
especially for street music, always attracting much atten
tion and favorable comment. They continued under the
leadership of Mr. Angell until September 16th, 1886,
when George A. Cozzens was elected leader, Mr. Angell
declining a unanimous re-election, but he still remained an
active member of the band.
Under the leadership of Mr. Cozzens the band continued
to prosper, and enjoyed the public favor to a greater extent
than any similar organization for many miles around.
They gave many complimentary evening concerts and
street parades in the town ; the line of march being always
illuminated in their honor. Their band room was located
in the basement of Armory Hall building, and was com
fortably furnished and well suited to their use. At the
height of their prosperity they sustained a serious loss
by the destruction of Armory Hall by fire on the night of
February 6, 1892; they losing many of their instruments,
uniforms, and band equipments. There being no in
surance upon them, the loss was a serious one for the
organization. Somewhat disheartened, they engaged an
other band room, and endeavored to revive the interest
in the disheartened ones. The organization was kept
along with some effort, but finally disbanded in the
summer of 1894.

CHAPTER XIX.
Various Industries.
the village pharmacy. — spectacle maker. — plane
manufactory. — the undertaker.
the village pharmacy.
IN olden times the drug store (or apothecary shop, as
it was then called) was found only in cities or large
towns. People living remote from large communities
were obliged, when sick, to depend upon home remedies
for relief, made from the herbs, roots, and barks that grew
in the woods and fields around their homes.
Should you have climbed to the attic of one of those old
country homes, you would have found suspended from the
beams and rafters large bunches of herbs, and bags con
taining dried flowers, roots, and barks of many kinds, all
gathered in their proper season, and carefully dried and
stored away for future use in time of need.
To be able to name them all would require a be 'ter
botanical education than the average person of to-day is
likely to possess; but to the country people of those days
their names were as familiar as the names of the trees
about their door-yard.
The services of a doctor were seldom called for unless
the illness assumed a serious stage, and then, perhaps, he
would prescribe the use of some of the contents of the
attic. But the changed condition of the country incident
to the rapid increase of the population, and the advance-

178 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
ment made by science in the treatment of diseases and
the compounding of the remedies, called for more con
venient and skillful methods than the home dispensary
afforded. These conditions eventually opened a wider field for
the druggist, and ere long, in many of the small country
towns, could be found the store of the registered phar
macist. The firs to establish a drug store in Centerdale
was Nicholas F. Reiner, in a building near the junction of
Woonasquatucket avenue and Smith street, on the thirtieth
day of May, 1896. Mr. Reiner was a graduate of the
New York College of Pharmacy and had several years of
practical experience in some of the leading drug stores
of Providence. The store was well appointed, and its con
venience to the community was soon apparent, and the new
business became firmly established. In a few years he
required more commodious apartments, and July 4, 1901,
he moved into a new building he had erected at No. 2030-
2032 Smith street. In September, 1906, he sold the
business to John E. McKenna, he having previously
purchased a drug store at No. 1 Westminster street,
Providence. THE SPECTACLE MAKER.
In 1843 George U. Wright and William Gedney entered
into a copartnership for the manufacture of gold and
silver-bowed spectacles. They leased a building which
then stood on what is now Steere street. They made
solid gold and silver goods only, and in those days the
greater part of the work was done by hand. The gold
or silver came in bars, but often coin was melted down in
crucibles placed in a furnace built for the purpose, and

VARIOUS INDUSTRIES. 179
molded into the different forms or drawn into wire for use,
as the special work might require.
It called for no little skill on the part of the workman
to produce the finished job, when every part, from the
little hinges in the bow to the frames for the lenses, had to
be fashioned from the crude metal. The lenses also had
to be cut and ground to fit the frames.
In 1847 Messrs. Wright and Gedney sold out to William
W. Wright, a brother of the senior member of the firm,
who secured the services of William N. Allison, of New
York, an expert workman in gold and silver, especially
in the manufacture of spectacles. William W. Wright
continued the business until 1855, when the business was
discontinued. THE PLANE MANUFACTORY.
In 1853 Ezekiel Smith leased a building from Joseph
Cunliff, near the site of the old saw-mill, with the privilege
of using the water from the pond of the Centerdale mill,
for the manufacturer of carpenters' planes of all kinds.
The power for running the saw and other machinery was
generated by a small turbine water-wheel which was placed
under the mill. This wheel was rather a crude affair
when compared with the powerful turbines in use to-day.
It may not be generally known that this was the first
turbine water-wheel operated on the Woonasquatucket
river, and attracted considerable attention.
The planes made by Ezekiel Smith, which included
nearly all of the different varieties, were considered the
standard plane, and much sought for by woodworkers in
all. departments.

180 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
In 1854 the business was removed to some other locality,
where and for what reason is impossible to determine at
this time, but it is the opinion of the writer that it was
removed to Pawtucket or Central Falls, R. I.
THE UNDERTAKER.
In the early days of the village, when the population
was small and the farmers made up the majority of the
resident people, deaths were comparatively infrequent
and the services of an undertaker not often required ; con
sequently a professional undertaker was seldom found in
the rural districts.
If a person died, a neighboring carpenter, or the wheel
wright, was called upon to make the box, or coffin ; and as
no supply was kept on hand, they must be made after
the person died; thus the time was necessarily limited,
and little time could be given to the making of an elaborate
casket like what is now used, although it might be within
the skill of the workman to do so.
A plain pine box, or coffin, with a coat of red stain, and,
if the time was sufficient, a coat of varnish, was all that
could be given or was expected. The clergyman would
sometimes act as undertaker at the funeral, but more
often some prominent neighbor or personal friend would
officiate. Just who the carpenter was that furnished the coffins
when needed previous to the year 1830 is at the present
time unknown. In 1830, when William Sweet established
the first wheelwright shop in Centerdale, he was occa
sionally called upon to furnish the coffin and officiate as
undertaker when a person died in the neighborhood. He

VARIOUS INDUSTRIES. 181
continued in the business until 1845, when he disposed
of the wheelwright shop to Caleb V. Waterman (an account
of which is given in another chapter entitled "The Village
Wheelwright"). Caleb V. Waterman, being a man of good business
capacity and judgment, saw the necessity of having better
accommodations at a time when the service of an under
taker was required. He purchased a hearse and proceeded
to make up a sufficient number of coffins of various sizes
at a season when sufficient time could be used to give to
them a more finished appearance than was possible to do
in the limited time previously given.
In those days the burial cases were made in the con
ventional style, totally unlike the burial caskets of to-day.
Black walnut was the wood almost universally used,
although cypress, neatly stained in imitation of black
walnut or cherry, was sometimes used for cheaper grades;
however well they may have answered their purpose, they
would form a strong contrast with the beautiful and artistic
burial caskets in use to-day.
In 1 86 1 Mr. Waterman gave up the wheelwright busi
ness and devoted his entire attention to undertaking,
which he continued until his death, March 29, 1865.
After the death of Caleb V. Waterman, the business was
continued, under his name, for about one year, by his
son-in-law, William W. Wright, when he disposed of it
to Israel B. Phillips. Mr. Phillips, too, was a carriage
maker by trade, but gave up the business to take up his
new calling. He was especially qualified to conduct the
business of undertaker. His quiet and sombre manner
and the sympathetic expression of his face well qualified
him for the melancholy duties of undertaker. In 1871 he

182 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
sold out to Arnold Staples and removed to Woonsocket,
R. I., to engage in the same business. Arnold Staples
continued the business on Waterman avenue until 1880,
when he removed to Esmond, R. I.
After Arnold Staples removed to Enfield, Centerdale
was without a resident undertaker until 1892, when Her
bert A. Fenner, a graduate of the United States College
of Embalming, of Boston, Mass., re-established the busi
ness at No. 2007 Smith street, where he remained until
June, 1907, when he removed into a new building he had
erected upon Steere street.

CHAPTER XX.
The Town Hall, or the Establishment of the Seat
of Town Government in Centerdale.
THE town of North Providence, within whose limits is
located the village of Centerdale, was at one time, or
until 1765, a part of the territory of the town of Provi
dence, which originally embraced nearly all of Providence
county; but as the country became more thickly settled,
desire for separate townships were manifest on all sides ;
the farming districts believing they could more economi
cally manage their local affairs if they were separated from
the business section of the town of Providence.
In 1 73 1 the towns of Glocester, Smithfield, and Scituate
were set off and incorporated as separate towns. In
1754 Cranston was incorporated, and in 1759 the town of
Johnston was established. It was not long before further
discontent was manifest. Town meetings were frequently
called to appropriate money or transact business bene
fiting only the business section of the town, much to the
inconvenience of the farmers. This and other reasons
soon engendered considerable political animosity, which
resulted in another petition being presented to the General
Assembly, at the February session, 1765, praying that a
portion of the town of Providence be set off and incor
porated as a separate town to be known as Wenscutt (or
Wanskuck). Definite action was not taken upon the
petition at that session but was deferred until the next

184 annals of centerdale.
session when, June 13, 1765, the petition was granted
with the exception of the proposed name, which was
changed to North Providence. The town at that time
not only included its present area, but included a large
part of the territory of the city of Pawtucket, also the
tenth ward of the city of Providence.
In due course of time the seat of the town government
was established at Pawtucket, and there most of the town
meetings were held. From natural causes the eastern
part of the town developed more rapidly than the western
section or the farming district. This again, after many
years, caused the same trouble and dissatisfaction as in
former years. The thickly populated sections of the
town were frequently calling for large appropriations for
various purposes that had little interest to the farmers,
and in no way directly benefited them, naturally causing
the rural taxpayers to believe they were being unneces
sarily taxed to maintain the alleged extravagances of the
richer and more populous sections. These reasons and
many political grievances resulted in the presentation
of a petition to the General Assembly, in 1874, asking for
a division of the town; and without much delay the
petition was granted, March 27, 1874, the act to go into
effect May first of the same year, annexing a portion (or
in other words the village of Pawtucket) to the town of
Pawtucket, then located on the east side of the river (this
section was afterwards incorporated as the city of Paw
tucket in 1885) and returning to the city of Providence the
territory now designated as the tenth ward. How wise or
advantageous this act has proven, with the experience of
later years, to the rural towns, is a question of diverse
opinions.

THE TOWN HALL.

185

After the town was divided, in 1874, no permanent
headquarters for the town government was established
until 1880. The town meetings were generally held in
Armory Hall, Centerdale. The town clerk's office was at
the residence of George Eddy, on Olney avenue, Fruit
Hill. Mr. Eddy was elected the first town clerk of the
new town in 1874, and held the office until June 7, 1880,
when Thomas Holden Angell was elected his successor,
and held the office continuously for over twenty-six years,
or until November, 1906, when from failing health he
declined a further re-election and was succeeded as town
clerk by Louis A. Sweet.

'M/<«*S»*5y

k^l

Town Hall.

At a town meeting held June 2d, 1879, after an exciting
political, or, rather, it might be called, sectional contest,
it was decided to build a town hall in the village of Cen-

186 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
terdale, thus making Centerdale the seat of town govern
ment for the town. This was considered a grand triumph
by the people of Centerdale, for the contest was strongly
fought, by the different sections of the town, to have the
town hall located in their vicinity.
An appropriation of $2,000 was made to build a town
hall and town clerk's office, and John R. Cozzens, Martin
W. Thurber, and Charles E. Hall were appointed as a
committee to proceed with the work of purchasing a
suitable site and the erection of a building to accommodate
the needs of the town. A lot on Mineral Spring avenue
was secured, upon which they at once proceeded to erect
a building, 28 x 36 feet, two stories in height, from plans
drawn by L. M. E. Stone. The contract for building the
same was let to Benjamin Sweet, a local carpenter and
contractor. In the basement is located the police station,
with four cells for the detention of prisoners. The town
clerk's office and council chamber are located on the first
floor, as also the town sergeant's offices. On the second
floor is the hall for holding the town meetings, etc. The
exterior of the buildmg is very plain in appearance, as
well as the interior, although very conveniently arranged
for the transaction of the town's business.

CHAPTER XXI.
Biographical Sketches.
IT is proper and appropriate at this time to give some
recognition of a few of the residents of the little New
England village who have not already been mentioned in
connection with some of the business interests of the town,
but who have been life-long residents of Centerdale and
prominent in all philanthropic enterprises tending to the
moral and social interest of the community.
It may not be easy for the present generation to com
prehend the social condition of a little New England
village as it existed in the early days of Centerdale, before
the population became as cosmopolitan as it is at the
present time. At that time the resident people were com
posed of native-born, or American, people in the general
acceptance of the word. In those days the people making
up a little town were bound together by some family tie,
more or less distant, when each and every one had a
friendly interest in the welfare of his neighbor, rejoicing
in his success and sympathizing with him in his adver
sities ; and it is to like people born and reared under those
conditions that we to-day are indebted for the many
blessings we receive and enjoy from the glorious govern
ment under which we live, conceived by those who knew
and had home interest at heart, making them far better
qualified to establish the principles of self-government
than a people of a more cosmopolite character, with a
disregard of national or local conditions and peculiarities.

188 ANNALS OP CENTERDALE.

James Halsey Angell.
James Halsey Angell.
James Halsey Angell was the son of James Angell and
Selinda (Ray) Angell, and was born May ioth, 1822, and
was a resident of Centerdale all of his life, or nearly
seventy years. In 1842 he married Sarah Angell Capron,
daughter of Edwin and Deborah (Angell) Capron, born
June 23, 1824. Two sons were born to them, George F.
and Frank C. Angell. Mr. Angell received a good com
mon school education, and early in life entered the employ
of Zachariah Allen as accountant in the Allendale mill
and clerk in the village store. He subsequently bought
out the store and continued in business until 1846, when
he sold out, and November, 1847, succeeded his brother

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. 189
Nathaniel as landlord of the Centerdale Hotel. At that
time the place was conducted as an old-time tavern stand,
and it was during his administration that the balls or
dances spoken of in Chapter XI were so popular around
about the country towns. He conducted the hotel suc
cessfully until April i, 1858; moved to a farm belonging
to his father, which afterwards became his own. This farm
is now included in the village of Centerdale.
In 1854 he was appointed postmaster at Centerdale, an
office which he held for many years. He took active part
in town affairs, and held many offices of trust and respon
sibility. He was often called upon to serve as adminis
trator in the settlement of estates, and his sound and
unbiased judgment was often sought by his neighbors
upon many questions which arise around a country town.
For thirty-three years, or until a few months before his
death, he kept a daily diary of the everyday occurrences
about the farm and village, without missing a day. This
diary furnishes interestmg reading, and was often consulted
by his neighbors to settle some question in doubt or dis
pute; his diary always being accepted as authority in
deciding such questions. It also lent valuable aid to the
writer in preparing the "Annals of Centerdale."
He was made a Mason in Temple Lodge, No. 18, of
Greenville, September 5, 1868, and in 1876 became a
charter member of Roger Williams Lodge, No. 32,
A. F. & A. M., of Centerdale, and took active part in
organizing the same. He was elected treasurer at its
first meeting, and held the office for fourteen years, or until
his death in 1890.
He was public spirited and interested in all work that
pertained to the moral and general welfare of the com-

190 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
munity. He took active part in establishing Union Free
Library, and served as treasurer for fifteen years, or until
his death.
In 1889 he was stricken with paralysis, from which he
never fully recovered, and died, July 1st, 1890, in the
sixty-ninth year of his age. As a mark of respect, all
places of business in the village were closed during the
time of the funeral. He was buried with Masonic honors,
in the North Burying Ground in Providence.
Benjamin Sweet.
Benjamin Sweet was the son of Emor Sweet and Waity
(Manton) Sweet, and was born in the town of Johnston,
R. I., July 25, 1833. In 1857 he married Olive W.
Gardiner, daughter of Nelson and Jane F. (Taylor)
Gardiner, and five sons and seven daughters were born
to them. When a boy he attended the schools of his
native town until he was sixteen years old, when he entered
the employ of his father as an apprentice to learn the
carpenter's trade; and having a natural aptitude for that
branch of industry, he made rapid progress, and in 1855
started in business for himself as contractor and builder,
and met with considerable success, completing many large
contracts, including the Stillwater woolen mill and other
large mills and public buildings. He retired from active
business in 1898.
In May, 1863, during the Civil War, he joined Company
A, Fifth Regiment, Rhode Island Militia and was ap
pointed first lieutenant, but the regiment was not called
upon to do active duty in the field. He took up his resi
dence in Centerdale in April, 1864, where he has since

BIOGRAPHICAL sketches. 191
resided. His party affiliations were always with the
Republican party, and he was honored many times with
public office. He represented the town of North Provi
dence in the General Assembly in the years 1874 and
1875, and was a member of the town council for twenty-
two years, serving in that office longer than any other
man in the town. He was also elected upon the school
committee and board of tax assessors for several years,
and for many years has served upon the board of directors
of the Union Free Library of Centerdale. He was always
interested in public improvements and the good and
general welfare of the home of his adoption, the village of
Centerdale, where he still resides.

CHAPTER XXII.
Lydia Wilcox.
And with the morn those angel faces smile
Which I have loved long since and lost awhile.
—Selected.
THE history of Centerdale would be incomplete with
out the story of that remarkable and mysterious
person, Miss Lydia Wilcox. Who she was, whence she
came, or how she came to be here, will probably never
be known, for by her tragic end the key to her life's
history was forever lost.
Here Lydia Wilcox lived for nearly fifty years prac
tically alone in the little country village, daily moving
among the people, without revealing to any person the
secret of her going forth from the home of her girlhood or
the equally baffling secret of why she held no communica
tion with her family or former friends.
In the summer or fall of 1828, Mr. James Anthony, then
proprietor of the cotton mill in Centerdale, had occasion
to make a business trip to Boston ; and as was the custom
in those days, he drove there with his horse and carriage.
This was several years before the advent of the steam rail
road in this country, and to journey to Boston you would
be obliged to either walk, go by stage-coach, or by horse
and carriage. Upon his return trip he overtook upon the
road a comely young woman of erect carriage, good
features, and dark complexion. In accordance with the
custom of the time, Mr. Anthony offered the young woman

LYDIA WILCOX. 193
a seat in his carriage, or, to use the old-time country
phrase, gave her a "lift" as far as Centerdale.
Lydia Wilcox's after life gives reason for the supposition
that the conversation between the mill owner and his fair
passenger had the result of conveying to Mr. Anthony
the information that the young woman was a mill worker,
and of securing for her a position in the Centerdale cotton
mill. Here she worked for many years, at first boarding
with an elderly maiden woman by the name of Rebecca
Smith; but afterwards she hired from the same person
three small rooms in the basement of a small building
now standing and numbered 1999 Smith street, and is the
building now used as a fire station by the Centerdale
Volunteer Fire Company. June 17, 1843, sne purchased
the house from her savings, and ever afterwards made her
lonely home there until her death, November 1, 1877.
The moral character of Miss Lyddy (as she was always
called by the village people, man, woman, and child)
always escaped even a hint of lapse of strict rectitude
during her half -century of life in a country village, which
certainly is high praise indeed. Quite good looking
enough to attract sweethearts, and industrious to a degree,
such was the personality of Lydia Wilcox that the young
men stood aloof from her; and it is agreed by those who
knew her that the courage that would enable a man to
take undue liberties with "Miss Lyddy" would qualify
him for more popular deed of daring.
No better proof can be given of Lydia Wilcox's un-
approachableness than the fact that in a rural community,
where the one real aim of existence is usually to know as
much of everybody's affairs as may be included within the
realm of possibility, no person ever succeeded in breaking

194 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
down the barrier of her reserve so far as to gain her
confidence; for this remarkable woman always main
tained a state of hostile silence when someone more
curious or more foolish than his fellows attempted to
invade the secrecy that the Centerdale oddity preserved
inviolate for so many more years than cynics allow
womankind for the keeping of a secret. As she grew
older, Lydia Wilcox's personality became more and more
marked. She took up smoking, and it was no uncommon
sight to see her with a common clay pipe of the "T. D."
variety, which she always used, puffing away as though
she thoroughly enjoyed it.
Miss Lyddy' s peculiarities of dress were equally well
marked, and her calico gowns lasted for a length of time
calculated to plunge dressmakers into despair if the custom
became common. A hood in the winter and a sun-bonnet
in the summer made up this eccentric woman's headgear,
and she was seldom seen with uncovered head; carrying
this whim so far as sometimes to work all day at house
work, for which she had been hired, with her bonnet or
hood upon her head. A shawl tied tightly about the
body made up the essentials of "Miss Lyddy's" costume,
upon which neither time nor the mutabilities of fashion
had the slightest effect, beyond causing a renewal, from
time to time, of the materials. When she could, "Miss
Lyddy" kept a cow, some pigs and hens, from which she
derived some income and a great amount of enjoyment;
one of her prominent characteristics being a strong love for
dumb animals of all sorts, in which she took an unfailing
interest, whether the beasts were her own or her friends;
and she would go into ecstacies of praise over a new-born
calf or puppy that belonged to anybody she liked, exclaim-

LYDIA WILCOX. 195
ing, over and over again, "There's for ye, now! Just look
at this mark ! Just look at that mark ! The likeliest one I
ever saw! There's for ye now, there's for ye!" Although
her unchecked aversion to those whom she did not like
would hardly admit of her praising the live stock of her
enemy, however good it might be. At such time she
would give vent to her feeling by exclaiming, accompanied
with a stamp of her foot, "blast him, he never owned a
good horse or cow in his life, blast him\"
"Miss Lyddy" was a good hater, and once her dislike
was aroused, nothing served to allay it; and this vindictive
spirit, together with her personal appearance, which ex
posure to weather and time affected in the darkening of
her complexion to swarthiness, led many to conjecture
that she was either a Gypsy or a Canadian; the latter
being represented at that time by strolling families of
people with a considerable admixture of Indian blood;
while others believed her ancestors were of English
descent, which, without doubt, was nearest correct.
Lydia Wilcox's end was in keeping with her life, and
only a probable cause was ever assumed as causing the
tragedy which closed her earthly career.
About seven o'clock on the evening of November ist,
1877, her home was discovered to be on fire. An alarm was
given, and soon the village people gathered and forced
open the outside door. Upon entering her room it was seen
that the straw bed upon which her unconscious form was
lying was on fire. This was quickly removed to the open
air, and the flames which enveloped both the bed and the
occupant were quickly extinguished. The aged woman,
whose life-time custom had been to greet her visitors at
her threshold, beyond which none for many years had

196 ANNALS OF CENTERDALE.
ever passed, was not quite dead when brought out, but
the signs of life were confined to low moans which she
gave forth at intervals. She died a few minutes later,
without showing other indications of consciousness of her
terrible fate. An involuntary movement in sleep over
turning a lighted candle upon the straw bed was supposed
to have caused the fire. The body was removed to
Armory Hall, where the charred remains were prepared
for burial, which occurred November 3d, 1877, Rev. Mr.
Donovan, officiating, choosing for his text, "I am a stranger
and a sojourner with you, give me a possession of a burying
place with you." (Gen. xxiii, 4th v.)
As no heirs to her estate were known to the town au
thorities, her small estate was taken in charge by the town
treasurer of North Providence, who is required by statute
law to hold the same in trust for a term of thirty years,
when, if no legal heirs appear and establish a claim to the
estate, the town treasurer has authority to sell the same
for the benefit of the town. The time limit expired
November 1, 1907, but the town, however, still holds
possession of the estate, it being now used as the fire
station of the Centerdale Volunteer Fire Company.

' All is finished, and at length
Has come the bridal day
Of beauty and of strength.
To-day the vessel shall be launched !
With fleecy clouds the sky is blanched,
And o'er the bay,
Slowly, in all his splendors dight,
The great sun rises to behold the sight."
— Longfellow.
THE END.

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