CHAPTER XIII.TOWN OF SOUTH KINGSTOWN.
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GOVERNOR JOHN POTTER'S HOUSE, that stood a mile or more north of Peace Dale, was built and finished throughout in palatial [519] style. The stone steps leading to the front door were circular in form and very lofty. The ceilings of the lower rooms were nearly or quite twice the ordinary height. The Italian artist who had been employed to embellish the walls of this house painted a full length portrait of Governor Potter's daughter on the panel over the fireplace in one of the chambers. Tradition asserts that the perfidious Italian, taking advantage of the father's prolonged absence on one occasion, painted himself kneeling at the feet of Miss Potter. This so irritated the old gentleman that he drove the artist from his house and erased the image. Miss Potter, however, eloped, and was united in wedlock to the fascinating stranger.
THE OLD ABBEY was an elegant mansion, built by Judge William Potter. It stood about a mile north of the village of Little Rest, now Kingston. About the year 1780 Judge Potter became a devoted follower of Jemima Wilkinson, and to accommodate her and her adherents made large additions to the already large mansion, and from this cause probably it was called the Old Abbey. Updike says: "In consequence of his devotion to this artful woman Judge Potter was compelled to mortgage his estate, and finding it impossible to redeem it in its deteriorated condition, he finally, in 1807, sold the remainder of his interest in it and settled in Genessee.
"The late Hon. Elisha R. Potter purchased the homestead, but the elegant garden, with parterres, borders, shrubbery, summer house, fruit orchard, his ancient mansion, with the high and costly fences, out-houses and cookery establishment, and the more recent erections for the accommodation and gratification of the priestess of his devotions, were in ruins, and within a few years the whole buildings have been removed."
A similar fate as that which attended the Potter estate has attended many others, and to such extent that where once stood elegant mansions there are now only to be seen dilapidated walls, and loose boulders overgrown with briars and bushes. Such are the footprints of Time on this once fertile and beautiful farming country.
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ANECDOTES. -- In "Recollections of Olden Times" we find the following amusing incident: "William T. Robinson, son of Thomas, and father of Mrs. Mary Hunter, used to relate an amusing anecdote of one of the early Robinsons who, it appears, had joined the Quaker meeting. Governor Brenton had placed him on a farm belonging to him, situated on the south end of the island adjacent to Brenton's Point, and stocked it largely with sheep. In a violent snow storm, such as used to prevail more frequently than of late in New England -- though I have known several in my day perhaps equally as destructive -- these sheep having been left in an exposed position, were driven by the inclement tempest of wind and sleet off the rocks into the sea, where they perished. When Robinson communicated the loss of the sheep to Brenton, the governor being a man of hasty temper, as most of the early settlers of Newport and Kings -- now Washington [540] -- counties in Rhode Island seem to have been, he flew into a towering rage with his tenant, and reproached him in unmeasured terms for the loss of the sheep, though, as he charged, gross neglect. To all the abuse heaped upon him Robinson answered not a word, which submissiveness seemed only to increase Brenton's ire, who at last in his frenzy declared that Robinson should pay for the lost sheep, and bid him choose a man to arbitrate their value, while he chose another, which Brenton did on his part instanter. It was now Robinson's turn to choose his man. 'Friend Brenton,' said he, -- I know of no one whom I should prefer to trust my interest with than thou. I think I will choose thee for my man.' This was too much for the governor, and he burst into a fit of laughter, told his unmanageable tenant to go back to the farm and he would trust one more flock of sheep to his care."
"The extent of Governor Robinson's farming operations may be guessed at from the statement made by one of his daughters, who used to say "that after her father had given several large tracts of land to his sons, including the Governor Sprague, Little Neck and Narragansett Pier estates, he used to congratulate himself upon having his parlor and kitchen family reduced in the winter season to seventy persons, all told."
Mr. Sewal owned all the land in Point Judith lying south of Governor Robinson's estate, now constituting a half dozen farms. The Champlins, Potters, Noyes, Babcocks, Gardners, Perrys, Browns, Niles, Brentons and others were also large land owners.
"Rowland Robinson," says Mr. Hazard, "was a fair specimen in temper and manners, and a perfect beau ideal in costume, presence and person of the old-time country gentlemen who constituted the semi-feudal aristocracy of Narragansett. In person he was portly, tall and erect. His features were Roman, slightly tempered with the Grecian type. His clear, blond complexion inclining to red, and undulating brown hair worn in a cue behind attested his Saxon descent. When in full dress Mr. Robinson generally wore a dark silk velvet or brown broadcloth coat, light yellow plush waistcoat, with deep pockets and wide flaps resting partly on the hips, short violet colored velvet breeches, buckled at the knee, nicely polished white top boots or silver buckled shoes, fine cambric shirt profusely ruffled and plaited at the bosom and wrists, with white silk neck tie to match; the who surmounted and set off by a looped-up triangular hat on his head, and a stout gold-headed cane in his hand.
[541]"I have heard it said by persons acquainted with Revolutionary data that such was the admiration inspired by the fine appearance and courtly bearing of Rowland Robinson, though then far beyond the prime of manhood, who occasionally came to his brother Thomas Robinson's house, in Newport, where Count Rochambeau, commander of the French land forces, resided for a time as a guest, that many of the court officers sought introductory letters to Mr. Robinson, that they might obtain access to share in the hospitalities of his home in Narragansett. To what extent Mr. Robinson's beautiful and accomplished daughter might have contributed as a further element of attraction, had they seen her when in the zenith of her glory, to the proverbially gallant and light-o-love Frenchman, can only be surmised. I do, however, know that a fair cousin of Hannah's, Mary by name was sent to Narragansett and placed by her parents in the care of her uncle and aunt (my grand-parents), that the lovely maiden might be removed from the society of the numerous young French officers, one of whom, under the cloak of calling at her father's house to see his general, Count Rochambeau, had nearly succeeded, through his blandishments, in persuading the little Quaker beauty to exchange her drab bonnet for a Parisian hat and become his bride before the alarming plot was discovered and its further denouement arrested by keeping the lovers separated until his most Christian majesty's land forces took their final departure from Newport."
The homestead house of Thomas B. Hazard, called "Nailor Tom," stood two or three furlongs east of the old Jeremy Niles house, on a pleasant rising ground a little to the east of the Saugatucket river, where it is lost in the Wakefield mill pond; and his blacksmith shop stood on a little, abrupt knoll on the west side of where the road between Peace Dale and Wakefield now runs, nearly opposite the remains of an old mill dam, the first that was built in Narragansett. Nailor tom's house was said to have been one of the first six houses that were guilt between Franklin Ferry and the Pawcatucket river. It was here, tradition says, that the crews of pirate vessels used to resort in olden times, when the coast was sparsely settled, and of course it has been said Captain Kidd buried a treasure box here. Thomas R. Hazard, in speaking of Nailor Tom, says: "Thomas B. Hazard was a most remarkable man. His fund of anecdote and old time [542] historical and biographical knowledge seemed inexhaustible. During most of a long life he kept a daily record of passing local events, which was so often brought into court as evidence that the 'Blue book,' as it was popularly called, was at length ruled out of court on the alleged ground that its endless memoranda of dates and corresponding events, when sworn to by Nailor Tom, tended to unsettle not only the titles of real estate, but through litigation, the peace of the community. I learn that the Blue book is now in the Redwood Library. I think it might more properly be deposited with the Rhode Island Historical Society. Thomas B. Hazard died in 1845, aged ninety years."
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SUICIDE. -- a painful suicide occurred at Kingston on Tuesday morning, December 5th, 1882. The victim was Mr. John F. Adams, proprietor of a harness shop in Kingston. No suspicion was excited until the afternoon, when a letter was found in his coat pocket directed to his brother, Mr. Samuel Adams. The letter was in detached, mysterious sentences, to the effect that it was best he should do this; that it would have been better had he done this last October; that he hoped his brother would give good advice to the children, and that he would like to write more, but there was no time. A search immediately instituted, but darkness coming on, it was abandoned till Wednesday [548] morning, when a large number of citizens turned out, determined to sift the mystery to the bottom. Early in the forenoon George Briggs found Mr. Adams leaning against a tree, with his head down on his chest, looking so lifelike that he was at first on the point of speaking to him, but in a moment discovered he was hanging by a small cord tied around his neck. The cord had been thrown over a small limb, one end tied to a sapling, and the other, in the form of a slip-noose, was around the victim's neck. He had probably stood on a stump while adjusting the cord, and then stepped off, his feet couching the ground, yet allowing the fatal work to be accomplished. Mr. Adams was fifty-three years of age, and left a family of five daughters and one son, all married but one daughter. He was an excellent workman, was very popular in the village, and no satisfactory causes have been shown why he accomplished the melancholy deed.SCHOOLS. -- The town of South Kingstown has now twenty-two school districts. In an early day this territory was lorded over by slave owners, who owned large tracts of land, and as wealthy proprietors, having a life of leisure, large libraries and social intercourse among themselves, and their own private schools, found no time to devote to the subject of maintaining public schools. The general assembly, in February, 1800, enacted a law, however, "That each and every town in the state shall annually cause to be established and kept at the expense of such town, one or more free schools." By a further enactment, also, the town of South Kingstown was required to keep "so many free schools for such a term of time as shall be equivalent to keeping three such schools eight months each."
Thus encouraged, the friends of education had in the year 1828, "One academy in which a school was kept the year round, and seven school houses in which schools were kept winter and summer." There were at that time also a number of schools kept irregularly in private houses. The inhabitants of the town that year numbered 3,723. The town also received that year the allowance made by the late enactment of the state, of $10,000, to be proportionately distributed, which gave to South Kingstown the sum of $336.74. In 1839 the whole amount spent in the state for public schools was $35,354.86, and South Kingstown spent $1,154.38. In 1839 the aggregate number of pupils in the town was 645. The census reports of 1885 show that there were 369 males [549] and 389 females in the town between the ages of 7 and 14 years, and that the public school tax was $3,847.42. The school officers for the year 1887 were as follows: School Committee: J.G. Clarke, chairman; H.N. Knowles, clerk; George G. Pearse, Charles H. Knowles, R.G. Hazard, 2d, A.W. Brown, J.G. Perry. Superintendent of Public Schools, Arthur W. Brown. Trustees of the South Kingstown High School: John G. Clarke, John A. Brown, Benjamin F. Robinson, Rowland Hazard, Daniel Whaley. Special constable under Chapter 641 of Public Laws, of the Enforcement of the Truant Law, John P. Case.
TOWN FARM. -- The town of South Kingstown has made ample provision for the poor. In 1865 sixty-two and a half acres of land were purchased of Thurston Robinson for a town farm. Elijah Watson and others planned a building that was afterward erected by Albert Gardiner, and which has since been used as a home for those financially unfortunate. The average number of the inmates of this institution is twenty-six. It started with fifteen, and the number has run as high as thirty-five. There are now but eighteen persons in the building. Five of these are negroes, two are idiotic, and one is utterly helpless. Job Briggs was the first superintendent. Mr. William E. Sheldon, the present efficient superintendent, took charge March 17th, 1871.
TOWER HILL. -- The hamlet of Tower Hill is situated upon the summit of a lofty hill in South Kingstown and overlooks the waters of Narragansett bay, the Atlantic ocean and Long Island sound, and presents an extensive view of the adjacent landscape. The first individuals who settled there were of English extraction, and they thought proper to name it after a celebrated place in England where Lady Jane Gray was decapitated. The first house erected at this place was built by Samuel Wilson, from whom have since descended seven generations, some of which reside there yet and own the original homestead. This man was grandfather of J. Wilson's grandfather and was one of the seven Pettaquamscutt purchasers. The house was forty-two by fifty-six feet, two stores high, with a roof of one-third altitude. It was taken down in 1823.
"About one hundred and seventy-five years ago," says James Wilson in the Narragansett Times, from which we have freely copied, "wealthy families located themselves on Tower Hill and built gambrel roofed houses, and as their proportions somewhat resembled the present Mansard roof, we have every reason to [550] believe that the style was of French origin. Those first settlers represented four different nationalities. The Torreys, Browns, Wilsons, Dyers, Watsons, Balls, Hulls, Cases, Smiths, Nileses, Bosses and Mumfords were Englishmen; the Helmses and Nicholses were Frenchmen; the Pollocks and douglasses were of Scotch and Irish extraction. Several other wealthy individuals built houses of the same style in different parts of the town, among which was that of Rowland Robinson about a mile distant from South Ferry. The floor boards of this house were glued together and laid down as one piece, no nails except around the edging, and they were concealed from view by the wainscotting."
All of the above named parties spared no pains to render their houses convenient and attractive.
From the incorporation of Kings county June 16th, 1729, until the court was removed to Little Rest (Kingston Hill) Tower Hill was the principal village of the county. Judge James Helme, at one time chief justice of the supreme court, wa married to Esther Powell October 19th, 1738, and immediately took up his residence there, and for a number of years kept a large retail dry goods store. The court house stood on the west end of Helme's lot and the jail directly across the way on the Brown estate. Rowland Brown and his brother established a hotel and a dry goods and grocery store. Their house stood on the west side of the post road nearly opposite the Presbyterian meeting house, which was in close proximity to Helme's burying ground. The Browns continued in business for many years and finally became wealthy. As they were affable and polite gentlemen their establishment was well patronized. The hotel was a large building with numerous out houses, and it had quite a picturesque appearance. "It had a quadrangular front yard enclose with an ornamental fence and arched gateway. The enclosure was paved with grey stone, except two diamond shaped spaces which were white. On the outside a pavement six feet wide, surrounded the enclosure. A great variety of ornamental shrubs, with trailing vines had a vigorous growth within the enclosure, besides there were six large poplar trees seventy feet high, which gave the whole establishment a delightful appearance. As there were no carriages in those days except a few old fashioned chaises, which were purchased in England at a cost of three or four hundred dollars apiece, most of the travel was performed on horseback, [551] consequently stone horse blocks were very common. There was one of those horse blocks a few feet north of the hotel about eight feet long, five feet wide and four feet high, with steps, and the hitching post was a whale's rib-bone ten feet in length, imbedded in the ground, which remained undisturbed till 1830.
"The post road from Boston to Philadelphia passed directly through the village, and the inn-keepers entertained many distinguished individuals. It was positively asserted by many of the residents that Doctor Franklin in his peregrinations about the country, frequently passed a day or two at Brown's hotel. There were formerly several other houses of entertainment, and quite a number of grocery stores. Besides these there were tailor shops. Holly Chappell followed tailoring in a part of the Robert Brown house, and Fanning Adams' tailor shop was directly opposite, across the road.
"On the brown of the hill on the south side of the road stood the Case house. Nathan Gardner kept a tavern there for many years. The father of Christopher Raymond Perry, father of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, lived there for several years whilst he was engaged in nautical pursuits, and only visited them occasionally. The Perry family and Browns were very intimate. John Hull, one of the seven purchasers, built a large gambrel-roofed house upon a lot of land a few rods west of the court house, and his grandson Joseph Hull followed farming and black-smithing. He also kept a hour of entertainment there for several years. A few rods further west Andrew Nichols built a large two-story house, and kept a dry goods and grocery store until he moved upon his farm, which subsequently belonged to Mr. John Sweet. A few rods further, on a portion of the Presbyterian burying ground lot, stands the small gambrel-roofed house of William Nichols, which now belongs to the heirs of Edward Oatley. The next in order comes the Presbyterian meeting house, which stood on the corner lot and fronted west, close beside the Helme burying ground. The underpinning stones and sills remained in their places until the year 1810. The school house stood a few rods further south on the same lot, and the Pettaquamscutt school was kept there until 1817, when it was removed to Little Rest. A few rods further south John Nichols built a large gambrel-roofed house, and was engaged in the tailoring business there for several years. The house now belongs to Mr. Benjamin F. Hull. Across the road was the house of Robert [552] Brown. It was a two-story building and was occupied by Rowland Brown, Jr., who was engaged in farming and in the grocery business, which he continued to the year 1815.
"William Dyer built a large dwelling house on what is now called the Dyer farm; a part of the house is still standing. He followed farming and was wealthy. Adjoining the Dyer farm on the south was the Bull farm, upon which stood a large two-story house built by Henry Bull, which John J. Watson took down in 1811. The Bull farm was considered the est dairy farm in Narragansett. When Staunton Tucker improved the Dyer farm he made butter enough to pay the rent. A few rods south of the Bull house on the opposite side of the road stood the dwelling house of William W. Pollock kept a house of entertainment. He also followed carpentering and blacksmithing. About a quarter of a mile from the Pollock house in a northerly direction is Wilson's Corner. Samuel Wilson, who was one of the seven purchasers, erected there a large house, soon after the Pettaquamscutt purchase, which took place in the year 1757, and which after various repairs, new sillings, etc., stood until 1823. There were also a carpenter shop and a blacksmith shop on the premises. Half a mile from this corner in a northeasterly direction (upon what is called the Side hill farm) John Watson erected a house aobut twenty rods north of Pettaquamscutt Rock.
"Many of the individuals owned slaves, who usually bore the surnames of their masters. John Watson owned a number of slaves, among whom were Ned and Sip. The former was a preacher, the latter a skillful performer on the violin. He owned another slave named Guy Watson, who was captain of a company in a colored regiment that served in the continental army, and who was distinguished for his heroism, particularly in the battle of Ticonderoga. Ned and Sip lived in a small house which their master had provided for them, about three rods east from Pettaquamscutt Rock, until they were freed by the laws of Rhode Island. Having obtained their freedom, they established themselves in a small house upon the hundred acre lot. The cellar and pear trees are still to be seen there. Ned built an altar a few rods from his house, which consisted of a stone about six feet across, placed upon four other stones, and shaded by two large oak trees. There he preached the gospel for a number of [553] years. Afterward he bought a house an dlot near Watson's Corners, which is now owned by Bridget McGuire."
The Tower Hill House, now standing on the hill, was opened in 1871, and kept in first-class style. It is now kept by Charles A. Oakes, and is acknowledged to be a first-class hotel. Its commanding situation and pleasant surroundings render it very popular. It is 150 feet above and half a mile distant from the sea, and looking oceanward one beholds as fine a view as ever looked upon in Rhode Island. The parlor of this house is very large, the piazza that surrounds the building wide, the bedrooms are handsomely furnished, and every addition and equipment necessary to a first-class summer resort has been made.
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PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. -- A Presbyterian church was established on Tower Hill May 17th, 1732, and the Reverend Doctor Joseph Torrey was the first pastor. He labored there with untiring fidelity for sixty years. After his death, which occurred November 25th, 1791, the church neglected to repair the meeting house, which had become somewhat dilapidated, and it was finally sold at auction. Mr. James Wilson was born and lived in a house constructed from the materials of the old Presbyterian church. Reverend Thomas Kendall took up the pastorate in 1802, and continued to preach the gospel to the benighted sons and daughters of the village until 1818. Under his ministrations religious services were held alternately in the school house on Tower Hill and in the court house at Little Rest. Most of the graves in the burying ground have been plowed over. Robert Helme was buried there, clothed in a suit of black broadcloth with a gold watch in his pocket, which was wound up a short time before the funeral services, agreeably to his request.The church at Tower Hill was gathered less than three months after the birth of General Washington, with Joseph Torrey for pastor, William Mumford, George Douglass, Mary Wilson and Alice Gardner, the original members. The following forty-six years show 124 baptisms, among whom were the Douglasses, Wilsons, Helmes, Nichols, Mumfords, Hazards, Coles, Armstrongs, Niles, Smiths, Hammonds, Holloways, Tisdales, Woodbridges, Pollocks and Browns, Doctor Torrey making for himself an exhibit of fourteen children and thirteen grandchildren on the roll of the consecrated; Oliver Hazard, the great-grandfather of Oliver Hazard Perry of Lake Erie fame, and his wife Elizabeth also. Of his numerous offspring six succeeded to the ministry. [554] This ancient church was really the same with the Congregational church at Kingston Hill. The house of worship was on Tower Hill. Its field was the Pettaquamscutt purchase. Its revenue originally was derived from a donation of three hundred acres of land made in 1668 by th first purchasers. Doctor Torrey married, October 15th, 1730, Elizabeth Wilson, and left five sons and five daughters.
Thomas Kendall became pastor in 1802, and continued till 1818. The court house, the jail and the law having migrated to Kingston Hill, it must be that the Gospel, with its alleviations, should follow.
Reverend Oliver Brown took up his pastorate in 1820, in which year the present Kingston church was built. In 1857 valued members residing in Peace Dale joined themselves to other pious souls, an the church in that place was organized.
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NARRAGANSETT PIER. -- One of the most important factors in the prosperity of the town has been the Narragansett Pier railroad, which was opened in July, 1876. The only means of access to the pier before that date was by stage coaches from Kingston. The railroad now connects with the New York, Providence & Boston railroad at Kingston Depot, and is about nine miles in length. Every possible facility is furnished by the management of the road for the convenience of the summer travel. Mr. George T. Lanphear has been superintendent of the road since the start, and has labored hard to secure for the Pier guests suitable accommodations to and from New York and beyond. The Stonington railroad was laid out in 1837, and it also runs through the town.The following sketches of Narragansett Pier and its surroundings were taken principally from the Narragansett Times:
Rowland Robinson came to this country from England in 1675. He purchased lands of the Narragansetts soon after coming here, and purchased also large tracts in the Pettaquamscutt and Point Judith lands. He died in 1716, leaving two sons and several daughters. To the eldest son John he willed land bought of Samuel Hopkins and John Crowder, and the house occupied by William Dunkin and the grist mill. To William Robinson he gave three hundred acres in Boston Neck. As was the custom in those days the daughter was given only money. But John Robinson left only daughters, and so the real estate passed back into the hands of Governor William Robinson, who, at his death [555] (1751), willed to Rowland Robinson, the father of the beautiful Hannah Robinson, the farm in Boston Neck, one hundred and sixty acres; to William, the farm bought of George Mumford one hundred and sixty acres; to Christopher, the present Shadow farm in Wakefield, with farms adjacent; to Thomas, eighty acres, bought of Samuel Allen, and a part of the Brenton farm; to Sylvester and James, he willed the farm in Point Judith, bought of Martha Church and Benjamin Brenton. As their land ran south to that of Francis Bourland, it must have included a large part of Point Judith. To John, the youngest son, and the founder of Narragansett Pier, he gave the farm bought of Joseph Mumford.
On the division between Sylvester and James, the former took the north end with the house upon it, built by Governor Robinson (Canonchet), and the latter the southwest part. The farm given to John also had a house upon it (Mansion house). The Sylvester Robinson house passed to his only son James, better known as "Jimmy Robinson," who died in 1841. He married Mary Attmore of Philadelphia, and was the father of Attmore Robinson, afterward so prominently identified with the interests of Narragansett Pier.
John Robinson was born in 1742, and died in 1801, and was the pioneer of the mercantile interests of Narragansett Pier. He married Sarah Peckham in 1761. His eldest son was Benjamin Robinson, grandfather of B.F. Robinson of Wakefield. He must have built the wharf in the latter part of the last century; not before about 1780, as the story comes down to us on good authority, that while the pier was being built a son of his was swimming outside the breakers when his father observed the fins of a shark moving from seaward toward the boy. Mr. Robinson called to his son to see in how short a time he could swim to the shore and thus save him. These man-eating sharks are not now, and were not then, indigenous to our shores, but followed in the track of slave ships from the Guinea coast; a number of Bristol and Newport ships then being engaged in the slave trade. As Benjamin Robinson was born in 1763, he could not have been an expert swimmer before 1780.
John Robinson some years before his death move to Newport and engaged in mercantile pursuits, and just before his death, in 1801, he deeded to his eldest son, Benjamin, one-fifth of his pier property, and Benjamin bought out the other heirs. In this deed he mentioned a dwelling house, store and pier wharf. [556] The land was bounded east by the sea, north by James Robinson and south and west by Samuel Congdon; so that it is evident that John Robinson began the store business at the Pier.
Benjamin Robinson sold twenty-four acres with two stores an two pier wharves to Rowland Hazard January 30th, 1810. The sale included the sloop "Sally." Mr. Hazard leased the pier to Joseph Congdon, and Captain John Aldrich Saunders built for Congdon and others, forming a stock company, the "Commerce," in 1815. The vessel was built on the training lot near the Narrow River Middle Bridge. She was a center-board vessel. At that time the pier had just been destroyed by the gale of September 23d, 1815, and it is said that Mr. Hazard rebuilt the pier with cabbage palm posts brought from Charleston, S.C. These posts were said to be proof against being worm-eaten. During the gale the "Sally" was at the pier loaded with cheese, and was carried up high and dry.
Mr. Hazard, October 23d, 1817, exchanged the pier of Robinson Potter, of Newport, for a part of the ship "Frederic Augustus." Joseph Congdon afterward bought the vessel and sold it to the Narragansett Pier Company. But it is probable that Congdon sitll continued in business, and December 28th, 1818, he bought the property of Robinson Potter.
George C. Brown, a son of Peleg Brown, purchased the pier of Robinson Potter January 1st, 1822. In 1822, March 25th, James Anthony and Jerry Whaley commenced running the "Commerce" for Brown, and continued to do so until September 25th, 1827. Samuel S. Eldred was storekeeper for Brown. They were both single, and kept bachelors' hall over the store that stood nearly on the site of the Pier Cottage. The only other house at the Pier was the long house, on the site of Doctor Hitchcock's cottage. Brown afterward built a house on the present site of the Casino. It is said by some that Brown took boarders in this house prior to 1845.
Benjamin Robinson, the eldest son of John Robinson, lived at what has since been changed into the Mansion House. He died in 1830. His wife was Elizabeth Brown, a daughter of Governor George Brown. The farm was sold to John T. Bentley after his death.
James Robinson lived at what is now Canonchet. He died in 1841. His wife was Mary Attmore, of Philadelphia. George Congdon, who lived at what is now the Congdon House, owned [557] all the land at what is now South Pier, as far south as Stephen Champlin's farm, now occupied by Samuel P. Allen, his land extending most to the estates of Benjamin and James Robinson. Further west was the brick house owned by Nathaniel Mumford (Sprague's farm house), and Gideon Sweet lived on the present Anthony place; and going still further west, Kit Robinson (Shadow farm) and Rowland Hazard's "Dale Carlia." A brook ran out of the pier pond where the McSparran stands, and the point was resorted to by herring fishermen in the springtime. Brown built the wharf now called Billington's wharf, but previous to that time the wharf had been two box locks filled with stone.
John A. Saunders, the pioneer ship-builder of Narragansett, was born at Shadwick Weir, now Niantic, in 1786, and died at Tower Hill in 1832. His first vessel, a fishing sloop, the "Catherine," was built near Dorrville. His second vessel was the "King Fisher," built at Newport. He removed to this town in 1813, where he built the "Dolphin," the first center-board vessel ever built in Rhode Island. He also built the "Eagle," for John J. Watson. The "Commerce" was his fifth vessel. She was constructed with a water-tight casing, or sheath, that extended from the deck downward to and through the keel of the vessel. In this sheath a sectional center-bard was suspended, that required no further attention than to lose the rope that held it entirely within the sheath, excepting when head winds required its use as a temporary keel. This movable keel was made in three different portions, so that either or all could be lowered; but it was soon discovered that the three united in one would work better, and by the aid of "Nailor Tom," the change was made. Captain Suanders also built for hi sown use the "Rising Sun," a sloop of sixty tones, at the Pier, in 1819. Captain Saundes built in all twenty-two vessels, among them the "South Kingstown," built in 1824, for E.R. Potter and the Gardners, that was afterward lost on the shore at Seaside.
George C. Brown in 1832 sold the Pier property to Attmore Robinson, who took as a partner George C. Knowles. They bought the "Commerce" with the business, and Robinson put the sloop "Emily Ann" into the concern. Knowles sold out to Samuel Rodman, and afterward the Narragansett Pier Company was formed by taking in other partners. The company was chartered. The north wharf was built uner the direction of Attmore Robinson. [558] He built the first bathing house at the Pier for his own private use, and Benjamin Hadwen, who lived on the present site of the Hotel Gladstone, commenced taking a few boarders about 1845. In the year 1848 Joseph H. Dulles, a resident of Philadelphia, and the owner of a cotton plantation in South Carolina, visited the Pier. He was a customer of Rowland G. Hazard, who manufactured cloth for slaves at his mill at Peace Dale. Mr. Dulles came to Peace Dale on a visit and Mr. Hazard took him to the Pier to see the beach where people sometimes bathed. There was but one bathing house, and the few boarders Mr. Hadwen had were from Providence. Mr. Dulles was charmed with the beach and engaged all the rooms Mr. Hadwen had for the coming season. In 1856 Mr. Dulles and his friends took up their abode at "Uncle Esbon's," now the Narragansett House. James H. Rodman had, however, the year previous (1855) commenced taking Southern boarders, as they were called, and these two men were the only original proprietors of Pier hotels now living.
Jonathan N. Hazard about this time became manager of the Narragansett Pier Comapny, and finally leased the property and conducted the business himself. A planing mill was built and a steam engine put in. Mr. Hazard continued to carry on business in a random sort of way. At one time he bought an entire cargo of pain-killer, at another a load of white hats, and upon one occasion he went to New York, and being pleased with the price of a sample of matches, offered to buy all the dealer had, and was surprised to receive a dray-load. And the story goes that he made several voyages with Abram Perry, to New York, on board the "Point Judith"; but one trip, being too busy to go himself, he marked out a chart of the sound on the cabin floor but let out Fisher's island, and that Perry ran down the island and the "Point Judith" was lost. Hazard built a planing mill in the building now used as a store by James D. Caswell. It was afterward changed into a store and let to William C. Caswell, who finally bought the property, that had been taxed to the Narragansett Pier Company until 1855; and again at a later period (1868) Mr. Caswell bought the pier. On February 9th, 1836, Samuel Rodman and Attmore Robinson sold to Christopher P. Stedman one half acre commencing eight feet from the southeast corner of a lot occupied by the grantors as a buttonwood nursery. On the site of the present blacksmith ship, Stedman built a tin ship and established a foundry. As will be seen from the fact [559] that a deed is made of an addition to this lot January 16th, 1838, from Narragansett Pier Company to Christopher P. Stedman, yeoman, alias founder. On August 15th, 1836, Stedman mortgaged to I.P. Hazard and others this same lot, etc., naming furnace, patterns, tools, etc., and finally Stedman made an assignment to Henry M. Holley, who took in John P. Sherman, Jr., as a partner, and carried on the foundry business for a short time. Holley had a store on the corner now north of the Delavan. Mr. Caswell built a new wharf and bult the sloop "Evelyn" at Saunderstown, and bought the schooner "Josephine"; also built a planing mill and a steam grist mill, the first in the town.
April 23d, 1836, Joshua Champlin, of Charlestown, purchased of George Congdon twenty acres of land at what is now South Pier, for fifteen hundred dollars. About 1845 he built a wharf and mortgaged the property several times, and finally sold it January 21st, 1851, to Stephen A. Wright, Erasmus D. Campbell and Amos P. Rodman, as the firm of S.A. Wright & Co., for six thousand dollars, nineteen acres of land with a dwelling house, store and wharf. James P. Peckham hired of Champlin about 1850 the right to land at the wharf, and hired Jonathan Sheldon to run the "Rocky Brook," and in this boat Captain Sheldon brought the lumber that was used by Stephen A. Wright in building Wright's meeting house, Wright's store and the houses on High street, Wakefield, Peckham having a contract to erect the buildings.
The first craft to run regularly from the Pier was the "Susan and Mary," built by S.A. Wright & Co., and named after Mrs. Wright and Mrs. Rodman. She was commanded by Captain Sheldon. The story goes that Amos P. Rodman once went to Nova Scotia and ordered a cargo of lumber for I, Wright & Co. Rodman afterward leased the peir of Wright and E.S. Taylor was taken in as a partner, and the firm was carried on as Rodman & Taylor. Daniel Sherman and Jason P. Hazard were lessees one year, Hazard retiring before the expiration of the year. And December 1st, 1855, the pier was sold at auction and purchased by N.C. & J.G. Peckham, and business was carried on by the latter gentleman. Peckham ran the "Justice," woned in company with R. Hazard, Samuel Rodman and Captain Sheldon, who commanded her; the "Susan and Mary" and "Rocky Brook." The next year J.G. Peckham bought out N.C. Peckham.
These documents are made available free to the public for non-commercial purposes by the Rhode Island USGenWeb Project.
Transcribed by Tricia Autry, 1999.
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