4,000. Dominion of Canada 5s, 1952 4,003.91
1,000. Western Electric Co. 5s, 1 944 998.1 7
4,000. No. 61 Broadwav Building, 1st Mtge.
5>^s, 1950' ^ 4,000.00
4,000. Minncota Power & Light Co. 1st 5s,
1955 3,930.00
4,000. Monongahela \^a]]e\' Traction Co. 1st
5s,' 1942 ' 3,685.00
2,000 Ohio Power & Light Co. 1st & Ref. 5s,
1952 1,974.00
2,000. Narragansett Electric Co. 1st 5s, 1957 1,980.00
2,000. Shell Union Oil Corporation 5s, 1947 1,979.00
2,000. Koppcrs Gas & Coke Co. 5s, 1947 1,962.50
1,000. Indianapolis Power & Light Co. 1st 5s,
195 7 994.50
Stocks
54 shs. New York Central Railroad Company $3,766.47
1 25 shs. Pennsylvania Railroad Company 7,638.35
30 shs. Lehigh Valley Railroad Company 2,1 1 2.50
7 shs. Lehigh \'a]ley Coal Sales Company 23 5.39
40 shs. Milwaukee Elec. Railway & Light Co.,
Pfd ' 3,900.00
64 shs. American Telephone & Telegraph Co. 5,960.0 5
3 50 shs. Providence Gas Company 5,75 5.68
1 5 shs. Providence National Bank ( , onn qq
30 shs. Merchants' National Bank Building \
45 shs. Blackstone Canal National Bank 1,0 50.00
52 shs. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Rwy.
Co., Com ' 6,247.85
20 shs. American Power & Light Co., $5. Pfd. 1,696.50
30 shs. Standard Gas & Electric Co., $4. Pfd. 1,906.50
3 5 shs. Public Service Corp'n. of New Jersey,
$5. Pfd ' '.. 3,327.63
80,663.55
Cash on hand 3,229.75
$108,893.30
trkasurkr's report 103
LlABIT.ITlES
Equipment Fund $25,000.00
Permanent Endowment Fund:
Samuel M. Noves $ 1 2,000.00
Henry J. Steere 10,000.00
James H. Bugbee 6,000.00
Charles H. Smith 5,000.00
Charles W. Parsons 4,000.00
William H. Potter 3,000.00
Esek A. Jillson 2,000.00
John Wilson Smith 1,000.00
William G. Weld 1 ,000.00
Charles C. Hoskins 1,000.00
Charles H. Atwood 1,000.00
46,000.00
Publication Fund:
Robert P. Brown $2,000.00
Ira B. Peck 1 ,000.00
William Gammell 1,000.00
Albert }. Jones 1,000.00
William Elv 1 ,000.00
Julia Bullock 500.00
Charles H. Smith 1 00.00
— — 6,600.00
George L. Shepley Fund 5,000.00
Life Membership 5,5 50.00
Franklin Lvceum Memorial Fund 734.52
Book Fund 3,0 1 2.41
Reserve Fund 1,113.27
Revolving Publication Fund 537.27
Surplus 1 3,766.62
Surplus Income Account 1,5 79.21
$108,893.30
104 RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR 1930
Receipts
From Surplus Income Account $1,128.53
$5,000. New York Edison Company 6>4s, 1941, sold 5,687.50
300. United Electric Railways, Prior Lien 4s, 1 946, sold 1 59.00
64 rts. American Telephone & Telegraph Company, sold 1,086.18
Life Membership ' 200.00
Reserve Fund 69.00
Revolving Publication Fund 343.00
$8,673.21
Balance January 1, 1930 2,163.94
$10,837.15
Payments
50 shs. Providence Gas Company, new stock $750.00
14 shs. Pennsylvania R. R. Company, new stock 70 3.38
4 shs. New York Central R. R. Company, new stock 41 1.25
20 shs. American Power (S: Light Company, bought 1,696.50
3 5 shs. Public Service Corp'n. of New Jersey, $5. Pfd., bought 3,327.63
30 shs. Standard Gas & Electric Company, $4. Pfd., bought 1 ,906.50
Revolving Publication Fund 391.3 5
$9,186.61
Balance December 30, 1930 1,650.54
$10,837.15
Respectfully submitted,
Gilbert A. Harrinc;ton,
Treasurer.
:o*
Roger Williams Pres
RAW
E. A. Johnson Co.
PROVIDENCE
Rhode Island
Historical Society
Collections
Vol. XXIV
JULY, 1931
No. 3
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A MEXICAN BANNhR tAKKIl I) I'.V A r,\l lAI.ION OF 5(l(.l MKN FROM 'IHE
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HOME BY (;EORGE W. GL'ILD, AN
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In l/w Socic/\'s Museum.
Issued Quarterly
68 Waterman Streei, Providence, Rhode Island
CONTENTS
PAGE
Some Ancient Roads in the Pettaquamscutt Purchase
by William Davis Miller . . . .105
Roger Williams and the English Revolution
by James Ernst . . . . .118
New Publications of Rh(xle Eland Interest . . 129
Wilbour Bequest . . . . . . 130
Queen's Fort 130
Notes 130
Arnold and Mary Lewis SiE'er Spoon . . 131
Heraldic Notes ( III ustrated by Hcvold Boivditch) 132
List of Members of the Society . . . .134
RHODE
HISTORICAL
ISLAND
SOCIETY
COLLECTIONS
VOL. XXI\'
July, 1931
No. 3
Addison P. Munkoe, Presitleiit Gilbert A. Harrington, Treasurer
Howard W. Preston, Serretary Howard M. Chapin, Librarian
I'he Socict\- assumes no responsibility for the statements or the opinions
of contributors.
Some Ancient Roads in the Pettaquamscutt
Purchase
By William Davis Miller
"The road turned first towards the left
Where Pinker's quarry made the cleft;
The path turned next towards the right,
Because the mastiff used to bite,
Then left because of Slippery Height,
And then again towards the right —
We could not take the left because
It would have been against the laws. . ."
G. K. Chesterton.
The eccentric wanderings of the ancient roads of our
forefathers often cause us to ponder until we realize the
difficulties under which they were laid out and constructed.
Chesterton's verses are apt, as they depict a few of the vari-
ous obstructions to the ideal straight roadj and in our
106 RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY
own wilderness, with swamps, out crops of granite, and
rivers, where the "riding over" place must be chosen in lieu
of a bridge, there were many natural impediments pre-
sented. Also there were the boundaries of farms and house
lots to be skirted for to cross "would have been against the
laws" invoked by an irate landholder.
It may be, therefore, of interest to learn when some of
our early roads were built and why they were laid out with
such seeming disregard to the axiom concerning the straight
line. The old Narragansett Country was such a typical
example that it may well be taken as an illustration for the
rest of the Colony.
On January 20, 1657', Samuel Wilson, John Porter,
John Hull, Samuel Wilbour and Thomas Mumford exe-
cuted the first deed of purchase with the Sachems of the
Narragansett Country for that great tract of land which,
as a result of that and subsequent deeds, the last dated 1661,
was to contain, in area, about twelve square miles. These
five men, together with Benedict Arnold and William
Brenton who were admitted at a later date, were known as
the Purchasers and the land as the Pettaquamscutt
Purchase.
Unfortunately the minutes of the nieetings of the Pur-
chasers are most incomplete and the dates of the earliest
apportionments of the lands are, therefore, very difficult to
present. We know, however, by surviving deeds and rec-
ords, that by 1663 the Purchasers had commenced to
assign and sell lands to outsiders; but it is certain that they
had previously allotted various tracts among themselves.
With the sale of lands it became imperative that roads be
laid out as the country side had nothing as a means of
travel, save the old Indian trails. This difficult work was
evidently undertaken about 1660, the date being approxi-
mately confirmed by two depositions made in the year
^Elishn R. Potter, Early History oj Narragausett, pp. 275-2S
ANCIF.XT ROADS IX THE PETTAQUAMSCUTT ITRCHASE 107
1 727 j as in the first of these, dated July 8th, the deponent,
Benoni Gardner", referring to one of the highways, states
that it "is now near Seventy \ears Since the Laying out of
ye Same".
These depositions, ona by Benoni Gardner as referred
to above and the other b\' Henry Gardner dated three days
later, are the main ev'idence that remains of the earliest
roads of the Purchase. A road plat by Helme^ confirms the
position and direction of the roads to such a degree as to
verify the testimony of the Gardners.
As the first settlement in the Purchase was on the East-
erly slope of what is now Tower Hill, at the place then
called Pettaquamscutt, the roads laid out for the conven-
ience of the house holders at that place will therefore be
considered first. The other roads and highways leading into
the "wilderness" to the westward alw^ays have their begin-
ning from this "Country Road at the head of the Lotts".
Benoni Gardner says that this road, now known as the
Tower Hill Road, conimenced "at Esqr Brinton (s) Land
and Extended Northward So fare as sd Purchase went".
Brinton, or Brenton's land was situated on the Southeast-
erly side of the road through the village of Wakefield,
from the Saugatucket River to a point just north of where
the Tower Hill House now stands. Henry Gardner simply
says that the north bound of the road was the Purchase
line, but gives no southerly termination. It niay have orig-
inally commenced at the Brenton land, but it would soon
'South Kingstozcn Land Evidence, vol. 3, pp. 192-193. Benoni was
the eldest son of George and Herodias (Hicks) Gardner. He was born
about 163 5 and died in 1731.
"South Kiiigit'izoi Land Efuience, vol. 3, p. 193. Henrv was a brother
of Benoni.
â– 'Fragments of this plat b\- James Helme were found among the papers
of the late Fdisha R. Potter. It is dated 1 727 and it would seem probable
that the depositions were taken to aid in the drawing and layout of the
roads.
108
RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY
N
„o...„/,.
;:|
^Si.,..
^^'
I UK KUADS AT PK ITAQUAMSCUTr
The upper road is that at the 'â– 'head of the Lotts" iiozv the Post Road. The
lozcer is the road along the riz'er at the foot of the hill. The connecting road
to the right is the \ornier zvay to the Lead Mine. The road leading ufzcard
from the Post Road is the highzcay connecting zcith the ''''Broad Road'''' at the
Saugatucket Riz'er. Note signatures and dates.
ANCIENT ROADS IxN THE PETTAQUAMSCUTT PURCHASE 109
appear to have been extended along by the head of the
Purchaser's lands that bordered on the westerly side of the
Salt Ponds and ocean, until it reached at least the southerly
line of the Purchase. The westerly bounds of these divi-
sions of land mark approximately today, or at least prior
to recent changes due to motor traffic, the course of the
Post Road as far as the Charlestown line, which line at
that point is in fact the original southerly bound of the Pur-
chase. This extension, for some distance, is shown on the
Helme fragment.
At the foot of the hill "called Pettequamscutt," or rather
at the foot of the lots, another road was laid out on the
westerly bank of the Pettaquamscutt, or Narrow River.
This road originally extended from south of the Middle
Bridge, so called, to Coles Mill which was adjacent to the
site of Gilbert Stuart's birthplace. At present it stops short
of this, but an abandoned driftway through the woods still
shows the original course. Benoni only mentions it, but his
brother George says that there "was laid out a highway
sixty years agone & upwards from Segg [Sedge] Island
along by the foot of the Lotts on the Petequamscutt Hill
in said town to the grist mill which now belongs to Elisha
Cole or a mill that stood thereabouts." The mill that
"stood thereabouts" was the mill built by Thomas Mum-
ford in 1686 T 68 7.
From this road there were two connecting with the Coun-
try Road at the head of the lots. With reference to the
first of these, Benoni states that, "there was one Highway
laid out by the Lead Mine from the uper highway at the
head of the Lotts down to the highway to the foot of said
Lotts". Henry Gardiner states that it was formally laid
out "for the convenience of going to sd Lead mine". It
was originally laid out with the generous width of 20 rods.
However, the lead mine, known by the Indians as Cajoot,
does not appear to be as valuable as was expected and
"afterwards the said Purchasers gave four Rods in width
110 RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY
on the north part of Sd Twenty Rods [road] from the
Lower highway to the Country Rhod afore mentioned
for the use & benefit of the Town and the remainder part
of said twenty rods the Sd Purchasors conveyed to Thomas
Mumford . . . in part pay for John Mumford surveying".
The road, as well as the mine, fell into disuse and first
the portion from the mine to the ri\'er road ceased to appear
on contemporary plats and later the remainder. It is, how-
ever, shown on the Helme plat, where it appears as the
northern of the two roads.
The other road down the hill to the river still exists
very much the same as when laid out. This was the road
over which tra\'el must go from the westward, over the
Pettaquamscutt Ri\'er, across Boston Neck to the ferry to
Conanicut and Newport. This road is the southern of the
two on the Helme Plat. It is at the southwest corner of
this road where the old grave yard still remains. This land
was originally given by Samuel Sewall for a church ^ and
here Rev. Dr. Joseph Torrey, minister and doctor, lies
buried. South of this road is situated the remains of Jireh
Bull's stone house or garrison, ciestroyed by the Indians in
1675.
The continuation of the abo\'e road, which led to the
west country, where the extensive farm lands of the set-
tlers at Pettaquamscutt were situated, commenced on the
road at the head of the lots just south of the juncture of
the so-called country road and the road described in the
preceding paragraph. Benoni Gardiner simply refers to
it as "an highway Runing out of Sd highway [at head of
the lots] Wistward up to Sawcatucket River" . . . Henry
"also saith that the Said Purchasers Laid out a Country
Rhode near the house of William Browns where Joseph
Hammons now Lives Leading ... to Saucotuct River."
Helme's plat shows Hammon's house, which was for-
mally Brown's, which places the beginning of the road very
definitely. On this road stood the first jail, and nearby, the
ANCIENT ROADS IN THK PF.TTAU U A M SCUTT PURCHASE 111
first court house in King's Province, later King's County.
Also on this road the Rev. Dr. Torre\' lived his verv useful
life.
At the Saugatucket Ri\"er this road met the most remark-
able road laid out by the Purchasers. Of course they had
land a plenty but vvh\- such a gargantuan highway! No
wonder Helme, many years later, called it "the Broad
Road". Benoni Gardner gives it first place in his deposition
and "Saith that to his Certain Knowledge that the highway
Leading from the Sawcatucket In Said Kingstown up to
the Ceder Swamp was laid out upon a Straight Line from
Said Sawcatucket up to Sd Ceder Swamp by the purchasers
of petaquamscutt Purchase fourty Rod in bredth through-
out, Southward from Jeri Bulls Line [,] himself being then
present and one unproved in lyout of sd highway [,] and
also the Land formerly belonging to William Haviland"
. . . "Jeri Bulls Line" was the southerly line of his five
hundred acre farm at Little Rest Hill. This great road,
220 feet wide, ran in a westerh' direction from the Sauga-
tucket Ri\"er through what is now \Vatson's Corner, Gould
and Curtis Corners, to the edge of the Cedar Swamp by
Worden's Pond.
A fragment of the Helme plat fortunately shows this
remarkable road; but also shows that the generous propor-
tions were not carried (.nit but for two hundred and ninety
rods from the Saugatucket Ri\'er. Here it narrowed down
to ten rods for a distance of about two hundred rods, when
it abruptly increased to twent\'-six rods until it reached the
Cedar Swamp, obligingly turning out to avoid the resi-
dence of William Gardner, Esquire! There are references
to this road as of twenty-six rods in width but its \agaries
would allow It almost any designation.
A further point to be noticed on the Helme Plat is the
utter disregard as to the juncture of the "Broad Road" with
the road from Pettaquamscutt to the Saugatucket at John
Kenyon, jr.'s house. -\n\'one tra\ellinu this road todav
j-fiiiiriniii^
ANCIENT ROADS IN TIIR PETTAQU AMSCUTT PURCHASE 113
may still note, at this point, a sharp bend to the south which
was necessarily made to join the two roads.
The "Broad Road," however, soon was shorn of its
greatness^ for in the beginning of the year 1726-7, the
proprietors of the Pettaquamscutt Purchase ordered
Helme to reduce the road to five rods width, and to divide
the surplus land on either side into house lots for the Pur-
chasers. The plat of these divisions is reproduced here-
with.
Helme's plat further shows two roads running north-
ward from the "Broad Road." The first was that near
the Saugatucket at what is now Watson's Corners. Benoni
describes this as follows: "and also another highway
beginning at the aforesd fourty Rode highway Run North-
ward by the Land of the Aforesd Bulls then turns westward
by sd Bulls and So Long Between Robert Potters Land
and Wm Knowles Land Until it Meetts with the afore
Named Chepuchsaugg River" . . . Henry Gardner states:
"near to ]n I. Kinyons house along between the lands of
Abiel Sherman & Saml Helmes northward up to Joseph
Cases north east corner and from thence westward between
Sd Cases Land & Robert Hannah Land & so along to
Chepucket River between the newles (Knowles) Land and
the Land now in the possession of Robert Potter . . ."
^ This road still remains the same today. From Watson's
Corners northward to Rose Hill, then to the westward. to
Kingston Hill and through the village of Kingston to the
Chepuxet Ri\er. The difference in the names of Case and
Bull m the two depositions, as owners of the land to the
westward of the road, is explained by the fact that heirs
of Jn-eh Bull sold a portion of their land to Joseph Case
HI 1693. In other words it was Bull's land when the road
was laid out, but Case's land when the deposition was
made. This situation frequently arises in the description
of highways and in the bounds of lands, with confusing
results to the unwarv searcher.
^
AXCIKXT ROADS IX THE I'ETlAijU.V MSCL'TT PURfHASE 115
The Other road leading northerly from the "Broad
Road" was that which is now a portion of the road which
leads in a northerly direction from the Post Road, some
distance Southwest from Sugar Loaf Hill in Wakeheld,
through Curtis Corners, to Kingston \'illage, and is now
known as the "Oki South Road." However, the only
portion of this road mentioned by the Gardner's is that
from Curtis Corners to Kingston Milage. Benoni Gardner
describes it as "another highway Runing from aforesd fort\'
Rode Highway Extending Northward bet\\'een the Land.
of Saml Tefft and Land belonging to Rowse Helme Esqr.
So Extending Northward l^ntill it Metts with the Last
highway' before recited b\' \Vm Knowles . . ." ( the
main road through Kingston \'illage). Henry Gardner
describes it from the opposite direction; "another high-
way Leading from the Sd highway that Runs Between
said Knowles & Robert Potters Land Southward to the
Eastwarci of Wm, Knowles & Saml Teffts Land adjoin-
ing to Sd Land as far as Robert Hazards Survey Run."
Li the \ear 17('3, this road was again laid out' by the
town, it being a portion of the highway from the "town of
Westerly bounds," which is the present bound of Charles-
town, to the "bounds between our town and East Cireen-
wich." This highway was what is now the Post Road from
the Charlestown line as far as the first road South of Sugar
Loaf Hill, here it turns westward into the Old South Road
to Kingston, through the village and north along the pres-
ent North Road, so-called, then east and north and again
east by the spot where the old Narragansett Church stood,
then northward down Ridge Hill through AUentown, b\'
DeviPs Foot to "John North's fourd," now Hunt's Ri\er,
bound of the town of East Greenwich.
"This report is printed in full in the Ejr!\ Hisforx of Narragtuisett,
pp. 223-22S.
^:
^
St,*
t^
ANCIENT ROADS IN THE PKTTAOr AM SCUTT PURCHASE 117
In the same record, mention is made of the road by
Sugar Loaf, through the town of Wakefield, as it now is,
and up Tower Hill, to "a ten rod highway, formerly laid
out by the purchasers at the head of the lotts upon Pitticom-
cott Hill." This portion is shown on the Helme Plat.
But in returning to the depositions of the Gardners^ one
further road should be mentioned. It commenced at the
MacSparran Hill, nearly opposite Hannah Robinson Rock,
and ran westerly to Mooresheld and from there north-
erly and westerly, to the junction of the present North
Road from Kingston \'illage, along the South Kings-
ton town line to the Chepuxet River. Henry Gardner
describes it as "another Highway . . . Leading between
ye Land of John Watson the Land of Wm. Gardiners
Westward along between the Land of Benony Gardner &
others & along by Robert Hazards Land . . . Westward
to Chepuchet River . . ." Benoni Gardner's description
is similar except mentioning that it passed by "the Depo-
nents Land".
There is one road that is not mentioned in the depositions
of the Gardiners nor in the report of 1 704. This is the
bit of road from Rose Hill, at the point where the road
from Watson's Corners "turn Westward by sd Bulls," to
the Saugatucket at Mooresheld. This was probably a
driftway at hrst, cut through the woods as a short cut to
join the road to Pettaquamscutt Hill. Such driftways,
originally made to afford access to small tracts of land off
the main highways, often were later laid out and accepted.
Many of the old lots can even now be placed h\ these old
and little used roads.
118 RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Roger Williams and the English Revolution
of 16+8 (Cont'd)
Bx James Ernst
In my article on "Roger Williams and the English
Revolution," R. I. H. S. C., \o\. XXIV, No. 1, January,
1931, I presented references to Roger Williams, his pam-
phlets and his religious and political ideas, discovered in
the Thomason Collection of Commonwealth pamphlets in
the British Xluseum. I have some additional references
which may be of help in making clearer his relationships in
the New England colonies and aid in estimating the influ-
ence of Mr. Williams and his writings in bringing on the
English Revolution of 16-1-8.
The material of this article is presenteci with the hope
of supplementing and enforcing the statements and con-
clusions of my article of Januar\', 1931, and for this pur-
pose IS arranged in four groups: ( 1 ) references to Mr.
Williams, his pamphlets and ideas; ( 2 ) names of probable
associates during his stay in England from 1651 to 1654;
(3) pamphlets published to discredit his mission work
aniong the Indians; and (4) references to Mr. Williams
and his writings sent to me by Professor William Haller of
Barnard College, New York City.
T/ie BIoHciy Teuent of Perseciit'ioii for the Cause of
Conscience by Roger Williams appeared in London, July
15, 1644. Parliament by the advice of the Assembly of
Divines ordered on August 9 that The Bloudx Teiiefit be
burned bv the public hangman. (See R. I. H. S. C, \'ol.
XXI\', January, 1931, pp. 9-12.) In his Antapologla
Rev. Thomas Edwards, one of the leading Scottish divines,
on July 13, 1644, quoted on page 49, Master Cotton^ s
ROGKR WILLIAMS AND J Hi: EXCLISH RiaOLUTlOX 119
Letter Examined by Roger Williams, and on page 289
referred to Cotton's "Letter to Roger Williams." He
further remarked on page 165 that Parliament might with
profit take over the New England method of persecution
against the Sectaries, referring to the persecutions as if
they were commonly known in England; that Parliament
might
"Justly have dealt with \ou, as the Magistrates in New
England did with Mr. Williams and the Antinomians,
Faniilists and Anabaptists there, and yet have said they
punished you not for your consciences, nor because of such
opinions but because your opinions, ways and practices
were an occasion of much hurt to the commonw^ealth, a
breach of civil peace."
In September, 1644, William Prynne of Lincoln's Inn,
Esq., in Twelve Considerable Serious Questions touching
Church Government (E-257. Br. Mus.) asked the Inde-
pendents, and especially Roger W^illiams and Goodwin,
Nye, Simpson, etc.:
"Whether that independent government which some
contend for, if positively and fully agreed on, and laid
down without disguises, and then freely pondered in the
balance of scripture or right reason, be not of its own nature
a very seminary of schism and dangerous divisions in
Church, and State? A bloudy plea to let in an inundation of
all manner of heresies, errors, sects, religions, destructive