Equally divided amongst them and to be Enjoyed by them
their Heirs and Assigns forever at the Decease or Marriage
of my said Wife that which shall first happen.
LASTLY I Nominate Constitute and Appoint my said
Wife Jane Rousse to be my Executrix of this my last Will
and Testament And I do hereby Utterly Disallow Revoke
and Disannul all and every other Wills Legacies Bequests
and Executors by me at any Time heretofore made named
29
30 RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Willed or Bequeathed ratifying allowing and Confirming
this & no other to be my last Will & Testament In Witness
whereof I have hereunto Set my hand & Seal the Day &
Year first above written.
John Rousse
Signd Seald & Declard by the
said John Rousse to be his last Will
& Testament in the presence of us
William Broughton
Thomas Wevar
William Allin
{To be continued)
Bowen Family Notes
By Charles Shepard
In the Heraldic Notes on the Bowen family, printed in
the Collections for July, 1931, pages 132-133, the state-
ment is made that Dr. Richard Bowen, father of Jabez, was
"son of Thomas Bowen of Salem," who was son of Richard
Bowen of Rehoboth. Following the statement in Savage's
Geneological Dictionary of New England, Thomas Bowen
of Salem is frequently confused, as here, with the contem-
porary Thomas of Rehoboth and New London, and snice
the latter was a direct ancestor of that branch of the Bowen
family which was most prominent in Rhode Island, a few
notes on the two Thomases may not be amiss.
Thomas Bowen of Essex County, Mass., who was a resi-
dent of Marblehead and previously may have lived at
Salem, appears frequently in the printed Records and Files
of the Essex County Quarterly Courts. As nearly as can
be estimated from his conflicting ages stated at different
times, he seems to have been born about 1621-25, and at
BOWEN FAMILY NOTES 31
least as early as 1 646 he had a wife Elizabeth who was about
the same age. About 1645 he had been a servant of
Devereux. In 1642 he testified in court at Salem, which is
the earliest record of him that 1 have yet found.
The printed court records further show that his wife
Elizabeth was alive as late as 1662, while Thomas himself
was still living at Marblehead in 1681. Pope's Pioneers
states that adminstration was granted on his estate in 1 705.
He seems to have had children, but I have never had an
opportunity to follow this branch of the family further than
enough to make certain that he was a different man from
Thomas of Rehoboth.
The other Thomas Bowen, the father of Dr. Richard
Bowen, was apparently the youngest of the four known sons
of the elder Richard Bowen of Rehoboth, who was buried
there in February 1674/5. It is reasonable to guess that he
was born about 1633, so that he was nearly if not fully ten
years younger than the other Thomas of Marblehead. He
moved to New London, apparently about 1657, was living-
there in 1662, and still owned his land in New London
when he made his will in 1663, having then returned to
Rehoboth where he apparently died. His will may be found
in the Mayflower Descendant for 1914, vol. 16, page 128,
and that of his father is printed in vol. 1 7, at page 247.
No record has been discovered, so far as I am aware,
which identifies this Thomas of Rehoboth in any way with
Salem or any other place in Essex County. Confusion be-
tween the two men of the same name has been easy, espe-
cially since both had wives of the same name, Elizabeth. The
widow of the Rehoboth Thomas married Samuel Fuller of
Plymouth. Her identity, long sought, is apparently still
unknown, though it has been suggested without proof that
she was a Brewster. My own guess is that Thomas Bowen
met and married his wife Elizabeth during his years at New
London, and that further research should be among the
Connecticut records, rather than among those of the Brew-
sters or other Massachusetts families.
32 RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY
A most promising clue (printed in the Fuller genealogy
of 1910, page 185 ) is the power of attorney of 1667 from
Elizabeth Fuller of Plymouth, sometime wife of Thomas
Bowen, late of Rehoboth, and Samuel Fuller of Plymouth,
to their brother-in-law John Prentice of New London,
blacksmith, to sell Thomas Bowen's land in New London.
Thorough research upon the ramifications of the Prentices of
New London, by the Bowen and Fuller descendants of the
elusive Elizabeth, might yield rich rewards in authentic
information. Apparently it has never been attempted by
them.
As I am compiling a genealogy of the Bowen family,
with special though not exclusive reference to the descend-
ants of Richard Bowen of Rehoboth, I would appreciate
information on this family from any sources, especially
entries from famih' Bibles and data from other private
records.
Since the heraldic tombstone of Jabez Bowen has recently
been described in the Collections for July, it may be espec-
ially appropriate at this time to mention the family tradition
that the same coat-of-arms was cut on the tombstone of the
immigrant Richard Bowen of Rehoboth, buried February,
1674/5. Search in recent years has failed to find any trace
of the stone. Any further information tending to show that
the traditional stone either did or did not exist, would be
welcome.
Roger Williams Press
RJW
E. A. Johnson Co.
PROVIDENCE
WASHINGTON
EXHIBITION
February 15 to 21
1932 •
^^
In conimemonitioii of the Washington
bicentennial the Rhode Island Historical
Societ\' will hoJci a hjan exhibition of
objects relating to George Washington,
during the week of February 15 to 21,
19.^2, at the Society's building.
Rhode Islaind
Historical Society
Collections,
Vol. XXV
APRIL, 1932 ^'^ ;
WASHINGTON CAVALRY
Issued Quarterly
See page 33
68 WateIm^an Street, Providence, Rhode Island
CONTENTS
PAGE
Washington Cavalry .... Cover and 33
Queen's Fort ....... 34
Stony Fort . . . . . . , 37
New Publications o£ Rhode Island Interest . . 37
Notes . 39
Petacom's Deed of 1667 40
Extracts from Rhode Island Gazette, 1732 . . 41
Inciian Pottery . . ... . . . 45
Shipping Manuscript ..... 46
General Washington at Little Rest,
by William Davis Miller .... 47
Dorr War Flags . . . . . . 53
Treasurer's Report . . . . . . 61
RHODE
HISTORICAL
ISLAND
SOCIETY
\ OL. XXV
COLLECTIONS
April, 1932
No. 2
William Davis Miller, President Gilbert A. Harrington, Treasurer
Howard W. Preston, Secretary Howard M. Chapin, Libraria?t
The Society assumes no responsibility for the statements or the opinions
of contributors.
The Washington Cavalry
The illustration upon the cover of this number of the
Collections is reproduced from a water color sketch origi-
nally belonging to the family of Cyrus PVench, the hatter
of Little Rest. The subscription states that it represents
"A Model of the Washington Cavalry." The colors of the
original are as follo\vs: hat, blacky coat, red with brown^
facings, white buttons (probably metal ) j waistcoat, buff;
breeches, fawn; boots, black. The saddle cloth would
appear to be dark olive with white strips on the border.
The Washington Cavalry was chartered by the Assem-
bly in the June session of 1792. The incorporators were:
John Gardiner, Rowland Brown, Henry Potter, Samuel
Helme, Samuel E. Gardiner, Robert Potter, Jr., Christv
^It is believed that red coat was later replaced with one of blue with
buff facings but this cannot at present be verified.
34 RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Potter, John Segar, Adam Helme, Jonathan Hazard, Jr.,
John Potter, Jr., Peter B. Hazard, Jeremiah N. Sands,
Griffin Hazard, Jeremiah N. Potter, Francis Hazard, Rob-
ert G. Sands, Rowland W. Hazard, William Perry, Nich-
olas Hazard, Nathanial Mumford, Thomas H. Hazard,
John Gardiner, Jr., and Gideon Hazard.
It was enacted that the rank and hie, exclusive of officers,
should not exceed sixty-five and that "the said Company
shall, at their own Expense, equip themselves with suitable
Cloathing, Arms and other Accoutrements . . ."
The first officers were: John Gardiner, captain j Rowland
Brown, first lieutenant ^ Henry Potter, second lieutenant
and Samuel E. Gardiner, cornet.
The Washington Cavalry coiitinued its existence until
some time during the year 1841 when it was evidently
disbanded, there being no further records regarding it
after that date.
W. D. M.
More About Queen's Fort
(Continued from \ ol. XXI \, p. 141)
The following items are printed from photostat copies
in the Society's library.
Sidney S. Rider, in letter to Hazard Stevens, November,
1898, said:
"In the matter of the Queen's Fort, or Wilkie's Fort, of which vou ask,
I have made some investigations, and there are but few references to it in
the early writings and never under either of these names. The Queen's
Bed Chamber is some what difficult of access some agility is required both
to get in and get out again. It is about 7 feet in height and will hold about
20 men.
"The Indian 'Engineer,' who designed the 'Fort' was the same one
who planned the defences of the Island on which was the Fort in the
Great Swamp Fight"
queen's fort 35
James N. Arnold, iii PeJi Pii/nres of Narragansett His-
tory y said:
" ]'hc Queen's Red Chamber consists of a square opening in a solid
rock, and partl\' covered Avith a tiiin stone. Here in this rock-bound scene
lived the widowed Queen, Magnus. Her dominions stretched awav to the
southward along the banks of a river that still bears her title Queen. Over
a tract of several thousand acres this woman held an undisputed swav. This
fact is interesting from its proving that the Narragansctt Indians did look
after the welfare of their women, and provided means of support for them
after their hunter had been taken from them."
[ames N. Arnold, in letter to Hazard Stevens, Decem-
ber 2, 1898, said:
"The name (Wilkie Fort) came from the first English owner of the
land purchasing from the Committee, this being a part of the vacant
lands. (55 Potter)
"Along the Queen's River from its source to its union with the Usque-
paug was set aside for the use and support of the squaw sachem, and a
guard of 24 warriors was detailed for this purpose, to guard and protect
her. Her name was Magnus. She was the widow of Meikie, the son and
heir of Canonicus, who was head of the nation. Magnus' cieath under the
circumstances was tragic. She was taken prisoner bv the Connecticut troops
in Phillip's war, carried to Connecticut and put to death.
"The source of the Queen's River is a spring on the south side of this
cluster of stones.
"You may judge how much of a tract her hunters rambled over when
you take the distance from here to Usquepaug.
"You observed on the west side of these rocks there is a patch of sand.
It was at this spot that the corn was taken Nov. 27, 167 5 (See Potter).
"Starting from the west side you crossed some rocks and there came a
break and then the great cluster. The chamber is well towards the west
part of this last clump of stones.
"There is a large flat stone that covers the entire chamber and tits very
close except on the south side which gives an opening of about two feet in
height and the width of the chamber in length. The chamber itself is
about 1 feet square and about six feet in the clear.
"I could reach the ceiling with my hands when I was in it. The room
is verv square and Well proportioned. I am really sorry you did not find it
but if one is not very careful he is apt to go by it.
"There is lots of tradition about the sheep stealers that one time made
this their rendezvous and also plenty of stories about the insane hermit
Revnolds all of which would write up quite a respectable magazine article.
Perhaps some time I might do this."
0'!
â– \
♦ . ^
^,* .w.
j^xorrf/iiQ-fo 1kc
; ntduyifiouf.ond
f.
'/
uc*-
d oi
^'•'^ , r c r>
c,«^,
/:<
.v^
.^
^^
J
oXoi^
^
L^\
I
6' ><^l O".
r=^
^- 9/ Wd^r'rn low
^ri <" -5 >rtjf5. N^
^^ v^ y
"S
M
2 :^
x^
â– t.
X:f
/â–
- A
V*'
v^-
if'
'oa'^
SKETCH OF QUEEN S FORT BY WILI.ARD KENT
From pliotosti.it in the Society^s library.
37
Stony Fort
The document containing a reference to Stony Fort, that
was printed in R. I. Hist. Soc. Coll., vol. Ill, p. 407, and
mentioned in vol. XXIV, p. 149, is recorded in R. 1. Land
Evidences, vol. II, p. 200.
New Publications of Rhode Island Interest
Poto-ii-oj/uty an illustrated historical pamphlet of 26
pages by Anna M. M. Lawrence.
Some Further Papers Relating to King Philip's War, a
pamphlet of 14 pages issued by the Society of Colonial
Wars in Rhode Island, 1931, contains reprints of three doc-
uments in the Rhode Island Historical Society Library.
Earthquake Dan/age and Earthquake Insurant ti^ by John
R. Freeman, which contains an account of the earthquakes
that have occurred in Rhocie Island.
7/7 Praise of Antiquities, an address by Norman M.
Isham, published by the Walpole Society.
A genealogy of the de Chappotin family of Rhode
Island appears in the Selden Ancestry (pages 270-291)
which was published at Oil City, Penna., in 1931.
The Ne-zi' Enghnul Quarterly for January, 1932, con-
tains an article on "Rhode Island's First Court of Admir-
alty" by Marguerite Appleton, and on "Student Interest at
Brown 1780-1790," based on the contemporary letters of
Brown students.
The New England Hist, and Gen. Reg. for January,
1932, contains an article on the Littlefield Family of Block
Island by G. Andrews Moriarty, Jr.
George W ashi}igto}i and Rhode Island^ by John Wil-
liams Hale\', is an illustrated pamphlet of 40 pages, pub-
lished b\- the State of Rhode Island. â–
38 RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY
The article by Richard Holden Tingley in The Sports-
man for January 1932, entitled Qyeat Rains of Little
Fishes refers to the rain of fish at Providence in 1900
which was described at length in the Providence Journal
of xMay 16, 1900.
The second volume of the Sullivan Papers, 1778-1779,
which is volume 14 of the Neve Hampshire Historical
Society Collectio}is, contains much of Rhode Island inter-
est, as these papers and letters relate to the period that
General Sulli\'an spent in Rhode Island. Indeed, this vol-
ume might well be considered a source book on one phase
of Rhode Island's part in the American Revolution.
The Sandvcich Papers, just published as volume 69 of
the Publications of Navy Records Society, London, 1932,
contains several references to Providence, Newport, Rhode
Island, and the Gaspee affair. The following item on page
1 73 IS interesting:
"You will please observe this bav runs 30 miles up into the country to
a town called Providence, through which place all the provisions came
for the supply of the rebel army at Boston; and it being navigable for
men-of-war sloops and even frigates all the wav up to Providence, we
might (had we possession of it) cut off the supplies from the rebel armv
at Boston, and from Connecticut it would be extremelv difficult in the
winter for them to be supplied.
"The town of Providence might easih' be kept possession of from its
situation, having a river on the left and a hill on the right which runs
along the back of the town. Providence is near a mile long, having but
one street along the river side, and lays nearh' north and south. At the
south end of the town, there is a river runs east and ioins to Providence
River, which makes a high point up to which it is alwavs navigable along
the town and from Newport and Rhode Island, from whence our troops
could easily be supplied with provisions."
Washington's Visits to Rhode Island, by Howard \V.
Preston, enlarged and reprinted froni the RJiode Island
Historical Society^ s Collections, October, 1926, is an illus-
trated pamphlet of 28 pages published as number 5 of the
Historical Publications of the Rhode Island State Bureau
of Information.
39
Notes
The following persons ha\e been elected to membership
in the Societv:
Mr. W. F.aston Louttit, Jr.
Prof. William T. Hastings
Mr. Dexter L. Lewis
Mr. Clarence E. Sherman
Mrs. John W. Holton
Mr. Richard LcB. Bowen
Mrs. Edwin A. Cady
John E. Donley, ALD.
Mrs. Charles C. Stover
.Mr. T. Robley Louttit
Mrs. Mahel B. Comstock
Mr. Charles Owen Ethier
Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin
Mr. William E. Brigham
Mrs. William E. Brigham
Mrs. Richard Rathbone Cjraham
Mr. Kenneth D. MacColl
Mr. Howard L. .\nthon\'
Miss Mary A. Jack
Miss Eleanor B. Cireen
Mr. William C. |ohnson
Mr. Emilio X. Cappelli
Mr. Edmund H. Parsons
Mrs. S. H. Cabot
The need for a new building for the Society is as urgent
now as it was last year, and it is hoped that sonie public-
spirited Rhode Islander wnll donate or bequeath the funds
necessary for a new building or for the adequate enlarge-
ment of our present building.
40 RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY
f>l''</» a ^TnaS fr^l: Ct>rA.Txiehl (^ irQ- 0'^^t *^'^ ^'<rio^l^.^C^ ct^i^t^:^ ..
f\nti<^t and rTtl-(& - arv:/ A/a^m; - 4-/uM.^7 <m fxrimc a»ii/ >TV»»^■>le1. occcftj^a fKxf»«vCj-
(~>ya^rtrr\ar< hoik liam *-A<:e^ t-rmc- ,>.ff?\e^ierr,h<mex} ^^hyxxt â– ^^ujtvfi-v.t^yL f>oS^t6r/'\.'\.-^
An Unrecorded Indian Deed of 1667.
From (jriginal u:anuscript ozincd by Mis. R. S. Richmond.
41
Extracts from the Rhode Island Gazette
Since the publication in the Collections of October,
1923 (page 103), of the items of local interest that
appeared in the Rhode Island Gazette of 1732, four more
issues of the Gazette have been located. These copies were
mentioned by Hammett in his Bibliography of Nev:porl
(1887), but were not located by subsequent bibliographers.
Through the courtesy of their present owner, Mr. Edward
A. Sherman of Newport, we are able to print the items of
local interest in these issues.
RJiode Island Items
NEWPORT JAN. 11, 1733
On the 3()th past ciy'd Abraham Borden Esq; General
Treasurer of this Colony, after a few Days Illness.
On P'riday last was drawn the Lottery set forth by Mr.
Isaac Anthony. The House and Land fell to Mr. Josias
Tendon, Jun. and three or four n^iore considerable Prizes
to others of this Place.
Custom House Ne-vcport. Entered Inwards.
Coatts from Boneary. Out-'jcard Bounds None. Cleared
Outy Coggeshall and Norton for Suranam, and Ladd for
Barbadoes.
A D \' E R T I S E M E N T
No. 1 3 of this Paper concludes a Quarter. Those who
have taken it from the Beginning, are desir'd to pay their
Money to John Franklin of Boston, or James Franklin of
Newport; the Continuance of it depending on punctual
Quarterly Payments, or a greater Nuniber of Subscribers.
N. B. A good Correspondence is settled lor supplying
this Paper with P\)reign and Domestick Affairs, as well as
42 RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Speculations, and may be better carryed on than hitherto it
has been if a farther Encouragement is given.
NEWPORT JAN. 25
Custo))! House Newport. Entered Inwards.
Wickham from St. Christophers, and Wilkinson from
Boneary. Outwad Bound. Coatts for Leward-Islands.
Cleared out. Brinn for Affrica, Wickham for St. Chris-
tophers, and Beaucham for Leward Islands.
ADVERTISEMENTS
To be sold by Mrs. Nearegrass, at her Shop in Newport,
a valuable Parcel of Books, consisting of Divinity, History,
Law, Physick, Plays, &c. most of them new, and well board.
N. B. They will be sold very cheap, the said Nearegrass
designating to leave off the Business of Book-selling.
(Advertisements are repeated from the issues of Dec. 21
and Jan. 1 1 )
N E W P O R T F E B. 2 2
We hear from Narraganset, That a Son of Mr. Green
(whose House was burnt at Warwick, as mention'd in one
of our late Papers ) had the Misfortune to Lose lately by
Fire his House, Shop and Corn Crib. 'Tis said nothing was
sav'd but part of the Corn in the Crib. And, That a Bridge,
a Mill, and a Forge were last Week broke down and carry 'd
away by the Ice coming down Pautucket River.
EXTRACTS FROM RHODE ISLAND GAZETTE 43
The issues of February 22 and March 1 are torn so that
only part of the ad\-ertisements remain.
They read:
A D ^^ E R T I S E M E N T S.
All Persons who have given Notes-r
port, for his Lottery Tickets,
This is to give Notice that
George Dunbar Esq ; is put
which Time it is not doubted
NEWPORT MARCH I
We hear above 50 \'essels were blown off the Coast of
New England the last Winter, and arrived in the West
Indies. Capt. Elliot, who was blown off to Antigua in his
Passage from this Place to Boston, is arrived at Martha's
Vineyard. A Sloop blown off, Sears Master, is arri\''d
here.
Custom House Nezi'port. Entered Inwards.
\'encent from \'irginia, Dyre and Sears from Eustaria,
Gullin from Hispaniola, and Waters from Boston. Out-
â– zi'ard Bounds Briggs for Barbados. Cleared Out^ Bell for
Barbados, Linsey for Leward Islands, and Frame for
.Antigua.
A D y E R T I S E M E N T S.
THIS is to give Notice to all Persons whom it may con-
cern, That the Lottery set forth by John Dickenson of
Wariiick, is put off to the 26th of April next, and then to
be drawn, or sooner, if full, at Capt. Gorton'^s in Warwick,
in the Colony of Rhode Island; which Town is almost
twenty Miles nearer to Bosto)i than Ne-ii'port is, and just
b\' said Dickenson\\ Shop of Goods, which will be very
-+4 RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY
handy for those who draw Prizes of English Goods which
they do nor like, to return them and have them changed
for any other Sort of English Goods which suit them better.
This is likewise to give
Gentlemen that have
of the abovesaid, Le
a mind to venture
as much entitle
against
of Warw
- drawn in N
ting off the g
Country is the
there drawn.
Notice of th
ven in the Publ
fore.
To be sold, a Trace of
lying in North Kings
Mumford, Jun. and well w
Newport, about 60 Feet
with a good Dwelling House
Tenents, near the Prison Ho
1 2 Years of Age, and a Slo
Stocks. Enquire of James
port, and know further t
To be sold to the hi
the Prince's Head
Land belonging to it
Deep, the House abunt
Rooms below, and
Out-House fir for
Pump in it Thos
defit'd to meet at
(Advertisements from the issue of Feb. 22 are repeated )
INDIAN POTTERY
45
(^
e
.^*
r .li
Fragments of pottery unearthed at Charlestown, R. I., showing the
crude attempts at artistic adornment by early Narragansett Indian potters.
The upper ones were found in 1873 and the other one in 1921. Some
more pretentious artistic efforts of the Indians are described in the
R. I. H. S. Collections for July, 1919, January, 1925, and October,
1926, but those more pretentious attempts were probably in most cases not
the work of local Rhode Island Indians.
46 RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Shipping Manuscript
It is thought by all concerned, that the A. M. had best
be ordered to touch Galinus & Cape Mount,* and if her
cargo will there purchase 380. or 400. and be dispatched
immediately to trade them and return — If such trade can-
not be made there, to proceed without loss of time & without
making any trade at the windward, to the Gold Coast, &
there make the best trade that can be made, with as little
delay as possible, & return — If capt. B, thinks from the
information he gets at Trinidad, that the Cargo is not suffi-
cient to put in 2. or 3000. dollars or other things as he may
think proper — Enquire in whose name the property of the
vessel stands, & what order or power has been given by the
apparent owner, for disbursing the proceeds, among the
real owners.
When the vessel with the Cargo arrives off Trinidad,
she will stand in back of the Kacilda and set a blue flag with
a white Ball, at the fore Top-Gallant mast-head — If she
can come in, answer with same Signal, and haul it down and
up three times, & then Keep it flying, if she cannot come in,
after raising it three times, haul it down — The vessel off
will do the same & wait vour instructions. (R. I. H. S. M.
XVn, 94.)
Note — This manuscript, which, from the paper and
handwriting, would seem to date from about the period of
the War of 1812, was recently presented to the Society by
Mr. W. H. Peck, together with other papers relating to
the shipping business of Nicholas Peck and Co., of Bristol,
R. I.
*Cape Mount, a headland in Western Africa at 6° 46N.
47