Barrington, Rhode Island

“ Allin returned to Barrington, studied law, and was admitted to the Rhode Island Bar as counsellor at law. He practised law and attended to business affairs of the farm, taking an influential and honorable position in town affairs. On the death of his father, in the year 1800, he succeeded him as associate manager with Joshua Bicknell of the Barrington Meeting House Lottery, to which he gave much time and energy. ”

“ First. That none of us shall at any time let or sell any of the said lands to any stranger that is not already a proprietor with us, without the joint consent of us all subscribed under our hands, vid, neither uplands nor meadow. The meadows, fresh or salt, about Popanomscutt or Peebees Neck, alias Barrington, were divided and owned as follows:
The first lot, originally Thomas Clarke's and sold to John Allen, extended from Barrington Bridge along the Swansea or Sowams River to a point near Scamscammuck Spring. ”

“ Of this movement, Barrington was one of the first to reap the advantage. Two new school buildings were soon erected, and a third was repaired and refitted. The new building in the South or Nayatt district, was one of the best of its grade in New England. Its furniture and fixtures were after the best models of the time. Through the efforts, chiefly, of two members of the district, the school was furnished with an excellent library of six hundred volumes, which, in connection with other influences, did much to elevate the standard of education in the town. ”

“ Graduates of Rhode Island Normal School from Barrington.
Students at the Rhode Island Normal School, from Barrington, not Graduates.
The town is well provided with schoolhouses, with the best of modern equipments. ”

“ Mr. Sidney S. Rider, of Providence, one of the most thorough historical scholars and critics of Rhode Island, is of the opinion that the word is of Norse origin.
Sowams River.—This name was given by the Indians to the rivers now known as Barrington, Palmer's and Warren. Both branches on the east and west of New Meadow Neck bore the same name, Sowams River. The proprietors often called it the Sowams River and the Great River, and spoke of both branches of this river. The westerly branch was also called the New Meadow River ”

“ Tyler of Boston. He was born Nov. 26, 1734, and in early manhood came to Rhode Island He married Elizabeth Adams and settled in Barrington near Duncan Kelley's ferry, the place of crossing the main or post road between the towns of Bristol and Providence.
Inheriting the thrifty habits of his Tyler ancestry, he became in early manhood a freeholder and at middle life was one of the largest owners of real property in the town. ”

“ When the Plymouth settlers first visited this territory, in 1621, they found it owned and occupied by the tribe of Indians known as the Wampanoags, under their Chief, Osamequin or Massassoit. The Indian name of the country, between Plymouth and Narragansett Bay, of which the territory of Barrington was a part, was called Pokanoket. Barrington was known as Sowams, and on its soil was the dwelling of the great Sachem, Massassoit. ”

“ Allin writes: "I hope you will put your trust in God and not in man, for it is He alone that is able to keep and preserve you from all harm, and to cover your head in the day of battle." General Allin died May 30, 1800, and was buried at Drownville, in the Allin Burial Lot, on the ancestral farm. He ranks first among the Revolutionary heroes of Barrington.
Matthew Watson was born in County Colraine, Province of Ulster, Ireland, March, 1696. His parents immigrated to Boston from Londonderry, Ireland, with six children, 1712. ”

“ The word means, The people of the East land, Tooker. Pokanoket.—The name of the whole territory occupied by the Wampanoags and associate tribes. Its original boundaries cannot be easily defined, although in its later limits it included Bristol County, Rhode Island, and the western part of Bristol County, Massachusetts, embracing the towns of Bristol, Warren, Barrington, East Providence, Seekonk, Rehoboth, Swansea, Pawtucket, Cumberland, Somerset, Dighton, Taunton, with other towns east of the Taunton River. ”

“ The most interesting boulder in Barrington is that which landed on the south end of the grey-wacke ledge at Drownville near the water tank. As this great stone of near an hundred tons is a conglomerate or pudding stone, it may have been lifted from the north end of the ledge on which it stands and carried by the ice to the south end and there deposited, when the glacier melted and receded to its northern home. The gravel bank from Long Swamp to Rumstick and Nayatt Points is a medial moraine, called in common language a "hog-back," and forms an excellent foundation for road-building. ”

“ The pictures of these houses and grounds, with the teachers and pupils in attendance, taken May 11, 1898, are the best description that can be given of the physical status of education in Barrington at the close of the nineteenth century, Barrington has a school committee of five members, elected by the town for a term of three years; a salaried superintendent; a male principal and a female assistant teacher of the High School, and six female teachers of the primary and grammar grades; the town owns school property to the value of about $11,000 ”

“ His school education was very limited, owing to the reverses shared by his, family in time of the Revolution, yet his close observation and careful study of men gave him a clear insight into business and a sound judgment in practical life. By fortunate risks, careful attention to business, and a wise economy, he gathered a goodly share of wealth. His townsmen honored him with many public offices, among which was that of being the first senator from Barrington in the General Assembly. Mr. Bowen was judge of the Court of Common Pleas for Bristol County for several years. ”

“ The fresh and salt meadows adjoining the creeks and rivers, were divided into lots of ten acres each, as far as could be. Sometimes the share of meadow lands was in two localities, in order that an equal quality as well as quantity might be assigned to each.
While carefully consulting for their business prosperity, the early settlers did not forget that the highest success of their undertakings depended not only on the planting of good settlers as the basis of a thriving town, but also in the encouragement of education, morality, and religion as agencies in sustaining its truest interests ”

“ The churches, public buildings and most of the private houses are now lighted by electricity. Mr. Starkweather has been among the foremost advocates of good roads, public buildings, schools, etc.; was president of the B. K. I. Association; a member and president of the Town Council; is treasurer of the Barrington Water Company.
Rev. Benjamin R. Allen was born in Newport, of good Rhode Island stock, June 27, 1805. His mother was left a widow, with five children, when Benjamin was eight years old, and the boy was compelled to make a manly struggle for an education for the ministry. ”

“ Since its occupation by the whites, the people living on this territory have been under the government of three colonies, Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay, and Rhode Island, have lived in three counties, Plymouth, Bristol, Massachusetts, and Bristol, R. I., and have borne three township names, Swansea, Barrington, Warren, and Barrington for the second time.
James I. and Charles I. were Kings of England and the Colonies when Massassoit was Sachem of Sowams. Cromwell ruled England when Sowams was made a proprietary, Charles the Second was King when Swansea was incorporated. ”

“ He served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Rhode Island from 1794 to 1837. The purity of his life, the integrity of his motives, and the justice of his opinions and decisions gave him the merited soubriquet of "Old Aristides." He was plain in his domestic habits, and, when unoccupied with public affairs, devoted himself to his farm, and especially to fruit culture, in which he took great pleasure. He united with the Congregational Church in Barrington, Nov. ”

“ Think of the earth cooling down and wrinkling into folds in the process of cooling, and you will, by your mind's eye, see the ocean's bed, breaking its level and some parts of it rising into hills and mountains and some parts sinking into valleys and deep sea channels. The Rhode Island hills and valleys were then formed and all the rocky peaks or knolls were then lifted up, very much higher than we see them to-day. ”

“ His biographer says of him: "But very few men have been better known throughout the State, and perhaps none survived him who possess more historical and statistical knowledge of the State, from the commencement of the Revolution to the present time. Of no man may it be more justly said, he has lived devoted to the best interests of Rhode Island. No man more ardently loved his country."
James Brown. Son of John, Sen., and Dorothy; admitted freeman at Plymouth, 1636, at Taunton, 1643, and at Rehoboth, 165S; m. Lydia Howland, daughter of John Howland, of the Mayflower ”

“ With Arnold of Rugby, he said, "It is not enough for a boy to go through college, but the college must go through him, if he would be a scholar," and he made the discipline of study the purpose of his life. Mr. Allen was installed pastor of the Congregational Church, Barrington, Sept., 1838, and was dismissed at his own request in 1842, on account of inadequate salary. He writes: "I became very much attached to the beautiful town and the noble people, whose generous kindness I so richly enjoyed." ”

“ Wightman spent his early years on a farm in Barrington, but the most of his active life was devoted to the development of system and proper organization in benevolent, charitable, and correctional institutions, for which he had remarkable fitness and adaptability. His first experience as an executive officer over charitable work, was in the office of Overseer of the Poor of Providence, where he made a wise administration from 1857 to 1889. ”

“ Frances Watson; children, John,3 Joseph,3 Timothy,3 Ann,3 Mary,3 Abigail.3—John3, John,2 Thomas,1 m. (1) Elizabeth Pabodie, b. 1647; children, Hannah,4 1668; John,4 1670; Ruth,4 1675; Sarah,4 1677; Elizabeth,4 m. Sylvester Richmond. John3 m. (2) Marah, a widow, who d. 1739. John,3 d. in Barrington, 1732, as above.
Abigail Salisbury. Barrington had heroines as well as heroes during the Revolutionary period. The women of the town must have encouraged and nursed the patriotic spirit with true devotion, or the husbands, fathers, and sons could not and would not have made so heroic a record. ”

“ It is good to remember that these first proprietors at Plymouth were also the first owners of the lands of Barrington and Swansea, and some of the adjoining towns, and that we can trace our land titles directly to their ownership, nearly two and one-half centuries ago. These men and women attempted to repeat on Swansea and Barrington soil the experiment of a free government and a liberal religious faith, which had been the motive of their lives in coming to this new land. ”

“ Church; member of school committee 25 years; a trustee of Public Library; chairman of Com. on Central bridge; member of Rep. Town Com., and State Central Com.; business, manufacturing jeweler.
Charles H. Merriman. Manufacturer, firm Henry Lippitt & Co.; has been a resident of Barrington since 1866, and is a valuable citizen; his
MR. BICKNELL IN HIS LIBRARY.
experience in financial affairs has been of good service to the town and his judgment is seldom questioned on matters of public expenditure ”

“ Sylvester Allen. Son of Samuel and Ruth Allen; b. Sept. 16, 1778; m. Nancy Luther Feb. 15, 1807. Lived at the Allen homestead until 1830, when he moved to Providence, where he died Nov. 15, 1832, at the age of 54. Children: Martha Watson, b. 1809; Samuel, b. 1811; Joseph L., b. 1813; Cyrus; Ezra Stiles, b. 1819; Nancy.
Samuel Allen. While Gen. Thomas Allin was the most distinguished military character that Barrington produced in the Revolutionary period, Samuel Allen was the most prominent and useful to town and state in civil life. ”

“ George S. Martin. Son of Sullivan; b. Jan. 3, 1822; m. Betsey S. Peck, Oct. 21, 1845; farmer; resides in Norfolk, Nebraska, and retains a lively interest in and a retentive memory of the older Barrington of which he was a resident for many years ”

“ One of the oldest monuments in the Tyler's Point Cemetery stands in memory of Desire Kent, wife of Samuel Kent, of Barrington. The inscription says she "was the first English woman's granddaughter on New England." This statement has been interpreted to mean that Mrs. Kent was the grand daughter of Mary Chilton, to whom tradition gives the honor of being the first woman of the Mayflower band to land on Plymouth Rock. The genealogical history of Mary Chilton and her descendants disproves this theory, however pleasing it may be to Mrs. ”

“ Willett doth Leave the home Lot formerly Lay'd out for Elder Cushman in consideration of the same, being of the quantity of thirty acres to Lye common Amongst us.
The original purchasers and active agents in the settlement of Swansea and Barrington were the same men who made Plymouth Colony famous and early New England history illustrious. We cannot make this fact too prominent that the real founders of our section were the very people who landed on Plymouth Rock and planted at Plymouth the first free, democratic government of the world. ”

“ Church, and interested in all its home and missionary work. In town affairs he was always true to principles and convictions, and was honored by election to the School Committee and the Town Council. He also collected the town taxes several years.
Mr. Bosworth married Laura Dunn, Aug. 10, 1848; children, Caroline S., and Leonard P. Bosworth. Mr. Bosworth left a well established and growing business at the Ferry, at Barrington Centre Depot, to be promoted by his son who has worthily succeeded him. ”