Johnston Historical Society Historical Notes
Vol. XI, #4, January 2003
Louis McGowan, Editor

Speakers
The speaker for our April 2003 meeting was Louis McGowan, who gave a slide presentation on Greystone and Centerdale. The images were of his postcards and of cards from the collection of Dan Brown. The members did a lot of reminiscing about the good old days and seemed to enjoy seeing the old postcard views.

For our May meeting our speaker was Steve Merolla, who graciously volunteered to fill in at the last moment for a speaker who could not make it to the meeting. Steve showed slides of, and talked about, some of our Johnston houses. He did a great job in pointing our some of the treasures that we have in our town and told us much about the people who built the houses.

At our June meeting Captain Phil DiMaria and Private Arthur Iannelli of R.I. Battery B presented a slide show on Civil War military dress, using original photographic images to demonstrate the varied clothing styles. After the slides they showed us many actual garments made exactly like the original clothing pieces. They followed this up by doing a show and tell on what the typical soldier would have carried around back then. The presentation was excellent and there were numerous questions from the fascinated guests.

Computer Repair
Our old computer has been fixed thanks to the generosity of Dan and Nancy Brown, who paid for its repair. This computer because of its age will be used exclusively for accessing the Johnston Historical Cemetery Inventory, which is part of the State-wide inventory of historical cemeteries. Our new computer will be used for all our other needs, including the ongoing inventory of our holdings.

Donation of Maps
Our good friend, Tom Greene, has donated a collection of original and duplicate maps to us. They were part of a larger collection that he purchased. The maps will be very useful in our research. Tom has donated and sold us many useful items over the course of three years.

Simmonsville and Its Post Office
by Louis McGowan
Simmonsville is a small hamlet in Johnston. It is centered on Simmonsville Avenue where it is crossed by Cedar Swamp Brook. As with many of our old mill villages in Rhode Island, it is difficult to recognize it today as a separate entity. But ask any resident of the area, and they will tell you that they live in Simmonsville.

Simmonsville's industrial past began when James F. Simmons in 1822 purchased a small stone building in the village and began producing textiles. Simmons bought the building from his father-in-law, Judge Samuel Randall. The Randall family was one of the earliest to settle in the area. Cedar Swamp Brook was a very good source of water power, and at one time five mills were operating along the brook at the same time in the little village. Other textile men working in the village were Reuben Mathewson, Benjamin Pirce, and Benjamin Almy. But it was never a big village and by the last couple of decades of the 19th century, textile production had ceased. For a change, farming replaced the making of textiles. By then Italian immigrants had moved into the area and were snapping up the farms that had been abandoned by the English settlers that preceded them. The Italian-Americans quickly became very successful growers of vegetables, flowers, and apples for cider production. Even now one can see the old greenhouses in the area that were used by these efficient farmers.

One event of note in Simmonsville was a flood in 1840. A spring freshet produced major flooding, and an early dam broke suddenly. A number of buildings were washed away, but, more seriously, eighteen people were killed. This made the 1840 flood probably the biggest killer of any dam break in Rhode Island history.

The Post Office
Little is recorded of the Simmonsville Post Office. It was only in operation from January 29, 1847, until May 22, 1850. It first postmaster was Walter S. Brownell. The only known covers mailed from this office are stampless folded letters with manuscript markings that were mailed by and to members of the Simmons family. The covers are in the collection of the Rhode Island Historical Society. The post office was probably in the mill store or the mill office. Nothing is left of that old mill complex. We can speculate that since the village was quite a way from the regular mail route and since there were never very many inhabitants in this village, Washington did not see fit to keep this small office in service. Evidence that the post office was not profitable can also be seen by the frequent change in postmasters in the few years it was open.

Postmasters of Simmonsville:
Walter S. Brownell, Jan. 29, 1847.
Dexter S. Phetteplace, Nov. 4, 1847.
Stephen Angell, July 20, 1848.
Seth Scott, June 2, 1849

The manuscript postmark "Simmonsville" can clearly be seen on the front of this folded letter that was written from W. Seabury Simmons to his two brothers, Frederick and Simon, who were attending school at the Fruit Hill Classical Institute in North Providence. The three brothers were all sons of James F. Simmons. The latter was a U.S. senator when the letter was mailed and so enjoyed the privilege of free franking (mailing of letters), as indicated by the word "Free" above the signature of the postmaster. The signature is that of Walter S. Brownell, the postmaster at the time.

Central Nursery
A special thanks goes out to Steve Pagliarini of Central Nursery, who used the company's power equipment to clear a large piece of land around the Belknap School. This is in preparation for Warren Lanpher's restoration of the exterior of the school. There was much poison ivy growing wild around the building.

Acquisitions
During April through August of 2003 the following items were acquired by the society:

1. A folding, heavy-duty yard sale table was donated by Tom Greene.
2. Six professional interior and exterior photos of the Clemence/Irons House, c.1940, were donated by Tom Greene.
3. A metal shelving unit for maps was donated by Tom Greene. It is in very nice condition.
4. Ten 1940s to 1970s matchbook covers from Johnston businesses were donated by Robert Bush. He has donated quite a few of them to us over the past few years.
5. A small collection of paper items (photographs and newspaper articles) relating to the Belknap School was donated by Lillian (Newman) Threshier.
6. A collection of 16 school pay receipts for Devereux children attending classes in Tripptown (Manton) schools in the 1830s and 1840s was purchased.
7. A pristine copy of a milk bottle from Russo's Dairy was donated by Dan Meunier. Dan and his son, Justin, also donated two bottles from the Petersen Dairy.
8. A small early school desk was donated by Barbara Maggiacomo.
9. Three early 20th century oil lamps were donated by Adolf Aurrechia.
10. A mid-19th century clay beer bottle and a late 19th century clay gallon jug from the Winsor family (both repaired) were donated by Adolf Aurrechia.
11. A photograph of a Winsor house (razed, but once located at Hartford Ave. and Rt. 195) and a 19th century music book from the family was donated by Adolf Aurrechia.
12. A 1930 Superintendent of Schools Report for the Town of Johnston was purchased.
13. Some household kitchen items were donated by Warren and Ellen Lanpher. Clay bottles and china mugs were included.
14. A nice collection of school-related papers was donated by Elanie Pereira. Turn of the 20th century school textbooks and older Johnston School Reports were among the items.
15. An early 19th century home-spun and woven cotton blanket (Purchase).
16. A 1930s or 1940s photograph of a fire truck in front of the Graniteville Fire Station was donated by Richard Siembab.

Election of Officers
At our June 2003 General Meeting our membership voted in the slate of officers that was recommended by our Nominating Committee consisting of Richard Lynch, Tom Hartshorn, and Walter Pearson. The elected slate is:

President—Louis McGowan
Vice President—Daniel Brown
Treasurer—Pasco Macari
Recording Secretary—Evelyn Beaumier
Corresponding Secretary—vacant
Trustee—Michael Carroll
Trustee—Everett Cogswell
Trustee—John Barattini
Trustee—Belmira Peters

A sincere thanks go out to all the officers who agreed to run.

The Bag Mill
By Louis McGowan
Clarence I. Brown wrote at the turn of the 20th century that his ancestor, Daniel Brown, built the Bag Mill in 1827.¹ From that date until 1884 Daniel and his heirs owned the site.² It was located on the Cedar Swamp Brook in Thornton at the end of Mill Street. An old drawing of the mill shows it to be a narrow, 4-story building.³ Today the Victoria Mill stands on the site.

Daniel Brown and a Mr. Fiske manufactured machinery in the mill for some time and did "considerable business." The mill was abandoned by Brown and Fiske after a big loss was incurred because of the failure of the Hazards of Peacedale, R.I. The latter defaulted on a large order to Brown & Fiske.⁴ On April 16, 1851, Daniel Brown sold to Pardon F. Brown the tools, machinery, and fixtures then used for carrying on the sash and blind business at the Bag Mill.⁵ In 1855 Daniel and his wife Abby signed a five-year lease with Olney Hendrick of Providence for the use of the Bag Mill and water privilege together with 2 dwelling houses. The lease ran from October 1, 1855, to September 30, 1860, at which point the lease could be renewed. Hendrick was to pay for setting up and repairing the building, the dams, etc., and this would take care of the rents up to October 1858. After that rent would be $300 a year.⁶

Somehow during this period Alfred A. Williams enters the picture. On April 5, 1861, he signed an agreement with Olney Hendrick of Johnston whereby he sold to the latter all his interest in the Bag Mill Estate, including his right in the new buildings, the mill wheel, the engine boilers, and all the machinery and fixtures connected with the mill operated by the A.A. Williams & Co.⁷ It appears that Williams was involved with the financing of the Hendrick's business.

Hendrick renewed his lease for the property because on April 8, 1861, he took out a mortgage deed with the American Bank of Providence for the Bag Mill Estate and all that went with it. The deed mentions 2 dwelling houses that Hendrick built and owned. The deed was cancelled after Hendrick paid off all his debt.⁸

Alfred A. Williams' name appears again in the record books on October 31, 1863. On that date for $4,550 he quitclaimed to William Gazley of North Providence and Walter S. Hunt of Providence, co-partners under the name of Gazley & Hunt, all his interest in the Bag Mill Estate and all connected property therewith (that which had been leased to Olney Hendrick by Daniel Brown and his wife). The estate was said to be the one described in deed from James M. Ripley to Alfred A. Williams in Johnston Book of Deeds #19, pg. 271 and 272.⁹ Again, we see evidence of Williams' involvement in the financing of the site.

The Bag Mill is referred to next on April 1, 1874, when Pardon S. Peckham of Coventry, R.I., the leasor, and Davis & Mabbett, co-partners of Johnston, the leasees, entered into a lease for the Bag Mill Estate. The lease consisted of the mill and other buildings, dwelling houses, and water power; also included were one set of woolen cards, one spinning jack, 216 spindles, one twister, 48 spindles, one duster, one reel, one small wool picker, shafting, pulleys and belting to run same, stoves and pipes, tools and fixtures, one card grinder and turning rest. The lease ran for 1 year for $900/yr., paid quarterly.¹⁰

Pardon S. Peckham, listed as the leasor in the previous paragraph, does not seem to have owned the property because Daniel Brown's wife's estate was still paying taxes on the property at the time (they did so until 1884). Possibly, Peckham was leasing the property from the Brown family and was sub-leasing the property to Davis & Mabbett.

Abby Brown, Daniel's wife, conveyed the Bag Mill property to Pardon F. Brown on August 30, 1879.¹¹ In 1884 Charles Fletcher bought the property, including the mill, from the Brown family. Fletcher owned the mill until it was demolished in 1897 or 1898. He continued to own the property after that, on which he built the Victoria Mill.

Charles Fletcher leased the Bag Mill to Leander W. Peckham from 1885 to 1897.¹² Peckham manufactured shoddy cloth (made of reclaimed wool fibers) using about 30 hands and doing an annual business of $30,000 to $40,000. After Fletcher built the Victoria Mill on the property in 1897-1898, the Bag Mill was torn down. A drawing in an 1897 newspaper article shows the two mills next to each other. The Bag mill is described as being ramshackle and "suggesting in its dilapidated lines the fact that it has outlived its generation and usefulness."¹³ Peckham moved his shoddy business to Morgan Mills, a small village in Johnston about 2 miles away.

Footnotes

1. Brown Genealogy, Clarence I. Brown, microfilm at the R.I. Historical Society Library.
2. Johnston Tax Books, various years.
3. Providence Journal, pg. 18; July 18, 1897.
4. Brown Genealogy, Clarence I. Brown.
5. Personal Estate #2, pg. 127; Johnston Town Hall.
6. Partitions, Dowers, Agreements, & Leases #1 Johnston 1843-1874, pg. 161; Johnston Town Hall.
7. Personal Estate #2, pg. 126.
8. Ibid., pg. 127.
9. Johnston Book of Deeds #19, pg. 271; Johnston Town Hall.
10. Partitions, Dowers, Agreements & Leases #1 Johnston 1843-1874, pg. 330; Johnston Town Hall.
11. Attachments, Executions & Mechanics Liens #2, pg. 82; Johnston Town Hall.
12. Johnston Tax Books, various years.
13. Providence Journal, pg. 18; July 18, 1897.

Yard Sale
In April 2003 we had a yard sale on the grounds of our headquarters. Thanks to all who contributed their time or items for sale. We netted about $90 for the morning.

Belknap School Restoration
The exterior restoration of the Belknap School is proceeding nicely. Warren Lanpher started work on the building during July. He is quite excited about the project. The roof is stabilized and shingling will begin soon. He has worked on the old wooden gutters and the eaves, saving the original wood whenever he can. He has replaced the window in the ell and put up the siding on its exterior. He also repaired (or constructed) the transom windows over the three doorways. The replacement doors (from the period) have installed.

During late August Warren completely re-built the belfry. First of all he took off all the modern material that had been used to cover the opening. Then, consulting old photographs, he reconstructed the fancy brackets and gingerbread that was originally in place. He has repaired, painted, and re-installed the finial. The clapboards have been replaced on the front of the building. Exciting stuff!

Recent Deaths of Society Members
Our society mourns the passing in the past few months of two longtime members, William Jackson and Irving Almonte. Bill was a member and a mainstay of our group for over 20 years. He and his brother, Bob, supported our group in many ways. They were longtime financial supporters in the early days with contributions towards our newsletter. Bill attended most of our meetings before his health started failing.

He was an important member of the family business, W.E. Jackson & Co. A longtime Graniteville business, they do fine-quality printing. Bill was also a decorated Army veteran of World War II, and we all miss him.

Irving was also a member of our society for many years. Most of us probably know of his ranch house at the corner of Atwood and Cherry Hill Avenues. There used to be a putting green in front of the house with the flag in the hole. In fact, he loved golf so much that he built a small course on his property. Irving ran The Blind King in Providence for many years, where he sold window treatments.

We also regret the passing of the mother of Everett Cogswell, Dorothy Cogswell. A very active woman all her life, she was a WWII veteran.

Museum Guests
On September 20, 2003, members of the Thomas Angell Family Association visited our headquarters. The group of 27 was on a tour of Angell family sites in the metropolitan Providence area. They seemed to thoroughly enjoy visiting the homestead of one of their family members.

On September 21 two great-great-great granddaughters of Elijah Angell visited our museum. I had been in touch with Julia Gallup by e-mail. She asked me if I knew anything about her great-great grandfather, Alpheus B. Angell. I told her that the name sounded familiar, and I would check to see if we had any information on him. When I checked the deed work that Steve Merolla had done for our headquarters building, Alpheus' name jumped out at me. He was the oldest son of Elijah Angell, the builder of our house! Furthermore, he was buried on the next street over, Cottage Street. As luck would have it, Julia and her cousin, Marcia, visited me at the open house on September 21st and I told them the good news. Needless to say, they were thrilled. We visited Alpheus' gravesite and saw his headstone (we don't think that he is still buried there). We then visited the Olney Angell House on Dean Avenue. Olney was their 4x great grandfather. Luck was with us again and we were able to tour the house.

I think that these two people were the first direct ancestors of Elijah Angell that I have met.

Joyce sent the following letter after her visit:

Sept. 23, 2003
Dear Louis,

Marcia and I are still celebrating our unbelievable timing & luck for finding you and Alpheus B. Angell on Sunday!

We can't thank you enough for your kindness. I have now been able to follow back to Thomas (Immigrant) Angell & will persue membership in that society.

Our connection is evidence of how important local knowledge is in research. Documents alone can never be as complete & we thank you for your personal interest.

Yours truly
Joyce Gallup

On September 23, 2003, the Western Rhode Island Civic Historical Society held their monthly meeting in our museum building. Thirteen members attended. Louis McGowan presented a slide show on Rhode Island textile mills as depicted on postcards.

Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council Meetings
In July and September of 2003 the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council held planning meetings for a Greenspace project on town resources at our museum building. Town residents came to give their input for a study project concerning the mapping of town sites of historical and recreational value and also natural resource sites.

Society members Louis McGowan and Steve Merolla have attended all three meetings for the study and provided their input on historical sites.

September 2003 Meeting
Cindy Thrana was our speaker for our September 2003 general meeting. Cindy is an interior decorator based in Rumford, RI with a background in retail displays. She spoke about decorating using antiques. Her presentation was excellent, being both interesting and informative. The members and guests present thoroughly enjoyed her talk.

Our Executive Board:
President: Louis McGowan
Vice-President: Dan Brown
Treasurer: Pat Macari
Recording Sec.: Evelyn Beaumier
Corresponding Sec.: Vacant
Trustee: Mike Carroll
Trustee: Everett Cogswell
Trustee: Bel Peters
Trustee: John Barratini

Our Executive Board meets at 7:00 p.m. in the Museum building, 101 Putnam Pike, on the second to the last Wednesday of each month, September through June (Except December). All are welcome to attend.

General Meetings are held at 7:00 p.m. the last Wednesday of each month, September through June (no December meeting. We have our Holiday Party that month). The meetings are held in the Museum Building. Our phone # is: (401) 231-3380.

Annual Dues
Have you paid your 2003 dues yet? Help us to defray the costs of producing this newsletter. The price is still the same: $10.00 for a single membership and $12.00 for a family membership.

Name: ______________________________________
Address:____________________________________
____________________________________________.

Single ($10) _____ New ____
Family ($12) _____ Renewal ____

Come Visit the Museum!

Don't forget—your donations to the Johnston Historical Society can be deducted from your taxes. We are registered with the Federal Government as a non-profit organization.