Johnston Historical Society Newsletter
Vol. I, #5, July 1985
Shirley Beaune, President, Louis H. McGowan, editor

Powder Mill Revisited
Until 1776 the colony of Rhode Island had to depend on neighboring colonies for all its gunpowder. In January of that year the General Assembly in Rhode Island voted to erect a powder mill. A site on the Woonasquatucket River in Centerdale was chosen. The mill was completed by the middle of 1776 and Jacob Goff, a person skilled in the manufacture of gunpowder, was hired to operate the mill. He and Laban Beverly manufactured gunpowder for three years. On August 28, 1779, the powder mill was destroyed in a tremendous explosion. The only powder mill ever erected in Rhode Island was never to be rebuilt.

There have been conflicting reports as to whether this mill was located in Johnston or North Providence. A 1978 report from the Rhode Island Historical Preservation Commission states that it was in North Providence. Their information came from misinterpreting evidence in Frank Angell's Annals of Centerdale, written in 1909. Angell said only that the mill was in Centerdale, never mentioning which town. He did give the reader clues though, even listing a deed book and page number of a deed that described the mill lot. That deed states unequivocally that the power mill was located in Johnston. The mill lot was on the west side of the Woonasquatucket River. Since the river has been the dividing line between the two towns back to their incorporation, it is not possible for the powder mill to have been in North Providence. An important part of Rhode Island's history was located in Johnston during those Revolutionary War years.

Mathewson Cemetery

The following inventory was taken from gravestones at a cemetery at the end of Killian Road near Route 295.

1. Benjamin O. P. Mathewson; born Sep 8, 1809; died March 13, 1887
2. Mehetable S., wife of above; born Sep 30, 1850; died Aug. 2, 1898
3. Henry L. Mathewson, son of above, born Feb 9, 1849; died Dec 13, 1869
4. Betsey, widow of James Willey, daughter of John & Mehetable Sweet; died Mar 21, 1873 in 77th year
5. Isadora M. Mathewson, daugh. of N.S. & Mary W. Mathewson; died Sep 26, 1862, age 10 months and 3 days
6. Ezra E. Mathewson, son of N.S. & Mary W. Mathewson; died April 13, 1874, age 3 months and 22 days
7. Amey C. Sweet; died Jan. 25, 1873, aged 79 years, 8 months, and 22 days

The cemetery is not included in the list of Historical Cemeteries.

Historical teasers: Answers to last month's questions

1. Vittorio Emanuel street (also sometimes given as Victor Emanuel) runs between George Waterman Road and Diaz Street, just north of Manton village. It is named for one of two Italian kings of that name. Vittorio Emanuel II, king of Italy from 1861 to 1878, was the first king of the united country, having been instrumental (along with historical characters like Count Camillo Cavour and Giuseppe Garabaldi) in the unification of the divers Italian states. His grandson was Vittorio Emanuel III, king of Italy from 1900 to 1946 (though his power and authority declined significantly with the rise of Mussolini's Fascists).
   
   Umberto Primo Street, off Rachela Street in the "Frog City" section of Thornton, is named for King Umberto I ("primo"), who ruled Italy from 1878 until assassinated in 1900. Umberto was son of Vittorio Emanuel II and father of Vittorio Emanuel III.
2. The first class graduated from Johnston High School in 1963. The baseball team, in their first year in the Interscholastic League, won the State Championship.
3. The town house was located in the village of Pocasset, on the present site of Johnston Memorial Park. It is thought that #1560 Hartford Avenue is in fact that very building.

This month's questions:

1. For many years there was a bridge in town known as Gallows Bridge. It is mentioned in deeds as far back as 1830. Where was this bridge?
2. This company was the nation's oldest wholesale distributor of hardware. Founded in 1776 the firm moved to Johnston in 1955 and stayed there until they went out of business in 1982. What was the name of the company?
3. North of the Hartford pike in western Johnston and east of Hopkins Avenue is a small body of water known as Kimball Reservoir. When was it dammed up and for what purpose?

News & Reviews
At our June meeting Carolyn Thornton, a senior at Johnston High School, presented a slide show and cassette tape of a project she submitted at the History Day in June, 1984. The program was titled "My Rhode Island Heritage: Roger Williams and Other Founders of Providence." Her project was chosen to be sent to Washington last summer as part of the National History Day.

Carolyn is descended from five of the original settlers of Providence: Joshua Winsor, Chad Brown, Thomas Angell, Stukley Wescott, and Roger Williams. Her Winsor and Angell ancestors have played important roles in Johnston's history as well. The Thornton family, her paternal ancestors, has also lived in the town for many years. Slides of family members from the last 120 years were shown as well as views of family homes. The slides coupled with the excellent narration made for an entertaining and informative presentation. Carolyn is to be commended for her outstanding work in the area of family history.

Bob Burford has completed a typed index to the booklet, Touring Johnston History, which he and Louis McGowan wrote last year for the Johnston 225th Anniversary Committee. A copy can be acquired from Bob for the price of photocopying nine pages.

The most recent issue of the state genealogical society's newsletter, Rhode Island Roots (Vol. 11, #2), June 1985, contains two pieces of Johnston interest. Clinton W. Sellew has pulled together a genealogical report, "The Kimballs of Ipswich, MA, Scituate, Glocester, Johnston RI," which details the ancestry and life of Dean Kimball of Hopkins Avenue; a very useful article but the comment that Dean was chosen "...councilman for Johnston in May 1756 when the town was formed" makes suspect other data since Johnston was not formed until 1759. A second piece is a typescript of a Johnston 1784 tax list; it is presently unknown how this privately owned copy compares to the main body of tax lists which are in the Providence City Archives.

JHS Plaqued Houses
As part of our ongoing work the Johnston Historical Society distributes plaques to individuals or groups that own structures that we consider architecturally and/or historically important. Anyone interesting in having their house plaqued can either contact Joe Paquette, care of the Johnston Historical Society or can come to one of our monthly meetings. A list of houses that have already been plaqued follows:

1980:

1. Edwin Farnum House; c.1825; 101 Putnam Pike
2. Daniel Angell House; c.1725; 15 Dean Avenue
3. Thomas H. Hughes House; c.1845; 423 Central Avenue
4. Clemence-Irons House; c.1680; 38 George Waterman Road
5. James Simmons House; c.1845; 928 Atwood Avenue

1981:

1. Shang Bailey Tavern; c.1825; 2737 Hartford Avenue
2. Killey House, c.1860; 266 Greenville Avenue
3. Belknap Chapel; c.1891; 500 Greenville Avenue
4. Hughesdale Mill House; c.1850; 468-470 Central Avenue
5. Mathewson House; 1740; 544 Greenville Avenue

1984:

1. Phillip Angell House, c.1820; 8 Angell Avenue
2. Newton Angell House; c.1865; 10 Angell Avenue
3. Newton Angell Carriage House, c.1865; rear of #10 Angell Avenue
4. Graniteville Baptist Church; c.1859; Serrel Sweet Road
5. Emor J. Angell House; c.1846; 138 Putnam Pike
6. Thornton-Brown House; c.1762; 69 Morgan Avenue

Thornton Fire Company
The Thornton Volunteer Fire Company was incorporated on August 19, 1914. Previous to this the British Hosiery Volunteer Fire Company served the area in addition to the Rough and Ready Fire Company in Olneyville. The charter members of the Thornton company were: William Smith, Robert Whittaker, William J. Howie, Percy Brooke, Joseph Daigneault, James A. Wilson, and George Dove. The fire station in Thornton is no longer staffed by volunteers although the station is still owned by the volunteer group. The call system is now used to supplement the permanent staff. The present station house dates back to 1940.

Governor King's Birthplace
Recent research has shown that the birthplace of Governor Samuel Ward King still stands in our town. The house lies just north of the corner of South Lawn Street at Hartford Avenue. It is a 2 1/2 story, center-chimney, frame house, dating from the 18th century. There is a 2 1/2 story wing at a right angle to the main house.

A guide book written during the 1930s indicated that King's birthplace was still standing on Lawn Street. Mrs. Brosco, the present owner of the house, reiterated that fact. Following up on this lead it was decided to verify this information through deed work at the Town Hall. A few hours work led to an 1829 document detailing the breakup of the estate of William Borden King, the father of Samuel Ward King. The lot given to William's daughter, Lydia Potter, included his mansion house. A complete deed chain was found for that mansion house from Lydia Potter to Mrs. Brosco. Thus it appears that Mrs. Brosco's house was indeed the birthplace of Samuel Ward King.

The governor was born in 1786 to William Borden King and his wife, Welthian. In 1807 he received a medical diploma in Providence and practiced medicine in Johnston until the War of 1812 when he served as an assistant surgeon in the U.S. Navy. Following the war he returned to his medical practice and also entered politics. He served as town clerk for over twenty years as well as being elected three times as governor of Rhode Island. King died in Providence in 1851. He was Johnston's first and only governor.

1897 Report of the Superintendent of Public Schools (Johnston, RI)

A hornbook was a flat board with handle, on which was pasted the school lesson on a piece of paper. They were used in America and England until about 1800, when paper and books became less expensive. The paper on the hornbook was covered by a thin, clear piece of horn which protected the expensive paper from school children's fingers.
—World Book Encyclopedia

Manton School, Johnston, c.1909. On the s.w. side of Greenville Avenue between Fairmount Street and the Killingly Street intersection, this public school is thought to be where Sarah Dyer Barnes taught for many years. The abandoned lot, with its distinctive stone wall and steps, is presently for sale. The photo, from the private collection of Clara Feeley, shows Clara (about 9 yrs.) in hat under middle of left triple window.

1880 Report of the Superintendent of Public Schools (Johnston, R.I.)

1. All teachers of the public schools are required to be at their respective school-rooms and to ring the bell fifteen minutes before the time of commencing the school. The bell shall again be struck, or the hand-bell rung precisely at the specified time for beginning school, as a signal for commencing the exercises.
2. All the public school shall be opened in the morning by reading a portion of the Scriptures, which may be done by the teacher alone or in connection with the older pupils,—the whole school being required for the time to suspend other subjects and to give proper and respectful attention. This exercise may be followed by prayer or not, at the discretion of the teacher.
3. It shall be the duty of teachers to guard the conduct of their pupils, not only during school hours, but at recess, and to extend at all times a watchful care over their morals and manners.
4. In case of obstinate disobedience or willful violation of order, a teacher many suspend a pupil from school for the time being, informing his parents or guardians and the Superintendent or School Committee thereof, and may re-admit him on satisfactory evidence of amendment. An obstinate pupil may be referred directly to the Superintendent or Committee, to be dealt with as their judgment and legal authority shall dictate.
5. No child under the age of five years shall be received as a pupil in any district school.
6. The teacher may at his discretion employ the older pupils as assistants in teaching, when it can be done without disadvantage to them or to the good order of the school.
7. No teacher shall allow the use of any other text-books than those authorized by the School Committee. The authorized books are: Analytical Readers, New American Spellers, Green's Grammars, MacVicar's Arithmetics, Warren's Geographies, Butler's History of the United States, Duntonian Writing Books, Parker's Exercises in Composition, Bartholomew's Drawing Books, Algebra, Book-keeping, Physiology, and Hygiene.
8. Declamations shall form a part of the regular exercises of every school; and compositions shall be write by ALL pupils of grammer grade.
9. There shall be a recess of at least fifteen minutes in each half day. If for purposes of discipline a pupil is retained at the REGULAR recess, he shall AFTERWARDS be allowed at least EIGHT MINUTES.
10. Teachers shall see that fires are made in cold weather in their respective school-rooms at a seasonable hour, to render them warm and comfortable by school time. They shall also see that the rooms are properly swept and dusted, and that a due regard for neatness and order is observed both in and around the school-house.
11. Teachers shall take care of the public property intrusted to their charge, and see that it is neither injured nor defaced; and it shall be their duty to give prompt notice to one or more of the trustees of any needed repairs.

Calendar of Events
July 29 (Monday) Johnston Historical Society GENERAL MEETING & ELECTION OF OFFICERS. A slide show will also be shown. Farnum House, 7:30 p.m.

August 3 (Saturday) PHOTOGRAPHY duplicating at the Farnum House, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Society members will make photographic reproductions of old photos owned by anyone willing to let us make duplicates. Your pictures will be copied on the spot and will never leave the sight of the owners. Other's copies will be available for swap or at cost.

August 26 (Monday) Johnston Historical Society GENERAL MEETING, 7:30 p.m., Farnum House, Putnam Pike.