portsmouthhistorynotes

In many ways the Portsmouth Free Public Library is the heart of the town. It provides the traditional library services but also provides meeting space, special programing and computer access. Many Portsmouth residents would be surprised to know that the library is not a function of town government. It originated and still functions under the Portsmouth Free Public Library Association.

It all began with the Thursday Evening Club that started through St. Paul’s Church. The group would meet to discuss literary and cultural matters. They soon outgrew holding meetings at members’ homes. In 1897 there was a public meeting attended by 55 people. Rev. Pearce of St. Paul’s proposed the establishment of a public library called the Portsmouth Free Public Library Association. The idea was quickly adopted and within a week they were applying for a charter. Petitioners for the charter were Rev. Sturgis Pearce, Edward F. Dyer, John L. Borden, Edward Ayler and Leroy Tallman. The charter stated the objective of the association: “For the purpose of the free distribution of books and other literary purposes in accordance with Law.” The Charter petition came only eight days after the organizational meeting. The petition was dated March 26, 1897.

The building site committee was extremely gratified when John L. Borden, donated a parcel of land at the corner of Freeborn Street and East Main Road for the Library building. The Library was built at cost of $2,363. It was designed by Russell Warren who also designed the St. Paul’s Church, the Arcade in Providence, and the Jane Pickens Theatre in Newport. The initial collection of books came from donations and the library was only open on Wednesday evenings and Saturdays.

Through the years donors financed additions to the little building and to its collections. Artist Sarah Eddy contributed a West addition to house an Art Room in the 1920s. August Miller set up a family fund to buy children’s books in honor of his wife and daughter who had drowned. Edith Taylor Nicholson of Glen Farm donated generously and the North Wing is dedicated in her honor.

Through the years the Portsmouth Free Public Library Association has owned and operated the library to the benefit of Portsmouth residents. Trustees and officers have been active in the running of the library. Longtime board member Ernest Denomme put together a history of the library for the opening of a new wing in 1975. Mr. Denomme humorously relates stories of the work of board members. One chairman read every fiction book that came into the library and marked those she approved of with her stamp. Author and playwright Lillian Hellman came to town. She remarked that none of her works were in the library. The board chairman responded that if Miss Hellman would donate her books, she would read them and only put on the shelves those books she considered patriotic. Mr. Denomme recounted that once people joined the board they continued on until their eighties. Some would fall asleep during meetings and others were assigned “assistants” so the work would get done despite the confusion of the board members.

For over a hundred and twenty years the Portsmouth Free Public Library has been the cultural center of our town. The original association founders would be proud. All Portsmouth residents are welcome to join the association if they are eighteen and pay their dues. You can be part of an association that has made a difference in the life of Portsmouth.

Founder’s Brook is an excellent place to celebrate the original founders of our town. The large puddingstone rock holds a bronze plaque with the text of the Portsmouth Charter and the names of the signers. The babbling brook in a peaceful setting lets us think of the primitive camp of the original settlers. No doubt this area is important to Portsmouth’s history, but it probably wasn’t the first settlement.

In the 1930s Historian Edward West pieced together early maps of Portsmouth through the land grants. We are indebted to him for visually laying out who had which piece of land and where it was. In an article called “The Lands Of Portsmouth”, West states:

“As we all know, the first settlement was at the Spring.
It has always been my supposition that the reason for
settling here, aside from the fresh water, was that the land
was more easily cleared, although I have found record of
a wood-lot. As more people came to the Island, and it was
found that land in other parts was better for agriculture,
this section was gradually acquired by several men.”

The “spring” mentioned was the one he labeled with an x – near Common Fence. I have it labeled with a red arrow. The Blue arrow he labeled “The Spring or Founder’s Brook.” Both areas are of importance. When West was writing in the 1930s, that brook by Common Fence was dried up, but he could still tell where it had been.

West goes on to write.

“The Town of Portsmouth was started soon after the first
settlement in fact, part of the first settlement was included
in the town. … As finally laid out, the town extended as far south as Sprague Street and from the east shore to the west road. In the center of the land between the East Road and the West Road is a brook which runs into the Town Pond.” *1

This brook area is labeled Founder’s Brook on his map. Part of this area is what we have set aside as “Founder’s Brook” today. This piece of land was not given to any one individual. It was a “watering area” and place to wash sheep. West writes that after part of the settlers moved to found Newport in 1639, the “town was built along the second spring which is now called Founder’s Brook.” *2

West is clear that there were two springs. The spring of the very first settlement was close to the Common Fence and is now dried up. The second spring was by what we call Founder’s Brook. It was a hub of activity for the town. The new house lots were laid out around the brook and there was a “highway” along the brook. The Brook was used for water for the families that lived by it. To the east of it was a level tract of 4 acres that was used as a “Training Place” for militia drills. Nearby where the Brook enters the Town Pond William Baulston had his public house, an important meeting place for the town.

Even though Founder’s Brook may not have been the original settlement location, it was the center of the new town just a year later and it remained a central part of Portsmouth history for many years.

1. Edward West: The Lands of Portsmouth, RI, and a Glimpse of Its People. Rhode Island Historical Society, July 1932.

2. Edward West: New Interpretations of the Records of the Island of Rhode Island. (collection of the Portsmouth Historical Society).

As Col. Barton prepared for his daring raid to capture General Prescott, he selected four men from Aquidneck Island to be among his forty raiders. John Hunt, James Weaver and Samuel Cory were three of the men and they all had Portsmouth connections. They were acquainted with the area around the Overing House where Prescott often visited. They served as guides once the whaleboats landed on the shore. They led Barton’s men along the banks of Redwood Creek up to the Overing House.

What roles Hunt, Weaver and Cory played once the raid began on July 10, 1777 are hard to follow. John Hunt’s pension application claimed he had captured the sentry at the front door and was the first to enter Prescott’s room, but other men claimed the same honor. A “Biography of Revolutionary Heroes” written by Mrs. Williams records a story told to her by Samuel Cory.

“The prisoner made great complaint of having no shoes; his feet were much scratched and swollen, and Colonel Barton procured a pair of one of the officers at Warwick, for him; and told Samuel to take them up to him and put them on. Sam took the shoes, and Prescott protested he could not wear them, his feet were so swelled, and they would not fit and &c (etc.). But Sam very deliberately sat himself down, and went about putting them on, saying, his orders were to put them on the General Prescott, not to see whether they fitted, and that he must obey orders. It was in vain the captive General remonstrated, and writhed about with most hideous contortions of countenance, Sam kept at work with the gravest face, although ready to burst with laughter, until he had forced the shoes on. Sam thought the General must have found out, on that occasion, “where the shoe pinched.””

The capture of Prescott was a minor victory, but it did give the Americans a boost in moral. Aquidneck Island was still in British hands and the Americans had a long fight ahead of them. Samuel Cory went on to fight in the Battle of Rhode Island in August of 1778. Again from Mrs. William’s article:

“He was in Sullivan’s expedition, and fought bravely on Lawton’s Hill, where he was the last one to retreat and being pursued by a party of Hessians, faced about and fired his ramrod at them, not having time to load. He then fled and gained his company. Several times he fought in a platoon where he was almost the only one that escaped. He afterwards fought in the battles of Trenton, Princeton, and Monmouth and with the Rhode Island regiment. He was afterwards engaged in privateering, and with James Weaver, engaged in several skirmishes in the ‘General Arnold.’ a sloop that in the early part of the contest was very successful, but which like its great namesake, was finally caught by the British.”

Weaver and Cory swam to the Connecticut shore where they begged their way home to Rhode Island. That is a great story but as I fact checked it seemed that the “General Arnold” (which was a privateer), went down in December of 1778 in a storm by Plymouth Harbor. What can we believe?

Family stories and the recollections of old soldiers may be true, but it is hard to confirm them. In any event, we honor the 40 men who bravely took part in William Barton’s capture of General Prescott. We especially remember Portsmouth men John Hunt, James Weaver and Samuel Cory.

Read more:

Reference: Mrs. Williams: Biography of Revolutionary Heroes: containing the life of Brigadier Gen. William Barton and also of Captain Stephen Olney. Providence, 1839.

I recommend Kidnapping the Enemy by Christian McBurney – 2014.. He has done a very detailed study of the Barton raid.