The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1819-07-21

subjoincd interesting letter place in our col.
unns, though It was not originally intended foe
the public Eye. II viii be found TO contain many
valuable facts. in rcaiio:i to RocEa WILLrAMs,
the" Founder of the town and Colony - and we
are persuaded that it win be read with interest
by ths people Of this town and State.
(Dhy ofa Lefser in hnssyer 10 sone Queries
Az rrlanpss,o me hiaees Of Residenee Of Mr..
Roger UiAhams, IN Providenee; Me fine
cf hs Denfh, and me ftaee Of his Burial:
To Ma. WlLLlAMs JHAyEn, Jvn.
FosrER, May 81, 1919.
DEAR SrR--I have, this siternpon, had the
pleasure OF receiving your petite lcuer oi yes
ierdsy, requesting infor nation relative TO
your worthy and distinguished socestor, Mr..
s.koGER WILLIAMS, the Founder of our
State, and rot some years its Chief Magistrate
and patron. lie was chosen Presiseni, Sep
tcpbcr i3, I6ss, after his return from his
+ second sncccssfuI agency. with the long Par
'iamcnt in England In hat office he was
teontinued 5y repeated elections, unui May
10, 1867, when &c was succeeded III It by
Deoedict Arnold.
lnapswor TO your queries, (" AT what timc
did Rpser Wllisos depart this lifs where
did tic dweii ~ Providence I and where was
ho burssd ! can only say, that never met
with sny record, p',D,ed or manuscript,
which | though, moro correct, esto the timo
ef his death, than tho rccount givea by M.
DaeEus, ia his History OF the Eaptis,s, vol J.
y. SIS Governor Hutchinson in his Histo.
= iy oil Massachusetts, vol I. p. <3, Gays that he
died il the year 1852, forty eight years after
his banishmeni. Now, adding d8 years 10
the yesrsof his removal from Salem to Provi.
dcnce, which. undoubtedly was in 1876, il
( Inakes the year OF his death; /; though Gov.
crnot Hutchinson, by mistskc, says il was in
1852. From Mr.. Williams' wriiings, It APP
zpears tha, he was born In 1892 and as he
died in the Seth year of b,s ugo, j, will make
1. the year. i6 SO, as stated by Mr. Dackus, that
IN winch his death happened.
ItSppears Of record, ibst, on tho ! 9Th day
of January, Sss, Mr.. Williams, with others,
tjgnel settlement Of a Cont,o ovefsy which
ksd4Qng existed betweon sonc OF no people
Or P!Qyidecce end some OF those OF pawtuxs,
M vaiQise TO the Pawtuxcl purchase and that,
Y <op@he 10Th OF May following, John Tho n,on,
81 . letter 10 Mr.. Hubbard, mentioned his
$sdes,h. So he must have died between Janu-
Z asy Is md May 10, i6a5.
" The freeman pi Providence. in town meet
Jog. JlH rs, i77i, appointed committee
@Xtz. Stephen Hopkins, Amos Awell, end
~ <l)urius Sessions, Esquires to drpi, an inssrip
~ >ion Tor monument, which II was then in.
1>pndrd to cree, TO his memory. In their
VI BE on that occasion, Mr, Williams was cal
q The Founder Of fae 2osyn end Colony"
The commiuec did nolbing, and the business
kaS sIspt from that lime. In the summer OF
that year (48 years ago) when much was said
" respecting a monument lor him, though
poshIng could be agreed 90, his gave was
)ohavn 10 spe, near the cast end of the house,
a h. E,re
k1elme was then gone, and the top OF the other
8 fnhf<n of, 80 tia, ooly the lower part appear
SQ Without inscription. There were several
kUSt grsves,oncs ncer his in memory Of
4 3 tlSe OF tho Ashton family, who ws,e con.
scied with Mr. Williams, on which tho in-
[lScf1oeions were entire. Thinking il duty
MI prsserve some knowledge Of the place
66srs vas deposited the dust Of the Fooodsi
III our State, have repeatedly, of lsic years,
0uveks lor those uonuments, without being
~ 10 find any tecccs Of them though
k<tlhk I can, with,n rod or Two, show where
! ~ wore placed; SO that on digging the
y yoond, Tho graves may p-rhuPs be discover
q sfNsrs u no doubt but that Mr.. Williams
Jiscds }hs latter part OF his life, upon the es
'YlMo &hessin he was buried, which was called
&,xSCsdUford os,aic, after Tho conne zion Oft
ICSs~ ~ford and Fcuner families by the marlisge
Yet Gids6e Csswiord with rfeelose Fenoe'.
sd>pghssx q Arthur Fennes, April 5, 1857,
5 ~h&h Asshss Fenuvr, Juy 81, 1888, esse 70
Ms lhree daughters, FseeIovc, Bethiah, and
2h<be, shhsysone acres Of land, :" in Provi-
fdec4s Nsck," Ell which became ,he property
~ Hf. csawfosd, who married Frsclose Fem
foaf. s(1f believe vas exchanged or nego,ia.
l}Is1 (or NJ. Villisms' estate, near the spring
<;<Aa Nr. Williams, grave and the others b.
brs osensloned were on that sstste. applied.
On she I 9Th DAY OF May, TEL 3, TO Mrs. May
Ttlpev ascendant Of tho said Gideon Crsw
"a, -shss lnths 72d year Of her age, fcr iufo'
D1tjoe vssp<edpg them. She was womsc
of}es>lliesncs, bod srnse end inform alton,
4 81 sfelo: shts sas mid, sss iaissncd me