Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1847-06-10
}WhOIe No. 1856.

| believe better reason might be given j. e.
my exposition Of the foolish, ridiculous, and
fallacious report of the discoveries made by
pretended excavation around tlre sold Tower"
which, ifit is true that the same was comprised
in the report of Committee read before the
Royal Society Of Antiquarians, at Copenhagen
in IS3G, and if il had any weight m bringing tlie
society of Amtiquarians, to the conclusion, that
the race of men who built the tower at New
port, were the offspring of emigrants from the
St. Lawrence prior TO the year lO7O-lO75,it IT
was gross and paipablc imposition on tho
Committee, the Royal Society, and the world.
Having recited most Of my elaborate drheie
addressed to "Antquaran" and its absurd and
.jricoous objections TO the learned report of
Professor Ralen and Gractz before flie Royal
Society of ofCopenhagen" for the benefit of those
who feel an interest in the subject and wish to-
come at the truth deem it unnecessary, &c
| will now state the grounds on which have
expressed the opinion that " The Old Stone
+ Mill" was built by Gov. Benedict Arnold, tho
first Governor of the Colony under the Char
ter granted by King Charles I'd in 1868. Bon
edict Arnold removed from Providence TO New
port in 1903, (iiteen years after the first set
tlement of the Town OF Newport, which was
in IG35,) and was admitted purchaser there
on the 18th Of May the same year, he was one
ofthe patentees named in hie Charter orCharles
second to the Colony of Rhode Island and Prov
dence Plantations in 1868, and was appointed
first Governor under it. He afterwards held
the same Office by the choice of the ffeemcn
for twelve years He died in 167s aged G3
years Soon after his settlement in Newport
he hud house built on the lot on which tho
I II. |. Union Bank now stands, directly i'll tho
rear Of the site of that building and about 30
feet from the road belonging to the Town, now
/ Thames street, bounded westerly on said road,
noriherly on street now Mil strect,southerly
on lone ofPeter Coggeshall now Green street,
I and easterly on lane Of Walter Clarke, where
Bellevue street now is, containing by estima-
ton sixteen acres. On the Eastern part of said
parcel of land the old stone tower now stands
In Gov. Arnold's Will which is dated the
! Goth day of December, 1877 of which have an
authenticated copy, is the following clause IN
the first item: "My body desire and appoint
TO be buried at the north east cornef ofa Parcef
of ground containing three Rod square, being
and lying in my land in or near ye iins or path
from my d,ecliing house, Leading to my Store
built Wind Mn, in We Town of Newport above
mentioned" "And desire that my dear and
loving wife Dameris Arnold, after her deccase,
NAV be buried near unto me on ye south side
of We place aforesaid ordered for my own inter-
ment" THIS is the buryng place south of the
/ Unitarian meeting house where they and many
of their descendants and relatives lay inferred.
After making some bequest for the support Of
his wife during her life, and towards ye MAIN
tcnance Of his daughter Gudsgin Arnold, dur
ing the natural life of her mother &c, the VIII
roes on "ltem Sd, 81 do also give and bedueath
unto We proper use and behoof my said wife
Dameris Arnold, during her natural Tife, and
after her decease to the use and benoof OF my
youngest daughter Freelovo Arnold, all and
singular We lands end buildings severally here
after named-namcly,. one tract of land being
and laying in ye precincts ofye aforesaid Town
of Newport. containing by estimation sixteen
acres distinguished into Two parcels by ah'gif-
way belonging to yc said Town, and bounded
scveraay az follows, that is TO say, the lesser
marcel whereon is erected ny warehouse, and
wharf (now Stevens wharf aud bounded as
followeth on We east on yc highway aforesaid
= (now Thames Street,) on yc west by the sea or
Harbor of Newport &c. ye other and greater
parcel of ye tract of land nboyeso'd, upon
which standeth my DWELLING, or mansion house
and other buildings thereon adjoining or be-
longing, as also my Stone Juih Wind .Mit, aud
in the said pnrcel is being and lying ye three
Rod square of ground abovesaid, that have set
apart for brrying place, ye Whole pHrcef be-
ing bounded as foloweth on ye west by ye
highway aforesaid (now Thames street where
il runs between the II. Union Bank building,
and Stevens wharf,) here follows the other
bounds as before stabcd, designating the parcel
of land on which his dwelling house formerly
stood and extending eastward n few rods be-
, yond where his old stone hailt Wind Mill
= stands. Gov Arnold's dwelling house was
, located as before stated, fronting west,
; saw il pulled down soon after the
evacuation of this Island by the BrItsh
, Army in the Revolution. Fhe Chimney
and whole south end was built of rough
stone and coarse mortar, and plustcred on tho
n outside with the same. The rough stone and
, coarse mortar was so strongly cemented to-
Il gether, that they could not take It DOWN by
: commencing at the top without greO, labor, for
- that reason the house was first pulled down
$ then guys were made fast to the top of the
II chimney aud set tight by means OF taoles to
trees at distance, to cause il to fall in drco-
# ton from the building near; when Il was un-
Il dcrmined and fell, in one mass, and was after
IA wards broken up with sledges, &c. This ]
is consider pretty good evidence that the cement
}. with which the 0d Stone MH was built, was
n composed Of similar materials, and erectec
- about the same time. | said in my - ''eiaborat
:, article addressed to "Antiquarian Brow,
If,,ycra,tvr TINT tho Old Stone Mill was n